Be Proactive with Your Technology to Prevent Problems Altogether

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If your business could go about its daily tasks without having to worry about technology, you would find yourself suddenly much more productive and efficient. Think of all the time and money you could save by not reacting to technology problems. With the right tools and approaches, your company can make great strides toward a more proactive technology management model.

Ensure Maintenance is Proactive and Proper

The biggest way to save yourself a lot of headaches with your IT is to make sure your maintenance is being done before your technology has a chance to break down. With the right combination of attention and action, you can say goodbye to stressful IT situations.

Implement Patches and Updates

Your hardware and software will only be pristine for so long, and developers will eventually need to release fixes for the various flaws and issues that might crop up over time. You should be implementing these as they are released, but it’s difficult to keep up with this if you don’t have someone managing this responsibility. You can remotely deploy these patches and updates using a remote patching solution from Reciprocal Technologies, for example, and save loads of time and effort for other parts of your business.

Monitor and Manage Your Infrastructure

If you keep an eye on your network, you might be able to avoid downtime, along with other metrics that could help you get the most out of your technology. You can address issues before they cause major problems, and these metrics can even be considered when you make important decisions for your organization. Proper monitoring and management can help you mitigate downtime, keep tabs on account access, and look for failings in the vital signs of your technology.

Secure Your Network

Security is one thing that your business should never compromise on, especially when so much is on the line with your data. If you aren’t protecting your infrastructure, you’re asking for trouble, period. A unified threat management tool is a necessity, and it’s a great way to get all of the security solutions you need in one package: a firewall, antivirus, spam blocker, and content filter.

You can supplement your security infrastructure with additional measures, like multi-factor authentication, password management, and virtual private networks. You should also be sure to train your team on the importance of network security.

Call Us To Get Started

Reciprocal Technologies can help your business keep up with its technology management, maintenance, and monitoring. We’ll give your business the hands-off approach to technology that lets you stay focused on what matters most: running your company as efficiently as possible. Get started by calling us today at (317) 759-3972.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/be-proactive-with-your-technology-to-prevent-problems-altogether/

How Google Maintains Its Monopoly on Search Engines

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It’s no secret that Google has a monopoly on the search engine market, but have you ever wondered how it maintains this stranglehold when other equally capable competitors, like Apple, could produce similar products? Well, it’s not as simple as you might think, and it even involves a considerable amount of funds that influence Apple’s decision.

First, let’s just get this fact out of the way: Google maintains about 90 percent of search engine traffic on the Internet, which is an immense amount to consider. It makes sense on Google’s part to do what they can to support what is by far their most profitable product. Through the use of advertisements, Google makes huge amounts of revenue, so it wants to make sure that this income is not affected by the competition.

Now, you might notice that even mobile devices prioritize Google Search as their default search engine. Even an iPhone or any other Apple device will default to Google Search, and of course you can expect Android devices to do so as well. Why do you think that is? The answer might surprise you.

When we say “default search engine,” we mean the search engine used by the browser. So, while Google Chrome and Apple Safari might be the default browser on their respective devices, the search engine they use by default—unless you change the default settings—is Google Search. This is because Google pays billions of dollars to Apple for this privilege. In 2020, the Wall Street Journal estimated that this number was around $8-$12 billion before increasing to $15 billion in 2021, then to potentially $18-$20 billion in 2022.

This is a massive amount of capital, but Google does what it needs to do to maintain its monopoly. On the other hand, the fact that Google must maintain this partnership with Apple means that any disagreements or changes to such an agreement could have considerable impacts on Google’s profits. Apple holds a significant portion of the smartphone and tablet market, so they could very easily create problems for their competitor if they ever decided that the agreement was no longer in their best interest.

On the other side of things, you see Google investing their capital in a smart way to ensure that they can maximize their own profits. No business has to go at things alone, and in this way, they are using their capital in a way that allows them to make the most out of what they are good at. They make a great product, pay Apple to push the great product, and they don’t have to worry about what their competitor is up to; everyone wins, which is what business is all about.

If you’re ready to make the most out of your own assets, Reciprocal Technologies can help you with smart investments in your business technology. To learn more, call us today at (317) 759-3972.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/how-google-maintains-its-monopoly-on-search-engines/

No Matter How Unlikely You Should Be Prepared for Total System Failures with a BDR

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The more complex and robust your IT infrastructure is, the greater the chances that it will undergo a system failure. Basically, according to Murphy’s Law, if something can go wrong, you should expect it to go wrong. To counteract this mentality with real, tangible methods that you can control, you’ll want to implement solutions that prioritize redundancy. This week’s blog is all about how you can build redundancy into your infrastructure through the use of data backup and restoration systems.

Why Would You Experience a System Failure?

Knowing the solutions to the dilemma is all well and good, but without understanding the root causes of the problem at hand, they will do you little good. Here are some of the threats to your company’s infrastructure which could lead to a system failure.

Malware Infections

There are more potential threats out there than ever before, and if you’re not careful, malware could pose a serious issue for your company. Malware ranges from small and benign issues to considerably more dangerous threats that could ruin you, like ransomware. Your business could become the target of extortion that could ruin both your budget and your chances of ever doing business again.

Ransomware can encrypt and lock down workstations or perhaps your entire network, depending on how far the infection spreads. You either pay up for access to your data or you run the risk of it getting leaked online or deleted entirely. Being in this situation is not only embarrassing, it could subject you to fines and other regulatory and compliance-related nightmares. Cybersecurity tools and solutions can go a long way toward keeping your business safe, as can implementing a data backup solution to potentially skirt around the issues outlined above, if you’re lucky.

Poor Power Management

Your business cannot control the weather, but it can control how it responds to the weather. If your business is based in a location subject to violent thunderstorms or power surges, there is a real chance that your network could be fried by a random storm that you have no control over.

However, you do have options to prepare for such an event. An uninterruptible power supply, or UPS, can help regulate energy flowing into your technology, effectively preventing power surge damages, and it can even run for a short time on batteries so you have time to react to the situation at hand.

Ineffective Training Policies and Processes

Your staff are also responsible for keeping your company’s IT infrastructure safe, so you need to take opportunities to train them on effective practices and policies when you can. Most issues businesses face with their security stem from mistakes on the end user’s part. This means that you need employees who are ready, willing and able to do their part to protect your infrastructure, whether it’s noticing phishing attacks when they are targeted or just practicing safe Internet browsing habits.

A security training regimen can go a long way toward keeping your company secure. We recommend that you train them on password creation, multi-factor authentication, scam spotting, and other potential avenues for security risks.

Why Data Backup Must Be a Priority

The above variables and practices can be effective for keeping your business secure, but one thing needs to be said: no matter how well you protect your business from potential threats, problems will occur, and you need to be ready to restore your data in the event of such a disaster at a moment’s notice.

There are so many reasons why a server might fail or you lose your data, but a plan to restore your data will let you breathe a sigh of relief knowing that you’re covered and ready for any situation that befalls your company. Data redundancy is there for your peace of mind and for the scenario in which you need to use it, even if it feels unlikely.

Reciprocal Technologies and our Backup and Disaster Recovery (BDR) solutions can help you prepare for such an event. BDR uses incremental backups that can upload your data to the cloud for instantaneous recovery should they be needed. We’ll even test your backups too so you know they work when you need them most.

To learn more, contact us today at (317) 759-3972.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/no-matter-how-unlikely-you-should-be-prepared-for-total-system-failures-with-a-bdr/

The Future of Cybersecurity

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As we move towards a highly digitized future, the importance of protecting our data and systems from cyber threats cannot be overstated. Cyberattacks have become more sophisticated and frequent in recent years, leaving individuals and organizations vulnerable to theft, hacking, and ransomware attacks.

With emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT), the need for robust cybersecurity measures is only set to increase further.

Below, we’ll explore the latest trends shaping the future of cybersecurity, including new threats on the horizon and cutting-edge solutions that are being developed to address them. Understanding these developments is crucial for both individuals looking to protect themselves online as well as businesses seeking strategies for safeguarding their valuable assets.

What Exactly is Cybersecurity… and Why is it So Important?

Cybersecurity refers to the practice of protecting electronic devices, networks, and sensitive information from theft, damage or unauthorized access by hackers or malware. It involves using a range of tools such as firewalls, encryption methods, anti-virus software and other security measures.

As we continue to rely heavily on technology in all aspects of our lives – personal or professional – ensuring robust cybersecurity is paramount. The cost associated with cyberattacks can be devastating for individuals and businesses alike.

Apart from monetary losses due to theft or ransom demands, there could also be severe reputational damages when data breaches occur as customers’ trust will be eroded.

As criminals become increasingly sophisticated in their attacks against networks and devices across various industries including healthcare institutions, e-commerce platforms etc., protection beyond basic antivirus solutions is necessary.

This is why maintaining up-to-date knowledge about new emerging technologies is vital when it comes to combating future threats efficiently while keeping adopters safe online.

Understanding the Latest Techniques Used by Hackers

Hackers are adapting to new technologies as quickly as they emerge, making it difficult for individuals and organizations to keep up with the latest techniques used by attackers. Because of this, it’s crucial to stay on top of emerging cyber threats to protect your sensitive data and systems from harm.

The increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has opened up a new front in cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Cybercriminals are leveraging AI to create smart bots capable of performing automated attacks at lightning speed, giving them an unfair advantage over traditional security measures employed by many organizations.

Likewise, IoT devices have provided hackers with endless opportunities for exploitation through weak passwords or other entry points. Organizations must adopt comprehensive cybersecurity strategies that incorporate both technical measures such as encryption and behavioral policies around secure access control protocols.

Regularly updating software with patches while keeping employees informed through training sessions can help an organization address any immediate risks posed by these threats before potentially catastrophic incidents occur.

The Role of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Cybersecurity

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are playing an increasingly critical role in cybersecurity as the scale and complexity of cyber threats continue to escalate.

Given that hackers evolve their tactics over time, traditional security measures can no longer keep up with the speed of digital transformation. This is where AI comes into play. With intelligent algorithms, machine learning models can detect anomalies in data patterns and identify potential threats earlier than any human analyst could.

Another way that artificial intelligence helps enhance cybersecurity is through automating mundane and repetitive tasks such as patching or updating systems. Automated technology frees up valuable resources for IT specialists who may focus on more minute security issues like penetration testing or customizing firewalls against specific vulnerabilities.

The benefits of this approach include faster identification, response times during a cyberattack, reduced downtime for businesses, and lower costs associated with hiring skilled professionals for these types of tasks.

Although there will always be emerging challenges to overcome along the way (there is, of course no silver bullet solution when it comes to securing highly sensitive data properly), AI stands out as a crucial tool to help protect vulnerable systems from intrusions by sophisticated attackers

Strategies and Technologies for Staying Ahead of the Threats

The future of cybersecurity will be challenging, but there are strategies and technologies that can help organizations stay ahead of the threats.

Firstly, implementing a multi-layered security approach is essential to protecting against cyber-attacks. This involves having measures in place at all levels of the IT infrastructure from firewalls, anti-virus software, network monitoring tools to human resources policies.

Secondly, as AI continues to grow in prominence, it’s important for those working in cybersecurity fields to understand how machine learning algorithms work so they can anticipate potential attacks better. By taking cues from the methods hackers utilize and constantly adapting techniques to new situations we can continue to strengthen our defenses.

Lastly, adopting emerging technologies such as blockchain can play a significant role in improving cybersecurity standards by creating unchangeable digital ledgers that store data (such as with bitcoin’s transaction logs).

Steps Individuals and Organizations Can Take to Enhance Cybersecurity

The first step towards safeguarding against cyber threats is to adopt a comprehensive security strategy that includes regular vulnerability assessments, software updates, data backups, and restricted access controls.

Organizations should also consider employing strong encryption techniques and two-factor authentication methods.

Individuals can protect themselves by regularly updating their operating systems and applications, using antivirus software, and avoiding clicking on suspicious links or downloading unfamiliar attachments from emails. In addition, people should avoid sharing sensitive information online unless necessary.

Moreover, organizations must prioritize educating their staff about safe computing practices while implementing strict policies around device usage at the workplace or secure data storage protocols while working remotely.

By adopting these measures an individual or enterprise can secure itself from potential risks in cyberspace; these actions can help preserve reputation while ensuring peace of mind in times when internet-dependent activities have become central in our personal and business lives.

Key Takeaways: What the Future Holds

The future of cybersecurity is both challenging and exciting. As technology advances, so do the threats to our data and systems.

To mitigate these risks, individuals and organizations must remain vigilant in implementing robust cybersecurity measures that are proactive rather than reactive. This requires a holistic approach that encompasses not only technical solutions but also best practices for staff education and training.

The latest trends shaping the future of cybersecurity suggest that cybercrime will continue to evolve as new technologies emerge. AI-powered attacks, IoT vulnerabilities, and file-less malware pose unique challenges for traditional security solutions.

However, innovative tools such as machine learning algorithms offer promising avenues for detecting and mitigating advanced persistent threats (APTs) before they cause significant damage or disruption.

As we embark on this journey towards a highly digitized future, it is critical that we prioritize cybersecurity at all levels: from individual users to large corporations and government agencies alike. By working together to develop effective strategies against emerging threats, we can secure our digital infrastructure while reaping the many benefits of technological progress.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/the-future-of-cybersecurity/

Want to Improve Security? Start with These Basic Concerns

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There are some security issues that businesses are much more likely to experience than others, including the following. Let’s go over how you can protect your organization from these challenges and why it is so important that you take precautions now, before it’s too late.

Phishing Attacks

Phishing and other methods of social engineering, or actively targeting users to get around security measures, are the most popular way of stealing data, credentials, or other information from unsuspecting users. There are plenty of communication methods for enacting these methods, and there are plenty of gullible people out there who will fall for them, but it’s not an easy task to protect your business from these attacks.

That said, there are ways to address it, and it all begins with simple awareness training. If you can make sure your team is aware of the various risk factors associated with phishing attacks, they will be less likely to bite—less likely, however, is not a guaranteed solution, so you’ll want to have other contingencies in place as well.

Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware is also a critical threat that you’ll want to address in your security infrastructure. If a criminal can lock your organization’s data infrastructure down and lock you out of it, then they establish a ludicrous and unfair power dynamic over you and your infrastructure. You either pay them for the safe return of your data, or you do your best to recover it in other ways and deal with the fallout of the attack (leaked data from the criminal, lost data, compliance issues, etc).

Since ransomware needs access to your resources in order to encrypt them, phishing is a primary method of spreading this threat. Understanding how dangerous phishing is can help you protect your systems against ransomware attacks, and so can having a prepared and tested data backup and recovery plan.

Malware Infections

There are other types of malware out there that can also affect your business, but it would simply take too long to list what each and every one of these threats can do. Simply put, their impacts range from mildly irritating to incredibly dangerous, so you don’t want to risk anything by not being prepared for it. You’ll want every defense available to keep malware off your network, including firewalls, antivirus software, and an appropriate employee training program.

Insider Threats

Sometimes even the most well-intentioned employees put your company at risk, so you should do what you can to minimize the opportunities for this to occur through the use of things like access controls and permissions. Generally speaking, your employees should only have access to resources they need to do their jobs, and no more.

Password Vulnerabilities

Finally, password habits can be tough to break, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Too many passwords are simply ineffective, and they go from being something that is supposed to protect accounts to liabilities.

We recommend that your team always use complex passwords, backed up by the resources available to businesses through password management tools and multi-factor authentication.

Reciprocal Technologies wants to help your business with its security measures. To learn more, call us today at (317) 759-3972.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/want-to-improve-security-start-with-these-basic-concerns/

Breaking Down Cyber Insurance: Why Your Business Needs IT

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Cybersecurity breaches have become a ubiquitous threat to businesses in the modern digital age. Every year, thousands of organizations fall victim to cyber-attacks which compromise their sensitive data and leave them struggling to recover from the damage caused by these intrusions.

In such a scenario, it is not just essential for a business to invest in cybersecurity measures, but also get insured with a comprehensive cyber insurance policy that can mitigate the risks stemming from potential hacks or network intrusions. This article will provide useful insights into what companies should know about cyber insurance and why acquiring one is critical for business survival in today’s volatile online environment.

Understanding Cyber Insurance: What Is It and What Does It Cover?

In today’s technology-driven world, cyber-attacks have become a common threat to businesses of all sizes. Cyber insurance is designed to help protect them against the financial costs and reputational damage that can result from these attacks. Essentially, it is an insurance policy that covers losses resulting from data breaches or other cyber incidents.

A comprehensive cyber insurance policy typically includes coverage for a wide range of expenses related to cyber incidents. This may include things like legal fees, IT forensics investigations, public relations expenses, data restoration costs, loss of income due to business interruption and regulatory fines or penalties. Some policies may also offer additional coverage options such as social engineering fraud and extortion payments.

It’s important for business owners to carefully consider their specific needs when purchasing a cyber insurance policy as coverage can vary significantly between providers. However, with the number of high-profile security breaches on the rise in recent years – including those at major corporations such as Target and Yahoo – having adequate protection has become more crucial than ever before.

Importance of Cyber Insurance: Potential Risks and Threats

The importance of having cyber insurance coverage cannot be overstated as data breaches can have severe consequences for a business’s reputation and profitability. The potential damages included in a comprehensive policy range from notification costs to legal fees incurred after an attack occurs. In addition, many policies offer helpful resources such as access to recovery teams who can assist with rebuilding systems that were impacted by an intrusion or attack.

It is crucial for organizations to invest in both cybersecurity protections and obtain suitable cyber insurance coverage so they can continue operating successfully even after a breach or intrusion has occurred. Being proactive about safeguarding sensitive information through adequate network monitoring protocols along with purchasing appropriate cyber insurance are crucial steps in today’s technological environment where hacking attempts happen daily.

Types of Cyber Insurance: Policies Available to Businesses and Individuals

There are several types of policies available that cater to different sectors or industries. The most known type is network security and privacy liability insurance, which covers data breaches, hacking attempts, unauthorized access, or destruction of digital assets.

Another type of cyber insurance policy is media liability coverage. It includes protection against copyright infringement claims arising from creating content online such as blogs or social media platforms. Additionally, there is also extortion loss coverage that helps businesses recover financial losses resulting from ransomware attacks where hackers demand payment for the return of stolen data.

With cyber threats becoming increasingly prevalent every passing year, investing in a comprehensive cyber insurance policy has become indispensable for both businesses and individuals alike. Each sector requires different forms of cybersecurity measures based on their needs, making it vital to carefully assess the risks involved before determining an appropriate plan so that organizations can steer clear from potential losses.

Choosing the Right Cyber Insurance Policy: Factors to Consider

With various options available in the market, it is important to carefully evaluate your specific needs and assess what type of coverage you require. Firstly, it’s crucial to understand the scope of your business operations and determine what kind of data you store or handle. This will allow you to identify potential security risks and vulnerabilities that may need insurance coverage.

Another factor to consider when selecting a cyber insurance policy is the extent of protection offered by different policies. It’s important to read through each policy and examine their terms closely – this includes understanding any limitations or exclusions mentioned in the fine print.

Choosing the right cybersecurity policy requires careful assessment and an informed approach based on company-specific factors. By considering these key factors before deciding on which plan works best for your organization – you can rest assured knowing that even in the eventuality of an attack – comprehensive cyber-insurance will provide necessary support towards recovery efforts.

Preparing for a Cyber Attack: How Cyber Insurance Helps

A comprehensive cyber insurance policy provides protection against various types of attacks, including ransomware attacks, phishing schemes, identity thefts and hacking incidents. It can also provide support during incident response procedures including IT forensics investigation services which assist the business owner to root out vulnerabilities that could be exploited in future breaches.

Cybersecurity breaches can happen at any time without warning and no company is completely immune regardless of its size or industry sector they operate within but being insured will help businesses bounce back quicker from unforeseen circumstances allowing them to focus on running their business instead of dealing with lengthy legal disputes which could hamper operations if left unchecked over extended periods.

Summary

Cyber insurance is an essential investment for any business operating in the modern digital landscape. The increasing severity of cyber-attacks makes it crucial for companies to be prepared with comprehensive policies that can cushion them against potential damages and losses. With the growing reliance on technology as well as a sharp increase in remote working, there is no denying that businesses are more exposed than ever before to cyber threats.

While cybersecurity measures are important, they may not be enough to guarantee complete protection from all possible risks associated with data breaches or hacking incidents. Cyber insurance provides additional layers of security and financial support that can help organizations bounce back from adverse events more quickly and effectively.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/breaking-down-cyber-insurance-why-your-business-needs-it/

No Surprise AI Is Advancing Very Quickly

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of those monikers that we’ve extended to most machine learning technologies nowadays. Over the past few years, however, AI has made huge strides in industry, providing a level of automation that simply wasn’t possible previously. Couple in the massive benefits that organizations can see through AI-driven data insights and it is truly a transformative technology. This week, we’ll take a look at AI and unpack just how fast it is evolving. 

What Is AI?

Most people have seen the “AI” in movies and television that quickly becomes sentient and wreaks havoc. This characterization of AI is mostly the result of science fiction writers who took artistic licenses with the capabilities of machines that eventually break free of their digital shackles and find humanity their enemy. There have been recent leaks about the US Air Force trying to rein in its AI controls after it identified the operator as the enemy, but they have been denied by the U.S. Department of Defense. That is a discussion for another time. 

The AI that is used in business is largely built for automation. You see, businesses are always looking for the most efficient and effective ways to do business, and a lot of the tools that are being developed today are using some type of machine learning to help automate tasks that would typically slow down systems. 

Let’s take a look at some of the ways businesses are using AI-fueled automation:

Improving Customer Experiences

Obviously, a business won’t be in business long unless it meets the need of a dedicated consumer base. In this competitive vacuum, having tools that can help identify and push forward better customer-based experience is crucial to the success of the endeavor. The number one use thus far, because of its general affordability and ease to implement is using ChatBot technology. This removes the need for a lot of human support and these platforms learn as they go, so they can more effectively meet customers’ needs. 

Improving Business Knowledge

Using AI for business processes is a relatively new idea, but there can be some major benefits. The major uses are for process automation and to find efficiencies in production processes. It does this by collecting the data that is generated by operations and providing insights on how to alter processes and strategies to get more traction. Aggregation is just one facet that is being used. Some businesses are using AI for predictive analysis, trying to map how things will go with different strategies. Overall, AI is helping businesses make better decisions by taking it out of the hands of variable opinions and using more data-driven decision-making.

How Fast is AI Advancing?

As useful as these tools are for business, the development of this technology is growing too fast according to many industry leaders. The more the demand for this technology fuels its development, the more that people are losing control over the technology. There are many instances where AI tools are developing too fast, since it can pour through more data in minutes than people can over years. This leaves humans actually trying to rein in the technology.

Some of the concerns people are having with AI include:

• AI-fueled automation creates problems for organizations to keep workers.
• Making workers depend too much on technology and are less productive.
• Information that is unreliable being shared because of the prevalence of it.
• A complete lack of oversight.
• The creation of dangerous malware.

AI has a long way to go before it is what it’s going to be, but if the technology is able to be controlled, it can be a major benefit to society. If you would like to learn more about AI and how it can work for your business, give the IT professionals at Reciprocal Technologies a call at (317) 759-3972.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/no-surprise-ai-is-advancing-very-quickly/

Consumer VPNs Are Not Tools for Businesses

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If you spend any amount of time on YouTube, chances are you’ve seen videos bring up the names of various sponsors, including consumer VPNs. VPN providers take advantage of the trendiness of these influencers to spread awareness of their products. We want to make one thing abundantly clear: the consumer VPNs offered by these sponsors are not the kind of VPN your business should be using.

Let’s take a moment to look at how VPNs work, and why they are absolutely not all the same, especially for business purposes.

How Does a VPN Work?

A VPN is supposed to hide the IP addresses you access as a network. In essence, it creates a virtual network that helps to keep things private for the user. The issue here is that many of the reasons why influencers highlight these VPNs are simply meaningless, particularly when you compare the needs of the average user to the needs of your business.

Your Business Has Different Needs Compared to Your Average Consumer

The big issue at hand here is the intended use of the solution. Commercial VPNs allow you to access a random network anonymously, but a business VPN will provide your team with access to your specific network. The commercial VPN is doing something much different from what you need your business VPN to do.

The big selling point highlighted by influencers is being able to access the Internet through unsecured networks more safely. However, these VPNs are often pushed as solutions that can solve the majority of individual security issues, which is not really the case in the first place, and certainly not for businesses.

Furthermore, there are plenty of other reasons why you shouldn’t trust a personal-use VPN the way you would trust one designed for businesses. Multiple users can use a business-grade VPN at the same time, whereas a consumer-grade one is meant for single users. A business grade VPN is intended to be used by multiple users who can securely access resources stored on your company’s infrastructure, which is not what the consumer-grade VPN is designed for.

Make Sure You Can Trust Your VPN

The right tools for the job can go a long way toward making your business endeavors more manageable. To learn more about how you can secure your network with an adequate VPN, reach out to Reciprocal Technologies at (317) 759-3972.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/consumer-vpns-are-not-tools-for-businesses/

Ask a Tech: Whats the Deal with Ransomware?

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We throw around the term “ransomware” an awful lot, and while we’re confident that most people have some level of familiarity with the concept at this point, it is important that we acknowledge that not everyone has our experience in dealing with it. As such, we wanted to answer some of the questions we hear fairly often about ransomware.

So, without further ado:

How Does Ransomware Work, and Why is it so Dangerous?

Ransomware is a form of malware that infects a device or system and begins encrypting—and otherwise locking down—the data it holds. Once your data is encrypted by this ransomware, it is effectively useless to you unless you have the decryption key…which the cybercriminal will (supposedly) provide, for a price. These attacks are also often paired with some data theft, as the cybercriminal will seek to diversify their profits by selling it as well.

This is bad enough, but the real danger of ransomware comes from the fact that the malware not only locks away your data, but threatens to delete it, complete with a countdown clock until the zero-hour strikes. Therefore, you not only have the pressure that comes from needing your data, but also the pressure that comes from it being truly and permanently gone.

I Have Antivirus, So How Could Ransomware Get on my Network?

Ransomware can be introduced into your network in a variety of ways, unfortunately, but one that has been used quite often is some form of social engineering—hacking the user, instead of the computer system. Phishing is a common means of spreading ransomware through malicious links or email attachments, which also means that the malware is given the access it needs to make the impact it is intended to make.

By fooling the user, a phishing attack is able to directly bypass the protections that you’d otherwise rely on to help stop the ransomware.

What Should I Do if I’ve Been Infected with Ransomware?

In terms of your response to the ransomware itself, it’s actually more important that you have already done something…specifically, maintained a comprehensive, offsite, and isolated backup of all of your data. That way, should you ultimately fall victim to a ransomware attack, you can pull the nuclear option and wipe out the encrypted data completely before restoring from your backup.

Can’t I Just Pay the Ransom to Get Rid of Ransomware?

This is usually the first point we make whenever discussing ransomware: do not pay. Not only is there no guarantee that those responsible will hold up their end of the bargain, providing them with the financial support of the ransom only enables them to continue their efforts and reinforces that ransomware works.

Once I Get Rid of Ransomware, is My Organization in the Clear?

Unfortunately not. Again, there’s the risk that your data was stolen before it was encrypted, which not only means you’ve been breached, it also puts you at risk of regulatory noncompliance and the resulting legal concerns and consequences. Plus, you also need to figure out how you were infected in the first place so you can resolve the vulnerability…and that’s before we even mention how being infected can impact the trust your clients and customers have for you.

In short, there are a lot of costs that come about as a result of a ransomware infection that can have prolonged impacts on your business.

How Do I Protect My Organization from Ransomware?

There are a few things that you need to do if you want to keep ransomware from becoming a problem for your business and its data. First and foremost, you need to teach your team members about ransomware, phishing, and all the rest so that it is less likely to impact your business in the first place. You need to have your backup prepared, as you should regardless, and while social engineering does often play a major role in distributing malware, you need to have an assortment of cybersecurity protections keeping as many threats as possible away.

Reciprocal Technologies can help you accomplish all of this and more. Give us a call at (317) 759-3972 to entrust us with your business’ critical IT, from productivity to maintenance to security.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/ask-a-tech-whats-the-deal-with-ransomware/

More Workers are Meeting Virtually Than Ever

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In a day where nearly eight out of every ten employees prefer to take their meetings virtually, it can be a drag for them when they are pulled into face-to-face meetings, despite probably routinely doing them not so long ago. In this month’s newsletter, we will discuss the scenario that has people freaked out about being in physical meetings and if they are actually productive as compared to their virtual counterparts.

The Difference Between Virtual and In-Person Meetings

You’d think that if the purpose of the meetings are the same, then the meetings themselves will be at the very least similar, but there are some distinct differences between the way people prepare for a virtual meeting as compared to an in-person meeting. Since remote work has been a major issue for employers, there have been several studies conducted about meeting productivity and they have a lot of interesting findings. Let’s take a look at some of the differences between productivity and virtual meetings.

Smaller Teams Excel in Virtual Meetings

In terms of virtual meetings, they best serve your business when there are fewer members in them. Studies show that as the number of people meeting virtually increases, the chance for unproductive meetings increases. In fact, productivity goes down drastically over five people in a virtual meeting. This should tell you that you need to keep your meetings specific. 

More Meetings are Conducted Virtually

It’s no secret that most meetings that you have today are done virtually. This isn’t just from the work-from-home crowd. Three out of five respondents say that they have at least two virtual internal meetings while at the office. The study didn’t say whether or not other people in the meetings were WFH employees, but it seems like a lot, even though these virtual meetings are made available for efficiency and ease of use. In all, there are over 60 percent more virtual meetings held in 2023 than in the pandemic year of 2020. 

Women Work Virtually Better than Men

It’s been said that women are better remote workers than men are; and, while that can give you the impression that all men are worse than women, or all women are superstars working from home, it is empirically true. In fact, in several studies conducted over the past two years, women have outperformed men in working from home, even when there was no discernable difference in their in-house outputs. Women generally are three-to-five percent more productive in virtual meetings than men, which over time could be a major difference in overall productivity. 

People Meet More Often and for Shorter Durations

Studies have shown that the duration of meetings held virtually is substantially less than ones held in person. The rub is that people are having more meetings. In the past, meetings, even virtual ones, were conducted mostly to get a message to multiple people at once and save the time of having to communicate directly with individuals. There has clearly been a shift of people meeting in groups for shorter durations, but then virtually meeting individually. Overall, the number of meetings has increased, which can interrupt the flow of productivity. With more work being collaborative, however, it seems to be just the way people will be doing business going forward. 

With virtual meetings seemingly the way that people are going to communicate for business— regardless of their location—getting the right meeting platform for your business’ needs has never been more important. The IT experts at Reciprocal Technologies can help, give us a call today at (317) 759-3972 to learn more.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/more-workers-are-meeting-virtually-than-ever/

Three Technologies That Affect Consumer Confidence in Your Business

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Technology has enabled businesses to do more with less and a lot of small businesses simply feel that they don’t have the technology prowess to properly resolve the myriad of challenges they have. There are plenty of enterprise-level technologies that SMBs can use that can make their business stronger and more efficient. 

The first consideration that any small business decision-maker needs to take is how connected people are today. This level of connectivity produces many things, perhaps most of all heightened expectations—a fact that any SMB needs to contend with.

Historically, a small business would never invest in technology that was meant to improve the customer’s experience and relationship with the company, they just didn’t have to. Consumers of the 21st century are different; and as a result, your SMB should consider these three technologies that can make business much more effective for your staff and your customers. 

Customer Relationship Management

A robust CRM is crucial to today’s business. With hundreds of options out there, there are those that are unquestionably meant for the enterprise user, with others that cater to a specific type of organization which take the benefits of the CRM, and integrate different features to help make the customer-company relationship easier to manage for that specific type of business. 

One of the biggest small-business benefits of a CRM has to be how it can automate a significant amount of tasks that once were handled by multiple employees—a relatively larger chunk of its workforce (and often payroll) than a larger competitor would be concerned with. This makes the CRM that much more valuable to a small business, as it reduces the manpower needed to complete business-critical tasks through automation. By integrating your customer relationships with your scheduling, your payroll, and other concerns, a CRM helps to make your business and its operations more streamlined.

Supply Chain Management

The demands of the customer are more crucial than ever to meet, especially for today’s smaller business. This means that the supply chain (procurement, manufacturing, fulfillment, and distribution) needs to smoothly work in coordination with its different parts. A comprehensive supply chain management system can not only provide benefits with the variables listed above, it can help organizations reduce risk, optimize nearly every part of the supply chain, build robust agility, and provide the digital construct to capture an immense amount of actionable information. 

Edge AI

Understanding Edge AI requires a basic understanding of edge computing and artificial intelligence. Edge computing is a concept which stores and computes data as close to the point of request as possible in an effort to preserve bandwidth and eliminate latency. AI involves the use of machines which can act independently to complete processes that would normally require human interaction. Edge AI combines the two to give businesses significant improvements to their network stability, minimizing latency and costs in the process.

Technology can be a major benefit for the business that strategically deploys it. If you would like to have a conversation about how to best integrate technology into your business, give the IT professionals at Reciprocal Technologies a call today at (317) 759-3972. 

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/three-technologies-that-affect-consumer-confidence-in-your-business/

Want a Competitive Advantage? Implement These 4 Technologies Today

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Technology is one part of your business that you can use to improve your capacity for competing with larger organizations and enterprises, even if you are a small team working with local clients. Today, we want to discuss four crucial technologies that any small business needs in order to be as efficient, effective, and most of all, competitive, as possible.

Customer Relationship Management Technology

A CRM tool is a powerful investment that can help you manage the various relationships your business forms with past, present, and future customers. CRMs also provide tools that can help you manage resources on projects, time tracking software, and project management tools that can help different departments collaborate, and it’s all accomplished through a simple, easy-to-use interface.

Human Resources Software

Human resources as a department has been involved with improving the quality of the work experience for individuals and aiding in keeping a business running effectively, and now that technology allows for it, HR workers have better tools at hand to help them perform their tasks. Online platforms that allow for talent recruitment, time tracking, account management, and payroll give HR departments more tools than ever before. The processes and communications involved between HR and your employees are also streamlined, making form acquisition for regulatory needs easier than ever. Furthermore, HR software also provides plenty of opportunities to review data and make better decisions as a result.

Payment Method Flexibility

Businesses that provide people and companies with more ways to pay will always be reviewed more favorably, and with options like mobile wallets, contactless payments, and credit card payments (swipe or tap pay), customers have more ways to pay for your goods and services. Restaurants are a perfect example of this, as online ordering has allowed them to offer their services and products in new and convenient ways.

Advanced Data Security Tools

Many small and medium-sized businesses struggle with cybersecurity, and it’s easy to understand why. Considering how much time, effort, capital, and expertise goes into hiring security professionals and maintaining a secure infrastructure, it’s no small wonder. Investing in the right tools, though, doesn’t have to be expensive, and the ability to protect your reputation and customer data is invaluable, to say the least.

Reciprocal Technologies makes all of these technologies affordable and easy to implement through our managed IT services model. To learn more about what we can do for your business, call us today at (317) 759-3972.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/want-a-competitive-advantage-implement-these-4-technologies-today/

Can Your Business Save Time and Money With Supply Chain Management Technology?

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Supply chain management has been a major part of business for quite some time, and technology has played a major part in how it works. Whether it’s people buying or selling goods on the Internet or internally managing their resources, the supply chain is an integral part of any successful business that manufactures or sells products. Let’s look at some of the ways that supply chain management influences businesses–even companies that don’t make or sell products, but still rely on products.

How the Modern Supply Chain Works

Technology has allowed the supply chain to develop in interesting ways, providing companies with more ways to control it when issues like conflict and world health concerns impact acquisition and flow of goods. Let’s look at some of the common tools that might affect supply chain management.

Cloud Technology

The cloud gives businesses so much versatility and flexibility that you’d be hard-pressed to find any business that doesn’t use it in some way. Unfortunately, there aren’t many businesses that find a natural way to implement the cloud for supply chain management. The issue at hand is a perceived lack of security, but the reality is that with the right practices and precautions, the cloud can be an effective tool for supply chain management.

The cloud provides access to more advanced tools that can be used on any connected network, which is huge for supply chain management. There are other benefits to consider as well, including the following:

• Increased agility: Businesses can use analytics to make quick and informed decisions on technology and service investments.
• Improved collaboration: More individuals within your company can add insights into managing your organizational supply chain, meaning it can provide more value and information as a whole.
• Easy scalability: A cloud-based supply chain management platform can be scaled according to your company’s needs.
• Cost realignment: If you move your company’s computing resources toward operational cost output, you can better identify and budget for procurement and supply chain management.

Internet of Things

When coupled with cloud computing tools, the IoT makes for a great addition to any supply chain management platform. Through sensors that can report movement of resources, you can glean much from your systems and the flow of goods. Here are other ways you can use the IoT for your supply chain:

• Location tracking: Keeping track of resources and products in real-time can help ensure they reach the appropriate destinations with minimal complication.
• Storage conditions: Sometimes resources and products need to be stored in climate-controlled locations. The IoT can be used to monitor and control temperature, air pressure, humidity, and other variables in the storage environment.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

The development of AI has also been discussed as an opportunity to make change in the supply chain. Applications that integrate with AI have other ways of streamlining the shipping process outside of the standard ship-then-report model. Here are some of the processes involved:

• Predictive analytics: When you implement new digital tools into your infrastructure, you’ll get a lot of data that can then be used to take action. Predictive analytics through AI systems can turn this data into something you can actually use and implement in an efficient way.
• Creation of digital twins: Some companies are trying out a rather novel concept of using AI to make a virtual copy of their physical business, then using machine learning to make changes to their SCM processes in a controlled environment. They can then use what they have learned to make adjustments that could save money and eliminate inefficiencies.

How would you implement supply chain management technology into your infrastructure? Are you interested in giving it a shot? Reciprocal Technologies can advise you each step of the way. Learn more by calling us at (317) 759-3972.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/can-your-business-save-time-and-money-with-supply-chain-management-technology/

Encryption is Critical to the Success of Any Business

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In today’s world of flexible working environments and conditions, you want to be intentional with how you share and distribute access to your company’s data. You’ll need to ensure that you are not accidentally putting your data in harm’s way due to outdated and insecure data retrieval policies and procedures.

When you stop to think about just how much data flows between your office and your remote employees, you might start to question the security of all the networks used by your employees. It’s surely not as secure as your company’s in-house network, but what do you do about it? You need to invest in your company’s data security needs and ensure that nobody is accessing data on an unsecured network, but how do you do this for dozens upon dozens of remote locations?

The answer lies in encryption. Encryption technology has been helping companies send and receive secured data for years, and the security of this data transmission is staggering in comparison to unencrypted networks. So important is encryption that many technology companies are building it right into their products, making it more accessible as a result. How can your business implement encryption to improve data security?

Explaining How Encryption Works

The easiest way to explain encryption is that it scrambles data to make sure that nobody is accessing, stealing, or observing it while it’s moving from one location to the next. Once the data is received at its destination, it is reassembled using a decryption key found on the receiver’s end. This allows for the safe and secure transmission of data.

How a Remote Workforce Benefits from Encryption

If your team doesn’t operate from one single location, you’ll have to be particularly careful with sending and receiving data from their locations. You can’t control several Internet connections and home networks, but you can control the way that data is transmitted. Encryption is vital to keeping your data safe while it’s being sent all over the place, like in the previously mentioned scenario.

There are standalone encryption tools, but you’re better off going with an all-encompassing enterprise-grade virtual private network. With the right VPN, you’ll be able to safely send and receive data, and the encryption will make it much harder for hackers to have their way with your business.

Contact Us to Learn More

Data security is critically important for your business, so don’t leave anything up to chance. Get started with a VPN today by contacting us at (317) 759-3972.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/encryption-is-critical-to-the-success-of-any-business/

How to Ensure Your Business Remains HIPAA-Compliant

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In 1996, the United States Congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, better known as HIPAA, in an attempt to streamline the healthcare system while also maintaining individual privacy of individuals’ health records. This regulation allowed people to more effectively and securely transfer their health coverage without the risk of fraud or abuse of health records. As you can imagine, your technology plays a significant role in making this happen.

Today, we want to examine four ways your technology works to keep your systems HIPAA compliant. Regardless of what industry you identify your business as, you hold health records, provided you offer health insurance to your team, requiring you to be in compliance with HIPAA standards.

This is difficult for a lot of companies, which is a problem. The fines imposed by noncompliance with HIPAA can be massive, which is why your company needs to know how it can successfully handle this type of sensitive employee information.

How Does Technology Factor In?

Businesses need technology to survive, thrive, and compete, but the role it plays with HIPAA is more about data confidentiality. This is difficult when organizations outsource their benefits and insurance to third-party providers. When this data is sent digitally, it opens up countless avenues for the data to be intercepted, thereby putting it in noncompliance with HIPAA.

Let’s look at some simple ways your organization can use technology to support its HIPAA compliance.

• Secure communications: You’ll want to only use secure methods of sharing individual health records. This means that no ePHI should ever be sent through a text message or instant message. Instead, you should use platforms that have the necessary security measures built into them, like encryption.
• Using the cloud to your benefit: Some people fault the cloud for not being secure, especially in the case of ePHI. However, the cloud is widely considered one of the better platforms for hosting this information, as it can be stored and shared without needing to be sent through an unsecured network. There are no paper documents to misplace and no files to hijack while in transit.
• Keeping passwords secure and updated: Passwords play a pivotal role in keeping your files and infrastructure secure from threats, and they play the same role for ePHI. Encourage your team to change their passwords on a regular basis, and be sure that they are making them complex with upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols.
• Improving training practices: All businesses need to work toward data security, which also involves training employees on how to properly handle this data. By training your staff, you ensure that they are prepared (at least, as well as they can be) to do what must be done to keep your data safe according to HIPAA and other compliance standards.

There is a reason this regulation exists, and it’s because this kind of information is extremely valuable to hackers and scammers. You can take your protection of it one step further by working with Reciprocal Technologies. To learn more, call us today at (317) 759-3972.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/how-to-ensure-your-business-remains-hipaa-compliant/

Cloud Regulation Might Be On the Horizon

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Many companies, individuals, and organizations have sought to get the most value out of cloud computing, making it an industry that also requires a certain level of regulation. With its increasing integration into our daily lives, it’s no small wonder that there is a greater effort to control certain aspects of it. Here is what you can expect from cloud regulation in the near future.

The Next (Digital) Frontier

The cloud industry has ushered in remarkable growth, including a $450+ billion market that grows at around 13 percent annually. It’s clear that the cloud is a priority for companies that want to get things done, and all of this attention has made it clear that someone needs to do something about the amount of power that technology companies have as a result.

Even with all of its benefits, the cloud hasn’t had the best history with security, and so many companies rely on it that regulatory bodies are looking to make the experience safer for all involved. Of course, the IT experts in the room don’t need to be reminded of this; they’ve known about these issues for years.

A Short Conversation About Cloud Security

Cloud regulation doesn’t currently have many mandates, allowing companies like Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Oracle to function without much oversight. Cloud computing users, however, have a different experience, ultimately placing the focus for cloud regulation on the user rather than the company providing the goods or services. Regulators want to see the providers succeed and bring in profits, but they also want to ensure that everyone is doing their part to secure data.

The issue at hand is, of course, the fact that the cloud services have grown so large that large-scale regulation is impossible without considerable disruptions to the providers, thus impacting the economy. Regulation needs to happen at some point, but there are a lot of moving parts here, and a lot of people involved, meaning that even a small change could have considerable impacts if not implemented appropriately.

Cloud Security is a Shared Responsibility

All that said, security is still something that needs to happen, whether regulation is involved or not. There is a shared responsibility for security on both the provider, who is responsible for securing the underlying infrastructure, as well as the user, for the security of their own digital resources and the way they use the applications in question. There are certain issues that must be addressed for both involved to keep the cloud environment secure, including:

• Larger attack surfaces: There is simply more surface area to cover from the use of shared resources, meaning that more security issues could arise.
• User error: People make mistakes, whether it’s from a phishing attack or otherwise. The end user becomes the point of entry for a lot of cloud systems.
• Poor configuration: Without the appropriate configurations, it’s easy to accidentally use the wrong settings and render your cloud insecure.

Cloud regulation is sure to impact your business, but you can always take the following actions to improve security:

• Use multi-factor authentication: MFA means there are more keys to the accounts required in order to access them. It’s a great way to make accounts more secure and reduce security risks.
• Manage account access: Your team uses a lot of cloud resources, but surely they don’t all need access to every single one of them. Control access to mitigate risk.
• Train your staff: Similarly, solutions are only as effective as the training for the user. Make sure your team is aware of how to stay safe while using cloud resources. It could reduce exposure to risk by up to 70 percent.
• Monitor your end users: If you monitor when and how your resources are being accessed, you can more effectively determine if there is a security issue you need to worry about.

Do you need help securing and managing your cloud? Let us be the ones to worry about regulation when it does come so you can focus on better things. To learn more, call Reciprocal Technologies at (317) 759-3972 today.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/cloud-regulation-might-be-on-the-horizon/

How to Tell Your Hard Drive is About to Fail

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Digital storage is one part of computing that has seen astronomical growth over the past several decades, and with the solid state drive (SSD) more affordable than ever, you have to wonder how well your old hard disk drive (HDD) is holding up. Despite the cost difference between the two, the HDD is a viable option, albeit a mechanical one that is prone to breakdown over time.

So, today we want to address whether or not you can tell if an HDD is about to break down. The truth is that, yes, you can predict a faltering HDD, and we’ll go over some of the warning signs today.

On average, an HDD lasts about four-to-eight years with a normal amount of use. If you use a hard drive more than your average user, then it could fail sooner. For some more statistics, only about five percent of hard drives fail within the first year, but after three years, that number jumps to about 12 percent. If you’ve been using your hard drive for about eight years, you’re a coin flip away from complete and total failure.

Common Challenges with HDDs

Over time, your hard disk drive will have written and overwritten countless bytes of data. Something moving so fast and so often is bound to fail at some point. Some of the signs you should look out for include unusual noises like grinding or clicking coming from inside the computer. There is also a slowdown, which will grow more prominent as time goes on.

There is also, of course, the sudden crash or recurring corruption of files. The “blue screen of death,” as it’s commonly referred to in the technology user’s world, is a possible giveaway that you’re fighting a losing battle with your HDD, and it’s past time to maintain or outright replace it with newer, more resilient technology.

Should You Switch to an SSD?

If you would like to upgrade away from your HDD, then an SSD is an excellent alternative. Not only are they faster, but they don’t have any moving parts—data is stored electronically rather than magnetically—meaning that they are less likely to break, and time-to-retrieval for your data is further decreased. Laptops in particular benefit from SSDs as they tend to be moved around much more frequently than your typical desktop.

Let Us Assist Your Transition

If you need help with implementing any new technology, Reciprocal Technologies is happy to assist. To learn more about what we can do for your business, contact us today at (317) 759-3972.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/how-to-tell-your-hard-drive-is-about-to-fail/