Suffolk Computer Consultants, Inc. Blog

Have you tried using Enhanced Safe Browsing in your Google Chrome browser? This feature has been a part of the browser since 2019, and it was implemented with the intention of preventing phishing attacks. This feature was also recently added to Gmail. Here’s how you enable it, as well as why it might not be the solution you’re hoping for.

Encryption, like so many elements of cybersecurity, is often seen as just another buzzword that the public simply doesn’t need to concern themselves with… but as cyberattacks continue at their current rates, the opposite is the actual truth. Let’s talk about what encryption is, and why it has become more important than ever that it is put into practice in both professional and private life.

Data is commonly regarded as one of a business’ most valuable resources. As such, it is critical that you protect it from threats of all kinds, including data leaks. Data leaks are nothing to take lightly, as their impacts range from a serious hit to your business’ reputation to an equally serious hit to your business’ finances. Obviously, this is something to be avoided, so let’s discuss how you can do so.

Security is part of running your business where you have to adapt and make changes on the fly. One best practice that has always been a staple of any security infrastructure, however, is the virtual private network. The VPN might be important, but it’s one aspect of business technology that is changing thanks to the adoption of zero-trust access policies.

If you’ve spent any time at all reading our blog—or even looking at the topics we cover, for that matter—you’ve seen how often we talk about the importance of your business’s cybersecurity. The fact that we have to is frankly a little depressing. Trust me, I’d love to be able to spend all my time bringing your technology to the next level, instead of keeping ne'er-do-wells from undermining it. However, the reality is that every organization needs to focus on its cybersecurity, and this is becoming more and more the case all the time.

There are countless threats out there that can leave your business in a worse state than before, including viruses and malware, ransomware, data breaches, and other types of phishing attacks. It’s hard to go about your day without worrying about these types of threats, especially in today’s connected business world. However, the ones you need to watch out for most of all are the ones that are so personal you’d never expect them.

We aren’t shy in terms of talking about phishing, its dangers, and what can be done to prevent it. However, it can be too easy to focus directly on email phishing and exclude the many other forms that phishing can and often does take.

Take, for instance, smishing.

It’s more important than ever to know just how much your business currently spends (and should plan to spend) on cybersecurity, both of which can be addressed by understanding the goal of cybersecurity protections and how they affect your company’s defenses. Let’s consider how much you should spend on cybersecurity, as well as what protections that spending can afford.

Hackers and scammers are everywhere and are continuously littering your business with situations that could put its operations in jeopardy. One of the most hacked industries is healthcare, as hackers make a point at going after patient information. Let’s go through some of the reasons why hackers find health data so attractive. 

Cybersecurity is a complicated beast. Not only do you have to be sure that you’re protected from threats coming from outside your business, there are also a few very real threats that can originate from inside your business, too. Both are critical to prevent, which can be quite effectively accomplished via a zero trust approach to your security.

The Internet of Things, or IoT for short, showcases just how much a little bit of Internet connectivity can do to help make certain devices much more interesting and useful, but at the same time, it also has brought about a considerable security concern. How are you preventing these devices from ravaging your network security, and what can you do to stop it from putting your company at risk?

A modern network, when properly configured and protected with modern cybersecurity tools, can be extremely secure. Since that’s been the trend for some organizations over the years, hackers have been looking for ways around the security many businesses have in place. If hackers can’t break in through normal means, they will turn to other, more insidious methods, like phishing attacks, to get what they are after.

The Federal Trade Commission has developed their Safeguards Rule for one purpose: To set up a guideline on how to interact, store, and use customer information. The FTC enacted the Rule in 2003, but it was heavily amended in 2021 to ensure that it keeps up with the technology used by businesses today. It outlines the policies and procedures that all covered companies need to enact.

A VPN—or virtual private network—is something that we recommend any business implementing any form of remote or hybrid work to have in their cybersecurity arsenal. Let’s explore why this is by examining what a VPN does, and what any business should seek out in the one they use.

Weak passwords are one of the leading causes of cybercrime, identity theft, and data breaches. Sure, it’s easy to say it, but this time we wanted to demonstrate just how easy it is to crack a wimpy password. 

For the growing business, doing the right things to secure your network and data is a constantly evolving situation. For larger businesses, they tend to approach the situation with a different perspective. They plan out the whole process. This is what is called enterprise security.  Let’s take a look at what enterprise security entails and how the little guy can benefit from doing things like larger companies do them. 

There are a huge number of apps available on the various app stores—3.5 million and 1.6 million on the Google Play store and Apple’s App Store, respectively—and, while most of them are sufficiently secure to use, many of them aren’t. It can be hard to tell the difference between the two at times, so it is important that you and your team are protecting your business however you can. Let’s discuss the topic of security, as it pertains to mobile app stores, and why the issues have transcended security.

Cybersecurity has gradually become more and more of a focus for modern businesses as threats to their data and general operations have mounted over time. This means that businesses need to approach their security with a multifaceted strategy, involving a combination of the right tools and IT support and the training to use them. Let’s take a few moments to dive into security training and why it is so critical.

Uh oh. You were trying to be more secure and decided to set up multi-factor authentication. However, you’ve just discovered how important the other factors are when it comes to authenticating your identity. Yes, you’ve found yourself unable to access your means of authenticating yourself.

So…what do you do now?

Phishing is a word that has a couple of different meanings, depending on the spelling and context. Fishing, like the act of sitting down with a pole and trying to catch a fish, can be a relaxing, leisurely activity. Phishing, with a “ph,” is anything but that, and it can be a tiring and scary situation to navigate—particularly if you or one of your employees have fallen victim to an attack.