Author: Stuart Crawford

Small Business Owner? How to Choose Tech Support

It is an unfortunate truth that many small businesses assume they don’t need to outsource their IT needs to a professional IT company.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, small businesses desperately need IT support — often, because they won’t have the resources to staff an in-house IT department.

Fortunately, IT companies generally offer support contracts that can work in a small business’s favor. Your company will be able to choose the level of support you specifically need. If you only require IT services occasionally, for troubleshooting network problems or setting up new software, for example, you can choose a low-level contract that won’t cost much. If you’re looking for more comprehensive coverage, you can always scale up.

Here are some other important tips to consider when choosing tech support for your small business.

Consider what type of fee structure you prefer.

IT companies generally offer two different types of fee structures:

• A flat fee due monthly, biannually, or annually
• A pay-as-you-go structure

Every business is different, but it is possible (and maybe even likely) that your small business won’t benefit from a flat fee payment structure.

This is because you may not actually end up needing the extent of services that a flat fee structure is best for. Larger businesses, certainly, will need to contact and get help from their IT company regularly every week or month. In fact, these companies often have in-house IT. But If your small business only uses IT minimally (for example, just for your website or for inventory ordering, etc.), you won’t use enough of your support package, and paying the flat-rate fee will get expensive.

On the other hand, we must note that niche industries may require a lot of IT tech support — even if your business is small. If this is the case for you, a flat rate monthly or biannual fee could be beneficial.

Look for IT companies who’ve been in the industry a while.

Brand-new IT companies often nab customers by claiming to know the latest trends in IT and how to best handle the most recent wave of cyberattacks. While these are both areas to be concerned about, as a local business or one that’s just starting out, these benefits (if they are actually true in the first place) may not be particularly beneficial to you.

As a small business, you basically want reliable IT support for basic security monitoring, troubleshooting, and possible software or hardware recommendations and/or setups. For this reason, it’s important to search for an IT company that is local and has been in the industry for a long period of time. This means they have the experience, which is exactly what you want. Ask the IT companies you are considering to speak with clients they’ve worked with for a long time so that you can get a handle on the kind of support you’ll be receiving from them.

Find an IT company that can help you grow.

Most small businesses are looking for ways to grow. If this is the case for your business, you should start looking for an IT company who can scale up your services when you eventually need them.

We’ve already stated the importance of having several payment options when it comes to your service level needs. This also comes in handy as you look toward the future of your business. While now, you may prefer a pay-as-you-go structure, you should work with an IT company who offers bigger, broader, flat-rate packages too. The extent of their services should also run the gamut.

With this in mind, also remember that an enormous IT company who won’t be able to provide personalized support to your niche industry isn’t generally recommended. The potential for scalability down the line is key here.

While you may assume that larger businesses are the ones who need all the major tech support, small businesses require IT expertise as well. It’s true that your IT needs may not currently match that of a mid- or large-size enterprise, but investing in the hire of an IT company will surely boost your business’s success as you grow and expand.

Use the simple tips above to locate the optimal IT company for your small business. We’re positive you’ll see the benefits of a good hire right away.

How Technology Helps Today’s CFO Improve Operations

The business world is increasingly tech-savvy, and organizations are looking for CFOs who are comfortable with the language and strategies of digital technology. The office of the CFO has long been a center of excellence for driving efficiencies and technology provides a wealth of new opportunities for forward-thinking CFOs to improve operations and maximize their assets. Finding a CFO who is comfortable with and understands the balance of technology in the workplace can be a significant boon for organizations, especially those who rely on their operational prowess as a means to outpace the competition. From growing efficiencies on the front line to improving back-office processes, see how technology is quickly becoming a game-changer for enterprising CFOs.

The Evolution of the CFO

For years, CFOs have been a major part of creating seamless operations for the business, including finding the right solutions for finance and accounting as well as processes such as travel and payroll. These disparate systems continue to mature, making it crucial that CFOs understand how they fit together seamlessly and provide value back to the organization. It’s not unusual for today’s CFOs to be more deeply involved in other decision-making, including the selection of project management software, customer relationship management tools, marketing automation and more. With their eye for back-office processes, CFOs are in a unique position to add their voice to the conversation around holistic technology for the business. This evolving role requires CFOs to expand their knowledge of systems and data architecture while still maintaining a tight hold on operational excellence throughout the organization.

Driving Digital Business Transformation

Staying up-to-date on the latest advances can also require the CFO to act as a digital transformation strategist for the business, a role that isn’t always comfortable for this top executive. Watching customer trends, social media insight and a variety of different datasets is a requirement as CFOs attempt to predict the future of the organization and drive innovation. Emerging technology requires near-constant focus, something that can be extremely demanding when CFOs are attempting to split their time and attention between multiple priorities. Technology, marketing and finance are the three pillars where the majority of data is present in the organization, and these leaders need to collaborate closely to ensure that data is mobilized for use in future applications. Having a deep understanding of the way various systems are built and maintained will allow CFOs to stitch together solutions that will benefit the organization in the future.

Moving Faster, Cheaper and Smarter

Finding the right technology for the job can require an investment in time as CFOs seek to gain an understanding of the various options on the market. Cloud-based technology can easily form the basis of the new operations stack, providing CFOs with a noticeably better budgeting process that doesn’t rely exclusively on capital expenses but spreads costs operationally, instead. Automation is one of the ways that finance executives are finding to drive optimization in the business, allowing entire teams to move on new developments more rapidly and with authority. Project management, reporting and marketing solutions increasingly rely on automation and artificial intelligence to provide greater insight and a deeper understanding of customer needs and sentiment.

As the role of the CFO evolves, technology will continue to play a key role for the business’s top finance executive. From shifting strategies to understanding how to implement and measure the value of various strategies, CFOs are gaining experience and insight that can be leveraged to make good technology decisions in the future.

From wirelessly connected fax machines to network-integrated treatment equipment, the modern-day healthcare facility has a full list of things that must be a part of their network. As convenient as the IoT may be for modern practices, every device adds a potential point of security vulnerability. Each new addition offers incredible convenience and functionality to a healthcare operation, and many of these connected devices have become quite standard in modern practices.

Something as simple as an insecure email generates a new onslaught of security concern, but when you look at the thousands of things that must maintain a network connection, those concerns seem somehow minimal by comparison. Managing privacy and utmost security with every new device has become a challenge simply because these devices have all-out exploded in the medical arena. Here are a few tips to remember where securing IoT in healthcare is concerned.

Supreme reliability generates points of security weakness all on its own.

There is a huge disadvantage with some smart medical devices; these units are created to be far more reliable than something man-operated. These devices are often used for treating severe ailments and are often deemed as “high criticality devices.” These devices, by all rights, maybe keeping a patient alive during treatment. As great as this is for patients, it also means the manufacturers of such connected units are extremely hesitant to make changes to operational functions for fear of compromising reliability.

It is not uncommon for some devices to go for many years without updates, rarely get a new patch for security reasons, and end up being highly vulnerable points of access on an organization’s network. Non-updated legacy software may not be designed to thwart incoming attacks.

You have to have a map of IoT architecture to fight security threats properly.

IoT is not the same as something like a network of computers. These units rely on a network differently, and they all usually have different usage patterns. On the contrary, a system of computers would likely all act and connect in the same way, maybe even at the same times. These variances make securing these devices a little more complicated.

As the operator of a medical organization, it will be critical that you have a detailed map of your IoT devices. This map should show how and when devices are used, where they are located, and what measures have been taken to keep them secure. This kind of mapping process affords an awareness when you need to understand the risks that are apparent and how they can be amended or tended to.

The Future of IoT in Healthcare

If there is one thing that is expected to stay consistent in healthcare, it is how IoT will continue to grow and flourish as a necessary component. Therefore, even if you are steadily ignoring some of the risks now with the few smart devices you have, that will definitely not be wise as time goes by. It is best to fully understand the network of devices you have, fully assess and address all security concerns, and continue to work with an IT security expert to make new amendments with every new device added to your operation.

Your MacOS Is Under Attack: 2019’s Biggest Malware Threats

The Mac operating system (MacOs) has frequently been hailed as one of the best systems for its resiliency to malware and typical viruses. But the days of MacOs standing strong and tall with no worries have really always been a misconception. Mac systems are just as vulnerable to the beefed-up, intelligent malware threats that are out there today.

SentinelOne published a lengthy review of the MacOs malware at the end of 2018, but in a new release, SentinelOne also stated that there has actually been an uptick in the numbers of new types out there attacking users. Here is a look at some of 2019’s biggest MacOs malware threats that every Mac-reliant business owner should know.

1. OSX.Siggen: A Malware Download from a Malicious Domain

Masquerading as a helpful app called WhatsApp, OSX.Siggen is actually a latched-on malware that slips in during a regular app download. WhatsApp is a fake social media platform, and the download looks super enticing when users come across it. However, once added to MacOs, the app runs with a backdoor designed to take administrative control over the system.

2. KeyStealDaemon: Password Hijacker

This dirty malware showed up in February of 2019, but by June it was still running strong. Apple allowed a patch several years ago designed for another purpose, but KeyStealDaemon can create administrative privileges for itself by slipping through. Unfortunately, this malware allows the person behind the scenes to get into the system and steal pretty much any password you have stored. The good news is, if you have properly updated your system, KeyStealDaemon can be booted out because it cannot break through.

3. CookieMiner Slips In and Steals Credentials

Toward the end of January 2019, a cryptominer showed up with its own installed backdoor to induce a threatening combination of technologies to steal cryptocurrency exchange cookies and passwords for Google Chrome. The worrisome thing about CookieMiner is this: experts believe that the malware could potentially have the rare ability to bypass things like authentication processes that involve multiple factors. If CookieMiner is capable of gathering enough cookies and credentials, cryptocurrency wallets can be virtually pickpocketed right in plain sight.

4. Mokes.B Puts On a Good Act

Persistence agents running amuck on your MacOs with familiar names may never be spotted, especially if they are calling themselves things like Firefox, Skype, or Chrome. This is precisely how Mokes.B avoids suspicion when it latches onto the operating system in application support folders and tracking files. Mokes.B is super-scary because it can gain the ability to take actual screenshots whole you are on pertinent screens, but it can also record keystrokes to steal date you are keying in.

5. A Variant of OSX.Pirrit Has Shown Up

OSX.Pirrit caused a lot of problems a few years ago, but this malware never really disappeared altogether. Instead, new family members under the old parent app are still being found on MacOs, and they are not being detected as they would otherwise be when acting as OSX.Pirrit. The aim of this malware is to make money from redirect actions that occur as a result of a browser infection, but there are rumors that PIRRIT is potentially capable of stealing data as well.

6. OSX.Dok Reroutes User Traffic

OSX.Dok gets into a system and installs a securely tucked-away Tor version location on a Mac system. User traffic hitting a site gets sent to an onion server instead of where it should be, which is a major problem for business owners needing to protect sensitive customer actions when they think they are on an e-commerce website. One of the scariest things about OSX.Dok is the fact that it can steal even SSL encrypted internet traffic maneuvers. Older versions of this software were thought to be banished, but new versions continually pop up.

Even though there are so many Mac users who think they are covered by some unseen immunity from malicious software, these risks are there and the growing list of 2019 proves that fact. Attackers deploying these software programs are targeting those easy-to-break barriers, so something like an improperly updated computer or even an unsuspecting employee can leave a business computer wide-open for an attack.

How to Stop Your CEO from Becoming a Phishing Target

Business fraud affects businesses of all types and sizes, and there are no individuals within your business that are truly immune from the possibility of a targeted attack. However, there are some people who are more prone to an attack, simply because of the high value of their knowledge or access to the information within the business. Accountants, finance leads and your CEO are some of the most commonly-targeted individuals when it comes to business email compromise (BEC) attacks, more commonly known as phishing attacks. Knowledge is power, and these tips will help keep your CEO from becoming the next victim of these vicious attacks.

What’s the Difference Between Phishing, Spear Phishing and Whaling attacks?

While phishing is the most common term that you may hear, there are two additional terms that are often used when it comes to upper executives or more targeted attacks: spear phishing or executive whaling. These more specialized attacks go beyond the broadscale spam of phishing attacks that are meant to net any type of “fish” who is willing to click a link. In a spear phishing or whaling attack, the hacker has researched your business and knows enough from either social media or your corporate website to target specific individuals. Cybercriminals spend the time and effort to find any key vendors for your business or some personal details that will inspire confidence in your executives. The assailants then leverage this information to create a highly specific and tempting message that feels more like a personal email from a known vendor partner or internal asset in an attempt to gain control of your systems or to get access to sensitive information. The term spear phishing generally refers to tactics that are specific to a few mid-level individuals in your payroll or accounting department while executive whaling is targeted directly at your CEOs and other C-suite leaders.

What’s the Potential Payoff for Cybercriminals?

This investment by the cybercriminal is expected to have a high-dollar payoff and there’s only one chance at success — so the hacker has a vested interest in taking the time to do it right the first time. Each subsequent request increases the potential of being discovered and reduces the possibility of a return on their investment of time. The fraudulent emails are often requesting that the recipient transfer a large number of funds, pay a massive invoice or otherwise release information to what the target thinks is a “trusted” party. The FBI estimates that a single targeted whaling attack can release upwards of $150,000 in funds to a cybercriminal, making this an extremely lucrative pastime for these malicious actors.

Your CEO Should Be Wary of These Tactics

Coaching your CEO to stay out of the way of cybercriminals starts with an ongoing dose of education. In this case, attackers tend to follow a pattern of sorts that is relatively easy to isolate as long as you’re actively looking for this type of interaction. Receiving an email from vendors that have already invoiced you for the month, or requesting a different payment method that they have not used in the past (such as a direct funds transfer) should be a big red flag for your senior executives. Be cautious of emails that come in from trusted individuals with a slightly different email address; e.g. “@Micros0ft.com” instead of “@Microsoft.com”, as hackers are now spoofing entire mail domains in an attempt to release funds and data from your organization. Funds aren’t the only things that are requested by these organizations — personal information such as tax records also command a high rate on the dark web. This quick flowchart from KnowBe4.com may be a helpful graphic to share with your executive team.

Protecting your organization from the tactics of cybercriminals is not a one-time problem or solution, but requires an ongoing and dedicated effort to foil the efforts of these actors. Keeping your finance teams and senior executives safe can save your organization hundreds of thousands of dollars in remediation and notification costs, not to mention the frustration and difficulties associated with handling a significant breach.