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Your employee innocently clicks a link within an email or visits a sketchy website and the next thing you know your digital assets are being held hostage by a cyber attacker. It only takes a few keystrokes to cause potentially irrevocable damage to your systems, and hackers are always looking for new victims. With ransomware, you may be able to regain full access to your files and other digital assets — but at what cost to your business? No size of business is immune to cybersecurity assaults, and ransomware is on the rise in small businesses. In this Ultimate Small Business Owner’s Guide to Ransomware, you’ll learn more about the threat, tips to protect your business and suggestions on how to recover after your business has been infiltrated.

What is Ransomware?

Ransomware is a specific type of malware that results in you losing access to your digital assets until a ransom is paid to the attacker. The assumption is that as soon as you have paid the cybercriminal, you’ll regain access to your information — but there is no guarantee that hackers will unlock your files after payment. The loss of access to your information and business systems can be crippling for your business, sending productivity into a downward spiral and frustrating customers and vendors alike. The faster you or your IT security provider are able to react, the more you will be able to limit the damage done to your organization and reputation due to ransomware. The three primary types of ransomware are:

• Data encryption or fundamentally changing the format of your files
• Programs that hijack your desktop files and require payment to unlock them
• Mobile ransomware that prompts you with payment instructions

Each type of ransomware presents particular challenges for your organization.

Dangers of Ransomware

Aside from losing access to your files, your business may effectively be at a standstill with a widespread ransomware attack. Computer and phone systems, your website, your email servers — all are interconnected and can be vulnerable to this type of aggressive malware. Today’s data and technology platforms are often tied tightly together which expands the reach of a particularly malevolent attack. The effects can be far-reaching, from an inability of customers to place orders or check order status to causing your automated production lines to grind to a halt. Until you are able to regain access to your data and files, your business may be relying only on printed information. This is particularly damaging when you consider how many of today’s offices are going paperless.

How is Ransomware Spread?

Ransomware is spread in a variety of ways, but the most common is through someone clicking a link within an email or visiting an infected website. These back doors to your systems provide hackers with easy access to business-critical systems and information, allowing them to virtually lock the door to your digital assets. Social engineering is another way that unsuspecting staff members are tempted to provide the keys to the virtual kingdom. Hackers are becoming extremely deft at using information stored on social networks to create ads or messages that seem to be from trusted colleagues — yet lead to malware.

Are Small Businesses Vulnerable to Ransomware?

You may think that only larger businesses with deep coffers would be tempting to cybercriminals, but small businesses are considered quite vulnerable and may be ideal targets for a quick attack. Small business owners are often lulled into having a false sense of security thinking that they are too small to be a target. A 2018 data security report by Verizon shows that 58% of malware attack victims were small businesses. Stealing your customer information can be the work of a few hours for a hacker, and these data points are extremely valuable on the dark web. It’s relatively easy for individuals to gain access to the tools that are required to break through basic security measures. It’s crucial for small businesses to stay informed and enhance their security profile in order to protect sensitive competitive and customer information.

How Can I Protect My Small Business from Cyber Attacks?

Protecting your small business from cyber attacks begins with assuming a more aggressive security posture. It’s no longer a matter of simply scanning emails for viruses and adding a firewall. The increasing scope of data breaches means you will need to either invest in internal security infrastructure or work with qualified professionals who specialize in cybersecurity. Protecting your business from ransomware and other cyber attacks requires a range of protective measures, including:

• Staff training on creating adequate passwords and the importance of never sharing passwords
• Limiting data and systems access for unauthorized users
• Thorough review of endpoints, including secure employee and guest WiFi access
• Close monitoring and review of when and how contractors are allowed access to systems
• Maintenance of government regulations and compliance mandates
• Advanced antivirus software, preferably with active monitoring
• Regularly reviewing and enhancing backup and recovery strategies
• Applying software patches and updates in a timely manner

Each of these strategies will take time and effort to implement, and they all work together to help protect your organization from being the target of a ransomware or other type of malware attack.

Recovering After a Ransomware Attack

Understanding the type of ransomware that has been added to your system is the first step in recovery. This will help you or your technology service provider determine the next steps for restoring full system usage. If you planned ahead and have a solid backup and recovery program, this is likely when you’ll begin taking those steps. IT security professionals recommend taking these steps to recover from a ransomware attack:

• Disconnect everything to limit infiltration to unaffected systems
• Take pictures or screen captures of the ransomware screen, including the payment requirements and information
• Begin taking steps for recovery
• Learn more about the specific type of ransomware that is affecting your system
• Determine whether you are able to completely restore your systems from backups

Finally, create a crisis communication strategy that will allow you to provide customers and employees with the information they need to continue working after the attack.

The best option for your business to survive a ransomware attack is to avoid it — but that’s not always possible. Become educated on the dangers of this particular type of malware and how you can prevent it, or you risk becoming yet another statistic in the ongoing fight against cybercriminals.

Many companies password protect their files and applications and for good reason. There are hackers trying every day to break into a system and obtain files and information. Most businesses are smart about applying passwords to protect their information. However, many of them fail to think about sharing them within the organization. Anything can happen at any time and if one person holds the passwords, that can result in unforeseen problems and delay within an organization.

QuadrigaCX exchange did not expect anything to happen to the owner and chief executive who held the password to a digital wallet which fueled their entire organization. He was the only one with the password and when he died unexpectedly, their business came to a screeching halt. Not only was the company not able to do business by paying money to their customers, it left them open to rumors and theories as to why the company wasn’t honoring their commitment to their customers. People were and still are upset, and the company’s reputation was on the line simply because one man held the key to unlocking the digital vault. Weeks after his death, the company still could not unlock the virtual vault to pay their customers. No organization should find themselves in this predicament because it is a simple one to fix.

Why Do Businesses Need Passwords?

Simply put, passwords are the best and easiest way to protect information. Passwords can prove identity when logging into accounts, including email, various websites and even into the computer itself. Most companies require employees to enter a user name and password to log into their work computers. The stronger the password, the better protection it provides against hackers. Strong passwords are ones that are not easy to break. They contain a series of numbers and letters, upper and lower case, and often a symbol.

Why Do Businesses Need a Plan to Share Passwords?

In many organizations, employees are sharing passwords. Even when the company forbids it, employees share anyway. It makes the job easier and companies do not find themselves stuck when one person isn’t available. Sharing passwords enables employees to get work done more efficiently. Sharing passwords is not a bad thing as long as it is done with proper guidance and parameters.

Password managers are an excellent way to enable password sharing without any one employee knowing the password. All employees store their credentials in a secure virtual vault. The password manager allows them to share credentials with each other. These managers provide ultimate encryption because it provides a unique key, which protects them from those who shouldn’t have access. A manager should control the sharing process. A manager should put rules in place as to how the passwords are shared. The passwords should stay within the organization and only authorized individuals should have access. The password manager controls who can access which passwords, so each employee won’t have to make the decision to share, or not. It will ensure all employees have access to the most up-to-date passwords, which allows everyone to be in synch.

A password manager also allows an administrator to see who is sharing passwords with whom. These applications leave a trail to show when passwords are being shared. Administrators can also revoke someone’s rights to password sharing, or change the passwords as needed. Businesses should always have a backup plan, even when using a password manager. There should be a plan in place for emergencies, or in some cases, natural disasters. There should be a plan in place for when someone leaves the business. Backing up data is always a smart move. Accessing the data should also be easy. The password manager makes sure that there isn’t one person that can access the passwords, and data.

Reviews, testimonials and referrals are important to growing a contracting business. In fact, reviews are the backbone upon which a business can establish a working relationship with their local community. In today’s world, people can come to know you, like you and trust you (or not) via the reviews they read about your business. This makes reviews a tremendous tool to use in expanding your contracting business.

The Internet has added a new dimension to the importance of business reviews and testimonials. The more people use the Internet as their main source of reference for selecting a particular business or service provider, the more impact online reviews will have on your firm. In fact, recent studies show that most homeowners today use online reviews and recommendations as their main criteria for evaluating a contractor before they hire him.

Importance of Google Reviews

Google reviews play a key role in how your company website is ranked in search engines online. A high ranking will attract more visitors to your site. The more traffic your site receives, the greater your chances of getting new customers and increasing sales. Good reviews will prompt consumers to research your business online. A professional website that clearly explains your portfolio, is responsive to mobile devices and has excellent reviews is sure to attract new clients.

By soliciting Google reviews from customers, colleagues and clients, you can boost your online presence and optimize your marketing strategy. Ongoing positive reviews will give your contracting business greater visibility and credibility with consumers in your area. Online reviews can build trust between you and consumers; people are more likely to hire a contractor they feel they can trust.

The Effect of Positive Reviews on a Contracting Business

As consumers place so much weight on reviews and testimonials, online reviews have the potential to make or break a contracting business. Here are some recent statistics to back this claim. Studies show that:

• Approximately 90% of consumers looking for a contractor check online reviews before giving them a call. Of these, 92% will contact you if you have a 4-star rating or above.
• Consumers will spend up to 30% more for contracting work if your company has excellent reviews.
• Good reviews can generate up to 18% more sales for your business and increase your conversions by as much as 11%.

Even negative reviews can have a positive impact on your business if handled right. Studies reveal that approximately 86% of consumers will bypass your contracting firm if it has received negative reviews. By responding positively to these reviews, however, you could turn these stats around. Rather than criticize individuals for giving bad reviews, offer solutions to the problem. Consumers respect contractors who try to make things right.

In addition to reviewing the quality of your services, reviews and testimonials, provide a forum to add valued content to your website. The more reviews you get, the more content you generate for your site. This can help boost your site’s SEO. Local reviews are particularly important for your contracting business as they reveal the opinions of customers in your local community.

The Benefits of Soliciting Google Reviews

There are various ways Google reviews can benefit a contracting business. Positive reviews and testimonials can be used as a marketing tool to promote your business. At the same time, reviews can reveal areas in your business structure that need to be improved. Reviews can also increase your company’s online presence to attract more traffic to your site.

Having said this, however, it’s imperative you use Google reviews correctly to benefit from what they have to offer. Genuine reviews from customers who have used your services is what you’re after – not fabricated reviews or reviews that were “bought” by offering a reward in exchange for people’s opinions and thoughts. It never pays to offer an incentive such as a free product or service in exchange for a review. This practice goes against the terms Google has laid out for this service and will hurt your rating. It can also undermine customer trust.

Importance of Testimonials and Reviews to SEO Strategy

In addition to what your company does, Google uses how others perceive your business to deliver relevant search results to people looking for information in your line of work. This is where testimonials and reviews come in. Google uses the number of reviews and testimonials you have on your site along with customer rating to determine how you rank in local searches. Reviews and testimonials also add valued content to your site which will contribute to a higher rating.

If you have a fair number of positive reviews and a high customer rating, you’re more likely to show up on top of local Google searches for your line of work. A high rating will give your business greater credibility to consumers in your community.

As a contractor, you have much to gain by soliciting Google reviews for your website. At the same time, Google reviews aren’t the end-all in getting the recognition you desire. Business reviews can be found on such sites as YouTube, Trip Advisor, Yelp, Facebook and numerous others. When you solicit Google reviews for your website, however, you have greater control over the reviews you post. This allows you to maximize the effect these reviews have on your target audience.

How Do You Solicit Google Reviews for Your Site?

The best way to encourage your customers to write a testimonial or review is to provide them with excellent service. Satisfied customers will be more than happy to provide you with a positive review.

Additionally, you can incorporate a way to solicit reviews in your marketing strategy. You can start by asking family, friends and colleagues to write a review of services your company rendered. Then create ways to make it easy for customers to post reviews on your site, such as putting a link where they can easily see it. Encourage your customers to use this link to post a review of completed contracting services or projects. This keeps your reviews fresh and current.

It takes time and effort to obtain positive Google business reviews. Your first step is doing great work so customers will be motivated to write up a positive review of your business. Positive reviews are worth their weight in gold. They improve your standing in Google, generate customer trust and help you build a loyal customer base. In short, Google reviews are a foundational building block that can help your business succeed both now and in the future.

Why Small Companies is the First Target for Online Hackers

According to the SBA, small business employs less than 500 people and realizes less than $7 million in profits annually. This standard defines a small company across the global business world. A large percentage of these smaller businesses operate as privately owned companies. Hackers are especially targeting these smaller businesses with 10-250 employees. Many of these companies use a weak online security system.

It is vital that business executives of these smaller companies sharpen their IT systems. Additionally, it is critical that all large company CEOs in this twenty-first century become educated about hackers targeting small businesses. Many business executives, business owners, C level executives, and business managers may ask.

What does this information have to do with my corporation?

Times have dramatically changed. The small business owner is now a big target to get to larger companies. This little fish in the world of trade leads to a much bigger catch, namely larger corporations. This method that hackers now use has seen an increase of over 250 percent over a year ago, an unnerving thought.

We live in a dramatically different world today. We live in a digital world, like it or not. Small business owners, especially aged business owners can no longer do things from an old school perspective. No longer can business be done via pencil and paper. If owners do not have an active internet presence, the company does not thrive. This increasing and necessary internet presence are dangerous. This internet presence is an immense playground for hackers who can close the doors of many small business owners and do irreparable damage to larger corporations.

Protecting Company Assets and Great Reputations

All business owners must protect their excellent reputation and a company’s assets. It is critical that business professionals across the globe seek to increase knowledge and information on how highly secured IT systems is so vital to their business and online presence. Sharpened IT technologies can protect your company from hackers targeting smaller businesses. Hackers now utilize the small business owner first as a stepping stone to gaining sensitive information from large corporations worldwide.

What is Drawing Hackers to Small Businesses?

Hackers are working hard to send dangerous viruses, malware, or phishing attacks through small business systems. Hackers are leveraging extortion against small business owners to get to larger corporations. Perhaps the small business owner does not have a quality, highly secured IT system to protect their company from these hackers. Hackers use information gained from small businesses linked to large companies to con the smaller companies into handing over sensitive corporate data.

The smaller business has a more significant presence online. These smaller companies use Cloud service which is grossly unprotected, unencrypted, and readily accessible to hackers.

What Do Hackers Want With Company Files?

There is a lot of personal customer information hackers find vital to their existence such as names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, phone numbers, financial numbers, and more personal details. Hackers use this personal information to get money, or they sell this information to other entities who will use them. This private and sensitive information equals millions of dollars to hackers.

The methods by which hackers use to infiltrate companies cycle in popularity. IT systems find that the use of ransomware is dramatically increasing in popularity over the last few years. Ransomware infects a companies PC which in turn encrypts those files denying that company access to their records. Hackers hold this vital information for money. Companies know that the information contained is worth a lot more money than the pirates demand. This method leaves small business owners no choice but to pay up. Hackers target small businesses across the globe as a vital link to infiltrate larger companies. The best security a CEO can have is firm security for online presence. IT professionals highly recommend an up-to-date and secure computer system. Additionally, recommendations are for an offsite backup.

How Can Small or Large Companies Avoid Attacks by Hackers?

Companies across the globe must follow strict guidelines and laws in place protecting sensitive data. If companies do not follow these laws, there are severe penalties. These penalties can be so expensive to the company that it must close its doors. These set guidelines tell businesses the following.

• How to store vital, personal information
• How to safely access sensitive information
• How to protect confidential information
• How to save and protect a customer’s financial information such as credit card, and banking numbers.

A breach in any company’s files is a nightmare which is liable to ruin the reputation of an excellent company. It takes many years for that company to regain the trust of clients. Some corporations never recover the confidence of their clients.

It is vital that all businesses have reliable and secured IT systems to ward off online attacks by hackers.

Educate employees never to hand over sensitive information to people unknown to them. Employees must protect information about their companies customer base, their vendors, and their suppliers.

Stress the importance of employees developing strong passwords and frequently changing passwords.

Checking and deleting all emails sounding sketchy is vital.

Employees must be aware of all of their online actions.

Never store sensitive information in the Cloud services. This service does not offer encryption, and it is easy for hackers to access.

Security systems are continually changing as much as hackers change their methods of breaching firms. Initiate sound online security systems, backup sensitive information offsite, install updated software, remain vigilant concerning severe hacker attacks and possible damage to the company.

Large and small companies across the globe yearn to be a trusted entity for clients. Trust may take years to earn and longer to get back when lost. Sometimes trust, once acquired is never regained once lost to hackers.

Many companies are finally taking cybersecurity seriously and have implemented programs to meet their organization’s specific needs. Having a program in place, however, is only the first step. Measuring the effectiveness of a cybersecurity plan is equally important. There are several steps a company should take to adequately measure the effectiveness of their plan.

How Does A Company Measure Security Efforts?

There have to be specific ways to measure security efforts in order to determine their effectiveness. Before beginning this process, it’s important to understand the difference between measurement and metrics. The United States National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) states that measurement is defined as observable and quantifiable. Metrics, however, are normally something that can be supported by measurement. Metrics are to be used to assist in decision making and to improve accountability and ultimately performance. Cybersecurity metrics should include accurate data that can be compared in different time periods. In particular, it must include specific and objective data. Cybersecurity effectiveness can generally be divided into three areas. These include systems, incidents, and people.

What Metrics Should a Company Choose?

Establishing a few key metrics to determine cybersecurity effectiveness is a good place to begin. An organization will need to start by tying in their business goals with how increased security can help meet those specific goals. This would include establishing a company’s threat profile and identifying scenarios that would potentially cause the greatest impact to an organization. The following are examples of various metrics that can be used.

• State Current Capabilities – An organization should be able to list their current security capabilities. What programs are in place? What exactly are they expected to do? How does the current program address each high-risk scenario that the organization may face?
• List Vulnerable Assets – To understand the risk an organization incurs, it’s necessary to know the number of all vulnerable assets. This will enable a company to create a vulnerability management plan that will likely include scans of all appropriate assets. This will indicate what specific action, such as managing patches and updates, should be taken to improve security.

After a few general metrics have been established, a company will want to put in place those that are more specific. The following are just a few examples of specific metrics that can be used to assess the effectiveness of a cybersecurity plan.

• Track Patching and Updates – Patch management is a critical aspect of addressing vulnerabilities in software. Companies will want to specifically track how many system patches have been put in place over a particular time period or how many updates have been installed. How often patching is completed can be compared to the number of incidents that occur within a particular time period.
• Response Time – Keeping track of response times for a variety of incidents is a relatively objective and efficient way to measure overall effectiveness. How many spam messages have been intercepted? How many attacks from worms, viruses, or ransomware have been identified during a specific time period and how much time lapsed been identification and resolution? How long did it take to remediate vulnerabilities that are found in software?
• Monitor Data Transference – Monitoring the volume of data that is being transferred will help an organization identify misuse. If employees are downloading videos, software, and applications that are unnecessary or potentially dangerous, this can open the door for malware.

How is the Company Comparing to Peer Performance?

Another way to gage cybersecurity performance is in relation to how other organizations in similar industries are doing. After deciding which metrics to use to determine security effectiveness, an organization will want to find out how successful other companies are in these areas. Comparing performance to other companies is also known as benchmarking.

How many security breaches have occurred when compared to other companies in the same industry of a similar size? How did they handle different types of incidents? What percentage of the budget is being spent on cybersecurity? These are just a few questions to ask when making valid comparisons. There are a variety of peer networking forums and online meetings that can be used when finding out how other organizations are doing when it comes to cybersecurity.

What Steps Can a Company Take to Address Gaps in Performance?

Finally, how an organization addresses gaps in performance will determine how effective their cybersecurity program will ultimately be. After metrics have been in place for a specified time period and then evaluated, the company will want to implement the following to strengthen weak areas.

• Educating Employees – Ongoing employee training is the first, and for most organizations the most important aspect of cybersecurity effectiveness. Organizations need to have clear company policies in place that specifically address weaknesses and gaps that have been discovered.
• Updating Systems – Whether it’s improving hardware security, automatically updating software, or creating a new firewall, a company’s systems must constantly be monitored and updated to improve cybersecurity effectiveness.
• Ongoing Testing – Is employee education effective? Has the number of times employees have responded to online scams or clicked on a dangerous link decreased? Part of testing will be to record and analyze recovery time whenever an incident occurs. Cybersecurity effectiveness can be calculated by how much time lapses between the detection of a threat and when appropriate action is taken. An organization needs to find an objective method of calculating recovery time.

After completing the previous steps, an organization will now have a better understanding of how effective their cybersecurity program is and how it aligns with their overall business goals. They should also have a plan in place for improvement and specific ways to track and monitor improvement. Finally, it’s important to remember that assessing cybersecurity effectiveness is an ongoing process. This means it’s necessary to continually update and tweak the metrics that are used so they align with the ongoing security needs of the organization.

Technology is the backbone of every business from, the smallest family-owned retail store to the largest international corporations. Companies everywhere depend on their technology to help them to reach their goals and stay competitive in a rapidly growing marketplace. However, when you combine the importance of technology with the reality that it is continuously evolving, you wind up with a major IT problem for many smaller businesses.

Keeping up-to-date with these changes used to require hiring costly full-time IT professionals, but not anymore. Today, an increasing number of small- and medium-sized local companies are enjoying the experience of IT professionals, without the expenses of having to pay for their own IT department. They are able to do this by outsourcing their IT needs to an MSP.

What is an MSP?

The acronym MSP stands for ‘Managed Service Provider.’ MSPs are specialized IT companies which offer their services and expertise to other businesses, usually through a subscription-based payment model. Businesses contract with MSPs to take care of a variety of different ongoing IT issues for them, including:

• Deploying, maintaining, and updating servers;
• Securing company data from hackers and other cybercriminals;
• Monitoring and managing critical applications and websites;
• Answering technical questions for employees and clients;
• Installing maintaining, and safeguarding company e-mail, and
• Providing data storage, regular backup, and recovery services.

Five Advantages of Hiring an MSP For Your Local Business

• Lower your upfront costs. Purchasing and replacing technology doesn’t come cheap. Can your business justify the need for spending tens of thousands of dollars on its own servers and other hardware when you know just a few years down the road you will have to replace all of it. Using an MSP eliminates a large initial outlay of money and guarantees you never have to worry about upgrading your system in the future.
• Reduce your costs. The average annual salary of an IT professional is more than $80,000 a year. That can be a significant strain on any company’s labor budget, especially if you don’t need a full-time, on-site tech expert. However, when you hire an MSP to take care of your company’s tech needs, you only need to pay a fixed monthly fee for the security of knowing you can still receive the same level of support you would get from a full-time employee at a fraction of the cost.
• Become more competitive. Hiring an MSP gives your business instant access to much of the same technological resources that larger companies have, and your local competitor down the street probably doesn’t. That means your employees will be more productive and have the ability to provide better and faster service to your clients allowing you to grow your business quicker than ever before.
• Lets you concentrate on your primary business. Your company is outstanding at what it does, but it just doesn’t ‘do’ tech. And why should it? You and your employees need to be focusing on what you get paid to do, and not having to worry about coming up with ways to find a workaround when your tech fails. Give your staff members the peace of mind of knowing that whenever they have an IT question, there is always someone who can help. One phone call to your MSP can get everything back up and running in no time.
• Reduce the risk to your business. Hackers love to target smaller businesses for their perceived lack of security. In 2017, over 60 percent of US small businesses were victims. How secure is your company and are you doing all you need to do to protect your clients’ data from cybercriminals? Your MSP can help keep your data safer and ensure that your company complies with the most-up-date PCI security standards and other tech laws.

Not Ready To Completely Transfer Your Company IT to an MSP? Try a Hybrid Solution.

If you already have employees who handle the IT for your business, it doesn’t mean that you can’t benefit from having an MSP as well. Lots of companies decide to keep some aspects of their IT support in-house well outsourcing other tasks to an MSP. This arrangement allows your IT guys the opportunity to concentrate on mission-critical tasks why letting others worry about routine jobs like backing up data.

So, whatever the size of your business, or whether or not you currently have your own IT staff, managed service providers can be an essential part of your business plan.

What is ransomware?

Ransomware is an unusual type of threat because it holds your files for ransom while leaving your systems essentially otherwise operational. A piece of malicious software enters your network and applies an encryption algorithm to your computer files, rendering them unavailable. The files are still there, and you can see them in a file structure, but you will not be able to open them with any program. Additionally, ransomware affects not just the device you are using, but any connected storage devices and mapped network drives. As a result, this type of malware poses a serious threat to your information systems. One infected device can bring your operations to a standstill. The person or group behind the attack provides information as to how to submit a payment, and in exchange, they will provide the decryption key. The attackers demand payment in some form of cryptocurrency, in order to maintain anonymity.

Some victims of ransomware attacks have not been confident in the integrity of their data backups and have paid the ransom to obtain the decryption key, and others have paid the ransom and obtained a key which did not decrypt the files. Both situations can be very expensive to your business.

How does ransomware gain entry to my network?

The purveyors of ransomware can inject the malware into seemingly innocuous documents, like invoices or estimates, or they can use internet links in an email to direct a user to a site that automatically starts a download and installation of the program. Documents containing macros provide an excellent opportunity to run the installer package without requiring direct interaction from the user. Some forms of ransomware take advantage of unpatched and unsolved vulnerabilities in the configuration of your devices and systems.

What are the most effective steps I can take to protect my business?

1. Deploy updates and patches in a timely manner. The operating system and application patches should be tested as soon as they are available, and applied to your systems as soon as your team can verify compatibility. Patching vulnerabilities will reduce the number of ways ransomware can execute itself in your systems.

2. Ensure that your technology team has an effective backup and restore process, and that they are able to fully test a restore from backup. Having a backup and restore procedure that you have validated will allow you to return your business to normal without paying an exorbitant ransom, still running the risk of not being able to decrypt the data.

3. Know the devices on your network and implement the same security procedures on any employee-owned devices touching your network that you have implemented on your business-owned devices. Maintain separate profiles on mobile devices, if possible, allowing only the business-facing profiles access to your network.

4. Disable SMB v1 on all devices on your network. SMB v1 is an outdated protocol and was the window that the creators of WannaCryRansomware exploited a few years ago. There may be some favorite processes that fail with the disabling of this protocol. If this is the case, you will need to perform a risk assessment against the cost you will incur with a ransomware attack.

5. Ensure that all your employees understand the hazards of active content like macros, and that they exercise caution in using them. Train them as well not to execute macros on documents received from external sources. Common documents like invoices do not need macros enabled, and in fact, such documents should be saved without active content before sending. If necessary, ask your vendors to send only documents without active content. Ensure as well that the appropriate teams understand the billing and payment cycles, and that they become suspicious of out-of-cycle documents and requests.

6. Train employees to be extremely cautious about clicking on links in emails. Messages with links unrelated to your line of business, messages themselves unrelated to your line of business, and messages with spelling and grammar errors should raise suspicions. Your employees should also not use links in emails to connect to websites of business contacts unless the employees have verified with the sender that the link is expected, and an explanation of the necessity of the link. When calling contacts to verify the validity of links in emails, employees should use their own contact source, such as a corporate address book, rather than a phone number in the message that contains the link. A message with a malicious link may also contain a compromised phone number.

Can I recover from a ransomware attack?

Possibly, but it will not be a pleasant process. Your best chance of recovery is a restore from a backup, and you will lose the records of transactions that occurred since the last iteration of your backup process. As explained above, paying the ransom may or may not produce a working decryption key. Attackers inexperienced in encryption and decryption have provided decryption keys which failed to release the files back to the owner. Prevention is going to serve you much better than hoping for a recovery, so take the necessary steps now to reduce the likelihood of infection.

Technology is transforming virtually every industry, and healthcare is no exception. Digital applications are becoming more readily available for patients and providers alike. Analytics and similar tools are allowing doctors to provide more accurate diagnoses and targeted treatments, while researchers can better predict health trends. Here are some of the most notable ways technology is changing the face of healthcare in 2019:

Patients Are Empowered to Make Informed Decisions

Portals and other digital tools enable patients to better understand diagnoses and treatments, empowering them to take an active role in their care. Since information can be made available in real-time, patients can easily stay up-to-date on their health status and make informed decisions when seeking medical services. Consumers have long been using the Internet to obtain medical information– researching symptoms, treatments, and their own health conditions– and that trend is only expected to accelerate.

Health Monitoring Devices Are More Widely-Available

While we’re on the topic of patient empowerment, it’s worth noting that, in addition to portals, patients can take control of their health with a variety of portable products, such as cardiac monitoring devices. (Remote monitoring is especially helpful for those with pacemakers). These items either provide patients with useful data about their health or allow them to take proactive steps to promote wellness. These are just a few of the products that are rapidly taking over the market:

• portable gluten testers
• wireless blood pressure monitors
• headbands that measure brain activity and assist with stress-management
• smart forks that help you avoid eating too fast
• handheld ultrasound devices
• fitness trackers (armbands, watches, and other wearables)

You can probably think of other items to add to the list. As technology continues to evolve, the coming years will likely see the introduction of many new-and-improved products to help consumers optimize their health.

Of course, smartphones play a critical role in empowering patients, too. From tracking heart rates to measuring sleep quality, there’s an app for that.

By making it easier for patients to keep tabs on their health, these devices can reduce the likelihood of hospitalizations and the frequency of doctor visits, minimizing costs and stress. With remote monitoring, clinicians can detect health problems early and intervene before they become more serious or other complications arise.

Communication Is More Effective

Multiple modes of communication, such as email, text, and chat, allow practitioners and patients to connect when it’s convenient. Patient portals and similar platforms permit them to share information without violating HIPAA regulations. As long as providers follow proper security protocols, they can ensure that sensitive data is protected from would-be hackers. Furthermore, automated systems help patients stay on top of their health by sending them reminders about follow-up visits or procedures.

Healthcare facilities– especially hospitals– are reaching wider audiences than ever before through another well-known platform: social media. Healthcare providers are capitalizing on the power of these sites to answer health-related questions, advertise their services, and educate the community about potential health risks. While this practice began on college campuses, it has quickly gained momentum among the general population. Even senior citizens are using Facebook to chat with doctors and nurses and read articles about new diagnostic procedures and treatments.

Digital channels are also improving doctors’ ability to collaborate with colleagues across the globe. This practice– telemedicine– is proving especially indispensable to isolated or underserved communities; doctors can consult with medical experts from around the world without traveling long distances or playing phone tag. They’re not limited to relying only on the resources within their immediate area.

Diagnostic Procedures Are More Accurate

Digital tools are improving the accuracy of diagnoses, eliminating the need for procedures that do not always yield consistent results. Technology has improved nearly every aspect of direct care-delivery: testing, physical exams, health evaluations, and more. Practitioners regularly use tablets to take patient histories and send prescriptions to the pharmacy. Big data is revolutionizing how health information is managed. Electronic databases make it easier to display and retrieve data, streamline workflows, and arrive at diagnoses in a timely manner.

Artificial Intelligence Is Becoming More Intelligent

Most of us associate artificial intelligence (AI) with images of house-cleaning robots or apps that let us use our smartphones to set the thermostat or turn on the lights. AI is improving the efficiency of health services too, performing routine tasks such as transporting supplies or sending out alerts when patients are in distress.

Technology Can Keep Pandemics from Panning Out

Epidemics such as the Ebola outbreak that swept through Africa a few years ago are more difficult to contain when communication is stymied by weak digital infrastructure. It’s worth noting that incidents of death and illness were highest in countries that lacked reliable Internet access, making it more difficult for governments to warn citizens and establish protocols for containing the contagion. Researchers are capitalizing on the use of databases to predict outbreaks and take appropriate preventative measures.

Additionally, new technologies are improving research techniques and data-integrity, providing valuable insight toward developing new treatments and other interventions to minimize the toll of diseases on vulnerable populations. For instance, the aforementioned epidemic created an impetus for scientists to expedite their research endeavors to identify other animal-borne pathogens– and take steps to combat them before they pose a significant threat to humans.

Technology is revolutionizing the healthcare experience for practitioners and patients alike. While some practices have been slow to adopt new innovations, the benefits of going digital outweigh any disadvantages, leading even skeptics to begin buying in. New advancements in medical technology will prove invaluable as large segments of the US population reach their golden years, increasing the need for clinical services. The frenetic pace at which the digital world is evolving will have far-reaching implications for healthcare not only in 2019, but for years to come.

Managed Service Providers globally have introduced a new buzzword into their service vocabulary….Introducing, the vCIO!

What is a vCIO?

How Does A vCIO Benefit Your Company?

Technology can be so tantalizing, especially for a small-to-midsized business. The promise is there. So is the hype. With the right Information Technology (IT), you can streamline your business processes and make your employees more productive. You can analyze your business data and gain insights that will propel your business to growth and greater profitability. Except… It takes expertise and resources to reap these benefits. Big companies have a Chief Information Officer (CIO) who can lead efforts to make technology drive business results. Now, a small business can have the same advantages by means of a vCIO, a virtual CIO.

What is a vCIO?

The term “vCIO” describes the outsourcing of CIO functions to an experienced IT services firm. The firm provides the Chief Information Officer’s functions on an as-needed basis. This puts big company-level CIO expertise in the hands of a smaller company on an affordable basis. A vCIO, or outsourced CIO, is a good option for a business that needs a CIO but lacks the resources for a full-time executive in this role.

What does a Virtual CIO do for you?

To understand what a vCIO does, it’s first necessary to grasp what a full-time CIO does. This varies by company, of course, but there are several standard aspects of the job in any organization. The CIO’s main job is to be in charge of technology strategy. This means defining and executing plans for IT that align with overall business strategy.

For example, if a company wants to compete more effectively in the market through better customer engagement, the CIO will be responsible for fulfilling the technological aspects of that strategic goal. It might mean investing in customer-facing technologies like mobile apps or online user experiences that outpace the competition.

From this responsibility for technology strategy flows most of the CIO’s other mandates. With the goal of realizing technology strategy, the CIO is tasked with selecting IT vendors, specifying the technology “stack” that will implement the strategy and so forth. Imagine, for instance, that a strategic goal of improving customer service requires letting customers track their orders online. This might involve connecting the e-commerce system with third-party shipping APIs.

What is the best way to execute this technological requirement? In a large organization, the CIO will oversee the team that plans and executes the API integration project. The CIO’s job is to make sure the integration project is economically and technically sound. The API integration should use the same software stack (e.g. Microsoft Visual Studio/Windows Server) that is standard for the company. That way, the project won’t accidentally add complexity and unforeseen maintenance costs in the future.

On a day-to-day basis, CIOs manage IT resources and budgets. What needs to be replaced, and when? What are the hardware standards that will keep the business operating and keep costs down, and so forth? They issue recommendations on hardware, software and infrastructure expenditures. They engage with other stakeholders to define and enforce security and compliance policies. They own the tech roadmap.

The vCIO does all of this, but without working for your business full-time. This arrangement works partly because a smaller company does not usually have the same depth of need for a CIO as a big business. The CIO role might take a few hours a week to fulfill at a small company. It’s still a critical role, one which will negatively affect the business if it’s neglected, but it doesn’t require a full-time executive.

The need for a vCIO in a small-to-midsized organization

In some ways, smaller companies actually have a greater need for a CIO than big corporations. In a large organization, there is usually enough technological expertise among senior IT managers to work through strategic decisions collectively. This may not be optimal, but a group of seasoned IT executives can assess vendors and solutions and build alignment with business strategy. In a small company, this is a true rarity.

A small company IT department is designed for efficiency. It’s typically tasked with keeping IT systems operating and troubleshooting problems that arise. Generally, and this is not a knock on IT departments, they lack the experience to devise and implement large, complex technology initiatives. You might have superb people on staff who know how to keep email and PCs running well, but they may not have the knowledge or skills to assess an API integration vendor pitch.

The CIO deficit in a smaller organization creates business risk. Without a knowledgeable IT leader, a company might commit to a technology that is more expensive to maintain than it first appears. Unforeseen costs might include ongoing software maintenance tasks that must be performed by outside resources, patching, license and maintenance fees and so forth.

vCIO benefits

In addition to the cost savings inherent in not having to hire a six-figure executive on a full-time basis, the vCIO can be objective about your business and its IT needs. They have a valuable outsider’s perspective. They aren’t committed to defending earlier IT investment decisions. They also bring potentially new ideas into the business-IT dialogue. And, hopefully, they do so in a reasoned way.

The IT world offers some exciting ideas for business managers. Data analytics, cloud computing and process automation are just a few examples. A knowledgeable outsider will be able to lead a discussion about why these types of solutions will or will not be a good fit for the company. The vCIO can help the business assess the potential benefit and weigh it against the cost and risks associated with pursuing a solution.

Engaging with a vCIO

You have a number of options for engaging with a vCIO. Some are available on an individual, contract-basis. A more preferable approach might be to receive the services of a vCIO as part of an overall IT services agreement. The same vendor that manages your network and infrastructure will be well-positioned to offer vCIO services as part of an IT service package.

It is not an overstatement to note that today’s successful construction companies depend on their IT systems as much as they do any hammers and nails. Successful contractors find integrating the role of a quality IT partner critical to meeting budgets and deadlines while maintaining profitability.

It’s All About the Right Information at the Right Time

Information Technology is a catchall term for a combination of powerful and complex computer-based resources. However, just like an important tool, you don’t want to worry about how IT works or even why. You just want to be confident that your IT partner is managing and providing you with the information you need in the most efficient, timely, and cost-effective manner possible.

Rather than creating management challenges, the quality IT partner will help you prevent problems and assist in solving those that do arise. This is critical to you as the one that is responsible for getting the job done, especially in today’s demanding environment.

There is hardly any aspect of the construction process that well-deployed and effectively managed IT cannot enhance. This includes such disparate areas as:

• Bidding and proposals
• Project scheduling and process management
• Compliance and regulatory requirements
• Inventory management
• Communications among all participants

Each of these areas of the construction continuum require the proper IT approach. Moreover, these individual components must integrate into a useful whole that provides needed information and controls from the conception of the project to its conclusion.

No Longer an Optional Tool

The right IT partner will help design, install, maintain and manage the proper information technology infrastructure. While these capabilities can provide competitive advantages when properly utilized, they are also essential basics in the hyper-competitive construction industry. Just as your competitors can buy the same tools you can access, it is how they are put to work that makes the difference.

As the use of the Internet and computing migrates into all aspects of the construction industry, you find everyone from customers to vendors to regulators expecting companies to utilize efficient IT methods and resources. It is increasingly impossible to meet those expectations without the right IT partner to handle the many intricacies involved.

Managing the Ongoing Evolution

You know the construction industry is constantly changing and introducing new materials, methods, and processes. There is a similar reality in the IT world, and the changes often come even faster. Whether it is tracking the latest software updates or moving information between local computing devices and the cloud, IT is managed in an ever-changing environment.

Achieving the right partnership will allow the right division of tasks and responsibilities so the IT process facilitates every component of the job to be accomplished. When properly implemented this infrastructure will be largely transparent other than the results it provides. The characteristics of any solution offered by a competent IT partner will include:

• Detailed and customizable real-time reports and information flow
• Full access to systems onsite and remotely on multiple devices
• Integration of data between different applications
• Flexibility to modify requirements to reflect changed orders and schedule modifications
• Comprehensive analysis, estimates and updates to facilitate management decision-making.

Managing a Dynamic Process

There is no one-time solution to the properly designed and functioning IT equation. Managing and monitoring the flow of data and inputs across multiple applications requires a robust and dynamic approach to the challenge. Your IT partner must provide a scalable solution that works in the pre-construction process as well as in the midst of the most intense construction phases.

Achieving this result requires the melding of trained and experienced personnel with the right hardware, software and networking resources. It is that competence you find in your best subcontractors. Even more, this partner is not just handling the one component a subcontractor might be tasked to accomplish. Rather, they are in the seat with you coordinating both the overview and the infinite details involved in the entire project.

There was a time just a few years past when the IT component of the construction industry could end up being somewhat of a hindrance. It often seemed that the computer made your job tougher rather than being a productive assistant.

With a qualified IT partner, that is certainly a reality that is in the past. If you understand the importance of the right partner, you won’t settle for one that can’t deliver the total solution. Once that carefully selected partner is on board and working alongside you, you’ll never tackle another project without them.