Could You Be Enabling Distributed Denial of Service Attacks?
Taking care of network security is getting more difficult, and it’s also getting more dangerous all the time. You know your system is at risk to viruses and attackers. They could find a loophole and gain access to your system and resources, taking you down. But what if they don’t stop there? Did you know they could use your computers as a jumping off point to attack other businesses?
A distributed denial of service attack is when just this sort of attack happens. Denial of service is when your network is attacked and taken out. It becomes a distributed denial of service attack when your resources are then used to attack a third party. It may be emails being sent to crash their network, or massive hits to their system to crash it with the volume of requests, but either way you’ve been compromised and this exploitation is harming others.
It’s one thing to have to secure your own network, but it’s extra important when it comes to protecting others. Not only that, but if your safety standards are found to be lacking, you could be on the hook legally for the damage done to the third party being attacked. Can you believe it? On top of recovering from your own attack you may have to take responsibility for the damage done while you tried to stop it.
Do both yourself and others a favor—make your system security a top priority in your network IT management. It could save you a lot of hassle, and help keep the law off of your case at the same time.
How Well Are You Tracking Your Vulnerabilities?
Every network has them—the little weaknesses that an attacker could exploit to get in. Every business has to search for patches and implement basic security to fill the holes as they find them. Day after day, you find new holes, you fill new holes. But what if you could not only track the vulnerabilities you’ve found, but have access to a list of other known vulnerabilities? You could be proactive, and it would sure beat the regular grind of hunting and patching.
By working with an IT consultant, you can access a list of vulnerabilities from a wide range of businesses and networks. With this data at your fingertips, you can start hunting for vulnerabilities you didn’t know existed, and strengthen them before anyone can exploit them. Without vulnerability tracking it’s like trying to put a jigsaw puzzle together without the picture on the box. Sure, you can do it, but you waste a ton of time and resources along the way.
Vulnerability tracking data helps you know what the pieces look like when they are all put together. You can preemptively find and close security gaps when you know where to look, and that’s just good sense. Why spend time hunting when you can fairly and legitimately get the answers and put them to use? The data you compile can in turn help other companies find their own security holes. By sharing the vulnerabilities you’ve found, you can give the picture on the box so much more detail, and since your weaknesses have already been taken care of, there’s no risk to you. With all of these benefits, why not use the full picture to solve your security puzzle?
IT Tips: You Might Need to Back Up Your Back Ups
Backing up your data is common practice these days. We’ve all lost a document or a file, and no one wants to go through that again. We certainly don’t want to experience it on a grand scale, trying to recreate staggering amounts of data due to an oversight.
But where do you keep your backups? What are you storing them on? In the event you need them, will they be ready to access so you can get back to business?
We almost all know that a system could crash and our most recent data could be lost, which is why regular back up is part of our standard daily operations. But where do you store your backup? Having it on the premises sounds like a great idea because it’s convenient, since you can access it and get back to work as soon as possible. But what if there’s a fire or a flood? Not only are your systems down, but your data backup is likely destroyed as well, and that’s a terrible position to be in.
Storing your data off site is a much smarter solution. It’s safe if your main facility is destroyed or compromised, and if the backup is somehow destroyed, you still have access to your system and can create a new backup. Keeping this backup off of your network is also a smart plan because you want to keep it safe from hackers and viruses. If it’s not accessible, it can’t be trashed.
Backing up your data is so common it’s hardly thought of, and for good reason. You want to be protected, but you also want to make sure that your data and network aren’t going down together. The only thing worse than having to re-upload your lost data is trying to painstakingly recreate it. Do yourself a favor, and call your IT consultant today to learn how to keep your information off site and off of your network.
Are You Letting Viruses Walk Through Your Door?
Computer viruses are all over the media these days. Just reading the news, you get a glimpse of how often it happens, and the companies dealing with the repercussions are big names. There are viruses that destroy, viruses that steal, and viruses that just wreak havoc. Sure, you have anti-virus software and you update it regularly, but if you think that is keeping you safe, you’re wrong. Anti-virus software is like closing your front door but not locking it. Most people will knock and leave, but a few will try the knob and get inside.
Your employees probably get a lot of email. To keep your business running, they may open hundreds of messages. Your firewall catches most of them, your virus scanner even more, but what about the ones too new for your anti-virus to recognize? One way your company can lock the doors to viruses is to never open attachments if you or your employees aren’t expecting the attachment to come through. Even if the sender is trusted, you should ask. Mistakes happen, and that mistake could shut you down. If the attachment is legitimate, you should still scan it before opening just in case there’s an unintentional virus stuck to it. After all, it never hurts to use some extra caution.
You don’t have to leave the door open or the locks off when dealing with viruses. Just implement a few basic security practices, and you’ve made your network infinitely safer. It doesn’t take much time or thought, but it could make a huge difference. After all, you never know who will come knocking at your door.
Just How Ready Are You for an IT Disaster?
You can’t predict the future. Sure, you can be pretty confident you’ll get up tomorrow, go about your daily business, and that the sun will set at the end of the day. The rest of life isn’t so predictable, though, and neither are the repercussions of not having a disaster plan ready and waiting.
No one wants to think about a disaster happening. It’s downright creepy to imagine a hacker getting into your system, or your business coming to a halt. You could lose data, resources, time, and money. But keeping your business safe isn’t just about avoiding disasters. Minimizing the risk is smart practice, but chances are that something will happen to your system eventually, and it’s best to be ready for it.
Imagine that a hacker gets in. How long does it take you to notice? How long before your IT staff responds? Every second between when the criminal has access to when you are able to stop them is another second where your business is on the line. You have locks and security systems for your home, but you also have insurance, right? A disaster recovery plan is a form of insurance — it helps you to minimize damage and get back on your feet as soon as possible.
You can sit back and rely on your security to protect your network, and hopefully it will. All the same, businesses who thought they were safe are hacked daily, and you can’t predict if it will happen to you. Take the time to build and test a disaster recovery plan. You don’t need a crystal ball to see it could save you in the end.
Are You At Risk for a Denial of Service Attack?
These days, just about every company poses an Internet security risk. Do your employees use email? Do you have a website? What would happen if either of those were inaccessible or if your entire system crashed? If this idea is making you nervous, you’re probably at risk for a denial of service attack.
Think of your security as the umpire at a baseball game. Balls are being thrown, players are running, and the game is going strong. What would happen if the umpire were taken out? In a denial of service attack, your systems are intentionally asked to handle more input than they possibly can with the goal of shutting you down. It’s like a team of pitchers showing up and throwing balls at the umpire until they knock him out, leaving the game in tatters and the rules by the wayside. The game stops, but the cheaters have access to the field and equipment — your resources. What they plan to do with them is anyone’s guess, but it can’t be good. It’s not a comforting thought, is it?
What if you could enforce the rules and keep the other team from cheating? The good news is, you can.
By knowing you are at risk for a denial of service attack and taking the steps necessary to prevent it, you can keep your game running smoothly. Reviewing your procedures and getting some reliable, specialized help can keep you playing ball. Keeping your security in check and your umpire in action can help you win the game with ease and style. Now that you know there’s a risk out there, how will you step up to the plate?
Could Your Business Benefit From an IT Consultant?
Whether your business is brand new or has been around for generations, chances are that you don’t specialize in computers or network security. Why would you? Your goal is to provide the best service and products to your customers or your clients. Your focus is on what you provide, and it’s why they value you. They also put their trust in you, and protecting that trust is a tremendous responsibility. Are you up to the challenge?
If you have access to credit card data, names, addresses or any sort of personal information, you have the duty to protect it. You may be taking every precaution to keep this data safe, but how much do you really know about computer security? How much does your staff know? Even fabulous IT professionals find their skills growing stagnant over time sitting at a desk. A great solution is to hire an IT consultant. When you choose the right consulting firm, you get a trained professional who shows up on time, reviews your system and helps you make the changes needed. Not only that, you only pay them only for the time you use them, and that’s a smart deal. Your data and network stays safe, you keep your expenses in check, and everyone wins.
Think of it this way — if you lose the data, you lose customers, clients, and even your reputation. You may even be held legally responsible. Hiring an IT consultant can help prevent any of this from happening, and at a minimal cost to your business. Your customers are happy, your business continues for a few more generations, and you can take the credit for making the decision. What’s not to love?
Why You Need to Beef Up Your Internet Security
Your company’s Internet security needs should be at the top of your to-do list – especially if you work in an industry that deals with personal information, stores sensitive materials, or does any business on the web. While most companies that work with these first two issues already have a threat detection software and some security measures in place, the latter factor (doing business on the web) is often overlooked as a way for attackers and viruses to get in.
In fact, simply having an online storefront makes your IT vulnerability increase. It’s much like having a real storefront – once you’ve got a physical presence somewhere, there’s a bigger possibility that someone will see something to steal or even break in as a way to make mischief. And the more doors and windows you have, the more points of entry you have to secure.
Your online storefront (or even just your website) operates in much the same way. Hackers, malware, and Trojan programs can use this as a door to either get into your information online or even to access your in-office network. And like a physical storefront, you need to put in security systems to keep you – and your customers – protected.
Fortunately, there are ways to test your current vulnerability rating to determine how good your current Internet security is working. Like a fake heist to test whether or not your bouncer is doing his job at the door, IT security consultants can look at your existing system to determine where you can “beef up” your security as your company grows and changes.