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Author: ARRC Technology

Quiz Time: How Protected Is Your Business against the Threat of Phishing?

Posted on by ARRC Technology

In the last three weeks, we have been discussing phishing attacks. We have talked about what they are, the different forms they take, the telltale signs of an impending attack, and specific steps you can take to protect your business. Given everything you now know, you should be able to tell if your employees can protect your business.

Having the right information is very important indeed. But often, the level of what you know has nothing to do with how you will react when hypothetical situations become reality. Take your employees, for instance. Let’s say you have trained them repeatedly on how to handle phishing attacks. If you want to find out if they can apply what they have learned, the simplest thing to do would be to test them and have them answer the following questions.

A Brief Quiz on Phishing

The following are some statements that have to do with phishing. Consider each one carefully and identify whether the statement is TRUE or FALSE.

  1. If you feel that you have been a victim of phishing, it is best to keep it to yourself.
  2. Incredible prize offers and deals that appear to be too good to be true are likely to be scams.
  3. Almost 88% of data breaches result from human error.
  4. Cybercriminals collect about $1.5 billion through phishing annually.
  5. Spam messages full of grammar and typo errors have consistently made good business sense for scammers.
  6. Sending millions of emails is an expensive task.
  7. You can protect yourself from phishing by validating emails before reacting to them.
  8. In managing your company’s social media accounts, accepting friend requests from anyone will help you generate more business leads.

Quiz Answers

  1. False

It’s quite surprising to know that a lot of employees feel embarrassed if they feel they have been phished. They probably think that it is their fault and that someone might blame them for exposing the rest of the company to online threats. It is necessary to report any phishing threat to your supervisor and the IT department so that they can take measures to remedy the situation and minimize further risk.

  1. True

Greed is one of the most effective ways to lure people into making poor decisions. If you get an email or text message saying you won something, think twice before clicking the link to claim the prize.

  1. True

It’s alarming to know that this number is increasing every year. The good news is that we can easily prevent these errors with sufficient employee training and education on phishing attacks and other online threats.

  1. False

Unfortunately, the number is even bigger. Phishing scams collect approximately $1.5 trillion dollars every year!

  1. True

Strangely, the poorly written emails that hackers send, which are riddled with all kinds of errors, have worked very well for them for many years.

  1. False

Online criminals can afford to send out email blasts to millions of recipients because it is very cheap for them to do so, costing just a few dollars for the entire batch.

  1. True

Before opening each email, you need to check the email address of the sender. If it’s someone you don’t know or if the domain looks suspicious, it’s best to just ignore the email.

  1. False

It’s tempting to accept friend requests from anyone because the more followers your company has, the better it is for marketing, right? Not necessarily, especially with the rampant online attacks that are going on these days. You should only accept requests from users validated by someone from within your company.

Evaluating the Results

After gathering your employees’ responses to the quiz, you will have a better picture of how they would react in the event of an attack. If they got a perfect score, then your business is in good hands! If the score is not so good, it simply means there is a need for more intensive training, and that is something we can help you with.

We conduct full-scale employee training to protect businesses like yours from phishing and other kinds of online threats. Start your new Employee Training today, and have everyone in your office watch our Free Cybersecurity Webinar.

If you feel you need to boost your defenses, give us a call. We will schedule a free consultation right away to discuss what we can do for your company.

Protect Your Business from Phishing Attacks

Posted on by ARRC Technology

Phishing is a severe issue that is becoming worse. Hackers continue to improve their ways even as IT professionals work to develop more effective defenses against online attacks. What should a business owner do? Is it possible to defend your company against these increasingly damaging phishing attacks? Thankfully, there is, and that is what we will discuss today.

It is crucial to have a current security system in place to protect your data and apps. You require a solid firewall, up-to-date antivirus software, a thorough disaster recovery plan, and other security measures. More than this, you can take advantage of the many other highly efficient methods for safeguarding your company from phishing attempts, such as the ones listed below.

Password Policy

A password protects your sensitive data from the spying eyes of hackers. Passwords must be unique and challenging to break. When a user needs to create a new password, impose some restrictions. And change the passwords frequently to remain safe.

It’s best to create secure passwords randomly using a mix of capital and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. The ones that use the user’s genuine name, birthday, or other publicly available information that can be simple for anyone to figure out are the worst.

Consistent Staff Training

The secret to your data’s security rests in the hands of your staff. Hackers use phishing emails and other communication channels to find a way into your business. A small error could have serious repercussions, including data loss and disruption of corporate operations. If your company regularly trains personnel in cybersecurity best practices, you have an improved chance of preventing such incidents. You can evaluate their understanding of what they learned by having them complete this Employee Readiness Check after each training session.

Device Security on Mobile

Online hazards have increased as remote employment has grown in popularity. Employees put data at risk by accessing it on their laptops, smartphones, or other mobile devices. To help prevent these threats, implementing strict mobile security regulations and effective mobile device management is essential.

Frequently Updated Software

Even the best security programs require periodic updates to remain effective against recent threats. Check to see if your system has the most recent security fixes available.

Superior Security

Many companies avoid using professional cybersecurity services because they believe they are just another unneeded expense and would like to use their own, less expensive security measures. While maintaining a budget is crucial, we always recommend that you invest in a trustworthy cybersecurity solution to protect your company from phishing and several other types of cyber threats.

We can put all these procedures into action for your company as a trustworthy managed service provider that has assisted companies of all sizes for years. Get in touch with us if you wish to strengthen your protection against phishing and other online risks. As a good start to your new Employee Training, have everyone in your office watch our Free Cybersecurity Webinar. We’ll be pleased to provide you with a free consultation, so call us today!

Telltale Signs of a Phishing Attack

Posted on by ARRC Technology

The main reason phishing has become such a prevalent problem is that it works. And hackers keep finding new ways to increase the success rate even further. What used to be easily distinguishable attempts at stealing information have now become brilliant scams that look valid at first glance.

However, this doesn’t mean that phishing attacks always work. All that’s needed is for everyone to stay vigilant with online communications and ensure they know what to look for to identify a phishing scam. Here are some of the most important signs you should look out for.

Fake Email Address

Very few people stop to look at the sender’s address when they get an email. Most of the time, employees will glance at the subject line and check the message. If the recipient checked the validity of an email address, it might prevent most phishing attacks.

Amateur cybercriminals might use free email accounts like Gmail or Yahoo to send a phishing scam. Major players, however, use email domains just like real email. For instance, if you get an email from someone@amazonprime.az rather than someone@amazonprime.com, you’d better be wary.

Inconsistencies in Writing Style

If the style of writing is suspiciously different from what you have been getting from what appears to be the same sender, this can be a sign of a phishing hook. Also, some countries use different date formats. If date formats are not what you are used to, that’s also one sign.

Errors in Grammar and Spelling

Official emails get checked for grammar and spelling mistakes or go through basic spellcheck. A few minor typos and one or two misspellings are forgivable, but email with blatant errors, especially if it is supposed to be from a reputable company, is a good sign of a phishing scam. It’s likely because the hacker used an automated language translator to mass produce the message for potential victims.

Suspicious Attachments

You should never open attachments unless you are expecting them or if you can confirm with the actual sender that they indeed intended them for you. Otherwise, don’t open it, no matter how legitimate looking the filename might be. It’s likely they loaded these attachments with malware that will unleash themselves on your system once you click on them.

Fake Links

No one would knowingly click on a fake link, but these phishing emails are made to look so real. To check whether they are valid or not, hover over them and read the URL, particularly the domain name. If it seems questionable, that’s because it probably is. Delete the email and don’t give it a second look.

There is no 100% guarantee of protection against phishing attacks but looking out for these telltale signs is an excellent first step. As a business owner, be sure that all your employees know these signs and that you have properly trained them on the critical security measures against online threats. For more about these threats and what you can do to protect your business, start your new Employee Training today and have everyone in your office watch our Free Cybersecurity Webinar.

It’s time to take cybersecurity seriously. Call us and let’s protect your business today.

Understanding the Dangers Phishing Poses To Your Business

Posted on by ARRC Technology

Phishing is one of the newest and most dangerous online threats that have pervaded businesses and private accounts in recent years. Reports show that phishing attacks this year are 70% higher than the total number of attacks reported last year.

A Brief Explanation of Phishing

What is phishing, anyway? How does it work, and why is it so dangerous for businesses? Phishing is a kind of cybercrime where a hacker essentially poses as a legitimate entity. They will send emails or forms to unsuspecting individuals, hoping to lure these potential victims into providing confidential information. The hackers usually aim to get credit card numbers, usernames and passwords, social security details, and banking info. Many will also create fake websites so that if someone clicks on their links, they will seem like genuine links.

Phishing scams have improved considerably over the years, and today, most victims are not even aware that a virus has infiltrated them until the damage starts.

Different Styles of Phishing

In the beginning, phishing happened through emails, but recently, hackers have expanded their channels and are now attacking from more diverse angles. There are three main types of phishing used today. As a business owner, learn about these attacks to protect your company accordingly.

Spear Phishing

This threat is the most common type of phishing used today because it is very effective. Reports show that over 90% of phishing attacks are of this nature. The attack aims at specific targets, and the hackers have prepared for it beforehand by gathering information about the target to make their snare more convincing.

Clone Phishing

This type of phishing involves cloning or duplicating legitimate emails that the recipient has already received and turning them into system infiltration tools. The hackers copy the original emails, subtly replacing the valid URLs with malicious links. They also use a recipient’s email address similar to the original so that the entire email looks legit. They will then send this fake email to the targets in the guise of being a resend or an updated version of the previous email.

Whaling

Hackers target these phishing scams at executives or high management of a company, not just any random employee. Hence, the term “whaling” as it targets the “big fish” of the business. The tone and content of these phishing emails are also very different. To blend in with other emails, they take the form of customer complaints, top-level office matters, or even subpoenas. They come with the illusion of urgency, so the executives who receive them feel compelled to click on the link as instructed, which is a malicious link.

Protect Your Business through Employee Training

Your protection against phishing threats depends on your employees’ knowledge of these threats. If your employees are careless about clicking links, you might as well hand your data to hackers. The simple solution is to train your employees. Teach them how to identify a phishing scam. Equip them with the skills to handle an attack.

If you don’t know how to do it, don’t worry because we can do it for you as part of the service we provide to you. Aside from in-depth employee training, we can also run a phishing test on your company to test your security. Start your new Employee Training today, and have everyone in your office watch our Free Cybersecurity Webinar.

Don’t leave your business unprotected in these times of rampant online threats. Call us today, and we will boost your defenses against phishing and other online threats!

Employee Awareness Is Your Best Security

Posted on by ARRC Technology

For business communication security, employee awareness is your first line of defense. The more your staff know about the risks, the better prepared they are to deal with potential attacks and the safer your business will be. Unfortunately, recent studies have shown that more than half of employees today lack training in online security. For a business owner like yourself, this can be a frightening idea. Such a lack of awareness and training poses a grave danger to your business should you become the target of an online attack.

Check Your Employees’ Level of Awareness

But don’t fret just yet. Maybe your staff knows more about online safety than typical employees. To find out where their security knowledge is, have them take this Employee Readiness Check offered by us. This quiz that we have created will gauge how prepared employees are if a cyberattack happens. If they pass with flying colors, then good for you! Your business has a strong defense against online attacks!

Sadly, it is more likely that they will score lower than you expect. The statistics don’t lie. The quiz will show that most employees cannot identify a phishing email if it hits them in the face!

Train Your Employees on Recognizing a Phishing Threat

Phishing is an online threat to communication security. Hackers attempt to steal data by posing as legitimate entities. The concept sounds too simplistic to work, but it would surprise you how effective it is at tricking unsuspecting employees. With a successful phishing attack, cybercriminals can gather sensitive information like your bank details, client databases, and passwords.

To help prevent phishing attacks from succeeding, you must train your employees to practice caution and take the following steps when using the company’s communication system.

Examine email addresses.

Phishing addresses look like the real deal, but to be proactive with your employee awareness pay close attention. What should have been a “.com” might be a “.co”.

Hover over the links to verify.

For better employee awareness, before clicking on any link sent through email, texts, or social messaging, hover over it to see the URL. If it is not something that looks familiar, it is better to not click than risk the danger.

Check for errors in spelling and grammar.

These are common telltale signs of a phishing email. Official correspondence from reputable entities gets proofread and spell-checked before being sent out. Messages rife with mistakes are most likely the work of hackers trying to get into your system.

Ignore emails that ask for passwords.

Be aware that a trusted company will not request your password or other personal information through email messages. If you get a message that asks for such, it is best to ignore or block it.

With the volume of emails that employees receive daily, plus all the other tasks they must do in the workplace. It is easy to become complacent with communication security which is why employee awareness plays a vital role in your company. Hence, you must train your employees regularly and give them pop quizzes from time to time by sending them harmless “phishing emails” to see if they can deal with these kinds of threats properly.

Our team provides top-quality employee training for communication security and online safety. Don’t leave your company’s safety to chance. Call us today! We will help build a strong line of defense to protect your business from losing data.

There is a free eBook available for download that covers many of the issues you could face while collaborating with a managed service provider. It’s available for immediate download.

Risk Management for Communication Security

Posted on by ARRC Technology

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

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

Longer Online Time

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

Fake Messages

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

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

Email Attachment Scams

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

Social Media

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

Protective Measures against Communication Security Risks

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

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

The Importance of Communication Security for Your Business

Posted on by ARRC Technology

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

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

Why Communication Security is Important in the Workplace

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

Customer Data Protection

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

Intellectual Property Protection

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

Internal Communication Protection

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

Vital Elements of Secure Business Communication

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

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

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

Clear and Comprehensive Policies

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

Methods for Reliable Encryption

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

Final Thoughts

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

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

Should You Boost Your Communication Security?

Posted on by ARRC Technology

Communication Security

Cyberattacks on businesses can happen, but most hackers choose to target various online communication systems. The primary reason is that it’s easy to breach. Anyone can send a fraudulent link via text message, email, messaging apps, or even social media. If a single employee makes the mistake of clicking bogus links, it will be a big payday for the hackers. This is why you should consider bolstering your communication security.

What You Can Do to Stay Protected

Running a dependable antivirus program and a firewall will help keep online threats at bay. But if your employees are the ones who allow threats in, then all your precautionary software and systems become useless. Everyone in the organization should learn to practice caution and prudence, especially when using the company’s communication system. Here are a couple of tips that could help.

Check Links Before Clicking

First, look at the hyperlink in the anchor text and verify its legitimacy by checking for signs of bogus links. Before clicking on the hyperlink, you should also see where it points by right-clicking it before opening it. Real websites will usually end with “.com,” but a fraudulent link will change this to a different ending like “.co,” “.uk,” “.xyz,”.

Check Email Addresses before Opening Messages

It’s easy to search for email addresses or phone numbers online. If no results show up, you can contact the company directly. Ask whether the contact number you have is accurate. Most companies are glad to lend a hand!

Invest in Online Security Training for Employees

No matter how safe and advanced your cybersecurity strategies are, they can’t protect you completely if your employees don’t know how to stay safe online. A lot of cyberattacks on businesses today can be traced back to one employee who accidentally clicked on a malicious link or let malware into the system.

Lack of Awareness

It’s easy to blame employees, but what can you do if they can’t tell between fake and valid links? You’d be surprised at the lack of awareness concerning online threats. Try it for yourself by taking our Employee Readiness Check. Have your employees take the test and see how much they know about online and communication security.

A Comprehensive Training Program

As a business owner, you must invest in online security and training for your staff. We offer a comprehensive training program that will equip your employees with all the knowledge and skills needed to improve your online security. We will train them on how to check URLs before clicking, how to verify the validity of an email address before opening it, and much more. By the time the training is over, we will have turned your staff into a robust first line of defense for your company.

In addition, we can run a phishing test in your office to identify the weak security areas that need to be corrected. We can then make changes and boost your communication security so that you won’t have to worry about threats making their way into your system.

For more tips on how a managed service provider can help you, download our free eBook on The Ultimate Guide to Hiring a Superstar IT Provider today!

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

Are You Prepared for a Ransomware Attack?

Posted on by ARRC Technology

With ransomware attacks, most people today have grown very much at home in the digital environment. Being online is now such a part of our daily lives. We chat with friends, go to meetings, do our shopping, and so many other things, all on our computers and mobile devices. And as we enjoy these technological conveniences of modern life, internet dangers lurk in every corner, yet many of us are unaware of them. A large majority of these dangers today come at us as ransomware.

What is Ransomware?

Ransomware is a form of malicious software that hackers employ to take your data or render it inaccessible, only relinquishing it after you pay a ransom. It’s just like how a regular ransom operation goes, except that the hostage, in this case, is data.

These attacks seldom happen independently. Usually, they are a component of a complex phishing strategy. Over the years, online criminals have developed more sophisticated methods to lure average individuals and even educated professionals.

How Serious Are Ransomware Attacks?

These days, it would surprise you at the hefty sums that exchange hands. Some multinational companies have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars because of a ransomware attack!

Ransomware has become a daily thing and is now one of the leading online threats worldwide. From 2020 to 2021, the number of ransomware attacks doubled. Throughout the pandemic, there has been a shift in the approach to large corporations that pay higher ransoms.

What’s the reason for the rise? Because it works. Sometimes the ransom seems unbelievably high, but it’s not a random number. Hackers consider how big a company is and how much they value its data. In setting a ransom, they make it lower than the price of data restoration. Hence, companies opt to pay the hackers and rely on their backup strategy. While the FBI discourages companies from paying the ransom, it might seem the only viable option.

Recent Victims of Major Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware attacks get mentioned in the news because hackers target governments and private businesses. Florida has seen seven separate ransomware attacks in 7 municipalities. Tallahassee paid half a million dollars in ransom to get their data back, using money that was supposed to be for employee payroll. In another case, the Riviera Beach government paid $600,000 worth of Bitcoin after a staff member became a victim of a phishing attack.

Even national governments have become victims of ransomware attacks. In Ecuador, over 40 million attempts took place to hack into their system, and they spent massive amounts of money to retrieve stolen data.

What Can You Do to Protect Your Business?

The best strategy for thwarting ransomware attacks is the same method for avoiding many other kinds of online threats. Take a proactive approach. Protect your system before the attack happens. Should a breach occur, you must also have a backup and recovery plan to fall back on.

Phishing is one of the most common means of entry for ransomware attacks. If you have trained your employees in online safety measures, these attacks are easy to remedy. You can use our Employee Readiness Check to gauge how your staff stands in terms of awareness of phishing and other online threats.

Do you think your business is ready for a ransomware attack? We can help you make an assessment. Call us today, and we will build a cybersecurity strategy to protect you from this increasingly dangerous online threat.

If you’d like to learn about the benefits that a MSP will provide for your company, download our free eBook, “The Ultimate Guide to Finding and Hiring a Superstar IT Solutions Provider for Businesses.” There are a ton of additional advantages you’ll find to keep your business safe and profitable. Download it today!

Uncovering the Dangers behind Free VPNs

Posted on by ARRC Technology

A Virtual Private Network, commonly known as a VPN, is a tool that protects your online identity by masking your IP address. It encrypts your data and keeps it safe from hackers. It sends your connection to an encrypted server in a location that you select, thus allowing you to bypass locational restrictions. VPNs are helpful for businesses and individuals that rely heavily on remote access. Many people also use VPNs for gaming, streaming, and when traveling.

There is no question about the usefulness of VPNs currently. The problem is that many people do not want to pay for this service, especially now that tons of free VPN services are available. If you are thinking of downloading a free VPN, let us stop you right now! Using a free VPN might save you a few dollars a month, but the payoff will be much more in the long run. Today, we talk about the real dangers that you are getting yourself into with the use of free VPNs.

Inadequate Data Protection

A good VPN uses a reliable method of encrypting your data to protect you from the prying eyes of hackers. Many free VPNs encrypt your data, but most still use the old PPTP method, which is not a reliable solution. But since it is the easiest to implement and does not require costly software, it is naturally the choice of free VPN operators.

The Risk of Malware Infection

Research shows that over 80% of free VPNs carry some malware. By downloading these free VPNs, you are also downloading malware that can wreak havoc on your devices. These statistics are very alarming since many sinister programs will collect sensitive data. Just imagine that even if a single employee uses a free VPN and inadvertently infects one of your computers, it can cause massive losses for your company. Therefore, employee training should be a priority in any company’s cybersecurity strategies.

Injected Advertisements

Most free online services come with ads. That’s how the provider makes money since the users are not paying for the service. These ads can be very annoying when they keep popping up, but that’s not even the worst part. Most injected ads will automatically redirect you to malware-infected sites or display pop-ups. These can cause damage to your system and expose you to phishing attacks should you accidentally click on the links.

Slow Internet Speed

Using a VPN can reduce your connection speed because it involves the encryption and decryption of your data to ensure the privacy of your internet usage. Most high-quality VPN subscriptions use powerful servers that can handle the extra processes, minimizing the lag you will experience on your end. With free VPNs, you will feel the delay. It will waste time while you wait for websites to load.

An MSP Can Help You Find the Best VPN

If you want a free VPN, look for one that uses open-source code, provides reliable encryption, does not slow down your connection, does not pop-up ads every few minutes, and does independent audits. We’re not saying these free VPNs do not exist, but they will be very hard to find. And we can help you find a VPN that fits your needs.

The best thing to do is to find a reliable VPN subscription that provides high-end protection at a reasonable fee. Most VPNs come with a free trial period, so you can take advantage of this to see if it would be a perfect fit or not.

If you’d like to learn more about safe VPN use and other ways to protect yourself online, check out our free downloadable eBook. We can also conduct a phishing test in your office to check if your employees are following the proper online safety practices. Call us to learn more!

What’s the Difference Between Cybersecurity and Internet Safety?

Posted on by ARRC Technology

There are many ways that businesses, or even individuals, can stay protected from online cybersecurity threats. But despite the wide availability of internet safety options, you would wonder why there are still so many victims. The casualties from cyberattacks seem to keep increasing over the years! Why is this so? Perhaps one reason is that, with the many security measures available, most people don’t know which one to use.

For starters, there seems to be a lot of confusion about the differences between cybersecurity and internet safety. We might live in the digital age, but for many people, these words might be technical terms they do not fully comprehend. So, a crucial first step to take towards complete online protection is to differentiate these two concepts.

What Is Internet Safety?

Internet safety means protecting users from questionable or harmful online content, while cybersecurity means protecting data and information from hackers. It is a general concept that covers a broad scope of security measures, practices, tools, and software.

While protecting your data and your network is one aspect of internet safety, we also need to address the safety of the people who are on the internet. For businesses, internet safety ensures that employees are not at risk online.

Thus, internet safety includes practicing safe online communications, increasing awareness concerning online threats and how to deal with them, knowing what to do and what not to do while online, and so on. As a business owner, you need to train your staff on internet safety practices for their protection and for the security of your business.

What Is Cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity is the part of internet safety that protects computer networks and data from online attacks. It is a much more technical aspect that includes the use of complex network security systems and data encryption methods to ensure the protection of a business.

A common dilemma for modern business owners today is whether they should avail the services of a cybersecurity expert or try to handle the task themselves. On the one hand, hiring a professional costs money. For many businesses, it might also mean a complete overhaul of their existing system, which can be an inconvenience. Only an IT expert can give you the online protection that you must have currently.

Ensuring Cybersecurity and Online Safety

With practically all your data and systems now in various forms of online storage, it is more critical than ever to implement protective measures to keep everything safe from online attacks. Partnering with a cybersecurity expert is one step that you need to take.

A managed service provider specializing in cybersecurity will be equipped with the newest technology to protect your business on all fronts. They can take care of everything from network and data security to disaster recovery and business continuity. In addition, they can also do so much for other aspects of your daily operations. You can read further on what an MSP can do for you in our eBook, “The Ultimate Guide to Finding and Hiring a Superstar IT Solutions Provider for Businesses.”

While partnering with an MSP has become practically a necessity these days, there are also a few steps you can take on your own to keep your business from becoming a victim of cyberattacks. For instance, employee training is a basic but very effective way to bolster your defenses against online threats. Many attacks are preventable if your staff learns the safety practices to follow.

If you want to learn more about cybersecurity, internet safety, and what you can do better to protect your business online, we are here to help! Our free downloadable eBook, “The Ultimate Guide to Finding and Hiring a Superstar IT Solutions Provider for Businesses,” will give you lots of tips on working with the MSP that’s best for you. Call us today, and we will design a security strategy that meets your needs!

Your Cybersecurity Strategy: The Key Role of Managed Service Providers

Posted on by ARRC Technology

Self-reliance is a strength in many aspects of life, including business. We view companies that handle all the different operations involved in running their business with respect and admiration. It is impressive if a business can stand on its own two feet and flourish. But there are also areas when self-reliance is not the best option. Cybersecurity is a perfect example.

Although many do not readily admit it, most businesses today cannot deal with cybersecurity threats. Should an online attack happen, an unprotected business network will experience massive data loss and disruption to the flow of operations. The simple reason is that too many business owners still have not partnered with a managed service provider that can give them protection against cyber-attacks.

What an MSP Can Do for Your Cybersecurity Strategy

An MSP like us can do much to boost your company’s cybersecurity strategy. On your own, you might rely on an anti-malware program and a few safety measures. While these can protect against some threats, they will be useless in the face of a full-force online attack. But if you partner with us, you can enjoy maximum protection against even the most recent forms of malware and other cyber-attacks.

Threat Monitoring

Individual circumstances expose businesses to different levels of online threats. We will consider all the relevant factors to determine your company’s threat exposure and monitor your online activities so that we can identify and promptly mitigate any impending attack.

Enhanced Network Security

It is part of an MSP’s job to analyze your current network system and implement changes to protect it against online threats. Depending on the findings, we might install firewalls, set up endpoint detection tools, and more to keep them from causing damage.

Data Encryption and Backup

Protecting your data is one of the top priorities in our cybersecurity strategy. Once hackers get their hands on sensitive information, there is no telling what they can do or how they will use it to wreak further havoc. A reliable encryption method can protect your data even if it falls into the wrong hands, and a reliable backup will ensure that you can recover any stolen data.

Disaster Recovery

In the unfortunate event of an attack pushing through and causing damage to your network and data, a dependable disaster recovery plan will help you get your business back up and running with minimal downtime. The faster you recover, the fewer losses you will suffer, and we can help a lot.

Security Awareness

Most of an MSP’s job involves managing your system and installing tools and software for protection. We will also train your employees on security awareness to help identify and stop easily preventable attacks. You can check your staff’s current knowledge by having them take this Employee Readiness Check. The results might be more alarming than you would expect.

These are just a few examples of how a reliable MSP can help your business. There are tons of other benefits that you can enjoy, as you can read in our free downloadable eBook, “The Ultimate Guide to Finding and Hiring a Superstar IT Solutions Provider for Businesses.”

Download and read the eBook and let us know if you have questions. We’re here to help!