In recent years, remote work has become more popular. While this working arrangement offers many benefits, it also creates numerous security risks. This blog post will provide tips on how to improve your and your employees’ cybersecurity when working remotely.

Create clear remote work policies

Your company should have clear policies in place that outline the security measures that employees must follow when working remotely. This includes using strong passwords, connecting to secure networks, and being careful about what information they share online. Make sure to communicate these policies to all employees and that they understand and adhere to these.

Secure home networks for remote workers

Home Wi-Fi routers are often less secure than business routers, so remote workers need to take extra steps to secure their home networks. These steps include changing the default router password, installing the latest firmware updates, and using WPA2 encryption settings.

Use a virtual private network (VPN)

A VPN is a crucial cybersecurity tool for remote workers, especially when they need to connect to public Wi-Fi networks. It encrypts your internet traffic and routes it through a secure server, making it harder for cybercriminals to track your online activity or intercept your data.

Use a password manager

A password manager stores all your passwords securely so that you don’t have to remember all of them. It can also generate strong, unique passwords for all of your online accounts, so you won’t be tempted to use weak passwords or reuse the same password for multiple accounts. Weak passwords are easy for cybercriminals to crack, and if you reuse them across multiple accounts, all of your accounts at put at risk if even just one account becomes compromised.

Implement firewalls and anti-malware software

Equip all work devices used by remote workers with firewalls and anti-malware software. Firewalls monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic. They can be configured to block specific types of traffic, such as traffic from known malicious IP addresses or ports, or traffic that is associated with known malware. Firewalls can also be used to create whitelists, which allow only specific types of traffic to pass through.

On the other hand, anti-malware software scans files and devices for malicious programs, such as viruses, Trojans, and spyware. It can also block malicious websites and emails, and remove or quarantine malicious programs that have already infiltrated devices.

Keep your software up to date

Software updates often include security patches that address known vulnerabilities. It is important to install software updates as soon as they are available. You can configure your devices to automatically install software updates to make sure you are always protected.

Alternatively, your company can use patch management software to track patches on all registered devices and deploy the most recent updates across all of them.

Back up your data

Regularly backing up your data can help you recover from a data loss event due to device failure, theft, or other unforeseen circumstances. There are two main types of data backups:

  • Local backups: Local backups are stored on a physical device, such as an external hard drive or a USB flash drive. Local backups are relatively inexpensive and easy to set up, but they are also more vulnerable to physical damage or loss.
  • Cloud backups: Cloud backups are stored on a remote server. Cloud backups are more convenient than local backups because you can access them from anywhere, but they can be more expensive and may require a reliable internet connection.

It’s best to use a combination of local and cloud backups for the best protection. This will ensure that you have a copy of your data even if one backup fails.

Be careful of phishing scams

Phishing scams typically involve emails or messages that look like they are from legitimate companies, such as banks or government agencies, to trick victims into revealing personal information, such as passwords or credit card numbers.

To reduce your chances of falling for a phishing scam, follow these tips:

  • Check the sender’s email address carefully. Phishing emails are often sent using email addresses that are slightly altered versions of those of legitimate companies.
  • Be wary of clicking on links or opening attachments in emails or messages, especially if they seem suspicious or come from unknown senders.
  • Look for signs of a fake website, such as a misspelled URL or a missing lock icon in the address bar.
  • Don’t enter personal information into a website that you are unsure is legitimate.
  • If you are not sure if an email is legitimate, contact the sender directly to verify its authenticity.

Remote work setups can pose many cybersecurity risks, but you don’t have to address them alone. Our technology experts can provide IT guidance, implementation, and maintenance to help you protect your business and its data. Contact us today to learn more.

If you are looking for an expert to help you find the best solutions for your business talk to GCInfotech about a free technology assessment

Published with consideration from TechAdvisory.org SOURCE

Some consumers don’t know what the padlock in the browser means

Most consumers in the UK wouldn’t be able to spot a phishing website if they ever landed on one, a new report from NordVPN claims.

The VPN provider recently ran its National Privacy Test, a global survey on cybersecurity and the public’s awareness of online privacy. More than 26,000 people from 175 countries around the world participated in the poll. 

The results showed that almost two-thirds of Brits (63%) couldn’t correctly identify a phishing website, as they were looking in all the wrong places and mistaking certain features as signs of safety. 

Looking for SSL

For example, 85% of Brits wrongly believe a padlock in the web browser’s address bar means the website is trusted. Furthermore, a quarter (22%) of UK respondents said they’d be suspicious of a website that didn’t have a copyright symbol at the bottom of the page, which would make absolutely no difference regarding their online safety.

On the other hand, some red flags were properly identified by many. For example, three-quarters (72%) said that if a website’s SSL showed a random individual or company name, they would be suspicious. Furthermore, four in five (81%) would be suspicious of a website with poor visuals and copy, and 86% would be wary of the site’s address.

Phishing is a cybercriminal practice in which hackers try to trick people into giving away sensitive information such as login credentials or payment information. 

Sometimes, they distribute emails pretending to come from trusted brands, and sometimes they set up malicious landing pages where people would try to log in, or make a purchase. 

There are more than a million unique phishing websites live right now, with “several” new ones being generated every minute, NordVPN concluded. To stay safe, users are generally advised to deploy common sense and never rush to download a file or open a link they receive in an email or a social media message. 

Cybersecurity is an ongoing process, and staying informed about the latest threats and solutions is essential to keep your business safe in the digital age. Protect your assets, safeguard your customers, and maintain your reputation by talking to our cybersecurity experts today.

If you are looking for an expert to help you find the best solutions for your business talk to GCInfotech about a free technology assessment

Published with consideration from TechRadar SOURCE

Email is a terrific tool that brings together friends, family, and business connections. But, unfortunately, it also has a terrible underbelly — spam, often called junk mail.

Stopping junk mail requires diligence, patience, and following specific steps. Unfortunately, that might not be enough to eliminate or even cut down on the spam you receive on any given day — but you can try.

It’s time to learn more about junk mail and how you can (attempt to) stop it.

What is junk mail

Like its physical counterpart, junk mail is typically unsolicited messages and usually contains commercial advertisements. Some junk mail also includes viruses and malware, which could cause real damage to your computer. To stop junk mail, you need first to understand how it happens. Most spam results from mailing lists bought and sold by businesses that contain your contact information. This information is often collected through above-board means, but deception often also plays a role.

For example, a mailing list could have gotten your information after you created an account on certain websites, such as a retailer you frequent or a company you seek more information. Sometimes this information gets collected after someone tricks you into applying online for a “free” gift or visiting a government or official site that is neither.

Today, most email services have a built-in spam blocker separating these messages from legitimate ones. And yet, nothing is foolproof, which means your inboxes will sometimes contain these annoying messages.

What you can do right now

The better combat junk mail, there are various steps you can take. Some can help with current emails, while others are more proactive.

First, use a junk mail filter on your email account: Most of the best email providers include junk mail filters automatically with their service. These tools filter unwanted or unsolicited emails, so you don’t have to.

Junk mail filters typically analyze the content of a message when it comes into your account, looking for keywords and phrases most likely to be found in these types of emails. As a result, junk mail filters not only clear your inbox of annoying messages, they can also protect you from phishing scams and other threats.

A good rule is not to open an email from someone you don’t know. If you’ve already done so, there’s an even more important rule: never open or click on links in unsolicited emails. Many bad things can happen when you do, such as dangerous files being accidentally installed onto your computer, prompts from questionable websites asking for your personal details, and suddenly more junk mail entering mailbox.

You might also consider unsubscribing from unwanted newsletters. These types of messages are often the result of visiting a website and entering your contact details. For example, you might be in the market for a new car, and upon visiting a site, you’re asked to enter your name and email address. That information is typically sold to mailing list companies, hence the steady rise in junk mail.

There are different ways you can do this. First, you can look for an unsubscribe link at the bottom of an email. Clicking on the “unsubscribe” link, and following the directions, will eventually remove you from that mailing list.  You can also attempt to contact the sender directly and ask to be removed from the list. This solution is best when there isn’t an unsubscribe link in an email.

Another solution is to use a newsletter management service and request that your name is removed from subsequent emails. The best newsletter management services typically make it relatively pain-free for someone to get removed from a list. These services are typically very responsive to these types of requests, although it might take awhile before you see a drop-off of mail.

It would be best if you also considered using the Surfshark Incogni tool, which will identify and communicate with dozens of data brokers so that your personal details can be deleted from databases stored by brokers. There are over 4,000 data brokers worldwide that now collect consumer information. Yes, 4,000!

Proactive steps you can take

Moving forward, there are a few online behavioral changes you can make to stop junk mail. These include:

Don’t engage: Your personal information is crazed by companies and organizations, good and bad. So from now on, be extra careful about who gets this information. When visiting a new website, for example, decide whether it’s worth handing over your email without making a purchase. And if you do decide to hand over this information, read the fine print first to see how this information is collected and used.

Trick them: You can give them a different email address when registering. This email can be a secondary email address you only use for website registrations. That way, any would-be solicitations are already separated from emails from your primary account. Perhaps a better way to do this is by using a mechanism like Apple’s Hide My Mail or the open-source SimpleLogin. These tools keep your personal email address private by creating unique, random addresses forwarded to your email. These addresses are made per incident, so you can quickly delete them when no longer necessary.

Start over: If you find it impossible to avoid spam, you can also consider the nuclear option and stop using your current email address. This would require signing up for a new email account and telling your important contacts about the switch, including any company you do business with. Once that tedious task is complete, use the new address and change some of your online habits, as mentioned above.

It’s hard to stop junk mail, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. There are various steps you can take to at least limit the amount of spam you receive. Luckily, some of the most straightforward steps get done automatically by whoever supplies you with your email. Beyond this, you can take additional steps, including proactive ones, to improve your situation.

If you are looking for an expert to help you find the best solutions for your business talk to GCInfotech about a free technology assessment

Published with consideration from TechRadar SOURCE

It’s no secret that the internet can be a dangerous place. Hackers, scammers, and identity thieves are always looking for new ways to steal your information or scam you out of your hard-earned money. That’s why it’s critical to take steps to protect yourself while you’re online. One of these is to make sure that the sites you visit use HTTPS

What is HTTPS encryption?

Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, or HTTPS, is a secure communications protocol used to send and receive data over the internet. Data that is transmitted over HTTPS is encrypted, making it more difficult for third parties to read. HTTPS provides a higher level of security than standard HTTP and is often used for online banking and eCommerce transactions, as well as other sensitive communication.

HTTPS was introduced in 1995, so older websites that have been left without regular maintenance usually don’t have this implemented. But even to this day, unsecure websites exist, and fraudsters can easily take advantage of them.

When you visit a site without an HTTPS connection, everything you type or click on that website is sent without encryption. This means that anyone who intercepts the data transferred between the website and your device can view the information as is. For instance, cybercriminals can use unsecured HTTP connections to gain access to your Social Security number, credit card information, and other personal data.

What role do HTTPS certificates play in cybersecurity?

When you visit a website, your device uses an online directory to translate its alphanumeric name into a numerical address and saves that information so that it doesn’t have to check the online directory every time you visit the same website. But if your computer gets compromised via an HTTP connection, it could be manipulated into directing a perfectly safe web address like www.google.com to a malicious website. Most of the time, users are sent to spoofed sites that look exactly like legitimate websites and are designed to trick users into divulging their credentials.

To prevent such incidents, the online directories mentioned earlier issue an ecosystem of certificates that turn HTTP into HTTPS, making it impossible for anyone to be redirected to a fraudulent website. These certificates contain information about the site, such as the domain name, company name, and location. It also includes a public key that is used to encrypt communications between a user’s browser and the website they’re viewing.

How to ensure cybersecurity safety with HTTPS

Here are a few things to consider the next time you browse the internet:

  • If your browser marks a website as “unsafe,” think twice about clicking “Proceed anyway.” Click the prompt only if you are absolutely certain no confidential data will be transmitted.
  • Use trusted web browser extensions like HTTPS Everywhere. These extensions encrypt your communication, which is especially useful if you visit unencrypted websites.
  • Always be vigilant. Some sites may have HTTPS, but it doesn’t mean they’re safe. For example, goog1e.com (with the “l” replaced with a one) could have a certificate, but the misspelling clearly indicates that it’s an untrustworthy site. Cybercriminals use similar spellings of authentic websites to fool people into thinking that they’re on a secure site. This is called typosquatting or URL hijacking.
  • Avoid sites that don’t use the HTTPS prefix.

While HTTPS is not a cure-all for internet security, it is a critical step in protecting yourself online. Contact us today if you want to learn more about HTTPS and other cybersecurity tips.

If you are looking for an expert to help you find the best solutions for your business talk to GCInfotech about a free technology assessment

Published with consideration from TechAdvisory.org SOURCE

Watering hole attacks are on the rise, but many businesses are still unprepared against it. To avoid falling victim to a watering hole attack, it is crucial to know what it is, understand the risks, and take steps to defend your business.

How watering hole attacks work

The term “watering hole” colloquially refers to a social gathering place where a particular group of people often go to. As internet users, we all have unique “watering holes” or websites that we frequently visit. For example, a financial analyst is likely to visit websites related to financial investments and market trends.

In a watering hole attack, cybercriminals observe the watering holes of a specific demographic and infect their targets’ most visited websites with malware. A user who has the misfortune of visiting any of these compromised sites will then have their device automatically loaded with malware.

The malware used in these attacks usually collects the victim’s personal information and sends it back to the hacker’s server. In extreme cases, the hacker will also actively take control of the infected device.

But how does a cybercriminal choose which websites to hack?

With internet tracking tools, hackers find out which websites companies and individual users visit the most. Hackers then attempt to find vulnerabilities in those websites and embed them with malicious software.

Tips to defend against this threat

Hackers these days are so highly skilled that they can exploit any website using a watering hole attack. Even specific ethnic communities and demographics have become targets of this scheme.

Protect yourself and your business from watering hole attacks by doing the following:

Update your software
Watering hole attacks often exploit security gaps and vulnerabilities to infiltrate computers and networks. You can significantly reduce the risk of an attack by regularly updating all of your software and browsers. Make it a habit to check the software developer’s website for any security patches. Better yet, hire a managed IT services provider to keep your system up to date.

Closely monitor your network
Regularly conduct security checks using network security tools like intrusion prevention systems that detect and contain suspicious or malicious network activities before they cause problems. Consider using bandwidth management software to enable you to observe user behavior and detect abnormalities that could indicate an attack, such as large data transfers or a high number of downloads.

Hide your online activities
Use a VPN and your browser’s private browsing feature to hide you and your team’s online activities. You can also block social media sites from your office network, as these are often used as share points of links to infected sites.

Watering hole attacks can be devastating to businesses of all sizes. By staying informed and taking steps to protect your business, you can minimize the risk of becoming a victim. Contact us today to learn more ways to keep your business safe from watering hole attacks and other cyberthreats.

If you are looking for an expert to help you find the best solutions for your business talk to GCInfotech about a free technology assessment

Published with consideration from TechAdvisory.org SOURCE

Even if they’re only browsing the internet, your staff members are vulnerable to all sorts of data security threats, especially when they work remotely, use multiple devices, or connect to various networks. As a business owner, you must put browser security measures in place to minimize the risk of data loss.

Install anti-malware software

Browsers are now programmed to block web pages of most malicious sites, i.e., websites that deliver malware to your IT systems. However, even the most advanced browser can’t block every risky site, especially if a site is legitimate but has been turned into an unwitting mule for malware. Since malware infections via web browsing appear to be inevitable, you must install anti-malware software on every device you and your employees use for work. It’ll guard you against known viruses, worms, and other malicious software that are designed to steal your data and wreak havoc on your IT systems.

Have everyone in your organization use a virtual private network (VPN)

Hackers can pry into your internal channels and external communications with your customers and business partners to steal sensitive information, such as account login credentials and banking details. Fortunately, you can use a VPN to encrypt your internet traffic. A VPN will effectively bar any unauthorized party from reading any messages you and your staff send out and receive via a web browser or another medium.

Install ad blockers

While most online ads are benign, some contain widgets that send your data to third parties that can then send you more targeted ads based on the data gleaned about you. Clicking on some of these ads can bring you to malicious sites. Thankfully, you can use ad blockers to keep suspicious pop-up, rollover, and banner ads from showing up on your browsers.

Stop online activity trackers

If you don’t want a third party monitoring your surfing habits, use your browser’s private browsing mode, such as Private Browsing on Safari and Incognito on Chrome. Private browsing also protects you from malware and third-party cookies that track your online activities. You can also use browser extensions that stop social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, from tracking your online behavior and collecting other information about you. Such browser extensions include Privacy Badger and Ghostery.

The simple act of browsing the internet has become fraught with peril. Do you have sufficient defenses to keep your data safe? And would you like a more comprehensive security system for your business? Our IT specialists can help you fight off cyberthreats. Let’s talk about your business requirements today.

Are you interested in learning more about cybersecurity? Call us today and discover how our wide array of tech services can safeguard your business.

If you are looking for an expert to help you find the best solutions for your business talk to GCInfotech about a free technology assessment

Published with consideration from TechAdvisory.org SOURCE

Many businesses still haven’t figured out secure remote working

It’s been more than two years since the pandemic forced much of the world into lockdown, with many companies thrown into a remote working environment.

But new research has shown the majority still haven’t figured out how to keep their workforce secure as they work from their kitchens, local libraries, coffee shops, and airports.

A survey of 3,000 IT staff and other employees conducted by TechRadar Pro, in partnership with Perimeter 81, shows that more than three-quarters of businesses have at lease some remote employees.

Their responses to questions around intended spending for 2022-23, however, revealed that many still do not have the necessary protections in place; 10% will look to implement some form of access management, while 9% will prioritise VPN and zero-trust solutions, respectively.

Further, just half (50%) of firms have a cloud-based cybersecurity solution in place, with an additional 15% saying they are currently exploring their options.

VPNs and firewalls reign supreme

Ever since the pandemic, the number of cyber-incidents, data breaches, business email compromise attacks, and ransomware attacks has spiked, bringing with them billions of dollars in damages.

Cybersecurity researchers argue that many employees who were forced into a remote working environment weren’t prepared, and ended up compromising their corporate networks with malware-laden home devices running no antivirus solutions, password sharing, and falling victim to phishing and other social engineering attacks.

However, now more than two years since the transition, it should be expected that businesses hold up their end of the bargain too, putting in place the necessary services to protect against threats.

The data shows that companies are performing strongly when it comes to a web security (more than two-thirds have either web or malware filtering solutions set up). Cybersecurity solutions like VPNs and firewalls have also seen relatively high levels of adoption.

But the survey data also serves to highlight the number of businesses that remain at risk, when the inevitable occurs.

If you are looking for an expert to help you find the best solutions for your business talk to GCInfotech about a free technology assessment

Published with consideration from TechRadar SOURCE

Remote work is becoming the new standard. Even employees who initially missed being in the office are loving working from home. It gives them a break from noisy open floor plan office spaces and offers much more personal freedom. This begs the question: is remote work more efficient than physically being in an office?

According to the studies cited below, remote work is a more productive environment for employees and could improve productivity of an organization in other ways too. For example, it gives organizations access to a wider pool of talent, allowing them to utilize experts from all over the world.

Why is Remote Work More Efficient?

In the past, employees had to get up in the morning an hour and a half before going to work. Now, they can simply get out of bed, have breakfast, and still make it in time for the morning kick-off virtual meeting. Cutting two hours of prep and traffic time per day improves the mood and happiness of workers.

With a 45-minute commute one way, the hours spent in traffic alone add up to more than 25 hours of saved time per month.

The second thing that lowers productivity aside from distractions is an overbearing or intimidating boss. According to Stress.org, 35% of the workers reported that the biggest stress factor in an office environment is communicating with a boss or a leadership figure. Meeting on web-based video conferencing platforms has the effect of leveling the playing field. Plus, it can reduce the stress over an in-person meeting. None of the power dynamics are available to the boss, like standing while you sit. Or potentially the office furniture layout puts you at a disadvantage. In fact, by giving the boss the same challenges with microphones, cameras, and other technology, everyone in the conversation has more equal standing.

Remote Work Requires Organization

A common pushback on remote work often comes from micromanagers who feel more confident if they can closely oversee employees. And to be sure, some employees do not perform well in self-directed circumstances. Smart organizations will focus on helping employees be more productive without direct supervision, or by improving online supervision techniques by utilizing new technologies for secure video conferencing and always-on meeting tools. Because the alternative of bringing them back to an office is likely to become harder as time passes and remote work becomes more entrenched.

For more effective strategies working from home, you need more personal organization. In an office, there are structural elements that help organize your day and your workspace. At home, things that are common in an office are just not there.

Organizations that can identify those who are not as well suited to remote work, and help them with structure and clear expectations, will be more effective than those who ignore the problem.

Remote Employees Are Happier

While some companies are trying to drive people back into the office because ‘it’s always been done this way,’ others are trying to make an educated decision.

study by Tracking Happiness concluded that working remotely or hybrid increases employee satisfaction and happiness by more than 20%. The survey was taken by more than 13,000 participants from Asia, North America, and Europe.

According to the surveyed people:

  • Having an office-based work environment will make them less happy
  • They want hybrid or remote work to be the norm
  • Commute time plays a big role in dissatisfaction with office work
  • Having to spend lunch breaks at or near the office is a negative
  • Millennials prefer to work only from home

Remote Work Has a Better ROI

Not only are people more productive at home, but with them working off-site, companies have lower office expenses. This has led to a paradigm shift in how companies think about employee training and collaboration. In the past, companies planned off-site training and sent their on-site employees to a local hotel, conference center, or specialized collaboration space to ‘get away’ from the office distractions for important training or planning sessions.

What if most of your employees are already off-site remote workers? What do you do with your office space that is underutilized now? You can turn your off-site meetings into on-site meetings at your office and eliminate the expense of third-party meeting spaces. Utilize the space you have with periodic on-site collaboration and training sessions for your remote workers.

There is still a need for office space, but how it will be utilized in the future is still unclear. In the next few years, as building leases begin to expire, the full impact of this reduced office expense will be known.

Final Words

Remote work is more productive and efficient. Plus, it leads to a happier lifestyle for employees. The ROI of hybrid workers is much higher than office workers since it comes with lower costs.

If you are looking for an expert to help you find the best solutions for your business talk to GCInfotech about a free technology assessment

Published with consideration from SmallBiz Technology SOURCE

Working from home is becoming an increasingly popular option for employees around the world. While this flexible work arrangement can be a great perk for employees, it also comes with its own set of security risks. Follow these cybersecurity tips so you can protect yourself, your personal information, and your company’s data while telecommuting.

Patch your software regularly

Although installing software updates can be a major nuisance, these updates generally address critical weaknesses and protect your systems from the latest threats. Most apps now offer an automatic update feature so you don’t have to manually patch your software.

Another option for your business is patch management software. These track patches on employee devices and roll out the most recent updates on a company-wide scale.

Fortify your accounts

When everyone is working remotely, user accounts must be properly secured. One way to achieve this is by setting at least 12-character long passwords with numbers and special characters mixed in to make them more difficult to guess. More importantly, these passwords must be unique to each account, to minimize the damage if hackers manage to compromise one set of credentials. If you find it difficult to generate and remember login details for all of your accounts, consider using password managers like LastPass, Dashlane, and Keeper.

To further strengthen your accounts, you’ll also need to enable multifactor authentication (MFA). This adds another layer of identity verification — like fingerprint scans or one-time activation codes sent through SMS — to make it more difficult for cybercriminals to hijack your accounts.

Use a virtual private network (VPN)

VPNs are primarily used to circumvent geographic restrictions on location-specific websites and streaming services, but they’re also a crucial tool for remote workers. A reliable VPN creates secure connections between devices and networks by encrypting internet traffic. This hides web activity from prying eyes, protecting your employees’ online privacy and mitigating the risk of hackers stealing company information.

Set up firewalls and antivirus software

Make sure to enable firewalls in your operating systems and hardware. These provide a strong layer of protection between your device and the internet, preventing malicious programs and other network threats from reaching your device. Your managed IT services provider (MSP) may also provide third-party firewalls in case your computers don’t have any built in by default.

In addition to firewalls, you’ll want to implement antivirus software to detect and remove any malicious programs that manage to infiltrate your device. Just remember to constantly update the software so it can effectively detect the newest malware strains.

Secure home routers

Home Wi-Fi routers are not as thoroughly secured as their business counterparts so take extra precautions to safeguard them. For starters, change the default router password immediately after setting it up because hackers can easily look up the password online once they know your router model. You should also install the latest firmware updates to eliminate any security vulnerabilities.

Finally, check whether your router has Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) encryption settings to secure inbound and outbound traffic. If your router doesn’t have WPA2, you’re overdue for an upgrade.

Back up your data

Important files must be backed up regularly in the cloud and your external hard drive. This way, you’ll always have a copy of your files in case of a major data loss incident like a ransomware attack or a power outage.

Watch out for online scams

The biggest threat remote workers face is online scams. Phishing emails may entice you with free coronavirus test kits in exchange for personal information. Some cybercriminals may even masquerade as legitimate companies, CEOs, or friends to trick you into clicking on dangerous links and attachments.

To avoid these threats, you must be critical of everything you see online. Look for any suspicious links and attachments, grammatical errors in the email body, and misspelled email addresses. Plus, you should never give out sensitive information to an unsolicited email, text message, or phone call.

Working from home poses many cybersecurity challenges for businesses, but you don’t have to address them alone. If you need guidance with enabling MFA, setting up firewalls, and even avoiding scams, we can provide the IT support you need.

Are you interested in learning more about cybersecurity? Call us today and discover how our wide array of tech services can safeguard your business.

If you are looking for an expert to help you find the best solutions for your business talk to GCInfotech about a free technology assessment

Published with consideration from TechAdvisory.org  SOURCE

If you’re struggling to juggle your passwords, the solution to your woes is a password manager. See our recommendations.

Password managers are a safe, secure way of logging into your various online accounts. In fact, they’re vastly preferable to the alternatives of either trying to remember multiple unique passwords or re-using the same password over and over.

According to Pew Research Centre, half of users have up to 25 password-protected accounts online. That’s far too many for the average person to remember, making it hard to stay secure. A secure password manager will automatically store all your logins, meaning that you’ll never have to remember one ever again, and can even generate passwords for you.

Given that even industry-leader LastPass was once the victim of a hack, concerns remain over using password managers. Besides, you may be questioning the wisdom of storing all your passwords in one place. These are legitimate concerns, but research has shown that using a password manager is far more secure than not using one. The risk of your business getting hacked is high, particularly during the pandemic, so we’d strongly recommend getting one yourself.

As for which password manager you should choose? We’ve tested some of the best password managers around, and while they’re all safe and secure, the best on test was LastPass. This stands out thanks to a simple interface, secure setup, and brilliant family-sharing options. Plus, you can try LastPass for free to see if you like it.

Is it Safe to Use a Password Manager?

Yes – a good quality password manager is a safe, trustworthy and highly recommended security tool. In fact, security experts almost uniformly believe that password managers are infinitely safer than virtually every alternative there is, for businesses and individuals alike.

Top password managers, such as 1PasswordDashlane or LastPass, can be trusted to protect your account logins thanks to secure encryption that keeps your passwords secret.

Here’s how it works in practice. You create an account with a password manager, then create a single “master password” to log into it. To keep your password manager safe to use, it’s essential that your master password isn’t anything obvious. So that’s no to “12345,” “qwerty,” or “passwd.” Instead, pick a longer phrase or mix and match cases and special characters – just ensure it’s unique and memorable.

Then, the password manager can get to work automatically generating complex, unique passwords for every service you log into online – one for your Amazon account, email account, Facebook account and so on. You won’t need to memorize these – whenever you login in, the password manager will automatically apply the password (and you enable the password manager via that single master password).

This entire process is far more secure than re-using the same password over and over on multiple sites – the single biggest risk you can take with you and your business’ online security. It’s also far easier than attempting to remember multiple unique passwords.

So, if it’s all win, why are there any questions around password manager safety? Largely, these come down to an understandable concern over the security of handing over your logins to a third-party service. That’s why we’d recommend only using a trustworthy, well-rated password manager. So which ones would we recommend?

Most Secure Password Manager

If you want a secure password manager, you should opt for a paid one. Free password managers tend to be restricted in some way, and are usually supported with adverts. Additionally, free password managers are simply not set up to handle a full business’ security needs, which means paid for is always the way to go.

In our testing, we found LastPass to be the most secure password manager. For a few dollars a month, it could save you a lot of headaches, as well as time spent waiting for password reminder emails to drop into your inbox.

Do Password Managers Get Hacked?

No online system is infallible. Password managers – just like any other online service you use, such as Amazon, Twitter or Facebook – run the risk of being hacked. In fact, some have been.

The best password managers, however, will take your security very seriously – after all, you’re paying for the service. If you lose trust in them, they lose your patronage, and with it, your payment.

When LastPass was hacked in 2015, users were right to be concerned – after all, if a hacker could get into the system, they could, in theory, have access to every password that LastPass users had stored there. However, even though its security was breached, hackers were unable to steal any information – all of the passwords were protected by the users’ Master Password, which is not stored on the LastPass servers. This meant that the encryption on the passwords stored by LastPass was unable to be cracked. And that is why you should pay for a password manager.

Password managers are also a common target for ‘ethical hackers’ — those who like to test the security of online systems to flex their coding muscles. Password managers are their white whale – crack one of these open, and they’ll win the acclaim of the industry.

This isn’t as scary as it sounds though. In fact, ethical hackers are offering a great service, finding exploits in online systems before more nefarious people do. Once they’ve found a vulnerability, these hacklers will make contact with the service and let them know, allowing the provider to then fix the issue.

Verdict – Should You Use a Password Manager?

We can’t state this clearly enough – a password manager is a safe, recommended way to secure your online logins. The alternatives are far, far riskier – in particular, that old habit of re-using the same old password again and again across multiple websites (please, just don’t).

No system is guaranteed bullet-proof, and as the LastPass hack showed, even password managers can be vulnerable. However, as that very incident showed, there are serious protections in place, and these prevented the LastPass hack from being a disaster for any customers.

In the age of hybrid work and vast security breaches, we’d strongly recommend getting up and running with a password manager for proper online peace of mind.

If you are looking for an expert to help you find the best solutions for your business talk to GCInfotech about a free technology assessment

Published with consideration from Tech.co SOURCE