Remote Collaboration: Connecting Teams When Circumstances Force Work-at-Home

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From winter blizzards to international travel advisories and global health concerns, sometimes powers beyond our control force remote solutions. When team members cannot gather in person, technology comes to the rescue. Now, more than ever, solutions such as Microsoft Teams prove essential in maintaining productivity through remote collaboration. Coronavirus Provides Preparedness Motivation Current global fears about coronavirus (COVID-19) have set stock markets reeling and prompted widespread panic. In the office, an employee with a persistent cough prompts worry among coworkers. Parents find themselves unexpectedly working at home when schools or daycares close. And employees cancel work trips to high risk…

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Focusing on the Future of Authentication

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Weak and stolen passwords result in data breaches that cost businesses millions of dollars each year. Biometrics and multi-factor authentication (MFA) offer a stronger solution. And yet, hackers can still spoof fingerprints and voices. Take a look at the future of authentication and determine what options make the most sense for your organization. Most experts agree that MFA provides a more secure environment for valuable data assets. With MFA, organizations require at least two verification methods to establish identity, instead of relying on passwords alone. For instance, authentication could include a password in conjunction with a fingerprint or verification text….

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Life Beyond Passwords: Biometrics and the Future of User Verification

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Kingdoms once protected vast treasures of gold and jewels with secret vaults and well-armed guards. Now, computer networks and even mobile devices grant access to our most valuable assets. As cyber risks evolve, businesses and individuals must also evolve beyond passwords to more sophisticated authentication methods. The obvious next step beyond passwords involves biometrics as part of a multi-factor authentication (MFA) process. For instance, anyone who purchased a new cellphone in the last couple of years has likely used facial recognition to access the phone and various apps. Biometrics offers quick access with a relatively high degree of security. And…

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Secure Your Business with Strong Passwords and Multi-factor Authentication

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In the 1983 movie WarGames, Matthew Broderick’s character hacks into a powerful military supercomputer by correctly guessing a single password. Computers, hackers and cyber security have come a long way since the WarGames days. Now, savvy organizations use a combination of strong passwords and multi-factor authentication to secure sensitive data and processes. Password Evolution Think of your early passwords. Perhaps you used a pet’s name or your last name, followed by the month and year of your birth. (Perhaps you still use those passwords. If you do, change them. Now.) Then, experts told users to add a mix of uppercase…

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Emotet Phishing Scam Targets Financial Institutions with Malicious Fake Invoices

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Widespread malware evolves, spreading rapidly in the US and UK We’ve written a lot about phishing and spear phishing in this space, but a new series of phishing scam attacks targeting banks and financial institutions in the US and the UK deserves your renewed attention. They are not only destructive but also leave doors open for future attacks. Emotet Trojan Powers Phishing Scams A banking trojan called Emotet has recently evolved into a botnet. It enables enterprising cyber criminals to profit from lending its powerful capabilities to others who seek to spread their own malware to unsuspecting victims. Last year,…

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Close the Door to Hackers by Purging Weak Passwords

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Marriott, Target, Home Depot and others have made headlines in recent years for data breaches that affected millions of customers. But did you know that 43 percent of breaches hit small businesses? Limited resources and lack of expertise often leave security gaps in smaller organizations, compounded by weak passwords and other risky practices. For instance, in the Target attack, hackers stole credentials from a much smaller company in the retailer’s supply chain. They then used the stolen credentials to access Target’s network. Sadly, similar scenarios play out over and over again. And users make the job much easier for criminals…

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Law Firm Mobile Security Best Practices

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Like most businesses, law firms have seen an increased mobile workforce in recent years. Mobile access increases employees’ ability to communicate with clients and coworkers quickly, as well as access documents on the run. But it also raises security concerns. Incorporate law firm mobile security best practices to protect sensitive business and client data. 1. Employ Mobile Device Management (MDM) The industry offers a host of MDM options to help your law firm get a handle on mobile security. Choose an MDM system that allows you to specify which devices can access the network, as well as what applications they…

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Stop Abbreviating 2020 and Essential Tech Tips for the New Year

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While you work on those resolutions to eat right and exercise, make a few resolutions for your business, as well. A fresh year presents the perfect opportunity to tighten security and run some much-needed maintenance. Protect your business with these basic tech tips for the new year. 1. Stop Abbreviating 2020 Commit now to writing out all four digits of the year. Writing “20” instead of “2020” leaves the door open for fraudsters. For example, suppose you sign a credit contract with the date 1/27/20. A bad actor could change the date to 1/27/2019 and attempt to collect an additional…

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Gone Phishing: How to Be Safe from Personalized Spear Phishing Attacks

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Phishing attacks entered the scene when AOL still ruled the Internet. More than two decades later, cyber criminals continue to use targeted phishing techniques for one simple reason. They work. Specialized attacks, known as spear phishing, use personal details to trick victims into clicking malicious links or sending sensitive information. For example, last year, hackers compromised the email system for an Ohio parish. After spying on email conversations, they posed as a construction company hired to complete parish renovations. Soon, the parish received an email, supposedly from the contractor, listing new instructions for payment transfer. In response, they paid nearly…

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How to Spot Data Breach Warning Signs to Protect Your Business

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Data breach. The phrase suggests compromised customer data, with resulting legal battles and hefty remediation costs. Most attacks take weeks, or even months, to detect. However, businesses that detect and address data breach warning signs earlier can save millions of dollars while protecting sensitive data and business reputation. Alarmingly, according to a recent Ponemon study, hackers spend an average of 197 days inside the targeted system before being discovered. That represents more than six months to pull sensitive information, introduce malware or encrypt files. Adding to the problem, the mixture of public and private clouds, along with an increasingly mobile…

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