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Importance of Email Security / Fighting Phishing Attempts
When it comes to cybersecurity and IT support in Orlando, every step counts when you are trying to protect your valuable data. For all of us, email has become an invaluable tool of communication, making it a prime target for hackers.
Phishing attacks, in particular, have been on the rise and are one of the most common security challenges. Whether it’s targeting your personal information, passwords, or credit card details, hackers are employing all sorts of phishing tactics to break through your defenses.
To protect yourself from such threats, it is essential to understand phishing attacks, as well as how email security can be a big deterrent to falling prey to the attacks.
What are Phishing Attacks and How to Fight Against Them
Defining Phishing Attacks
Essentially, the majority of phishing attacks fall under email phishing. This is a security attack used by cybercriminals and organizations to steal important and often sensitive information.
Such data can include the usernames and passwords you use to log in to your company’s secure servers, details about the financial status and more in the company, or even valuable secret information that can fetch a good price out in the market. There are plenty of ways to undermine a company, and email phishing is often the first tactic in cyberattacks.
It is also no longer just the traditional phishing emails that we are used to. The methods and ways have evolved to become more sophisticated. It pays to be more attentive when it comes to your cybersecurity.
Protection is Key
There are many ways of combating such criminal attacks. You need to learn how to identify and avoid phishing emails. Always check with fellow colleagues, for example, when you receive a strange-looking email that can appear official at first glance.
Authenticating the sender’s name, email, and more can be very important, and be sure not to click on links in emails without making sure everything is legit.
Applications used in organizations should also be subjected to a 2-factor authentication system, providing an additional layer of protection.
Do not click on any links or download any attachments from emails that look suspicious.
Importance of Email Security
With email phishing becoming increasingly prevalent, there is a need to beef up email security.
There is no doubt that email security is a tough nut to crack. Even as email providers are constantly improving their defenses, hackers are also constantly innovating to find more ways to breach those defenses.
Spam filters can be effective at helping you to identify phishing emails. However, spam filters alone might not be sufficient because the fact is, phishing attempts have evolved through the years yet spam filters have remained largely unchanged.
The best way to enhance email security is to install an email protection system. Such a system will provide real-time protection against phishing attempts through intensive detection. Ultimately, robust email security can give you a fighting chance against relentless phishing attacks.
Conclusion
Cybersecurity is an essential part of our lives today, given our reliance on and heavy usage of the internet. Cybercrime is not going to stop anytime soon, and hackers are always on the lookout for opportunities to enact their schemes and get into the system.
The best way to fight back is to have proper defenses in place, whether it’s through better email security or educating employees about such threats. Do not fall victim to phishing and other cybercrimes and take your cybersecurity seriously today.
Staying Secure While You Work From Home
It’s not uncommon to be working from home these days, although the need for safety is no less crucial. When you’re working from home, there’s another means of being safe you should be concerned with: online security.
You might think you know everything about online security, but there are still loopholes for cyberattacks if you’re not careful. Read on to find out our Orlando IT company‘s advice on how to stay secure when you work from home.
Staying Secure While You Work From Home: Cybersecurity
Keep Devices Separate
There’s a difference between losing personal information, and losing company information. While both can be damaging and costly, you can reduce the risk of both coming under cyberattack.
If you have a computer designated for work, and another for personal use, keep it that way. Don’t use your work PC for personal activity, and vice versa. It can be a hassle but if only one is under attack, at least the other can remain safe.
Don’t Dismiss Updates
If you’ve been noticing update notifications, don’t dismiss them. Sometimes, updates are just to enhance the user experience of the software or device. However, many times, these updates also include patches and updates for security purposes.
Even if a company doesn’t advertise a security flaw, or have a major breach, that doesn’t mean it can’t happen. These updates are to prevent those security problems before they occur.
Get Your Passwords in Check
If you’re like most people, updating your password doesn’t happen nearly enough. While many cybersecurity experts recommend changing your password every six months, few of us adhere to this rule.
One reason we don’t change out passwords often enough is because in this day and age, it can be difficult to keep track of all our different passwords. A good, secure password manager can help you with this.
On the topic of passwords and different accounts, you might be using the same or similar password(s) for most of your accounts. This is a major cybersecurity risk.
If a hacker gets one of your passwords, chances are that they can get into your other accounts too. Don’t use easy, personal passwords. The best passwords are more complicated strings of letters, numbers, and symbols. Again, if these are hard to remember, using a secure password manager can help.
Secure the Physical Area
Not all data is compromised through remote attacks. If you have devices with valuable personal or business information stored on them, keep them in a safe place.
Nobody wants to imagine a break-in, but thieves often steal computers, phones, and other devices with sensitive information. Make sure you always know where your devices are, and keep them in a secured area.
Reconsider Two Step Authentication
It can be annoying when you have to enter a code from your smartphone to access an account on your PC. However, every extra step you have to take to log in is another shield from a cyber attack.
Even if a hacker or thief gains access to your computer, they won’t be able to access your accounts without having access to your phone as well. It works both ways. Even if your phone is stolen, thieves can’t get your information or make purchases unless they have another way to verify your identity.
Stop Ignoring Your Anti-Virus Software
Does anti-virus software seem like a thing of the past? It shouldn’t. A solid firewall and strong antivirus software is your first line of protection against cyber threats. Use a reputable software, and keep it updated!
Conclusion
Staying safe when you work from home has a lot to do with keeping your information secure. Remember, keep your devices separate, use strong passwords, and do everything you can to make it hard for hackers to steal your information. If it takes longer for you to log in, it takes them longer to attack too.
Outsourced vs In-house IT support
Deciding whether to outsource IT services in Orlando or build your in-house team can be difficult. There are many pros and cons for both and depending on your business, you may lean more towards one more than the other.
In order to know which is a better option for your business, let’s take a look at the benefits and the disadvantages of both.
In-House Team Benefits
There are several benefits to putting together your own in-house IT support team. Perhaps the most prominent of these benefits is that they will know your system more intimately. They’ll also be familiar with your business’s daily functions and programs.
With an in-house team, the cost of service will be predictable. You won’t have surprising fees pop up and you’ll know where your money is going as you’ll have a lot more control over the team processes.
In-House Team Cons
One of the cons of hiring your own in-house team is that you’ll have to pay your team even when they aren’t actively repairing or working on something. Whether they are on an hourly wage or monthly salary, there will be times where there’s not a lot of IT work to do. This is just the reality of how IT support works.
Another disadvantage of an in-house team is that they won’t have the means to do everything. While your team may be well equipped, there are some things they just won’t be able to do and you’ll find yourself having to still outsource the work while also paying your in-house team.
Alternatively, there may be times when there’s too much work for your in-house team to finish in a timely manner. In other words, having an in-house team doesn’t allow you the flexibility of increasing or decreasing your team resources easily.
There may come a time when you need the expertise of someone not on your team. In-house teams can have limited expertise fields and when a very niche problem comes up, they may not have the skills or expertise necessary to deal with it.
Outsourcing Benefits
With outsourcing, you’ll have access to a team of skilled professionals without having to pay all of them a regular salary. You won’t be paying extra for a consultation from someone with very niche expertise when you outsource to an IT company.
When you outsource, you’ll also find that because these professionals work with many other businesses, they’ll know what will and won’t work for your company.
They’ve tried and tested several methods and thanks to their broad experience, they really do know the best way for solving a certain problem. You won’t be as limited to what your own personal team can or cannot do.
Outsourcing Cons
When working with an outsourced team, it’s common to have fears or doubts about what’s going on. Maybe you don’t feel like you’re being kept in the loop as well as you think you should be.
Since outsourced teams work with other businesses, you might feel that they’re not entirely focused on your needs. However, choosing a reputable IT support company will be beneficial here. A good company will have adequate resources and good customer support to attend to all their clients’ needs.
Conclusion
Outsourcing your IT support can save you money and open up possibilities. With more access to a wide variety of fields and skilled professionals, you’ll have more support and cost-efficiency than if you choose to build your own in-house team.
Tips on keeping your password secure
As people subscribe to more online services like social media and such, a lot of personal information is held online. Now more than ever, passwords are integral in keeping that information safe because of the threats and risks that are associated with data leaks and malicious cyber attacks. See these tips from the best Orlando IT support team to keep your password secure.
Tips on Keeping Your Password Secure
Since passwords remain a primary source of security and protection for the personal information of many people around the world, here are some tips to help keep your password secure.
Longer Passwords
Creating longer passwords is one way of making a password more secure. Most websites even require a minimum character count for passwords (i.e., websites usually require a password at least 8 characters long). The reason for this is that longer passwords are basically more difficult to crack, especially when it comes to cracking passwords through brute strength.
Longer passwords mean more combinations of random characters, making the password inherently stronger.
No Personal Information
One thing many people tend to do is create a password that is associated with their personal information such as birthdays, nicknames, and such. Understandably, people do this to make their passwords memorable for them. However, this is such a common trick, making it easy to use your personal information as a way to break through your passwords.
As much as possible, it would be best to use words that are not associated with you at all.
No Real Words
Real words are another tactic that people commonly use to help them remember their passwords. Understandably, a password that consists of an actual word is way easier to remember than a string of random letters and numerals.
However, it would be even better to create passwords out of a random string. If you have ever tried a password generator, this is the type of password that it would suggest. Not only should you create a random string of numbers and letters, but remember to throw in some symbols as well.
The use of a variety of characters helps strengthen passwords. Some websites even require a mix of a minimum of three different characters including uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
Use Different Passwords
A common mistake is to use a single password for every online account you have. It is essentially putting all your eggs in one basket. No matter how strong your single password is, it will always be dangerous to use it in every single account. It’s like having one key to all the doors in your home.
Having one password in all accounts makes it easier for hackers because all they need to know is one password to access all your other accounts.
Change Passwords Regularly
When was your password last changed? If you haven’t changed your password since you first created your account, then it’s probably time for a change.
It’s best to even change your passwords every quarter, especially when those passwords are protecting very sensitive accounts such as online bank accounts and other accounts that may be connected to your credit card such as online shopping accounts.
Use a Password Manager
If you are terrible at making strong passwords and remembering them, then consider using a password manager. Password managers are specialized software that holds all your passwords, automatically signs you into online accounts, and even suggests new passwords for when you are creating new accounts.
If you don’t want to use their suggested passwords, they usually come with the ability to evaluate whether your password is strong or not.
Conclusion
Complicated passwords might be difficult to remember but they’ll protect you more than you realize. Having an easy password will risk your personal information to people with possibly malicious intentions such as identity theft. Follow these tips to make your passwords a little stronger and make your data a little safer.
What to look for in your IT Support provider
There’s a wide array of IT support services in Orlando offering to help businesses. Before you hire the first service you come across, remember that your business is going to rely on them for critical support. Finding the right IT support provider is as important to your business as choosing the right team in each department. Follow this guide to find out what you should be looking for when you decide which provider to hire.
What to look for in your IT Support provider
What is (and isn’t) included
When an IT support provider contracts with a company, they should have a very specific set of services they offer. Ask to look at contract details beforehand, and always ask to get specifics in writing if they’re not already on the contract.
While they may provide any support you need, it might not all be included at the same rate. A good provider should be able to answer questions about what they offer, and how they price services.
Who will manage your support?
Some IT support providers work as a whole team to provide assistance. That may mean that you speak with a different technician any time you have a problem, or any time you have a specific kind of problem (website, software, anti virus, etc). Ask how they manage client accounts, and if you’ll be working with a team or a specific technician or project manager.
Experience and Reputation
These two go hand in hand. Look for a proven IT support provider, and make sure you do some research on what their past clients say about working with them. A good tech support provider should have ample experience and stay up to date with the latest software. Make sure they prioritize team education and training, so you’re always getting the latest industry standards.
Responsiveness
Look for an IT support provider that gives you clear guidelines on what you can expect from their response time. Do they prioritize responses based on the severity of an issue? Ask about their procedures for handling more urgent matters, like data security, and how they handle smaller issues, like a single computer or device. While their ‘response’ time isn’t a guaranteed ‘resolution’ time, you want to know they’ll start working on your issues sooner than later.
What’s the contract term?
If an IT support provider is confident in their services, they won’t be asking you to sign a two or three year agreement before you’ve even worked with them. Ask about shorter term agreements, and how to end the service if things aren’t satisfactory. Do they provide guarantees for their services? What about cancellation fees? Make sure you ask these questions upfront to avoid getting fined or stuck in a contract later.
Conclusion
The best IT support providers are happy to give clear details about how they operate, what they provide, and what you can expect from them. Remember, it’s better to take your time and do some research, rather than end up with a provider you regret. As always, check into their reputation. What past clients say about working with them will tell you a lot about a company, and what you can expect from them.
IT services you should never put off for later
IT services provide a lot of value to businesses, and it can be hard to prioritize the most important aspects. However, there are some IT services that are absolutely crucial to your business. These services are ones that should never be put off for another day. If you’re wondering what to put at the top of your list, this guide will let you know what you need to prioritize.
Professional Security
A cyber security breach can happen when you least expect it. New threats come up all the time, and waiting to have IT support take care of your security is a huge risk. Putting off data security leaves a window open for an unscrupulous character to access sensitive information. You simply can’t wait to have IT support enhance your security. They can install special protections and anti virus software to ensure your company, and clients, are fully protected.
IT Support From Experts
A lot of things can go wrong when you try to manage your business’s technology on your own. Even a small error can lead to large company wide problems. Don’t wait until a problem grows to get expert support.
Let an IT professional get your business on track so you can avoid costly errors that grow over time. These services have the knowledge and expertise to solve your IT issues, so you know the problem is corrected the right way, every time.
Instant Assistance
Even if your business is running at top efficiency, small tech issues are still inevitable. During regular daily activities, a small glitch can turn into a bad customer experience. Using a dedicated IT support service means employees at all levels can get instant help for technical issues.
Whether it’s a hardware or software issue, having IT support on hand prevents a small issue from interrupting the day’s work. Rather than waiting all day to fix an issue, you can use an IT helpdesk to get solutions right away.
Real Time Monitoring and Solutions
IT support can keep an eye on your business, even when you can’t. These experts can help you ensure your website is running properly so you can keep getting conversions, and keep downtime at bay.
Customers may not be patient if your systems are slow to load or temporarily down. You may not even see an issue unless a customer or client reports it, and not everyone will call customer service to let you know. It’s imperative to have IT monitoring right away to avoid these problems.
Conclusion
While IT support can improve your business and procedures all around, there are definitely IT services you should never put off for later. We’ve discussed the most important, and those should be at the top of your list. These services really center around security, support, and the customer experience. Ultimately, it’s all about keeping your business operating at its best. For IT support in Orlando, give us a call.