by admin | Jan 17, 2022 | Uncategorized
Social media at work…what could go wrong? As a business, there is no doubt today that you need to make your presence felt on major social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. But social media also exposes you to cybercriminals. In this post we talk about the steps you can take to ensure your social media account doesn’t become a gateway for cybercriminals to access your data. Make someone accountableThe first step to a successful and safe social media experience as a company is to make someone in your organization accountable for it. Designate a social media manager who is responsible for maintaining your company’s social media accounts. This person should oversee everything–from the posts and pictures in your company account to approving/disapproving ‘Friend’/’Follow’ requests. Train your employeesOf course you should train your employees who handle your official social media accounts about the security threats and how they need to steer clear of them, but you also need to train other employees who are not on your social media team as they could be a weak link that a cybercriminal could exploit to reach your business. Seems far fetched? Not really. A lot of people trust their ‘friends’ on social media and also unwittingly share a lot of information, which can be used to hack their personal accounts and devices, which in turn, may act as a gateway to your business. Teach your employees about general social media best practices in terms of security and also educate them about the privacy settings they can use to ensure there data is shared with trusted individuals only. Take...
by admin | Jan 10, 2022 | Uncategorized
Multi-Factor Authentication 101 You have probably already come across the term multi-factor authentication. The concept is not new, but has caught on really quick of late. In this post, we will discuss what multi-factor authentication is and why you should be adopting it. What is multi-factor authentication?Multi-factor authentication is basically the use of more than one credential to gain access to data. It is a combination of multiple access credential types. For example, instead of gaining access to an email account by just typing your username and password, you will be asked to further verify your identity by entering some other information, such as a pin or a one-time password (OTP) that was sent to the phone number linked with the email address you are trying to log into. Why do you need multi-factor authentication?Multi-factor authentication offers an additional layer of security. Simple access control measures such as logging in with user ID and password are increasingly being breached by cybercriminals because no matter how much we condition ourselves to follow good password hygiene, sometimes, we slip up. Have you ever been guilty of Writing down your password so you don’t forget it Sharing your password with someone just to get the work done faster Used the same password for multiple accounts just because it is easier to remember Creating a password that was obvious/easy to figure out. Examples include your date of birth, numbers or letters in sequence, your name, etc., Multi-factor authentication can help prevent cybercrimes that happen due to leaked/hacked passwords. How does multi-factor authentication work?The working of multi-factor authentication depends on a combination of the...
by admin | Jan 3, 2022 | Uncategorized
Why MSP relationships fail A lot of SMBs opt for managed service providers who can help handle their IT requirements, and for the most part, it works well. Almost everyone knows the benefits of having a MSP manage your IT. Increased cost savings, ability to focus on your business without worrying about IT, better IT support and expertise, and so on. But, there are times when the managed IT services model fails, leaving business owners to wonder what went wrong. This blog discusses some key reasons why MSP relationships fail. You didn’t do a reference checkDid you just pick the first MSP you found on the Google search? Did you just go by the presentations they gave you, or the information on their website? Always remember to ask your MSP for references. Talk to someone they work with and get feedback. They don’t have enough staffIf your MSP is short of staff, they won’t be able to give you the attention you need. One of the biggest advantages of bringing an MSP onboard is having someone who proactively manages and monitors your IT requirements– something you cannot do without a full fledged IT department. So, it is important that your MSP is well-staffed. They are not experienced enoughBefore you bring an MSP on board, make sure you pay attention to how long they have been in business. This is important because the whole idea behind hiring an MSP is to leverage their knowledge and expertise. Secondly, someone who has been in the business for quite some time is more likely to be able to scale with you as you...
by admin | Dec 27, 2021 | Uncategorized
Do your homework: 3 things to do when looking for an MSP Thinking of hiring a Managed Service Provider, but not sure how to go about it? Here are a few things to do before you zero in on one. Figure out what you have alreadyThe first step in a good plan is to figure out where you stand currently. Before you talk to an MSP, conduct an audit of your IT infrastructure to decide what you have currently. List all your hardware and software. When performing this IT audit, don’t forget other technologies that you are using, such as biometric access systems, CCTV systems and even telephone systems. You may think they are irrelevant as they are not directly related to your IT infrastructure, but, in the near future you may want them all to be connected to one another, and so, including them in the audit and inventory right now is a good idea. Figure out what you needThis is the next step. After you determine what you already have, the next step is to figure out what you need. What do you want to add on or remove from your existing IT infrastructure? Are your servers too slow? Do you want to switch to the Cloud instead of traditional services? Do you want a Unified Communications set up instead of your current PBX phone line? Do you want to shift to a work-from-home model and need the infrastructure to support that? Do your researchNow that you are clear about what you have and what you need, start doing your research. If you have an in-house IT...
by admin | Dec 20, 2021 | Uncategorized
5 Lesser known benefits of choosing the co-managed IT model Even companies with IT staff on their payroll can’t deny having an MSP onboard offers benefits that exceed what they get from having just an in-house team. This blog explore 5 lesser known reasons why the co-managed IT model is popular. An extra hand during emergenciesIn the event of any unforeseen emergency such as a natural disaster or a terror attack, you may need additional IT support to get things up and running again. Your IT team may not be able to do it all instantly and of course adding to your IT staff wouldn’t be an option during such times. In a co-managed IT services model you will have your MSP to support your IT team which will help you recover faster. Especially useful when you have a small in-house IT teamFor a lot of SMBs, an in-house IT team comprises one or two IT technicians who take care of all their IT needs. But what happens when they are both out of office at the same time, due to unforeseen circumstances? You can only cross your fingers and hope no major IT problem comes up. But, in the co-managed IT services option, your virtual IT team is just a call away! 24/7 Support24/7 IT support is a luxury for most SMBs. Their in-house IT staff usually works the same hours at the business. Most managed service providers, however, offer 24/7 services at affordable costs. You still retain control over your ITIn a co-managed services model, you are not completely entrusting your IT to an MSP, as your...
