Blockchain Technology: Improving Data Security & Bolstering Cybersecurity Efforts

We live in a world where digital data is increasingly valuable and vulnerable to malicious attacks. Cybersecurity has become an essential part of our lives but still leaves gaps for criminals to exploit.

As technology advances, so do the strategies needed to protect our data and prevent cybercrime. Blockchain technology is one such development that can be used to improve data security and bolster cybersecurity efforts. We’ll explore how blockchain can enhance safety in the digital realm.

What is Blockchain?

At its core, blockchain is a distributed ledger system that securely records transactions between multiple parties. Essentially, it’s like an online ledger or spreadsheet that verifies each transaction with cryptographic principles: all participants on the network can see the same version of the truth.

By using blockchain technology, everyone on the network can verify and audit all transactions, ensuring that records are accurate and secure. This makes it nearly impossible for fraudulent activity since any malicious alterations will be detected quickly by the distributed nodes.

Moreover, decentralized networks keep data out of a single point of failure – meaning if one node fails or is hacked, there are still multiple other copies of the ledger across the network. This allows for strong cybersecurity protocols as well as robust data integrity standards.

 

How Does Blockchain Improve Data Security?

Blockchain technology provides numerous benefits when it comes to improving data security:

Data immutability

All transactions on a blockchain are digitally signed and timestamped, making them virtually impossible to alter or manipulate. This ensures that data is secure and trustworthy.

Improved transparency

Everyone in the network can see all transactions on the blockchain, allowing for greater oversight of operations. This increases accountability and reduces the risk of fraud or malicious activity.

blockchain and cybersecurity improvements

Enhanced authentication

The use of digital signatures makes it easy to authenticate users since each transaction is linked to a unique identifier. This eliminates the need for manual processes like password resets and two-factor authentication.

Increased accuracy

Transactions are recorded automatically on a blockchain, eliminating errors caused by manual entry or human mistakes. This helps reduce costly mistakes from happening due to incorrect data entry.

Greater decentralization

By utilizing distributed ledgers, data is spread across many nodes on the network. This reduces the risk of cybersecurity attacks since it’s more difficult to compromise all nodes simultaneously.

 

How Can We Use Blockchain To Bolster Cybersecurity Efforts?

Blockchain technology can be used to bolster cybersecurity efforts in a variety of ways:

Improved identity management

The use of digital signatures makes identity management more accessible and more secure, as every transaction is linked to a unique identifier. This eliminates the need for manual processes like password resets or two-factor authentication.

Enhanced security protocols

Cryptographic principles are used to secure transactions, making them virtually impossible to alter or manipulate. This ensures the data is secure and trustworthy.

Improved transparency

Everyone in the network can see all transactions on the blockchain, allowing for greater oversight of operations and reducing the risk of fraud or malicious activity.

Reduced costs

Implementing blockchain helps reduce administrative costs and eliminates errors caused by human mistakes. This helps businesses save money in the long run.

Although blockchain technology is still relatively new, it provides numerous benefits for improving data security and bolstering cybersecurity efforts.

 

Invest In Blockchain to Improve Data Security and Bolster Cybersecurity Efforts

As businesses embrace digital operations, investing in secure technologies like blockchain has become more critical than ever. This technology provides numerous benefits to improving data security and bolstering cybersecurity efforts.

By utilizing distributed ledgers, businesses can reduce the risk of cybersecurity attacks while eliminating costly mistakes due to incorrect data entry. Ultimately, this helps create a more secure and reliable environment for businesses.

Investing in blockchain technology is an essential step towards improving data security and bolstering cyber security efforts.

 

How to Avoid Becoming a Victim of Inadequate Firewall Protection

Having a good understanding of the ways attacks on firewalls are not adequately secured will help stop your business from becoming a victim of malicious activity. Your network firewall is very similar to the front line of an army; it is the first part of your defense system that the hackers will encounter and attack initially. Any oversight on your part regarding your network security firewall and maintenance of your firewall will give you an opportunity to attack and gain access to your business network. (more…)

Average Cost of Data Loss & Data Center Outages

Data integrity and accessibility are critical pieces of strategy and infrastructure for modern business. Every company employee relies on access to job-specific information available within seconds. When data centers fail or security breaches expose private information, the cost is astronomical and grows from year to year. Experts at Gartner assess the cost of downtime at an average of $5,600 per minute. While scale definitely impacts actual numbers, it’s a sobering figure for any sized business.

 

Facts, Stats, and Biggest Data Outages of 2021, So Far

 

Server downtime means an hourly cost of over $300,000, but that doesn’t directly translate into more money to invest in redundancy. For small businesses, the cost of data loss drops to a much smaller, though still significant, $137-427 per minute. To successfully combat the risks of data outages, many small to mid-sized businesses rely on third-party providers with uptime guarantees. But, even with vendors that specialize in cloud computing and remote network management, unplanned downtime still happens. Some recent and costly examples include:

 

  1. Microsoft Teams Delays and Service Outages – In February of 2021, Microsoft Teams handled two issues that interrupted service for some of the more than 115 million daily users of the service. The first incident prevented users from joining chat groups, while the second delayed sending, turning the real-time service into a glorified email service.
  2. Statewide Outages in Texas – February was a hard month for IT infrastructure, with a once-in-a-century storm shutting down online access through huge swathes of the Lone Star state. While no single cloud computing business was responsible, it created a massive flow-on effect. Electricity outages were the root cause of much of the downtime, and it took days for power to reliably come back on for millions of homes throughout the state.
  3. Verizon Service Outages – Verizon, a major supplier of internet connectivity through wireless plans, had issues supplying customers throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. With more than 5,000 service tickets put in about the same issue, Verizon fixed it within the day.
  4. Global Microsoft Outage – While the Teams issue in February was inconvenient for those affected, Microsoft dealt with an even larger issue later in 2021 when Teams, Azure, Office 365, and a variety of other cloud computing solutions all went down, creating a global outage. And business customers weren’t the only ones affected. X-box Live also went down, though similar to the collaborative software, not all users were affected. Microsoft remediated this outage within four hours.
  5. April Google Outage – As Alphabet has become an integral part of many users of the website search for its most famous product, Google, several other features have also grown to prominence, particularly for the ability to facilitate real-time collaboration. Google Docs with instant sharing of changes, automatic updating, and other features make it a successful tool for businesses. In April, Google Docs and Sheets were unavailable to users for approximately three hours.

 

The estimated costs of these outages ring up an astronomical total, though typically, the cost is measured in lost revenue and productivity rather than using direct dollars. Certainly, some customers may try back when services are once again working at peak efficiency. But, if that’s just the potential cost of surprise outages, what about deliberate data breaches? While a data breach often affects fewer users, it is more targeted and can be just as costly.

 

The Real Costs of a Data Breach

 

During an outage, all losses are due to missed opportunities. Customers can’t access a buying portal, or sales teams can’t interface with the public due to down CRM systems. In the event of a data breach, things are rarely that direct. While ransomware is becoming a more regular issue, data theft is still the most common type of attack on companies, even for small to mid-sized businesses. Hackers may grab thousands of individual user records, financial data, or inter-office communications. The type and scope of the data stolen can impact the total cost of its loss and long-term value. The total estimated cost of data breaches had been fairly stable or on the decline until 2021. IBM released its annual Cost of a Data Breach Report with a record-breaking statistic — the average cost of data breaches reached $4.24M.

 

Remember that an average cost is a per-breach number, not the total cost of all breaches from the year. Factors that likely led to the increase include more work-from-home professionals and slow adoption of some of the most effective mitigation strategies. According to the same study, compromised credentials were the culprit in the largest group of breaches. Per record stolen, the average cost is $150, which might seem a little low compared to downtime costs until the calculations for the number of records are added for comparison. Here is a quick look at some of the most expensive data breaches from the last couple of years.

  1. Epsilon, 2011 – The Epsilon hack caused more than $4B in losses to the service provider and affected 75 clients, among which were some of the world’s largest retailers. When clients such as Best Buy, Target, and JPMorgan Chase are on the list, the value of the data lost is astronomical.
  2. Target, 2013 – While this data breach affected only one retailer, the $202M price tag is eminently reasonable for the more than 110 million credit card numbers stolen while the hack was active on Black Friday of that year.
  3. Anthem, 2015 – While not hit as often as other industries, healthcare is one of the most expensive areas for data breaches, with the average cost topping $7M per incident. The Anthem hack in 2015 blew that number away with a whopping $100M in damages estimated and more than 80M patients with exposed personally identifying information, including social security numbers.

 

Solutions for Data Loss and Outages

 

Thankfully, most of the issues have available mitigation options. While no vendor can guarantee 100% uptime, we can offer stable processes to get your business back up and running when unplanned downtime happens. Guaranteed timing to ensure your business is running as intended within a reasonable window is possible. Built-in redundancies on the vendor side help off-shore the costs of security.

 

Since exposed credentials and phishing are some of the most common methods hackers use to gain access to systems, the solutions for reducing risk are well-developed and cost-effective. Our technicians can provide your employees with the training needed to select stronger passwords and more quickly recognize phishing attempts. For susceptible systems, tokenization systems and authentication through a device are available to minimize the risk of an error. Mitigation strategies can be affordable and available to any sized business.

The Biggest Hacks & Data Breaches of 2021

More than 1,700 publicly reported data breaches occurred in the first half of 2021, exposing 18.8 billion pieces of information, according to a report issued by cybersecurity company Risk Based Security Inc. The effects of a cyberattack can ripple for years, leading to a wide range of costs. Companies face operational disruption, reputational damage, and regulatory fines, among other consequences. In a year where cyberattacks have become more damaging to organizations than ever, we’ve compiled a list of the biggest hacks and data breaches of 2021. Read on to learn more.

 

Microsoft Exchange Server Cyber Attack

 

Microsoft disclosed it was the victim of a cyberattack from a Chinese-linked hacking group known as Hafnium on March 2nd, 2021. The attack exploited a vulnerability in Microsoft Exchange—one of the most popular email software programs in the world—allowing hackers to steal data from an organization’s network, including intellectual property. One of the top cybersecurity events of the year, the attack impacted more than 30,000 organizations across the United States, including private companies, government agencies, and universities. U.S. intelligence officials believe that the data breach was part of China’s artificial intelligence ambitions, though China denies allegations that it carried out the attack. Microsoft has subsequently released “patches” for multiple versions of Exchange, urging customers to apply updates as soon as possible.

 

Automatic Funds Transfer Services Ransomware Attack

 

Seattle-based Automatic Funds Transfer Services, a payment service used by multiple state agencies across the United States, was the victim of a ransomware attack on February 3, 2021. The attack, which was carried out by a cybercriminal organization known as “Cuba,” raises questions about our government’s ability to protect the private data of its citizens. One of many agencies impacted by the data breach was the California Department of Motor Vehicles, which has said the attack may have compromised 38 million vehicle registration records that contain names, addresses, license plate numbers, and vehicle identification numbers. Other organizations impacted by the attack include the Washington cities of Kirkland, Lynnwood, Monroe, Redmond, Seattle, and Port of Everett, among other cities, agencies, and organizations. The cyberattack was discovered when hackers began selling Automatic Funds Transfer Services’ stolen data on their data leak website.

 

Facebook Data Breach

 

On April 3rd, 2021, hackers posted the personal data of over 533 million Facebook users online for free in a hacking forum. The data included phone numbers, full names, locations, email addresses, and biographical information that could be used to identify individuals from 106 different countries, with the United States, the United Kingdom, and India experiencing the highest numbers of exposed records. Although the data is from 2019, this year is the first time it was found to have been posted in an online database. While the leak did not include information such as credit card or social security numbers, security experts warn that hackers could use the data to impersonate people and commit fraud. Facebook released a help center page for users concerned that their data may have been published on sites used by hackers.

 

Scripps Health Ransomware Attack

 

On May 1, 2021, San Diego-based Scripps Health was the victim of a ransomware attack that forced the health system to take a portion of its network offline for several weeks, which significantly disrupted care and forced medical providers to use paper records. The cyberattack cost the five-hospital health system $112.7 million through the end of June. The hackers stole data on nearly 150,000 patients, including addresses, dates of birth, social security numbers, health insurance information, medical record numbers, patient account numbers, and clinical information. Scripps Health is now facing several class-action lawsuits from patients who blame health system leaders for failing to protect their medical data, subjecting patients to potential consequences including identity theft and medical fraud.

 

Colonial Pipeline Ransomware Attack

 

Colonial Pipeline Hack & Gas ShortageOn May 7, 2021, ransom-seeking hackers broke into the Colonial Pipeline, one of the largest fuel pipeline operators in the United States, causing it to shut down its fuel distribution operations. The attack caused widespread shortages and price increases at gas stations along the east coast. It was the largest cyberattack on an oil infrastructure target in the history of the United States, according to energy experts. Colonial Pipeline made the decision to pay $4.4 million to the cybercriminal hacking group DarkSide, which is believed to be operating out of Russia, to contain the attack and turn the 5,500-mile pipeline back on. Authorities later recovered some of that ransom money. The Colonial Pipeline cyberattack exposed how readily critical infrastructure in the United States can be compromised because of inadequate security standards.

 

LinkedIn Data Breach

 

Data associated with 700 million LinkedIn users, or about 92% of the total LinkedIn user base, was posted for sale on the dark web on June 22, 2021. The data include email addresses, full names, phone numbers, physical addresses, geolocation records, LinkedIn usernames and profile URLs, personal and professional experience, genders, and other social media accounts and usernames. It appears the data was scraped from LinkedIn by bots. According to LinkedIn, the data breach did not include passwords or financial information, but security experts say bad actors can use the personal data records in identity theft scams, or to conduct phishing attacks and targeted social engineering.

 

T-Mobile Data Breach

 

T-Mobile Data Breach

On August 17, 2021, mobile service provider T-Mobile, the third-largest wireless carrier in the United States, announced it had suffered a data breach that exposed the information of more than 40 million current, former, and prospective customers. Some of the stolen data included first and last names, social security numbers, driver’s licenses, and other information. A 21-year old American hacker living in Turkey claims to be responsible for the cyberattack, saying the company’s weak security enabled him to gain access to the information. The breach was one of several attacks on the wireless company in recent years. T-Mobile is now facing a class-action lawsuit over the data breach.

 

Protect Your Organization From Security Threats

 

There are many factors to consider for the security and protection of your company’s data. An organization must determine what security measures will be optimally designed for your specific needs.

Network Coverage understands the reality and challenges facing today’s most vulnerable industries. This is why Network Coverage has assembled a set of technology and business solutions to support your organization in maneuvering through this complex and critical environment.

Set up a consultation with Network Coverage today for experienced advice and support.

Data loss is one of the biggest risks small- to medium-sized businesses face in their longevity and survival. With 93% of businesses experiencing major data losses going out of business within 5 years and 1 in 2 SMBs facing a cyberattack costing on average $149,000, more and more companies are working to improve their data loss prevention strategy.

7 Steps for Preventing Data Loss

If your company does not have a strategy for preventing data loss, the seven steps below are a good starting point. Depending on the type of information your company uses and regulatory requirements in your industry, you may require additional steps to ensure total protection against data loss.

If you’re not sure where to start or would like personalized information on preventing data loss in your company, contact Network Coverage to schedule a free backup and disaster recovery analysis.

 

a guide to preventing data loss

 

Step 1. Back Up Data Automatically

Back up your data automatically and regularly. The best practice is to have at least two backup locations separate from your internal hardware (internal computer or laptop storage) and your business network. For instance, you may have an external hard drive or secondary server to which your files are regularly copied as your onsite backup. Onsite backups can help restore your data quickly, but in the case of natural disaster or theft, these backup devices are equally susceptible to loss as the original file. That is why it’s important to have an offsite backup of your files as well. Some companies use physical backups that are shipped offsite while many others choose to back up files to the cloud.

Preventing data loss is as much about preparation as prevention. Cyberthreats are evolving faster than solutions are, making disaster recovery essential to your strategy for preventing data loss. With a solid disaster recovery plan, you can recover data in hours, preventing long-term damage from the breach.

 

Step 2. Educate Your Employees

The human factor is one of the biggest risks in data loss, which means protecting your business requires educating your employees on how to protect sensitive information. Many internal factors can increase your risk for data loss including inadvertent disclosure or mishandling of confidential data. This may include simply mishandling sensitive information, being a victim of a phishing or other scam, or failing to take preventative measures such as regularly changing passwords.

Much of the internal mistakes that lead to data loss can be prevented. However, many companies don’t take the time to create policies and measures to educate employees on best practices and to avoid preventable mistakes.

 

Step 3. Create a Data Loss Prevention Policy

Creating a data loss prevention policy includes classifying which data in the company is confidential or sensitive, determining who should have access to which data and in what ways, and having an established policy to prevent unauthorized access to data.

Since employee error is one of the main causes of data loss, having a data loss prevention policy helps minimize the number of people who have access to your most sensitive or important information. In laymen’s terms, you’re minimizing the number of moving pieces that can impact your ability to prevent data loss.

 

Step 4. Practice Proper Equipment Maintenance

According to data from Kroll Ontrack, 67% of data loss is caused by hard drive crashes or system failure. While some system crashes are unpreventable, about 40% can be avoided through proper maintenance of hardware. This includes keeping computers and servers in dry, dust-free environments, having backup generators or surge-protection in place, and powering computers down before they’re moved or when they will not be used for a longer period.

If your hard drive is showing signs of failing, such as your computer being unusually hot, processing speeds being continually slow or freezing, the computer making clicking or grinding noises, or files failing to open or becoming randomly corrupt, it’s a good idea to back up your files and consider replacing your equipment.

 

Step 5. Implement Robust Detection & Monitoring Programs

Having the right programs in place to identify viruses or impending hardware or server problems can help prevent data loss. This is because it decreases the time it takes you to identify a current or potential issue and allows you to resolve it more quickly.

Not all virus-detection programs are created equally. Always consult your IT expert or an IT services provider before installing virus detection software.

 

Step 6. Have a System for Wiping Remote Devices

Many data breaches occur due to stolen or lost devices. In these cases, not only is a data backup and recovery plan important but so is having a system to remotely wipe data from these laptops or tablets. This helps ensure that any sensitive information contained on these devices can be wiped before it can be used maliciously.

If any of your employees regularly work remotely, it’s important to include the management of their data and devices in your data loss prevention policy. Make sure they have access only to the files integral to their job and that these files are properly protected. Also, ensure the right backup continues to take place when your employees are on-the-go. Practice safe practices such as having a secure lockup and storage procedure and have the ability to wipe the device remotely if needed.

 

Step 7. Test Your Backups Regularly

Your backups can only help you in preventing data loss if they are functioning properly. This should not be a “set it and forget it” system; your backups should be regularly tested to ensure data is storing properly and in a timely manner.

It is also helpful to perform “fire drills” or dry runs for data restoration in the case of a disaster. This helps you identify any weak links in your data recovery plan as well as time how long data restoration will take in the case of disaster.

 

Download Your Free Data Loss Prevention Guide

Data loss can be crippling to a business, with 93% of companies experiencing significant data loss going out of business within 5 years, according to the US Bureau of Labor. Download our free robust guide to preventing data loss by clicking the button below.

»»» Download Free Data Loss Prevention Guide »»»

 

What is network infrastructure security?

Your organization or enterprise has put in a great deal of time and effort to establish your network’s infrastructure. Countless hours have been invested in developing the proper resources to ensure your network provides connectivity, operation, management, and communication. The intricate architecture and strategy of your hardware, software and services are all now functioning for optimal and reliable use.

But how do you protect all of this dynamic and hard-earned effort?

We examine an understanding of how you can secure your network infrastructure in this article. This discovery involves defining network infrastructure security and offering insights into the benefits and necessity of prioritizing your network’s security.

Introduction to network infrastructure and security

Let’s first define what security will cover.

Your network infrastructure is comprised of numerous parts. Networks contain hardware, ranging from routers and switches to cables, LAN cards, and more. These structures also consist of network software, including operating systems, intrusion detection systems, management systems, firewalls, or security applications. The final primary component of a network infrastructure relates to its services. Examples of such services may involve T-1 lines, IP addressing, satellite, DSL, or wireless protocols.

Each of these necessary components—hardware, software, and services—may contain vulnerabilities that can be exploited by intentional or unintentional actions. Network infrastructure security is designed to offer complex and multifaceted resources for securing against internal or external threats. Infrastructures can be vulnerable to attacks such as denial-of-service, unauthorized access, spam, or malware.

These threats are mostly associated with external attacks, but network security measures should also consider internal issues. Examples may include deletion, modification, data leakage, accidental downloads of malicious content, or illegal activities.

The function of network infrastructure security

Network infrastructure security is a set of procedures that cannot be approached as a stagnant process. Establishing a security strategy for your network involves regular and perpetual effort. To implement a security method is only the first step. Your network’s underlying infrastructure should consider a variety of approaches to implementation, maintenance, and ongoing active processes.

We recommend the following practices when considering how your network infrastructure security should function successfully and reliably.

Validate and monitor hardware/software: Any network security function relies on valid hardware and software. We recommend that there be formal and regular practices to verify and monitor your network’s hardware and software. Some illicit products can be manufactured with malicious content that may intentionally present vulnerabilities. Confirming the good character of any new products should be conducted before installation. And to ensure the ongoing integrity, security strategies should perform continuous monitoring and validation efforts on hardware and software.

Dynamic security access: An advisable function of any network security is to take an active security access approach. This relates to the level of access offered to members of the organization or business. Administrative access or constraints can be applied in a dynamic method, managing access privileges and administrative credentials. Further securing the authenticity of users through multi-factor authentication is highly recommended.

Structured subdivisions: A core function of network security also employs a structure of subdivisions. Creating segmented portions in your infrastructure provides an opportunity to mitigate the spread of a potential threat. Suppose one segment of a network is attacked. In that case, the other components can be shut down or warded off to avoid the risk’s proliferation. These segments can be executed using physical or virtual resources. Multiple physical routers can be established to manage varying network segments, or virtual designs can be implemented without hardware.

We have covered a few core functioning principals to network infrastructure security, but there are numerous other functions for developing reliable protection. It is also recommended to adhere to industry standards concerning encryption, strong passwords, securing routers, backing up data, and finding ways to restrict access to hardware components.

Any network infrastructure security strategy can also benefit from a team of experts in technology and business, such as the services provided by Network Coverage.

Varieties of network infrastructure security

Different varieties of security are involved in network infrastructure. These varying types include both physical and virtual security measures. We have listed some of the most common varieties below.

Firewalls: At its most basic, a firewall functions to monitor and mitigate traffic through a network. Firewalls can consist of hardware and software resources. In many cases, firewalls serve as a buffer against unauthorized access from the internet. They can also be used on routers to permit the safe transfer of data on private networks or secure remote access to a network.

Antivirus Protection: These are solutions designed to monitor, identify, and discard threatening software. Implemented initially to combat viruses on computers, antiviral software can also institute protection from adware, keyloggers, spyware, URL threats, spam, and common phishing threats.

Virtual Private Network (VPN): Using advanced methods for encrypting connections between endpoints, a VPN can generate secure data transfer channels through the internet.

Detection Systems: Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems monitor, record, defend, and report any potential destructive activities in a network. These intrusion detection systems can observe the network, document information about an activity, implement response protocols, and submit exhaustive reports that detail its observations.

There are numerous ways to categorize varieties of network infrastructure security. This list covers a few of the most common and critical. Other security types regard control to access and application, analyzing behavior, or securing wireless devices and activities.

Resources

The benefits of network infrastructure security are broad and essential. A company or enterprise stands to reduce costs, improve productivity, secure internal communications, and ensure critical data remains protected.

Implementing and maintaining a viable security strategy for your network infrastructure can be complicated and require significant effort. Specialists can assist in this essential and ongoing process.

For experienced advice and support on designing and implementing effective security measures, you can explore expert technology solutions for business strategy by setting up a consultation with Network Coverage.

As the first wave of lockdowns and quarantines sprung up all over the world, millions of people switched off their office computers and transitioned into remote work. This transition has had wide consequences for IT personnel, but the biggest and most worrisome of them is the issue of security.

A Quick Cybersecurity Checklist For The Remote Work Transition

In an office environment, IT has control over every device’s security – but when workers use their own machines at home, it’s difficult to maintain that previous level of protection. In this article, we’re going to share a few tips and tools that IT can use to improve the cybersecurity of their remote staff.

Enforce Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication is an incredibly important aspect of cybersecurity. Enforcing it in all of your remote workers is the first step in isolating many login-related security issues.

Employ VPNs For All Company Data Transactions

Back when everyone accessed data from company premises, online privacy might not have been a serious issue. But since remote workers will now be accessing company data from their homes, VPNs may be necessary to protect your data. It’s important to choose a highly secure VPN with good security practices and proven encryption methods if you want this measure to be truly safe and effective.

Standardize The Use Of Firewalls

There was never any doubt about the necessity of business firewalls. However, many users don’t have equivalent protection in their homes and are vulnerable to outside threats. The most basic built-in firewall for Windows might not be enough, so you should consider providing enterprise licenses for your employees.

Use Secure Video Conferencing Platforms

Video conferencing tools have become incredibly popular in the wake of the pandemic, and millions of users have adopted them in their daily lives for remote meetings. But many of the most popular tools, such as Zoom, suffer from significant security issues. It’s important to pick one with strong encryption to prevent outsiders from snooping in on your sensitive communications.

Avoid Social Media And Free Messaging Tools For Any Business Communications

Social media and free personal messaging apps are often used by companies to stay in touch. While this is very simple and allows people to use platforms that they’re already familiar with, these are not very secure methods of communicating. Stick to IT-approved channels, such as enterprise chat platforms with strong security and authentication methods.

Keep Regular Backups

A single ransomware attack or hardware failure can cause extensive data loss, and without the protection of cloud backups or redundant hardware, remote workers are especially vulnerable. Make sure that everyone understands the value of backing up their data, and that they back up to encrypted physical storage or to a safe cloud.

Stay On The Same Business Cloud

When it comes to cloud backups, the whole company needs to be on the same page. Have users stay away from personal cloud storage solutions, and make sure that all sensitive data is uploaded to the same cloud platform that the company uses.

Ask Users To Stay On Top Of Their Software Updates

Automatic updates for Windows and other software might seem like an annoyance, but they often come with essential security patches that protect against exploits and malicious attacks. Your remote workers need to turn on their automatic updates for all of their software if they want to stay ahead of the curve. On top of that, they should avoid using outdated EOL software that is no longer being maintained by vendors.

Don’t Use Remote Desktop Tools

Remote desktop tools are notoriously insecure, yet many offices still use them as an access point for company systems. It may be better to access your company cloud via VPN instead.

Secure All Devices

Some remote workers may share their homes with other people who shouldn’t be privy to company information. Have all of your users lock their devices in order to keep your data out of prying eyes.

Educate Users On Phishing Attacks

Phishing attacks have been on the rise lately – often taking advantage of people’s generosity or desire for information about the pandemic. Instruct your users not to open any suspicious links that they receive, even if they appear to be from reputable sources.

Final Thoughts

Most businesses are still reeling from this unprecedented large-scale transition to remote work, and IT may have some catching up to do. If you want the best shot at maintaining your security needs, you’ll need to stay on top of things and use these tips and tools as a basic checklist for cybersecurity!

The Cybersecurity Threats You Need To Watch Out For

The shift to remote work may be one of the biggest challenges faced by IT today! It’s a huge challenge to maintain security when an entire organization is using its personal devices to connect over the public internet.

Malicious actors in the world of cybersecurity are aware of this, and overall cybercrime rates have been steadily on the rise since remote work grew in popularity.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the new cybersecurity threats that have emerged thanks to this new work environment.

Phishing

With online transactions on the rise, hackers are seizing the opportunity to steal sensitive information under the guise of reputable businesses or brands. They employ fake login pages and use fraudulent third-party links that trick users into entering their login information, or downloading a malicious attachment.

This practice of fishing for information by posing as a legitimate organization is known as phishing. It’s been a major problem in cybersecurity for years, but the recent pandemic has made it even more popular as more and more people use their home machines to do sensitive work.

Phishing attempts are usually made over email, and they have disastrous consequences for companies and clients. Recent technological improvements have made it more difficult to distinguish phishing scams from regular emails, putting people at risk of identity theft, credit card fraud, and blackmail. It’s important to educate your staff to avoid falling for phishing attacks and to discourage them from opening suspicious emails.

Email Fraud

Fraudulent emails compromise a victim’s safety by promoting scams, unauthorized products, and false “rewards”. This cyber tactic spams your inbox with all types of fake letters asking for money, information, or donations to organizations. Usually, suspicious links will lead you to a temporary website made to gather your information.

Spammers pay for bots to send emails in bulk to sell their personal agendas, and this business has become more lucrative during the global crisis. With more people online checking their inboxes for work or personal reasons, fake emails continue to stack up in cyberspace.

Inconsistent Security On Personal Devices

Working from home requires you to use your own personal devices like phones, tablets, or laptops to access company information and URLs. This puts workers and corporations at risk of security breaches, especially if an employee unknowingly visits a website that infects them with malware.

While security measures can be effective against potential hacks, there are no guarantees that all employees will have VPN, anti-virus, and firewall software installed. While some businesses provide work computers, the majority of remote workers are taking risks by using their personal devices without added protection. And even if users do have the necessary software, they might not be diligent in keeping their applications updated.

To remedy this, you should establish consistent security protocols and software suites that all of your users should have on their systems. You should also ask your users to put PINs or password protection on all of their devices, set up two-factor authentication, and avoid unsecured biometric logins.

Unsecured Home Or Public Wi-Fi

Public internet connections are never safe to use – hackers may use these networks to snoop on connected devices and intercept valuable information. When visiting high-density areas like airports, restaurants, libraries, or malls, your staff should never connect to a Wi-Fi network without a password. Hackers may also use fraudulent SSIDs that even experienced users might fall for.

Your staff should also secure their own home Wi-Fi connections, as many users still leave their Wi-Fi connections without password protection. And it’s not enough to use just any security – everyone should use at least WPA or WPA2 security, as the older WEP protocol has been rendered useless against attacks.

Weak Passwords

Even with the best encryption and security measures, a weak password without two-factor authentication is sometimes all it takes to break into a system. Many users still use weak passwords, such as birthdays, names of relatives, and common words that are vulnerable to brute-force dictionary attacks. Others reuse their passwords across multiple accounts on multiple sites; if any of their accounts fall victim to a data breach, all their other accounts are compromised.

Your remote workers should never use weak passwords, and they should also avoid repeating passwords they use across multiple site logins. Educate them on the use of strong passwords, which may include special characters, numbers, and a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters. If possible, try setting them up with password managers, or have them change their passwords very regularly.

Conclusion

Cybersecurity is a difficult challenge under any condition, and even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you want to stay on top of security and respond rapidly and effectively to threats, you may want to partner up with experts who know how to manage cybersecurity.

At Network Coverage, we offer our expertise and years of experience in cybersecurity. Contact us now for a free consultation, and let’s work together to get your security compliance up and running!

Enterprise Firewalls: A Guide To Placement In Business Networks

Firewalls are an essential component of any business network. They act as a filter between the network and any external traffic, serving as the first line of defense against outside threats.

Enterprise firewall configuration, however, is a bit more complicated than working with standard consumer-grade firewalls. Unlike personal firewalls, which run as software alongside the host operating system, business firewalls run on a dedicated machine somewhere in the network. This means that the placement of a business firewall within network topology matters far more.

What Can Enterprise Firewalls Do For A Business Network?

An enterprise firewall may take the form of a router with firewall features, or a dedicated firewall device that connects to the network. At their most basic, enterprise firewalls prevent untrusted traffic from making their way to the machines on a network.

For example, if a company hosts its website on its own network, then the firewall will allow outside traffic to-and-from the company website servers but will block unauthorized traffic to and from internal computers with sensitive data. This functionality can help prevent hackers from stealing company data and can stop the spread of malware that replicates across company networks.

Firewalls can also help prevent denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. This is especially true of firewalls with “stateful inspection” features that allow them to analyze traffic in real-time – they’ll be able to see trends and patterns in traffic, and adjust settings accordingly. By mitigating the impact of DoS attacks, firewalls can help ensure business continuity even during a major cyberattack.

With the right setup, a business can create a so-called demilitarized zone (DMZ), or a zone within the company network that contains public-facing services. The DMZ may contain mail, FTP, and VoIP servers, as well as the company website.

Many larger business networks implement multiple firewalls in their network, creating a variety of “zones” of access, such as multiple demilitarized zones and zones of varying access levels. This sort of zoning can help keep the business network alive and quarantine malware that is spreading.

How Does This Translate To Network Topology?

All external traffic must pass through the firewall before it reaches the network. Logically, this means that the firewall should be placed between the internet and the network.

One of the most basic configurations would be a router that connects to a wide area network (WAN), then a firewall that connects to the router, filtering all traffic before distributing it throughout the network. For additional security, you can opt to run the router’s onboard firewall features before sending it to the firewall, though you may incur a performance hit.

It’s not difficult to create a demilitarized zone using this setup. The firewall would be connected to the WAN, the DMZ, and the company network. Traffic to the internal network would be isolated from traffic to the DMZ using the firewall’s security policies. The problem with this configuration is that only one device handles traffic filtering – if it’s compromised for any reason, then the internal network can be compromised as well.

A more secure approach would be to use a configuration with two firewalls. In this case, the first firewall is the outermost device, and becomes known as the “perimeter firewall.” It connects to the WAN as normal and sends traffic to the DMZ network. Then, a second router, the internal firewall, receives internal traffic passing through the DMZ and filters it into the internal network.

The latter approach is even more secure if firewalls from different vendors are used. This way, a security flaw in one device can’t be exploited for both devices.

Types Of Business Firewalls

There are different types of firewalls, each with their own purpose in a network.

Network-Level Gateways

These simple firewalls inspect the headers of every network packet, checking for their origin and destination. They have excellent performance and consume few resources, but are trivial to bypass and can be overwhelmed by DoS attacks.

Similar firewalls, known as circuit-level gateways, inspect the legitimacy of the TCP handshake rather than the headers of each packet. They’re also fairly simplistic and easy to circumvent, but also run very efficiently.

Application-level Gateways

These are more complex firewalls that analyze the content of packets, not just the header. By analyzing the protocols that the packets use, they can more effectively filter packets and control access from different types of traffic.

Stateful Inspection

Stateful inspection gateways can analyze traffic at several levels, and even use insight gathered over time to make filtering decisions. They’re highly advanced and can prevent a wider array of threats than the other firewall types, but they’re also resource-intensive.

Ensuring Your Network Security

Looking to set up a secure business network with the right firewall infrastructure? Contact Network Coverage now for a free consultation and we can discuss how to meet your needs.

Cybersecurity Threats for SMBs in 2019

An increasingly digital world has made it easier than ever to support small and mid-sized businesses. However, this technological convenience comes with a price. Cybersecurity threats not only put small to mid-sized businesses at risk of having information stolen or misused; they also run a significant risk of catastrophic data loss that can disrupt or destroy a business.

Below, we discuss the current threats, perceptions, and prevention measures small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) experience with cybersecurity threats in 2019.

cybersecurity threats of 2019 - header

The Biggest Cybersecurity Threat to SMBs

While negative impact on reputation can be crippling for large businesses facing cybersecurity threats, for small to mid-sized companies, data loss is the scariest prospect. This is because 93% of companies that suffer a catastrophic data disaster go out of business within 2 years.

Data loss is about more than lost productivity. It also means the loss of contact or client information, files or programs, accounting records, inventory lists, and more. Because of the implications of data loss, it can be devastating to the business to experience data loss. This is why data loss protection, backup, and disaster recovery are so important regardless of business size.

In addition to a fear of data loss, small to mid-sized businesses also report a significant fear of losing customers—due to inefficiency, loss of trust, or inability to provide services—as well as a lesser fear of damaging the company’s reputation.

 

Preparing for a Cybersecurity Threat

Cybersecurity threats are becoming more and more advanced, making them increasingly difficult to prevent. Common cyberthreats include:

  • Phishing
  • Scareware
  • Pretexting
  • Rogue
  • Ransomware

These cybersecurity threats combine with human error, lack of training, and outdated passwords for and insecure SMB digital environment.

52% of SMBs report feeling helpless to defend themselves against modern cybersecurity threats, with the majority feeling as though they do not have the adequate in-house skills to protect themselves.

While taking steps to prevent and SMB against modern cybersecurity threats in 2019 feels daunting for nearly half of SMBs, the reality is that there are many flexible and affordable cybersecurity services that can help to prevent these attacks and mitigate catastrophic business failure. These steps include:

  • Backup & disaster recovery systems
  • Security & risk mitigation
  • Cyberthreat analysis
  • Training personnel in best practices (changing passwords, avoiding phishing scams, etc.)

Learn more about how companies like Network Coverage can help provide affordable cybersecurity options to SMBs. Learn more.

 

The Real Cost of a Cyber Attack to SMBs

There are several figures about how much money recovering from a cybersecurity threat actually costs. There seems to be a general consensus that this final number is somewhere between $54,000 – $149,000.

However, the fiscal cost is only 35% of the impact. Additional costs include the time and effort in recovering from the cybersecurity disaster and data loss.

 

SMBs are Prioritizing Cyberthreat Prevention

In 2019, small to mid-sized businesses are prioritizing prevention and disaster recovery as a priority for their company. 89% of SMBs view cybersecurity as one of the top five priorities in their organization, with 79% planning to invest more in cybersecurity over the next 12 months.

 

Learn More

Learn more about cybersecurity threats, prevention, and recovery by speaking to an SMB cybersecurity expert today.

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