The Datamax Thinking Blog

But what might a COVID-19 phishing email scam look like? We looked in our own inbox, and accessed a valuable cybersecurity resource, to show you things to be looking for.

Two basic qualities that cybercriminals prey on are vulnerability and desperation. With so many on high alert with COVID-19 information and updates, phishing season is in full swing.

With the likely increase in remote work, companies will have to prepare in various ways to avoid cybersecurity risks or interruptions to business.

As the coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread uncertainty regarding routine business operations, employee safety stands as a top concern for employers ... as does network management and IT security.

According to the report, 1 in 5 SMBs report that they’ve fallen victim to a ransomware attack. 85 percent of MSPs report attacks against SMBs in the last two years

Cyberspace is overflowing with malicious activity. But among online criminal acts affecting businesses today, Ransomware remains the biggest offender.

Datto's "Global State of the Channel Ransomware Report" sheds light on the current state of this notorious online threat, pulling together perspectives from Managed Service Providers (MSPs), their partners, and their clients from around the world. It also eyes the perspectives from both the IT channel and the SMB clients it serves.

The bottom line? Ransomware is still the #1 villain.

Nearly a third of all healthcare employee respondents (32%) said that they had never received cybersecurity training from their workplace ... but should have.

Healthcare today has its share of gaps: Gaps in healthcare access, gaps in the treatment of chronic diseases, and gaps in communication between patient and provider.

But what about the existing gaps in a medical facility's IT security plan?

This is not a sophisticated scam. However, it is an effective and profitable one and it happens to an increasing number of companies across America each year around tax time.

Tax season is here. Are you safe? That seems like an odd question to ask; nevertheless, with the increasing sophistication of cybercriminals it must be considered and answered.

The ability to act swiftly, act confidently and swing your sword with great technique and without hesitation rests on your pre-crafted, pre-tested game plan.

Mike Leach, arguably the most notable innovator in college football’s Air Raid Attack, developed a popular mantra for his team in 2003: “Swing Your Sword.”

It was after a loss where his defense looked timid, his team confused and unprepared.

Businesses often throw money and technology at the problem: firewalls, content filters, encrypted data and email, antivirus and anti-malware tools. But a more all-inclusive approach covers much more ground than just hardware. 

The nerves are shot. The internal screams of frustration finally slipped out across the salesroom floor. You need a vacation. And visiting an all-inclusive resort provides the ultimate peace of mind.

A thorough technology assessment – significantly more than a simple walk through – is designed to provide accurate insights and perspective on current infrastructure, workflow and personnel.

It can become a lot like herding cats.

Organizations often fall victim to processes that are unorganized, unwieldy and scattered in all directions: Delayed document approvals that gather dust on a desk or stall helplessly in a manager’s inbox. Shaky (and unsecured) IT Infrastructure that has the wheels of IT personnel spinning for hours every day. Fluctuating monthly print costs that ride along spreadsheets like a rickety wooden roller coaster – enough shake and rattle to give any CFO a migraine.

Organizations must be accountable for guarding against cybersecurity, they must be fully aware of current risks, and they must be proactive about Cybersecurity education.

As cybersecurity increasingly becomes an agenda item inside the executive boardroom, organizations continue to recognize their own accountability in guarding against cyberattack.

But what about end users? How accountable are they?

It’s an interesting question raised in a recent news article published in KnowBe4’s Security Awareness Training Blog.

Paired with a barrage of potential threats, yet brimming with productive potential, technology plays an intimate role in the routines of today’s business workday. When well harnessed, it can unlock unforeseen competitive advantages.

Henry Ford once said, "I don't read history. That's in the past. I'm thinking of the future."

Ford, of course, was the Michigan-born engineer who developed a petrol-driven quadricycle into a small car; this proved the basis for the famous Model T motor car introduced in 1908. Just as Ford’s ingenuity forever transformed the auto industry, technology has been a driving force in business transformation for years.

As we look at the state of technology as it relates to business in 2019, Ford’s quote has a profound foreshadowing effect.