Amid progressively complex advancements in technology, cyber security risks are emerging faster than ever. But most business owners know very little about protecting their data and tech investments from these types of hazards. Proactive business leaders know that the future of their business depends on the security of their network. Accordingly, the most enduring businesses turn to managed service providers like Integrated Technology to cover a range of cyber concerns threatening their business. Below, we take a closer look at five prominent threats that your business faces today.
Ransomware
Ransomware attacks the IT systems by holding infected files hostage and, hence the name, demands ransom for their release. Cybercriminals deploying ransomware can debilitate operations and even force a complete shutdown of your business. Ransomware originates from many sources, including phishing emails, infected websites, and malicious downloads or file attachments. Unfortunately, enough companies victimized by ransomware end up paying the money, making this tactic lucrative and popular among hackers.
ITCS’ virtual disaster recovery preemptively defends against ransomware threats by maintaining a copy of your operating system, data, and virtual machines as they appear at any point in time. So, in the event of an attack, administrators can easily and immediately restore the system to its pre-attack state.
Social Engineering Attack
Attacks via social engineering manipulate victims into releasing sensitive information like passwords or account numbers without any software tools or other traditional hacking techniques. Attackers will impersonate co-workers, police, tax authorities, and IT auditors to gain their target’s trust.
Social engineering tactics include phishing, or the sending of a fraudulent email, and homograph attacks, which utilize web addresses very similar to legitimate websites to trick people into submitting their credentials and other information. Over time, social engineering methods have become more sophisticated and difficult for the average person to detect.
Distributed Denial-of-Service
Even printers are prone to cyberattacks. Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks are carried out through extracted print jobs. Cybercriminals use online printers as pathways to steal credentials, corrupt the hardware of the printer, and even leak sensitive data from printed documents they access through a printer’s memory. Security vulnerabilities include common printer languages like PostScript and PJL, which hackers use to launch DDoS attacks.
Failing to implement security protocols for your network, printers included, can lead to costly security breaches. As part of our routine IT services, Integrated Technology performs penetration testing to identify any possible vulnerabilities cybercriminals could exploit. Penetration testing from ITCS simulates realistic hacks to exploit networks, security controls, devices (like printers), and processes to uncover vulnerabilities that need to be addressed.
Weak Passwords
Many businesses are unaware of how vulnerable their weak or shared passwords make their organization, especially if these passwords are being used by employees across multiple accounts. To avoid security breaches through password theft, require multiple layers of authentication whenever possible.
In addition to text-based credentials, for example, require fingerprints or smart cards, both of which are far more difficult for cybercriminals to access. More importantly, no matter which forms of authentication you choose, they must be updated regularly and frequently to ensure your business’ network is fortified.
Cloud Security
Most computing has transitioned to the cloud. Unfortunately, this has left many organizations vulnerable to hackers and malware attacks. In cloud account hacking, cybercriminals scan for servers that are not password protected (or using weak passwords) to exploit those systems, installing ransomware or stealing payment information. Cloud computing will only continue to gain traction, making the need for cloud security vital for businesses of all types and sizes.
The most important question to ask IT providers is what cloud security measures they have in place to protect your business. ITCS’ comprehensive cloud services include servers, backups, data center experts, and strict data security compliance measures. Security patches and delivery optimization are covered 24/7 and handled by certified professionals.
Managed service providers like ITCS provide reliable security support for businesses of any size, across every industry. When you outsource your IT to Integrated Technology, we handle end-user support, cloud, cyber security, and device and network management, so you can focus on what makes your business successful. We tailor our services to meet your needs now, and we ensure scalability to grow with your business. Connect with us today to customize your IT management solution.
