Author Archives: Maria Koblish

Job seekers: beware fake job scams.

Job listing scams have actually existed for a long time, per the FBI. However, the technology now being used by scammers along with their increased skill level are making the scam listings much more believable.

And it’s showing up more frequently.

The FBI recently released a Public Service Announcement to warn job seekers of this menace.

So, what’s the threat?

Cyber criminals are using fake job listings to ensnare job applicants. Once they have gotten an applicant in the “review process,” they will gradually begin attempting to obtain sensitive personal information and financial account credentials. They oftentimes even ask the for “start-up” funds to get initial equipment needed for the “job.”

And of course, once the criminals get what they seek, they’ll simply disappear and no longer respond to emails or other communication from the hapless victims.

Read the full FBI announcement here.

Tips to avoid job scams

• Conduct some web research on a company you’re interested in. Cross-reference phone numbers, email addresses, and other details in the listing with what’s on the web. If the employer has posted jobs through their website, check and see if there’s a listing there that corresponds with the one you found on the job board.
• Be careful when asked to conduct an interview via teleconference applications that use email addresses instead of phone numbers.
• Be wary of companies that ask for bank information prior to you being hired. Do not send money or conduct wire transfers to these.
• Do not proceed with an application process if you need to purchase start-up equipment prior to being employed.
• Never provide personal credit card information to an employer.
• Guard your social security number and personally identifiable information. This type of information, along with your bank details, is safer to provide to a company in-person rather than electronically through email, text, or a web form.

Protect yourself from job scammers

“Vigilance and common sense can be powerful allies in combating internet scams,” said Brian Walker. “When something doesn’t sound right, don’t rush to action. Instead, take a moment to process things.

“Scammers tend to phrase things to elicit a rushed response. Don’t fall into their trap.”

“Cyber scammers are opportunistic,” added Aaron Allen. “They’ll use holidays and important occasions to their advantage. They thrive in busy times of the year, where people may be a bit stressed and may possibly have their guard lowered.

“A healthy skepticism coupled with an awareness of the types of threats out there can help you stay safe. Contact Thrive today.”

Valentine’s cards. Chocolate hearts. Flowers. Cyber scams.

Wait, what?

Yes, Valentine’s Day often sees an increase in financially motivated romance scams.

On a day where couples, classmates and sweethearts rejoice, lonely people can fall victim to internet-facilitated crimes.

A typical romance scammer will seek to gain the trust of someone looking for love. The scammer typically uses fake photos and personal details to achieve better results – and of course, to protect their identity.

Once the scammer has developed good rapport with their target, they will typically present a money problem.

“I need money so I can come and visit you.”

“I have fallen sick and need some assistance with medical bills. Once I get better, I can visit you.”

“My child is in trouble. Can you transfer some money?”

The sky’s really the limit when it comes to the variations of excuses. The only constant is they’re out to get at your purse strings in addition to your heart strings.

And the problem has grown to be a huge deal. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complain Center:

• In 2017, more than 15,000 people reported in saying they were victims of romance scams. Total reported losses were over $211 million. This doesn’t factor in the victims who didn’t report their case.
• In 2018, the number of victims increased to 18,000, with reported losses ballooning to $362 million.

Read the full FBI Public Service Announcement here: https://www.ic3.gov/media/2019/190805.aspx.

Of course, romance scams aren’t the only thing to be vigilant about on Valentine’s Day.

Your run-of-the-mill phishing and malicious emails will still be tossed around. There will also be scams related to the day: fake e-cards that lead to malicious websites, payment or date delivery confirmations for Valentine’s Day flowers or sweets, and other false holiday-related communication.

“Vigilance and common sense can be powerful allies in combating internet scams,” said Brian Walker. “When something doesn’t sound right, don’t rush to action. Instead, take a moment to process things.

“Scammers tend to phrase things to elicit a rushed response. Don’t fall into their trap.”

“Cyber scammers are opportunistic,” added Aaron Allen. “They’ll use holidays and important occasions to their advantage. They thrive in busy times of the year, where people may be a bit stressed and may possibly have their guard lowered.

File protection: What is it, and do you need it?

If you’re wondering if you need file protection as part of your IT service arsenal, ask yourself these questions:

Ever accidentally delete an important file?

Has data critical to your operations ever gotten corrupted?

Afraid of getting hit with ransomware, locking down your work?

Chances are, you’ve lost a business-impacting file that you wished you hadn’t.

Thrive’s DRaaS is a potent backup and business continuity service that has evolved to offer file protection to safeguard your data across all your devices, including workstations and laptops.

 

Ever-present threats to your data

Data has become the lifeblood to businesses small and large. Losing it can cause costly downtime, regulatory fines or, in the worst of cases, even the death knell for your business.

Many of our clients are already using DRaaS to keep snapshots of vital content in case of disaster — including Office 365 data. We’re now offering even more granularity when it comes to keeping your mission critical data out of harm’s way.

 

Flexible, powerful file protection

“Whether you’re inside your network or in the field, using a desktop or laptop, IVP Desktop File Protection Backup offers continuous file and folder backup,” said Brian Walker. “Now you won’t have to worry if an important file is lost or damaged while you’re on the go. If you have an internet connection, you’re data is being backed up.”

“Six-month versioning allows plenty of options to restore from accidental file deletion or corruption, and unlimited data for workstations eliminates worrying about reaching limits,” said Aaron Allen. “This expanded InVault Pro service will certainly be a game-changer, and it will help our clients – who are becoming more distributed and mobile – stay protected in the increasingly hostile digital landscape.

“Ready to compute with confidence with potent file protection? Contact us today for a free data backup consultation.”

“Any security system that is accessible from the Internet is going to be pretty vulnerable. If you set it up incorrectly.”

So said Thrive’s Jon Parks to FOX13 in a recent cybersecurity-themed report.

FOX13 Investigator Reporter Greg Coy was investigating how to prevent cybercriminals from hacking into your Ring Camera Security system.

App-controlled devices have been all the rage in recent years, and many homeowners have turned to Ring systems to provide peace of mind when it comes to home security.

That peace of mind was rattled when word got out that a hacker gained control of a Mississippi family’s system last December.

FOX13 reached out to Ring for a comment. Their response suggested they believed the account was compromised due to harvested data/credentials and not a device breach.

“Chances are the family had some account information stolen in one of the numerous data breaches,” said Parks. “Target, Home Depot, Equifax… these companies have all had breaches, which means if you had sensitive information with any of those, your info may be up for grabs in the so-called Dark Web, or areas of the internet where hackers exchange data and plan their attacks.”

Parks offered FOX13 easy-to-follow yet powerful ways to keep your accounts and your family safe.

• Utilize two-factor authentication where possible.
  This provides additional layers of authentication (such as a code sent to an associated mobile phone) that must be entered before accessing an account.
• Set up a firewall.
  Firewalls can add strong protection against attackers. Ask your internet provider if they provide a firewall.
• Beware of phishing emails.
  These are deceptive emails that are designed to get you to respond with sensitive information or account credentials. When in doubt, don’t click.

More cybersecurity stats, anyone?

Cybersecurity is no longer a luxury. It’s a necessity.

Ensuring the safety of your data, your computer systems, and your staff should be a chief priority for your company this year and beyond. Our businesses become increasingly dependent on data — and there are ever-evolving threats coming for all corners of the globe, looking to steal or damage that data.

And there are no signs of slowdown from hackers unleashing these cyber attacks. In fact, because of their successes (yes, they have been very successful), these attacks are going to increase year after year.

Check out these eye-opening cybersecurity stats:

1. Email is still a huge attack vector. According to Verizon’s Data Breach Investigations Report, 94% of malware attacks were by email.

2. The average cost of a ransomware attack is $133,000, per Safe At Last. And ransomware comprises 56% of malware attacks.

3. 4.1 billion records were exposed in data breaches in just the first half of 2019, per RiskBased.

4. According to a Security Intelligence 2019 study, the average total cost of a data breach is $3.92 million, up 1.5% from the previous year.

5. Mobile devices aren’t invulnerable to the cyber madness. According to a Symantec Threat Report, 1 in 36 devices had some sort of high risk app installed.

6. An assistant professor at the University of Maryland conducted a hacker study, concluding they attack every 39 seconds.

Our cybersecurity experts are ready to help you stay secure in 2020—and beyond. Contact us today.

Are the computers in your office beginning to show their age? Do you even know how old they are? For the sake of your productivity, it may be time to replace them for a newer model. We’ll go over some warning signs that your computers may be nearing their retirement age.

How to Tell How Old a Computer Is

When a computer starts to get too old, it can become a problem for productivity. In fact, to help avoid this, some even recommend replacing a work computer every four years… but how do you tell how old a work computer is in the first place?

This isn’t always as cut-and-dried as one would think it should be. Some computers and laptops will have a date right on the case, neat the serial number. If there is no date provided, a quick search for the serial number might give you an idea.

You can also check the components of your computer itself, using the System Information tool. In the Search Windows box, type in “sysinfo.’ From the results, access System Information and in the window that appears, you can find plenty of information to help you date the machine. For instance, if the BIOS of the device has never been upgraded, the date will likely tell you how old the machine is, more or less. Searching for other components can help you to confirm this estimate.

As a result, you can get a better idea of whether your computer’s issues are age-related, or if there’s something else creating problems.

Signs That Say It’s Time to Replace Your Computer

There are quite a few factors that can indicate when your computer is due to be retired. While these indicators can each be a sign that something else is going on with your machine, a combination of a few of them is a fairly reliable signal that you and your device will soon have to say goodbye:

• The computer is huge. In the interest of space, many modern devices are built to be compact, taking up less space than their predecessors did. While this isn’t a hard and fast rule (powerhouse workstations often take up a lot of space out of necessity), a larger, basic-function workstation or laptop is generally an older one.
• Startup and shutdown take forever. Again, there are a few different issues that could contribute to lengthy startup and shutdown times. Too many applications may be set to automatically run in the background, or your hard drive might be almost full. However, this is another common symptom of an aging device.
• You’re encountering hardware and software limitations. If your attempts to upgrade your computer’s hardware and software – especially security software – are stymied by a lack of interoperability or support, it’s probably time to consider replacing it. This is even more so the case if your work-essential solutions can’t be upgraded any further or runs slowly, or loading your applications takes notably long and they can’t efficiently run simultaneously.
• Your computer is loud. If the fans in your device (whether it’s a desktop or a laptop) run loud, it’s a sign that your computer either needs a good cleaning or needs a good replacing. If the issue persists after a thorough cleaning has taken place, that’s a sign that your hardware is working too hard, a sure sign of age-related issues.

If you feel that your hardware is due to be replaced, reach out to Thrive. We have the contacts to help you procure the equipment you need to remain productive and offer the support to keep this equipment going. Contact Thrive today. 

Some small-business owners are under the impression that cyber criminals are only looking for large targets.

After all, the big corporations have much more to steal and hold for ransom. Right?

While massive corporations can certainly be coveted targets for cyberattack, the reality is most hackers are quite indiscriminate. And many revel in targeting smaller businesses.

Why is this?

Big corporations typically have the necessary budget, staff, and expertise to provide potent cybersecurity. Successfully attacking a large company requires a supremely crafty attack and/or an egregious security blunder — on the part of the target — to exploit.

Smaller businesses, on the other hand, may not have the resources to cobble together adequate defense. There’s typically a deficiency in resources, knowledge, or budget. Because of this, hackers can have a much higher chance of successfully defeating a small business’s security (if they have any) versus breaching the many-layered defense of a mammoth corporation.

According to Verizon’s Data Breach Investigations Report, of the security incidents in their study:

43% of data breaches involved small businesses.

So, all businesses need to push security to the forefront of their priorities. And no vertical is untouchable.

“How do we get cyber-secure?”

You might be asking yourselves this question. Well, you can go the DIY route or hire a an experienced managed security provider.

The former can be quite time-consuming, as you’ll need ample time to ramp up your infrastructure, find talent, and get your security regime up and running. This can certainly be a costly endeavor. And don’t forget the need to stay on top of the ever-evolving threat landscape.

By partnering with a managed security provider, you can hit the ground running with your security. You can instantly tap into the experience and skillset of their team, and you won’t have the burden of keeping up with the latest cyber threats.

“Whether you want us to manage one aspect of your network security to all of it, we’re ready to keep you, your staff, and your data safe,” said Brian Walker. “Our team has a lot of experience protecting companies and organizations in all manner of industries.

“Ready to learn more? Contact us today.”

Business owners are certainly getting wiser when it comes to securing their networks and data.

Cyber crime is at an all-time high, and unfortunately, it only seems to be getting worse.

The Thrive team has battled this menace, protecting our customers from attack. Here are three things business owners should ask themselves when they’re deciding what to focus on next in their security overhaul.

1. Are you testing your backups?

Have backups? Good.

However, it’s not enough just to have backups these days. Backups need to be tested on a regular basis to ensure they will actually work in the case of disaster.

Thrives offers a mature business continuity and disaster recovery service. Your data and backups are tested and reviewed daily by a dedicated team to ensure you’re good to go in case of catastrophe.

2. Are you relying solely on antivirus to block ransomware and cyber threats?

While anti-virus can be an important part of your overall security, don’t rely on it alone to block all threats. Cyber criminals keep getting more clever, and their attacks are increasingly more sophisticated. Signature-based security, like traditional anti-virus, can be circumvented by many attacks.

A potent defense like Thrive’s, which blocks threats at the DNS level, can be the perfect complement to your security measures.

3. Are you educating partners and staff?

No matter how strong your overall network security is, a user clicking on the wrong link can lead to your worst nightmare.

People can definitely be the weak link in your cybersecurity.

Social engineering, within the context of cybersecurity, is the method of using trickery and fake emails to get a victim to reveal sensitive data, make a payment to a criminal’s account, or have them do any number of deeds that endanger their safety and data.

Social engineering is continually improving. Messages are getting more persuasive, and replicas of branding, logos, and imagery are looking more and more like the real thing.

Security forevermore

Will the ransomware and security threats of today be gone tomorrow?

“The need for strong cybersecurity won’t go away anytime soon,” warned Brian Walker. “Cybercriminals have gotten away with too much over the past years. This is literally a business to them now.”

“Security must be a top priority for all business owners,” stressed Aaron Allen. “Again, security must not only be done, but it must be done properly.

“Get a free cybersecurity consultation. We can help you see what you’re doing well, and bring to light areas that can be strengthened. Contact us to get started.”

The holidays are upon us.

That means family gatherings, good food, good times… and unfortunately an increase in cybercrime.

Opportunistic hackers and digital crooks use busy times of the year to really amp up their attacks.

Why? With so much on our minds — and so much shopping going on — cybercriminals find they have increased success during these hectic periods. A distracted mind can certainly make you an easier target.

Here are 3 easy online shopping safety tips to follow to help protect you and your family from the bad people when shopping online or checking your email:

1. Don’t make rash decisions or actions

It’s not a coincidence cybercriminals attack during the holiday rush. With so much to do — shopping, cooking, preparing the house for guests — we may not give enough thought to the messages that show up in our inboxes.

Account alerts, late payment notices, and other important messages may not be what they seem. Take a moment to process these if they come your way. Look for signs a message may be fraudulent, such as misspelled words or a cryptic sender email address.

If you have any doubt, don’t click any links in the email and contact the sender directly. Give them a call, or, if you must use email, start a new email. At the very least, pause and take a moment to reassess matters before taking action.

If you’re at the workplace, check with your IT department or managed service provider.

2. Continue to use strong passwords

Simple, easy-to-guess passwords can lead you to trouble. Cybercriminals can hack your account and steal account credentials. If they get into your email or social media, they’ll have access to your messages and contacts. If one of your financial accounts is hacked, unauthorized purchases could be made, your PINs could be changed, and new accounts could be opened.

By using complex passwords, you can help protect your accounts. Use a combination of upper- and lowercase letters, numerals, and special characters if possible. Avoid common names, phrases, and obvious things like your birthday, address, etc.

3. Beware too-good-to-be-true prices

If something sounds too good to be true, it may very well be!

In the mad rush to get coveted holiday gifts at rock-bottom prices, you may be tempted to pursue that deal you noticed on some obscure website or blog post.

Always do your homework and think before you click. If you want to purchase an item from an online store you’ve never heard of, do a bit of research. Instead of shopping from a page that appeared after clicking on a hyperlink, try going to the store directly with its proper URL. Look for HTTPS in the web address. If you still have a funny feeling, stick with a trusted shop.

Have questions or concerns? Want more online shopping safety tips or an answer to a security conundrum?

Reach out to the cybersecurity experts at Thrive. Contact us today. 

When it comes to IT managed services, there’s no such thing as ‘one size fits all’. Your internal IT resource, knowledge and capabilities are all unique to your organisation. They’re what shape your requirements and, in turn, dictate what you demand from your Managed Service Provider.

‘Out of the box’ and ‘off the shelf’ are both terms we’re all familiar with. The idea of standardisation, the creation of something which will cost-effectively meet the needs of most organisations, has a definite appeal. However, for many organisations, service or proposition standardisation often means compromise.

When it comes to IT managed services, the needs of one organisation rarely match those of another. The size of your in-house IT team, their skillset, your choice (and use) of technology and your future objectives will all contribute to a unique environment.

No matter the size or shape of your organisation, you will need to engage with service providers to facilitate some of your infrastructure; be this storage and compute, WAN and LAN management, telecoms and connectivity or the many other services you rely on to keep your organisation operational and its staff productive.

This presents you with an opportunity to work with a Managed Service Provider (MSP) that complements your internal resource; filling the gaps in technology, knowledge and skills while allowing your team to focus on delivering projects and driving digital transformation.

What does ‘managed service’ mean to you?

An IT managed service means different things to different people. For larger organisations, those with a greater in-house resource, managed services could be one-time, project-based engagements. Most will have teams large enough to take on the day-to-day infrastructure management, only relying on service providers for technology-specific implementations or external validation of systems compliance or performance.

At the other end of the spectrum, smaller organisations (or highly specialised service providers) may not have the capacity to retain any technical resource in-house. If this is the case, they will need to rely heavily on their MSP to provide an end-to-end managed service that includes systems design, implementation, integration, management and review.

For most organisations, the split between in-house and service provider resource will be somewhere in between. Elements of implementation and administration will vary from business to business. Moreover, with digital transformation driving services that have traditionally been on-premises into the cloud, organisations must simultaneously facilitate change whist developing the ‘know how’ to manage it. This is where your MSP can add value.

Finger on the pulse: The 2020 IT landscape

Both IT managers and service providers must keep an eye on the technology trends that will shape the IT landscape. According to Spicework’s recently published 2020 State of IT report, 88% of businesses expect IT budgets to either grow or remain stable in 2020. Like the 2019 report, this is predominantly driven by the need to upgrade outdated infrastructure.

Budget allocation to hosted/cloud-based services and managed services has increased slightly to 37% (35% in the 2019 report), showing the continued emphasis organisations are placing on such services.

Productivity solutions, online back-up/recovery and email hosting are areas of investment in the cloud marketplace, while managed hosting, managed hardware support and managed storage/back-up are driving managed service investment.

Is SD-WAN the answer?

It has become an accepted “new normal” that the breadth of IT solutions deployed in an organisation (and the expectation of a quicker rate of adoption) is here to stay and will continue to put a strain on finite and thinly spread IT resources.

SD-WAN solutions have become a particular interest to organisations because of their ability to simplify network and infrastructure management. According to IDC, the SD-WAN infrastructure marketplace will grow at a 30.8% compound annual rate between 2018 and 2023, by which time its poised to reach $5.25 billion in value.

While this is a relative ‘drop in the ocean’ in the context of global ICT spending, which is set to hit $4.8 trillion in 2023, its rapid growth does signal the technology’s importance as more organisations turn to it to manage their ever-growing WAN (global ICT’s compound annual growth rate is 3.8% in the same period).

As an emerging technology, internal IT departments are faced with a familiar challenge. Recognising the benefits of SD-WAN, they must decide between leveraging external expertise or increasing internal headcount and overhead to provide the service. Many will be turning to service providers to fulfil this requirement.

A tailored approach is key

In the face of a rapidly evolving landscape, where users’ demands on technology are greater than ever, IT teams are finding a new balance between what they handle in-house and what they outsource.

When choosing your provider, you should look beyond their SLAs. Make sure that you are satisfied they have devoted enough time and care to thoroughly understand your resource needs. They should also have the ability to collaborate with you on your roadmap, so you can accurately plan budgetary and resource requirements.

Your prospective partner should also be knowledgeable of both legacy and emerging technologies. This allows you to pick the right tech at the right time as you move towards a hybrid infrastructure, or adopt a cloud-first approach whilst being insulated from the risks of early adoption.

Before committing to any MSP, ensure they demonstrate their ability to become a positive extension of your IT team, with a documented understanding of the unique skills and resource gaps that you require them to fulfil.

When implemented correctly, such a tailored approach by an MSP will help you accelerate adoption of new technologies, drive greater efficiency across the IT function and keep pace with your changing needs. Thrive is here to help.