Based on the headlines you see today, it?s no question that cybersecurity is something that every business owner should be concerned about. As attacks become bigger and more frequent, all decision makers must ask the question: who needs to step up and ensure my IT resources are secure? It would seem as though every other news story is about a company being breached and losing user accounts that number in the thousands or millions–and in one case, billions–or that a Domain Name Server (DNS) provider was brought down by an attack. Of course, each of the attacks and breaches these news stories cover have ramifications that reach all the way to the end users and customers of the world (those who keep businesses in business). For example, the attack on Dynamic Network Services, or Dyn, lost the major DNS provider 8 percent of the domains it hosted, a total of around 14,500. Another major example of a major data breach is Yahoo. In December, Yahoo announced that one billion accounts were compromised and encouraged users to change their passwords accordingly. What makes this data breach even more ludicrous is the fact that it took place in 2013, which does little to assure businesses that their online data is safe and secure. As huge enterprises are continually being hit by these sorts of cyber attacks, owners of the much more common small and medium-sized businesses should take the opportunity to evaluate their own security preparedness. However, there is often some disagreement in these organizations as to who exactly is responsible for ensuring that a cyber security strategy is up to standards. The resolution to these disagreements is fortunately very simple: everybody. Each and every member of every organization needs to do their part when it comes to adhering to the basic safety measures of doing business over (or even just using) the Internet. It doesn?t matter if the employee is C-suite or entry level, every member of the company needs to hold themselves personally responsible for the security of the workplace, as every member could potentially undermine it. White Mountain IT Services can help make this a little easier for you as well. We can provide security solutions to help prevent threats from darkening your doors in the first place, along with the support services your end users need to remain productive in the face of adversity. Call us at (603) 889-0800 for more information.
Pay for Skills, Not for ExperienceWhen you post a job opening, it?s normal to include a laundry list of all of the qualifications you?re looking for in an applicant, which often includes a minimum amount of job experience. The thing about hiring experienced workers is that they have the ability to command top dollar, seeing as your competitors desire a worker with experience as much as you do. Although, if you?re looking to save money, then try hiring workers that have the skills necessary to perform the job, but lack experience. Often times, they?ll be so eager for the chance to work and gain experience that you can onboard them with an entry-level salary and let them work towards better benefits, which can total a fraction of the cost of what you would have to pay a worker with experience. Conserve Electricity and Heating and CoolingThe heating and cooling bill for your office can be significantly reduced with careful oversight and the right solutions. The alternative is to leave the lights and monitors on overnight, as well as your HVAC system. It may seem like a hassle to walk a lap around the office at the end of the day and turn everything off, but it?s a hassle that can save you a ton of money. Ideally, you can train your staff to do these tasks at the end of their workday, and computer peripherals like monitors can be set to turn off after a few minutes of inactivity. Smart lights and thermostats can be used to manage energy use (they?ll end up paying for themselves). Also, try designing your office in such a way that the rooms utilized the most have windows. This will allow you to spend less on electricity needed for lighting. Recycle Your Old EquipmentIt?s a win-win scenario when you?re able to trade in old equipment and ink cartridges to vendors and they give you a discount when purchasing new equipment and ink. There is a variety of companies that incentivize recycling in this way. Be sure to ask about this before making your next technology purchase. Outsource as Much as You CanIn business, one of the surest ways to save time and money is to outsource a responsibility to an expert. This applies to everything from the delivery of your product, to the cleaning of your facilities. One surefire way to save money is to outsource the maintenance and oversight of your company?s IT network. White Mountain IT Services can handle this responsibility for you, as well all other IT responsibilities that may be eating up more of your resources than is necessary. These are just four ways that you can tighten operations and create some breathing room in your budget. What are some reasonable changes that you?ve made to your business that have yielded major savings? Feel free to share them with us and other business owners in the comments below!
There’s some interesting data and insights shared on CIO.com, in an article called: ?Why Businesses are Turning to Managed IT Services?, written on June 3, 2015 by Thor Olavsrud. The beginning of the article explains: ?Organizations are increasingly turning to managed service providers (MSPs) to handle elements of their IT needs…according to new research from IT industry trade association CompTIA.? This final assessment is backed up with insightful evidence; the businesses themselves tell us the reasons and the data proves the growth. The article explains: ?’…[2014] CompTIA found…3-in-10 organizations had any of their IT in the hands of an MSP’… more than two-thirds of companies surveyed [2015 study]… have used the services of an outside IT firm…? This tells us the year 2015 was when the shift occurred: minority to majority of businesses using MSPs in some form. Now, over a year later from this article, we can estimate this majority is even stronger; especially, considering the growing integration of cloud and mobile computing technologies in business systems. This is a large part of why SMBs and large businesses are increasingly seeking MSPs for specialized project work, or a more comprehensive outsourced IT department service. Software as a Service (SaaS) and other non-hardware remote services are being adapted by businesses for workflow efficiency and productivity. Innovative CRM, ERP, WMS, VoIP, and other business systems, are offering businesses exciting ways to enhance their workflow and systems, yet keeping track of the implementation and operation of these — many separate services and components to the overall business system ? is proving to be difficult for businesses’ IT departments. The article shares specifically why businesses are shifting to using MSPs: ?CompTIA found that improving the efficiency and reliability of IT operations…56 percent of companies with 100 or more employees and 47 percent of companies with fewer…? ?Enhanced security and compliance… 38 percent of companies of all sizes. ROI/cost savings… 33 percent of companies with 100 or more employees and 28 percent of companies with fewer…? ?…six-in-10 respondents that consider their technology usage advanced are using an MSP for physical security services. Also, 63 percent of the same group are using an MSP for application monitoring.? Summary This trade research study show us that businesses with advanced technologies are using MSPs services the most. The main reason, for all businesses using MSPs, was to increase efficiency and reliability; and security was the biggest reason for businesses using advanced systems. So, we learn the reasons why businesses are outsourcing at least part of their IT departments: reliability, security, efficiency, and enhanced functionality. Businesses are turning toward MSPs to help: manage, maintain, secure, and enhance their systems. Not all MSPs are the same, and not every business’s needs are the same. If on-site IT services are needed, a local MSP can be found; if remote cloud based services are needed, businesses can choose an MSP from across the world. White Mountain IT Services is located in Nashua, New Hampshire and has served this area’s IT consultation and support needs since 1985. We’ve adapted to the technological changes over the years, and have designed our modern IT services to expertly manage our clients IT needs. This could be in the form of cloud and mobile computing, security and monitoring services, help desk IT repair/maintenance, and more. Please contact […]
1. The greatest threats come from the inside. Angry or troubled employees pose the greatest threat to a company’s digital integrity. The oil and energy exploration company, EnerVest, discovered this after an employee who was on the verge of being terminated purposely deleted years of historical data from the company’s file servers and backups. EnerVest did not discover the loss until well after it occurred, and it was never able to recover the data. 2. Size is irrelevant. A company that relies on its small size or limited exposure to the online world can still be a stepping stone for hackers who are searching for a bigger prize. Through a hacking process known as “leapfrogging”, a cybercriminal can gain access to the digital networks of a small vendor and then use that access to break into a larger customer’s digital environment. Hackers recently used this technique to break into a White House server that housed scheduling and other non-critical information about the President’s daily activities. The hackers first gained access to State Department servers and found a channel into the White House through those servers. Smaller companies that do not have strong cyber security systems often provide an easy entry point for hackers that are targeting larger organizations. 3. Hacking is inexpensive and hacking expertise is easy to find. Cybercriminals now sell their expertise on the “dark web” and through other obscure platforms. Someone with limited knowledge of the workings of networks and IP addresses can purchase a “cyberbot” for as little as a few hundred dollars that can initiate a widespread distributed denial of service (“DDoS”) attack to shut down servers at a particular IP address location. While those servers are overloaded with login attempts and cyber defense teams are distracted with their efforts to shut down the DDoS attack, the hackers can then more readily sneak into a network to steal critical data. 4. Digital alarms fail to provide advance warnings of attacks. Hacking expertise has increased in sophistication such that an organization might not discover a network incursion for weeks or months after the hack was initiated. Hackers can install key stroke loggers and other monitors into a network to steal passwords and data over long periods of time. The damage from this type of data loss will not become apparent until long after the thefts have occurred. 5. Redundant internal systems cannot stop modern hacking techniques. Hackers inevitably rise to the challenges presented by every new internal cyber security technique. In-house security teams place too much reliance on their internal systems and fail to adapt as quickly as the hackers do to new tools and hacking methods. Regardless of internal cyber defense expertise, no organization can remain fully and adequately prepared for all external hacking threats. Managed IT service companies like those provided by White Mountain IT are a stronger solution to the new and advanced cyber security threats that arise every day. Please contact us for more information about how our managed IT services can enhance the cyber security of your digital environment.
In a culture where people take great pride in car ownership and driving skills, it?s no wonder why self-driving cars are a tough sell. After all, when riding in a self-driving car, you?re essentially giving up complete control of what happens on the road. For many drivers, that?s a scary thought–as evidenced by this elderly woman experiencing automated driving for the first time. Despite the sheer terror associated with handing over the wheel to a computer, the technology behind self-driving cars (advanced driver assistance systems) can already be found in many of today?s vehicles. Plus, new forms of this technology are being added to the latest vehicle models. Here are some examples of ADAS technology from Wikipedia: Adaptive high beamAdaptive high beamGlare-free high beam Adaptive light control: swiveling curve lightsAutomatic parkingAutomotive navigation system Automotive night visionBlind spot monitorCollision avoidance system Crosswind stabilizationDriver drowsiness detectionDriver Monitoring SystemElectric vehicle warning soundsEmergency driver assistantForward Collision WarningIntersection assistantHill descent controlIntelligent speed adaptation Lane departure warning systemLane change assistancePedestrian protection systemTraffic sign recognitionTurning assistantVehicular communication systemsWrong-way driving warning How many of these ADAS systems can be found in your own vehicle? One way that the automotive industry is currently taking advantage of ADAS technology is to have it assist drivers when needed. This is a much different approach than using it to fully automate the entire driving experience. As seen by companies like Toyota with their ?Guardian Angel? program, ADAS technology can be effectively used to assist drivers. This is achieved by having cars learn the driver?s habits for the sake of providing them feedback on becoming better motorists, as well as having the car take complete control of the vehicle in order to prevent a crash. The goal here is to leverage this technology to improve safety, and ultimately, reduce the number of deaths associated with car crashes (30,000 deaths per year in the U.S.). Of course, the current challenge faced by developers is to know when it?s appropriate for the car to take control away from its human driver. Gil Pratt, CEO of Toyota Research Institute, explains to CIO, ?Your car may someday warn you several times about a particularly dangerous driving habit you have before taking control of the wheel. Autonomous driving capabilities are measured on a government scale of zero to four, with zero being no automation, and four being fully automated. The focus of most of the discussion among car makers today is how far up the scale they should go and how quickly. There’s a lot of discussion in the industry whether we go incrementally up the scale or whether we jump.? Eventually, this technology will be fully realized and mass produced. In fact, CIO reports that, ?The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) announced earlier this year that 20 automakers have pledged to make automatic emergency braking (AEB) standard on their cars by 2022.? Like other useful technologies that the public was initially skeptical or even scared of (like electricity and airplanes), it will just take time for people to get used to it. What about you? How willing are you to ride in a self-driving car? Would you trust assisted-driving technology to take over for you when the situation on the road becomes dicey? Share with […]
