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Celebrating Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Why It Matters and How You Can Stay Safe

By Blog, Uncategorized

Celebrating Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Why It Matters and How You Can Stay Safe

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of cybersecurity and ensuring that everyone has the resources they need to be safer and more secure online. As our lives become increasingly digital, understanding how to protect our personal information and digital assets is more crucial than ever.

The Importance of Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks. These cyberattacks are usually aimed at accessing, changing, or destroying sensitive information, extorting money from users, or interrupting normal business processes. With the rise of cyber threats, from phishing scams to ransomware attacks, cybersecurity has become a critical issue for individuals, businesses, and governments alike.

Key Themes of Cybersecurity Awareness Month

  1. Understanding Cyber Threats: Awareness is the first step in defense. Knowing the types of threats that exist, such as malware, phishing, and social engineering, can help you recognize and avoid them.
  2. Strong Passwords and Authentication: Using strong, unique passwords for different accounts and enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) can significantly enhance your security.
  3. Regular Software Updates: Keeping your software and devices up to date ensures that you have the latest security patches and protections against vulnerabilities.
  4. Safe Online Practices: Be cautious about the information you share online, avoid clicking on suspicious links, and use secure connections (HTTPS) whenever possible.
  5. Backup Your Data: Regularly backing up your data can save you from losing important information in case of a cyberattack.

How to Get Involved

  • Educate Yourself and Others: Take advantage of the numerous resources available online to learn more about cybersecurity. Share this knowledge with friends, family, and colleagues.
  • Participate in Events: Many organizations host webinars, workshops, and other events during Cybersecurity Awareness Month. These can be great opportunities to learn from experts and stay updated on the latest trends and best practices.
  • Promote Cyber Hygiene: Encourage good cybersecurity habits in your community. Simple actions like using strong passwords and being cautious with emails can make a big difference.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a reminder that we all have a role to play in protecting our digital world. By staying informed and practicing good cyber hygiene, we can help create a safer online environment for everyone. Remember, cybersecurity is not just a one-month effort but a year-round responsibility.

Stay safe and secure online! 🛡️🔒

Feel free to share this blog with your network to spread awareness about the importance of cybersecurity! If you have any specific questions or need further information, please contact us at Digital323!

AI and Cybersecurity: Transforming the Defender’s Dilemma

By Blog, Uncategorized

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital threats, cybersecurity professionals face an ongoing battle against cybercriminals and state-sponsored attackers. Traditional defenses often struggle to keep pace with novel threats, leaving organizations vulnerable. But what if we could tip the scales in favor of defenders? Enter AI. Know which problems can be solved by AI and what trends to look for as you consider the affects of AI on your cybersecurity.

The Defender’s Dilemma

For decades, the “Defender’s Dilemma” has plagued the cybersecurity world. Attackers need just one successful breach to compromise systems, while defenders must maintain robust defenses across complex digital terrain at all times. There’s no room for error. But AI offers a glimmer of hope.

How AI Can Reverse the Dynamic

1. Scaling Threat Detection: AI enables security professionals to scale their efforts in threat detection. Machine learning algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data, identifying patterns and anomalies that might elude human analysts.

2. Malware Analysis: AI can dissect malware samples, recognizing malicious behavior and zero-day vulnerabilities. This rapid analysis helps defenders respond swiftly.

3. Vulnerability Detection and Fixing: AI algorithms can scan code and systems, pinpointing vulnerabilities. Automated patching and remediation become more efficient with algorithms that can detect weakness.

4. Incident Response: AI-powered incident response tools streamline investigations, reducing the time it takes to identify and contain breaches.

AI Trends to Watch For with Cybersecurity

Keep an eye on the AI landscape – you might be surprised at the multitude of ways that AI will begin to affect cybersecurity and your organization.

1. Rise of Specialized Language Models

Large language models have revolutionized organizational cybersecurity by sifting through vast amounts of data and providing actionable insights. However, their limitations in understanding specialized cybersecurity datasets have led to a shift. In 2024, security teams will transition to small language models. These agile models offer tailored insights, and real-time data training empowers teams to adapt swiftly to evolving threats1.

2. Threat Actors Leveraging AI

AI isn’t going anywhere, and threat actors are keenly aware of its potential. In 2024, we’ll witness a surge in AI-generated threats. Expect sophisticated phishing campaigns, a barrage of deepfakes, and hackers gaining access to detailed information about their targets while bypassing endpoint security defenses. Security leaders must prepare for this wave of AI-driven attacks1.

3. Spike in Third-Party Data Breaches

Beyond AI, 2024 could see record-breaking data breaches. Organizations must remain vigilant about third-party risks and prioritize robust security measures to safeguard sensitive data. The interconnected nature of modern business ecosystems demands proactive risk assessment and mitigation.

4. Generative AI (GenAI) and the Skills Gap

Generative AI (GenAI) adoption will collapse the cybersecurity skills gap. By automating routine tasks and augmenting human capabilities, GenAI will empower security professionals to focus on strategic risk management. Organizations should embrace GenAI to stay ahead of the curve.

5. Boardroom Communication and Identity-First Approaches

Effective communication between cybersecurity leaders and boards is crucial. Two-thirds of global organizations will extend directors and officers insurance to cybersecurity leaders due to personal legal exposure. Additionally, identity-first approaches to security will gain prominence, emphasizing robust identity management practices.

AI represents an inflection point for digital security. By harnessing its power, we can shift the balance from attackers to defenders. Let’s embrace AI responsibly, secure our systems, and protect our interconnected world.

At Digital323, we are equipped to help bring increased security and efficiency to your team in this shifting landscape of AI and cybersecurity.

Let us know if you would like our help taking the first step towards transforming your computing environment to a safer and more proactive place.

SharePoint?

By Blog, Uncategorized

Do you still have a file server on site at your office or hosted in a data center? Are you tired of using a VPN to work on a Word doc from home? If you answered yes to either of these questions, this article is for you.

What is SharePoint?

By Microsoft’s definition SharePoint is a tool to “Share and manage content, knowledge, and applications to empower teamwork, quickly find information, and seamlessly collaborate across the organization.” Sounds awesome, yes? In short, it’s a home base for your organization’s content, applications, and data in one, secure place. Everyone on your team can access it and use it, regardless of location.

When properly implemented in conjunction with OneDrive, SharePoint can eliminate your file server and transform your organization by allowing you to sync data down to the desktop so end users have the same look and feel as they did with those mapped drives, S: Drive, U: Drive or Y: Drive. Users can collaborate with Microsoft Office documents real-time. No more shouting across the hall “hey can you let me know when you are done editing that document”.

However, not everything fits into SharePoint and OneDrive. Although limits are increasingly being lifted, there are some things you will need to understand to avoid issues when you implement SharePoint. The use of special characters, path length and item count are a few of the usage limits that you must consider when using SharePoint.

As an example, SharePoint total data can be up to 25 TB and 30 million items. However, OneDrive syncing adds some tighter restrictions. For instance, the total number of items you can sync with OneDrive is 300,000.

These limitations don’t decrease the immense value that SharePoint can bring to your team. With this file-sharing tool, your organization can see increased security, efficiency, and collaboration ability. 

SharePoint has free migration tools built right into the portal that can scan your server, identify any issues, and provide reports that show them to you. Digital323 has developed a process for reviewing these reports and designing SharePoint to help you migrate the cloud easily and responsibly. 

At Digital323, we are equipped to help bring increased security and efficiency to your team through SharePoint.

Let us know if you would like our help taking the first step towards transforming your computing environment to the cloud.

tech people talking about endpoint

Why Should I Care About Endpoint Detection and Remediation?

By Blog, Uncategorized

In today’s digital world, threat actors continually evolve their approach to bypass the defenses on our computers and frequently use sophisticated in-memory attacks to avoid detection. Many of the endpoint security tools on the market rely on a database of know attack signatures that our enemies have learned to bypass.

We need a new approach to computer security.

Endpoint Detection and Remediation provides a powerful, cloud centric solution that combines advanced Machine Learning and behavioral analytics to continually adapt and optimize computer security.

This combination will help you stay ahead of evolving threats by detecting the latest vulnerabilities and exploits, rather than reacting to emerging threats. If you are evaluating an Endpoint Detection and Remediation (EDR) solution, check to see if it includes the following to provide advanced defense against both known and unknown attacks:

  • Advanced threat detection and remediation capabilities – As the name indicates, this approach leaves behind the dictionary of threats and focuses on detecting patterns and blocking potential risks in real-time.
  • Ransomware Detection and Memory Threat Prevention – Given the significant threat of having your data breached and encrypted for ransom, this approach detects the behaviors for common crypto threats that would seek to bypass endpoint protection and blocks sophisticated in-memory attacks and fileless malware.
  • Machine Learning and behavior analytics – Built-in system capabilities optimize endpoint protection to help you stay ahead of evolving threats and new exploits by dynamically identifying changes that indicate an attack.
  • Remediation access – Gone are the days of removing the computer from the network to contain a threat. The Remediation element of EDR allows your IT team to isolate the device, wherever it is, yet still retain access to investigate and remediate the threat before safely restoring the device for use.

Leveraging Endpoint Detection and Remediation to provide next-generation anti-virus protection in our cloud-first world gives you the benefit of real-time managed detection rules to block the latest exploits and vulnerabilities. This solution offers deeper insight into malicious and ransomware code from file to memory and more.

As an experienced MSP, Digital323 continues to mature our services to help you stay protected in the face of the changing cyber security threats and Endpoint Detection and Remediation is the foundation of a deep set of security offerings.

Contact Digital323 to roll out EDR and other elements of our security stack to secure the data and applications you run from your computers

Financial Compliance

The ABCs of Cyber Security

By Blog, Uncategorized

There’s no questioning that Cyber Security has become a topic of utmost importance for individuals and businesses of all sizes. But with its ever-increasing complexity, it’s become difficult to keep track of what all the concepts and terminology means. Here are some newer terms that you’ll find frequently in the industry today, and how they may impact your business and your ability to obtain a Cyber Security Insurance Policy from your carrier.

Please contact Digital323 today to make sure that you have the latest in Cyber Security solutions!

Anti-Virus/Anti-Malware
Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware are softwares installed on a computer with the ability to detect and quarantine files that have been infected with computer viruses and/or malware. The software must be regularly updated to maintain its database of the most recent threats.

Encryption
The process of using cryptographic algorithms and keys to enhance the security and privacy of data and systems. Encryption is primarily found at the file, operating system, and hardware levels. Encryption brings assurance that data is safe in the event that it is stolen or lost in transit (think a lost or stolen laptop).

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)
Working in conjunction with NGAV, EDR provides detailed, real-time visibility into the activity on your computers and endpoints. Data is recorded and analyzed with advanced analytics to identify suspicious and/or malicious indicators.

Firewall
A network security device that can monitor and filter inbound and outbound network traffic. It’s basically a barrier between a private network and the public internet.

Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC)
A concept around which a company can align their business goals, IT strategies, and risk management. GRC helps to ensure that risk is measured and compliance to internal and external policies and regulatory requirements are achieved.

Malware
Malicious software or files that is designed to damage, disrupt or achieve unauthorized access to a computer or data.

Managed Extended Detection and Response (MXDR)
MXDR is a fully managed cybersecurity solution utilizing a team of highly trained personnel working with a wide range of capabilities to hunt, detect, respond and remediate threats on a 24x7x365 basis.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Sometimes referred to as Two-Factor Authentication, MFA is a secondary credential verification method by where in addition to a user’s password, an additional form of identity confirmation is used, often in the form of an additional code to be entered. The code can be received by text, email, authenticator app or token.

Next-Generation Anti-Virus (NGAV)
Beyond the traditional Anti-Virus Software, NGAV takes it a step further by incorporating a more system-centric approach with machine learning and behavior analytics into the cloud with the ability to address many of the modern threats.

Phishing
Phishing is the act of sending fraudulent emails, texts and other forms of communication in order to entice recipients to divulge personal information or conduct unwanted behaviors.

Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)
SASE is the unifying of multiple network access and security solutions into one platform. It allows access to data and applications which may be located on both local and cloud environments from anywhere based on Zero-Trust principles, with the same level of security.

Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)
SIEM is the platform for collecting, categorizing and analyzing cybersecurity information from multiple data sources. It contributes to a mature decision-making process when it comes to decisions around cybersecurity for any organization.

Security Awareness Training (SAT)
All good Cyber Security initiatives begin with the education of the end users of technology. An SAT program brings intentionality to the training of staff on what types of threats exist, how to detect them, and what actions to take (and not take) when you see them.

Threat
The potential for a person or thing to accidentally trigger or intentionally exploit a specific vulnerability.

Threat Actor
Any person or entity that intentionally causes harm utilizing the digital world. Threat Actors exploit weaknesses and vulnerabilities in a company’s technology in order to cause disruption and/or conduct criminal activity.

Virus
A type of Malware, a Virus is typically a piece of code which can replicate itself to cause damage and/or destruction of data and systems.

Vulnerability
A flaw or weakness in system security procedures, design implementation, or internal controls that could be exploited (accidentally or intentionally) which results in a security breach or violation of security policies.

Zero-Trust
Zero-Trust is a security framework which, regardless of being in or outside the company’s network, requires all users to authenticate with mandated credential management methodologies before being granted access to any applications or data. In essence, trusting no one.

As a reputable MSP, Digital323 knows the security needs of organizations and industry best practices to keep your IT functional, stable, and secure.

Contact Digital323 to make sure your cyber security plan is air tight!

Why Use A Dedicated Credential Manager?

By Blog, Uncategorized

In today’s landscape of rapidly escalating security threats, your credentials are the prize many bad actors and online threats are competing for. Your credentials (typically a username and password combination) provide access to online tools, accounts, and services for business and personal use. If compromised, they can provide the ability to steal your identity, your money, and cause significant impact to you personally and to the organization you work for.  

 

So how do you best protect your credentials?  

 

The most secure protection for credentials is to have them locked in your head; unfortunately, few (if any) of us are able to mentally maintain the several hundred credentials we accumulate in our business and personal worlds. Nearly as secure would be to write any credentials down on a physical document kept in a safe and only accessed when needed, which is neither time sensitive or practical. You are left with a need for a comprehensive tool to help you manage your credentials; something that keeps them safe and secure. And to be useful, it has to be easily available.

 

What do we want a credential manager to do?

  • Securely store your credentials
  • Help you create unique, random, highly secure passwords that are hard to compromise
  • Allow easy & secure access to our credentials on any device (desktop, laptop, tablet, phone) or browser
  • Enable you to safely share a credential with a coworker or family member

 

Apart from a document or spreadsheet stored in cloud storage (which really only accomplishes the first item above), there are two primary types of credential managers – browser based password managers (Google or Bing will remember your passwords), and dedicated credential managers (LastPass, 1Password or Keeper). 

 

While a browser based password manager may be easy to use and already storing a number of your passwords, there are some key reasons to avoid browser based password managers:

  • Browser based managers are limited to that browser; they can’t be easily used for other applications or browsers
  • In a corporate setting, your security team is unable to administer and protect browser based managers
  • Browsers suffer from frequent vulnerabilities that could expose your credentials to bad actors
  • The ability to easily and securely share your credentials with others is limited or non-existent in a browser based manager

 

In order to get what you want from a credential manager, your best option is to invest in a dedicated credential manager. There are a number of great credential managers available, including 1Password, Keeper, Bitwarden, NordPass, LastPass and Dashlane. Though they have a few differences (and some have experienced disqualifying security breaches), all of them enable you to create complex credentials and store them securely, easily and safely utilize your credentials across any device or browser and share them if needed with coworkers. Using a credential manager also allows you to avoid common mistakes such as:

  • Reusing a single credential across multiple sites or tools
  • Creating passwords that are simple (easily compromised)
  • Having credentials on sticky notes on or around your devices

 

Once you’ve invested in a dedicated credential manager, how should you use it to best protect yourself and your organization from compromise?

  • Create a long (25+ characters), complex passphrase as your master password that is memorable
  • Utilize multi-factor authentication for your credential manager and all other sites and tools possible
  • Randomly generate long, complex passwords using the integrated password generator for each credential you create
  • Never use the same password for more than one credential
  • If there is a need to share a credential (such as in a corporate setting), create a separate vault for shared credentials
  • Install add-ins for your credential manager in frequently used browsers
  • Don’t let browsers save your credentials

 

Though it’s not a guarantee against compromise, a dedicated credential manager is the best balance between protecting your access to websites and applications while maintaining ease of use.

As a reputable MSP, Digital323 knows the security needs of organizations and industry best practices to keep your IT functional, stable, and secure. A dedicated credential manager will secure your credentials, data, and applications and will protect you from disastrous data breaches.

Contact Digital323 to roll out a dedicated credential manager and other technologies to secure your data and applications.

IT services

Multi-Factor Authentication: What It Is and Why You Need It

By Blog, Uncategorized

It is increasingly important to protect our sensitive electronic data. It is estimated that over 30,000 websites are hacked every day, and according to the IBM Data Breach Report of 2021, data breaches and ransomware in 2021 cost companies an average of $4.6 million dollars. Simple passwords and basic password protection aren’t enough to protect you and your organization against a potentially dangerous and costly data breach.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is an electronic method of password and user authentication that requires the user to have two or more forms of identity verification to get access to a website, account, application, or network. These different forms of identity verification, or “factors” could include a fingerprint scan, a code emailed or texted to your personal device, or an authenticator app that generates a new code every 60 seconds.

Chances are, you have already used MFA in one way or another. When you log into your email from a new device, you might be prompted to enter in an OTP (one-time password) that was sent to you. Maybe you must use your fingerprint and your password to log into your online banking app. These kinds of MFA help keep your accounts secure and keep hackers from stealing your valuable and sensitive personal information. Integrating these security measures in your organization will also help protect your sensitive and proprietary data that keep your organization running smoothly. This could include anything from your sensitive client data, financial information, private emails, and even your personnel data like social security numbers and bank information.

 

Most of the applications that you and your business use will likely have a multi-factor authentication option available; you just need to activate it and train your team to use it. Though it may seem like an inconvenience, having MFA is the first line of defense against hackers. If MFA is offered on an application that you use, it is important to ALWAYS enable it before an intrusion happens.

MFA can be enacted in multiple different ways, depending on the application you are trying to access, or the needs of your organization.

MFA can use what you know: A password, a username, or the answer to security questions

MFA can use what you have: An authenticator app on your phone, or a code sent to your email address

MFA can use what you are: A fingerprint, an eye scan, or a voice activation key.

 

Having Multi-Factor Authentication enabled for you key business applications and resources can keep you and your organization from experiencing major data breaches, financial disaster, and crippling hacking attempts. As a reputable MSP, Digital323 knows the security needs of organizations and industry best practices to keep your IT functional, stable, and secure. MFA will secure your data and applications and protect you from disastrous data breaches. If MFA is offered on an application that you use, it is important to enable it before an intrusion happens.

Contact Digital323 to roll out MFA and other technologies to secure your data and applications.

Financial Compliance

What are Risk Assessments?

By Blog, Uncategorized

Risk assessment is a process that helps identify internal and external vulnerabilities and threats to business data, systems, software, clouds, and networks. It also helps us identify and understand consequences if threat actors exploit vulnerabilities, and know the possibility of harm that may eventually unfold. Failure to conduct regular risk assessments can be costly!

 

Knowing Your Security Risk Environment

Did you know that only about 40% of owners believe there is sufficient risk assessment conducted in their company? Additionally, cybercrime has shot up by 40% since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. If you don’t know your risk, you can’t fix it, and not being alert to threats can make you the next target.

About 70% of organizations faced a cloud data breach in 2020 and it is also predicted that ransomware attack will occur every 11 seconds in 2021. These threats leave no room for complacency when it comes to data security and risk assessment.

 

The Consequences of Undetected Risks

If any business risk goes undetected, it can snowball into a severe breach and cause a variety of problems for your organization. Some of these consequences can include a loss of productivity, where average downtime of employees is close to two hours, or financial loss. The average total cost of data breaches in 2020 is estimated at $3.86 million. Other major consequences can include reputational damage and legal liability. According to the IDC report, one-third of customers will be their association with a business following a major breach. And in 2020, the OCC fined Morgan Stanley $60 million citing failure to comply with standards and secure sensitive data.

Regular risk assessments are a positive and preventative investment in protecting your business.

 

Maintaining Regulatory Compliance

To stay ready and compliant with security requirements of most regulatory bodies, regular risk assessments are essential to identifying and measuring potential business impacts. You can classify risks as high, medium, and low.

High impact risks, if unchecked could lead to a major breach and have significant impact on the operations of your business or even result in external monitoring and enforcement. Medium impact risks, if unchecked could adversely affect your business’ cybersecurity posture and lead to demand for operational changes by the external enforcement agency. Low impact risks, if unchecked, might contribute to failure in accomplishing some of your business objectives.

 

Benefits of Regular Assessments

There are many benefits to including regular risk assessments into your business plan.

  1. Identifying your risk profile: Detecting threats and sorting risks bases on their potential for harm helps you to focus your efforts on urgent pain points.
  2. Asset discovery and protection: With an up-to-date inventory from your risk assessment, you can determine ways to protect your critical assets and vital data.
  3. Reduce security spending: Regular risk assessments help you reduce security spending because you know where you need to put money to ramp up security.
  4. Actionable analytics: Availability of information that gives enough insight into the future helps you take adequate actions that can improve your business’ security.
  5. Keeps you compliant: When you handle your business assets and data securely through regular assessments, your business can avoid regulatory violations.

 

Though it sounds a bit complex, with the right partner by your side, you can run regular risk assessments for your business and prevent a risk from escalating into a full-blown data breach. Contact us now!

engineering IT services

The Dangers of Insider Threats

By Blog, Uncategorized

Many business owners – and the IT professionals they rely on – focus on protecting their companies from external threats – the lone hacker out for a large ransom, the industry competitor pilfering secrets, or organized cyber-criminals with sophisticate phishing schemes, etc. But what about internal threats? Organizations sometimes fail to consider the true risks that insiders pose to their cybersecurity. Yet, internal risks are every bit as dangerous and damaging as the external ones, even if there is not malicious intent.

The 2019 IBM Cost of Data Breach survey revealed that 24 percent of all data breaches in the past five years were the result of negligent employees or contractors.
Another report, Insider Data Breach Survey, found that 60 percent of executives felt employees who made mistakes while rushing to complete tasks were the primary cause of internal breaches. Another 44 percent pointed to a lack of general awareness as the second most common reason, and 36 percent cited inadequate
training for their organization’s security tools as a close third. To drive home the full harm of insider threats, we’ve compiled five actual case studies of internal actors who’ve wreaked financial and reputational damage when they got careless, or abused their knowledge and positions for personal gain.

Case 1: The Careless Employee
Sometimes employers don’t do enough to educate their workers about cybersecurity best practices, and sometimes employees fail to heed recommended security protocols:

A report by a company’s chief security officer discovered that one of the organization’s techs was using duplicate credentials across multiple accounts and failed to set up two-factor authentication on at least two of his accounts. Though the company recommended these two security best practices – do not use the same log-in for more than one account and apply two-factor authentication for additional protection – the employee neglected to do so. This weak security enabled hackers to easily infiltrate the company’s network where they disabled and deleted all data backups – local and cloud. After sabotaging the organization’s backups, the hackers then installed ransomware and demanded payment. Without a usable backup, the company was forced to pay the ransom to recover its data.

What You Can Do
Set up automatic scans to check each clients security settings on each machine to ensure that your IT security policies are being enforced. Generate an automatic alert when two-factor authentication is not turned on where it should be.

Case 2: The Sneaky Former Employee
The knowledge that trusted employees gain about your business doesn’t get turned in with their resignation. Employees can become threats after they move on:

An engineer quit his job to start his own business that would be in direct competition with the company he left. According to court documents, the engineer hacked his former company’s server using a former co-worker’s stolen credentials. Once inside the network, he was able to retrieve AutoCAD files, design schematics, project proposals, and budgetary documents – all information that could provide a competitive advantage over his former employer. The value attributed to proprietary information he stole was between $250,000 and $550,000. For his efforts, the engineer was sentenced to 18 months in prison and two years of supervised release.

What You Can Do
Establish “exit procedures” for employee turn-over that includes the immediate removal of ex-employees from Active Directory. Scan the network daily for suspicious log-in attempts by ex-employees and others, and generate an alert for each incident.

Case 3: The Compromised Third-Party Vendor
An “insider” doesn’t have to be located directly within your walls to become a threat to your network. Trusted third-party vendors may have enough access to your network and data to be unknowing conduits for external hackers and do damage to your network:

A hacker infiltrated a billing collections agency and gained access to patient information that belonged one of the agency’s clients: a healthcare laboratory. Almost 12 million patient records were compromised, including credit card numbers and other personal identifying information. A security firm that tracks compromised data found 200,000 patient payment details from the billing company for sale on the dark web. Fortunately, the lab had insurance in place to cover some of the potential cost and liability as a result of the breach.

What You Can Do
Set up internal IT security policies that limits storage of credit card and other personal identifying information, and includes additional security levels for access. Regularly scan the network for any suspicious log-in attempts and generate alerts to investigate.

Case 4: The Deceptive Spouse
Spouses share as much information as business partners, maybe even more. When those relationships turn sour, the secrets shared in private can be used for personal gain:

When a business owner’s spouse began an affair with the owner of a competing business, the spouse sought to use insider knowledge to benefit the competitor. The spouse attempted to log into the company computer with the intent of downloading the client database. Fortunately, the network had an insider threat detection program that identified this uncharacteristic behavior and sent out an alert regarding the anomalous login. An internal investigation occurred, revealing the attempted hack as well as the affair. Divorce followed shortly afterward.

What You Can Do
Scan the network regularly for anomalous log-ins and generate alerts to examine any suspicious activity. An insider threat protection system that uses machine learning to establish baseline end-user behavior trends can help determine when investigations are necessary.

Case 5: Unsupported Legacy Software and Devices
Sometimes insider threats are caused by failure to act, rather than an employee doing something bad. Out-of-date devices and software typically do not receive critical security updates and patches, rendering them open doors for hackers:

A massive cyberattack penetrated a software vendor’s IT management systems through a legacy IP scanner tool and compromised an unknown number of end-user client servers. Some clients had administrative superuser accounts created within their Windows active directory, so unidentified intruders had full access to their systems and data long before detection. The vendor admitted, “We still have no way to know what sort of malicious software or gateways may have been left behind nor what data has been stolen, which absolutely could lead to additional problems and liability concerns for us in the future.” More than two months after the attack, the full extent of the damage was still unknown.

What You Can Do
Scan all networks daily, looking for software that is missing the latest security patches, and generate alerts for machines that need updating.

 

The Internal Protection You Need
As a reputable MSP, Digital323 understands cybersecurity and its significance to today’s small businesses. Looking for internal cybersecurity threats is more challenging than managing threats from the outside.We offer formidable insider threat detection and issue alerting that can accommodate any budget and networks of any size. We have specialized security software that runs a daily non-intrusive check of each computer on your network, and alerts us when it detects these kinds of insider threats, and more.
Contact us today to get protected.