Data Net Blog
With so many new and emerging threats to worry about in today’s cybersecurity landscape, it’s no wonder that some businesses and employees might be operating from a knowledge deficit regarding network security. We’re here to change that with a quick overview of the three biggest overarching threats your business must face and prepare for.
Many small firms are pretty busy handling their own business, and don’t give much thought to what they would do if a natural disaster from a bad snowstorm to much worse hit their physical location and cut power, or physical access to the building. What if the equipment storing all of your data and software needed to run day to day operations became inaccessible? What would happen to your ability to continue to serve your clients or customers?
If you've been following the news, the Internet of Things is getting increasing attention. You’re probably also thinking this is some Silicon Valley fancy thing that will take years to reach the rest of us.
Not really. You probably already have some items of your own tied into the Internet of Things.
First of all, what is the I of T? Simply, it is any object that collects data about itself or its surroundings, and then transfers that data across a network to some other object, which can then make use of that data. For example, if you have a baby monitor that sends crib pictures from upstairs to your phone, you're tied into the I of T.
What’s the difference between a power strip and a surge protector? It turns out, quite a lot, and the difference is much more than just the number of plugs on it. Let’s discuss some of the biggest ways that these two important pieces of power supply technology differ and how you should determine which one best suits your needs.
When it comes to getting the most value out of your business’ software infrastructure, it’s hard to argue with Software as a Service (SaaS). In fact, there are many solutions that are fueled by SaaS that power some of the world’s most lucrative companies. Let’s look at some examples of SaaS applications that can help even a small business revolutionize operations to save time and earn more profits simultaneously.
In today’s digital workplace, data backup and disaster recovery are critical components that demand strategic attention. We specialize in providing these services to SMBs, and we recognize the unique challenges that surface on a day-to-day level. Today, we’d like to go into the financial significance of investing in data backup and disaster recovery, with a particular focus on how our services can contribute to your company’s fiscal resilience.
Not-for-profits have an unusual issue regarding security. Firms that have trained, paid full-time employees have a strong level of control over the actions of their workers. NPOs, however, may rely heavily on volunteers whose time in the office may be minimal and sporadic. You may feel grateful for their dedication and be less likely to subject them to rigid security training. Also, a threat of punishment for those who make inadvertent errors that create security risks isn't going to be acceptable in the “volunteer” environment.
PDFs, or Portable Document Format files, are something many people come across in the course of doing business. Not everyone knows all the cool stuff you can do with them, like changing things in them. This week, we'll talk about some simple ways to make and edit a PDF file.
You might wonder how your business can possibly stand up to the countless cybersecurity threats out there, as even with training for your employees, it seems likely that something bad will happen eventually. This defeatist attitude isn’t necessarily productive, and it’s actually one that your team might embody if you don’t frame your training in the right way. Let’s look at some ways you should not bring up cybersecurity training and why you might be inadvertently sinking your successes.
So you feel relatively comfortable that you have created cyber security around your data and your employees are trained to avoid security errors in their day-to-day business ( a MAJOR source of security breaches, by the way.) However, you may be overlooking one area where you are exceptionally vulnerable. What protection do you have from those you do business with? If you are a manufacturer, for example, you may have several vendors who provide components and raw materials. How careful are they about data security? Smaller producers and service providers may perceive themselves as not being a likely hacker target, which is incorrect. Small firms are significant targets for data hacking because they have access to larger firms. They can provide a “digital backdoor” to the firms they sell to.
Today’s business world is full of technology, one of which is commonplace now thanks partly to the pandemic: video conferencing. While the trend was on the rise before COVID, it’s seen as a necessity, particularly for businesses with remote teams. It’s important to ensure that you practice good video conferencing etiquette; otherwise, you could suffer from poor—or worse, boring—meetings.
Data security is an ongoing challenge, given the evolving tactics of hackers and scammers. IT administrators face a complex situation as these threats become more sophisticated. Employing security measures such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) or two-factor authentication (2FA) has emerged as an effective means to enhance organizational data protection. In this discussion, we will go into the advantages of this approach while acknowledging its limitations in providing comprehensive security.
Did you know the illicit trading of personal data was worth $3.88 billion last year? Cybercrime is a growing industry known for its innovation. It goes far beyond the image many of us have of some hacker kid in his basement. Many who engage in this activity are professionals and work in large teams. Some may even be sponsored by governments. If you follow the news, you can find large corporations and even government agencies who have fallen prey to hackers and had massive amounts of data compromised. Unfortunately, this has led smaller firms to feel they fly below the radar. In fact, the opposite is true. Small businesses-especially those in regulated areas such as medical, financial, and legal services-need to be hyper vigilant about security. The cybercriminals' professional efforts will outdo your amateur efforts at security.
Laptops are powerful tools for office productivity, particularly due to their mobile nature. In the workplace, however, more users prefer to have the screen real estate offered by multiple monitors and traditional desktops. You can get more bang for your buck, however, by using a laptop that can work while it’s closed, thereby transforming it into something like a PC tower.
Any business that stores customer payment information must comply with a number of state and federal regulations. The legal, healthcare, and financial sectors have a number of laws tailored specifically for them (such as HIPAA or CISPA). If you run almost any kind of professional practice or agency you probably have very specific data security requirements. Running afoul of these regulations puts you at risk for legal action and probably means that you have bad security in place.
Of all the aspects that play a part in your business’ success, its company culture can often be overlooked as nothing more than a perk… something nice to offer the team, but ultimately unimportant. This is very much a misconception.
Let’s discuss how valuable a positive company culture is, and how to develop one in your business. Don’t worry, we’ll get into the technology of it all, too.
Technology can bring many dynamic benefits to an organization, but it can also derail its successful trajectory. One of the significant considerations that must be made is whether the technology your organization is implementing fits your business needs. Today, we will describe how having a knowledgeable perspective can help you avoid making investments that may not produce the rapid returns that most small businesses require.
When a business goes into action to improve itself, it typically goes into the process thinking that whatever changes it makes can significantly affect how it functions. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Today, we’ll discuss how professional consultants provide a perspective that can revolutionize how your business operates.
If you are a smaller Not-for-Profit, it is likely that your organization has been driven from its inception by individuals strongly motivated with a passion for their cause or humanitarian goal. As a result, it is also possible that the leadership has little interest in developing the administrative technology infrastructure that is necessary for any organization to function in the internet age.
You might recall our blog last week on smart chips, a term used to describe some fun and useful Google Docs inserts. Today, we want to take a closer look at these smart chips and what you can do with them in Google Docs and Sheets.
