How Your Business Can Be Prepared For Cybersecurity Attacks, Big and Small

Cyber Security Managed IT

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As cyberattacks become increasingly sophisticated, it’s more important than ever to safeguard your digital front lines. Any business, no matter how small, is a potential target for hackers. In fact, smaller businesses are often less invested in security, and therefore more vulnerable. Preventing an attack is far less costly than dealing with the aftermath. Human error is the cause of more than 80% of cybersecurity breaches, with the cost to businesses worldwide growing by more than a trillion dollars a year. This includes direct financial loss, destruction of data, theft of intellectual property, lost productivity, restoration costs, and reputational damage. 

Here are the most common cybersecurity threats, and the proactive measures your business can take to avoid them. 

Insider Threats 

Employees are both the first line of defense against cyber-attacks and the most common cause of security breaches. Insider threats – whether intentional or not – can pose significant risks to your business. Creating an internal culture that prioritizes security is essential to combat threats that target your employees. Every business should conduct comprehensive training sessions on best practices for security and the potential consequences of cybercrime. Employee education should include training about using secure and unique passwords for every account, two-factor authentication, and the importance of reporting suspicious activity. Make sure your team really understands the role they all play in keeping your entire company safe.  

Make sure your IT professionals monitor network activity for unusual or unauthorized behavior and implement strict controls to restrict employees’ access to sensitive information based on their roles. This is even more important if your company supports remote work and/or has employees who use mobile devices for business purposes. It’s smart to use mobile device management solutions which allow you to control access, enable device encryption, and remotely wipe devices that are lost or stolen.  

If your business collaborates with third-party vendors and suppliers, don’t be afraid to ask them about their cybersecurity practices. You can even include language in your agreements or contracts regarding security requirements to stay vigilant about potential risks introduced by your supply chain. 

Phishing

Phishing – when an attacker attempts to gain access to personal information by posing as a legitimate contact – is the most common cybersecurity threat, responsible for 90% of all data breaches. Phishing most often takes the form of an email that appears to come from a trusted source, providing a link to click asking for a user’s credentials (username, passwords, etc) or a request to download a file. The attacker can then use the information to access the company network and steal sensitive data, or to install malware on the victim’s computer.  

Cybercriminals are adept at using social engineering to manipulate “weak links” within an organization into divulging sensitive information. One such technique is spear phishing, a targeted version of phishing where the fraudulent email is personalized for a single recipient. 

Users should be taught how to recognize and avoid phishing attempts using the following guidelines: 

  • If an email looks suspicious, do not open it and report it immediately. 
  • Don’t click on unverified email links and don’t open attachments from unknown senders.  
  • Don’t give out your login credentials to anyone. If you receive a request to change your password, verify the source first. 
  • Use unique passwords for everything and avoid using names, birthdates or other easy-to-guess information. A random password generator is the safest bet.   
  • Use two-factor authentication. 

Ransomware

A ransomware attack is when your company’s data is held hostage in an attempt to extort payment. This is done by installing malware that encrypts an organization’s data and makes it inaccessible until the ransom is paid. A computer can be infected with malware delivered via email or websites and the user may not be aware that their data has been compromised until it’s too late. Businesses that fall victim to ransomware face not only data theft, but lost productivity, damaged reputations, and potential lawsuits. 

To protect against ransomware, establish a robust backup system, and an IT recovery plan to ensure critical data can be restored quickly in the event of an attack. Your business should have endpoint protection solutions that can detect ransomware and mitigate threats. These solutions go beyond standard anti-virus software to secure “endpoint” devices like laptops, phones, and IoT-connected smart devices, blocking unauthorized applications, employing encryption, and allowing centralized IT monitoring. This is especially important as remote work becomes the norm and the number of endpoint devices increases. Any device with a network connection is a potential entry point for ransomware and may be targeted by cybercriminals.  

And once again, educating employees on security best practices is essential to prevent ransomware attacks. Ongoing training about the use of strong passwords, not clicking suspicious links in emails, and not opening files from unknown sources remains the simplest and most effective way to protect your business.  

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)

DDoS attacks work by flooding a network, service, or website with excessive traffic in order to cause business disruption and costly downtime. This can result in problems accessing your website, slow or unresponsive servers, and error messages. IoT devices with default logins or weak security protections are particularly vulnerable to attack, which can then spread to compromise and control other devices on the network. This group of infected devices forms a robot network, or “botnet.” Botnets can be controlled by a single source and used to carry out large-scale attacks. In addition to crippling operations, DDoS attackers may attempt to extort payment in return for stopping the attack. 

Network administrators should make sure all devices are secure, and closely monitor network traffic. DDoS protection services can be employed to detect abnormalities and identify and filter out illegitimate traffic before the server is overwhelmed. Distribute resources across multiple servers and locations to ensure that a single point of failure can’t bring down your entire infrastructure. 

So What Should Your Business Do?

Be proactive by implementing robust security strategies. Create comprehensive employee training to protect sensitive information and maintain the trust of customers and business partners. Partner with a Managed IT firm who will have your back every step of the way.  

By Darci Creative

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For municipalities, establishing an effective IT budget is essential for maintaining secure, efficient, and future-ready operations. Cities and towns face unique IT challenges, from managing aging infrastructure and ensuring data security to complying with regulations and meeting the needs of residents. A well-structured IT budget allows local governments to be proactive–rather than reacting to costly emergencies–and to provide essential services while maximizing available funds. 

So, where should municipalities begin when creating a yearly IT budget? 

1. Assess Your IT Assets 

Before allocating funds, it’s important to take inventory of your existing IT environment, including the following: 

  • Hardware: Servers, endpoints (desktops, laptops, mobile devices, and related components), network Infrastructure (routers, switches, wireless access points), storage drives, printers, scanners, telecommunications, cloud storage and integration tools 
  • Software: Applications, licenses, subscriptions, hosting services, support contracts, VPNs 
  • Personnel: Costs related to internal IT staff and any outsourced support 
  • Security measures: Firewalls, endpoint protection, backups, monitoring, threat detection tools, vulnerability assessment, and cybersecurity training  

Reviewing previous IT budgets provides insights into spending trends and areas where adjustments may be needed. Identifying outdated systems, underused software, and security vulnerabilities will help guide future IT investments. 

2. Set Clear Objectives

Once your municipality understands its current IT standing, the next step is defining strategic objectives, considering: 

  • Enhancing cybersecurity: With data breaches on the rise, investing in robust cybersecurity is non-negotiable. 
  • Upgrading outdated infrastructure: Aging systems and unsupported hardware can hinder productivity, as well as pose security risks 
  • Implementing smart city initiatives: investing in digital services that enhance efficiency and civic engagement 
  • Disaster recovery and business continuity planning: Ensuring data integrity, recovery, and operational resilience 

Setting clear IT priorities will allow decision-makers to allocate funds where they will have the greatest impact, while avoiding unnecessary expenditures. 

3. Prioritize and Justify IT Initiatives

Municipalities typically allocate 2-4% of their total budget to IT spending, depending on the population size and complexity of operations. With limited resources, it’s critical to distinguish between essential IT investments and nice-to-haves. Critical areas to prioritize include: 

  • Cybersecurity: Protecting sensitive municipal and resident data 
  • Regulatory compliance: Meeting state and federal requirements 
  • Cloud migration and infrastructure modernization: Reducing reliance on aging, on-premise hardware 
  • Resident-facing digital services: Ensuring accessibility and convenience for the community 
  • Other department-specific technology: Police, Fire, Water/Sewer, Infrastructure Management 

When presenting a budget proposal, you should be prepared to articulate the expected ROI, along with the rationale behind reallocation of funds. Decision-makers, including city councils and finance committees, will be more receptive to IT spending when they understand its impact on efficiency, security, and long-term savings. Being realistic about costs, and building in a contingency for unexpected IT expenses, ensures that municipalities are prepared for planned upgrades and unforeseen challenges. 

4. Allocate IT Budget Resources Wisely

A well-balanced IT budget includes both ongoing operational costs and future project-specific investments. Consider these core categories: 

  • Hardware & Infrastructure: Servers, network upgrades, workstations, storage solutions, data migration costs 
  • Software & Licensing: Annual subscriptions, cloud services, and enterprise applications 
  • Personnel & Managed Services: Salaries and costs for in-house IT staff and costs and benefits of outsourcing to IT Managed Service Providers 
  • Cybersecurity: Security software, training programs, and incident response plans, including recovery and remediation 
  • Training & Development: Educating employees on security best practices and technologies 

5. Leverage Managed IT Services

For many municipalities, outsourcing IT to an MSP can be an effective way to gain the benefits of industry-specific expertise without the overhead of expanding internal IT teams. Managed or Partially Managed services include: 

  • Proactive monitoring and maintenance to prevent costly downtime 
  • Cybersecurity solutions tailored to municipal needs 
  • Scalable cloud services for data storage, backup, and software access 
  • Centralized and standardized IT to eliminate redundant, outdated, or duplicate technology 
  • On-call support for issues that arise 

By partnering with a trusted MSP, local governments can optimize their IT budgets while ensuring reliable and secure technology infrastructure.  

Budgeting for IT is about investing strategically in the technology that powers essential government functions, not just managing costs. A well-planned IT budget allows municipalities to make sure taxpayer dollars are used wisely to enhance cybersecurity, allow for contingencies, improve government services, and keep day-to-day operations running smoothly. In taking a proactive approach to IT budgeting, you’ll transition from reactive spending to a long-term strategy that supports both municipal employees and the community they serve.  

Did you know that the simplest, best defense against cyberattacks is a solid password? From business logins to online banking to email, passwords are the keys to our digital lives, and therefore valuable targets for hackers. Knowing how to create, manage, and protect passwords isn’t a “nice-to-have;” it’s critical to safeguard your information. 

You might be shocked at how easy it is to obtain your personal login information, and you probably won’t know it’s happened until it’s too late. The dark web–that hidden corner of the internet–is teeming with stolen credentials. Hackers access compromised passwords through data breaches, phishing scams, and malware attacks, then put them up for sale to anyone willing to pay. This makes strong password management, including the use of secure passwords and two-factor authentication (2FA) more important than ever. 

Creating Secure Passwords: Length, Complexity, Uniqueness, Unpredictability

No, “password123” definitely won’t cut it. Neither will the use of birthdates, pet names, or other personal details you may have used previously to answer security questions. Secure passwords should be long (think 12 characters at a minimum), complex (a mix of numbers, letters, and symbols), and unique for every account. The best way to create a password that’s easier to remember is to use a “passphrase,” a series of words or a sentence, rather than a random string of letters and numbers. It can feel overwhelming to keep track of so many passwords, and why many people fall into bad habits like repeating passwords in multiple places, writing them down, or choosing overly simple options. No matter how good a password is, if a hacker gets access to one, they’re likely to try the same password on other platforms, leaving you vulnerable to a more extensive breach.  

Password Managers

Password managers like LastPass can store complex passwords, so you only need to memorize one master password to access the others. Serving as a personal vault for your digital keys, a password manager offers the convenience of auto filling your login details, generating random, hard-to-crack passwords, and notifying you if a saved password appears in a data breach so you can promptly change it. And most password managers sync across devices, so you always have access to your logins. When choosing a password manager, look for features like encryption, ease of use, and compatibility with your devices.  

Adding a Layer with 2FA

Two-factor authentication is like adding a deadbolt to your front door. With 2FA, logging in requires both your password and a second form of verification, like a code texted to your phone or generated by an app. That way, even if someone manages to get ahold of your password, they’ll still need that extra code to access your account, making it more difficult for hackers. Many platforms now offer 2FA and enabling it wherever possible provides a powerful layer of protection. 

Keeping Up Good Password Hygiene

Password management can feel tedious, but regular password changes, avoiding reusing passwords across sites, and using a secure password manager makes a world of difference. Think of it as a routine task, like updating your software or cleaning out your inbox. The steps to secure your passwords and add a second layer of protection are relatively easy and ensure that you’re doing your part to keep both your personal and work-related information safe. 

As data breaches become more and more common and cyberattacks more sophisticated, securing your passwords is one of the smartest moves you can make. It’s just a piece of the larger cybersecurity puzzle, but it’s essential for keeping the doors to your digital information locked. To learn more about how Nessit can help your business protect sensitive data, train and educate employees, and implement password management best practices, get in touch

The single most effective way to safeguard your business from cyberattacks is through employee training. Human error due to inadequate training accounts for the vast majority of data breaches. To foster a collective security-first culture, awareness about potential threats is essential. Nessit’s Managed IT Service includes comprehensive cybersecurity education that will allow you to rest easy knowing your company’s assets are protected. 

Employees can unknowingly become the gateway for cybercriminals by clicking on malicious links, using weak passwords, falling for phishing scams, or accidentally sharing sensitive information that can compromise your entire network. Here’s what you need to know to protect sensitive data and maintain the integrity of your IT infrastructure: 

Understanding Common Threats 

Employees should be familiar with the most common types of cyber threats, including phishing, ransomware, malware, and social engineering. Training sessions should include real-life scenarios and case studies to illustrate how these attacks happen and their potential impact on your business. 

Safe Online Practices

Everyone within your organization should be able to recognize suspicious emails, avoid clicking on unknown links, and verify the authenticity of email senders and domain names. Employees should also be instructed on how to create secure passwords and the importance of multi-factor authentication. 

Data Protection and Handling

Cybersecurity training should include instruction on the principles of data protection. Employees at every level should understand how to securely store, transmit, and dispose of sensitive information. Training should also emphasize the importance of keeping software and systems up to date to eliminate vulnerabilities. 

Incident Response Protocols

Knowing how to respond to a potential security threat is crucial. Employees should be given clear guidelines about what to do if a data breach is suspected, including their first point of contact and what steps to take to mitigate the impact. 

Ongoing Training

Maintaining security is a constantly evolving undertaking, and staying updated on the latest threats and best practices is critical. Ongoing training sessions and refresher courses will help ensure that your employees’ knowledge remains relevant and effective. 

Invest in Success

Investing in cybersecurity training is an investment in the overall success of your business. Most security breaches are not the result of complex hacking schemes, but simple human error. Ongoing education empowers employees to become your company’s first line of defense rather than its weakest link. Knowledge about how to identify and respond to cybersecurity threats protects your organization from the inside out. Partnering with a Managed Service Provider like Nessit will ensure a secure and resilient IT environment for the long term.