The Most Common and Frustrating Errors to Make with Your Technology

https://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

With the right technology at your side, you can ensure that your operations, productivity, and customer satisfaction are maximized. However, even with all these benefits, small businesses make mistakes, particularly in regard to the implementation process. How can your business overcome the hurdles that stem from improper technology implementation strategies? Let’s take a closer look.

Cybersecurity

Failing to protect your critical business infrastructure is basically inviting hackers to attack your business and put all that you have worked so hard to achieve at risk. Small businesses often see themselves as smaller targets than larger enterprises, investing less in cybersecurity. This is a mistake, and it could have considerable impacts on your bottom line and reputation.

The Security Solution

Tools like firewalls, antivirus software, and security audits go a long way toward keeping your business safe. You should also invest some time into training your employees and learning more about the latest threats and technologies at your disposal.

Cloud Computing

Small businesses that limit themselves to on-premises operations are doing themselves a disservice in today’s increasingly connected world. The flexibility that the cloud offers gives your business countless opportunities to save money and improve operations, provided it is implemented correctly.

A More Effective Approach

You should start thinking about cloud computing in a small sense, starting with your non-sensitive data, then gradually moving toward more important data and applications. You will want to research potential solutions to see if they meet your specific budget and needs, giving preferential treatment to solutions that allow for data backup and disaster recovery to keep important information safe.

Hardware and Software Updates

To keep your hardware and software working as intended, you must work to implement security, performance, and compatibility updates as they are released. Small businesses might choose to forego these updates, either because of the labor issue or because they don’t have IT help to begin with, but failing to implement them only exposes your organization to more risk factors and operational problems.

Establish an Update Process and Timeline

We recommend you implement a schedule for your software and hardware updates so that they are done in a timely manner. Make sure that you are keeping track of manufacturer recommendations for your devices and software to update them before they reach their end-of-support dates or have exceeded their anticipated lifespan. Additionally, plan ahead by working these updates into your budget well in advance.

Mobile Optimization

Many businesses utilize mobile technology like smartphones and tablets, meaning that any organization that does not optimize their services or web presence for mobile is doing themselves a significant disservice. The end result could mean lost customers or less online visibility, hindering growth and profits.

Use Mobile More Effectively

If you can make your website and online platforms more mobile-friendly and responsive, you’ll be providing a better service to your customers. You can consider implementing a mobile app that works for your business needs, too, and you can use your website’s mobile analytics to make design choices and decisions in this regard.

Data-Driven Analytics

Small businesses collect data that often goes unutilized. This is one of the single greatest missed opportunities your organization might experience, and it could hold you back from experiencing growth and innovation.

Your Data as an Asset

With the right data analytics tools and platforms, you can start to leverage your data for the better. You can start by hiring staff or training your team to make more data-informed decisions, all of which can help you make great strides forward. With information like customer behavior, market trends, and business performance at your disposal, you can make better decisions that will improve your business in the long term.

Your technology shouldn’t be the biggest operational challenge your business faces, and with Reciprocal Technologies by your side, it won’t be. To learn more, call us today at (317) 759-3972.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/the-most-common-and-frustrating-errors-to-make-with-your-technology/

The Problems that Ransomware Causes are Extensive and Frustrating

https://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

Businesses face a lot of threats, but ransomware stands out amongst them all. It’s certainly one of the scariest threats out there, as it seems we need to include it every time we discuss cyberthreats. Unfortunately, we really do need to, for one simple reason.

Ransomware Hurts, and Then Keeps Hurting

Ransomware is one of those threats that doesn’t stop creating difficulties for the business it infects. Let’s walk through the steps that a ransomware attack typically takes, and how each of them winds up impacting the business.

• Ransomware often starts with an attacker communicating with their target, utilizing a phishing attack in order to access the target’s device, or even their network.
• Once access has been granted, it begins encrypting all the data it can. This leaves it inaccessible to the user, sometimes barring access to their systems completely, stifling or completely hindering their productivity.
• It isn’t uncommon for data to also be stolen, with the attacker either putting it to use in other scams and attacks or selling it on the Dark Web.
• The attacker then reaches out, informing their victim of the situation they are in and demanding a ransom in exchange for their data. If payment isn’t received, the system is wiped.
• While this is going on, the target of the attack is left unable to do their work, stuck in some level of downtime and unable to make money.
• If the target elects to pay the extremely expensive ransom, there’s nothing to say that their data or systems will be restored.
• In order to clear out the infection, the target needs to completely wipe their data storage and infrastructure. With any luck, they have a backup to restore from, but if they don’t they’ll need to start over… if not behind the eight ball.
• As the cherry on top, the downtime caused by the ransomware will have interrupted the services and potentially stolen client data from the target, potentially destroying the trust the community has in the infected business.

With all said, outside of the infection, you could potentially do everything right as you deal with ransomware—from maintaining a backup, immediately implementing said backup, and prioritizing open communication with anyone who could have had their data impacted—and still wind up losing in some way.

This is Precisely Why Ransomware is to be Avoided

So, while ransomware is a costly cyberattack to experience, it can also last a very long time. Your best course of action is to avoid it, preventing it however possible, and establishing the protections that will otherwise help you keep it away. The aforementioned backups, along with the user training that will help prevent successful phishing attacks and other means of infecting your business, can all make your business better prepared to make it through such an event.

We can help you implement all of these protections, as well as others to protect your business from the other threats it will face. Reach out at (317) 759-3972 to discuss your options with us.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/the-problems-that-ransomware-causes-are-extensive-and-frustrating/

Research by Mozilla Shows Today’s Cars are Terrible, in Terms of Privacy

https://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

Today’s cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles are packed with features, many of which heavily lean on technology in order to operate. While these new vehicles and all their new capabilities are certainly appealing to today’s consumer, it needs to be said that one key aspect of technology has not been improved as these vehicles have been innovated upon.

That one key aspect? Security.

All Car Brands Were Found to Be Awful at Preserving Privacy and Security

Mozilla recently researched 25 car brands, all of which ranked terribly for privacy. Let’s summarize Mozilla’s findings briefly… and we apologize if this makes you reconsider your latest car purchase.

First Off, Mozilla Found that None of the Brands Met Their Minimum Security Standards

During their research, Mozilla found that—despite many brands publishing numerous privacy policies—none of them met the minimum standards that Mozilla expects, or at least, Mozilla couldn’t confirm that they did.

For instance, these cars contain a lot of personal information. Despite this, Mozilla was unable to confirm that this data was encrypted in any of the brands’ vehicles. Exacerbating this issue, most of the companies ignored their requests for more information outright, and those that did respond didn’t really answer their questions.

All of Them Collect Too Much Data, Most of Them Distributing It

Of the 25 brands that Mozilla examined, all of them collected more data than they needed in order to operate the vehicle’s features. That’s 100%, for those keeping track, that gathered personal information that wasn’t needed… and when you consider how many opportunities a modern car presents to collect data, there’s a lot of data that you might unwittingly be giving them. The fact that modern cars connect to a mobile device and can collect data from the services installed on it significantly increases the data that cars have access to, and that’s just the start.

Adding to the situation, most of the car companies—84%—also share the data they collect, with 76% selling it when they can. A little more than half (56%) will share this data with government officials by request—not court order, mind you, but just a request.

Drivers are Given Almost No Control Over Their Data

It’s important that consumers are given the ability to demand their data to be deleted. Unfortunately, 92% of the car companies that Mozilla examined wouldn’t allow drivers to do so… the only exceptions both being owned by a single company and only available in Europe, meaning that the General Data Protection Regulation applies, and they have to abide by deletion requests as a result. 

In Short, This Might Make You Want to Buy Used Until Car Companies Are Made to Do Better

Fortunately, when it comes to your business, you don’t have to compromise your security for added features and benefits. Not only can we help you get the most out of your technology, we can ensure that it is done with the security standards you need to remain safe.

Give us a call at (317) 759-3972 to get started, or to learn more.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/research-by-mozilla-shows-today-s-cars-are-terrible-in-terms-of-privacy/

Research by Mozilla Shows Today’s Cars are Terrible, in Terms of Privacy

https://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

Today’s cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles are packed with features, many of which heavily lean on technology in order to operate. While these new vehicles and all their new capabilities are certainly appealing to today’s consumer, it needs to be said that one key aspect of technology has not been improved as these vehicles have been innovated upon.

That one key aspect? Security.

All Car Brands Were Found to Be Awful at Preserving Privacy and Security

Mozilla recently researched 25 car brands, all of which ranked terribly for privacy. Let’s summarize Mozilla’s findings briefly… and we apologize if this makes you reconsider your latest car purchase.

First Off, Mozilla Found that None of the Brands Met Their Minimum Security Standards

During their research, Mozilla found that—despite many brands publishing numerous privacy policies—none of them met the minimum standards that Mozilla expects, or at least, Mozilla couldn’t confirm that they did.

For instance, these cars contain a lot of personal information. Despite this, Mozilla was unable to confirm that this data was encrypted in any of the brands’ vehicles. Exacerbating this issue, most of the companies ignored their requests for more information outright, and those that did respond didn’t really answer their questions.

All of Them Collect Too Much Data, Most of Them Distributing It

Of the 25 brands that Mozilla examined, all of them collected more data than they needed in order to operate the vehicle’s features. That’s 100%, for those keeping track, that gathered personal information that wasn’t needed… and when you consider how many opportunities a modern car presents to collect data, there’s a lot of data that you might unwittingly be giving them. The fact that modern cars connect to a mobile device and can collect data from the services installed on it significantly increases the data that cars have access to, and that’s just the start.

Adding to the situation, most of the car companies—84%—also share the data they collect, with 76% selling it when they can. A little more than half (56%) will share this data with government officials by request—not court order, mind you, but just a request.

Drivers are Given Almost No Control Over Their Data

It’s important that consumers are given the ability to demand their data to be deleted. Unfortunately, 92% of the car companies that Mozilla examined wouldn’t allow drivers to do so… the only exceptions both being owned by a single company and only available in Europe, meaning that the General Data Protection Regulation applies, and they have to abide by deletion requests as a result. 

In Short, This Might Make You Want to Buy Used Until Car Companies Are Made to Do Better

Fortunately, when it comes to your business, you don’t have to compromise your security for added features and benefits. Not only can we help you get the most out of your technology, we can ensure that it is done with the security standards you need to remain safe.

Give us a call at (317) 759-3972 to get started, or to learn more.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/research-by-mozilla-shows-today-s-cars-are-terrible-in-terms-of-privacy/

Recent Data Shows Surprising Trends in Cybercrime Victimization

https://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

When it comes to who is victimized in cybercriminal efforts, there may be a few stereotypes and presumptions that a lot of people may hold. A recent report, Oh, Behave!, released by the National Cybersecurity Alliance and Cybsafe, shows that the real victims of many forms of cybercrime aren’t who many would expect.

Let’s break down what Oh, Behave! indicates.

Cybercrime Victimization is a Complicated Subject

First off, surveyed participants overwhelmingly agreed that their online security was a priority—78% reporting in the affirmative, an excellent sign.

That being said, only half of respondents felt that remaining secure online was possible or under their control, with just under half claiming that doing so was either frustrating or intimidating. This is not the attitude you want present in your business, protecting the data that could potentially end your business if it were to be breached.

This Research Also Revealed Who Was Most Prone to Different Scams

Across effectively all forms of cybercriminal attack the survey covered—phishing, identity theft, romance scams, and cyberbullying—it was the younger generations, Gen Z and Millennials, who were most often victimized, or at least reported it most often.

Fortunately, many people are willing to report when they have been victimized, at least when it comes to phishing (69% reporting, as compared to 31% who did not report) and identity theft (74% reporting, as compared to 26% who did not report). Less promising were the reporting/not reporting rates for romance scams with 55% reporting, 45% not reporting, and cyberbullying with 52% reporting, and 48% not reporting, respectively.

It Is So Important to Train Your Team Members to Do Better

We can help. Reach out to us to learn more about how we can help teach your team to be more secure. Give us a call at (317) 759-3972 today.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/recent-data-shows-surprising-trends-in-cybercrime-victimization/

Understanding the Blockchain and Its Business Ramifications

https://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

You see the word “blockchain” all the time in relation to cryptocurrencies and NFTs, but do you know what it actually means? This is but a small portion of what a blockchain encompasses, and we’re here to discuss today what this technology is capable of.

A Blockchain is a Distributed, Immutable Ledger

Basically, the blockchain is something which records information in a way that makes it impossible to manipulate. The record is replicated across a network of devices that the blockchain is made up of. Whenever a block—or transaction, in clearer terms—is recorded on the network, a new block is created; thus, any edit to the blockchain results in a new block being created.

The only way to make any changes to a blockchain is if every single record on the chain is simultaneously edited. What this means for security is simple: if someone wants to make changes to one record, they would have to infiltrate every single device on the chain at the exact same time, which is a tall order even for a seasoned hacker.

What Advantages Does Blockchain Technology Allow For?

The Blockchain is Secure

Since the blockchain is distributed, and it relies on digital signatures, you can know for certain that there is very little possibility of fraud occurring on the network. 

The Blockchain Allows for Automation

You can set various transactions to occur based on specific triggers, giving you control over some automated systems that allow you to get a lot of value out of the blockchain.

The Blockchain is Efficient

While some companies might dread going through the multi-step process of traditional, time-consuming transactions, those using the blockchain can cut those processes considerably.

Your Business Might Benefit from the Blockchain

Businesses can use the blockchain in various ways, such as in the cases of supply chain management, smart contracts, and more. With our technology solutions on your side, you can make considerable progress toward improving your operations. To learn more, call us today at (317) 759-3972.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/understanding-the-blockchain-and-its-business-ramifications/

Data Redundancy Goes a Long Way Toward Protecting Your Business

https://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

In order to protect your organization’s important digital assets you need to build something that you spend most of the time trying to avoid in every other facet of your business, building redundancy. Redundancy is seen as wasteful in most situations, but with your data being so important to your business, ensuring that you have duplicate copies of it is essential. 

Data redundancy refers to the practice of duplicating data to ensure its availability in case of a failure or disaster. It involves creating multiple copies of data and storing them across different locations or systems. While it may seem like a simple concept, the importance of data redundancy cannot be overstated.

Decreased Chance of Data Loss

Data loss can occur due to numerous factors, such as hardware failures, software glitches, human errors, or natural disasters. By implementing data redundancy, organizations can mitigate the risk of losing critical information. Even if one copy of the data becomes inaccessible or corrupted, the redundant copies can be utilized, ensuring business continuity.

Enhancing Data Availability 

Downtime can be extremely costly for businesses. Whether it’s a website outage or a system failure, any disruption in data availability can lead to financial losses, reputational damage, and customer dissatisfaction. Data redundancy helps in maintaining high availability by ensuring that redundant copies of data are readily accessible at all times.

Safeguarding Against Cyberattacks

With the increasing frequency and sophistication of cyberattacks, organizations need to be prepared for data breaches or ransomware attacks. Building data redundancy can act as a defense mechanism against such malicious activities. If one copy of the data is compromised, the redundant copies remain unaffected, enabling organizations to recover quickly and minimize the impact of the attack.

Supporting Disaster Recovery

Natural disasters such as floods, fires, or earthquakes can cause catastrophic damage to data centers or physical storage devices. However, with data redundancy in place, organizations can recover their data quickly and efficiently. By storing redundant copies of data in geographically diverse locations, the impact of a single disaster can be mitigated.

Meeting Regulatory Requirements

Many industries have strict regulatory requirements regarding data retention and protection. Building data redundancy helps organizations comply with these regulations. By maintaining multiple copies of data, organizations can demonstrate their commitment to data integrity and security, avoiding penalties and legal complications.

If you are concerned that you don’t have a comprehensive data protection strategy that can help reduce downtime and protect data from loss, give the IT experts at Reciprocal Technologies a call at (317) 759-3972 today. 

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/data-redundancy-goes-a-long-way-toward-protecting-your-business/

Here Are Some Quick Tips on Disaster Recovery

https://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

Technology is center-stage in today’s business world, and when all it takes is a disaster to end operations for many businesses, it suddenly becomes incredibly important to have contingency plans in place… you know, just in case. Let’s go over how you should build an effective disaster recovery plan, as well as how to assess your company’s needs.

Assessing Your Business’ Needs

First, we need to discuss what the difference is between data backup and disaster recovery. Data backup is but one part of an effective disaster recovery solution, yet the two are intertwined and will affect one another. You’ll need to know what types of data you possess, how important they are to operations, and how often these types of data change. We recommend that you perform a thorough data audit to determine where you should prioritize your efforts.

Building an Effective Backup Strategy

You’ll need a comprehensive backup strategy if you want to ensure business continuity. We’ll discuss some of the aspects of building a comprehensive data backup plan, including how you should go about selecting the ideal solution to suit your company’s needs. We recommend that you schedule your backups to occur throughout the workday with the intention of taking backups for only frequently changed files in this manner, or changed files in general. This means that you’ll experience minimal data loss in the event of a disaster.

How Can You Work Toward Integrity and Security?

In terms of disaster recovery, you’ll want to ensure that you prioritize integrity and security. You can implement systems like data validation, alongside regular recovery tests, to ensure that any data your business restores is going to be authentic. Additionally, you can implement encryption protocols to keep your data backups as secure as possible while they are in storage, waiting for the day when they will be needed.

The Importance of Off-Site Backup and Data Redundancy

You can’t just have one backup of your data, as if you lose access to it, you won’t be able to restore effectively. Similarly, you cannot store your only data backup on-site on your network, because what would happen if something happened to your network? We recommend keeping an off-site data backup, in a secure data center, where you can rely on your data at a moment’s notice. This will ensure redundancy while you work to secure your company’s future, effectively safeguarding your business from any localized disaster.

With a strong data backup and disaster recovery plan in place, your business can go about its operations with little to fear. To learn more about how we can help your business in this effort, reach out to Reciprocal Technologies at (317) 759-3972.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/here-are-some-quick-tips-on-disaster-recovery/

Here Are Some Desk Exercises to Keep You Healthy at Work

https://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

While sitting all day might sound appealing at first glance (after all, who doesn’t like sitting?), it’s not something that our bodies are designed to do. Sitting, as a result, can have considerable negative consequences on our overall health when done in excess. It doesn’t have to be hard to fit a workout into your day, though; you can do these simple desk-ercises right from your office to combat the creep of becoming too sedentary. 

How to Keep Your Core Strong

Your core—the strength of your abdomen, back, and pelvis—is paramount to your short-term comfort and long-term health, especially if you work a desk job. There are, however, some exercises you can use to build core strength while at your desk. Here are just a few of them:

• Seated Leg Lifts
• Seated Twists
• Pelvic Tilts
• Ab Squeezes

How to Fit In Some Stretching

Stretching can also help you bear with the hours and hours of sedentary work while at the office. You can relieve your muscles and some of the exhaustion that comes from the fine motor skills needed to maintain typing. Here are some of the proactive stretching exercises you can use from your desk:

• Neck Rolls
• Wrist Rotations
• Shoulder Stretches

How to Do Cardio, Even While Seated

These might get you some odd looks from your colleagues, but if you can increase your heart rate, you’ll boost your energy by getting more fresh oxygen into your brain. Instead of working yourself up with a jog or run on the clock, try some of these alternatives:

• Seated Jumping Jacks
• Desk Push-Ups
• Marching in Place

How to Work Your Legs

Your legs should also need attention, as sitting for hours and hours will deplete their strength if you don’t take action. Here are some of the measures you can take to ensure that you maintain strength and circulation in your legs:

• Ankle Circles
• Seated Leg Extensions
• Calf Raises

Your Health Will Make the Workplace a Better Place

If you make your health a priority, you’ll be investing in the future of your business. Encouraging your employees to do the same will also help. To learn more about how you can invest in a different way—like technology solutions—reach out to us at (317) 759-3972.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/here-are-some-desk-exercises-to-keep-you-healthy-at-work/

Take Data Breach Seriously Before It’s Too Late

https://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

Whenever you see a data breach in the news, it’s never a good thing. Their impact ranges from minor to severe, and depending on the size and scope of the breach, it could even be bad enough to break a business. Let’s go over how you can keep your business from suffering from data leaks.

Understand the Risks

There are many ways that data could leak, and it’s important to know what these ways are. Your standard cyberattack is one of them, but there are also chances for your employees to unintentionally (or even intentionally) leak important company data. Understanding that these are possibilities will help you make the appropriate decisions in regard to protecting your data.

Prioritize Your Cybersecurity

If you implement the right cybersecurity tools, you’ll be less likely to experience data breaches. You can start this process with a comprehensive vulnerability assessment to understand where your data is most at risk. You can then proceed to implement security measures like a firewall, antivirus, encryption, and updates/patch management software. With measures like these in place, security vulnerabilities will be less likely to crop up over time. Just be sure to regularly perform these assessments, while you’re at it.

Lock Up Your Data

Your data storage holds countless files that could potentially leak if you don’t take appropriate precautions. In terms of security and access control, we recommend operating with the principle of least privilege. You only grant access to what is absolutely necessary, and nothing more without prior approval or authorization. This combined with authentication measures can help you mitigate most opportunities for data leakage to occur.

Train Your Employees

Your employees are actually one of your major attack vectors, whether they realize it or not. Teaching them a thing or two about security best practices will go a long way toward preventing data leaks. They should be taught how to identify potential phishing threats, how to handle sensitive data, and the appropriate way to use passwords and other authentication measures for their work accounts. 

Back Up Your Data

You always hope that you never have to use it, but data backup is something that no business can ever go without. It mitigates the risks involved with data loss and data tampering. We recommend you follow the 3-2-1 backup rule, which involves having three copies of your data in at least two different storage mediums, one of which is in the cloud. Trust us when we say that you don’t want to deal with a data loss incident, and having a working (and tested) data backup solution could save your business from certain doom.

Take Data Loss Seriously

With so many possibilities for data to fall outside the scope of your business’ control, you can’t take anything too seriously. Be sure to have Reciprocal Technologies help out by calling us at (317) 759-3972.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/take-data-breach-seriously-before-its-too-late/

Securing the Cloud: Best Practices for Safeguarding Your Data and Applications

https://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

The adoption of cloud computing has become an undeniable trend for businesses around the globe. The flexibility and scalability it offers have made it an attractive solution for storing data and running applications.

However, as with any technology, there are inherent risks involved in entrusting sensitive information to a remote server. To mitigate these vulnerabilities and ensure the utmost protection of your valuable assets, implementing best practices for securing the cloud is crucial.

We will explore some key strategies that organizations can adopt to safeguard their data and applications in the cloud effectively.

From encryption protocols to access controls and regular monitoring, understanding and implementing these best practices is paramount in guaranteeing the confidentiality, integrity, availability, and resilience of your critical systems.

Understanding Cloud Security Challenges

While the cloud provides flexibility and scalability, it also presents several risks that must be addressed. One of the main challenges is data breaches and unauthorized access to sensitive information stored in the cloud.

As businesses rely more on cloud services, hackers are constantly finding new ways to exploit vulnerabilities and gain access to valuable data.

Another challenge is ensuring compliance with industry regulations and privacy laws. Different countries have varying data protection laws, which can complicate matters when storing customer or employee information in the cloud. Businesses need to stay up to date with these regulations and ensure their cloud service providers adhere to them as well.

Downtime can result in significant losses for businesses relying heavily on the cloud, so it’s important to have backup measures in place.

Understanding these challenges and implementing best practices for securing the cloud is essential for protecting valuable assets and maintaining trust with customers.

The Shared Responsibility Model

It highlights the fact that both the cloud service provider and the customer have responsibilities in ensuring the security of data and applications stored in the cloud. The provider is responsible for maintaining the infrastructure, including physical security measures, network protection, and operating system updates.

On the other hand, customers are responsible for configuring their own resources properly, implementing access controls, encrypting sensitive data, and regularly monitoring their environments.

By understanding this model and adhering to its principles, organizations can effectively safeguard their data and applications in the cloud. It ensures that both parties involved are accountable for their specific roles in protecting valuable assets from various threats such as unauthorized access or data breaches.

Implementing best practices based on this shared responsibility model is essential to create a secure cloud environment. Businesses should establish clear communication with cloud providers to fully understand each party’s responsibilities.

This proactive approach will minimize potential vulnerabilities while maximizing protection levels for critical information stored within the cloud infrastructure.

Implementing Robust Authentication and Access Controls

Implementing robust authentication and access controls is a critical component of securing the cloud and safeguarding data and applications. Authentication refers to the process of verifying the identity of individuals or systems accessing the cloud services, while access controls ensure that only authorized users are granted appropriate levels of access to resources.

One key strategy for implementing robust authentication is the use of multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA requires users to provide multiple forms of identification, such as a password, a unique code sent to their mobile device, or biometric information like fingerprints. By combining these factors, MFA provides an additional layer of security beyond just relying on passwords alone.

Another important aspect is implementing strong access controls. This includes defining roles and permissions for different user groups and ensuring that each user has the minimum level of privileges required for their job functions. Regular reviews should be conducted to remove any unnecessary access rights from users who no longer require them.

These strategies help mitigate risks associated with unauthorized access and increase overall security in the cloud environment.

By properly authenticating users and implementing effective controls on data access, businesses can significantly reduce potential threats and protect their valuable assets from breaches or compromise.

Encrypting Data in Transit and at Rest

Encrypting data in transit and at rest is a critical aspect of securing the cloud. When data is transmitted over networks or stored on servers, it is exposed to potential threats such as interception or unauthorized access. Encryption ensures that this sensitive information is converted into an unreadable form, making it useless for anyone who doesn’t have the appropriate encryption keys.

When data is in transit, encryption helps protect it from being intercepted by attackers. By using secure protocols such as SSL/TLS, data can be encrypted before transmission and decrypted only upon reaching its intended destination. This prevents eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle attacks.

On the other hand, encrypting data at rest means safeguarding information when it is stored on servers or other storage devices. Even if someone gains physical access to these devices, encrypted data remains inaccessible without the proper decryption keys.

Implementing strong encryption algorithms and managing encryption keys securely are essential components of protecting sensitive data while it’s not actively being used.

Encrypting data both in transit and at rest forms a crucial part of securing the cloud environment. It adds an extra layer of protection against unauthorized access to sensitive information during transmission and storage phases.

By implementing best practices for encryption, businesses can enhance their overall security posture and minimize potential risks associated with storing valuable assets in remote servers.

Regular Monitoring and Intrusion Detection

Regular monitoring involves continuously observing the behavior of your cloud environment to identify any anomalous activities or potential threats. This can be done through real-time system logs, network traffic analysis, and other monitoring tools.

Regular monitoring allows you to detect and respond quickly to any suspicious activities in your cloud infrastructure. It helps you identify unauthorized access attempts, malware infections, or unusual data transfers that could indicate a potential breach. By detecting these issues early on, you can take immediate action to address them before they cause significant damage or compromise your sensitive data.

Intrusion detection systems (IDS) play a vital role in securing the cloud by actively scanning for malicious activities within your network and alerting you when an intrusion is detected.

These systems use various techniques such as signature-based detection, anomaly detection, and behavior analysis to identify potential threats. IDSs can monitor both incoming and outgoing traffic within your cloud environment and provide valuable insights into any attempted attacks or breaches.

By implementing regular monitoring practices along with robust intrusion detection systems in your cloud infrastructure, you can proactively safeguard your data and applications against cyber threats.

This will not only help protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your assets but also ensure compliance with industry regulations regarding data protection.

Backup and Disaster Recovery Planning

Backup refers to the process of creating additional copies of your data, both on-site and off-site, to protect against data loss due to human error, hardware failure, or cyberattacks. Disaster recovery focuses on creating a comprehensive plan for restoring operations after a major incident such as natural disasters, ransomware attacks, or system failures.

This can include daily backups stored both locally and in the cloud. Making use of advanced technologies like continuous data protection (CDP) can minimize the risk of significant data loss.

Disaster recovery planning goes beyond simple backups by developing detailed procedures for handling potential crises. A well-designed plan includes identifying critical systems and assets that require immediate attention in the event of an incident, creating redundant infrastructure across different geographical locations, establishing communication channels with relevant stakeholders during emergencies, and conducting regular testing exercises to ensure plans remain viable over time.

By prioritizing backup and disaster recovery planning within your overall cloud security strategy, you reduce downtime risk while safeguarding vital business information from unforeseen events or cyber threats.

Fortifying Cloud Security for Data and Application Protection

Fortifying cloud security for data and application protection is essential in today’s digital landscape. As the adoption of cloud computing continues to rise, businesses must understand the risks involved in storing sensitive information on remote servers.

By implementing best practices for securing the cloud, organizations can mitigate vulnerabilities and safeguard their valuable assets.

One key strategy for ensuring strong cloud security is encryption. Encrypting data before it is stored or transmitted ensures that even if it falls into unauthorized hands, it remains unreadable and unusable.

Using robust authentication methods such as multi-factor authentication adds an extra layer of protection by requiring users to provide multiple forms of verification before accessing sensitive data or applications.

Regular monitoring and auditing are also crucial for maintaining a secure cloud environment. By continuously monitoring system logs and network traffic, suspicious activities can be detected early on. Regular audits help identify any potential weaknesses in existing security measures and allow for timely remediation.

Securing the cloud requires proactive implementation of various strategies including encryption, robust authentication methods, regular monitoring, and auditing.

With these best practices in place, businesses can confidently store their data and run applications in the cloud while minimizing the risk of cyber threats or unauthorized access.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/securing-the-cloud-best-practices-for-safeguarding-your-data-and-applications/

Why an MSP Is the Best Call For Your 2024 IT Budget

https://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

Now that we’re in Q3 of 2023, it’s time to start planning out your budget for the next fiscal year—including your IT services budget. Let’s go over some of the considerations you’ll need to keep in mind for this remarkably important aspect of running your business.

One way you can make your life much easier is with managed IT services from Reciprocal Technologies. Here are four reasons why managed IT makes for a great investment.

Managed IT is Designed for Scalability

With managed IT, you’ll only ever have to invest in what your business needs. You can easily maintain subscriptions to the various services your business needs, and no more, at any given time. It’s easy to fall into the trap of overinvestment with the traditional method of hardware or software acquisition, but with managed IT, you won’t have this issue. You pay for what you need, and nothing more. We might even be able to get you some better deals by working through us!

Managed IT Has Inclusive Offerings

Our service model is simple: provide as many services and fulfill as many needs as possible. We’re all about providing comprehensive remote and in-person support, working with vendors so you don’t have to, and making sure your needs are met. This all converts into savings that you could invest elsewhere in your business. MSPs can also provide a roadmap for your technology to ensure that your business can adapt to change and make adjustments as time progresses, all while making sure that you have the resources to make these changes as they surface.

Managed IT Services are Convenient

At the heart of things, managed IT is all about providing convenience to you and your business, thereby allowing you to achieve greater productivity as a result. You’ll be able to contact us whenever you need assistance, 24/7/365, and you can know with confidence that someone is always keeping an eye on your network to ensure operations and security are handled smoothly. This allows you to focus on other, more important tasks, like running your business.

Managed IT also allows your team to get in touch with professional technicians who can support them as they go about their daily tasks. This kind of anytime/anywhere support is just what is needed to ensure productivity isn’t stymied by technology troubles.

Managed IT Services are Proactive

It’s better to address problems before they occur than it is to react to them in the moment. This is because if you wait until something is causing you trouble, you’ve already lost the battle and are in damage control mode. Proactive IT aims to identify potential issues before they escalate into more costly problems, allowing your IT to last longer and your business to stay as productive as possible. When you pay for consistent routine maintenance with managed IT, it pays for itself when you get more life out of your current technology and have to replace it less often.

We Recommend Working with a Managed IT Provider

If you want to work with the best managed service provider in the Indiana community, let Reciprocal Technologies take care of your technology. To learn more, call us today at (317) 759-3972.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/why-an-msp-is-the-best-call-for-your-2024-it-budget/

Gmail Incorporates More Stringent Phishing Protections (But There’s a Downside)

https://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

Since 2019, Google has had a feature built into their Chrome browser called Enhanced Safe Browsing. Intended to help prevent phishing attacks, this feature effectively steps in to warn users about links that it deems suspicious. More recently, this feature was added directly to Gmail. Let’s talk about how to enable it… and why you might actually want to think twice about doing so.

What is Enhanced Safe Browsing?

Originally, Enhanced Safe Browsing was a Google Chrome feature, and more or less warned users about links that the browser deemed suspicious in an attempt to help prevent malware, phishing, and other such threats. With email playing such a major part in so many phishing attacks, however, Gmail now hosts the feature natively.

With Enhanced Safe Browsing enabled, all links and attachments will be scanned and compared to Google’s database of known scams and malicious websites—a database that Google updates every half hour.

How to Enable Enhanced Safe Browsing

You’ll need to be logged into your Google Account to do this, and from there, access Security and from there, Manage Enhanced Safe Browsing to enable it. Doing so will activate it in Gmail, as well as any other Google software you use, including Chrome, down to the extensions and file downloads.

This is the big problem we’re concerned about.

Turning On This Feature is Effectively Gifting a Ton of Personal Data to Google

Reviewing what we’ve said thus far, this feature gives Google access to most of what most people use Google’s products for (particularly in the workplace) and insight into what they are being used for. To be fair, Google does claim that this data is anonymized after a short time, but studies have revealed that this anonymization isn’t perfect.

Ultimately, we wouldn’t recommend that businesses utilize this feature as compared to other options, and especially not as a replacement for robust and comprehensive user training and phishing awareness (after all, not all phishing attacks will come through Gmail exclusively), but it is ultimately up to you.

For other ways to help better secure your IT infrastructure, Reciprocal Technologies is here to help. Reach out to us at (317) 759-3972 to learn more.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/gmail-incorporates-more-stringent-phishing-protections-but-theres-a-downside/

Preparing for the Worst: Why Regular Data Backups are so Important

https://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

From personal information to critical business files, the loss of data can have far-reaching consequences.

This is why regular data backups are not just an option but a necessity for individuals and organizations alike.

We will explore the importance of preparing for the worst by delving into why maintaining consistent backups of your valuable data is essential.

The Crucial Role of Data in Business Operations

Businesses rely heavily on data to carry out their daily operations. Customer information and sales records to financial data and marketing strategies, every aspect of a business is dependent on accurate and accessible data. Therefore, it is crucial for organizations to prioritize regular data backups in order to mitigate the potential risks associated with its loss.

By implementing a comprehensive backup strategy, businesses can ensure that their valuable data remains secure against various threats such as hardware failures, cyberattacks, natural disasters or human error. Regularly backing up critical files not only safeguards against the possibility of permanent data loss but also enables swift recovery in case of any unforeseen events.

This preparedness allows businesses to resume operations quickly without major disruptions or significant financial losses.

Maintaining consistent backups also contributes to overall improved efficiency within an organization. Employees can have peace of mind knowing that even if they inadvertently delete important files or encounter technical issues with their devices, there are reliable backups readily available for retrieval.

Having access to historical versions of documents provides additional insight into past decisions and aids in informed decision-making processes going forward.

Recognizing the importance of regular data backups is vital for individuals and organizations alike due to the essential role that accurate information plays in running successful businesses today. By prioritizing this practice and investing in reliable backup solutions, businesses can significantly reduce potential risks while maximizing operational efficiency.

Understanding Data Loss: Common Causes and Impacts

There are several reasons why data loss can occur, including hardware failure, accidental deletion, software corruption, malware attacks, and natural disasters such as fires or floods. By understanding these common causes, individuals and organizations can take necessary measures to mitigate the risks involved.

The impacts of data loss can be severe and wide-ranging.

For individuals, it can mean losing precious memories in the form of personal photos or videos that cannot be replaced. Losing financial records or important documents can also lead to significant disruptions in their lives. For businesses, data loss can result in huge financial losses due to downtime, lost productivity, legal liabilities from compromised customer information, damage to reputation, and even the risk of going out of business.

Regular data backups play a vital role in minimizing the impact of potential data loss events. Backup systems ensure that copies of valuable information are stored securely on separate devices or off-site locations.

In case of any unforeseen event leading to data loss or corruption, having up-to-date backups allows for quick recovery and reduces downtime significantly. Having multiple recent backups provides an added layer of protection against ransomware attacks where hackers encrypt files until a ransom is paid.

Whether it’s protecting treasured memories or safeguarding critical business information, being prepared by consistently backing up your valuable data is essential for everyone!

Minimizing Downtime and Business Disruption

Minimizing downtime and business disruption is a critical concern for any organization, regardless of its size or industry. When unexpected events occur, such as system failures, natural disasters, or cyber-attacks, the ability to quickly recover and restore data becomes paramount.

Regular data backups provide a crucial safeguard against potential disruptions by ensuring that important information can be retrieved and restored in an efficient manner.

By implementing a regular backup strategy, businesses can minimize downtime and maintain continuity even in the face of unforeseen events. For example, if hardware failure occurs or files get corrupted due to a virus attack, having recent backups enables organizations to swiftly retrieve their data without significant interruption to their operations.

This not only saves time but also prevents financial losses arising from prolonged periods of non-productivity.

Data forms the backbone of modern operations; therefore, protecting it is paramount for individuals as well as organizations alike. Implementing consistent backup strategies provides peace of mind by ensuring quick recovery from potential crises – be it hardware failures, malicious attacks or natural disasters – thereby fostering operational stability while preserving critical assets.

Mitigating the Risk of Cybersecurity Threats

In today’s digital world, where data breaches and cyber attacks are becoming increasingly common, organizations must be prepared for the worst-case scenario. By consistently backing up their important files and information, businesses can ensure that even if they fall victim to a cyber attack or experience a system failure, they will still have access to their essential data.

Regular data backups not only provide organizations with a safety net in case of emergencies but also enable faster recovery times in the event of an incident. With frequent backups, companies can quickly restore their systems and get back up and running.

Maintaining consistent backups helps protect against potential ransomware attacks. Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts files on an infected system until a ransom is paid to unlock them. If organizations have recent backup copies saved independently from their main network or infrastructure, they can easily recover their unaffected files without giving in to hackers’ demands.

Having regular data backups acts as an effective defense mechanism against cybersecurity threats by ensuring critical information remains safe and recoverable. It offers peace of mind for individuals and enterprises knowing that even in the face of adversity, their valuable data will remain protected.

Creating a Comprehensive Backup Strategy

A comprehensive backup strategy involves multiple steps, starting with identifying the critical data that needs protection. This includes personal documents, financial records, important emails, and any other data that would be difficult or impossible to replace.

Once you have identified the critical data, the next step is determining how frequently backups should be done. Ideally, regular backups should be scheduled daily or weekly depending on how quickly new data is generated. Automating this process can help streamline and simplify backups.

It is also important to consider where the backups will be stored. Local backups are convenient but vulnerable to physical damage or theft. Cloud storage is highly recommended as it provides an off-site location for storing your data securely. Implementing encryption techniques also ensures that your sensitive information remains safe even in case of unauthorized access.

Safeguarding Your Business with Reliable Data Backups

Regular data backups ensure that critical information and files are protected from loss or damage, providing a safety net for your organization. By preparing for the worst-case scenario, you can mitigate the risks associated with data loss and avoid potential financial and reputational damages.

Having a robust backup system in place not only safeguards against accidental deletion or hardware failure but also protects your business from cyber threats such as ransomware attacks.

With regular data backups, you can quickly restore your systems to their previous state and resume operations without significant downtime.

Maintaining consistent backups helps meet regulatory compliance requirements imposed by various industries. This ensures that sensitive customer information is securely stored and readily accessible when needed.

In this modern technological era, investing in reliable data backup solutions is an essential aspect of any comprehensive business continuity plan.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/preparing-for-the-worst-why-regular-data-backups-are-so-important/

Are Foldable Phones Better Yet? Maybe, or Maybe Not

https://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

Foldable phones are an interesting anomaly in recent technological development. The traditional flip phone eventually gave way to the large-screened smartphone, but now the smartphones have veered in the direction of folding. There is a considerable amount of excitement about these devices in some circles, but issues with pricing and fragility have kept them from going too mainstream yet. However, there are some arguments in favor of them that we want to examine today.

Foldables and Their Place in the Smartphone Market

The early foldable phones were a bit too costly and rife with hardware issues to be viable for business purposes, sporting fragile frames, screens falling off the chassis, or hinges that were distractingly noisy. These days, manufacturers seem to have learned from these early mistakes and have made devices on the sturdier side.

There Are Two Types of Foldable Designs

Manufacturers are taking advantage of the form factor for these devices, which is something that has allowed them to accomplish two major different types of devices. Each of them have different fanbases, something which has led to manufacturers to either side with one or the other, or embrace offering even more types of designs.

First, there’s the traditional clamshell style mobile device that allows for greater portability and affordability. Then, we also have foldables that open up like a book, allowing for more productivity through multitasking and a bigger screen surface.

Foldables Are Still Flawed, Just Less So

Of course, any technology will have flaws, but these improvements have made foldable devices significantly less so. There are still issues with design, and many are worried about whether they will be repairable. Furthermore, it’s not clear just how many developers will develop apps that effectively utilize the additional screen space afforded by foldable devices.

While the future is unpredictable for foldable devices, they could still be interesting investments that a business could implement, provided they do their research and make appropriate use of them.

How Do Foldables Fit Into Your Business Strategy?

There are certain benefits that come from foldable smartphones, like the increased screen real estate that allows users to be more productive. Additionally, this same screen space can make for less awkward video conferencing, since you can simply set the phone down in front of you rather than holding it up to your face. Collaboration is also likely to play an important part in making this determination, especially with mobile developers trying to get their productivity apps as close as they can to the desktop versions of these same apps.

Still, everyone has specific needs, and foldable smartphones might not address the ones that you need them to. We recommend that you consider them, but only deploy them if you feel like they can enrich your operations.

Before committing to any technology investment, consider contacting Reciprocal Technologies! Our technicians can give you the unbiased opinions you need to make the best and most practical decisions possible. Learn more by calling us today at (317) 759-3972.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/are-foldable-phones-better-yet-maybe-or-maybe-not/

Inefficiency Can Cripple Your Business. Here Are Two Tools That Can Keep Business Moving

https://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

Inefficiency can be a real killer for a business’ ability to take in revenue, but sometimes it seems like this lack of continuity can be unavoidable. It isn’t. Technology can go a long way toward helping you build more efficient processes. In this week’s blog, we discuss a couple of key pieces of technology used by many small businesses to keep their processes streamlined.

Customer Relationship Management

In business, nothing is more important than keeping things running smoothly. The customer relationship system (CRM) is probably the most widely accepted digital tool used to maintain organizational efficiency. The CRM centralizes data, automates several processes, and gives an organization the ability to manage and personalize customer relationships. In this way the CRM empowers businesses to boost the productivity that allows them to drive growth. Some of the functions it uses to do so include:

• Streamlined Data Management – The CRM gives a business the ability to centralize all of the data a business collects on their customers. In doing so, it ensures that all customer information is readily available and updated in real-time. 
• Added Automation – The CRM builds efficient processes through the automation of several parts of the business relationship. By reducing manual errors and speeding up task completion, a business runs more effectively than without a centralized CRM.
• Personalized Relationships – Speed is only one factor relating to business success and efficiency. Being able to tailor their products and services to the needs of their customers enhances value and maximizes the profitability of each customer relationship. 

Collaboration Apps

Today’s collaboration apps are used to facilitate and boost the ability of your team to complete tasks. These apps offer users features that include real-time communication, application integration, and some project management tools; basically anything users need to efficiently complete tasks. 

The communication aspect of these apps is probably the most crucial. Not only do they provide an instant messaging platform, they also offer one-click video conferencing, and voice calling, as well as a built-in forum feature that can get people on the same page quickly. Not only do these applications offer centralized management options, they also integrate with multi-user productivity platforms that can significantly cut down on the time that tasks take. 

The more efficient your company can be, the better it will be at revenue generation. If you would like to learn more about how the IT consultants at Reciprocal Technologies can help you build a more efficient business, give us a call today at (317) 759-3972.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/inefficiency-can-cripple-your-business-here-are-two-tools-that-can-keep-business-moving/

Are Managed Services All They’re Cracked Up to Be?

https://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

Spoiler alert: They certainly are.

Ever since the advent of Internet connectivity enabled the managed service model to develop, Managed IT Service Providers (MSPs) have been able to deliver a uniquely beneficial service to businesses of all sizes. If you’re on the fence about working with an MSP, we have a few reasons that you may just want to do so.

An MSP Helps Keep Technology Problems from Happening

Most IT issues that your business would ever experience will come with their fair share of warning signs. Unfortunately, without the right tools in place or the proper skills available to put them to use, these warning signs could easily be overlooked.

The fact that remote monitoring and management services are a standard part of the proactive IT services that MSPs offer just goes to show that these warning signs are exactly what an MSP like Reciprocal Technologies is concerned about. Which sounds better to you… preventing a mess from happening, or cleaning it up after the fact? An MSP’s goal is to do the former in every possible circumstance, keeping your business working productively.

An MSP Helps Keep Your Business Secure

Similarly, the remote monitoring and management that an MSP provides greatly assists your security by allowing latent threats and vulnerabilities to be spotted more efficiently. As a result, these issues can be resolved more expeditiously, thereby reducing the risk of threats having a negative impact on your business.

Furthermore, the MSP will help you keep your various pieces of hardware and software updated, which will help maintain your security in addition to boosting your operational capabilities.

An MSP Helps Increase the Value You Get from Your IT

Here’s some basic arithmetic: the longer you are able to continue using a technology you have invested in, the higher the value you’ll have received from it. With the proactive maintenance that an MSP provides, you can expect to use your technology for as long as it remains practical. Furthermore, an MSP is in the position to create beneficial relationships with various vendors and potentially get better deals from them as a result. These deals can then be passed along to the businesses that work with the MSP so they can see the benefits of them.

An MSP Helps Your Business Grow Its Capabilities

Ideally, your business will experience growth as time passes, which means that its technology needs will commensurately increase to match its size. A good managed service provider will be there to help you adjust your technology appropriately, shifting it and adjusting it, perhaps even taking a new approach as your needs change.

Furthermore, a good MSP will keep an eye out for opportunities for you to improve your processes and accomplish more as a result. By optimizing how your IT is utilized, you can trust your IT provider to prove its value and then some.

An MSP Helps Protect Your Business from Disaster (and Recover If Necessary)

Unfortunately, disasters can and do happen, and one could easily have a significant impact on your organization if the right precautions aren’t taken beforehand. By establishing a relationship with an MSP like Reciprocal Technologies, you establish a relationship with a team that will help you prepare for such disasters by establishing backups, as well as creating a strategy to contend with the events of any potential catastrophe.

If such a disaster moves from potential into reality, a good MSP will be there to assist you in recovering from it, restoring your full operations by carrying out the strategies that have been prepared. 

An MSP Helps Your Team When They Need It

Finally, it is highly unlikely that your team is exclusively made up of technology experts, which means that it’s highly likely that your employees will need IT support at some juncture. With an MSP on call, they’ll always have access to that support through a variety of communication options. IT issues are notorious for creating hangups in the workplace, so having a resource to help eliminate those that pop up (and again, mitigating as many as possible proactively) will only make the productivity you seek to achieve more attainable.

So Yes, Managed Services are—In Fact—All They’re Cracked Up to Be

We’d love to help you take advantage of them. Give us a call at (317) 759-3972 to learn more about what we have to offer.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/are-managed-services-all-theyre-cracked-up-to-be/