Cold Weather? Check. Snow? Check. New Year's Tech Tips? Check. Staying busy this January? Here are some quick tech tips to help you stay safe and work more efficiently. Maybe consider tacking these onto your resolutions? ✅ Restart PCs and...
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Ellie Shaw
Cyber Treats: The Cybersecurity Crystal Ball
Cybersecurity Crystal Ball We don't have one... but we can get pretty close by examining the top cybersecurity concerns of business and IT leaders as we enter the new year. Why gen-AI tops the list of technology concerns: The rise of generative AI has resulted in...
Cyber Treats: Texting Troubles
The FBI's Warning Against Texting - Here's What to Do. What the FBI’s advice on encrypted messaging means for your business. Back in October, there was a large-scale cyber attack on Verizon, AT&T, and Lumen. The NSA has since said that this was an attack...
Cyber Treats: “We’ll Get to It Later?”
Paying a premium? Make sure you qualify for the payout. Cyber liability and data breach insurance policies can protect your business in a cyber attack, but only if you have the required protections in place. Picture this: A mid-sized manufacturing company felt their...
How Private is That VPN?
And should your business use a VPN? The Truth About Some Popular VPN Apps “Thanks so much to (insert VPN provider here) for sponsoring this video.” Sound familiar? VPNs bill themselves as a safeguard against getting your identity stolen on the internet, but many...
Zero Trust: What Business Leaders Should Know
Think of traditional security like a castle with strong outer walls, moats, sentries, maybe a dragon - you get the idea. In this castle, once someone's inside, they can move around freely. But what if the castle's not made of stone and sectioned neatly off on its own...
Cyber Treats: Online Shopping and Mobile Device Management
3 Tips for Safer Online Shopping According to the FTC, shopping scams were the second-most reported in the US in 2023--and they're at their worst during the holidays. According to TransUnion’s 2022 Global Digital Fraud Trends report, there was a 127% increase in daily...
Cyber Treats: Ready for a Quiz?
CONGRATULATIONS to the winner of the October Popcorn Giveaway, Jenni of JM Industrial Supply! Watch for our next drawing in November--you could be our next winner! Ready to put that cybersecurity knowledge to the test? We've put together a Halloween-themed...
Cyber Treats: Cybersecurity, IRL
More than software stacks and complex passwords. Some cybersecurity vulnerabilities are surprisingly simple—and visible. These tips go beyond the virtual. Let’s go irl! A goofy desktop background is the best-case scenario here… Before you step away from your desk,...
Cyber Treats: QR Codes and How to Scan for Scams
QR codes are convenient, but cybercriminals use them for scams, too—usually to get you to download malware or reveal sensitive information. Protect yourself from QR phishing scams with these quick tips: Inspect the source: Only scan codes from trusted entities. Check...
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Recent Posts
IT Compliance in Central Illinois: What Every Business Owner Must Know
Your competitor down the street just lost their largest client. Not because of service quality. Not because of pricing. Because they failed a compliance audit. In Peoria and across Central Illinois, compliance failures cost businesses $2.3 million on average. Most...
Cyber Treats – Scary Cyber Stories to Tell in the Dark
Enter if You Dare. Ringing the doorbell AND saying "trick or treat," also counts as 2FA, just FYI. This Year's Cybersecurity Nightmares We don't like to get too spooky here at Cyber Treats, but this year had sophisticated attacks, massive breaches, and threats...
Co-Managed IT in Peoria: When Your Internal Team Needs Backup (Not Replacement)
You hired a skilled IT person. They keep the lights on, handle password resets, and manage your daily technology needs. But lately, they're drowning in security alerts, struggling to stay ahead of compliance requirements, and working nights to patch vulnerabilities...
Why Business Continuity Planning Matters
Your server just crashed. Ransomware hit overnight. Hardware failed. How long until your Peoria business is operational again? If you're guessing, you don't have continuity—you have hope. Hope isn't a recovery strategy for Central Illinois businesses. What Business...
Which Compliance Framework Does Your Central Illinois Business Actually Need?
A straight answer to PCI, HIPAA, CMMC, and FEDRAMP requirements for Peoria-area companies You process credit cards. Does that trigger PCI requirements? Your facility handles patient records. Does HIPAA apply? You bid on government contracts. Is CMMC mandatory? These...
