Why You Need To Know About Cyber Crime

 Note: Special thanks to Dave over at WSB Technologies for sharing this information in his newsletter. I felt it deserved a re-post for my customers.

As an entrepreneur, you probably think hackers won’t bother with you because your business is too small to care about. In reality, cyber-crime targeting smaller companies is on the rise. Why are cyber-criminals after your business—and what can you do about it?

Cyber-crimes cost smaller companies 12% more in 2015 than in 2013.1 Not only is it growing, it disproportionately affects small businesses: Visa estimates 95% of credit-card data breaches it finds happen to its smallest business customers.2

When it happens, the consequences of cyber-crime can be devastating to a small company. Cyber-crime costs small businesses 4.2 times more per employee than it does larger businesses, and 60% of small businesses that experience a data breach go out of business within six months.1

What makes your business such a tempting target for cyber-criminals? Here are some of the weaknesses that attract hackers—and how you can best defend yourself against each.

1. Small businesses have cut security spending in recent years, while large businesses have increased theirs. As large businesses become more difficult targets, cyber-criminals prey on the easier ones.

• Best Defense: Don’t skimp—devote an appropriate budget to cyber-security.

2. Small businesses are less likely to have in-house IT specialists to keep up with security risks and trends.

• Best Defense: Outsource security to trusted IT partners. Use automated updates and security software to protect your data.

3. Small businesses are turning to the cloud more often. Using cloud storage and data sharing applications has its benefits, but if the solutions you choose aren’t meant for business use, they can put your data at risk.

• Best Defense: Use secure, business-class cloud storage and data-sharing solutions and apps.

4. Small business owners’ data has become increasingly networked. For example, today’s point-of-sale (POS) systems and printers include software that makes them vulnerable entry points because they are networked, shared, and connected to so many other applications in your business.

• Best Defense: Choose printers with built-in, business-class security such as run-time intrusion detection and self-healing security features. Buy POS hardware that meets PCI compliance standards and supports PCI-compliant devices. Limit connections between your POS system’s payment data and other systems in your business.

5. Small business owners tend to use consumer technology for business—without considering the security risks—because it’s more affordable.

• Best Defense: Don’t share a laptop with your kids—buy computers meant for a business that are designed to safeguard data, identities, and devices. Buy technology with native (built-in) security features, such as preloaded security software and BIOS protection that allows you to lock down your hard drive, wipe data when needed, and enable a wide range of authentication options.

6. Small businesses tend to be laxer about physical security. Everyone at your company knows each other, right?

• Best Defense: Prevent internal cyber-crime by limiting physical access to data. Keep the server room locked and allow access only for employees who specifically need it. If you maintain physical backups on-site, lock them up. Protect devices and data on the go by using simple, physical protection such as security covers for tablets or a lock for laptops.

No matter how small your business is, taking cyber-security seriously is essential to protecting what you’ve worked so hard to build.

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RRS is proactive and reactive cloud-based IT support at its finest. RRS is an All-in-one Service: remote access, remote maintenance, and remote support.
So, what does this mean to you?
Our managed services focus on proactive support, instead of reactive support. RRS lowers your yearly PC repair costs and eliminates the need to make a special trip to my shop to fix a bug. RRS allows me to monitor, secure, and manage your PC, by remotely configuring and installing useful apps, removing tool-bars and add-ons, and checking up on the hardware status of your PC to catch issues before they cause you problems. RRS monitors your PC security 24/7/365! How much is worry-free computer use worth to you?

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This service is safe and secure. I cannot see any personal files, desktop, or browser history. Just the anonymous technical details of your PC's performance to help make it better.

Why Do I Need It?

By far the best way to combat Malware is Recurring Remote Support (RRS).

Call 207-689-1292 for more information about RRS Security service contracts or to start your protection now.

Understanding The Virus/Malware Removal Process

We thought some people may be interested in what's involved in removing Malware (from a technicians perspective). If so, read on...

Processes

Each program is a collection of files. To start the program you launch an executable file that runs the entire program or some of its components.

When you launch an executable, part of its code is being loaded into computer’s memory. This code is the process. It allows the system to run the corresponding program. In simple phrase, every running program is represented by its main process (or task). If such process doesn’t exist, the application doesn’t run at the moment.

Parasites are programs and also have processes. However, unlike regular software, their processes run without user knowledge. You cannot terminate a parasite like a common application by simply closing its window. That’s why you have to learn how to kill malicious processes.

Files

Each program consists of files. Even spy ware, a virus or a different parasite - all have their own files. Removing a parasite often means deleting all its files. However, some files cannot be easily erased. You cannot delete the file while it’s used by an active application. Furthermore, some files are "invisible".

Imagine the situation: your anti-spy ware program keeps detecting a parasite, and you know where its files reside. You open the corresponding folder, but see nothing in there! The parasite continues performing malicious actions and its files remain in that "empty" directory. You wonder how this happens.

Files can really be "invisible". However, it’s not their exceptional feature - the operating system simply hides them from you. Such OS behavior can be a result of recent malware activity. Fortunately, there are several ways to make your system display such files, and thus allow you to delete them.

Sometimes malicious files cannot be deleted normally or even after entering into Safe Mode. Sophisticated parasites use integrated root kits and special techniques in order to lock their files and prevent them from being deleted. Usually, such files run processes that cannot be terminated by the Task Manager. In such cases specially designed third-party tools are used.

Call us with any additional questions you may have. There is no charge for the information.

Ric Carter - Owner
Computer Authorities Plus
207-689-1292