Is your company struggling to maintain a culture of cybersecurity? If so, you may have a case of the dreaded “cyber fatigue.”
What is cyber fatigue and how can my company beat it?
Like any kind of fatigue, cyber fatigue is characterized by a tiredness surrounding cybersecurity practices. It can affect an entire organization, or just the business owner.
What does cyber fatigue look like?
Cyber fatigue may look like using “easy” passwords so you can access sites and programs faster. It may look like leaving your computer unlocked when you step away from your desk, even though you know it’s safest to log out first.
While these are just a few small examples, where cyber fatigue really takes its toll is at the management level. Many business owners grow tired of having to source new cybersecurity solutions to stay safe. They may feel like it’s grown too complicated—just a couple years ago, didn’t we only need an antivirus to stay safe?
The top three contributors to cyber fatigue? Vendor complexity, changes in compliancy, and employee training.
Vendor complexity is a large reason for the growing phenomenon of cyber fatigue. If you are attempting to source all the individual programs, software, and hardware required to keep your company safe, you’re probably completely overwhelmed by choice.
Another reason business owners cite for cyber fatigue in their organization is difficulty staying on top of trends and updating regulations around compliancy. This is especially true in industries like medical, insurance, and finance, where the laws and regulations change rapidly. On top of running a business, it can be nearly impossible to stay informed on every component of compliancy.
Lastly, the most prevalent reason for cyber fatigue is lack of employee education. As we’ve written before, training your team is the best and most cost-efficient way to prevent breaches and attacks, and can work to improve morale as well. However, education takes a lot of time if you don’t have the right resources and tools, and is another huge burden that generally falls on the business owner.
How can I fight cyber fatigue in my business?
The best way to fight cyber fatigue in your organization is to work with an expert like Facet to devise a cybersecurity plan. We only work with trusted vendors to provide our clients with cybersecurity solutions that are proven to deliver. This takes the guesswork out of security options!
Through Facet managed services, you also get plenty of resources and materials for employee training. These resources include phishing simulations, video courses and more that we can deploy for you. Phishing simulations have been shown to be a highly effective defense against ransomware, so don’t sleep on this!
If confusion around compliancy is holding you back from becoming fully secure, talk to us about compliancy solutions that we can manage for you. Whether you need help with HIPAA or other compliancy standards, the Facet team can help navigate you to where you need to be.
Ready to get secure?
Contact us today using the form below, or simply give us a call at (309) 689-3900. We provide complimentary security assessments and can help you create a roadmap to better cybersecurity. Already have an IT provider? It never hurts to get a second opinion, and our no-pressure assessments mean you can get a full picture of the work that’s being done from an honest third party.
About Facet Technologies
Facet Technologies provides business IT support, managed services, cybersecurity, and co-managed IT to business in Central Illinois and across North America. We believe in a service-focused approach and strive for a great, lasting partnership with our clients. You can find True Tech Peace of Mind with an IT and security team that wants to see your business succeed!
This recipe is from Terry Ostazeski, Facet’s awesome Administrative Assistant! Terry helps our customers at the front desk and over the phone, and also works to schedule and dispatch technicians when clients need help. Terry recently brought these delicious cookies to a Facet potluck lunch and they were a huge hit, perfect for getting your autumn pumpkin fix.
This recipe is from Terry Ostazeski, Facet’s awesome Administrative Assistant! Terry helps our customers at the front desk and over the phone, and also works to schedule and dispatch technicians when clients need help. Terry recently brought these delicious cookies to a Facet potluck lunch and they were a huge hit, perfect for getting your autumn pumpkin fix.
Directions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
Step 2
In another large bowl, combine butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add egg, pumpkin, and vanilla and mix until evenly combined. Gradually, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Step 3
Roll about 1 tablespoon of dough into a ball then roll in cinnamon-sugar and place on baking sheet.
Step 4
Repeat with remaining dough and bake until tops start to crack and centers are just set, 12 minutes.
Here’s why “turning it off and on again” should almost always be your first move when you’re experiencing computer issues.
Ahh, the magic words: why does “turning it off and on again” work so often to fix small IT problems?
Restarting your PC can be a “magic cure” for many small PC headaches. Whether a program refuses to start, or you’re experiencing slowness, oftentimes a quick restart makes everything right. It may make us sound like a broken record, but there’s a reason why IT professionals are so quick to suggest “turning it off and on again.”
Why does it work?
Often, while using a computer, programs and software may run into small errors that can compound into bigger issues. Maybe it’s causing the PC to run slow, or causing another program to load incorrectly. As with all software, there are many tiny things that can just go wrong.
Turning the computer off stops all these processes and clears a bunch of temporary data. When you start it up again, you’re at the “starting line” with everything in place.
One common analogy for this is an orchestra that’s gone off beat. Say you’re conducting an orchestra and several musicians are offbeat. It’s going to be easiest to stop the music and start from the beginning of the song, as opposed to trying to correct each musician that’s offbeat, right?
While most software goes through rigorous testing before being sold to the public, there’s always a chance of unexpected hiccups. Luckily, a quick restart can sometimes be the fix it needs!
Limitations of a restart
Obviously, if there are larger software issues at play, a restart won’t always fix them. For example, if your computer runs slow even on startup, you may have unnecessary programs or “bloatware” set to automatically run as soon as your PC is started. You may also be experiencing a hardware failure.
We know that trying to get work done with recurring IT issues can be a frustrating experience. If you have computers at your office that are running slow, encountering errors, or having connectivity issues, we can help! Simply fill out the contact form below or give us a call at (309) 689-3900 and one of our friendly, experienced technicians can help you get rid of IT headaches for good.
About Facet Technologies
Facet offers managed services, cybersecurity, and helpdesk services to businesses across Central Illinois and the U.S. from our headquarters in Peoria, IL. If your business could use some IT help, give us a call and see the Facet difference for yourself.
Start by cooking bacon to your liking, I usually do somewhere between crunchy and soft. Save bacon grease and use another pan on medium low to melt the ½ stick of butter.
Ensure steak has been sitting outside of the fridge for at least 20 minutes, pat dry with paper towel, and season with salt and pepper.
Once all butter has melted in the pan place steak and cook for 3-5 minutes a side depending on the thickness of the steak. While the steak is cooking cut onion into strips and have the pan with the bacon grease on low heat.
Add in white onion and caramelize, make sure to keep moving the onion around or they will start to burn; this process can take around 20 minutes to complete. Once steak is to your liking remove and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting into strips.
After caramelizing the onions remove them from the pan and dice your 3 russet potatoes.
Add them into the bacon grease and cook them until the skin is crispy and you’re able to push a fork through them with ease.
Crack your 5 eggs into a bowl and beat eggs until fully mixed then add a splash of milk to make the eggs a bit fluffier.
After the potatoes are done remove them and add the eggs into what is left of the bacon grease pan. Make sure there is not an excess amount of grease in the pan because if there is the eggs will turn out runny.
Scramble the eggs on a low heat while continuously moving and folding them with a spatula. When the eggs are almost done salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.
Lay down the large tortilla and layer with pepper jack cheese, potatoes, steak, sour cream, eggs, bacon, caramelized onions, and finish with the salsa with fruit in it. I prefer mango but we have used a peach salsa in the past and that worked fine as well. Once constructed wrap up and chow down.
We cook this every other month or so on Sundays when we are going to have a lazy day because after you eat this you will need some relaxation time.
You’ve Been Hit By Ransomware… What Should You Do Now?
If your company has suffered a ransomware attack, it’s important to act fast to limit the damage and remediate the situation in order to minimize losses.
Even if you have avoided ransomware in the past, it’s important to formulate a disaster recovery plan if you do get hit in the future.
A solid security stack can go a long way to prevent ransomware and other data breaches. With tools like AI antivirus and best-in-class security options, Facet customers have peace of mind knowing they have greater protection.
Continue reading to see the steps you should take if you are the victim of a ransomware attack.
If you have an IT provider, contact them immediately.
If you have a managed services agreement, contact your provider quickly. They may be able to take steps that limit the damage and restore a backup of your data so you can get back to operations as normal. This normally includes quickly taking your network offline at the switch level.
This is the first and most important step to take if your organization is hit by ransomware. This can prevent further damage done to your system if the malware has not yet spread fully. Understand that if your computers are networked, there is a chance that more than one device is affected.
If you don’t have an IT provider, contact a local firm specializing in ransomware recovery.
If you do not currently have an IT provider, call a local firm that specializes in ransomware recovery. At Facet, we provide ransomware response services to companies in Peoria and the surrounding areas. The faster you contact us, the better. Ransomware is a time-sensitive issue because a quick response can minimize losses for your company.
Do not immediately pay the ransom.
The FBI and other government agencies do not recommend paying the ransom in an attempt to get your data back. This can even be considered illegal. Often, the hackers will further extort you for money after returning partial data. We have also seen trends lately of hackers trying to demand more money to keep sensitive customer data private. In most cases, it is best to minimize interactions with the hackers and not pay the ransom.
Report the breach to the authorities.
The FBI’s cyber crimes unit tracks ransomware attacks on individuals as well as businesses in the U.S. and uses the information to compile reports and fight further attacks. If you have a breach, it’s important to submit a report about the incident.
Work with your IT provider to restore backups and remove any malware from your systems.
Once you’ve called in a professional IT provider specializing in ransomware recovery, you may need to provide information on your systems and networks to them so they can get your networks up and running again in a timely manner.
Inform your clients and stakeholders.
For liability reasons, you must inform your clients and stakeholders as soon as you can do so safely. While it’s a difficult thing to do, it is both the ethical choice and can protect you and your clients.
Take preventative action to stop future attacks.
There are steps you can take as a company to prevent future attacks, especially attacks via email. Regular phishing simulations have been proven to help immensely with email hacks, for example. Talk with an IT provider in Peoria like Facet Technologies to learn more ways that you can harden your business against attacks and hacks. We have solutions like AI antivirus, dark web monitoring, and email filtering that can keep your employees safer and protect your profitability. You may also look into a solution like a 24/7 security operations center (SOC) that keeps eyes on your network at all times.
Remember that ransomware attacks happen to businesses of all sizes and are an incredibly common occurrence. With the right response, your business can come out of an attack stronger and more resilient against future incidents.
Facet Technologies provides IT and managed services to over 5,000 businesses across the US and Canada. With our Peoria, IL-based team, we respond to ransomware incidents and help businesses restore data and prevent further damage to their network.
Facet’s managed services clients are protected with a security suite designed to prevent attacks and breaches. We also offer free employee training videos and phishing simulations that have been proven to reduce the risk of data breaches.
Do you need help with ransomware attack cleanup, or would you like more information on our managed security offerings? Contact us via phone at (309) 689-3900 or fill out the contact form below.
Facebook tracks its users’ activity across the web. Here’s how to stop it.
Among security experts, there’s a common refrain about social media services: “If it’s free, you’re paying with your data.”
You likely already know that Facebook uses cookies to follow its users around the web and collects information about their browsing habits, shopping preferences, and more. This data is used to serve users ads more effectively.
But did you know that you can control this tracking activity? In 2019, Facebook added an opt-out option for tracking outside of Facebook. With it, you can clear past information from outside apps and websites and control how much they can see in the future.
Here’s how to find this setting and turn the trackers off.
From your Facebook homepage, go to:
“Settings and Privacy”
“Settings”
“Off-Facebook Activity”
Once you get to the Off-Facebook activity page, you can choose to clear your history and turn off future activity for your account. You can also control the apps for which you want to allow account access (useful for services such as Spotify, Pinterest, or other apps that you login to via Facebook).
Keep in mind that Facebook will continue to prompt you periodically to turn this setting back on, mostly when you connect a new 3rd-party app or website to your account using your Facebook login credentials.
While you can never fully control your data on a free social media network like Facebook, being security savvy can help protect your privacy on the web.
IT documentation is a powerful force when it comes to your business network and overall operations. Done well, it can mean less downtime and interruptions. Done poorly or not at all, it can cost your business dearly in the form of lost work and more.
Most businesses, however, still don’t have proper documentation in place.
What replaces a good documentation system?
In many small businesses, one person holds all or most of the IT knowledge. For businesses with IT teams, each person may be able to fix specific problems, but don’t have a good way to share their processes with the others on the team.
Clearly, this method leads to more downtime in emergency situations. The solution? Good documentation. A shift from individual knowledge to common knowledge helps businesses tackle annoying recurring IT problems.
One common refrain from proponents of good documentation practices is that brain matter is not a cheap or effective storage solution. In urgent situations, it can take time to track a person down. People take sick days or go on vacation, and sometimes take jobs at other companies. Having processes and procedures in place when this happens can be the difference between a smooth workday and total shutdown.
What is network documentation?
Network documentation is a collection of information about your entire network and all the devices connected to it. This can include hardware information, software information, passwords, internet information, and processes and procedures.
Who needs network documentation?
Oftentimes, small business owners consider network documentation to only be necessary for large companies and organizations. In truth, it’s equally important for small businesses, even with smaller, less complex networks to maintain documentation.
How can documentation save my company money?
In short, documentation means less time wasted. Whether you are a small company or a larger business with an IT team, having processes and important information recorded means you are no longer searching for that stray password, hardware specification, or other information to complete a task, or trying to find the one person who knows the information. This can save hours of downtime in an emergency!
If you are a Facet managed services client, we maintain change logs and other important documentation for you. One major advantage of choosing managed services over a break-fix “as-needed” approach to IT is the speed at which problems can be resolved. Because we already have documentation and have tracked all the changes made to your network, our technicians can solve tricky issues faster than going in blind.
What should I do if I don’t have documentation?
If your business has little or no documentation for your IT practices, now is the time to make a change to prevent downtime in the future.
Most networks, even in small businesses, are more complicated than they may appear on the surface. Does your business use only on-site servers and data backups, or are their cloud components as well (remember that we always advocate having multiple backups, and at least one in the cloud, in case of disaster)? What are the hardware specifications of each component? What software is running on which workstations, and is it cloud based, installed locally, or both?
This information should be stored securely in IT documentation software for future reference and must be updated regularly.
Facet maintains documentation for all our managed services clients, large and small. This allows us to provide quick and responsive service to our customers and provide information to them as they need it. This also allows for any changes or work on the network to be tracked.
Network Documentation Services: Need a Hand?
If you are a small business owner, you are likely too busy to take on yet another project like network documentation.
If you have an in-house IT team, or are an IT leader at an organization, your team may be too busy with other projects and pressing demands to begin a documentation project.
Facet can help. We maintain network documentation for our managed services and co-managed services clients as part of our world-class IT service. This helps us provide a higher level of service to our customers, 24/7/365. Starting from scratch? Trust the Facet team to build your network documentation the right way to prepare for the future. Contact us today to learn more about managed services and IT documentation projects for your business.
The dark web could now be considered the world’s third largest economy, with experts estimating that cybercrime brought in over $6 trillion in 2021, according to the FBI’s annual Internet Crime Report, which documents cybercrime trends. The Bureau recorded 847,376 complaints from businesses and consumers, and over $6.9 billion in losses from the U.S. alone, a 48% increase from 2020.
How did such an increase happen? For one thing, it’s gotten easier to hire out cybercrime. Previously the purview of criminals with coding and technical skills, the booming cybercrime-as-a-service market means that nearly anyone can buy the tools to ransom data, install malware, steal information, and conduct other illicit cybercrime activities, without any special skills.
As it becomes easier for cybercriminals and crime groups to take advantage of businesses and consumers worldwide, your business’s security strategy matters more than ever. Start with a security assessment from Facet to see where you stand and the actions you can take as a business leader to protect your company and your future.
