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5 Ransomware Stats That Will Scare You

RansomwareWe’ve talked about ransomware a lot in 2016. It’s a growing, ever-evolving threat to your data security that you may not be paying enough attention to. Preventing this form of cybercrime takes a combination of robust security, in-depth education of staff, and thorough back up. If you need more convincing that it’s a threat you need to take seriously, check out these 5 stats:

    1. On average, since January 2016, there are 4,000 ransomware attacks per day, a 3005 increase over last year, according to the FBI. This only represents a small portion of actual attacks, as many people don’t actually report them (if you need to report one, you can do so here).
    2. In 2014-2015, around 27,000 corporate users were attacked. Compare that with 2015-2016, when that number rose to 158,000, that’s over a six-fold increase, according to security vendor Kaspersky Labs.
    3. According to Webroot, 100,000 net new malicious IP addresses were created per day in 2015, a significant increase from the 2014 average of 85,000 a day indicating cybercriminals rely less on the same list of IPs, and are expanding to new IPs to avoid detection.
    4. Webroot also states that the U.S. continues to have the most malicious IP addresses of all countries. In 2015, it accounted for over 40 percent of all malicious IP addresses, a significant increase from 31 percent of malicious addresses in 2014.
    5. PhishMe released findings that indicate the amount of phishing emails containing a form of ransomware grew to 97.25% during the third quarter of 2016 from 92% in Q1. The most pervasive form of ransomware being Locky.

If you are the victim of a ransomware attack, call the security experts at Great Lakes Computer immediately. The sooner they can get access to your systems, the better. We have helped other clients regain control of their systems, read one example by clicking below.

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Are You Still Afraid of the Cloud? It’s Time to Get Over It.

CloudIn the beginning of any major technology introduction, there are always plenty of hiccups. The first on board, the early adopters, tend to help weed out the kinks. As the mass market adopts the technology, they feel a greater comfort that there will be less bumps in the road. Cloud computing is proving to be an exception.

It’s been over a decade since cloud computing became widely accessible, but many are still afraid to adopt due to cloud security concerns. But, the cloud is here and you need to get on board. DarkReading tells us more.

It’s time businesses are honest with themselves about in-house capabilities before dismissing security in the cloud. Traditional enterprise security is based on perimeter controls — a model that was designed for a world where all data, users, devices, and applications operated within the perimeter and within the security controls. But as today’s users blur the lines between activity inside and outside the perimeter, that model falls short because the perimeter is too big. I’d even say that in any mid- to large-size enterprise, there are more devices, users, and entry/exit points than the company knows about.

Your Business Already Relies on the Cloud

What kinds of companies are leveraging the cloud today? Yours, for one. Even if you don’t officially sanction any cloud services or applications, your employees are using them. So are your customers, suppliers, and business partners. Services that support file sharing, online collaboration, storage, and other daily activities are all hosted in the cloud. There’s no getting around the fact that data is already being generated and shared there; business transactions are also happening and new business models are emerging.

The Cloud Makes You More Secure

Once you get past the initial holdups, the cloud opens a massive opportunity to keep your users, applications, and data safe, thanks to the benefits of shared threat protection. You will need to hire talent that eats, sleeps, and breathes cloud to supplement your current workforce, but you will no longer be locked in competition for infrastructure, networking, and security talent with the likes of Amazon, Microsoft, or Google.

If you’re ready to start your shift to the cloud, Great Lakes Computer can help. You can move some or all of your operations to the cloud, based on your level of readiness. Let us help you find the cloud solution that works for your business and your peace of mind.

Download Cloud Computing 101

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SMBs Struggle with Cyber Security During the Holidays

Data SecurityIn retail environments, 4th quarter earnings can make or break you. Business owners focus on ensuring they have enough stock to cover the demand, without creating surplus inventory. But, are they taking stock of their cyber security measures too? A blogger from ITBusinessEdge doesn’t think so.

According to a study by IBM’s Resilient and the Ponemon Institute, two-thirds of businesses that suffer a data breach or any cyber attack will not recover. One reason is that three-quarters of these small businesses don’t have a cybersecurity incident response plan in place, and even when they do, it has never been reviewed or updated since implemented.

We know that cyber criminals are constantly evolving with the times, making it clear that an incident response plan put in place several years ago may be ineffective against today’s more popular attack styles. Think of it this way: Is your business prepared to address a cyber attack on one of your IoT systems? Does your response plan include IoT?

According to a TechRepublic survey of SMBs, some 53% reported that they had dealt with at least one data breach in the past two years. Over that same period, 74% said their organization had experienced threats as a result of “human error.”

Even though your employees might be playing a role in these security incidents, a study from Bitdefender found that they are more worried about data breaches than you may realize: Some 73 percent of IT decision makers fear the financial compensation the company might have to pay in the event of a security breach, while 66 percent even fear about losing their job.

Two-thirds worry about job loss; two-thirds don’t believe their company can recover from a security incident. I don’t think it is a coincidence that those numbers came out equally. It notes just how high the concern is that businesses, especially small businesses, aren’t prepared for some sort of cybersecurity incident.

How do you get your data security measures prepared for the holidays? Establish strong policies and procedures for employees to ensure proper use of the equipment, from computers to POS Systems, and be sure your network security measures are up-to-date. Hiring a Managed Service Provider, like Great Lakes Computer, to monitor your network and maintain your IT can give you the assurance that your equipment and your data is secure.

Learn More About Our Security Suite

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5 Common Laptop Problems and How to Repair Them

Laptop ProblemsA huge chunk of the corporate world is mobile, and they need computing power that can accommodate that. Over the years laptops have gone from bulky and heavy to slim and lightweight. But, even with all the upgrades in power, size, capacity and memory, laptop problems still arise pretty regularly. Here is a quick list of five of the most common problems we hear about and how you can address them on your own. [Read more…] about 5 Common Laptop Problems and How to Repair Them

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Printer Problems After Windows 10 Upgrade? Let’s Fix It.

Printer ProblemYou finally made the switch to Windows 10. After the initial learning curve, you think you have a pretty good handle on it, then you try to print. Where is your printer? Why isn’t it working? You’re not the only one that’s had this happen. Here are some troubleshooting tips to help get your printer back online.

    1. Open your Devices and Printers Control Panel, easily accessed by typing ‘Devices’ into your search box on the Menu Bar. Device and Printers will show up under the Settings category. Find your printer in the list. If it’s there, move to step 3. If it’s not, move to step 2.
    2. Install Your Printer. If you don’t see it, type ‘Printer’ in your search bar and select ‘Printers & Scanners’ from the menu. Once the menu opens, select ‘Add a printer or scanner’. Follow the on-screen prompts. If your printer still isn’t being found, select ‘The printer that I want isn’t listed.’ Follow the prompts. If you still can’t find it, you will need to go to the manufacturers site and download the driver software, likely a file with an .exe extension.
    3. Troubleshoot Your Printer. Find your printer in the list of printers, right click, and select Troubleshoot. Follow the steps it gives. This may or may not help.
    4. Update Your Printer Driver. Some printers need manually updated. Go to the ‘Printers & Scanners’ menu, scroll to the bottom, select ‘Device Manager’. Click on ‘Printers’. Locate your printer, right click, select ‘Update Driver Software’. First try the top option, ‘Search Automatically for Updated Driver Software’, follow the prompts. If unsuccessful, try the second ‘Browse my computer for driver software’ option.
    5. Last ditch attempt. Your printer may not have Windows 10 updated drivers. In this case, go to the manufacturers site and look for the Windows 8 driver update. Install this and give it a try. If it still doesn’t work, you may need to consider buying a new printer.

All of this can be overwhelming for a novice user. If you think you need professional printer repair assistance, call the experts at Great Lakes Computer today. We offer printer repair service as well as Managed Print Services so you never have to deal with printer problems again.

If you want to learn more on how to best use Window 10, check out Windows 10 Tips and Tricks Infographic below.

View the Windows 10 Infographic

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Tech Tips to Reduce Energy Waste at the Office

Tech TipReducing energy waste in your office does not have to equate to a sacrifice in personal comfort or quality of workmanship. With the availability of cloud computing, many new options for minimizing energy consumption have opened up that will simultaneously increase the level of freedom enjoyed by team members. Minor changes translate into significant savings such as these tips…

Tech Tips and Beyond to Reduce Energy Waste in the Office

Implementing the following changes will trim up your electric bill in short order:

    • Opt for cloud computing and managed print solutions. By eliminating the need to power a large server room, you’ll enjoy reduced energy usage within your office. Managed print services identify instances where unwanted pages are printed; streamlining your print needs reduces energy expenses while simultaneously extending the life of your equipment.
    • Use the “hibernate” feature on all PCs and turn off printers, microwaves, etc. before leaving the office. Electrical devices continue to draw power even when they are not in use; if your office is going to be empty for a few days (or even overnight), make sure to switch everything to “off” or “hibernate”.
    • Give employees the option to work from home. Particularly in offices utilizing complete cloud solutions, staff members can connect with one another over the internet from any location, eliminating the need for a larger office space (which requires more energy to heat and cool) and additional facilities employees require on site.
    • Keep the office a few degrees cooler in winter and a bit warmer in summer. Ask employees to dress accordingly, as small changes in the thermostat translate into big energy savings. Cloud computing solutions help implement these changes as they eliminate the need to keep a server room relatively cold to protect equipment from overheating.
    • Hire a professional to conduct an energy audit. You may be surprised how much energy is lost through leaky windows or cracks in the building; older appliances also have the tendency to be an energy drain in your office. After your audit, create a budget to upgrade windows, appliances, etc.; upfront costs will be returned to you over time through lower utility bills.
    • Consider adding skylights and/or solar panels to your roof. Skylights allow free, natural lighting to enter your workspace, boosting the moral of team members and reducing, if not eliminating, the need for artificial lighting during daytime hours. Solar panels are low maintenance additions that can be tied into your electrical system and added slowly over time to lower the energy costs within your office. Tax credits may be available to offset these initial investments.

Reducing energy waste in your office will do more than just increase your bottom line. Cloud computing options, in addition to being green for the planet and great for reducing utility expenses, tend to increase the mobility of your team members and facilitate greater communication while enhancing network security. Great Lakes Computer can help your organization implement a hybrid or complete cloud solution and/or managed print services to meet your needs. When coupled with the additional tech tips mentioned above, energy savings within your office will be impressive.

Read More About 'Green' Cloud Computing

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