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Risk Management for Communication Security

Risk Management for Communication Security

Digital technology has advanced dramatically over the years, and today we get to communicate in ways that were unheard of before. From simple emailing for work and chatting with friends across the globe to high-speed real-time videoconferencing and accessing massive amounts of information within seconds, we have come a long way. When was it time to consider worrying about communication security?

But together with these improvements, new communication risks have also emerged. Hackers have also used technology to hone their craft, and businesses need to find effective ways to thwart these risks and stay protected online.

Longer Online Time

The longer time spent online equates to more cybersecurity risks for all of us. Technology has rapidly become a major part of our lives. People are spending more and more time on technology and communications software. Hence, the risks posed to our security are naturally growing. A natural solution would be to reduce online time, but this is impossible because most of our lives are now online. What we can do instead is to practice efficient security measures so that no threats can penetrate our systems if we are online 24 hours a day.

Fake Messages

This trick is the most prevalent communication security risk facing the world today. This scam has become quite common, especially with the rise in the popularity of online shopping. A common trick by hackers is to send fake messages regarding deliveries that did not arrive, with a link that will supposedly let you ‘reschedule’ your order. Instead, these bogus links take you directly to malicious websites that can harm your computer system.

Some of these fake messages merely request that you pay a small amount of money, which seems nothing more than an inconvenience. However, an increasing number of scams collect your data and credit card details, leading to a substantial loss of money. That being the case, these fake delivery messages pose a risk and are huge threats.

Email Attachment Scams

Another rampant security risk that people know about that has to do with communication comes from emails. Hackers are getting more skillful and innovative with their phishing tactics. They send emails designed to trick the receiver into thinking they come from legitimate senders, encouraging them to click on the included link. But what looks like a harmless site might contain malware or phishing software that would inadvertently be downloaded onto your device, causing damage to your computer system.

Social Media

Hacked social accounts are also becoming a massive problem in the online world. If you receive a suspicious message from a social media contact, particularly one that contains links to external videos or websites, don’t click on it. The chance is that it will lead to the infection of your device with dangerous security software.

Protective Measures against Communication Security Risks

As a business owner, it is your responsibility to keep the communication channels of your business secure. Fortunately, there are many ways to do this. It’s best to start with evaluating your current communication system and checking if it is safe from online threats. You should also use a trusted encryption method to protect your messages and everything that makes up your communication system. Depending on your level of protection, you might need to overhaul your entire security infrastructure.

It is wise to entrust these steps to a managed services provider you can trust. In the meantime, you can train your employees on communication security. We can help with that as well. We can improve your cybersecurity, as you can read in our free eBook. To start boosting your communication security right away, Call us today. 

Communication Security

The Importance of Communication Security for Your Business

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Ransomware attacks happen every 11 seconds, according to cybersecurity experts. This statistic is very alarming and continues to worsen. Users of all types are being targeted, from individuals to multinational corporations. The severity of the attacks and the ransom vary considerably, but there is one common factor. Practically all cyberattacks begin with a breach in communication security.

Despite the disturbing trends, many businesses are still not fully realizing the importance of security in business communication. Less than half of small companies have protective measures against ransomware attacks, and more than a quarter of employees lack proper training in online security. These are urgent issues that need to be investigated if you want to have a chance of surviving a severe cyberattack.

Why Communication Security is Important in the Workplace

Once a company’s communication system gets breached, the hacker will already have broken through the perimeter defense of the company, and it won’t be long before they get their hands on all kinds of sensitive and confidential information. This fear brings us to the three reasons a business should maintain security in all communications.

Customer Data Protection

In industries like healthcare, banking, and many more, companies collect customer data that must remain confidential. When this information gets out, it can cause problems for both the client and the company.

Intellectual Property Protection

Industrial espionage is a real thing. Many big corporations would pay to see information from their rivals to find out what new products or trends the competition is working on. This practice is quite common in the automotive and pharmaceutical industries.

Internal Communication Protection

Internal communication involves massive amounts of information meant only for those in your office. This confidential information is what a ransomware attacker would love to control because they can get large sums of money by holding the data hostage.

Vital Elements of Secure Business Communication

Establishing secure communication systems is crucial for all businesses, regardless of the size of their enterprise. The best way is to partner with a cybersecurity expert with the knowledge and technology to protect your communication channels.

Keep in mind that not all providers are equal. There have been cases where a supposed provider of a secure communications platform has been infected with malware. While the clients thought they were safe against online threats, they may have inadvertently placed themselves at an even greater risk.

When selecting a managed service provider to manage your cybersecurity requirements, you need to verify that they can provide the basic protective measures, at the very least.

Clear and Comprehensive Policies

A provider should be able to tell you what communication security procedures they can implement for your business. Will they manage your system and network, digital assets, physical security, and the vulnerability of your business? They should also address human fallibility, which is to blame for some business communication breaches.

Methods for Reliable Encryption

Hackers can now easily break through basic encryption methods, so you should only work with a provider that offers high-level and dependable encryption. This protection is key if your business involves a lot of remote work, and your employees frequently use their laptops and mobile devices for work.

Final Thoughts

These are just the fundamentals of why communication security is vital in running a business. You can learn more about the benefits of using a managed service provider by reading our eBook, where we discuss how an MSP can help you overcome the challenge of business communication.

Call us when you are ready to increase the security of your business communications. We can help you keep your business, your data, and your employees protected.

Communication Security

Powerful Techniques to Improve Business Communication Security

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cks on organizations can take many forms, but most target different internet communication platforms. The justification is how simple it is to enter. Anyone can send a bogus link via text, email, other messaging applications, social media, etc. It will be a significant payoff for the hackers if even one employee clicks on one of these links. This is why it’s important to consider bolstering your communication security.

What Can You Do to Keep Safe?

Running a trustworthy antivirus application and installing a firewall can help keep internet risks away. However, your preventative software and processes will be meaningless if people let these risks in voluntarily. Therefore, it is crucial for everyone in your organization to operate prudently, especially when using the communication systems of business. Here are a few pointers that might be useful to avoiding communication security threats.

Before clicking, check the links.

Doing this is not a difficult task. Start by examining the visible hyperlink in the anchor text and determining its legitimacy by looking for indications of bogus links. After that, right-click on the hyperlink before following it to see where it points. For instance, a legitimate website would typically conclude with “.com,” whereas a fraudulent link would have “.co,” “.uk,” “.xyz,” and other similar endings instead.

Before opening any messages, verify the email address.

Finding email addresses or phone numbers online is simple. If no results appear, you can reach out to the business directly. It’s always wise to check if your contact information is correct. Most business owners would be more than happy to assist.

Spend money on employee online security training.

No matter how effective and innovative your cybersecurity measures are, if your staff is not up to speed on internet security, they will never fully protect your data from cyber threats. It’s possible to trace a significant portion of current cyberattacks to a single employee who unknowingly clicked on a bad link or allowed malware to infect the system.

Lack of Knowledge

It’s simple to criticize the employees, but what can you do if they cannot distinguish between a genuine and a phony link? Very few people know about the dangers that lurk online. Try our Employee Readiness Check to see for yourself. Have your staff complete the quiz to determine their knowledge of online security and communication security.

Comprehensive Security Training

It is in your best interest to focus on staff training for online security. We can provide a thorough training program that teaches your staff the information needed to increase your online security. We will show the employees how to validate an email before opening it and examine URLs before clicking on them. Once the training is complete, we will have transformed your personnel into a capable first line of defense for your business. We can also conduct a phishing test at your workplace to pinpoint the vulnerable security points that require attention. After that, we will recommend the needed adjustments to improve the security of your communication channels so that you won’t have to worry about online dangers infiltrating your system.

For more tips on how a managed service provider can help you, download our free Internet Culture Policy!

Your security is important to us. Call us so we can talk about a customized solution that meets your specific needs!

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The Fastest Way to Lose Track of Your Business Budget

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Business budgeting is a very important part of running a business, regardless of whether you are a startup or an established company operating for years. Creating a budget is not a problem for most business owners. The challenge is sticking to the budget as the business grows and the spending expands.

The Problem of Hidden Costs

If you are like many owners of small and medium-sized businesses, you probably focus on the services and products you need when making a projection of your business expenses, which is what you should do. However, do you also consider the hidden costs of all these services and products? Are you even aware that many vendors today charge these hidden costs to unsuspecting business owners?

If you don’t regularly assess your purchases for these hidden costs, there’s a good chance that you are spending far more than you should be. You might go over your allotted budget. This mistake can have implications for your business.

Laying Employees Off

To bring down spending, many companies resort to the solution of laying employees off, believing that a smaller payroll can help the business get back on track financially. Unfortunately, cutting down on your workforce will increase the load of your remaining staff, which can then lead to stress, job dissatisfaction, and reduced performance.

Taking out Loans

Loans are a quick fix for any financial problem, but they can have heavy long-term consequences. If you get a loan with high repayment terms, it might eventually lead to even greater financial problems for your business.

Reduced Productivity

As hidden costs eat away at your business funds, you and your employees will naturally try to curb the spending. In doing so, you will inadvertently take people away from the jobs that you hired them to do. Your employees’ focus will need to be split between their actual duties and trying to solve the problems with business budgeting. The result of this would be much lower productivity.

Where Do Hidden Costs Come From?

Besides the blatant overcharging of some vendors, there are a few other sources of hidden costs that all business owners should know.

Loan Interests

Most business startups run on borrowed funds. If you have taken out a loan to help you establish your business, you need to include the interest on this loan in your business budget. You will also need to be very responsible for repaying such loans on time. Otherwise, the interest cost will increase and might take a heavy toll on your business funds.

Employee Benefits

In business budgeting, many new business owners make the mistake of accounting only for their employees’ salaries. They do not consider the employees’ benefits, which they will also need to grant.

Legal Expenses

No business owner expects to pay legal fees because no one wants to be involved in a lawsuit. But if these problems happen, you need to allocate funds for this in your budget.

Taxes

If you were an employee in the past, your company automatically deducted taxes from your salary. Now that you are a business owner, you will still need to pay taxes, and you will have to compute these on your own. If you forget to consider this in your business budgeting, you might be short on funds, and could even have problems with the IRS.

An Easy Solution

Staying within your budget can be a tough challenge with all the hidden expenses some vendors charge. Once you are aware of these costs, you can plan your spending more efficiently and start saving valuable funds for your business. If you have any other questions, please contact us any time.

Monthly Update

Preventing the worst with your hardware

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Have you or your employees ever left their laptop in a coffee shop? Or maybe even the airport? Losing or having your hardware stolen can be an inconvenience but what about the data? 

In this month’s update, get tips on hack proofing your hardware. We also have ways to maximize your storage and a short video discussing change in your business. Click here to read the update.

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