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Not-for-profit organizations frequently contend with the lack of time and money necessary to afford large IT investments that are critical for achieving efficiency in their operations. Those organizations that can afford these technologies constantly have to deal with scarce resources and manpower needed to manage the technology.

There is another glaring problem within the nonprofit environment: the staff, Board members, and volunteers are often spread across several locations. Further, their extensive use of different devices and operating systems (OS) tends to result in difficulties accessing the organizations’ latest files.

Microsoft Office 365 – addressing the challenges nonprofits face

Office 365 is Microsoft’s global offering designed to provide eligible users with access to the company’s top-of-the-line cloud-based tools for collaboration and productivity. The service is complete with web conferencing and high definition (HD) video, calendars, business-class email, online Microsoft office suite, as well as file storage and sharing.

While Microsoft has a provision to offer these services to eligible, qualified nonprofits as a donation, the organizations can purchase important additional services for a small fee. In addition to the rich apps connected to Microsoft Cloud always being up-to-date, they are available for users on a 24/7 basis.

If all this isn’t reason enough for you to jump aboard the Office 365 bandwagon, then read along to find out further why your nonprofit should invest in Microsoft Office 365.

Voice and web conferencing allows for easy collaboration

Successful running of any nonprofit heavily depends on the quality of collaboration between its members. Among the suite of tools that come with Microsoft Office 365 is Skype for Business, an all-in-one tool for web conferencing, video calls, voice calls and instant messaging.

The HD video conferencing capability means that nonprofit teams can meet and collaborate with each other regardless of where they are located. Out-of-office personnel and volunteers can remotely share data and influence timely decision making.

Skype for Business has a note-taking feature that works in real time. This can allow you to keep track of notes and new ideas from every meeting.

Social networking is easier with Office 365

Every Microsoft Office 365 Nonprofit plan comes with the tech giant’s internal social network, Yammer – designed for organizations like your own. With your own Yammer site, it is easier than ever to bring teams together regardless of where they are located across the globe. Yammer allows the organization’s internal staff, volunteers and other stakeholders to connect, share, and collaborate seamlessly at all times.

Teams can edit and share documents on the go

Microsoft Office 365 also includes Microsoft’s cloud-based file-sharing tool SharePoint Online. With this advanced file sharing tool, teams can easily edit and share documents with one another, even on their mobile devices. Many users love the fact that they can actually edit documents simultaneously with colleagues on this cloud-based platform – effectively saving time and the possible confusion associated with back and forth emailing of documents.

There is just so much you can accomplish with your documents in the cloud. Your board reports will be available so you can share them remotely or access them, along with grant applications and other equally essential documents anywhere, at any time.

Microsoft’s online office suite, Office Online, also allows you to create and edit files using lightweight Microsoft Office web apps including Word, Excel, OneNote and PowerPoint. So, your team has the liberty to open, view, and edit various document forms right from their browsers, both on iOS and Android devices.

Both staff and volunteers can use Microsoft Office 365 to open, view, and edit practically any document on up to five of their devices. This empowers them with the flexibility to work anywhere, anytime.

Guarantee of security and compliance

Data security is one of the greatest concerns to any nonprofit organization. Nonprofits also have to comply with applicable privacy and compliance laws. The good news is, Microsoft’s Office 365 is engineered to the highest level in privacy and security standards.

The service has built-in malware protection to safeguard your data in the cloud. As such, your nonprofit organization can have peace of mind storing its data in the cloud and sharing even the most sensitive information without running the risk of noncompliance with data protection requirements.

Nonprofit organizations enjoy 24/7 support

Office 365 offers the luxury of 24/7 professional-level customer support so you won’t need any IT staff to stay on call. The level of support your nonprofit organization gets depends on your organization’s Office 365 Nonprofit plan.

Final thoughts

Technology related problems can create indecisiveness and slow down efforts in the nonprofit environment, eventually taking a toll on important mission activities and hurting productivity overall. With its full range of capabilities, as well as its cloud accessibility that ensures collaboration both online and offline, Microsoft Office 365 is a great tool for every nonprofit organization that wishes to achieve maximum efficiency.

Security researchers have discovered a new hacking group that is targeting healthcare organizations and other major international corporations related to this sector all around the world, and especially in United States, Europe, and parts of Asia. The intent of this group is to conduct corporate espionage. Researchers have named this hacker group “Orangeworm”. According to a recent report, this group has been active since early 2015, and its primary focus is the health sector.

How does Orangeworm work?

The healthcare industry has been targeted by Orangeworm to get access to patient’s records and to learn more about imaging devices. The hackers install a Trojan (dubbed by security researchers as “Kwampirs”) in computers used to control high-tech imaging devices like MRI and X-Ray machines. This allows the hackers to steal sensitive data and remotely access equipment by opening a backdoor in these compromised computers. It also infects machines that are used to assist patients in filling consent forms.

Kwampirs then takes some basic information from these compromised computers and sends it to the hackers to a remote command-and-control server. This server then determines if the hacked system is being operated by a high-value target or a researcher. If the server finds the victim to be of interest then the virus spreads itself across network shares and infects all the other computers in the same organization. The malware uses the system’s built-in commands to gather information about the victim’s compromised system and network instead of using enumeration tools and third-party reconnaissance.

Companies infected by Orangeworm

Almost 40% of companies infected by this malware belong to the healthcare sector while the rest of the organizations, although not belonging to the medical sector, are related to healthcare organizations. Other organizations infected with Orangeworm belong to companies in the agriculture, logistics, IT services, and manufacturing sector. According to researchers, hackers attempted a supply-chain attack to penetrate the software of healthcare organizations by infecting a service provider.

Profile of the hackers  

According to investigators Orangeworm does not fit the techniques, procedures, and tactics of a classic nation-state APT (advanced persistent actor) but it is still an APT. The most common observation is that Orangeworm is a single hacker or a group of lone hackers working to steal information about patients from healthcare organizations to sell on the black market. This patient information is considered to be more complete than customer data stored in financial or any other institution. Hackers gather as much information as they can about their victims such as network shares and user groups, configuration information, account policy information, list of directories and files, running system process and systems, accounts with admin access and the like.

If the virus detects something of value in the system, Kwampirs will copy itself, propagate across the network and infect other computers. Investigators are of the opinion that the hackers are working on some sort of espionage on the sector as they do not appear to be copying any data from the network.

The hackers are not concerned about being detected as they are using lateral movement methods that are thought to be noisy and antiquated. In spite of this, it took investigators three years to disclose and identify the group’s attacks. According to investigators, the reason why this malware went undetected for so long is that the healthcare organizations usually use computers that are old and have software that is rarely updated, doesn’t have an antivirus, and are therefore easy to hack.

According to experts, hackers employed a similar pattern in all the attacks that were carried out. They infected one computer with Kwampirs, and then proliferate to others. This ensured them remote access to every infected host. The hackers spread the virus to as many systems possible that is why the malware has also infected the computers that control the medical devices.

Security concerns

According to the findings of a detailed report on the group’s method of operation, hackers have made no efforts to update the virus since the first attacks which suggest that the attackers are either stupid or supremely confident about never getting caught.

These attackers are bold as their methods have proved very effective. Security researchers have been stressing for a long time the need to install security measures to safeguard the weakened ports. Medical devices have been targeted before also. Recently, WannaCry ransomware also targeted hospitals all around the globe.

Even though the motives of Orangeworm are unclear and investigators have been unable to find the group’s origins, they are of the opinion that the group is conducting espionage for personal gain and commercial purposes. They have been unable to find any significant evidence suggesting that a nation-state backs it.

Although, Orangeworm is not the first or the last malware to hit the healthcare organizations it is imperative that these organizations routinely search and monitor their computer systems to make sure that their devices are safe from such attacks.

The recent announcement of the vulnerabilities found in the Intel, ARM, and AMD processors has sparked a new phishing campaign – not the good kind of fishing with bait and largemouth bass. Although, these hackers are using a particular kind of bait.

While Meltdown and Spectre require access to your system, hackers have various ways to gain access. Already hackers are using phishing emails to trick users into giving them access. They send out an email claiming to contain a patch for Meltdown or Spectre. Instead, the email installs malware on your system. This malware gives the hacker access to your system, allowing them to exploit the bugs and take the unprotected data.

Be wary of social engineering scams like phishing emails. Hackers are all too eager to take advantage of problems like this, and unfortunately, some people are so eager to fix the problem that they might not realize that the “patch” they just clicked on is now allowing a hacker to steal all their data.

WHAT IS PHISHING?

Phishing is a hacking technique that “fishes” for victims by sending them deceptive emails. The “ph” replaces the “f” in homage to the first hackers, the “phone phreaks” from the 1960’s and 1970’s. Virtually anyone on the internet has seen a phishing attack. Phishing attacks are mass emails that request confidential information or credentials under pretenses, link to malicious websites or include malware as an attachment.

Many phishing sites look just like the sites that they are impersonating. Often, the only difference in many spoofed sites is slight, and easily missed difference in the URLs. Visitors can easily be manipulated into disclosing confidential information or credentials to the hacker if they can be induced to click the link. Even blacklisted phishing sites can often get by standard filters through the technique of time-bombing the URLs. Then the URL will lead to an innocent URL initially to get past the filters but then redirect to a malicious site.

Although malware is harder to get past filters, recently discovered and zero-day malware stands an excellent chance of getting through standard filters and being clicked on, especially if malware hides in a non-executable file such as a PDF or Office document. This is how many of the recent ransomware attacks were pulled off.

Now with Meltdown and Spectre looming over us, the average person is more susceptible to “quick fixes” and solutions to this issue.

Despite the lack of personalization, an astonishing 20% of recipients will click on basically anything that makes it to their inbox.

SPEAR PHISHING

Spear phishing is an enhanced version of phishing that aims at specific employees of the targeted organization. The goal is usually to gain unauthorized access to networks, data, and applications. In contrast to the mass emailing of a phishing attack, which might see hundreds of attack messages sent out to random recipients within the space of a couple of hours, spear phishing is methodical and focused on a single recipient. Often the initial email will contain no URL or attachment. Instead, it will simply try to invoke the recipient into thinking that the sender is who they say they are. Only later on will the hacker request confidential credentials or information, or send a booby-trapped URL or attachment.

The additional customization and targeting of a spear phishing email, along with the lack of easily recognized blacklisted URLs or malware customization results in click-rates more than 50%!

Technology is constantly evolving, and so is its relevance. In the world today, technology is fast-becoming a human being’s best friend. Just think of the number of times that you rely on technology in a day’s time. Everyone, even the self-proclaimed analog dinosaur, depends on technology to some extent.

Of course, this has spawned a major increase in the number of cybercrimes that occur daily across the globe. Cybercriminals are targeting information technology systems that are simply not well-protected from intrusion. The fact that people are so reliant on technology makes it easier for these criminals to achieve their goals. This is where Managed Detection and Response (MDR) comes in.

Information Technology experts face a constant struggle to curb cybercrimes. This crime, which has become deep-rooted in our society today, has led to the loss of time, money and reputation. Cybercriminals target websites with weak security because they’re an easy mark. Then they sell that data on the black market. It’s an ongoing crime and has quickly become a familiar scenario to many.

This is why MDR is so important in our society today. MDR is not a new concept; it has been around for a long time. Like technology, however, MDR continues to evolve with the changing trends in hacking. The main goal of Managed Detection and Response is to ensure that cybercrimes are prevented. It’s not enough to arrest and prosecute these criminals. The crimes need to be stopped before they actually happen.

How can MDR help with this cause? The simple answer to this question is that MDR is a system used to enable organizations to better understand their cybersecurity environment. With this program in play, your organization can more fully understand the IT environment in which you operate. This will provide you with some important advantages that can help prevent hacking.

Environmental threat detection

First, as mentioned above, the main goal of MDR is to aid in detecting cybersecurity threats in a particular environment. To this end, this system performs a series of functions including analyzing the types of risks that your organization may be exposed to. This can enable you to determine exactly what the most critical threats are. Using MDR, companies are able to gauge which threats are more serious. This allows you to take preemptive steps to close those doors to cyber thieves. Preventing just one attack can save you millions of dollars.

Makes threat detention faster

By making the organization aware of the threats they face, MDR makes threat detection simpler. Since MDR enhances threat analysis, your business can fully understand exactly which cybersecurity threats you face. Imagine being able to act before a breach occurs. You can take action today and avoid a nightmare tomorrow. With MDR, your company can quickly assess its level of security and take action right away.

Increases ability to respond to threats

MDR enhances the capabilities of organizations that use it to respond to cybersecurity threats. Preparation is everything when dealing with hackers and cyber thieves. Your organization needs to be prepared for every type of threat, from ransomware and hacking to data leaks. Having greater knowledge of those threats that pose the biggest risk helps you to respond with more precision. Anticipate threats before they happen. Define those weaker areas and eliminate them.

Enhances threat prevention

An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure, they say. This holds true especially when millions of dollars are at stake. The impact of cybersecurity in our world today is far-reaching. Every year, cyber breaches cost businesses millions of dollars. They damage your reputation and slow your forward progress.  With MDR, threat prevention becomes your greatest ally. Proactive security monitoring can apply proven rules to your security system, thus offering a new level of breach management.

Do we really need MDR?

Many business owners feel frustrated by the sheer number of cyber breaches occurring each day. It seems that the criminals have the upper hand and there’s nothing we can do to stop them. MDR allows you to take back control of your data security. It’s a reliable system that focuses on one thing: preventing cyber breaches from occurring.

The threat of cyber-attacks is ever looming. Thieves are constantly finding new ways to get through any crack or hole in your security system. And, their methods are getting more and more sophisticated as the days go by. The whole cyber security industry evolves at such a fast pace that most business owners are unable to keep up with it. This fact leaves you at a distinct disadvantage.

Final thoughts

Though the intricacies of MDR may be somewhat complex, it is important to remember the advantages of this system. With MDR in place, you can avoid being the next victim and sleep much better at night. For business owners, peace of mind is priceless. You can focus on running your company once again and take pride in your accomplishments.

Where Did They Go?

In 2017, Microsoft planned to release a lightweight version of Windows 10. This was their effort to provide a Windows solution that delivered a predictable performance by using only Microsoft-verified applications via the Microsoft Store.

Microsoft also wanted to compete with the Google Chromebook and promote Windows 10 S for use in the K-12 education market. Windows 10 S was initially offered as part of the Surface Laptop which is a premium, and quite expensive product. So, this addition to the education market was quite a leap.

Windows 10 S was going to be offered at a reduced price with the option to pay more to “unlock” the full Windows 10 Operating System. But Microsoft changed their minds. They realized that we don’t want to pay extra for something that should have been included, to begin with.

On March 7, 2018, they said:

Based on customer feedback we are simplifying the experience for our customers. Starting with the next update to Windows 10, coming soon, customers can choose to buy a new Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro PC with S mode enabled, and commercial customers will be able to deploy Windows 10 Enterprise with S mode enabled.

What this means is that the Windows 10 S computer has been retired. Instead, Microsoft has decided to incorporate Windows 10 S as a “mode” for all Windows 10 Operating Systems.

Microsoft hopes this new approach will make it possible for their customers to start using the S mode. They say that it provides a streamlined computing experience that enhances security and performance across all editions.

So, for the foreseeable future, Windows 10 S is now a configuration in the Windows 10 Pro and Windows Home computers. The S Mode will lock down Windows 10, so it can only run applications from the Microsoft Store–essentially, exactly what the dedicated Windows 10 S operating system was intended to do.

Microsoft is letting Windows 10 Home users disable the S Mode free of charge. However, Windows 10 Pro customers with S Mode enabled on their device will have to pay $49 to get access to the full version of Windows 10 Pro.

Should You Consider Using the S Mode? The “S” in Windows 10 S was supposed to stand for “simplicity.” Its intent was to provide a productive and secure Windows experience. Microsoft says that it’s designed for superior performance. Starting up, streaming HD video and switching across applications is much faster than with Windows 10.

Windows 10 S only uses apps from the Microsoft Store and provides a safer browsing capability via Microsoft Edge. Because the applications for Windows 10 S only come from the Microsoft Store, the folks at Microsoft say that it ensures security and integrity. And they say that Microsoft Edge is more secure than using Chrome or Firefox browsers. The Windows Defender Antivirus and other security features in Windows are also included in Windows 10 S.

Windows 10 S comes with built-in apps and new features like Cortana, Windows Ink and Windows Hello so you can sign on without a password. It integrates with OneDrive, so you can easily save your files to the cloud and sync them across your other devices. If you decide you want to run applications that aren’t in the Microsoft Store, you can easily switch to Windows 10 Pro (except you’ll have to pay $49 to do so).

What Do Others Think About Windows 10 S?

Microsoft says that 60% of their users stay with Windows 10 S when using third-party devices. And those who do switch, do so within 24 hours of setting up their device. Those who keep using Windows 10 S for a week or so, end up keeping their device in S mode (83 %). These statistics are for low-end PCs as the only high-end computer running Windows 10 S is the Surface Laptop. These users weren’t included in their survey.

It looks like the Windows S Mode is here to stay. But some experts predict that it poses problems for Microsoft down the line. They believe that it’s going to confuse people. While the Home versions offer a free switch path, the charge for the Pro versions could bother users who want more premium devices.

Here is another issue with this change— Microsoft says that AV/Security apps will come in the Windows 10 S mode. But what about the AV software from third-party providers? Will these applications run in the S mode? If so, this defeats the purpose of what the S mode is supposed to do. Does this mean that using these apps will hamper the promised performance in Windows 10 S? We’ll have to wait to see how Microsoft deals with this. But for now, it seems like a contradiction.

Windows 10 S devices span a price range from $189 to $2,199 (for the top Surface Laptop). It’s not impossible to provide solutions for both low-end and high-end device users, but some feel this will be difficult for people to get their minds around.

Windows 10 Spring Creators Update will probably be released with a different name: Windows 10 April Update. However, it’s been delayed while Microsoft rushes to fix a newly-discovered bug. Between the changes with Windows 10 S and now the next Windows 10 update, it seems there’s a lot of “plate-spinning” going on at Microsoft right now.

Security researchers have discovered a new hacking group that is targeting healthcare organizations and other major international corporations related to this sector all around the world, and especially in United States, Europe, and parts of Asia. The intent of this group is to conduct corporate espionage. Researchers have named this hacker group “Orangeworm”. According to a recent report, this group has been active since early 2015, and its primary focus is the health sector.

How does Orangeworm work?

The healthcare industry has been targeted by Orangeworm to get access to patient’s records and to learn more about imaging devices. The hackers install a Trojan (dubbed by security researchers as “Kwampirs”) in computers used to control high-tech imaging devices like MRI and X-Ray machines. This allows the hackers to steal sensitive data and remotely access equipment by opening a backdoor in these compromised computers. It also infects machines that are used to assist patients in filling consent forms.

Kwampirs then takes some basic information from these compromised computers and sends it to the hackers to a remote command-and-control server. This server then determines if the hacked system is being operated by a high-value target or a researcher. If the server finds the victim to be of interest then the virus spreads itself across network shares and infects all the other computers in the same organization. The malware uses the system’s built-in commands to gather information about the victim’s compromised system and network instead of using enumeration tools and third-party reconnaissance.

Companies infected by Orangeworm

Almost 40% of companies infected by this malware belong to the healthcare sector while the rest of the organizations, although not belonging to the medical sector, are related to healthcare organizations. Other organizations infected with Orangeworm belong to companies in the agriculture, logistics, IT services, and manufacturing sector. According to researchers, hackers attempted a supply-chain attack to penetrate the software of healthcare organizations by infecting a service provider.

Profile of the hackers  

According to investigators Orangeworm does not fit the techniques, procedures, and tactics of a classic nation-state APT (advanced persistent actor) but it is still an APT. The most common observation is that Orangeworm is a single hacker or a group of lone hackers working to steal information about patients from healthcare organizations to sell on the black market. This patient information is considered to be more complete than customer data stored in financial or any other institution. Hackers gather as much information as they can about their victims such as network shares and user groups, configuration information, account policy information, list of directories and files, running system process and systems, accounts with admin access and the like.

If the virus detects something of value in the system, Kwampirs will copy itself, propagate across the network and infect other computers. Investigators are of the opinion that the hackers are working on some sort of espionage on the sector as they do not appear to be copying any data from the network.

The hackers are not concerned about being detected as they are using lateral movement methods that are thought to be noisy and antiquated. In spite of this, it took investigators three years to disclose and identify the group’s attacks. According to investigators, the reason why this malware went undetected for so long is that the healthcare organizations usually use computers that are old and have software that is rarely updated, doesn’t have an antivirus, and are therefore easy to hack.

According to experts, hackers employed a similar pattern in all the attacks that were carried out. They infected one computer with Kwampirs, and then proliferate to others. This ensured them remote access to every infected host. The hackers spread the virus to as many systems possible that is why the malware has also infected the computers that control the medical devices.

Security concerns

According to the findings of a detailed report on the group’s method of operation, hackers have made no efforts to update the virus since the first attacks which suggest that the attackers are either stupid or supremely confident about never getting caught.

These attackers are bold as their methods have proved very effective. Security researchers have been stressing for a long time the need to install security measures to safeguard the weakened ports. Medical devices have been targeted before also. Recently, WannaCry ransomware also targeted hospitals all around the globe.

Even though the motives of Orangeworm are unclear and investigators have been unable to find the group’s origins, they are of the opinion that the group is conducting espionage for personal gain and commercial purposes. They have been unable to find any significant evidence suggesting that a nation-state backs it.

Although, Orangeworm is not the first or the last malware to hit the healthcare organizations it is imperative that these organizations routinely search and monitor their computer systems to make sure that their devices are safe from such attacks.

The cost of downtime goes up exponentially when you’re waiting for an unresponsive IT company. So why bother? Try our responsive Help Desk instead. 

So much of the IT industry is dependent on time. How quickly an IT firm can respond to a problem, how much downtime their client deals with, how much they’re charged for on-site repair hours, etc.  The speed of resolution is a primary factor in how valuable an IT firm’s services really are.

We all know that downtime is bad. It’s bad for business, bad for employees, bad for clients – bad for you. When your systems fail, your employees sit around twiddling their thumbs, waiting for it to come back online. Your customers get more and more frustrated, waiting to get what they were expecting when they came to your office or called you that day.

But the truth is, it’s even worse than that.

Beyond the surface level issues caused by unexpected downtime, there’s the reality that downtime both wastes your money and costs you in revenue. When you really dig into the details, downtime can cost you a lot of money in a relatively small time frame.

That’s why it makes zero sense to put up with unresponsive IT support. Every minute of delay costs you more money in wasted staff hours, lost data, and lowered productivity, all on top of what you’re already paying the IT firm in the first place!

The reality of modern technology is that cybercrime, serious weather, or even human error can quickly take your systems offline. IT is now such a central part of a business that server failure and software crashes will affect every aspect of it.

The computer isn’t just one part of your business anymore. It’s how you process sales, place orders, track inventory, and more. That means that one full day of computer downtime equals one full day of not being in business.

Given that your IT is such a foundational part of your business, you need to invest in support that will make sure it keeps working for you, day after day, regardless of increases in cybercrime, or bad weather, or a careless employee.

{company} is proud to offer high-quality Help Desk support services for your business. Unlike other network support companies, we won’t put you on hold when you need our help.

We know when you have problems with your technology, your employees are unable to stay focused and productive, which means time and money are wasted and work doesn’t get done. Our Help Desk professionals are here to give you the quick and reliable support you deserve with:

• E-mail applications and Web browsers
• Hardware and network troubleshooting
• Printer installation and support
• User administration
• Desktop performance problems
• Virus and malware infections
  

We specialize in proactive management and maintenance of your IT environment. With this type of support, most of the pending issues and possible threats in your system are neutralized before they affect your business. In-house IT staffs often operate on a break/fix model, which only address issues after a problem has occurred. Proactive maintenance keeps your systems running and your employees productive, which ensures a maximum return on your investment in technology and employee wages.

However, when something does go wrong, and you need our help, we won’t keep you waiting!

Technology issues need to be sorted out as quickly as possible, and that’s exactly what we’ll do. Our Help Desk services give you:

• Access to knowledgeable technicians that are able to resolve issues remotely or come onsite when needed.
• Around the clock availability via our online ticketing system, phone or email, which means you are never left without the help you need.
• A thorough explanation of the situation in plain, easy-to-understand terms to help you understand what is happening with your technology.
• Comprehensive support solutions for anything you need to stay productive, including remote access, printing, email, phones, connectivity, and more.

Your business can’t afford downtime, slowdowns, and breakdowns. Our proactive approach to IT management and Help Desk Services gives you the answers you need and speedy resolutions to any IT issues that may come up from day to day.

Our responsive Help Desk staff is internal and based right here in our offices.

Your assigned Help Desk technician will even come to meet you at your office – so you know exactly who you are talking to every time you pick up the phone and call.

We won’t make you wait on hold – you can speak with us directly by telephone. If it’s more convenient, you can access our Help Desk through the agent we set up on your computers, online portal, or email.

The legal industry is facing its most challenging obstacle to date and it’s not from judges, court cases, the mafia, felons or any of those things you might guess. Instead, these attacks against law firms are coming from hackers. Once viewed as impenetrable to hackers, today’s law firm is just about as likely to be hacked as any other business.

John Sweeney of LogicForce explains: “Law firms are the subject of targeted attacks for one simple reason,” he recently said. “Their servers hold incredibly valuable information. That includes businesses’ IP, medical records, bank information, even government secrets. For hackers looking for information they can monetize, there is no better place to start.”

His comment highlights a growing problem for the legal industry. Each day, they are faced with new and practically unstoppable cyber-crimes. One of the most startling aspects of this troubling trend is that many times, the law firm doesn’t even know it’s been hacked. A 2016 study done on this topic showed that 40 percent of the law firms that were breached had no idea that a crime had been committed. This is disturbing on several levels.

If you’ve recently done business with a law firm, there is a possibility that your business, personal and/or financial information could already be in the hands of hackers on the other side of the world.

A global problem for law firms

The fourth largest law firm in the world, Mossack Fonseca lost 11.5 million files from its database. The information was eventually shared with journalists, the BBC and newspapers. This offshore law firm specializes in helping wealthy clients hide their money. The documents that were leaked contained highly sensitive information about wealthy clients and their offshore tax schemes.

Mossack Fonseca’s client base also included national leaders and well-known politicians. The documents that were leaked held clear evidence of how and where large amounts of money were hidden by illustrious leaders like Vladimir Putin. Embarrassing revelations were made public such as how British prime minister, David Cameron’s father, had been avoiding paying taxes in Britain for many years. Any law firm would find it difficult to recover from such a devastating breach of security.

Solving the problem

For most companies who are breached by cyber thieves, the recovery process begins with contacting those who were affected while stopping any other data leaks. With law firms, this process usually begins with helping the firm to find out whether they’ve already been a victim of a cyber-crime. This requires experts in cybersecurity who will run a series of tests looking for specific anomalies. Once they find out whether data has been lost, the experts will recommend a course of action. This typically includes securing the data so that no other intrusions will occur, while notifying those who were affected.

Law firm hacking on the rise

In spite of all the hype about hacking and cyber-security, a new report says that 14 million businesses were, in some way, affected by cyber-crimes last year. The experts believe that the reason the number is so high is that most small business owners do not believe they are at risk. This is also true of most law firms. They simply think they are exempt from data breaches. This leaves them even more at risk because they are unprepared.

Senior attorneys don’t fully understand how hacking is done and what types of weaknesses a hacker looks for. The principles at a law firm are often not up to date on the latest techniques that hackers are using. This leaves them defenseless. If you want to defeat an enemy, you must first learn everything you can about that enemy. Very few people including attorneys, understand the science behind hacking.

In addition, lawyers use a wide range of devices from smartphones to laptops and desktop computers. Each device is a potential gateway for cyber-thieves to enter and steal information. With the Internet of Things (IoT) now growing, even appliances in the break room can be hacked.

The recent rise in law firm breaches proves that professionals are still not fully aware of the dangers lurking around us on the internet. Attorneys may be reluctant to spend the money and time on a security team that will come in and create the proper security protocols. But waiting to see will place all customer data at risk. People often tell their attorney sensitive information that could harm their clients in many ways. A data breach is embarrassing and hard to explain to those clients who have entrusted you with personal information.

Preparing for data breaches

A good place to start for a law firm that does not have proper security in place is the American Bar Association’s guide. This comprehensive document includes a great deal of information about preventing cyber-attacks. It also addresses ways to respond once an attack has occurred. Employees should be trained about phishing attacks and this training must be ongoing because the method that hackers use evolves with each new attack.

The managers at a law firm can begin by engaging an outside IT security expert that specializes in legal data. The team of security experts will assess your current level of protection against intruders, then recommend new initiatives. They should institute a regular training program that teaches employees how to spot phishing attacks in emails. Even trained employees may get careless, but continual training helps everyone to remember how important it is not to click on suspicious links or give away passwords.

What a law firm can do today

Many law firms are also writing their own policies about password protection, log-in credentials, and web-surfing. Once you have policies in place that your employees are aware of, you can begin to enforce them and this will help to eliminate threats. Your onsite IT people should be checking weekly for patches and updates to software. New updates should be downloaded as soon as possible.

Regardless of the time and expense of these security initiatives, the alternative could be devastating. One of the most important assets a law firm has is its reputation. Once a data leak has occurred, it’s too late. Legal professionals must do everything possible to prepare and prevent these leaks.

There’s every reason to believe that this digital age will continue to expand across the world. Businesses and the legal industry are facing unprecedented challenges for the future, but there are solid remedies that work. It all begins with realizing how vulnerable you are and how important it is to protect your client’s information. Regardless of the cost, the alternative is just too costly.

Your manufacturing company is in the crosshairs of hackers. Cyber-spies are using backdoor viruses to steal intellectual property from businesses like yours.

According to Verizon’s 2017 Data Breach Investigations Report, these cyber-spies are supported by nation states.

• 620 of data breaches hit the manufacturing sector last year, and 94% were committed by state-affiliated actors.
• 91% of the intellectual property (IP) that was stolen was proprietary data owned by manufacturing businesses.

China in particular expanded their state-sanctioned hacking of US manufacturers in 2017. It’s expensive to do the R&D necessary to design and build a product. It’s a lot less costly just to steal it. Nation-state cyber-espionage is the predominant cause of breaches in the manufacturing industry.

In February 2018 the Worldwide Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community confirmed that some nation-state actors are continuing to use cyber attacks to “acquire U.S. intellectual property and proprietary information to advance their own economic and national security objectives.” They say that advances in manufacturing, particularly the development of 3D printing, almost certainly will become even more accessible to a variety of state and nonstate actors and be used in ways contrary to our interests.

The problem is that while manufacturing increasingly involves high-tech processes, in many cases manufacturing businesses don’t have the right IT security in place.

40% of manufacturing security professionals say they don’t have a formal IT security strategy in place. And 37% say they don’t have an incident response plan. This makes manufacturing businesses a prime target for hackers who want to steal IP.

A Backdoor Could Be Secretly Leaking Your IP

The Verizon report reveals that most computer intrusions in the manufacturing industry began with a spear-phishing email that was sent to a company employee and which contained a malicious link or attachment. The malware comes in the form of a backdoor that gives the hacker secret remote access to the computer.

A backdoor is an undetectable technique where a technology system’s security is bypassed without anyone knowing so a thief can steal data. Hackers use backdoors to install malware to modify a code or detect files and gain system and data access. Any connected device in the manufacturing process is at risk.

Social engineering and malware-based cyberattacks combined for a whopping 73 percent of all data breaches in the manufacturing sector last year. Spies favor email phishing techniques with malware to compromise victims.

A recent article in the CIO Journal stated: “Almost any connected device, whether on the shop floor in an automated system or remotely located at a third-party contract manufacturer, should be considered a risk.”

Manufacturers aren’t asking their Technology Service Providers to perform cyber risk assessments on technology they use on the factory floor. If they did, these backdoors could be detected and “closed.”

This is a nightmare that will only get worse if manufacturing companies don’t perform their due diligence where IT security is concerned. If this doesn’t scare you, these statistics should. In 2017:

• 21 percent of manufacturers lost intellectual property to hackers.
• Four of the top ten cyberthreats facing manufacturing organizations are caused by their employees.
• 28 percent of manufacturing organizations lost revenue due to cyber threats.
• Over 35% of manufacturing executives believe IP theft was the primary motive for the cyber attacks in their businesses.

To change this paradigm requires buy-in from leadership. However, although the manufacturing industry is focused on innovation, updating and enhancing technologies on the factory floor is a cumbersome, slow process. Hackers know this.

It’s time to protect your intellectual property. Develop a cyber-risk management program with the help of your Technology Solutions Provider. They can do a complete IT risk assessment and detect if there are any backdoors installed on your systems.

The right Technology Solutions Provider (TSP) will customize an IT strategy for you that includes protection for your intellectual property.

Data Security: With ever-increasing threats from cybercrime, your manufacturing business requires risk assessments, data protection, data recovery, staff awareness training, and maximum security of your critical data. You must be able to backup, protect and recover your proprietary and confidential information. To do this, you should outsource your disaster recovery and backup solutions to an expert TSP who will analyze your current state of preparedness and offer guidance on potential courses of action.

Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity: You must be able to recover data after a power outage, disaster, or when IT services are compromised. This requires backing up data to a secure, offsite location so it can be retrieved anywhere you have an internet connection. This way, your employees can continue working.

The right TSP will:

• Develop and deploy a complete Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plan, a customized program to integrate the policies and procedures into your corporate culture, and conduct training sessions to ensure all employees are comfortable with procedures.
• Maintain an on-going program designed to ensure the validity of the Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plan and keep the plan up to date and communicated to all key personnel.

Security Enhancement Via Continuous Monitoring and Maintenance: The right TSP provides continuous monitoring to remotely view your technology network, identify risks and halt IT attacks and breaches. They will address IT issues before they cause downtime or data loss.

Identity and Access Management: They will help you comply with security and regulatory requirements, allowing only authorized individuals to access confidential information.

Virtualization—Servers, Desktop, Storage, Applications, Data Center: Virtualization in information technology refers to the use of virtual servers, desktops, storage devices, applications, and computer network resources. It allows you to virtualize your entire IT infrastructure or specific aspects of it. Virtualization simplifies technology to promote security and efficiencies and reduce costs for your manufacturing business.

The right Technology Solution Provider will ensure the security of your intellectual property. They will also be available 24/7 to provide the specialized and customized IT Service and Support you need to succeed.

The question of the hour for attorneys and law offices is clear: What do law firms need to do to make sure they aren’t making headlines with a security breach? A good follow-up to this question is, who provides security in the cloud that keeps law firms free of security breaches that can cause reputation damage and even liability?

For {company}, that’s an easy one to answer.

We provide all the security in the cloud for law firms who want to stay free of data breaches.

How do we do this?

Well, it begins and ends with a strategic IT manager like {company} who can successfully guide you to Total Data Security in the Cloud that provides round-the-clock data protection.

What Do Law Firms Need to Know About Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing, broadly defined, is a category of software and services delivered over the Internet rather than installed locally on a user’s computer.  The cloud offers a variety of potential advantages including:

• Low upfront costs.
• Easy mobile access.
• Simple setup and configuration.
• Built-in disaster preparedness.

Because of cloud computing places data–particularly client data–on remote servers outside of the lawyer’s direct control, it also causes for some concern regarding client confidentiality and the applicable rules of professional conduct.

We’ve collected a variety of excellent resources from the ABA Legal Technology Resource Center and the ABA Law Practice Management Section to help you address the questions and concerns you may have regarding cloud computing.

Why Do Law Firms Need Security in the Cloud?

Every law firm has two major challenges. One of them is the storage of the sheer volume of data their business creates and the other one is the protection of that data, via security in the cloud and other systems. The last few decades’ have seen a rise in technology which has presented very solid solutions to these challenges (if you know where to find them).

A small computer disk, for instance, can hold terabytes of data inside an enclosed drive. If that seems like too much, the cloud has offered an off-site solution to the problem that eliminates hardware maintenance. Before these solutions came along, information could only be saved on paper that filled boxes and boxes.

Security in the cloud is a much more complex challenge. Before, you could lock those boxes of papers in an office, turn on the burglar alarm and go home. Someone would have to physically go there and break into your office to steal that information, and it would be noticeable when they walked out carrying boxes.

Now, all that’s required is some knowledge of computers and software, and someone can hack into that material from afar. They don’t even have to be in the same country, much less in the same city or neighborhood. Therefore, the unintended consequence of a solution for one problem has resulted in the creation of another, yet much more serious problem: the loss of data security.

Now the technology must be managed systematically and monitored very closely. That is why law firms need security in the cloud – and, we propose, managed IT services via a trusted IT partner.

Security in the Cloud Advantages for Law Firms

Here are some advantages of having a Managed Service Provider or MSP handle your IT and cloud security needs:

Given the nature of the information that law firms are entrusted with, security can’t be overemphasized. Breach of that information can ruin lives, sometimes irreparably. That means damage to your professional reputation as well as the bottom line. So how can managed services for law firms prevent that from happening? By being proactive. Your core business is to provide legal services to your clients.

Worries about security in the cloud and in your IT systems should be the last thing on your mind. That’s why we’re there to prevent viruses and any other suspicious activity that might bring your systems down. Their software applications are capable of alerts whenever something unusual is taking place inside your networks.

With secure cloud computing, you also get:

• Accessibility: As an attorney, you need to have the ability to access your files anytime and from anywhere. Let’s say you are in a court and suddenly you discover that an important document is needed. You should be able to retrieve that on-demand from any device you carry. Managed IT could have all the files available to you through in-cloud storage.
• Compliance Regulations: Law firms deal with a lot of client information that is protected by law. For example, HIPAA has very stringent regulations protecting medical records. Laws provide for stiff penalties and fines if the security of those records is breached (by Covered Entities and Business Associates alike). Outdated software and hardware may expose those records to hackers because your in-house IT team is behind with updates.
• Multiple Offices: Many law firms operate from more than one location. IT managed services can bring uniformity and the necessary coordination between multiple sites. Your in-house IT team may not have the ability to do that or the budget to maintain it. Also, some firms that work in coordination with other organizations may allow access to some of their systems. Your IT management company should be able to ensure that other firm’s systems don’t create risks for your network because of lack of compatibility or security flaws.
• Outsourced Technical Experience: You may know the law, but you can’t be expected to also keep up with ever-evolving technology, can you? With new complexities emerging, such as Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) to work, must be implemented if businesses want to survive in a very competitive environment. It is also important for revenue growth due to the efficiencies it brings to your environment. As a law firm, it is in your best interest that you let an MSP take care of your IT needs.
• Better Growth Management: Your law firm probably started with a couple of computers, printers, copiers and a fax machine. It was easy to take care of all your hardware. Also, during those good old days, nobody was trying to hack into your computers. Your business is now growing. You have a staff of dozens and many desktops, servers, and software packages. Every day it gets increasingly difficult to keep track of new technologies. So, having managed services with cloud security services is not negotiable, really. It has become a necessity for the revenue growth and business continuity of law firms nationwide.
• Monitoring: One way for your law firm to avoid critical breakdowns and security breaches is through 24/7 monitoring. This is the surefire way to avoid and control security breaches, viruses and hacker attacks, but it isn’t something a small firm can do on its own. It requires the presence of 24/7 labor plus investment in exceptionally sophisticated software and as well as hardware. This sort of investment is not practical for smaller firms.
• Business Continuity: In the long run it makes good financial sense to have someone who is proactively monitoring your systems day and night, preventing system breakdowns, especially with extremely sensitive information on your computers and servers. You do not want to wait for disaster to strike to fix the problem. Some of the damage may be irreparable. In addition, breakdowns are costly in terms of lost productivity and business disruption. MSPs like ours specialize in BDR (Backup & Disaster Recovery), which is important for minimizing downtime and maintaining business continuity.

In short, the peace of mind that an MSP can provide will not come from the “break-fix” computer services guys – it’ll come from seasoned experts who can objectively assess and remedy all IT contingencies, long-term.

Get Your Law Firm Security in the Cloud It Can Trust.