Improving Productivity with Cloud Services

Cloud Services: A Game-Changer?

A huge goal of any company is to improve productivity. Worker productivity is vital to having a successful business, and it’s frustrating when you feel like your workers aren’t as productive as possible. Of course, you want the brilliance of your workers to shine through. You want their best work at their best speed. You know they are capable of more than what they are giving you. So what are some solutions? Switching to a cloud service could be a game-changer for your company. A cloud service is anything where information is stored on the web instead of locally on your computer. Cloud services allow people to collaborate in real-time no matter where they are, among many other perks. Read on to learn about cloud services and their benefits!

 

What are Cloud Services?

The term “the cloud” is probably something you’ve heard a million times, but do you actually know what it means?

“The cloud” makes it sound like your data is just stored somewhere in cyberspace, floating around in a protective bubble. But actually, it has a home. It’s stored in many places until the network of servers procures what you need and sends it to you.

Softwares that are considered part of the cloud run via the internet instead of on your computer locally. Most cloud-based services can be found through a web browser, while some companies have apps too.

Examples include Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox, Yahoo Mail, Netflix, Apple iCloud, and Google Drive. There are also multitudes of business applications that are cloud-based. 48% of all corporate data is currently stored in the cloud.

A big pro of cloud-based software is that you can get your information from any device that has a connection to the internet. You can edit a Google Docs file on your computer at home and then pick it back up at the office. Your coworkers can even work on the same document with you. 

Services like Google Photos and Amazon Cloud Drive let you store your photographs, so you don’t have to use all of your phone’s storage.

Another perk of the cloud is that you don’t need a high-end computer to get things done because remote servers handle the storage and computing. Cloud-based computers are being produced at a low cost, like Google’s Chromebooks.

 

What Is the History of Cloud Services?

In the 1990s, a large number of personal computers became connected as technology became more budget-friendly. In 1999, Salesforce was the first company to create an application over the internet, which started Software as a Service (SaaS).

Within three years, music, videos, and more were being hosted online. Lay people were now able to access things that only people who knew how to code could access before.

In the mid-1990s, “the cloud” became a term that was being used to discuss the internet. Quickly, Microsoft and Google were racing to create market share in the virtual sphere. 

Suddenly, the cloud was everywhere, and along with SaaS came PaaS (Platform as a Service) and IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service). Cybersecurity became a new industry with the dawn of the cloud.

Everyone was using the cloud for everything ranging from government, finance, healthcare, and entertainment. The cloud created the largest cultural shift ever seen in humanity. Information became readily available to anyone who had access to a computer and internet service. Small startups began to change the world.

In August of 2006, Amazon Web Services put out Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), letting people rent virtual computers and use their own applications and programs online. Soon after came Google Docs Services. A year later, a small startup, Netflix, launched its website. IBM launched SmartCloud, and Apple put out iCloud. Oracle released a Cloud as well.

And the cloud will only continue to grow. In the first quarter of 2021 alone, cloud service spending reached $42.8 billion.

 

How Do Cloud Services Improve Productivity?

If your company isn’t sure whether or not to utilize cloud services, you’re not alone. Cloud services can be overwhelming to implement, and there will be a learning curve when teaching your employees how to use the new services.

It is also hard to know which service to choose amongst so many of them. But it is worth taking the time to research which service would best fit your company because there are a myriad of benefits to using cloud services.

These services certainly improve productivity once your company gets over the initial hump of learning how to use them.

Here are some ways that cloud services improve the productivity of workers:

 

Cloud Services Support Collaboration

Cloud services significantly improve the ability for employees to collaborate.

When employees use cloud services, they can communicate and collaborate with colleagues in real-time, regardless of location. Platforms like Zoom, Webex, Slack, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams make it incredibly easy for employees to stay in touch and get the job done. Many of these platforms also have the option to store documents, making it very easy to access collaborative projects and important information.

Having the ability to work together when you’re not together physically has a variety of benefits, many of which have been proven with the rise of Covid-19 as most teams were collaborating remotely and relied heavily on cloud services to do so.

It’s also important to consider what works best for specific people on the team and offer a variety of options. Some people aren’t very social or good at group collaboration in person, but thrive in an individual setting where they get to work on their own.

 

Remote Jobs

With the advent of the cloud came the ability to have remote workers. Remote workers can now complete any task that a worker in the office could because of the cloud. They can access the same documents, collaborate, and join meetings. Remote jobs allow companies to hire the best of the best regardless of location.

They also increase the applicant pool because they allow disabled people to apply who otherwise wouldn’t be able to leave their houses. The same can be said for work-at-home parents.

 

Encourages Employees to Bring Their Own Devices

The majority of companies need employees to use their own smartphones to use business apps and services. Cloud computing encourages employees to use their own devices, making them more responsive and letting them use cloud-based apps at home.

When an employee is tied to their work desktop, they can’t do any work at home when they have a big idea. Or they can’t go on vacation but work while they’re away. With cloud services, employees can use their own computers or smartphones to get work done that would classically only be done in the office. This considerably frees up the creativity and flexibility of the employee.

 

Improves Usage of Big Data

Clouds are great for “Big Data.” Employees are able to analyze and organize a lot of data that is unstructured very quickly. These analytics can then be shared with the entire company right away, which helps make decisions, stops repeated efforts, and reduces errors. 

When everyone is working on their own computers, it is not uncommon for the same work to get repeated by two or more people. With cloud services, this possibility is taken out of the equation. Everyone sees what everyone else is working on, so if one person is working on a spreadsheet, someone else will either simultaneously work on it or go work on someone else, but no one will fill in the same cells on their own.

 

Use the Latest Technology

Using cloud technologies lets companies get to the most recent tools and scale up or down as they need to. This creates extreme flexibility so companies can tailor their technology to the market quickly. Employees will have the most up-to-date tools to complete their work.

Staying ahead of trends and using the best technology possible is what makes or breaks companies. It is wise to use any resources available to you, especially a resource as groundbreaking as cloud services. As market trends change, your technology can change with it because cloud services are highly flexible. This is one of the perks of using cloud services. If you’re not up to date on your technology, you will always be behind.

 

Improves the Use of Company IT Resources

Most cloud applications let IT off the hook from regular maintenance, so they have time to focus on more important things. There will still be a mild amount of work to do, but it is insignificant compared to a non-cloud service.

Cloud services offer their own IT, so you will never have to fix a cloud service problem in-house. Cloud services are incredibly fast at responding to problems, and a whole system crash never happens, whereas if you use your own personal software, the whole thing can crash and ruin the day, or days, until IT can fix it. Cloud services eliminate this problem and let your IT employees work on more important things.

 

Integrate with Systems You Already Use

The majority of cloud services are designed to be able to integrate with services that are already in place. So employees can easily switch amongst tools that are in use without having to transfer information by hand, which is prone to errors and takes a lot of time. Sometimes there will be some work to integrate the systems, but it isn’t an overwhelming amount.

Combining your current systems with a cloud service will significantly improve your existing system. Integration is a genius aspect of cloud services, so you don’t have to start from scratch. You also don’t have to do all the heavy lifting- the service will integrate itself, for the most part. This will keep your workers relatively familiar with the interface and data and make the learning curve smaller.

 

Limits Downtime

Teams behind cloud software have teams that work tirelessly to make sure their product is working and are able to respond to problems right away. This means employees are never waiting around for a problem to be fixed.

It also limits downtime at home. Your employee may have a great idea, be bored, or feel motivated at home or on the subway and want to work. Letting your employees access all the information they need to get work done is always a great idea. You’d be surprised at how much extra work they do when it’s available to them.

 

Cost

61% of organizations plan to optimize the cost of their cloud services in 2021. Using a cloud can cut down on overhead significantly. For one, you will save on hardware setup costs and HR. Cloud services provide the IT necessary, so you’ll never have to fix a cloud problem in-house. You still have to pay for cloud services, but the cost is nowhere near that of trying to run a similar system yourself. Plus, you’ll probably cut down on overtime due to increased productivity.

 

It’s Time to Invest in Cloud Services

Cloud services are any service where information is stored on the internet rather than locally on your device. They can range from Google Docs to Netflix. Cloud services are particularly useful for companies because they allow workers to communicate, collaborate, and do work regardless of where they are. That group project that workers used to dread? Now they love it because they can complete it from the comfort of their own desks.

It is clear that cloud services improve productivity by a landslide. From allowing people to work from home, using the latest technology, and cutting down on costs, cloud services are a win-win for everyone. A company would be remiss in giving up the opportunity to implement this amazing technology that companies now offer.

At Edge Networks, we’ve made many of our clients ’ transition to the cloud easier and more secure. Contact us today for a free 30 minute consultation.

HIPAA Compliance: What Your Company Needs To Know

The basics you should know before the audit

In the days of the web, data is a valuable thing. When it comes to companies that handle health insurance, personal health information (PHI) is something that should be handled with care, which is why the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPAA) Act was passed. Keeping patient data protected is of high importance, and HIPAA compliance ensures extra steps are taken to protect data. Additionally, you can avoid fines and violations with compliance, which is why all companies should take steps toward becoming HIPAA compliant. 

 

What is HIPAA?

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is an act that was passed by congress in 1996 and was put in place to help protect patients’ privacy. It’s a federal law created to put standards and procedures in place to keep patient information safe. A patient’s information may not be disclosed under any circumstance unless the patient gives permission, and failing to do so can lead to fines and penalties. 

 

The Basics of PHI

Protected health information (PHI) is handled by a number of entities. During handling, it’s up to the entity to keep all information safe. HIPAA rules line out PHI and claim that all companies that come into contact with it must take measures to protect it. PHI does not only include past and present information involving patients but also future information. Some common examples of PHI include: 

  • Names
  • Telephone numbers
  • Email Addresses
  • Medical record numbers
  • Social security numbers (SSN)
  • Health plan beneficiary numbers
  • Biometric identifiers
  • License plates or any other vehicle identification number 

HIPAA deals with all of the information mentioned above and much more. HIPAA was put in place to protect this data and limit the disclosure of this data between entities. Because this type of data is passed between entities daily, those handling it must be HIPAA certified to know how to handle it and avoid violations and fines. 

 

The HIPAA Privacy Rule

All companies that handle protected health information (PHI) are subject to the Privacy Rule. These entities are in constant contact with sensitive information, which is why they are required to keep up with a certain list of safety precautions. Some of these covered entities include: 

 

Healthcare providers

Healthcare providers deal with a lot of patient information. They may process things like claims, eligibility inquiries, and even referral authorization requests. Because of their involvement with patient information, they have to abide by a set of rules. 

 

Health plans

Health plans provide an individual with medical, dental, and prescription drug insurance, among other things. Many employers have health plans for their workers, which keep a large amount of patient information on file. Not all health plans are HIPAA compliant, however, as those with fewer than 50 total participants are not so additional measures are needed. 

 

Healthcare Clearinghouses

Sometimes, entities that process health information pass information to another entity. They must have HIPAA compliance when they do so, as they may process services to a health plan or provider. 

 

Business associates

Some business associates that work with companies handle patient information. They may partake in data analysis, utilization review, and billing, all of which could have highly sensitive information along with it. 

 

What is HIPAA Compliance?

HIPAA compliance is an outline that sets standards for the lawful disclosure of patient information. These regulations are put in place to ensure that things are handled safely and securely, keeping the integrity of the patient as the top priority. While there are many businesses that should take steps to manage sensitive information properly, there are two types of organizations that must be HIPAA compliant: covered entities and business associates.

 

Covered entities

Covered entities are defined as companies that collect, create, or transmit PHI electronically. Because of the dangers that can come in the processing or transferring of patient data, all companies that come into contact with it must have HIPAA compliance and must take steps to ensure that it’s implemented and understood by all employees. Some of these entities include health care providers, health insurance providers, and even healthcare clearinghouses. 

 

Business Associates

Business Associates are organizations that come into contact with patient data in any way. If they have to come into contact with patient data as part of their service, they must have HIPAA compliance. Because this could include a large number of businesses in all kinds of industries, companies must maintain HIPAA compliance or implement it as soon as possible. Some common Business Associates that need HIPAA compliance include billing companies, third-party consultants, and even EHR platforms. 

 

A Breakdown of HIPAA Compliance Titles

There are five titles in total, and each section is there to protect a specific area of patients’ health. 

 

Title I

Title I was put in place to protect health insurance coverage for those who have lost their jobs. It also helps to prevent insurance companies from denying health care coverage for those who have pre-existing conditions. Insurance companies cannot set limits for lifetime coverage. Under HIPAA law, companies and entities that handle healthcare cannot deny those with a pre-existing condition the right to healthcare and cannot use information from their healthcare providers to avoid covering individuals. 

 

Title II

Title II was put in place to keep insurance companies in check regarding electronic processing. It was put in place to regulate safe electronic access across the board to allow healthcare services to access data easily and electronically. A lot of information is passed between entities in large quantities using different systems and processors. Those dealing with the electronic sharing of data must use a certified HIPAA compliant service and must also ensure that they take steps to keep themselves HIPAA compliant through self-audits and employee training. 

 

Title III

This title protects the insured from everything tax-related when it comes to medical care. It sets guidelines for pre-tax medical accounts and ensures the safe and fair processing of them all to protect all parties involved. 

 

Title IV

In this title, insurance companies have regulations on who they can or cannot deny coverage. Those with pre-existing conditions cannot be dropped and cannot be denied coverage based on their current condition. 

 

Title V

For companies that provide insurance for their employees, this title is there to ensure that all parties act and are treated fairly. This title is also there for those who have lost their citizenship for income tax reasons, allowing them to keep their coverage or apply for new if they need it. 

 

What Does It Mean to Be in Compliance with HIPAA?

HIPAA compliance is regulated by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). It’s put in place to ensure that all companies provide their employees with proper insurance and keep everything fair and within the regulations laid out in HIPAA rules. There are a few things that companies must do to be HIPAA compliant, explained by the checklist below.

 

HIPAA Compliance Checklist (what you need for HIPAA compliance)

HIPAA compliance is a huge deal, one that all companies must strive to reach. Keeping compliant takes a few essential elements, all of which we will point out below. When trying to get your business in the correct position, this is what you should look for:

  • Writing out policies and standards of conduct
  • Providing open opportunities for communication about employee support
  • Monitoring and auditing from within
  • Enforcing all of the standards set out in HIPAA rules
  • Taking action when needed when there is an issue with employees.

 

What are the key elements of HIPAA compliance?

Companies can develop an effective HIPAA compliance program, one that makes sure to keep things in fair and working order for both company and employee. When companies put together a HIPAA compliance program, they are taking steps to protect themselves from HIPAA breaches and fines. A few ways that they can do that include: 

 

Self-Audits

While a security risk assessment is one that companies typically take care of, it’s not enough to keep them HIPAA compliant. Instead, companies should take steps to conduct annual audits on their own. These audits will help keep things organized and will help companies find holes in their compliance. Doing an annual audit keeps things running smoothly and will show where companies are vulnerable. 

 

Remediation Plans

Audits are put in place to show weaknesses in a system. When those weaknesses are found, companies need to know what they can do to take care of them and get things back up and running smoothly. This could keep companies away from having to pay for violations. 

 

Employee Training and Policies

Companies are the ones who have to take the initiative when it comes to HIPAA compliance. That’s why they will do well to develop policies and procedures that keep things in check. On top of that, they need to provide employees with training, helping them take on some of the workloads. Usually, companies try and have annual training to keep all employees up to date on all policies and procedures. 

 

Documentation

Keeping a record of all the things you do as a company to stay HIPAA compliant is a great way to avoid violations. Not only does it show organization and initiative, but it also works as a way to remind companies of all they have done. 

 

Business Associates

Companies must also do what they can to extend their HIPAA compliance to vendors that work with them and share PHI. To keep things running smoothly, companies can initiate Business Associate Agreements, keeping all parts of the business negotiations running smoothly. 

 

Incident Management

Incidents happen, and they can be a big part of the learning process. It’s recommended to have an incident response place in plan and to keep an incident report showing when incidents occurred, why they happened, and how they can be avoided next time. If data is compromised, companies need to file an incident report, keeping things on track so that they are better prepared if it happens again.

 

FAQs for G Suite Security

Is G Suite HIPAA Compliant?

When asked about HIPAA compliance, G Suite says that they are compliant and compatible with the framework for protected health information (PHI).

A few requirements must be met to claim HIPAA compliance, including using a paid G Suite version, signing a Business Associate Agreement (BAA), and having G Suite configured correctly to support HIPAA compliance.

 

Can Gmail be HIPAA compliant?

Gmail does not come automatically HIPAA compliant, as email can in no way account for securely processing and handling sensitive data. However, Gmail can be made HIPAA compliant as long as companies implement security measures to keep sensitive data safely secured.

 

What is a HIPAA-compliant email?

HIPAA compliant emails are out there, though there are a few things they have to have to be so. A HIPAA compliant email ensures that an email with PHI is delivered safely and securely to the recipient’s mailbox. Currently, no email provider comes with automatic HIPAA compliance, as it’s something that must be implemented after setup.

 

Is Google Calendar HIPAA compliant?

Yes, Google Calendar is considered HIPAA compliant. That doesn’t mean that companies shouldn’t take extra steps to ensure that it’s safer, implementing better practices and ensuring that it’s used properly. To ensure that both businesses and their employees are using Google Calendars correctly and safely, companies should take steps to train employees and make sure everyone knows the importance of using the system properly.

 

Are Google Sheets HIPAA compliant?

Google signs the Business Associate Agreement (BAA), which means that Google Sheets is HIPAA compliant. Though it’s considered compliant, companies should still take extra measures to increase security, including adding encryptions, access controls, and ensuring they get on a good auditing schedule to keep things running smoothly.

 

Free E-Book: A Closer Look at HIPAA

Download this free IT Compliance: HIPAA E-Book to learn more about HIPAA covered entities, violation penalties, and more. Feel free to share this with people in your industry as well!

 

Download Free HIPAA Compliance E-Book

Are you concerned whether your online data is HIPAA compliant? To find out how your company is performing and isolate weaknesses in your cyber defenses, schedule a call with us or take our free, self-guided IT Security Risk Assessment. 

Replace Your Antivirus with Next-Generation Endpoint Security

Endpoint Security: The Cutting Edge of Protection

Over the last few decades, we’ve seen technology evolve in leaps and bounds. We rely on it more and more for everyday purposes. However, this advancement has also brought risks. There are more dangers related to technology than ever before. As such, technological security has also been updating. Security software is an absolute must for your connected device. If you’re looking to be on the cutting edge of protection, you must know what you’re looking for. Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of endpoint security compared to traditional antivirus software.

 

What is Endpoint Security?

As the name implies, endpoint security focuses on securing endpoints or entry points of end-user devices. End-user devices are any connected devices you may own. This includes desktop computers, laptop computers, tablets, and even smartphones. These devices can be protected from malicious actors and campaigns using endpoint security.

This form of security protects devices on a network or in the cloud. It protects these devices from cybersecurity threats, including malware. Endpoint security is more sophisticated than traditional antivirus software. It needs to be, as it protects your information from being corrupted or stolen for malicious reasons.

 

Built for Organizations of All Sizes

Endpoint security is often seen as the frontline of cybersecurity efforts. When it comes to enterprise networks, it’s often the first place they look to secure. It helps protect organizations and individuals from the threat of security breaches from: 

  • Nation-states
  • Hacktivists
  • Organized crime
  • Insider threats (both malicious and accidental)

Most endpoint security solutions are highly advanced. They quickly detect, analyze, block, and contain threats in progress. These software options collaborate with other technological systems and administrators to move things quickly and effectively.

 

Why is Endpoint Security Necessary?

In both personal and business applications, end-user devices hold a large amount of information. This information, if in the wrong hands, can often be used maliciously. We’ve reached a point where data is one of the most important assets we have. If your end-user devices lack a complex protection system, the data stored on them is vulnerable. Since end-user devices see the highest threats to cybersecurity attacks, it is vital to secure them with endpoint protection software.

 

In Business, Endpoints Grow as the Business Grows

Naturally, as a business grows, so does its amount of endpoints. The more you expand, the more devices you add. While antivirus software may be good for a single computer, it won’t be strong enough to handle several dozen to several hundred computers.

Another aspect of this growth that business has seen recently involves remote work. Remote workers using company devices or personal devices create vulnerability within the company. These end-user devices are not within the physical area for a company to protect. They may even be connected to open networks from time to time, and as such, they need more competent security options. The best security option for remote workers is endpoint security, that the company itself controls. It helps protect whatever device is storing and sending company information.

 

How Does Endpoint Security Work?

Endpoint security works by safeguarding the data and workflows of any end-user devices connected to your network. Endpoint protection platforms, also known as endpoint security programs, examine all files entering the network. Some of these platforms are on-site, contained in servers, while others are cloud-based.

 The platforms contain a database of different known threats. As threats continue to update, so does the database. This is sometimes done via the cloud. Other times it is done by updating the on-site protection software. These updates help to prevent the end-user devices on the network from having to store this data individually. If each end-user device had to store threat information, they wouldn’t have room for much else. New threats are developed every day, making an updated form of security absolutely crucial to your data security.

Another benefit to cloud-based endpoint security is the scalability it provides. Because the data is free-flowing on the cloud, it doesn’t require manual updates to new end-user devices. All actions are available to administrators through a centralized console. This console is installed on a network gateway or a server that lets cybersecurity professionals control device securities remotely.

An endpoint that is set up on the endpoint platform allows administrators to do several things remotely. These things include:

  • Pushing updates to devices (Learn more about the importance of software updates below)
  • Authenticating log-in attempts on each device
  • Administering corporate policies from a single location
  • Blocking or removing applications known to be unsafe or unauthorized
  • Encrypting information that is communicated through devices

 

Endpoint Protection is Fast

Endpoint protection allows companies to detect malware and threats on their devices quickly. It’s much faster than antivirus software, which is primarily passive. Endpoint security tends to be proactive, as it monitors all information sent to the network. In addition to endpoint platforms, there are also endpoint detection and response tools available. These components allow for the detection of more advanced threats. Some of those threats include file-less malware, polymorphic attacks, and zero-day attacks. Endpoint security systems employ continuous monitoring, which is the best way to achieve cybersecurity for your data.

 

Key Components of Endpoint Security Solutions

When choosing an endpoint security solution, most will come with the following key components:

  • Machine-learning capabilities to identify zero-day threats in real time
  • Antivirus and antimalware designed for protection of multiple devices
  • Web browser security add-ons
  • Data loss prevention
  • Data classification
  • An integrated firewall for blocking network attacks
  • Phishing and social engineering protection with email gateways
  • Centralized endpoint management for administrators and cybersecurity professionals
  • Disk, email, and endpoint encryption

These are not the only components that a company may offer, but companies will often provide additional components at an added cost. 

 

What is an Endpoint?

Generally speaking, endpoints are considered to be any connected device. Naturally, this includes desktop computers, laptop computers, tablets, and smartphones. However, it may also include a range of devices you wouldn’t consider: Smartwatches, printers, servers, ATMs, or connected medical devices can also be considered endpoints. While it may be hard to believe, all of these devices can store large amounts of sensitive information that can harm your business if used maliciously.

A considerable threat to companies right now is the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) mentality. With the majority of businesses operating remotely to an extent, BYOD has become far more popular. When a device is allowed to operate on a network, it has to be considered safe. If BYOD is an option for employees, then the devices they’re using will need to have protection software installed on them. Endpoint security makes this easy since it’s a connected form of security.

 

Mobile Devices Have Complicated Things

The flood of connected mobile devices over the last decade has complicated network security. Some individuals may have up to ten different end-user devices. It’s easier to reach than you may think, considering the options that people have. Smartphones, tablets, watches, e-readers, printers, and even medical devices may be able to connect to a network. If the network lacks endpoint security, it can transmit malicious software to other devices. Endpoint security helps to avoid that issue.

 

How is Endpoint Protection Different from Antivirus Software?

When reading through the information provided, you may think that both these options are pretty much the same. The thing that people recognize most often is that antivirus software came first. However, the two are very different from one another. Taking a look at them both in detail, side-by-side, is essential.

 

Antivirus Software: Out with the Old

Antivirus software is the oldest form of computer protection. It’s been on computers for decades at this point, and as such, has become somewhat antiquated. Antivirus is meant to prevent malware. Malware is a blanket term for anything that’s possibly harmful to your computer. It can refer to viruses, spyware, bots, worms, and keyloggers. 

In most cases, antivirus software is installed directly on the end-user device. This allows it to run in the background and scan the device every so often for threats. However, it’s not as advanced as endpoint security. It relies on signature-based detection and prevention. As cybersecurity threats have evolved, they have become signature-less and file-less, specifically to bypass antivirus software.

 

Endpoint Security: In With the New

Endpoint security aims to fix the faults that antivirus software has, as discussed previously. Antivirus software cannot add the layers of protection that endpoint security can. It allows administrators to prevent the addition of another device to their networks. It also consistently updates to have the most protection at any given time. Most endpoint security options are antivirus software as well. As such, it’s the superior option.

 

Data Loss Prevention

Antivirus software doesn’t include any options for data loss prevention, while endpoint security does. By focusing on the data stored in endpoints, endpoint security can keep it safe. Data loss prevention protocols allow data to be monitored on your network. It can block any data from entering or exiting the network and can detect anomalies in data movement, which is ideal for keeping track of sensitive information that moves back and forth on your network. Data loss could be financially devastating and destructive for any business, so preventing this type of disaster is critical.

 

Sandboxing

Some threats are not easily identifiable by antivirus software or endpoint security platforms. They can be installed and begin wreaking havoc before any measures can be taken. Antivirus software has no protection against such threats. On the other hand, endpoint security has a method of handling any ambiguous data or programs being installed on end-user devices: sandboxing.

Before endpoint security allows the installation of a program on an end-user device, it will first isolate it. The endpoint platform will install the program onto a secure digital environment that mimics an end-user device in isolation. Here it will allow the program to run codes and execute files. This allows the platform to analyze the program and its intentions safely. Should the program clear the inspection and be deemed harmless, the endpoint security will allow installation on the end-user device. If anything suspicious occurs, the program is scrutinized, and remediation can occur.

 

Up-to-Date Firewalls

Like everything associated with endpoint security, the firewalls provided alongside it are updated and ready to stop any threats from entering your network. What’s more, is that these firewalls are connected to the platform and updated when need be. This keeps your network as safe as possible. It also allows for real-time analysis of any threats. Antivirus software cannot move as quickly as endpoint security, leaving your firewall exposed to threats.

 

Endpoint Detection and Response

Anomaly detection is the best feature of endpoint security platforms and a feature that no antivirus software can compete with. Endpoint detection and response is a protocol that continuously monitors the endpoints on your network. It can detect any strange happenings on your network. It has a significant advantage over antivirus software: detection. 

Antivirus software can only block known threats. Endpoint protection can detect threats that already exist on any device connected to your network. Doing so allows it to seek threats out and stop them from functioning. Antivirus software cannot identify and block all threats, as it relies on signatures. If something were to make it past the antivirus software, it could not stop the malware from functioning. Endpoint security has a lower chance of letting a malicious program or file from entering a device to begin with. If something were to make it past the program, it could detect, isolate, and eliminate the threat in real-time.

 

Which is Better?

It comes down to your needs. If you have a single device that’s being used for sensitive information, you may be able to get away with antivirus software (Assuming it’s bolstered with other protection programs). However, it is unlikely that only one of your devices has sensitive information. Therefore, endpoint security should be heavily considered by most individuals or organizations. It provides the most safety and allows for continued protection. If you’re looking for the best security option for your data and devices, endpoint security is your best bet.

Want to learn more about your company’s security? To find out how your company is performing and isolate weaknesses in your cyber defenses, schedule a call with us or take our free, self-guided IT Security Risk Assessment . 

How Cyber Liability Insurance Can Protect Your Company From Disaster

Everything You Need To Know About Cyber Liability Insurance

The world today is becoming more and more digital. We communicate, keep records, even buy and sell goods and services online. All that data being stored online means more opportunities than ever for cybercriminals to hack into and access systems they shouldn’t. Cyber security measures are more critical than ever. That includes having cyber liability insurance.

In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about cyber insurance, including what it is, how it works, and what it does and doesn’t cover.

Ready to learn more about cyber insurance and whether it’s right for you or your business?

Let’s dive in. 

 

What Is Cyber Liability Insurance?

Cyber insurance is usually offered to businesses rather than private individuals, though in some cases, it may have value for individuals as well. The primary purpose of cyber liability insurance is that the plan helps your business recover from the effects of a cyber security breach, including helping provide resources to track down and isolate the breach and paying out for lost income because of a breach. Many policies also help cover the costs of legal fees or lawsuits against your company that happen because of a cybersecurity breach.

Some cyber insurance companies also offer additional services to their customers, such as cyber security consultations or monitoring. Usually, those services are separate from the policy itself and come at an additional cost to the consumer. However, since they can help prevent the damages caused by a breach, these cybersecurity services are worth considering.

Good cyber insurance will cover just about any liability you incur from a cyber breach, no matter how big or small, but it’s important to read the fine print to make sure there aren’t rules about when your policy kicks in or ways you can accidentally breach the terms and conditions. 

 

What Does a Cyber Liability Insurance Policy Cover?

Cyber liability is a protection for businesses when their data and records are breached. That includes a wide range of possible liability, costs, and damages resulting from a cyber-attack. It’s different from general liability insurance since, unlike most other insurance policies, this kind of policy protects your digital data and resources instead of your physical property.

Here are a few of the additional actions cyber insurance companies may offer as a part of their insurance plans: 

  • Inform your company when a cyber breach occurs
  • Help recover identity information for anyone affected by the breach
  • Protect/repair affected computer systems
  • Help to recover the affected data
  • Cover the cost of legal liability from security breaches
  • Help close cybersecurity vulnerabilities

Every company and every policy is different, but these are some of the most common coverages.

Of course, you still need a sound cybersecurity plan in place if you want to succeed. 

 

What Does Cyber Insurance Not Cover?

While many business cyber security offerings are reasonably comprehensive, they don’t cover everything. Here are some of the costs you can’t expect your cyber insurance company to cover in the aftermath of a security breach:

 

Ongoing profit loss

Many insurance policies cover lost profits if your data or systems are non-accessible during an attack but won’t cover your losses after the attack is dealt with. That means that if you lose customers in the weeks or months after a breach, your insurance won’t cover that lost income. 

 

Intellectual Property

Intellectual property compromised in a cybersecurity breach can often be a severe loss for your company. Unfortunately, this is one area cybersecurity insurance doesn’t tend to cover. If your business secrets or intellectual property are compromised in the attack, you’ll have to deal with that on your own. 

 

Third-Party Mistakes

If you work with a 3rd party cybersecurity company, your insurance policy probably won’t cover their mistakes. That can be a huge problem if your security company fails to push an update or leaves a known vulnerability unprotected since your insurance may use those mistakes to invalidate your claim. That is why choosing a cybersecurity partner you can trust is so important. 

Are you looking to partner with a cybersecurity company you can trust? Contact Edge Networks today.

 

Hardware Costs

If your company is the victim of a breach that damages your physical hardware, damaging hard drives, for instance, the insurance company usually won’t cover the physical costs of the repair. They may cover the cost of recovering your data from damaged hardware, but you’re on your own for replacement. 

 

Reputation Damage

While a business’s reputation is widely recognized as a part of its value in the market, most cyber insurance companies don’t cover lost value because of reputation damage.

Like any other kind of insurance policy, it’s important to know everything that is and is not covered in your policy. These are just some of the most common examples. Some insurance policies may cover these kinds of situations, while others may have other policies that aren’t covered that we haven’t mentioned.

It’s often worth paying for an upgraded insurance policy if you need something that isn’t included in a more basic version of the policy. 

 

Cyber Liability Insurance Requirements

A good cyber insurance policy should have certain coverage areas and meet specific requirements before you consider it.

Here are some of the requirements of a good cyber insurance policy and what you should look for when you’re comparing plans:

 

Business Interruption

Other than helping pay for the costs of a breach itself, this is one of the most basic kinds of protection you can get from cyber insurance. This kind of coverage helps cover the cost of lost profits from a business interruption, so your company won’t be as heavily impacted by the hacking attempt.

Some policies cover ongoing business interruptions, while others only kick in for any time your business is unable to operate. That means that you may only get partial reimbursement for lost profits if some aspects of your business are still functioning as usual.

 

Legal Liability

Personal data breaches are taken very seriously and are often respected in the courts. That means that businesses that suffer a breach may also be held liable for any personal information about employees, clients, or customers involved in the leak.

Cyber insurance companies usually help cover the costs of these lawsuits, regardless of the suit’s outcome. Some companies may also offer legal assistance or help your business find qualified representation to help handle legal cases resulting from a breach. 

 

Social Engineering Protection

Social engineering is a way of getting login information or other personal details out of people without hacking into any systems or exploiting software vulnerabilities. A skilled social engineer can learn everything they need to log in legitimately in just a few exchanges.

A good cyber insurance policy covers breaches caused by social engineering and may also provide social engineering prevention changes to help make an attack less likely. 

Electronic Media Liability

Electronic media liability is increasingly becoming another way bad actors online can affect a company, even without data breaches or other more direct actions against them. Advertisements and other electronic media that present your business in an untrue way, to the detriment of your company, can be covered under this policy.

This kind of protection is almost like protecting against the damage from online libel. It’s rare for this kind of liability to come into play, but it can be important protection when you need it.

This policy helps companies deal with the problem media and cover the costs of pursuing action against the people causing the problem. 

 

Cyber Liability Insurance Claims Examples

Cyber attacks come in a wide range of circumstances. Since many people don’t know what a cyber attack looks like, here are some theoretical examples to help. 

 

Cyber Liability Insurance Claims Example #1:

Company A has an internal IT team, a good firewall, and other protections on their system. They think they are safe but can’t push an operating system update immediately because it may compromise some of the data and programs they use every day.

Unfortunately, Company A is hit with a virus that locks employees out of the system and may be causing other harm in the background. They are told that their data is being held ransom until they make a payment, under specific circumstances, to get access to their computers again.

Thankfully, Company A has cyber insurance and can recoup the costs of the attack. While they have to pay the ransom to prevent their data from being erased, they can isolate and eliminate the virus from their systems and implement preventive measures to avoid future attacks. 

 

Cyber Liability Insurance Claims Example #2:

Company B is a small family business that’s thriving in the suburbs. Profits are up, and they are thinking about expanding their business or buying a bigger space. As part of their search for locations, the business owners do a lot of searching for bigger retail spaces in their area and come to the attention of a social engineer.

The engineer calls their business, pretending to be a realtor asking if they’d like to do business together and offering to help them find the perfect new location. Over the course of the conversation, the social engineer manages to get the personal information they need to reset the business owner’s passwords and guess their username.

The social engineer logs in and posts personal customer information online for sale, and several customers are hit with false charges on their credit cards before the problem is discovered.

Company B changed usernames and passwords but is still recovering from its damaged reputation and the financial loss of several customers after the breach made the local news. 

 

Cyber Liability Insurance Claims Example #3:

Company C was the victim of a cyber security attack that was successful about a year ago. While they were able to get the attack cleaned up fairly quickly, some customer and employee information was leaked, and several people were at risk of identity theft and credit card fraud.

Company C has an extensive cyber security policy because their company is a frequent target for cybercriminals, and the policy covered this attack. They were able to recoup the costs of the attack, and the insurance helped pay for identity theft protection for the affected individuals. Because they helped pay identity theft protection, Company C avoided several lawsuits over the breach and hasn’t suffered much reputation damage. 

 

Discussing Cyber Liability Insurance

Why Should Invest in Buy Cyber Liability Insurance?

Many people recognize that cyber insurance is important for big companies with a lot of digital information to protect but are surprised to learn its importance for smaller companies.

Cyber insurance becomes essential whenever you have personal information stored in your business databanks, but it can be important even before that. Here are some basic ways to tell if you need cyber insurance and what level of protection is necessary. 

 

Your Business Stores Important Information Digitally:

Even if you also have hardcover backups, your business may need cyber insurance if you store critical business or personal information on the cloud. The more information you store, the more crucial cyber insurance becomes. 

 

Personal Information Is Protected In Your Industry:

Healthcare, educational, and legal companies all have higher standards of protection required for information. If you work in one of those industries or have other information protection requirements, it is a good idea to have a good cyber insurance plan. 

 

You Don’t Have A Cyber Attack Plan: 

Some companies can provide their own protection and understand cyber security well enough that cyber insurance is less important. But if you don’t have a plan for what your business would do if you had a cyber-attack today, you should probably consider cyber insurance. 

Want to get started on planning your company’s incident response? Check out our guide (including a FREE Incident Reponse Plan Template).

 

You Don’t Know How To Protect Your Business Information: 

You may be aware that your business’s data needs protection, but knowing what level of protection you need is a different matter. Having a good cyber insurance policy can help cover any accidental gaps left in your cyber insurance plan. 

 

You Don’t Have The Finances To Cover A Breach:

One way to decide if you need cyber insurance is to think about the realistic costs of a cyber breach. Cyberattacks have targeted as many as 50% of small businesses in the U.S., and this number is only increasing. If your business wouldn’t survive the full cost of a successful cyber attack, cyber insurance was designed for you. 

 

Conclusion

If you’re still on the fence, you should talk with your business’s cyber security team and see if they think cyber liability insurance would be an excellent addition to your cybersecurity plan. Do they think you are relatively safe against a cyber attack?

Contacting an insurance agent is another good idea. They’ll be able to evaluate your need, risk factors, and current setup to see if cyber insurance is a good option for you.

You may find that you want to prevent a data breach before disaster strikes. In that case, many 3rd party cyber security firms, like Edge Networks, offer evaluation services and can rate your current security strengths, needs, and weaknesses. To learn more about the health of your business’s cybersecurity, take our free, self-guided IT security risk assessment today, or contact us to schedule a free 30 minute consultation.

The Savvy Business Owner’s Guide to Cybersecurity Consulting

Everything you need to know about Cybersecurity Consulting Services

In today’s world, cybersecurity has become incredibly important. News of major ransomware attacks and other kinds of hacking has revealed how vulnerable many businesses and even government networks really are. All it takes is one piece of code getting where it shouldn’t, and all of your business’s digital data and records are at risk. That’s where cybersecurity consulting comes in.

Cybersecurity consultants help businesses beat the threat of hacking long before a hacker tries to breach your security. We’ll cover everything you need to know about cybersecurity consulting, from what consultants do to when your business needs one. We’ll also cover the benefits of qualified outside cybersecurity consulting, so you know what to expect. 

Let’s dive in. 

 

What Is Cybersecurity Consulting?

Cybersecurity refers to the integrity of digital systems and networks from outside attacks. A secure system is difficult to access and is protected against the most recent innovations in hacking and digital spying. 

Cybersecurity consultants help both businesses and private individuals keep their information and data systems as safe as possible. They expose and fix weaknesses, maintain system integrity, and may even help detect malware and other security breaches before they can cause severe damage.

Here’s how they do it: 

 

How Cybersecurity Consulting Benefits You

Since cybersecurity consultants often work behind the scenes, it’s common for businesses and individuals not to know what their consultant is doing. Here are some of the most common tasks a cybersecurity consultant is performing and how they help.

Now, some consultants only recommend action without taking it. It all depends on what kind of consultant you’re working with. Always check to see if your consultant will be able to implement changes and perform maintenance to keep your system safe, or if they are strictly offering advice. 

 

Staying Up To Date On Current Cyber Threats

Since there are always new viruses and new vulnerabilities in any digital system, it’s important to keep your cybersecurity measures as up-to-date as possible.

That’s part of where consultants come in. Cybersecurity consultants stay up to date on current risks and are aware of the vulnerabilities in common operating systems and data structures. That way, they can address potential threats and help push necessary updates to close any vulnerabilities. 

 

Install and Maintain Firewall Protections

In addition to maintaining awareness of the current threats, cybersecurity consultants can install firewalls and other protections to keep your data safe. Firewalls work in conjunction with the defenses in your operating system to help prevent any incoming attack from reaching your data. 

 

Password Authentication and Maintenance

A good cybersecurity consultant can also help ensure that all passwords used to access your data are secure and up to date. They can help with purging old passwords, as well as suggesting password protection upgrades to help keep your business’s information secure. 

 

Helping Meet Compliance Standards

While the United States doesn’t have any enforced cybersecurity standards, it’s still a good idea to ensure your cybersecurity measures are compliant with current industry standards. Since the EU does have cybersecurity standards for business, those are the most common benchmark for good cybersecurity practices.

A cybersecurity consultant can make sure all standards are being met and that your business consistently scores well on compliance checks.

This isn’t just a great way to make sure your information is secure; it’s also good reassurance for investors and stockholders. Meeting high cybersecurity standards is the best way to convince stockholders and customers that their information is safe with your business. 

 

Testing Vulnerabilities

Most cybersecurity experts have some idea of how to exploit cybersecurity weaknesses and how to hack into data systems. That’s important because it means that they know what hackers are looking for and what the most common vulnerabilities will be.

Testing a system’s vulnerabilities is one of the best ways to see how well protected your data is, and many cybersecurity consultants offer testing services for precisely that reason. Periodic testing is an excellent way to stay on top of any new vulnerabilities and improve the strength of your firewall and other safety measures. 

 

Maintain Email Security

One of the most essential forms of communication for many businesses is email. Unfortunately, unsecured email can also be one of the most vulnerable parts of your business’s data network (and an easy point of entry for hackers).

Cybersecurity consultants can recommend the appropriate level of encryption, as well as password and verification standards, to help keep your network safe. That way, you can email as often as you need to, without worrying about a breach. 

 

Mobile Security Planning

As more and more businesses rely on mobile devices and on-the-go communication, those devices are introducing another layer of necessary security. Most mobile devices are still relatively secure, with only a few known weaknesses and breaches to worry about. However, the relative security of mobile devices is changing and changing fast.

Getting ahead of possible security problems with a mobile device security plan is essential, and most cybersecurity consultants can help. 

 

Other Security Tasks

It’s not practical to list all the benefits of having a cybersecurity consultant, or what they can do to help ensure your business’s long-term security. Don’t be surprised if your cybersecurity consultant recommends other changes (or if you see additional benefits to the ones we’ve listed here). 

 

When Is It Time To Get A Cybersecurity Consultant?

The truth is, most people and businesses don’t know when it’s time to get a cybersecurity consultant on their side. Many businesses assume that hackers are only going to be going after the biggest companies and the most important competitors in any niche, but that isn’t true.

(Source: Mars Technology, 2019)

 

Hackers target small companies 43% of the time, according to Mars Technology. That may be because small companies tend to have less robust security systems, making them easier to target.

If you want to avoid becoming a target for hackers, you have to understand when your data might be valuable to them, and how to protect your data before hackers realize you’re a good target.

Here are some ways to tell when it’s time to hire a cybersecurity consultant. 

 

What Kind of Business Do You Run?

Businesses often assume they have to reach a certain size before hiring a cybersecurity consultant, but the truth is that the industry they work in can be just as important.

For instance, healthcare companies should always have a cybersecurity consultant because of the kinds of information they collect from patients and clients. Similarly, law enforcement agents should always have a cybersecurity consultant or expert on staff since they also handle sensitive personal information and identification.

The more sensitive the information your business collects, the more important it is to have a cybersecurity expert available to help protect that data. One common benchmark for hiring a cybersecurity expert is if your business collects clients’ or customers’ addresses, social security numbers, or other risky personal information. 

 

How Many People Access Your Data Network?

Another good way to tell if you need a cybersecurity consultant is how many people work with your data each day. The more people logging into your network, communicating on your email servers, or otherwise accessing your network, the more important it is to have a good consultant.

 

How Damaging Would A Data Breach Be?

Small businesses specifically often struggle after a data breach, whether or not their data was stolen or used maliciously. Investors and customers lose confidence in businesses after data breaches, and small businesses often struggle to raise the resources they need to recover.

The more potentially damaging a data breach would be, the more likely it is you need a cybersecurity consultant in the worst-case scenario. 

 

Do You Know What Technologies Are Safe?

Another good sign that you might need a cybersecurity consultant is not knowing what programs and technologies are safe to use and how to secure the tools you already use.

Cybersecurity consultants can be brought in for ongoing or one-time consultations to help you choose the kind of security measures that work best with your business and help you use the most secure options.

For instance, a cybersecurity consultant might recommend what email service to use for official correspondence, or help you set up a business email server to help keep your communication safe. If you collect and store client information, they can help you choose what program and security system you need for that information.

Even if you don’t work with your cybersecurity consultant long-term, these services can help keep your business safe. 

 

What To Look For In A Good Cybersecurity Consultant

Choosing a cybersecurity consultant can be difficult. You need someone who not only understands the finer points of cybersecurity, but also communicates them well and can gauge the needs of your business.

Other than just professional qualifications, here are a few things to look for in a good cybersecurity consultant. 

 

They’ve Worked In Your Industry

One good sign for any cybersecurity professional is if they’ve already had experience working in your industry. Some kinds of businesses need stricter protections, while others can use mild protection effectively.

If your cybersecurity consultant has worked in your industry before, the odds are good that they’ll know what protections you need and which are good value for the industry.

It’s also a good bet if your cybersecurity professional has worked in similar industries. For instance, healthcare needs strict protections, but a consultant that has experience working with primary care doctors can likely work well with chiropractors, hospitals, and other healthcare businesses.

 

Reviews

Business consultants of all kinds rely on testimonials about their services, so it should be relatively easy to find reviews for any cybersecurity consultants you’re considering.

 

Read several of the reviews to get an idea of where this consultant excels. Reviews might tell you things like what industries they’ve worked with, what areas of specialty they have, and how well this consultant communicates with clients.

Bad reviews can also tell you a lot about a consultant. For instance, did they recommend solutions that were outside the business’s budget? Did they recommend solutions that weren’t compliant with cybersecurity standards or exceeded standards for no reason? 

 

Do They Implement Suggestions?

Some cybersecurity consultants look over your systems, recommend improvements, and leave it to the business to implement these changes. These consultants are great if you have an established cybersecurity or IT team, since you won’t be paying the consultant for tasks your regular employees can perform.

However, suppose you don’t have your own cybersecurity team. In that case, it’s usually better to look for a full-service consultant or someone who can take your existing security measures, suggest improvements, and implement the changes after getting your approval.

You can usually tell the difference between these types of consultants by looking at the services offered on their website. 

 

What Certifications Do They Hold?

Cybersecurity consultants typically carry several certifications to prove that they are qualified to do what they are doing. Looking for these certifications is a good litmus test to ensure your consultant can handle making security improvements.

Here are a couple of the more important and most common certifications for cybersecurity professionals. 

 

CEH – Certified Ethical Hacker

This certification proves that your consultant knows how to hack and knows what weaknesses to look for. Holders of this certification often offer security testing services where they attempt to hack your system to look for vulnerabilities and make recommendations. 

 

CISM – Certified Information Systems Manager

This certification is one of the most common requirements for cybersecurity professionals. Not all cybersecurity professionals hold it, but many businesses look for this credential when they’re hiring. This certification covers information systems security, security maintenance, incident management, and other critical cybersecurity skills. 

 

CISSP – Certified Information Systems Security Professional

Issued by the ICP, this is another critical security certification that can prove your consultant has the skills to evaluate and implement a high-quality security system.

This certification is all about the design, implementation, and maintenance of top-notch cybersecurity systems. It’s an excellent qualification to look for you if you’re looking for a custom-created cybersecurity system, but not necessary for implementing basic firewalls and encryption. 

Are you ready to take the next steps in ensuring your business’s cybersecurity? Edge Networks is here to help. Get started with an IT Risk Assessment, or contact us today for a free 30 minute consultation.

Single Sign-On: A Comprehensive Guide

What Is Single Sign-On Authentication & How Does It Work?

In the world of technology, signing into various accounts has become a regular practice. Using a username and a password is the best way to protect an account online. For those who are extra cautious, there are methods of authentication that provide further protection. If you are active online, you might have heard about single sign-on authentication.

This term might be confusing for some. What, exactly, is single sign-on authentication? How does it work? Why use single sign-on? Keep on reading to garner a better understanding of this security measure. It might become very beneficial in your life to protect the identity you have online.

 

Definition of Single Sign-On Authentication

Single sign-on authentication (SSO) is a method of login that allows users to access multiple accounts at once. Rather than being subjected to several login points, they can verify their information one time and have a way to get into many spaces without too much trouble.

This service brings users back to one account. Rather than using multiple platforms, those who control the central hub can keep an eye on users much more efficiently. There are many great examples of single sign-on authentication in use on the internet today.

single sign on password

Examples of SSO

Many small platforms have used the benefits that come with SSO, but some larger companies have also decided to implement SSO into their systems.

Two of the biggest that have taken this leap include:

  • Google
  • Microsoft

Both of these companies utilize SSO for many of their platforms.

We’ll talk a little bit more about these companies so that you can gain a better understanding of what single sign-on authentication is. The chances are high that you have already incorporated it into your life.

 

Google

Google is perhaps the biggest form of single sign-on authentication that is in use today. Users are probably not even aware when this happens. It has been integrated very smoothly into the platform as a whole.

When you log in to your email, Google will grant you access to many of their services. Some of these include:

  • Google Drive
  • Google Docs
  • AdSense

A single login on one Google account will authenticate your identity to use on many of their other services.

 

google log in screen

Microsoft

Microsoft does not always use SSO, but there are instances when it does. Many who have access to the Microsoft Suite, often students or office workers, will find that they only need to log in one time to have access to their accounts on many different Microsoft platforms.

Often, you must log in to your Microsoft email account for this to work. Once you do, you can expect to be able to use:

  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Work
  • Microsoft Excel

This single entering of personal login information will allow a user to access all of these with little issue.

If the user is not using Microsoft Suite, they more often will need to log in to each application one at a time. SSO works best on Microsoft when everything is in one place, so the Suite is perfect.

Single sign-on authentication, in this case, is very convenient for students and those that use the platform for work. They can switch from program to program without wasting precious minutes remembering their login information.

 

Where Is SSO Used?

Now that you understand SSO a little bit better, you might wonder where it is most often used. Single sign-on authentication is becoming more and more popular for casual internet users. However, there are two locations where this system is used most often.

These include:

  • Schools, most often colleges and universities
  • Workspaces, often office spaces and locations that require collaboration

SSO most commonly can be seen within the systems of these places.

In both schools and workplaces, single sign-on authentication works best. This is because it reduces the time a user has to spend logging in. With a reduced time, the user might increase productivity, whether in the context of a job or a school assignment.

As the system improves, we will likely see SSO expand. It’s a great concept to reduce login time. All it needs is a little bit of perfection on the security front.

 

SSO in classroom

Benefits of Using Single Sign-On Authentication

There are many benefits of using SSO that make it worthwhile for anybody who is constantly online. It can increase cybersecurity by giving users the ability to create stronger passwords, allowing multi-factor authentication to be used, and enforcing password security. It also saves users time and reduces frustration.

 

Stronger Passwords Can Be Made

One of the best things about single sign-on authentication is that it allows stronger passwords to be made. The user does not need to make an individual password for each account. Thus, they can focus on implementing a single strong one rather than many weak ones.

A strong password:

  • Protects the user’s accounts
  • Defends private information that might be accessible with weaker passwords
  • Stops attackers from getting easy access to a platform

A great password is more likely to keep an attacker out.

Strong defenses online are becoming more and more necessary. A strong password is the most basic yet beneficial stance that you can use to protect your information. SSO allows you to focus on making it durable.

 

Multi-Factor Authentication Can Be Used

If a company wants to add a little more security, they can add multi-factor authentication to the single sign-on authentication. This service means that, along with a username and a password, a website might want to verify:

  • An email address, which has been entered previously
  • A phone number, which has been entered previously

They will send a code to these locations. After entering your username and password, you can enter this code to confirm your identity. Often the code will expire after 10-15 minutes.

Some companies might have you set up a security question ahead of time. They are often simple. Such as your mother’s maiden name. If you answer correctly, you have access to all programs and sites within the login’s domain.

 

Less Irritated Consumers

Signing in on every website you visit can be aggravating. There’s no way around it. Many users will log off if they are faced with this task too many times, especially if they have different passwords and usernames for each. No one wants to spend their day trying to remember login information.

SSO minimizes this to one login. If a user forgets their information, they only need to deal with recovering it a single time. This simplicity makes for less irritated consumers and customers that are much more satisfied.

 

Password Security Can Reinforced

When using SSO, everything goes back to one source. There is one central login point. Thus, programmers on the site can adjust password requirements for security and keep it the same for all platforms. They do not need to worry about doing this on every single program that the company has.

Reinforcing passwords might include:

  • Requiring a number in some part of the password
  • Implementing a capital letter in the word used
  • Designating a password length, often in a number of letters

All of these can serve to make a password stronger.

Maintenance of passwords is much easier. If there is a risk that needs to be dealt with, programmers have one source they can refer back to. The easier a system is to manage, the safer it will become for all who want to use it.

 

Risks of Using Single Sign-On Authentication

Of course, as with anything, some risks come with making use of SSO. It is important to understand the risks associated with this service so that you are better prepared to protect your information.

 

One Access Point for Hackers

The most apparent flaw with SSO is the single access point. This is usually a huge benefit to users, but can pose a risk if a hacker is able to gain access. Rather than dealing with multiple access points for each separate account, an attacker only needs to gain access to one to use multiple accounts at once.

Rather than taking down one account, a hacker could potentially compromise all of them at one time. Security measures are constantly being developed to prevent this from happening. However, as with every other part of cybersecurity, protecting accounts with SSO is an ongoing process, and there is a long way to go until accounts are 100% secure.

 

Less Separation Means Less Security

Accounts are not as separated in SSO as they would be if different logins were required for varying accounts. This means that if a hacker accesses the account, security might have a harder time removing them from the system. It is simpler for an invader to engrain themselves in multiple locations, rather than being limited to just one.

As with the access point flaw, measures are in the process of being developed to stop this from happening. It rarely does. However, this is a dangerous point that should be known and understood by all potential users of the single sign-on method.

 

How To Set Up the Service

If you want to set up SSO for yourself, there are a few different ways that you can go about this process. One of the most commonly used platforms is Google, so we will discuss their general steps for setting up this system.

Google suggests that a user:

  • Signs into an admin console using an administration account
  • Goes to security and clicks set up SSO
  • Adds an SSO profile to their account
  • Enters the URLs to the necessary pages

These steps will provide SSO services through a third-party identity provider.

The actions that you take will vary by the SSO provider. These are for third part Identity providers on Google. Ensure that you research your provider so that you are familiar with their setup process.

SSO lock screen

Differences Between SAML and OAuth

SAML and OAuth are two very different things. If you are in the space of internet verification and authorization, you have likely heard of these items. It can be tricky to understand what sets them apart, as both of them make use of a single sign-on.

SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language) stands out because:

  • It is an authentication process rather than an authorization process
  • It is tailored to a user rather than the specific program
  • It allows access to a suite of sites and application

These are all user-tailored, designed to allow the individual to access their sites quickly and easily.

OAuth (Open Authorization), on the other hand:

  • Is an authorization process for the user when navigating a group of sites or pages
  • Is tailored to an application rather than the individual
  • Authorizes between platforms while protecting user information

Essentially, SAML lets a user in, and OAuth ensures they are who they say they are. Despite their differences, both of them work together to ensure a safe online experience. Though these terms are not interchangeable, they are related to the same type of system. The differences are vital to understanding.

 

username password

Conclusion

Technology is increasingly becoming a regular part of our everyday lives. It seems that nowadays everything requires some kind of account. Keeping track of all that information can be difficult. It can also seem as though your security measures are very vulnerable in a universe where invaders can access your whole online self in seconds.

Single sign-on authentication makes things both easier and safer for users on the internet. The user can feel safe browsing online, knowing that their credentials have been verified and double-checked by the SSO system the site runs on. This form of authorization provides a centralized system in a world that is becoming increasingly chaotic.

Are you concerned about the cybersecurity of your business? Edge Networks can help! Take our free, self-guided IT Security Risk Assessment, or contact us today for a free, 30-minute consultation. 

Why Data Hygiene Matters

Cleaning Up with Data Hygiene

Data hygiene often gets lost in the shuffle. After all, most databases have to deal with both new and old data, making it easy to forget about data maintenance and hygiene.

Of course, if you leave data hygiene for too long, your records may be difficult to access, hard to interpret, and filled with unnecessary and irrelevant information. Maintaining good data hygiene is critical for all kinds of data and digital records and makes it easier to use data effectively. 

 

What is Data Hygiene and Why is it Important?

There will always be more data, so good data hygiene can mean a wide range of things depending on why you’re cleaning your data. A large part of data hygiene can indeed be deleting unneeded or unwanted data, but there’s a lot more to it than that.

Data hygiene can also mean organizing your data so that it’s easy to find what you need in the different documents, files, and folders. Organizing by date, contents, and other easy markers can be an excellent way to maintain data hygiene, but every person and business may need a slightly different technique. 

It’s also important to consider the integrity of your files. Digital information degrades over time, so you need to access your data regularly enough to make sure it’s not showing signs of corruption or other alterations.

Using data maintenance tools is also a critical part of data hygiene. When issues and changes occur at a code level, built-in tools are a fantastic way to help repair the information so that it doesn’t degrade any further.

The combination of all of these tasks is critical to good data hygiene. Data hygiene can be a time-consuming task, but it’s every bit as important as maintaining up-to-date records and making sure important data is preserved in the first place. 

 

Who Needs To Practice Data Hygiene?

It might seem like data hygiene is only important for large digital projects, corporations, libraries, and archives, but the truth is that almost everyone who keeps information stored digitally should practice good data hygiene.

That means that almost anyone who uses a computer, whether at home or for work, should know the basics of data hygiene and how often to go in for data clean up and maintenance. 

 

Data Hygiene for Individuals and Homes

Data hygiene for individuals and homes usually means keeping important tax documents on record and organized, organizing family photos, and maintaining any digital copies of important documents like medical records.

Keeping these documents organized, clearly labeled, and checking for signs of possible corruption is essential for everyone. It’s also a good idea to make sure your data is backed up so that you have multiple copies and delete unnecessary data so that it doesn’t make it harder to find the information you need when you need it.

It’s also important to make sure all your family members have copies of their important data as part of data hygiene. That way, you each have the records you need without needing to go to a record-keeping family member to get it.

Individuals and families should perform data hygiene about once a year, at minimum. The more data you have, or the more complicated your data is, the more often you should do data maintenance and check your data hygiene. 

 

Small And Medium Businesses

Businesses typically have a lot more data than individuals or families, which means that data hygiene is even more important and that you’ll probably want to be a little more thorough when it comes to taking care of your data.

Just like individuals and families, the first thing you want to check on is whether your company’s data is well organized and easy to navigate. Create and maintain additional folders as needed. It’s common for businesses to need new folders every month (maybe even every day or every week), depending on how much information you’re tracking.

Businesses should keep track of tax records, business expenses, customer information, receipts, sales figures and profits, employee records, and other critical information. That means you have a lot of paper, documents, and spreadsheets to manage.

Ideally, data hygiene should be a regular part of every data maintenance routine. However, small and medium businesses should check file integrity and data organization a few times a year at a minimum. That way, you have the opportunity to arrange information into months, financial quarters, and years for easier access later. 

 

Large Businesses and Corporations

Large businesses and corporations should have a team of data managers and specialists who take care of data hygiene as a regular part of their maintenance routine. This is critical because managing data well and efficiently requires good data hygiene at scale. Data hygiene is also essential at this point because individual pieces of data are more likely to degrade and corrupt when they are being stored with a large amount of data, especially if that data is accessed, changed, saved, or rearranged often.

At the corporate level, data hygiene also works to preserve space on your servers. Too much data can be just as much of a problem as too little, and good data hygiene can keep your servers in better shape and gives you more information storage over time.

Maintaining good data organization, cleaning unneeded data regularly, and maintaining the integrity of individual files and spreadsheets will all help your business run more smoothly and efficiently.

For large businesses and corporations, data hygiene should happen regularly. Some files will need to be organized, purged, and restored daily, which is why having a data management team in addition to your data analysts and other specialists is essential for larger businesses. 

 

Data Hygiene Tips, Tricks, and How-To’s

The 3 C’s Of Data Hygiene

Clean, current, and compliant. These are the three C’s of data maintenance and data hygiene. High-quality data isn’t just collected and left alone, and it needs to be more than simply accurate.

 

 

1. Clean: Clean data means that there isn’t extra data included for no reason. Cleaning data can also refer to eliminating errors and coding problems, as well as replacing corrupted files with clean copies for better preservation.

2. Current: Current means that data should be as up-to-date and recent as possible. In an individual sense, current data might mean updating your medical records after every doctor’s visit.

For scientists, current means using the most recently collected data and ensuring a more recent study or experiment hasn’t replaced it.

For businesses, current means having the latest figures on business performance, profits, and needs as soon as they are available. Depending on your business, ‘current’ data might be weeks or months old, or only minutes.

3. Compliant: Compliant has different meanings in a different context, but the most common is the data compliance requirements for businesses. Businesses that operate in the EU are required to meet a specific set of data standards, called the General Data Protection and Regulation, or GDPR. It’s a good idea for all businesses to be compliant with this standard, but for businesses that are required to maintain certain data standards, there are actually fines and other consequences for failing to maintain your data properly.

There isn’t currently a GDPR equivalent in the United States, but it’s likely that there will be soon. That’s because one of the key reasons for the GDPR is that maintaining compliance also greatly increases your business’s cybersecurity.

Given the recent rise in cyber-attacks, particularly the increase in ransomware attacks against business data networks, data compliance is a critical part of good business practice and good data hygiene. 

 

Keeping Data Organized

Implementing a data organization system isn’t all that difficult, but maintaining that organization can be. Keeping data organized starts with making sure you (and anyone else accessing the data or adding new data) know how to properly save and organize files within the system.

You should also perform regular data audits to make sure the organization is being maintained. You may also need to reorganize or reclassify certain documents and files within your system from time to time.

An active organization system, one that can change to reflect the new needs of your data, will typically be more successful than a static organization system. However, active organization requires more maintenance, and it’s more likely that contributing individuals will make mistakes after changes. 

 

How To Purge Unneeded Data

Purging data is an important part of maintaining the integrity of your data and making it easier to access. Here are some questions to ask yourself when you’re considering whether or not to keep the data you’ve collected.

  • Is this information still relevant/helpful?
  • Does this information provide necessary context?
  • Is this information still correct?
  • Are there technical errors, typos, or other problems that should be fixed in a new file?
  • Is there another use for this information?
  • Has this information been recorded elsewhere?
  • If this information is necessary, is this the best format to present it?

Answering these questions will tell you if the data you’re working with complies with the 3 C’s of data and will also help you decide if the data should be purged, replicated, or cleaned up. 

 

Eliminate Unnecessary Duplicates

Data duplication is the plague of keeping your data organized, easy to access, current, and compliant. It’s not so much that the duplication itself damages your data integrity and more than the extra clutter of duplicate data makes it more difficult to navigate through your records and find what you need.

Whenever possible, eliminate duplicates.

That means considering whether data is preserved in other files and where data is best preserved in the case of duplication. Can files with similar information be merged without losing context and critical information?

Simply deleting a duplicate file isn’t always what avoiding data duplication is about, but it’s certainly nice when it’s that simple. 

 

Use Software Tools to Your Advantage

Spreadsheets, documents, graphics, and basically all digital files can degrade over time, no matter how well maintained your servers are. Software tools included in Excel and many other data-compiling tools help you eliminate unnecessary code and protect the digital integrity of your data.

Knowing what these tools are, and making a point of going in and performing maintenance on any critical data you have, is important for avoiding file degradation and eventual file loss. 

 

Ensure Proper Formatting Within Files

Formatting can be tedious work, but it’s important for keeping your data accessible and easy to interpret. Checking data formatting, updating as needed, and correcting minor errors within the files helps keep your data clean and easy to work with. 

 

Verify Data Correctness

One of the downsides of digital degradation is that sometimes information can be changed unintentionally within a file. When performing data maintenance, it’s important to check and make sure there aren’t any obvious changes and check facts and figures to make sure the data is still accurate.

Changes in available data, new standards, or changes in company procedure may all make stored data incorrect. In these cases, it’s best to update the content as quickly as possible. 

 

Why Data Hygiene Matters To You

Data hygiene might seem like a lot of effort to make sure everything stays accessible. After all, a few minutes of searching is all most people need to find the information they need on a computer or server, especially if they understand the organization of the server.

Good data hygiene saves time and makes your data and records easier to access, but it also does a lot more than that for your data.

Good data hygiene preserves the integrity of your files. If you’ve ever gone to open a critical document only to discover it’d been corrupted and is now a blank page, you know how important this is.

Keeping your data compliant with modern data preservation and maintenance standards also helps keep your data safe from cyberattacks and bad actors.

Data hygiene may even be helpful if you or your company are ever audited or become part of an investigation. Clear, easy to find, and easy to interpret data will help the investigation go faster so you, and your business, can get back to normal that much sooner. 

Unsure where to start? Edge Networks is here to help. Contact our IT department to learn more about Data Hygiene and any other IT or Cybersecurity needs.

10 Ways Data Loss Prevention Benefits Your Company

 This article was originally published September 2021. Updated April 2024.

What is Data Loss Prevention (DLP)?

Data loss prevention (DLP) is a broad term for a set of software, procedures, and other tools used to protect sensitive data. DLP software is used to identify confidential data and ensure that it’s properly encrypted and transmitted. “Confidential data” can vary depending on your business. It can include sensitive customer financial data, personal information covered by GDPR, or health information covered by HIPAA, among others. This data must be protected not just in storage but also when it’s being transferred or used. Because of the broad scope of this kind of data, DLP software usually relies on multiple components, or a complete suite, to detect breaches. Attempted breaches, or suspected attempts, can be escalated to human personnel for further review.

A basic example of DLP in action is the password policy for your mobile banking app. Passwords are required to have a certain number of characters, typically at least eight. They’re also usually required to contain some combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. If you try to create a shorter password or one without the required combination of characters, the app won’t let you. From the developer’s perspective, it’s automatically redirecting user behavior to ensure compliance with security best practices.

Of course, DLP in the real world is often more complex than simple password requirements. If you’re handling valuable customer information, trade secrets, or other sensitive data, you’re potentially exposed to infiltration from organized criminals, foreign governments, and even corporate rivals from countries that don’t mind corporate espionage. You’re also exposed to risk from human error, like the Royal Navy officer who left his laptop on a train, along with personal data on over 600,000 British sailors.

The potential costs are not trivial. The 2017 Equifax data breach cost the company almost $2 billion , an expense that would send most companies into bankruptcy. A 2013 breach of Yahoo’s systems exposed the personal information associated with more than 3 billion accounts . We’re about to discuss how data loss prevention helps prevent this kind of disaster.

Data Loss Prevention Basics

DLP relies on an array of tools to prevent data from getting lost or hacked. An intrusion detection system, for example, can be used to protect specific sensitive files. A firewall can be used to prevent access to a system or entire network from unauthorized users. Antivirus software can patrol systems within the network to look for suspicious files and programs. And none of these tools are fully effective without the right policies in place surrounding their use.
For this reason, many companies are now employing a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) to oversee DLP and data security practices in general. The CISO is a C-suite executive who reports directly to the CEO, which underscores just how seriously companies are taking their data security.

How Does Data Get Lost?

So, how does data loss happen? There are several common causes, but here are the three most common:

Insider attacks

These attacks come from inside the network. They occur when someone inside the organization “goes rogue” or, more frequently, when an attacker gains access to an account.

Outside attacks

Attackers may use phishing and other techniques to install malware on network computers. Once inside, the malware looks for sensitive data and transmits it back to the attackers. Learn more about phishing by reading the post below.

 

Accidental leaks/human error

People make mistakes, including competent, well-salaried people responsible for sensitive data. For example, an HR executive might mass-email a spreadsheet with unredacted employee Social Security numbers instead of the redacted version.

Essential Components of Data Loss Prevention

To be effective, a DLP system needs to be able to perform several tasks. These include:

1. Securing data in storage

Ensuring that stored data is encrypted, and that encrypted storage is connected to the network in an approved fashion.

2. Securing data in transit

Monitoring secure data as it travels through the network to ensure it’s only accessible to approved users.

3. Securing data in use

Monitoring sensitive files to detect and prevent unauthorized use. For example, preventing sensitive files from being copied to removable storage.

4. Securing network connections

By monitoring network connections and endpoints, DLP software ensures that data is not inadvertently transferred off the network or onto an unauthorized machine.

5. Data identification

DLP software needs to determine what data is sensitive and what is not. This can be done manually, by a set of user-defined rules, or via an algorithm or AI.

6. Data monitoring

DLP systems monitor network traffic to look for unusual or suspicious connections. These connections and data transfers might indicate a breach, and the data is escalated to a human employee for follow-up.

10 Ways Data Loss Prevention Benefits Your Company

 So, how does data loss prevention benefit your company? Here are ten ways.

1. You Gain Real-Time Visibility Into Your Data

DLP technology allows your IT department to view the flow of your data in real-time. This might sound expensive at first, but consider the alternative. Without the right software in place, your security staff would need to constantly search manually for sensitive files and move or encrypt them as needed. This simply isn’t practical at any kind of scale. At some point, your information security needs to be as automated as any other aspect of your business. By viewing your data flow in real-time, you not only build a more secure network, but your IT staff can even use this information to identify inefficiencies that are costing you money.

2. Your Organization Needs a Plan For Internal Threats

We’d all like to think that the main threat to our data is external. The bad actors are “out there,” somewhere in the wild, and as long as you’ve got a good firewall, you’re safe, right?
If only that were the case. According to a 2021 Verizon report, over 20% of data breaches result from insider attacks. In most cases, the motive is financial; someone is selling customer information or trade secrets on the black market. In far fewer cases, the motive is personal; someone is angry because they didn’t get promoted, were denied a raise, etc.
Regardless of motive, insider attacks are among the hardest to detect because the activity often looks legitimate. Someone is accessing sensitive data using the proper credentials, often from a company computer. Good DLP practices can help to limit this threat. For instance, you can prevent files from being transferred to thumb drives or lock out a computer instantly when suspicious behavior is detected.

3. Breaches Cost More the Longer They Go Undetected

Data breaches can spell doom for any company that experiences one. Whether due to fines, the loss of customers, or reputational damage, 60 percent of companies go out of business within six months of a data breach being identified. But breaches cost more the longer they go on. If detected early, your business may only suffer minor damage. For example, when a Boston hospital employee lost a laptop with information on nearly 2,000 patients, they promptly reported the breach. The result was a $40,000 fine and some bad publicity. This is not a perfect result but is hardly backbreaking for a major city hospital.
Unfortunately, not all breaches are detected this quickly. According to a 2019 Ponemon Institute report, the average data breach remains unidentified for 206 days. At that point, the average cost is twice the cost of a breach that’s detected immediately. This only makes sense. The longer a breach is unidentified, the more opportunities hackers will have to abuse that data or harvest more. For example, if your bank loses 500 customers’ account numbers, you can notify those customers and issue them with new accounts. But if you lose 5,000 account numbers over the course of six months, and many of those numbers have been used by fraudsters, you could be liable for millions of dollars in losses.

4. DLP Helps You Stay Compliant

A few years ago, data security was a lightly regulated area. As long as you were comfortable with your level of exposure, you could be as strict or as relaxed as you want to be. But new regulations like the European GDPR and the New York Cybersecurity Requirements are putting best practices into writing – and enacting penalties for organizations who fail to comply.
With more and more data being stored in a digital form, it’s become impossible for companies to comply with the use of human labor alone. There are simply too many files being written and accessed too frequently for even the largest IT departments to manage the task. DLP automates the compliance process, so you don’t have to worry about hefty fines.

5. DLP Reduces Your Exposure From Third-Party Devices

Allowing employees to use their own devices for work can be a great cost-saving measure. In fact, it’s so popular that it even has a name: bring your own device, or BYOD. But BYOD policies aren’t without their risks. If malware is installed on an employee’s device when it’s not on the network, that malware can infect your organization the next time the employee comes to work. DLP systems have special protocols in place to protect you from these viruses.
There’s a newer, similar threat that companies need to be aware of. Internet of Things, or IoT devices, are often not as secure as the other devices on your network. In many cases, hackers can use an IoT device, like a WiFi speaker, as a back door to gain access to your data. DLP software keeps this from happening.

6. You Can Monitor Your Employees

We’ve already touched on the risk of insider threats to your data security. In addition to preventing suspicious activity, DLP software allows you to monitor it as well. The software can generate reports of unusual behavior and send those to your security team. In most cases, it turns out the behavior was well-intentioned; for example, an employee emails a document to their personal account so they can work through the weekend. That might be cause for retraining, but it’s something any good employee might do. Alternatively, it might turn out that the employee was trying to steal data. In that case, your team can gather evidence so the employee can be terminated.

7. You’ll Be Protected from Cloud-Based Threats

Nowadays, we rely on cloud-based applications more than ever. Whether it’s holding meetings via Zoom or sharing files on Dropbox or Google Docs, much of that data isn’t actually being stored on company servers which helps cut costs. Still, it’s counterproductive when unencrypted sensitive data gets out into the wild. DLP software can be integrated with cloud-based applications to deal with confidential data. Sensitive information can be redacted; the files can be encrypted or blocked from cloud transfer altogether.

8. You Can Monitor Your Endpoints

The main risk for any network is at its endpoints – anywhere data is transferred between the company network and the broader web. Inside your network, you control your data. Once that data leaves the network, it’s “in the wild,” and you can no longer control what happens with it. DLP software monitors your endpoints, including physical endpoints like workstations and virtual endpoints like outgoing and incoming email. This stops many forms of harmful activity before they even start.

9. You’ll Spend Less on IT

There’s an old saying that you need to spend money to make money. DLP systems can be pricey to purchase and implement. But once in place, your company will save massive amounts of manpower. This means less money spent on IT staff and more money for profitable parts of your business.

10. Your Customers Will Trust You More

By taking proactive steps to protect your data, you aren’t just shielding yourself from fines and liability; you’re also doing your job as a company to keep your customers’ information safe. This gives you something far more valuable than any short-term expense: people’s trust. No matter what business you’re in, trust is the most important currency of all.

Get Started on Your Data Loss Prevention Journey

Backup and disaster recovery is just one of the services we offer at Edge Networks. If you’re interested in learning more, contact us today . We take the time to understand your unique business needs and customize solutions to meet them, and we deliver technologies that boost productivity, performance, and business growth

Everything You Need To Know About PCI Compliance For Your Business

PCI Compliance Doesn’t Need to Be an Impossible Task

For the longest time, businesses on the internet were susceptible to credit card fraud. Credit card handlers and companies alike were unsure of how to protect data stored on the internet. That’s where PCI compliance comes in. Founded in 2006, the PCI Security Standards Council sets restrictions for how business online is done. PCI compliance keeps companies, cardholders, and banks safe. Here, we’ll discuss all things PCI Compliance for you and your business. From the required standards to questionnaires, you should have a solid grasp of all that makes up this safety standard by the time you finish reading. Understanding PCI compliance does not need to be an impossible task.

 

What is PCI Compliance?

It was determined a long time ago that credit cards on the internet needed some form of protection. Without protection, these methods of payment are susceptible to fraud and theft. PCI compliance exists to ensure that a platform is safe for customers to plug in their private information. It assures your clients and customers that their data is safe with your business.

To be considered PCI compliant, your business site must pass a set of standards. These standards include:

  • Shopping cart page regulations where credit cards are used
  • Checks on any card readers that are attached to your computer
  • Username/password systems that protect a client’s information

 

Do You Need PCI Compliance?

The short answer is yes. For any site that accepts payment, PCI compliance is a must. Without it, fees and risks rise exponentially. If your site or business takes credit cards on the internet, you need to go through the process for the sake of your future. It is of the utmost importance, and it is also a legal requirement for your safety.

There are a few different levels of PCI compliance. A business must first determine what level they fall under before proceeding. From there, they can go about securing their network. We will discuss this a little later in the article.

 

Common Acronyms Used in PCI Compliance

When you look into the process of becoming PCI compliant, you’ll see that there are a bunch of different steps that you need to complete. Three items are labeled with acronyms that might be confusing at first glance. You will need to know all of them so that you know what to expect when you see them.

The three items you will need to know the differences between include:

  1. PCI DSS Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ)
  2. Attestation of Compliance (AoC)
  3. Report on Compliance (RoC)

We’ll go over each of these so that you know what they are and when they come into play. Each has a part in ensuring that your method of accepting payment is secure for your clients. They are all critical to your business.

 

1. PCI DSS Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ)

This item is a form that will help you determine which compliance regulations apply to your organization. There are nine different versions of the document, and they all depend on how your business processes, handles, and stores the information that cardholders provide.

The nine types include:

  • SAQ A
  • SAQ A-EP
  • SAQ B
  • SAQ B-IP
  • SAQ C-VT
  • SAQ C
  • SAQ P2PE-HW
  • SAQ D for Merchants
  • SAQ D for Service Providers

You will need to determine which is best for you to use based on how you handle business. Having this form is a crucial part of becoming PCI compliant. It will keep you from taking unnecessary measures for your business as you go about this process.

 

2. Attestation of Compliance (AoC)

The Attestation of Compliance is an action completed by a QSA, otherwise known as a Qualified Security Assessor. They will create documented evidence that informs the council that your business upholds solid security practices. They will ensure that you have completed your SAQ and meet all the required standards.

There are a few different versions of the AoC, just as with the SAQ. You’ll need to pick the one that corresponds with the SAQ you filled out based on your business. That way, you can get a proper attestation completed.

 

3. Report on Compliance (RoC)

The RoC, or Report on Compliance, is a report on everything a business does to ensure the best protection for cardholders. Another Qualified Security Assessor will examine and perform an audit of your controls. They will also summarize and document their findings, which turn into this final report. 

The RoC reports on items such as:

  • The security posture
  • The overall environment
  • The systems in use
  • The methods utilized to protect data

This report is necessary because it will allow your clients to understand what your security is. They will know if their card information is safe on your site. They will also know if there are any risks they will be taking in providing you with personal information. This report is one of the final steps when you are determining if you are compliant or not.

 

How Do You Become PCI Compliant?

There are six steps that you must take on to become PCI compliant. By following each of them carefully, you can ensure that your site is safe and protected. This process varies depending on the size of your business and how many transactions occur on your site. Different standards apply to varying organizations.

The six key steps include:

  1. Determining your PCI level
  2. Acknowledging potential consequences for failing to be PCI Compliant
  3. Completing a Self-Compliance Questionnaire
  4. Creating a secure network
  5. Filling out an Attestation of Compliance
  6. File paperwork

We will go over each of these carefully so that you can understand the process. It probably seems complicated, but it’s not. With careful reading, you will be able to make your site PCI compliant in no time at all.

 

1. Determining Your PCI Level

The first step when making your business PCI compliant is to determine what PCI level you are. There are four of them, all based on a few different factors.

The PCI Levels include:

  • LevelOne: This applies to you if your business processes over six million transactions annually, no matter what channel is being used.
  • LevelTwo: This applies to you if your business processes between one million and six million transactions annually, Level Three: This applies to you if your business processes 20,000 to one million eCommerce transactions annually.
  • LevelFour: This applies to you if your business processes less than 20,000 eCommerce transactions annually, or less than one million no matter what channel is used.

Based on the transactions that your business makes, you can decide what your PCI level is. This label will assist you in determining what standards you will need to use to make your business PCI compliant.

 

2. Note Consequences

Any store or business that stores credit card information is required to be PCI compliant. Failing to do so can result in fees, fines, and even larger consequences down the road. You’re putting your business and customers at risk by avoiding the process.

Some of the events that could occur as a result of failing to become PCI compliant include:

  • Loss of business reputation
  • Credit card breaches
  • Lawsuits
  • Fees and fines

You should note the potential consequences for your particular PCI level. You should be prepared to face them if you fail to make your business PCI compliant.

 

3. Complete a PCI RSS Self-Assessment Questionnaire

Next, you will need to fill out a Self-Assessment Questionnaire. These are the forms we discussed above. You will fill out the one that corresponds to your business and the online transactions that occur within your fiscal year.

The form is as simple as they come. It goes over each of the PCI Data Security Standard Requirements, to which you will answer yes or no in response. A yes means that your company security follows that standard. A no means that you may have some gaps that you need to address.

The PCI RSS Self-Assessment Questionnaire will help you figure out what you need to tackle before auditing your PCI compliance. You should be able to answer yes to every question if you are fully functional in protecting your clients’ cards.

 

4.  Create a Secure Network

Once you know what areas your security is lacking, you can address them. You should adhere to the twelve guidelines that fit your business. If the changes are simple, you can do them yourself. If you’re not sure how to address them, you can seek outside help to make the alterations.

Some fixes made at this point could include:

  • Adding a firewall to protect data
  • Restricting access to cardholder data
  • Authenticating access to the system
  • Creating a policy for personnel to follow for security

Once you have addressed each of your security problems, you will be ready to move on to the final steps of becoming PCI compliant. Make sure you have covered all of your bases before proceeding.

 

5. Fill Out an Attestation of Compliance

Once you feel that you’re ready, you can fill out an Attestation of Compliance. This decision means that you are positive that your business fits with all of the required guidelines. A Qualified Security Assessor will come and scope out the situation, filing a report in the process.

When they are done, they will have completed a Report on Compliance. This report will inform the council whether or not you have adhered to the guidelines. If you succeed with filing your attestation, you are ready to move on to the final step.

 

6. File Paperwork

The final step in becoming PCI compliant is to fill out paperwork. You will need to do this with banks, credit card companies, and every other company you may be working with. Some papers that you might need to submit:

  • The SAQ
  • The AoC
  • An external vulnerability scan

Once the paperwork goes through, you should be good to go. Your business can proudly declare that it is safe for cardholders to access their information. If you need help during the process, there are companies out there that can assist you. Ask for help if you are stuck. It’s better to get help than to fall short of becoming PCI compliant.

 

How to Become Compliant on Various Platforms

Many platforms can be used to collect credit card information. On most of them, you will need to become PCI compliant for the safety of your business and clients.

We will discuss two popular platforms that you may need to become PCI compliant on. If you run any form of credit card transactions through these, you will need to go through the PCI compliance process.

PCI Compliance on Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams is a platform that is often used in the workspace. If you capture or record credit card information at any time in this space, you will need to make your platform PCI compliant. If you are using calls to contact your customers, you should use an add-on agency to ensure that the calls are private.

To become PCI compliant, you can follow the same process as stated above. Your situation will only apply to phone calls. The security efforts you make will be based on making sure that every call you make is as private as possible.

 

PCI Compliance on WordPress

WordPress is a website maker that many use for their businesses. This means that goods and services are often purchased through this online format. While the internet is a great place for an up-and-coming business, it can be dangerous. Anyone taking credit card payments on WordPress should take action to make their site PCI compliant.

To make your WordPress site fit this standard, you will need to:

  • Find your merchant level
  • Fill out the SAQ
  • Figure out necessary security patches
  • Use proper plugins and tools to take in the information
  • Fill out the appropriate paperwork

Once you are PCI compliant on WordPress, your customers can feel safe giving you their information. This completion can help a small business get on its feet much faster.

Eventually, you will understand the security measures like the back of your hand. PCI compliance might seem annoying, but it is a great item that protects you, your customers, and even the banks from falling prey to fraud online.

 

The Path to PCI Compliance

This is just one of the most important regulations you may come across in your organization. It’s a good idea to examine your compliance procedures at least once a year, and more frequently if the regulations change.

We recommend consulting with legal counsel if your organization lacks in-house staff with the detailed understanding required to assure compliance.

You should contact a skilled compliance and technology partner, such asEdge Networks, to help you with the technical and operational parts of your compliance journey. Your investment will begin to pay for itself immediately, and remember, you can’t put a price on your peace of mind. Contact us today for a free 30 minute consultation.

3 Ways Software Updates Can Increase Cybersecurity

A Simple Step in Cyber-Attack Prevention

Cybersecurity is often a complex undertaking, requiring high technical knowledge, education, and skills to fully understand. At the same time, some of its most crucial aspects are remarkably straightforward and easy to implement. Perhaps the most relevant example of this seemingly contradictory concept is software updates.

Updating your software is simple, often requiring nothing more than clicking a button or inputting a password. It’s so straightforward that it’s easy to overlook as a security measure, and many organizations do. However, these software updates play a critical role in reliable cyber-attack prevention. Here are a few ways how.

 

1. Address Old Vulnerabilities

Given how complicated software development can be, programs, platforms, and operating systems will almost certainly contain minor flaws. Because of this, developers continue to analyze their products after launch, listen to user feedback, and release updates. If these updates are not installed, there is nothing stopping the software from retaining its original vulnerabilities.

 

laptop and a software update reminder post it

 

In December 2020 and January 2021, dozens of organizations and government agencies experienced a data breach from failing to update an outdated software program. The program, Accellion FTA, was more than 20 years old and nearing the end of its life. Had these companies kept up with updates or upgraded to newer software, they wouldn’t have fallen victim to these attacks.

 

2. Stay Safe From Emerging Threats

Just as software updates address old risks, new threats are emerging every day that they also must defend against. There are more than 1 billion pieces of malware on the internet today, with more appearing regularly. Software developers must frequently release new patches as they learn how to address new attack methods.

Cybercrime is a dynamic field, with criminals continually coming up with new ways to infiltrate systems. Consequently, cybersecurity must also be a continuous effort, hence the importance of software updates. If your system isn’t up-to-date, its built-in defenses may be insufficient against new attack strategies.

 

malware graphic

3. Introduce Helpful New Features

In addition to patching new and old security vulnerabilities, software updates can provide new features that further bolster security. These aren’t always directly related to safety but can indirectly minimize potential problems through quality-of-life improvements. For example, an update could boost compatibility with other programs, eliminating disruptions and outages that could leave either program vulnerable. 

If your software runs more smoothly, it will be less distracting to employees. As a result, employees (especially ones who have undergone Security Awareness Training) will be more likely to spot anything out of the ordinary, improving the company’s overall cyber vigilance. 

 

Best Practices for Updates

Even if you understand the importance of updating software, how best to approach it may not be immediately evident. The most crucial path to consider is enabling automatic overhauls. Automatically updated software will ensure you always have the latest version, even if you forget to look for or install new patches.

You should also remember to update your hardware along with your software. Unforeseen circumstances can impact the supply chain and make new hardware scarce or even unavailable. Upgrading early can help you avoid using potentially vulnerable legacy equipment while better alternatives are accessible.

Since updates often require your device to be unavailable for a short time, it may be best to update outside work hours. If you choose to go that route, set timers for your off period to remind you to check for or install updates. That way, you won’t forget to install new patches, and doing so won’t interfere with your job.

checking for updates graphic

Software Updates Are a Crucial Part of Cyber-attack Prevention

Since cyberattacks can be so complex, it’s easy to forget about the more straightforward aspects of cybersecurity. While they may not seem particularly significant at first, software updates are one of the most important steps in developing robust security. Taking the few minutes necessary to update your software will keep you safe from many threats.

Software updates are just one of the many facets of keeping your company safe from cyber-attacks. To learn more about the health of your business’s cybersecurity, take our free, self-guided IT security risk assessment today, or contact us for a free 30 minute consultation.

 

Guest Writer: Devin Partida

Devin Partida is a data center and networks writer whose work has been featured on AT&T’s cybersecurity blog, Yahoo! and other notable publications. To read more from Devin, please visitReHack.com, where she is the Editor-in-Chief.