Taking small steps can mean avoiding big breaches and threats.
Now that we’ve made it through the holidays and into the coldest part of the winter, let’s brighten things up by discussing some easy resolutions you and your team can make this year to reach your cybersecurity goals!
To make a resolution stick, experts agree it should be structured around habits and behaviors, not lofty, pie-in-the-sky wishes or outcomes. If your goal is to be more financially responsible, for instance, they suggest resolving to create a weekly budget that you follow religiously.
Similarly, if you make a resolution for your business, structure it around habits and real, measurable outcomes. Don’t just resolve to get your IT in order, or get your data more secure. Success for these goals isn’t easily measured, so try for something a little more pinpointed.
I challenge you to choose one of the following resolutions for you and your team, and write them down.
Why write them down? Often, a resolution is just a wish until you write it down—then it becomes a goal.
Even if you only choose one of the following goals, these small changes can make a big difference in your company’s security.
Conduct weekly, monthly, or quarterly security training with your team. We have videos you can share with your team, or we can provide written resources that you can teach from.
Why do this?
Human error remains the number one cause of data breach in the U.S., and security awareness training has been proven to be an effective defense strategy against it.
Topics include: identifying phishing emails and how to report them, BYOD (bring your own device) policies and how to navigate them, how to create strong passwords, and how to prevent physical access to your network.
Training only takes a few minutes and can save you incredible amounts of time and money!
If you’re still using the same password for multiple accounts, resolve to change them to a unique value as you visit each site.
Why do this?
Password breaches remain a leading way hackers access your data.
This only takes a couple minutes per site, and by the end of the year, you will have more security across the web.
You may want to start with a dark web scan from Facet to see which, if any, of your passwords have been involved in hacks, and change those first.
Ask your IT department or IT provider for a password storage recommendation. There are many methods, physical and electronic, for storing passwords. Some are more secure than others, but can be inconvenient, so it’s important to find a method that works for you. Remember that no password storage method is 100% failproof.
Implement an MFA (multi-factor authentication) strategy.
Why do this?
MFA is easy to implement and has a HUGE security payoff. By simply tapping a quick push notification on any mobile device, users can prevent attacks on your company’s network.
No longer a lengthy or obtrusive practice, MFA is simple “gate” you can put up to protect from intruders and hackers.
Contact us today for more information on MFA and our other security suite offerings.
Increasing security can feel like an overwhelming task to undertake, but you can make real progress one step at a time.
Facet Technologies specializes in managed services and IT in Peoria, IL, surrounding areas, and nationwide. We can find a security solution that works for you, offering firewalls and other hardware appliances, security software, dark web scanning, and more.
Fill out our contact form below to find out more about our Security Suite and set up an audit of your network security.
This month’s recipe is from a Facet team member known Jason Hahn, Facet’s Director of Business Solutions and #1 Cardinals fan. Jason has been a part of the Facet team for over 20 years now!
Jason is sharing his favorite salsa recipe. The ingredients are blended in a food processor to get a great smooth consistency! Let it chill for a couple hours to get the best flavor. Jason says that his wife and daughters love this salsa on taco night!
1. In food processor place jalapenos and onions. 2. Process for just a few seconds. 3. Add both cans of tomatoes, salt, sugar, and cumin. 4. Process all ingredients until well blended but do not puree. 5. Place in covered container and chill. 6. A couple of hours of chilling will help blend and enrich the flavor. 7. Serve with your favorite thin corn tortilla chips.
I’m sharing a recipe for one of my favorites, Anisette Cookies. If you’re not familiar with anise flavoring, it’s vaguely reminiscent of black licorice, but much milder. Very fragrant.
The recipe calls for both lemon extract and anise extract (just trust me). If you’re going for “wow” factor and want to pack a flavor punch with these cookies, include the lemon.
If you’re not into lemon, or want a more neutrally delicious cookie, swap in vanilla extract. This is what I do if I’m bringing the cookies to somewhere with a big crowd and I want to play it safe. People tend to expect a vanilla flavor from cookies with this color and this frosting, so sometimes you don’t want to knock their socks off with lemon and anise all at once. Alternatively, you can put a little yellow food coloring into your glaze to signal that they are lemon-y.
Lemon Anisette Cookies Yields 3 dozen little cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon anise extract (I double this for a stronger flavor)
In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, combine butter and sugar and beat until it’s creamy.
Stir in flavor extracts.
Mix in eggs.
Add salt and baking powder and mix.
Mix in flour. The dough should be just a bit crumbly but should stick together when you roll it into a ball.
Form 1-inch balls with the dough and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet. It’s important that all the cookies be about the same size for even cooking.
Bake for about 15 minutes until the bottoms of the cookies are just slightly turning gold.
Place the cookies on a rack to cool.
Make your glaze—mix powdered sugar with milk until it reaches the desired consistency. Add coloring if desired.
Dip cookies in the glaze and place on parchment paper or a rack to harden.
More Companies Will Be Denied for Cyber Liability Insurance in 2022 than Ever Before—Here’s How to Prepare
Cyber liability insurance (also known as cybersecurity insurance or cyber insurance) is soaring in popularity. Why? Businesses are being hit by ransomware and other cybercrimes at unprecedented rates, and we’re hearing about it! At this point, most business owners know someone who has been hit by a pricey cyberattack.
That’s not to mention those who have already suffered through a cybersecurity breach—once you’ve been hit, you’re going to do whatever you can to avoid it again. Cyber insurance should be thought of as another part of your disaster recovery plan. A cybersecurity policy can be the difference between shutting your doors and staying in business.
New numbers came out this autumn citing a significant uptick in cybersecurity insurance denials for 2022. As ransomware payments skyrocket, insurance providers are asking clients to prove their cybersecurity readiness and preparedness before approving a policy.
Why is it harder to get approved for cyber insurance in 2022?
Cybercrime is a big business, and as a crime, difficult to bring to justice. Most cybercriminals are located offshore, targeting U.S. consumers and businesses from across the world. They form syndicates and groups, and reorganize if necessary. It’s hard to hit a moving target.
At this point, cybercriminals are “winning” the game. The U.S. is desperate for cybersecurity experts and professionals and is having a tough time finding them.
Large insurance companies know that these crimes will continue to worsen over the next year. The premiums they charge cover the costs of ransomware and downtime payouts and allow them to take a profit, and these costs are rising as ransom sums reach record numbers.
In response to this, insurance companies are becoming more selective in who they bring on as clients. Questionnaires are getting tougher, as are the criteria for a payment in the event of a breach. Business owners must prepare accordingly.
Should you lie on a cyber insurance questionnaire? Should you stretch the truth?
In short, no.
If you lie on your application, you won’t get a payout in the event of a disaster, so you will be paying for nothing. Insurance providers investigate claims to make sure that all the proper security defenses were in place at the time of the event, and if they were not, they are not under obligation to pay out.
If you are caught, you also have a chance of being denied for coverage outright.
What do you need to do to be approved for cyber insurance?
The good news is that insurance providers publish requirements for cyber policies. Your insurance broker might refer you to a security expert such as Facet to ensure that you have the required security stack in place to get cyber insurance.
Most insurers will require a questionnaire to be filled out by your internal IT department or your IT provider. This questionnaire covers things like your network environment, firewalls, antivirus protection, MDR (managed detection and response, if applicable), multi-factor authentication, email security and filter, employee training and education, and backups. They may also ask if your security team is in-house or outsourced. There may be more categories or less depending on the insurer.
If you are working on an outdated network with poor security, you may not be approved for cyber insurance. More importantly, you may be leaving your company open to hackers and other cyber threats.
You can fight this with a great security stack and trusted advisors to keep your company protected. At Facet, we are constantly updating our offerings to fit the needs of our customers and keep them safe. Our strategies are at the forefront of the cybersecurity landscape.
We work with many clients to ready them for cyber insurance policies. If you have any questions about how we can help you develop a secure environment and a disaster recovery plan, contact us today to learn more.
We also offer a weekly cybersecurity tip email that goes straight to your inbox! Just fill out our contact form and let us know you’d like the weekly tips.
Business owners should know about the SBDC and their programs.
By: Brian Ford, President at Facet Technologies, Inc.
I have found over the years that most business owners have not heard of the SBDC. The SBDC (Small Business Development Centers) is a partner program of the SBA (Small Business Administration). The mission of the SBDC is as follows: “To help start and grow small businesses.” The organization helps thousands of small and medium size businesses. The local centers are hosted by universities, colleges, state economic development agencies and private sector organizations.
Over the years Facet has utilized SBDC’s services for business plans, marketing programs, regulatory education and other business advice. They have always been a great resource that is free of charge!
I have had the privilege to be a guest speaker at several of their educational conferences that help business owners with various aspects of running a business, navigating government regulation and the like. I have been serving on the SBDC’s State Advisory Board since 2015.
The Peoria area SBDC office is in Bradley University’s Turner Center for Entrepreneurship at 1501 W Bradley Ave, Peoria, IL 61606. For more information on the Illinois SBDC at Bradley University, call (309) 677-2992 or email illinoissbdc@bradley.edu.
If you have questions about the SBDC and the type of help they provide, please feel free to call our office number, (309) 689-3900 or fill out our contact form. I encourage you to take advantage of this little known resource.
Employee Recipe: Sara’s Easy Crockpot Italian Beef
This month’s featured recipe is courtesy of Sara Herrera, Facet’s Accounting Clerk. Sara joined the Facet team early this summer, and we are so happy she’s here!
Sara’s recipe is for an easy Crockpot Italian Beef. This recipe takes only a few ingredients and is a great weeknight meal (and I’m sure it makes for delicious leftovers!).
EASY CROCKPOT ITALIAN BEEF
3 lbs chuck roast 1 package au jus seasoning 1 package ranch seasoning 1 stick salted butter Pepperoncinis to taste (as many as you prefer)
1. Throw all ingredients into the Crock Pot with the stick of butter on top of the roast. 2. Cook on low for 8 hours. 3. When done, put onto Italian bread and top with mozzarella or provolone cheese. 4. Broil in oven for 2 minutes to melt cheese and crisp edges of bread.
Facet installs and maintains firewalls as part of their managed security solution. Find out why we recommend a HaaS approach to firewalls.
A firewall is the first line of defense against intrusion in your network. Firewalls are a crucial component of your layered security strategy, but they can be a large cost and investment, especially for small businesses. Avoid surprise replacement costs with a Firewall for Life solution from Facet.
Many of our customers have made the switch. Continue reading to see if a Firewall for Life is the right fit for your business!
It’s economical.
Traditional firewall solutions have HIGH upfront costs. While most cybersecurity solutions are software-based, a firewall is a physical hardware device. Hardware always fails eventually, and unpredictably.
This causes big headaches for small and medium sized businesses. In a traditional firewall situation, the customer purchases a new firewall upon the failure of the current device. This is a large, unplanned expense, especially for small companies.
With a Firewall for Life plan, you pay the same amount, every month, for the best firewall for your business. If the firewall fails, we replace it. Every three years, even if your current solution is going strong, we replace your firewall with the newest, most powerful firewall for your business, with no additional cost to you.
Our customers love this plan because it takes some of the guesswork out of IT budgeting. You know the exact number you’re going to pay each month for your firewall.
It provides better protection.
I may not need to stress to you the importance of a good firewall. As the filter for all your network traffic, your firewall is your first defense against every cyber crime, attack, and potential breach that poses as a threat to your company and livelihood. A good firewall is worth its weight in gold.
Facet uses next-generation firewalls (NGFW) to build security-driven networks. They provide higher visibility, consistency, and coordinated end-to-end security policy to ensure optimal user experience.
NGFW also offer automatic dual ISP (internet service provider) switching. NGFW take the hassle out of dual ISP setups by automatically checking connection speeds and switching your network to the most advantageous provider. You no longer have to manually switch over to your second ISP or make a service call when your primary provider is having connection issues.
It creates less work for you.
A NGFW for Life solution from Facet is a fully-managed security device at an affordable price point. Facet maintains and monitors your device, ensuring we are alerted if it stops working or requires repair or replacement.
For IT managers, a HaaS Firewall for Life solution from Facet works with your existing team to ensure that your security is up-to-date and compliant with the latest standards. We offer HaaS firewalls as a standalone product for in-house IT teams or as part of our Managed Security offerings. With one less fire to put out, you can focus on managing your network with Facet as a trusted partner.
For business owners, the Firewall for Life solution means peace of mind. With Facet to manage and maintain your firewall, you have one less fire to put out and more time to focus on growing your business.
Let’s partner together on a NGFW plan that fits your business’s needs. Facet’s security solutions are proven to be an effective barrier that can protect your business from cybersecurity threats. That’s a worthwhile investment for every business.
Contact us today via the contact form below, or call us at (309) 689-3900 (8AM-5PM, Monday-Friday). Check out our blog for more educational resources!
