Friday, May 28, 2021

Is Your Business in Danger from an Infrastructure Attack?

Is Your Business in Danger from an Infrastructure Attack?


Infrastructure targeted cyberattacks aren’t just the problem of big business, government and military targets these days. Increasingly, cybercriminals including nation-state actors, are setting their sights on smaller companies that may have weaker security. One in four attacks that IBM Security X-Force Incident Response remediated in 2020 were caused by ransomware. But by taking a few sensible precautions, you can bolster your defenses against this threat. 

Experts estimate that 51% of businesses were victims of ransomware in 2020. These included companies in data handling, cloud computing, medical information processing and storage, transportation, manufacturing, education and many other sectors that may not at first glance seem like infrastructure targets. By attacking companies that do business with big fish, cybercriminals can gain information about them, or even gain access to the systems of major targets, like recently happened with Solarwinds.

Cybercrime gangs overwhelmingly favor ransomware as their weapon of choice in these attacks. This multifunctional tool can be used to shut down production lines, steal data, lock down servers and cripple services. The number one delivery system for ransomware is phishing – 94 % of ransomware arrives at businesses via email. By preventing phishing attacks from finding success at your business, you can protect your business from ransomware.

BullPhish ID is the perfect solution for training staffers to resist phishing attacks. Customization capability means that your employees can be trained in simulations that mimic real threats that they face every day, no matter what your industry – including URLs, attachments and content. Plus, increased security awareness training that includes phishing resistance can reduce your risk of suffering a cybersecurity incident by up to 70%!

Take action now to protect your business from this growing threat by implementing sensible precautions like a security assessment to find vulnerabilities and increased security awareness training to ensure that you’re ready for trouble.


Bit by bit helps client networks run smooth and secure.. visit our website at www.bitxbit.com/texas 877.860.5831

Is Cybercrime a Public Health Menace?



Healthcare organizations worldwide have seen an onslaught of cyberattacks in the last 12 months as cybercriminals seek to profit from an overburdened yet essential resource. In the midst of the global pandemic, heartless cybercriminals chose to slam healthcare and healthcare-related organizations with ransomware, phishing, hacking and other dangerous and disruptive cyberattacks. That means that cybercrime isn’t just an expensive inconvenience – it’s a public health menace. 

Ransomware incidents had a huge impact on the healthcare sector in 2020 – attacks against healthcare organizations have jumped about 45% since early November. Many of those attacks didn’t just snatch data from hospitals. Some ransomware attacks caused significant patient care disruptions, forcing staffers to rely on old-fashioned pencil and paper records in the midst of the world’s worst health crisis in generations. 

Data breaches at healthcare organizations have also soared by an estimated 55% in 2020, with huge spikes in Q4. These breaches affected more than 26 million people. That’s a big contributor to the flood of personally identifiable information that made its way to the dark web last year, increasing every company’s risk for dangers like a credential compromise. 

Protect your business from the increased risk of ransomware and credential compromise that healthcare and even healthcare-adjacent businesses are facing today. You’ll get the most value for your money by adding secure identity and access management using a dynamic solution like Passly. It includes multifactor authentication, one tool that provides strong protection against 99% of password-based cybercrime, like a phished password. You’ll have peace of mind knowing that you’ve made a strong move for your business.

If you only do one thing to improve your company’s cybersecurity posture this year, make it adding powerful protection against cybercrime with secure identity and access management with Passly.


Bit by bit helps client networks run smooth and secure.. visit our website at www.bitxbit.com/texas 877.860.5831

The Healthcare Sector is Still Under Siege by Cybercriminals

The Healthcare Sector is Still Under Siege by Cybercriminals


Although every industry has been impacted by cyberattacks during the unprecedented wave of cybercrime in 2020, the healthcare sector really experienced a disproportionate share. That wasn’t good news in the middle of a global pandemic that was driving already challenged healthcare organizations to the brink and beyond in the worst health crisis in generations. Cybercriminals saw an opportunity and they took it – confirmed data breaches in the healthcare industry increased by 58% in 2020. Now industry experts are wrestling with a thorny question: are healthcare cyberattacks a legitimate public health crisis?





 No one disputes that cyberattacks against hospitals, health systems, research facilities, pharmaceutical manufacturers and even temperature-controlled transportation were incredibly disruptive to the COVID-19 pandemic response around the world. Experts estimate that the healthcare sector alone lost $25 billion alone last year and an estimated 27% of all cyberattacks in 2020 targeted healthcare organizations. That’s not including pharmaceutical companies, research facilities, testing laboratories, equipment manufacturers, technology providers, insurance companies and myriad other healthcare-related businesses.

This onslaught led to huge problems exactly when hospitals and clinics couldn’t stand to have anything else go wrong. Unfortunately, according to researchers at Blackberry, healthcare sector businesses are the most likely to pay ransoms, making them extremely attractive targets. The information gained in healthcare data breaches is also exceptionally desirable and valuable. During the race to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, the pressure was on pharmaceutical companies, with three major contenders breached in one week at the peak of the pressure. Two specific outcomes for healthcare-related cyberattacks have made an especially strong case for healthcare cybercrime constituting a public health crisis. 


top phishing scams of 2020

Ransomware

Ransomware attacks against every target soared in 2020, and healthcare was no exception. Attacks against healthcare organizations dramatically increased in Q4 2020, with a month-over-month increase of about 45%in early November. That followed an alarming 71% spike in October. Researchers noted that on average, businesses and organizations faced an average of 440 ransomware attacks per week in October 2020 – and by the end of November 2020 that number climbed to 626 — nearly 90 attacks every single day.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) didn’t wait to make a pronouncement about the status of ransomware attacks on healthcare targets. CISA, FBI and HHS joined together in a rare joint warningthe healthcare sector on October 28, 2020, to be on high alert for a new flood of attacks and continuing pressure, including potential activity by nation-state threat actors. Private security experts agree that it was the right call. At the time, the alert specifically called out TrickBot ransomware, but the suggested precautions would offer healthcare organizations strong protection against most other types of ransomware as well.





Care Continuum Impacts

The most feared result of potential cyberattacks against healthcare targets is a disruption in care. Many hospital systems experienced IT outages as a result of cyberattacks that caused serious problems. In some cases, hospitals were forced to resort to old-fashioned written records during these outages, or they experienced an inability to access important test results, scans, x-rays and other important patient information. Universal Health Services (UHS), a nationwide hospital and health facility operator in the US, experienced a massive IT network outage in late September 2020. The company was forced to disconnected its IT system after identifying a malware attack. The outage lasted for eight days in the middle of a pandemic wave, creating more stress for already overburdened medical; staffers in its facilities. In hundreds of UHS healthcare facilities across the US, healthcare workers were forced to resort to cumbersome downtime protocols and paper records during the outage.

It wasn’t just hospitals who have felt the pinch. Just last week, scores of US hospitals were impacted by a security breach at a specialist provider of equipment for cancer treatments.  Supply chain and third-party riskhas been a nightmare for every industry in the last 12 months. Swedish oncology and radiology system provider Elekta’s announcement of a data security incident, purported to be ransomware, was a heavy blow to 42 hospitals that were reliant on its first-generation cloud-based storage system. This led to an inability for providers to access the precise notes and details of radiotherapy treatments for patients. Yale New Haven Health in Connecticut was forced to take its radiation equipment offline for over a week, resulting in many of the hospital’s cancer patients being transferred to other providers with little notice.  Care disruptions are an unfortunate reality for many hospitals, and that makes cybercrime like this a public health emergency.



Bit by bit helps client networks run smooth and secure.. visit our website at www.bitxbit.com/texas 877.860.5831

Wednesday, May 19, 2021

The Future of Fax A Look at Where It Is & Where It’s Going

   

The Future of Fax

A Look at Where It Is & Where It’s Going

 

Wednesday, June 2, 2021

1:00 – 1:15 p.m. EST

 

 

Enterprise digital fax is evolving and it’s important to stay ahead of the curve. Whether you are running a fax server in house, having it hosted and managed in the cloud, or using software as a service (SaaS), join us for this informative 15-minute mini-webinar. We'll highlight where fax stands today and where its headed.

 

We'll also show you the various approaches to deploying your fax server, dive into some of the newest features available, and offer a peek into what the future holds. 

 

You will learn:

  • Various deployment methods for fax
  • Some of the newest features & modules
  • RightFax road map for upcoming versions
  • Where fax technology is headed

 

This session is a must for developers and business teams alike. 

 

We hope you can join us!


Bit by bit helps client networks run smooth and secure.. visit our website at www.bitxbit.com/texas 877.860.5831

Wednesday, May 12, 2021

5 Reasons Why Your Business Needs IT Security Audits

5 Reasons Why Your Business Needs IT Security Audits

By Robert Blake

 

The cybersecurity world is constantly evolving due to an ever-growing number of threats. One way to stay proactive against cybercriminals is to conduct IT security audits on a routine basis. A managed IT service provider can easily perform these audits to identify any areas of weakness within your organization. These IT audits play an important role in helping you stay alert to any potential weaknesses before they are exploited by cybercriminals.

 

Here are a few more reasons why cybersecurity audits are a necessity in today's digital work environment.

 

1) Measure the Efficiency of Your Business

Understanding how to maximize efficiency for your company is essential in staying up with the competition. Outdated technology can make it impossible to operate at a high level while also exposing your business to additional security risks. An IT security audit is a great way to identify any outdated technology that needs to be updated or replaced to ensure your business is functioning as efficiently as possible.

 

2) Identity IT Security Issues

Many times, it's difficult for a business to identify any potential security flaws before it's too late. Using an IT service provider to perform these cybersecurity audits can help you find any weaknesses within your system and allow you to develop a plan to take care of these problems. A proactive approach to cybersecurity will greatly reduce downtime and decrease the likelihood of your business suffering a cybersecurity incident.

 

3) Avoid Compliance Violations

Maintaining compliance in handling confidential data is a necessity in a wide range of industries. Failure to follow these guidelines can often lead to significant financial penalties while also damaging your reputation. An IT security audit provides a great opportunity to ensure your business is following the latest compliance guidelines to avoid any problems in the future.

 

4) Evaluate Data Flow

Another reason to consider an IT security audit is that it helps to identify the flow of data in your business. For example, these audits will determine how data is processed and stored within your IT infrastructure. An audit will also look for any potential security concerns that can lead to a data breach. Data management can play a key role in preventing data breaches and making sure only a few employees have access to this confidential information.

 

5) Enhance IT Security for Remote Employees

Many businesses are allowing employees to work from home for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, remote employees are often prime targets for cybercriminals. Performing an IT security audit is a great way to identify any potential security concerns for remote employees, such as outdated software, weak passwords, or unencrypted file sharing. Recognizing these concerns and taking care of these problems as soon as possible is critical due to the ever-growing number of remote employees.

 

Closing Thoughts

A cyber attack can wreak havoc on your business operations and lead to hours of downtime. Staying proactive against these ever-changing threats is essential in today's workplace. Using an IT service provider to conduct cybersecurity audits on a regular basis is one of the best ways to stay a step ahead of these threats. These IT professionals will look for any signs of weaknesses while also providing your business with an action plan to further improve your operations and give you the best IT security available.


Bit by bit helps client networks run smooth and secure.. visit our website at www.bitxbit.com/texas 877.860.5831