Defining IT Management for Entirely Virtual Companies What is IT management for entirely virtual companies? In short, it’s the process of protecting and preserving your client and company information, regardless of how you store or transmit it. IT management for entirely virtual companies refers to managing and protecting a company’s data and information that exists solely online. This can be challenging, as many potential cyber threats can target virtual businesses. However, by taking the proper precautions, you can help to keep your client and company information safe. As a virtual business owner, there are a few key aspects to consider when designing your company’s IT management strategy. For example, you’ll need to think about how to secure your data both in transit and at rest, back up your information, and access it in the event of an emergency. If you’re just starting out as an entirely virtual company, it’s important to take the time to plan and implement a strong IT management strategy from the get-go. Doing so will ensure that your company’s data is always protected and accessible no matter what happens. The Importance of Data Security You’ve probably heard the saying, “It’s not if, but when.” And this is especially true when it comes to data security. No matter how small your business is, you can be sure that cybercriminals are always looking for their next victim. That’s why it’s so important to have a comprehensive data security plan in place. This includes everything from password protection to data backup and recovery. And it’s not something you should take lightly?according to a study by Keeper Security, Inc., more than 60% of small businesses have previously experienced a data breach. So what can you do to protect your company and client information? Here are a few key tips: Use strong passwords and change them regularly Install a firewall and antivirus software Back up your data regularly Restrict access to sensitive information The Best Ways to Protect Client and Company Information You can protect your client and company information in many ways, but the main one is to implement a security plan. A comprehensive security plan should include: A password policy A password policy is integral to any security plan, especially for entirely virtual businesses. After all, with all your data and information stored online, it’s crucial to ensure that your passwords are strong and unique. Antivirus software Antivirus software is also a critical part of any security plan, as it can help to protect your data from malware and other threats. Make sure to keep your antivirus software up to date to ensure that it is effective against the latest threats. Access control Access control refers to the process of restricting access to data and information. Make sure to properly configure access control to ensure that only authorized individuals have access to sensitive data. Anti-spyware software Anti-spyware software should also be a crucial part of your comprehensive security plan. This type of software allows you to protect your data by detecting and removing spyware, which is a type of malicious software that can steal your information. Data encryption Data encryption helps protect your data from being accessed by unauthorized individuals. For maximum client data security, ensure to encrypt your data at rest and in transit to keep it safe. […]
Planning the Migration Planning is critical to the success of your Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 migration. It all starts with evaluating the status of your Google Workspace environment and knowing what your organization uses. This goes a long way in helping you formulate a suitable migration approach. Most organizations prefer “lifting and shifting” data to prevent potential losses. Others prefer to migrate essential data such as cloud files and emails. This allows them to create their new solutions from scratch after migrating. Thanks to the differences in Microsoft’s and Google’s data handling approaches, there’s an inherent risk of losing conformity. For this reason, understanding the differences between the two cloud environments can help you craft a suitable migration approach and increase your chances of success. It will also be easier to set and communicate your expectations with your end-users. The migration is likely to affect most aspects of your organization. You should also consider your data structures, workflows, collaboration, and compliance requirements. Backing Up Your Google Workspace Data It’s essential to back up data in your Workspace environment before you start migrating to Microsoft 365. Data backups are critical because: They protect your data from ransomware and accidental or intentional deletions during the migration. Backups make the migration safer and quicker. You can conveniently restore your data in a matter of minutes. You can use your backup as a cheaper version of 0365 Litigation Hold or Google Vault. Remember that the migration process always has the risk of data loss. Even if you hire a managed service provider to oversee the migration, the chances are that they’ll back up your files before mapping and transporting them. After moving your data from Workspace to Microsoft 355, it’s essential to keep backing it up to prevent potential data loss down the line. What Migration Tool Should You Use? There are dozens of native toolsets you can use when migrating to Microsoft 365. These help you migrate your data into the platform from Google Workspace and other environments. Besides these tools, you may want to utilize third-party migration tools that suit your organization’s migration goals. The essential considerations for choosing a migration tool are: The supported migration environments. Data security, privacy, and compliance with regulatory standards (PCI-DSS, GDPR, HIPAA, etc.). What will and what won’t be migrated. Support availability and options. Endpoint configuration and management. Licensing cost and options. Indeed, leveraging third-party tools and managed service providers for your migration may come at a cost, but it makes things more straightforward. With the right migration tool and MSP, there’ll be less post-migration stress. Finding a Suitable Migration Strategy After finding the migration tool of your choice, settle on a strategy to drive the process. There are three main Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 migration strategies. These are: Pre-staged cutover. Big-bang migration. Co-existence migration. Pre-Stage Cutover is undoubtedly the most used migration strategy and helps you move most of your organization’s data. It also allows for space and time to complete other critical tasks related to the migration. This helps reduce the time required for system cutover. However, this strategy comes with the risk of the changes on the source failing to replicate to the destination. Most tools will only help you to copy data instead of syncing it. The Big-Bang migration strategy often gets […]
What is the CMMC? The CMMC, fully known as the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification, is a security evaluation and verification benchmark for defense companies working for the Department of Defense (DoD). Several bodies created the CMMC, which was targeted at many businesses that make up the Defense Industrial Base (DIB). The CMMC was first introduced in January 2020. The goal is to evaluate each DIB company’s security posture to safeguard them from cyberattacks and prevent sensitive information from being stolen by foreign adversaries or cybercriminals. How Is CMMC 2.0 Different From CMMC 1.0? The first version of CMMC (V1) featured five degrees of security compliance: Basic (Level 1), Intermediate (Level 2), Good (Level 3), Proactive (Level 4), and Advanced (Level 5). Over time, all five levels proved very costly for most small organizations, which is how CMMC Version 2 came to be. With the launch of CMMC 2.0 at the end of 2021 in November, the prior standard was updated and consolidated into just three levels of security: Foundational (Level 1), Expert (Level 2), and Advanced (Level 3). The ability of an organization to defend itself against cyberattacks is evaluated on a scale of 1 to 5, with level 5 in the older CMMC version or level 3 constituting the highest in the new CMMC version. CMMC 2.0 Objectives Like CMMC 1.0, the main objectives of the new CMMC version are to secure sensitive data and assess your institution’s security procedures. In contrast to CMMC 1.0, CMMC 2.0 aims to: Clarify cybersecurity legislative, policy, and contractual obligations and streamline CMMC. Urge DoD to increase monitoring of the standards of conduct for third-party evaluations. Urge organizations that assist crucial initiatives in the aviation and defense industries to emphasize third-party audit regulations and the most effective cybersecurity safeguards. CMMC 2.0 Levels Level 1: Foundational This fundamental certification level entails several procedures that closely correlate to the essential safety requirements established in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). The 17 fundamental cybersecurity procedures that comprise Level One include establishing access control, identification, and authentication. Anyone wishing to secure a DoD contract must comply with the requirement, whose primary goal is to safeguard federal contract data. Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) suppliers who do not acquire intelligence about federal contracts are the only ones who will not be required to reach Level 1. Level 2: Advanced In level 2, you need to offer documented guidelines for every one of the 17 procedures included by the accreditation in the first level. It also requires proof that the guidelines have been completed for every practice. The National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST SP 800-171 prerequisites, a subsection of this complete set of security procedures, safeguard government classified data in the information technology of federal subcontractors and suppliers with 55 additional security practices. For any institution with CUI, which necessitates better security levels than a company having only FCI, the objective is to create a fundamental understanding of internet security. Level 3: Expert The last level requires a company to create and sustain a strategy to implement CMMC’s standards. All of the processes from the prior levels are included in Level 3, along with 58 more practices. They are specifications from NISA SP 800-172 and NISA SP 800-171. The main goal is to strengthen the security procedures set up in […]
The use of remote access has skyrocketed as a result of the coronavirus epidemic. Many businesses are finding it lets employees connect more easily. They will want to keep it in the cases where it works best. Remote access has to be done right to produce good results. If it’s done haphazardly, productivity and security will suffer. Employees will complain about inconsistent treatment. What’s needed is a comprehensive, fair policy. It will let employees know what their company offers and what is expected of them. A good remote access policy gives management and employees guidance in unusual situations. Eligibility Not every kind of job lends itself to remote work. Some tasks require an on-site presence. Some employees need to work at the business location to do their jobs well. Management may not want to trust inexperienced employees or ones with poor records to work remotely. A consistent set of criteria is necessary to avoid accusations of unfairness. If some people can’t use remote access, they deserve to know why. Sometimes remote work doesn’t work out well, and it’s necessary to withdraw authorization. Again, it has to be done according to clear rules, with a way to handle disputes. Family situations, Internet connectivity, and the requirements of the job can all be considerations in whether remote access is a viable option for an individual. Equipment The equipment for remote access needs to live up to certain standards. If the connection is too slow, work will be frustrating. If a device is too old for proper support, it’s a security risk. A company can let employees use their own computing equipment or lend its machines to them. Issuing equipment to employees is more reliable but more expensive. Providing employees with equipment requires setting clear terms. The devices have to be returned in good condition when requested. Employees may have to cover them with their household insurance, in which case the company needs to compensate them. Any restrictions on personal use need to be clear up front. If employees use their own equipment, the IT department should review it for suitability. If it’s too old to run modern operating systems and applications, it will cause problems. Not only will it fail to run required software, it could have security issues that can’t be patched. Any equipment which connects to the company network should meet some reasonable standards. Software For the same reasons, the software needs to be trustworthy. It has to be regularly patched, whether by local auto-updating or by being pushed from the company’s servers. There should be a requirement for anti-malware software on machines that access the network. In many cases, those machines will need to run software under the company’s license. Issues of license management may come up, and there might have to be limits on personal use. The employees need to understand that the software is on their computers only at the company’s discretion and could be removed when the situation changes. Internet connection Employees need a reliable Internet connection to do their jobs remotely. If employees are just working on files that they upload or download, the quality isn’t critical. If they’re expected to participate in video conferences, the connection’s reliability and bandwidth become important. Speed is less important than consistency; if an employee suffers from […]
Why classify data All large organizations today, from corporations to universities, health care organizations, and nonprofit membership organizations, routinely practice data classification. Why? Data classification is the indispensable first step in ascertaining the required levels of security. The status of the data, as we will discuss, dictates the level of security. Why? Most organizations have requirements for data security imposed by governments, business groups, and associations. These requirements range from individual privacy and confidentiality to the highest levels of national security. Organizations face consequences that they categorize from “compromising,” to “seriously compromising,” to “catastrophic” when certain data security is breached. Think of the national news stories on the “catastrophic” breach of customer data security at Verizon. All employees require access to data and the easier the access the better. But not all employees require access to legally private, confidential, or proprietary data. Managing access to information is much simpler and cheaper if “public data”?the lowest level of data classification?is segregated from data at higher security levels. It costs money to keep data systems secure?and that should not include public data. The first step, then, is classification. And the first decision to be made by a business is what classifications are relevant to the business. Let’s look at a classification system that is “classic,” but nevertheless does the job for even larger organizations. Each classification implies that the data in the class will require a different level of security. These are three data “sensitivity” levels or categories: Restricted Data (the highest level of security). This means that unauthorized disclosure, alteration, or destruction of this information could put your business at significant risk. For some organizations, this category includes, for example, data protected by state or federal privacy regulations. Or data protected by industry, association, or other confidentiality agreements. Private data (middle level). This means that unauthorized disclosure, alteration, or destruction of the data could result in a moderate level of risk to the business. In this category goes all data that is not restricted but not “public”?and thus essentially requiring no security. Public data (the lowest level). This means that unauthorized disclosure, alteration, or destruction of the data would present little or no risk to the business. Examples of public data might be press releases, catalogs, public announcements, and such. The only concern for a business’s public data is that the stored data not be deleted or destroyed. In many organizations, an employee (or a department in large organizations) is assigned responsibility for classifying data and protecting it with the requisite levels of security. This is sometimes called the “data steward,” but, whatever the title, the responsibility of the position is for the “life cycle” of the information. That means responsibility for the data from the time the business acquires it, through its applications to the business, to the end of the period of its usefulness when it is discarded. Making data classification work The two challenges to data classification and data security are reviewing and classifying large and constant influxes of new information and maintaining security of the classified information at appropriate levels. Computer data security at various levels is a well-develop specialty. Here, we will focus on the specifics of data classification. Given the three broad classifications, and the need to associate all data with one of those […]
