This is a common factor when bringing in outsourced IT services to a company that already has a dedicated IT department. It is a defensive expression that springs up whenever change is mentioned. It must be clarified that when a worthwhile IT company is brought in to consult or supplement onsite management of an IT system, it is just that: supplementation and consultation.

Sometimes, in-house IT professionals see this as a threat or affront to their jobs or capabilities, and that simply isn’t true. Managed onsite services and proactive work can be the perfect supplement to an onsite IT team, allowing your company to run smoothly and your in house IT professional to sleep soundly at night knowing someone has his back.

Many managers will be the first to state that their problems are unique to their company. They point at the overwhelming pressure they operate under, uncooperative users, and some cultural constraints. In many cases, we at AYS have seen separate companies, geographically separated and in different industries, completely exclusive of one another, both describing the same problems, yet viewing themselves as unique.

In reality, most companies share the same problems:

– A substantial backlog of user requests

– Difficulty with communications between the I.T. staff and external end-users

– Project cost overruns and slipped schedules

– Employee dependencies to maintain and support systems

– Hardware/software dependencies; systems are tied too closely to a particular vendor, making upgrading difficult

– Redundant data and lack of adequate documentation

– Design inconsistencies

– Systems personnel clash with database personnel

– Current information systems do not meet users needs

Frequently, many companies end up in a “fire-fighting” mode of operation constantly patching problems. In this case, it is best to bring in third- party IT support in order to mitigate these issues. That is where we come in.

In this day and age, most, if not all, major IT companies have a 24/7 reporting and ticketing system. The purpose of this apparatus is to allow for the fastest possible response time to everyday issues that the client (you) would run into with their IT system. It is vital to ensure your IT services provider operates in tandem with a 24/7 system. 

However, beyond this piece of advice there is another thing to watch out for- beyond the existence of a 24/7 system itself- that the company you choose to provide your onsite services has a low response time to individual problems and tickets.

What is a low response time, you ask? The best possible time would be under an hour. Here at AYS, our average ticket response is less than 30 minutes, far below industry standard.

Beware from large companies that look like they would have a short response time: always ask during initial meets with prospective IT companies what their response time is and ASK FOR PROOF. 

It pays to be stringent with your expectations- this is your time and money invested!

It’s easy to think because you have a small to medium-size business, cybercriminals will pass over attacking your company. The “not much to steal” mindset is common with small business owners in regards to cyber security, but it is also completely incorrect.

In reality, the U.S. Congressional Small Business Committee found that 71 percent of cyber-attacks happened at businesses with less than 100 employees. Even more concerning, the 2016 State of SMB CyberSecurity Report by Ponemon and @Keeperfound that 50 percent of SMBs have had a security breach in the past year.

But why are small businesses attacked more often than larger businesses? Almost all cyber-attacks are to obtain personal data to use in credit card or identify theft. While larger enterprises typically have more data to steal, small businesses have less secure networks, making it easier to breach the network. CSO.com by IDG’s article “Why criminals pick on small businesses” says that by using automated attacks, cybercriminals can breach thousands or more small businesses, making the size less of an issue than the network security.

The CSO.com article says that lack of time, budget and expertise for proper security is a top reason for the high rate of SMB attacks. Other reasons include not having an IT security specialist, not being aware of the risk, lack of employee training, not updating security programs, outsourcing security and failure to secure endpoints.

How does your SMB avoid being a victim of a cyber-attack? Here are 8 best practices for SMB cyber security:

1) One of the first lines of defense in a cyber-attack is a firewall. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recommends that all SMBs set up a firewall to provide a barrier between your data and cybercriminals. In addition to the standard external firewall, many companies are starting to install internal firewalls to provide additional protection. It’s also important that employees working from home install a firewall on their home network as well. Consider providing firewall software and support for home networks to ensure compliance.

2) While small businesses often operate by word of mouth and intuitional knowledge, cyber security is one area where it is essential to document your protocols. The Small Business Administration (SBA)’s Cybersecurity portal provides online training, checklists and information specifically to protect online businesses. The FCC’s Cyberplanner 2.0provides a starting point for your security document. Consider also participating in the C3 Voluntary Program for Small Businesses, which contains a detailed toolkit for determining and documenting cyber security policies.

3) With 59 percent of businesses currently allowing BYOD, according to the Tech Pro Research 2016 BYOD, Wearables and IOT: Strategies Security and Satisfaction, it is essential that companies have a documented BYOD policy that focuses on security precautions. With increasing popularity of wearables, such as smart watches and fitness trackers with wireless capability, it is essential to include these devices in a policy. Norton by Symantec also recommends that small businesses require employees to set up automatic security updates and require that the company’s password policy apply to all mobile devices accessing the network.

4) Employees often wear many hats at SMBs, making it essential that all employees accessing the network be trained on your company’s network security policies. Since the policies are evolving as cybercriminals become savvier, it’s essential to have regular updates on new protocols. To hold employees accountable, have each employee sign a document stating that they have been informed of the policies and understand that actions may be taken if they do not follow security policies.

5) Yes, employees find changing passwords to be a pain. However, the Verizon 2016 Data Breach Investigations Report found that 63 percent of data breaches happened due to lost, stolen or weak passwords. According to the Keeper Security and Ponemon Institute Report, 65 percent of SMBs with password policies do not enforce it. In today’s BYOD world, it’s essential that all employee devices accessing the company network be password protected. In the Business Daily article “Cybersecurity: A Small Business Guide,” Bill Carey, vice president of marketing and business development at Siber Systems, recommended that employees be required to use passwords with upper- and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. He says that SMBs should require all passwords to be changed every 60 to 90 days.

6) While it’s important to prevent as many attacks as possible, it is still possible to be breached regardless of your precautions. The SBA recommends backing up word processing documents, electronic spreadsheets, databases, financial files, human resources files, and accounts receivable/payable files.  Be sure to also back up all data stored on the cloud. Make sure that backups are stored in a separate location in case of fire or flood. To ensure that you will have the latest backup if you ever need it, check your backup regularly to ensure that it is functioning correctly.

7) It’s easy to assume that your employees know to never open phishing emails. However, the Verizon 2016 Data Breach Investigations Report found that 30 percent of employees opened phishing emails, a 7 percent increase from 2015. Since phishing attacks involve installing malware on the employee’s computer when the link is clicked, it’s essential to have anti-malware software installed on all devices and the network. Since phishing attacks often target specific SMB employee roles, use the position-specific tactics outlined in the Entreprenuer.com article “5 Types of Employees Often Targeted by Phishing Attacks” as part of your training.

8) Regardless of your preparation, an employee will likely make a security mistake that can compromise your data. In the PC Week article “10 Cyber Security Steps Your Small Business Should Take Right Now,” Matt Littleton, East Regional Director of Cybersecurity and Azure Infrastructure Services at Microsoft, says using the multi-factor identification settings on most major network and email products is simple to do and provides an extra layer of protection. He recommends using employees’ cell numbers as a second form, since it is unlikely a thief will have both the PIN and the password.

Security is a moving target. The cyber criminals get more advanced every day. In order to protect your data as much as possible, it’s essential that each and every employee make cyber security a top priority. And most importantly, that you stay on top of the latest trends for attacks and newest prevention technology. Your business depends on it.

It is summertime in Rochester once again, and the folks over at SonicWall have hit the road once again to show their partners and vendors- AYS among them- what is in store in terms of developments and upgrades to their services and upgrades to their services and products in the coming year.

They have really rolled out the red carpet for this RoadShow, and AYS will be there for your updates and inquiries regarding what SonicWall can do for you. 

For more information on the SonicWall Roadshow and SonicWall's products and services in general, visit

https://www.sonicwall.com/en-us/home

THE BIG NEWS HAS ARRIVED: AYS TECHNOLOGIES NOW OFFERS AN AFFORDABLE MONTH-TO-MONTH SMALL BUSINESS ESSENTIALS PACKAGE!

For the last year and a half, we have been hard at work devising a way for smaller businesses to attain the "big three" of IT security essentials at a low monthly cost. These three essentials- antivirus software, hosted backup, and firewall- are what every business needs in order to ensure the security of their information. 

We've finally managed to do it- with the help of our trusted partners and vendors, of course. 

Give us a shout if you're interested in hearing how we can provide these three necessities to your business, regardless of size.

Don't get caught wanting in your time of need!

May is small business month at AYS Technologies. And because of that, we will be releasing some awesome new content and a HUGE update on our offered services to you- the SMALL BUSINESS- to show you how much we care.

Without the support of local small businesses, we wouldn't be who or where we are as a company, and that is the honest truth. For what it's worth, AYS Technologies is a small local business as well- so it just so happens to be our wheelhouse.

Keep checking up here and on our social media posts in the next month to get an idea for what we are doing for local businesses around the Greater Rochester area... we think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Also, we are live on Instagram! Follow us on Insta at atyourservicetechnologies for funny pictures of Zach, Kev, and the boys- we promise you won't be bored.

Before making any technical decision in healthcare, you can be sure that HIPAA will need to be considered. HIPAA violations can result in hefty fines, legal action, and significant damage to your organization’s reputation and credibility. While you may think implementing your backup solution by yourself due to budget restraints, regulatory concerns may have you considering a managed approach. Cloud managed service providers can keep you in check with HIPAA and application monitoring; services that you may not be able to find in your own IT department. Your data recovery system isn’t just equipped to recover massive amounts of data; it also needs to focus on the loss of individual files and smaller data sets. Recovery solutions often copy data as one single file, which means that if you’re looking for one single file you’ll experience something not unlike searching for a needle in a haystack. In public cloud, with the ability to copy over data in its original configuration, you won’t have to worry about any of that.

The times of a backup being an optional feature are very close to coming to an end. It is necessary to consider the idea that within the year, it will be law to require a data backup if your firm or company operates in the healthcare field. With the advent of Cloud backups, there is really no reason not to have the contingency in place.

-Zach D.

Nearly sixty percent of the American business workforce works remotely- that is, outside of traditional office spaces. Every day, we log into laptops at cafes and airline terminals, dialing into conference calls and video'ing from the kitchen table. This is a new norm- but how does security factor into this?

First, it's important to remember to make your passwords as complex as possible within the realm of being realistic for the sake of your own memory. In short, don't make them a single word! 

Second, don't stress too much when browsing the web on an unsecured network- but be shrewd regarding the websites you visit. "Oops-clicking" is a real thing- so don't click on a pop-up ad hoping to dismiss it. It may trigger a malware download. Additionally, software like SureClick from HP will isolate each browser tab as if it were in a virtual sandbox, so to speak, so anything that you click on that IS malicious won't reach the rest of your PC.

Third, consider using a privacy screen on your PC. This deters people from "helicoptering," or "shoulder surfing," which means actually snooping over one's shoulder to lift sensitive information. Privacy screens make it so that unless someone is sitting in the primary position in front of the PC's screen, they won't be able to see anything.

Lastly- pay attention to when your camera is on or off-- and control what it could see even when you think it is off. Simply placing a piece of solid-colored tape or paper over your camera when it is not in use (or buying a fancy camera shutter) will ensure that anyone accessing your camera remotely will not be able to see you or the work that you are doing.

Stay safe friends!

-Zach D.

While institutions are continuously adapting to the latest cybercrime techniques, the first line of defense is at home. Here are a few tips you can employ in the comfort of your own home to remain secure.

1) Watch for phishing!

2) Verify virus alerts- don't call that 800-number to verify, but instead a trusted source!

3) Update your software by setting your system to auto-update!

4) Beware of phone scams- remain suspicious if a number you don't know calls!

5) Reset your passwords frequently!

From all of us here at AYS, stay secure and stay safe!

-Zach D.

The "If" mindset is one that we at AYS Technologies caution against employing when it comes to your system security. Let's have a quick chat about this.

Say that you live in a gulf coast state, and you've just opened a small business. Would you purchase flood insurance for that business? 

Sure you would. Why? Because hurricanes are likely in the area of the United States where your business is located.

How about if you lived in Oklahoma? Would you buy home insurance that covers damage due to tornadoes?

Of course! Why? Because in Oklahoma, tornadoes are a "when" circumstance, not an "if" circumstance.

One more. If you lived in New York City and owned a car, would you make sure your auto insurance covered collision? 

You definitely would. Why? Because in New York City, it's not a matter of "if" that taxi is going to rear end you on icy roads, it's a matter of "when."

The same mindset should be applied for system security. If you operate a business that handles private information- credit card info, health records, etc.- at all, it is not a matter of "if" you will be hit from an attack, it's a matter of "when." It's just that simple.

Outsourcing your IT services to a trustworthy local company is buying that insurance in tornado country. It is having collision in the big city. It is purchasing flood insurance before the hurricane. 

-Zach D.

There are two types of ransomware: 

1) Locker ransomware, which prevents the victim from using the system by locking components or all of the system, and

2) Crypto ransomware, which targets the data and file systems on the device versus the device itself, so the computer is functional except the ability to access the encrypted files.

Since 2013, the amount of detected ransomware in systems of healthcare companies across the United States has jumped from 4.8 million to 18.3 million.

Ransomware attacks on hospitals across the country have increased, putting the personal data and information, including financial data, at risk. Servers are commonly held ransom, lasting in duration from hours to days, leading to thousands of personal records being breached at a time.

Mac McMillan, CEO of CynergisTek, Inc., a leading national information technology and security company, was quoted as saying,

"There needs to be a fundamental shift in our thinking about security today. More priority needs to be given to detection and response, but detection and response without protection will be less effective and can fail."

We at AYS technologies couldn't agree more. Leave it to us- the experts- to keep your security up-to-date. For companies in the healthcare field especially, the time is near that outsourcing IT and system security will be not only recommended, but mandatory by law.

-Zach D.

At this point, most people associated with the IT world have heard of the Meltdown and Spectre update that occurred early last month. On 3 January, it was discovered that a set of security flaws with the ability to affect computer chips manufactured within the last two decades were active and present in the update. The consequences of this development, and the very existence of the Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities, can be examined in-depth here:

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3247868/vulnerabilities/spectre-and-meltdown-explained-what-they-are-how-they-work-whats-at-risk.html

In short, the existence of Spectre and Meltdown could mean that possible attackers have a new avenue to obtain information previously considered completely impervious to attack. As we mentioned, the consequences could be gravely serious.

However, good news exists, and it is directed toward those utilizing SonicWall for their primary IT protection method: SonicWall recently released a notice stating that those using their software have no need to worry about the Spectre/Meltdown vulnerability, as all SonicWall products and services have been tested and confirmed to hold strong against any possible vulnerability exploitation.

This doesn’t only apply to SonicWall/TZ/NSA/SuperMassive firewalls, either; it also applies to all other SonicWall products. We’ve linked to the SonicWall Knowledge Base on their website if you’d like to check out the details:

https://www.sonicwall.com/en-us/support/knowledge-base/180104215849838?utm_campaign=FY18Q4-NA-Partners_Meltdown_S_Ransomware_WW&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elqTrackId=b381a1ceebdb43ed89d070e2761007a2&elq=6be42f6d104d4894b435d0c0ec607d02&elqaid=20940&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=7214

Fear not, SonicWall customers. They’ve got your (and your data’s) back.

-Zach D.