Most employers know that keeping their company, its assets, data, and employees safe is crucial to running a successful business. In 2021 most, if not all, successful companies are making sure they are protected by hiring an IT team or an MSP (Managed Service Provider). While it’s great to have tools and professionals working to protect your data, it’s important to know that not all security is created equal. As technology becomes more deeply embedded into business and society in general, business owners and cybersecurity professionals are finding that not all security adequately protects information from cybercriminals who want to steal data, blackmail big corporations and take control of automated systems for malicious purposes. Now, more than ever, it’s important to not assume your security is up to date and adequately protecting your data. When looking to keep your data safe, we believe there are 3 key factors to consider as best practices.

Recently, our community has been reminded that disasters, both natural and human-caused, affect people and communities in different life-altering ways. We know that, as a community, we are resilient and we will recover.

In recent years, local governments have been targets for ransomware attacks, and the problem seems to be getting worse. With cybercriminals persistently targeting local governments, cyberattacks on city systems and infrastructure are increasing every year, with a growing impact on people. While some attacks are prevented or stopped before they become major incidents, any successful attack can cause serious disruptions that affect thousands.

Man working on phone and computer

You know the stresses of owning your own business. Oftentimes, your company’s data protection falls on the back burner. Recently, a small local accounting firm received notification that their client data was stolen. In order to retrieve the data, they were required to pay $100,000 to a cybercriminal. Given that their business was completely reliant on their data to function, the business owner faced two very difficult choices: pay the data recovery ransom or go out of business. Ultimately, the business owner opted to pay the hefty ransom.

Owning an MSP is a big commitment. Not only are you the CEO, but on any given day you are also the HR manager, marketing director and accountant. If you are feeling overwhelmed, you are not alone. Right now, only 40% of small businesses are turning a profit, according to the small business chamber of commerce. Of the remaining 60%, only half are breaking even and the other half are losing money. It’s a difficult situation for everyone, especially businesses like managed service providers with a long sales cycle. If you haven’t built up a financial cushion, your entire business is at risk.

Phishing attacks are on the rise

While many Forth Worth businesses struggle to weather everything that 2020 has brought, hackers have been busy taking advantage of the uncertainty and fears of things like COVID-19 and the political climate with phishing scams that exploit the disruption in our normal routines.

7 Lessons Learned: Keeping Employees Productive at Home 

Whether your business is looking to embrace remote work for the long haul or you’re bringing your employees back into the office full-time until a second wave happens, it’s clear that a new normal means there will be some amount of working from home required well into the future. 

Use our 7 IT lessons from the COVID-19 shutdown as you figure out the new normal and prepare for potential shutdowns in the future. 

During good times, businesses usually operate IT on the just enough and just in time standard. Often, this includes putting off upgrades and license renewals until the last moment in favor of cash-on-hand or other investments. However, much like a hospital that routinely operates at 98% of their bed capacity, when a downturn hits – like a global pandemic – there’s no surge capacity on hand.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) spends more than $316 billion on contracts each year. Notwithstanding the multibillion-dollar contracts that go to the likes of Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Raytheon, many smaller organizations manufacture and offer products and services to the Defense Department as contractors. VersaTrust is the proud managed security services provider for one such company.

Data Privacy Day commemorates the anniversary of the signing of the first international treaty focused on data protection. Here’s how you can get involved.  

Overt military hostilities between Iran and the United States appear to have subsided after the Trump Administration’s killing of Gen. Qasem Soleimani brought tensions to a near boil. While the probability of a hot war has thankfully subsided, the likelihood of increased cyberthreats from Iran has never been higher or carried the potential for such considerable economic damage.

Cybersecurity education is essential in order to keep businesses one step ahead of this evolving space. Learn about types of attacks and preventative actions.

Small Town Reeling After BEC Scammers Get Employee to Wire $1M

Would you fall for this scam that cost a small town $1M? Find out what a BEC scam is, how it works, and what you can do to keep your company from falling victim.

Learn about juice jacking and how to prevent you or employees from becoming a victim. 

Here’s a new cyber threat to worry about: Juice Jacking. Read on to learn what about juice jacking and how to prevent yourself or employees from becoming a victim.

Threat actors are targeting companies to obtain personal information about employees to use for tax fraud and filing false returns.  

Not so long ago, a bank was considered high tech if it had a Mosler safe and a Pinkerton security guard. These days, we expect a burglar should have to rappel down from the ceiling through a web of laser beams and sonic sensors. Likewise, many managed service providers (MSPs) rely on out-of-date tools to protect their clients and even their own systems.

25+ Microsoft Excel Shortcuts to Boost Your Productivity

Are you getting your money’s worth out of this productivity tool? Find out how to save insane amounts of time and frustration with these 25 Microsoft Excel Tips  

When it comes to processing data, Microsoft Excel is everything to everyone. But because it’s a vast tool, many people never take the time to discover the Excel shortcuts relevant to them.

Quick Tips to Save Your Computer from Ransomware. 

Are you struggling to remove vicious ransomware from your computer? These quick tips will help you (safely!) access information on your computer and get back online in no time.  

You’ve heard about ransomware attacks, but never thought it could happen to you. That’s the beginning of the story that IT professionals around the world are hearing from users — business users, individuals, schools — there are no “safe spaces” when it comes to the ability of cybercriminals to wreak havoc on your technology. There’s always the option of paying the ransom, but this path is fraught with dangers. If the attacker doesn’t issue you the unlock code for your files, there’s no Better Business Bureau to report them, you lose the money you paid and will still need to work with professionals for ransomware removal. Understanding the three key variants of ransomware is the first step to potentially rescue your computer.

If you use Windows 7, you need to be aware that Microsoft will end support for your operating system in January 2020. Now is the time to upgrade to Windows 10.  

Windows 7 is an operating system that still has plenty of serious fans – in fact, it was only earlier last year that the market share for Windows 10 moved past Windows 7. Considering that Windows 10 was released in 2015, that is saying something. All good things must come to an end, though, and Windows 7 is no exception. Microsoft is ending support for Windows 7 in January of 2020, which means that it will become much more difficult to keep the OS up and running moving forward. And a recent announcement from Microsoft has let Windows 7 users know that they are going to be seeing bigger, full-screen pop-ups to warn them of the upcoming end of life of the operating system.

Juice Jacking is another creative way that cyber attackers are accessing your data. Learn more about the concept and how to prevent it.  

The public must be on guard for any cyberattack that comes their way; however, attackers are creative and are constantly innovating towards the next type of cyber-attack to catch unsuspecting people. Most recently, the concept of “Juice Jacking” has made its way into public attention.