Protect Your Business from a Data Breach With These 5 Tips

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If you think the risk of a data breach or cyberattack is low, think again. According to the 2019 Data Breach Investigations Report by Verizon, every industry is at risk: last year, attacks were present from manufacturing to retail and from healthcare to administration, and everything in between. To safeguard your company from data breaches, it’s crucial to understand that not all attacks are from external sources – some are internal, and of course sometimes viruses get through accidentally due to employee mistakes.

No matter your industry, you have a lot to lose: your data, customer base, industry secrets, and proprietary information are all targets for attacks. As a cybersecurity expert in Montreal with 25 years of experience, I’ve put together five easy tips you can implement right away to help protect your business from a data breach.

  1. Implement an Employee Policy for Safe Use (anchor links)
  2. Remote Monitoring and Management Agents
  3. Install Proper Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware Software
  4. Have a Proper Off-Site or Cloud Back-up of All Data
  5. Install a Backup & Disaster Recovery Device

1. Implement an Employee Policy for Safe Use

Many businesses do not have any type of policy in place that sets boundaries for what employees can and cannot do on the internet and in e-mail accounts. To shield your organization from data breaches, your company should create a formal policy which all employees (current and future) need to sign which details information like e-mail best practices, rules for internet browsing, accessing social media sites, and completing personal tasks (like banking) on company time.

2. Remote Monitoring and Management Agents

Having managed IT services, such as Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) on every computer and server allows your business to be in a proactive rather than reactive position with security threats. Acting as a safeguard against potential data breaches, the RMM can automatically advise your IT support team that there is an imminent disk failure, low disk space, overutilization, and more to ensure it is fixed before you face an IT emergency that prevents your staff from getting work done. Depending on your anti-virus software, RMM can also alert your off-site tech experts when malware is present. Which leads us to…

3. Install Proper Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware Software

When you have a team of IT experts monitoring your network security, a proper business class anti-virus solution will have the ability to alert a central web portal when a virus or malware is present. This is a critical step in protecting your business from data breaches. Because we are monitoring that portal, we’ll be able to tell when a machine has any kind of problem before you or your employees notice. We can then push commands to that computer system to clean it of the virus, and update the anti-virus software if needed. In the case that a virus can’t be cleared through a command sent via the portal, we’ll be able to notify you and your employee, connect manually, and remove it that way.

4. Have a Proper off-site or Cloud Back-up of all Data

At the absolute minimum, your business should have a cloud backup that can safely copy your data for you at regular, frequent intervals. This backup strategy is essential to protect your business from the consequences of a data breach. This way, you have access to a backup in case of a ransomware attack, hardware failure, computer damage, or theft.

5. Install a Backup & Disaster Recovery Device

Hands down, the best thing you can do to make sure your business is protected in the event of any kind of attack or damage, is to install a Backup & Disaster Recovery (BDR) device with a cloud backup component. This comprehensive approach will significantly enhance your ability to protect your business from data breaches. If you have onsite servers, this is especially important. In fact, in our opinion here at Info-Tech Montreal, it’s crucial.

Protect Your Business From a Data Breach Today

Don’t wait for a data breach to strike. Protect your business today! Contact Info-Tech Montreal now for a free security assessment and learn how we can safeguard your valuable data and take the first step towards robust IT security & cybersecurity.

Windows 7 Dies Today: Here’s What You Need to Know

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“Microsoft released Windows 7 in October 2009. Now, more than a decade later, it’s being retired. Your Windows 7 PCs will keep working, but Microsoft is no longer issuing security patches as of January 14, 2020.

Windows 7 will keep working normally, just like Windows XP does. If you have a PC running Windows 7 or Windows XP, you can use it on January 15, 2020, just as you could on January 13, 2020. Microsoft won’t stop you from using your PC. You may see some nags informing you that “Your Windows 7 PC is out of support,” but that’s it.

We recommend you avoid using Windows 7. If you do keep using this operating system, it’s now especially important that you have security software (like an antivirus) installed and take steps to secure your PC.”

Click on the link below for more information.

 

How to Set a Password Expiration Date in Windows 10

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“To maintain your cybersecurity, it’s a good idea to change your computer’s password every once in a while. Windows 10 makes this easier because you can set a password expiration date.

The steps to do this vary, depending on whether you use a local or Microsoft account to log in to your Windows PC, so we’ll look at the process for both.” See link below.

 

Why You Need A Proper Domain Name and Email Address

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Believe it or not, we’re already into 2020! January is the time of year when business owners often implement new strategies for growth: new processes, new goals, new sales and marketing tactics. But if you’re a new business owner and are still using an @gmail.com email address to communicate with clients, then your first priority this month should be to secure a proper domain name and email address.

I see this often at networking events. I meet business owners who have a successful, growing company, and often even have websites already set-up, but when we exchange business cards, their beautifully-designed cards suddenly lose a level of professionalism when I see the email address: “companyname@gmail.com.” Unfortunately, using gmail, hotmail, or any of these free email providers sends the wrong kind of message.

Having a domain name secured and the appropriate email addresses set up for your company goes a long way to demonstrating to potential clients just how qualified you are. Whether you’ve yet to purchase a domain name, or if you have a website set-up but haven’t transitioned your email yet, we can help get you set up so you’re ready to scale in 2020.

Domain Names Are Inexpensive

The first step, if you haven’t already, is to purchase a domain name. Generally, these are relatively cheap – often around $25 / year. Your business name is the best option, but if this isn’t available we can help you find one that works. Almost all hosting packages offer free entry level email as a starter, but there’s also an option to upgrade to a fully synchronized mail server mailbox from Office365 or G-Suite.

Free Email Accounts Let You Create Multiple Aliases

Once you have a domain name and your free email set up, you can actually create addresses as you wish – usually up to 10. You can even create aliases which are additional email addresses that are sent to and from the same inbox free of charge, that do not count against your ‘real’ mailbox count. This allows you to set up a info@companyname.com, marketing@companyname.com, accounting@companyname.com, and any other addresses your business might need. These aliases will all flow into your one main inbox, so it’s easy for you to track incoming messages.

As your team grows, you can create additional email addresses (up to a certain limit) with their own inbox also free of charge. Just be conscious of the amount ‘actually’ needed; as later on if you decide to move to a fully synchronized mail server, each mailbox will cost about $7 a month.

Don’t Wait to Make The Switch

Often, entrepreneurs are hesitant to begin using a new email address for fear of confusing those contacts and clients they’ve already secured. However, we at Info-Tech Montreal can help set up email forwarding for you so you don’t miss anything sent to the old address. It’s better to make the switch early; the longer you wait, the more clients you will have to notify and the more areas (website, business cards, email signatures, online directories, etc.) you’ll have to update.

Having a proper domain name and email address that accurately represents you and your business goes a long way in helping portray your company as a qualified, professional option for your clients. We can help get you set up so you’re ready to take on 2020. Reach out to us today to get started or to answer any questions you might have.

What to Do if Your Windows 10 Keyboard or Mouse Aren’t Working

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Keyboard and mouse failures aren’t uncommon, especially with regular usage. If your keyboard or mouse has stopped working on your Windows 10 PC, here are a few steps you can follow to resolve the issue. Click below.

 

How to Use One Drive’s “Personal Vault” to Secure Your Files

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“Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud storage service now includes a “Personal Vault” for your sensitive files. These files are encrypted and protected with additional two-factor verification, even when they’re synced to your Windows 10 PC.

OneDrive’s Personal Vault became available worldwide on September 30, 2019. It works on Windows 10, Android, iPhone, iPad, and the web.”

Click on the link below to learn more.

 

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How to Fix a Frozen Windows PC

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“Windows PCs freeze for a variety of reasons. One instance might be a fluke, but repeated freezes suggest a problem you’ll want to fix. Here’s how to unfreeze and recover a stuck PC—and stop it from freezing again.”

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“After Windows starts up, it waits about ten seconds before opening your startup programs. This “startup delay” lets your desktop and Windows services finish loading, making everything run a bit smoother. If you have apps you’d rather run immediately, you can do it with a simple Registry hack..”

 

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“Windows computers sometimes do get viruses and other malware, but not every slow or misbehaving PC is infected by malware. Here’s how to check if you actually have a virus—and whether that suspicious process is dangerous or not.”

 

https://www.howtogeek.com/441321/does-your-computer-have-a-virus-heres-how-to-check/

 

 

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