Is Your Business Vulnerable to Ransomware?

Ransomware has been in the news lately as a string of attacks has hit healthcare systems in at least four states. Is it coincidence that these attacks hit when healthcare systems are already under extraordinary strain due to the COVID pandemic? Probably not. The criminals who coordinate these attacks take advantage of vulnerable organizations and populations. 

Medical organizations are especially vulnerable because they simply can’t afford for their patient files to be compromised when lives are at stake. 

Other factors that make a target attractive are:

• Organizations that routinely store sensitive data, like law firms
• Universities, due to the sheer amount of file sharing and traditionally small IT support departments
• Retailers, or any company with customer credit card data
• But, really, any company with confidential personal or financial data! 

And, although many attacks are targeted, some simply spread via the internet. 

Is your business vulnerable? Learn more about ransomware from NSG.

Could Your Business be a Target for Ransomware?

Ransomware has been in the news lately due to recent attacks on vulnerable healthcare systems. Do you know what ransomware is, and if your business could be a target?

Ransomware is an attack that takes your files hostage for ransom. An attack uses a file that encrypts or blocks access to targeted files on your computer or network. After it infects your computer, it displays a message instructing you to pay up or lose your data or functionality. The message itself gives instructions for payment. Paying is no guarantee you’ll get your files back – these are criminals, after all! 

Ransomware attacks can target home users as well as businesses that have IT support, and can have a catastrophic affect due to:

• Temporary or permanent loss of data
• Disruption of operations
• Cost to restore files
• Loss of client trust

How do you know if your company is vulnerable? Learn more or contact NSG. We’ll audit your network and make recommendations for keeping your business safer. 

Network Security Doesn't Have to be a Puzzle!

Firewalls, servers, antivirus… do you know the status of all your systems? 

Have all your employees been trained to recognize phishing, malicious links, or infected email attachments?

Are you confident that your company data is securely backed up daily?

If you’re not sure, you’re not protected! 

If you’re not performing regular maintenance on your entire network, keeping it configured correctly and all systems up to date, your company is not protected. Updates are critical.

No system is perfect. That’s why software is frequently updated. It’s also why hackers don’t give up.

NSG can audit your system to make sure you have all the necessary protection in place to keep harmful viruses and hackers out. 

Learn more!

Security is Much More Than a Strong Password!

When people talk about security, they talk about passwords … a lot. That’s because they can be so easy to guess and they make a quick and easy entry into your network. Also, you don’t need an IT support specialist to change a password – anyone can do it.

But if your security depends entirely on password protection, your company may be vulnerable. Sure, password security is essential. But cracking passwords is only one way for cyber criminals to gain access to data – one of many! 

If you’re not performing regular maintenance on your entire network, keeping it configured correctly and all systems up to date, your company is not protected. Updates are critical.

For example, researchers recently found a way to exploit Windows servers to gain admin rights, giving hackers complete network access. Fortunately, those researchers notified Microsoft, who issued an update to address this in August. Do you know if your company installed the patch? If not, your company’s network could be at risk.

No system is perfect. That’s why software is frequently updated. It’s also why hackers don’t give up. 

NSG can audit your system to make sure you have all the necessary protection in place to keep harmful viruses and hackers out. Read more.

Does An Outdated OS Make Your Business a Sitting Duck?

Don’t let the fact that your Windows 7 workstations are still working lull you into a false sense of security. While an outdated OS might seem like a non-issue to you, look at it from a hacker’s perspective. To cyber criminals, an unprotected system looks like a great opportunity! If a regularly updated and supported operating system is a moving target for hackers, that makes an unsupported OS a sitting duck. 

The longer Windows 7 remains in use while unsupported, the greater the chances that someone will discover a vulnerability and exploit it for criminal reasons. In fact, the potential for abuse is serious enough that the FBI recently sent an alert to private industry partners encouraging them to upgrade to Windows 10 to avoid security issues with Windows 7.

Contact NSG for help securing your network!

Still Using Windows 7? Unsupported Software Leaves Your System Vulnerable to Cyber-Attack

In January, Microsoft ended support for Windows 7, a part of the Windows NT family originally released in 2009. Although Microsoft gave plenty of advance notice, one expert estimates that more than 20% of Windows installations will still be running Windows 7 at the end of the year. 

Is your business one of them? 

Unsupported software can leave your company vulnerable to cyber-attack. If you don’t have an IT support specialist for your Ann Arbor business, NSG can help. Our goal is to keep your critical data safe and your computer systems running optimally. 

For more information about updating your systems and protecting your network, visit our website!

Cyber Security is Everybody's Business

Hackers, scammers, and criminals never tire of finding new ways to obtain personal information like passwords and account numbers. They use fear and exploit security weaknesses, targeting both individuals and businesses to reach their objective: profiting from your mistakes. 

That’s why, in your business, security must be everybody’s business. At Network Services Group, security is always our business. Visit our website for more information, including our free Internet Security Guide.