Let’s start with the basics. “Cybersecurity refers to the body of technologies, processes, and practices designed to protect networks, devices, programs, and data from attack, damage, or unauthorized access. Cybersecurity may also be referred to as information technology security.” Now that we’ve presented a formal definition from an industry leader in the data loss prevention (DLP) industry, I’d like to …
Strengthen NIST Cybersecurity with Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365 is the perfect solution to strengthen your NIST cybersecurity program. This strength comes from Microsoft’s close alignment with NIST AKA The National Institute of Standards and Technology. By combining Microsoft 365 services with NIST guidelines, businesses get an easy-to-follow IT planning blueprint. Now part of The Commerce Department, NIST is over 100 hundred years old and plays a vital role …
Why MSPs Need Regulation (SOC2 and MSP Cyber Verify Reviewed)
The road to MSP regulation All good things will eventually receive more government oversight. (At least good things that become less so over time due to new concerns around information security.) The purpose of this article is to help you leverage the prospect of impending regulation to make better business decisions. It’s inevitable, why not use it to your advantage? …
Breaches, Breaches Everywhere: The Microsoft Exchange Breach
This year, Microsoft announced that on-premises Microsoft Exchange servers were exposed to serious vulnerabilities via a breach by a Chinese state-sponsored hacking group. But why? We’re going to examine this and more for you in this article. Microsoft Exchange server breach: an overview Before we can start examining the effects, we need to explain the basic elements of what happened. Who’s behind …
Data Security Threats with a Remote Workforce
Remote workers cover many job areas, from data entry to graphics designers, HR personnel, management, and nearly every job in between. Your sales force can be remote as well, with the freedom to connect with more potential customers and a wider sales field. With each remote worker, however, comes potential cyber threats that you must include in your overall comprehensive IT strategy. What …
Cyber Security Defence
During the week, the IT industry has been scrambling to answer questions regarding several patches that address vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities allow a hacker to send communication packets to a remote Windows 10 or Windows Server 2019 operating system and potentially gain control over the device. This patch is critical and necessary to defend against attacks that can happen from anywhere in …
A SOC 2 Type 2 Compliant and NIST CSF Knowledgeable IT MSP Offers Peace of Mind
Businesses often invest in outsourcing tasks that could leave their data vulnerable in a risk-heavy online landscape. To add some perspective, Fortunly recently shared that experts anticipate the global IT outsourcing market might grow by $98 billion by 2024. IT managed service providers (MSPs) have become invaluable partners in keeping systems, networks, and cloud hosting tasks running smoothly. As is often the …
Protecting Your Business – Data Security FAQ
As one of Southern Africa’s leading managed IT service providers, we hear a lot of questions and concerns about data security – and rightfully so. Data security is critical to business operations, but many business owners overlook this potentially dangerous facet of their business. What happens if your security is breached? What if disaster strikes and you can’t access important …
12 ways to enhance your small business email
Learn how to determine the most effective ways for your employees to enhance the security of their email environment at work. What is email security, and why is it so crucial? To answer that, you must know that an overwhelming majority of company security breaches start with a phishing email. Phishing emails are just what they sound like: virtual bait …
MSPs & Financial Services
I recently heard a buddy of mine do a presentation about his financial planning practice and was taken aback by the similarities between his ideal client profile and ours. Like a lot of boutique, fixed-fee money managers, my colleague has an asset minimum of R1,000,000 but has occasionally worked with individuals who have less. Why not? He’s a pleasant, optimistic …
Here’s Why the Dark Web Matters
Most of the civilised world is on the Internet every day – businesses large and small, governments, educators, adults, children and, unfortunately, criminals. The Internet may seem like a world without boundaries allowing us to find just about any kind of information, learn about other cultures, conduct business across the globe and even socialize with family and friends. Like many …
Our Top Cyber-Safety Tips for the Holidays
The upcoming holidays are like the Christmas of cyber-crime. Many of us our experiencing the joys of the season and may be less inclined to keep our guards up. Crooks know this and respond by bringing their A game. Here are some key areas of concerns as well as a few tips to avoid getting hacked: Public Wi-Fi Use public …