Tag Archives: IT Security

05.21.21
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Secure, Reliable Protection for Your Microsoft 365 SaaS Application Data

The growth of cloud infrastructure in recent years has led to a surge in popularity of Software as a Service (SaaS) packages such as Microsoft Office 365. This popularity stems from a variety of factors, including ease of use, reduced costs, and automatic updates.  In fact, we are seeing more and more the following:

  • Time spent in Microsoft Teams meetings has more than doubled globally, increasing 148%.
  • The average Teams user is sending 45% more chats per week.
  • The number of emails delivered to Microsoft 365® customers went up by 40.6 billion between Feb. 2020 and Feb. 2021.¹
  • There was a 66% increase in the number of people working on Microsoft 365 documents in the past 12 months.

So in short, we know that hybrid working is here to stay.  Recent survey showed that 73% of employees want flexible remote options to stay/be permanent and 66% of business decision-makers are thinking about redesigning physical spaces and IT networks to better accommodate hybrid work environments.  Keeping that in mind, businesses are now poised to have increase exposure and risk if the proper steps are not taken to secure this on-demand data that is being shared across many users within the network.  As a result of this surge, 77% of companies that use SaaS applications suffered a data loss incident over a 12-month period.

What oversights are commonly seen that result in this type of data loss?

Below are some real work examples of how each of these pillars can happen:

  • Employees inevitably delete the wrong email, contacts, or critical configurations.
  • Microsoft will honor your deletion request without question. They have no way of knowing if it’s a hasty (or malicious) request and they are not – responsible for any unexpected results.​  In short, Microsoft is not responsible for your data loss.  You are!
  • These powerful tools designed to streamline business processes can ruin critical data in a flash — with no undo if no measures are put in place such as automatic back ups, etc.
  • Employee action is involved in up to 23% of all electronic crime events
  • Rogue software can spread mayhem with programmatic efficiency without an active attack from a hacker. Many malware programs and viruses emerge from existing code after hibernation, making them especially hard to defend against.​

Now knowing human error and malicious attacks are major causes, who is really responsible for your data then?  You or Microsoft?

In short, its a shared responsibility.

The fact is Microsoft is only responsible for Hardware and Software failure along with any outages within their network & infrastructure.  Any other factors such as human mistakes, programmatic errors, malicious insider activity, external hackers and access & permissions control issues all come under the business’s responsibility.  As they say, read the fine print in Microsoft’s service level agreement which states:

So what steps can you do to ensure you data is always protected?

Well first and formeost is to have a robust cybersecurity IT strategy and plan in place where IT professionals, like ThirdPowerIT, can put technologies and best practices in place to prevent as much breach and human error as possible.  Secondly is to have a back up disaster plan in place that automates your back ups with a quick recovery.

Here at ThirdpowerIT, We Can Help Protect All Your Microsoft 365 Account Data With:

  • Automated Backup s
  • On-demand Data Restore & Recovery
  • Granular Point-in-time Recovery​
  • Ability To Reestore Flexibility for Admins, Users and Devices
  • Provide Transparent Reporting (Audit Logs)
  • Ensure Your Data Centers Are Located Globally

Also, depending on your industry regulations and the type of data you store, we ensure you are compliance in all aspects HIPAA, PCI, NIST & more.

How Secure Is Your Data?

Not sure?  Getting started is easy.  Give us a call or click on the button below to schedule your FREE 30 minute consultation and learn how we can put in a strategy that protects your data the way it needs to be.

Schedule Your FREE 30 Minute Consultation

The post Secure, Reliable Protection for Your Microsoft 365 SaaS Application Data appeared first on Third Power IT – Managed IT Services.

Courtesy of Miami IHIPAA Compliance IT Company - ThirdPowerIT.com

05.18.21
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Prevent Costly Oversights With Managed IT Services

If you are still relying exclusively on an on-site technician to take care of all your computer needs, you are not utilizing the latest technology tools to bring your IT service cost down. Nor are you resolving computer issues as quickly as possible or ensuring security threats to your network infrastructure are being met.

In fact, the #1 security risk to your business are people! Human error is a major factor in breaches. This includes:

  • Misaddressed Emails
  • Lost or stolen devices
  • Confidential data sent to unsecured home systems

So how does a business prevent this in happening? It starts with strategic IT planning and having a team of experts to manage the IT and Network infastructure. Here at ThirdpowerIT, we implement a variety of security solutions for your business.  This includes a variety of technologies and in specific to security, you can expect us to monitor, manage & implement:


1. Patch Management ( Automate System Updates) 

Patching is the process of repairing system vulnerabilities discovered after the infrastructure components have been released in the market. Patches apply to many different systems including operating systems, servers, routers, desktops, email clients, mobile devices, firewalls, etc.


2. Network Perimeter/Edge Security

This includes Next-Generation Firewalls & Anti-Virus & Anti-Malware Tools.

  • DON’T rely on the modem supplied by your ISP – It is NOT a FIREWALL!
  • Consumer-grade devices DON’T provide adequate protection. There’s a reason they’re so cheap.
  • Install a business-grade firewall with Active Threat Management (ATM) Software.
  • Make certain your firewall is configured correctly.


3. Access and Permission Controls (Next-Generation Firewalls & Anti-Virus & Anti-Malware Tools)

  • DON’T rely on the modem supplied by your ISP – It is NOT a FIREWALL!
  • Consumer-grade devices DON’T provide adequate protection. There’s a reason they’re so cheap.
  • Install a business-grade firewall with Active Threat Management (ATM) Software.
  • Make certain your firewall is configured correctly.


4. Identify Authentication & Password Security

  • Most passwords today are too guessable or are being sniffed or captured by hardware from software keyloggers.
  • 2FA or MFA are a combination of individual security factors required simultaneously to prove a user’s authentic identity.

5. Regular Security & Risk Assessments

  • Don’t just assume that your firewall, anti-virus, and anti-malware solutions are doing the job. Be certain.
  • Security is not a one-and-done effort.
  • The security landscape changes daily.
  • Vulnerability scans should be run at least monthly to confirm the security of your network.

6. Advanced Email Security

  • Email is often the gateway to your network.
  • Effective anti-spam software is essential to keeping malware at bay.
  • Most email providers include anti-spam software, but it needs to be carefully tuned to be effective.
  • On-premises email servers and some hosted environments need third-party software (and updates).

7. Security Awareness: Training For Your Employees

The #1 Security Risk is “the unit between the desk and the chair.” Regular education and constant vigilance will do more for your security than all the security software in the world.

And this is just touching on security for your network!! At ThirdpowerIT, you can expect our team to fully manage every aspect of your business’s IT infrastructure and needs.   Getting started is easy and we offer many custom plans that fit your business and budget.  Give us a call or click on the button below to schedule your FREE 30 minute consultation and learn how we can put in a strategy that protects you from downtime, loss in business revenue and in human capital.

Get Your FREE 30 Consultation

The post Prevent Costly Oversights With Managed IT Services appeared first on Third Power IT – Managed IT Services.

Courtesy of Miami IHIPAA Compliance IT Company - ThirdPowerIT.com

05.12.21
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How Can Cybersecurity & Resilience Protect Your Small Miami Business?

How Can Cybersecurity & Resilience Protect SMBs?

Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) usually invest less in cybersecurity, making them easier targets for cybercriminals. Close to 30% of businesses experience a cyberattack at least once per week.1

The need for constant vigilance and defense against hackers has led many SMBs to complicate cybersecurity matters. Though the percentage of businesses that have adopted formal, business-wide incident response plans has increased from 18% in 2015 to 26% in 2020, the ability to contain an actual attack dropped by 13%.2 This is because: (1) businesses do not consistently test threat-readiness of incident response plans and (2) many of them use too many security products that hamper the ability to identify and respond to a cyberattack.

It is here where a cyber resilience strategy can help organizations protect uptime and recover from incidents faster. Some people use the terms cybersecurity and cyber resilience simultaneously, but the meanings are different.

While cybersecurity primarily aims at blocking nefarious cyber players from attacking your network, cyber resilience is more about planning, defending, responding to and recovering quickly from a cyberattack. Endpoint protection, email security, network security, backup and data recovery, identity and access management and a host of other critical solutions together fuel a comprehensive cyber resilience strategy.

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Arm Your Business with Cyber Resilience

The cyberthreat landscape is evolving at lightning speed and traditional security measures cannot keep up with it. Experts have predicted that a ransomware attack will occur every 11 seconds in 2021.3 The only way forward for businesses, including yours, is to draft a cyber resilience strategy that highlights ways to move forward in the face of a cyberattack.

Your business is cyber resilient when:

  • You’ve implemented measures to guard against cyberattacks
  • Proper risk control measures for data protection get deployed
  • Hackers cannot severely disrupt business operation during or after an attack

The major components of a cyber resilience strategy are:

  • Threat protection

By deploying efficient attack surface management and risk management, you can easily take your business through the path of cyber resilience. Doing so helps you minimize first-party, third-party or fourth-party risks that arise because of data leaks, data breaches or misconfigurations. Additionally, assessment reports identify key risk areas that require attention.

  • Adaptability

Cybercriminals are shapeshifters who constantly change their devious tactics. Ensure your business can adapt to emerging cyberthreats.

  • Recoverability

To quickly bounce back after a security incident, your business must have all the necessary infrastructure, including robust data backups. Conducting mock drills that let you understand the employee readiness to counter cyberattacks is also important.

  • Durability

Your IT team can improve the business’ durability through constant system enhancements and upgrades. No matter what strategy the criminals use, prevent their actions from overwhelming you through shock and disruption.

 

5 Ways Cyber Resilience Protects SMBs

Adopting cyber resilience proves beneficial before, during and after cyberattacks. Five ways cyber resilience protects SMBs:

  1. Enhances system security, work culture and internal processes

By implementing a cyber resilience approach within your business, you can easily design and develop strategies tailor-made for your existing IT infrastructure. Additionally, cyber resilience improves security within each internal process, so you can communicate desired behavior to employees.

  1. Maintains business continuity

Cyber resilience ensures that operations are not significantly affected and business gets back to normal after a cyberattack.

  1. Reduces financial loss

The financial damage caused by a breach can be so severe that businesses go bankrupt or even close. Cyber resilience keeps threats in check, reducing the chances of business disruption as well as limiting financial liabilities.

  1. Meets regulatory and insurance requirements

Cyber resilience helps keep your business out of regulatory radars by satisfactorily following all necessary criteria. Also, complying with regulations can be beneficial to your business for cyber insurance claims.

  1. Boosts company reputation

Having cyber resilience by your side gives you better control in the event of a successful cyberattack. It helps you block attacks, bounce back quickly if an incident happens and minimize the chaotic aftereffects of a breach. This improves your business reputation among partners and customers.

Don’t worry if the concept of cyber resilience is tough to crack. We can guide your business to and through cyber resilience. Start with an assessment to check your business’ cyber resilience level. Contact us now!

Not sure where to start?

The Cybersecurity Experts at Third Power IT can help. As Miami’s premier Cybersecurity consultants, Third Power IT can help you implement a secure network that is IT compliant and safe.

Call Us Today
Claim Your Free 30 Min Consulation

 

Article curated and used by permission.

Sources:

  1. Infosecurity Magazine
  2. The 2020 Cyber Resilient Organization Study
  3. JD Supra Knowledge Center

The post How Can Cybersecurity & Resilience Protect Your Small Miami Business? appeared first on Third Power IT – Managed IT Services.

Courtesy of Miami IHIPAA Compliance IT Company - ThirdPowerIT.com

04.20.21
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Are Your Employees Your Biggest Cybersecurity Risk? The Top 4 Insider Threats Affecting Your Network

Are Your Employees Your Biggest Cybersecurity Risk? The Top 4 Insider Threats Affecting Your Network

 

Are your employees putting your network security at risk?

 

Even if your employees don’t intend on exposing your business to cybercriminals, they may still pose a threat.

 

With remote work gaining even more traction and decentralized workspaces becoming the new norm, businesses like yours are putting more focus on cybersecurity.

 

As a result, it’s important to have strategies in place to counter human errors and data breaches perpetrated by insiders.

 

Who’s An Insider & What Is An Insider Threat?

 

An insider is anyone who has access to your network. Insiders come in the form of employees, supply chain partners and company stakeholders.

 

When an insider exposes your network to cybercriminals, it’s considered an insider threat.

 

All employees, regardless of their designation or rank, can put your business in a vulnerable cybersecurity position.

 

Why Do Employees Pose a Risk to Businesses?

 

Did you know employees account for nearly a quarter of data breaches within a business?

 

According to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report 2020, 23 percent of data breaches in an organization occurred because of human error.

 

As you can see, an untrained employee can compromise your business’ security in multiple ways. Keep reading to discover the top 4 common errors committed by employees.

 

The Top 4 Employee Threats To Your Network

 

1. Falling for Phishing Scams

 

Cybercriminals are using improved techniques, like spoofed emails and text messages, to succeed in their scams.

 

With the onset of COVID-19, hackers masqueraded as the World Health Organization (WHO) to trick people into clicking on malicious links and sharing sensitive information.

 

2. Poor Password Protection

 

If your employees reuse the same password or a set of passwords for multiple accounts (business and personal), this can be a dangerous habit that allows cybercriminals to crack your network security.

 

3. Misdelivery

 

Even slight carelessness can lead to an employee sending sensitive, business-critical information to a hacker. Such an act can cause lasting damage to your business.

 

4. Improper Patch Management

 

Often, employees can delay the deployment of a security patch sent to their device, which can make your IT security vulnerable.

 

The Bottom Line: Cybercriminals Are Getting Smarter, And You Need To Be Prepared

 

With cybercriminals upgrading their arsenal every day, you and your employees need to be ready to combat costly cyber threats.

 

You can transform your business’ biggest cybersecurity risk – your employees – into its prime defense against threats by developing a security culture that emphasizes adequate and regular security awareness training.

 

Making all this happen requires continued effort. With the right partner by your side, you can easily integrate security awareness training into your cybersecurity strategy.

 

Take the first step towards training and empowering your employees: contact the cybersecurity consultants at Third Power IT. Visit www.ThirdPowerIT.com to get started now.

​​

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Article curated and used by permission.

 

Sources:

  1. McAfee Cloud Adoption & Risk Report
  2. Verizon 2020 Data Breach Investigations Report
  3. Security Magazine Verizon Data Breach Digest

The post Are Your Employees Your Biggest Cybersecurity Risk? The Top 4 Insider Threats Affecting Your Network appeared first on Third Power IT – Managed IT Services.

Courtesy of Miami IHIPAA Compliance IT Company - ThirdPowerIT.com

04.16.21
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Cybersecurity Awareness Training: An Essential Investment For Protecting Your Network From A Cyber Attack

Did you know employee error accounted for nearly a quarter of data breaches in 2020?

 

That’s why it’s so important to implement routine security awareness training for your employees.

 

As the first line of defense against cyber attacks, your employees must be thoroughly and regularly trained to identify and deflate potential cyber threats. This can help you prevent a vulnerability from escalating into a disastrous cyber attack.

 

What Is Security Awareness Training?

 

In order to deal with the growing cyber threat landscape, your employees need thorough and regular security awareness training.

 

Security awareness training is the ongoing process of educating your employees on best practices when it comes to cybersecurity.

 

This training should include:

 

  • How to create strong passwords and keep them protected
  • How to identify suspicious emails, links and more
  • How to implement and manage security patches

 

When employees know what to look for and what to avoid, they will be less likely to fall victim to a cyber attack.

 

Why Invest In Security Awareness Training?

 

When you invest in security awareness training, employees will be well equipped to identify cyber threats and respond to them quickly and efficiently.

 

This can save your business from:

  • Data breaches
  • Damage to reputation
  • Expensive lawsuits

 

The following statistics further highlight why you should invest in regular security awareness training:

 

  • 80% of organizations experience at least one compromised account threat per month.
  • 67% of data breaches result from human error, credential theft or social attack.
  • Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, phishing attacks have gone up by 67%.

 

As you can see, cyber threats are only getting more common, and they’re here to stay. Why not train your employees to help ward them off?

 

Implement Security Awareness Training Now

 

Help your employees help you. When you implement security awareness training, your employees will feel a greater sense of responsibility to keep your network safe.

 

Plus, they’ll know how to avoid minor mistakes that can snowball into a massive data breach that will negatively impact that whole company.

 

With ongoing training, you can transform your biggest cybersecurity risk – your employees – into your prime defense against cyber threats.

 

Take the first step toward developing a security culture that emphasizes adequate and regular security awareness training.

 

Not sure where to start?

 

The cybersecurity experts at Third Power IT can help. As Miami’s premier network security consultants, Third Power IT can help you implement a security awareness training program that works.

 

Ask us about our custom offerings today. Call us now at 844-677-3687 and learn more at www.ThirdPowerIT.com.

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Article curated and used by permission.

 

Sources:

  1. McAfee Cloud Adoption & Risk Report
  2. Verizon 2020 Data Breach Investigations Report
  3. Security Magazine Verizon Data Breach Digest

 

 

 

The post Cybersecurity Awareness Training: An Essential Investment For Protecting Your Network From A Cyber Attack appeared first on Third Power IT – Managed IT Services.

Courtesy of Miami IHIPAA Compliance IT Company - ThirdPowerIT.com

03.19.21
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Supply Chain Security Tips: Hear from South Florida’s Top Cybersecurity Consultants

Did you know a supply chain cyber attack could cost you millions?

 

Even if your supply chain operates through a third party vendor, you will be responsible for compromised data. As a result, you could face hefty fines and messy lawsuits if you don’t maintain supply chain compliance.

 

The Importance of Supply Chain Compliance

 

That’s why it’s so important for your business’ cybersecurity posture to prioritize detection, evaluation and mitigation of supply chain risks.

 

If you want to avoid a costly cybersecurity mishap, we advise that you practice ongoing supply chain risk management.

 

Below you’ll find top tips for supply chain cybersecurity from Third Power IT, providing the best cybersecurity services in Miami.

 

Supply Chain Risk Management Best Practices

 

Prevention is key when you are managing data, systems, software and networks.

 

By proactively adopting risk management practices, you will help enhance your supply chain’s security. Keep reading to learn some of these practices right now.

 

  • Security Awareness Training: Educate employees on cybersecurity so they know the mistakes to avoid. Draft an effective security awareness training program, and implement it regularly to ensure all stakeholders are on the same page.

 

  • Data Classification: Identify data, segment it according to its worth and assign security to each type of data. This will help you know your data thoroughly, which makes it easier for you to secure it.

 

  • Access Control: Grant data access to select users. With robust authentication and authorization protocols in place, you can minimize the chances of sensitive data getting compromised.
  • Authentication verifies whether the user is who they claim to be
  • Authorization verifies whether a user has access to a particular type of data

 

  • Monitoring: Monitor data consistently so you can detect threats quickly and respond to attacks right away. Evaluate relevant data to recognize suspicious activity. Pre-define acceptable behavior on the monitoring system. If breached, the system will trigger an alert.

 

  • Endpoint Protection: Secure endpoints to protect the most vulnerable part of your supply chain. Cybercriminals are skilled at identifying weaknesses within your network. In most cases, it turns out to be an end-user device on your network or even devices on a third-party partner’s network.

 

  • Patch Management: Patch security gaps so your business isn’t exposed to cyber attacks. Whenever a new patch becomes available, update software immediately.

 

  • Routine Scanning: Enable a coordinated process to test, recognize, examine and reveal potential security threats. Automate these scans so they are conducted regularly without investing a lot of time and effort.

 

  • Network Segmentation: Segment your business’ network into smaller units so you can control movement of data from one segment to another. Automate this process to restrict suspicious entities from gaining access to vital information or data.

 

  • Managed Detection and Response: Deal with cyber threats strategically with MDR, an economically feasible service that helps you with in-depth threat detection and response. Threat hunting helps you with research and analysis of vulnerabilities.

 

Adopt Supply Chain Cybersecurity Best Practices Now

 

When it comes to supply chain security, the best practices mentioned above are just the start of how to prevent security incidents. Enlisting the help of an MSP can help you stay ahead of the curve.

 

The experts at Third Power IT have the experience necessary to build walls cybercriminals can’t break. Visit www.ThirdPowerIT.com to hear more about safeguarding your supply chain from looming cyberthreats now.

 

 

 

The post Supply Chain Security Tips: Hear from South Florida’s Top Cybersecurity Consultants appeared first on Third Power IT – Managed IT Services.

Courtesy of Miami IHIPAA Compliance IT Company - ThirdPowerIT.com

03.12.21
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Supply Chain Compliance: Prevent A Supply Chain Cyber Attack from Happening To You

Did you hear about the recent supply chain cyber attack on multiple major airlines?

 

When an IT vendor’s passenger service system (PSS) was hacked, cyber criminals gained access to the frequent flyer data of customers all over the United States.

Now 90% of the world’s airlines are facing potential penalties for compromised customer data.

Even though the data breach was caused by a third party vendor, the airlines are still liable for this major cybersecurity mishap.

Don’t let something like this happen to you!

 

Prevent A Supply Chain Data Breach

Are you familiar with the regulations and standards governing your supply chain management obligations?

Whether your supply chain is a big or small operation, you must ensure that it isn’t the reason your business is non-compliant with the necessary regulations and standards.

Staying on top of your supply chain cybersecurity involves a great deal of continued effort, but it’s worth it.

If your business has compliance risks thriving within your supply chain, you could find yourself facing:

 

  • Financial losses
  • Loss of reputation
  • Expensive lawsuits

 

And the list goes on.

No regulator will cut you any slack for “not being aware” of prevailing or imminent risks. You will just be considered negligent.

Fulfilling your supply chain management obligations begins with being aware of the regulations and standards that govern it.

Over the next few minutes, you will understand:

  • What supply chain compliance is
  • The various forms it can take
  • How you can start protecting your supply chain now

First let’s talk about what supply chain compliance is and the many forms it can take.

 

Understanding Supply Chain Compliance

 

What is Supply Chain Compliance?

Fundamentally, supply chain compliance refers to an organization’s adherence to the established guidelines and requirements to manage supply chain risks. In addition, it pertains to your ability to meet or exceed the expectations of stakeholders.

Supply chain compliance guidelines and requirements come in many forms.

 

Forms of Supply Chain Compliance Guidelines and Requirements:

  • National, state/provincial and local or border/international regulatory requirements
  • Industry standards (e.g. ASTM & HIPAA)
  • Contractual obligations or requirements
  • Customer and non-governmental organization (NGO) expectations

Achieving, demonstrating and maintaining compliance with these multiple standards requires comprehensive collaboration with your third-party partners.

Are you ready to get started?

 

Protect Your Supply Chain With Third Power IT

Supply chain protection is a 24/7 operation. Make sure you’re fully compliant by teaming up with a trusted IT consultant that understands the ins and outs of supply chain compliance.

When you work with Third Power IT, you will get a custom cybersecurity package that fits your needs. We have experience working closely with:

  • Healthcare facilities regarding HIPAA compliance
  • Banks and investment firms regarding financial compliance
  • Schools and colleges regarding FERPA compliance

And much more

Ensure your compliance today. Visit www.ThirdPowerIT.com to get started now.

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03.08.21
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8 IT Tips to Protect Your Customer Data: Secure Personally Identifiable Information (PII) Now

Do you know what it takes to secure customer data so you don’t encounter a cyber attack?

With the cyber threat landscape constantly evolving, businesses need to step up and secure Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and other sensitive data now more than ever. 

If you fail to do so, you could end up putting the future of your customers, employees and company at risk. 

So, how do you ensure your customer data is safe and secure?

Below you’ll find some helpful tips to start securing your customer data right now.

 

8 IT Tips for Securing Customer Data and Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

#1 • Use behavioral analytics to set up unique behavioral profiles for all company insiders (employees, stakeholders, etc.). Set up an alert to detect insiders accessing data not associated with their job functions.

#2 • Implement access and permission controls to review, revise and restrict unnecessary user access privileges, permissions and rights.

#3 • Review the PII data you have already collected, where it is stored and who has access to it. Securely delete what is not necessary for the business to operate.

#4 • Set up an acceptable PII usage policy that defines how PII data should be classified, stored, accessed and protected.

#5 • Make sure your PII policy is compliant with different privacy and data regulations that apply to your business.

#6 • Upgrade your storage holdings to ensure the data lives in a SOC2-protected data center.

#7 • Cut down on inadvertent insider threats by implementing mandatory cybersecurity and data security training programs.

#8 • Make use of software that will help you protect PII, such as:

  • Third-party risk management solutions
  • Data loss prevention tools
  • Dark Web monitoring applications
  • Secure documentation solutions

 

Did You Know…

Did you know that most PII data breaches result from an insider threat? 

This means that someone within your organization enables hackers to access your customer PII. While most insider threats are unintentional, they still pose the same risks to your customers and your business.

That’s why taking adequate measures to secure PII is so important. Just a few key actions can significantly strengthen your cybersecurity posture.

Are you ready to get started?

 

Protect Your Customer Data Now With Third Power IT

If you’re unsure about how you can effectively protect customer PII, leave it up to the cybersecurity experts at Third Power Power IT.

As South Florida’s preferred IT consultants, we manage and protect data for organizations of all sizes and industries. 

From e-commerce to finance, healthcare to education and much more, we know what it takes to secure your network and protect your data from cyber theft.

Team up with Third Power IT today. Visit www.ThirdPowerIT.com to learn more now.

The post 8 IT Tips to Protect Your Customer Data: Secure Personally Identifiable Information (PII) Now appeared first on Third Power IT – Managed IT Services.

Courtesy of Miami IHIPAA Compliance IT Company - ThirdPowerIT.com

03.02.21
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Personally Identifiable Information: Don’t Put Your Customers At Risk Of Cyber Theft

Are you making it easy for hackers to access your customer data as a result of not having a cyber security plan in place?

If you’re familiar with our IT blog, then you may already know what Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is and how it affects your business and your customers.

In previous blogs, we talked about:

  • What PII is
  • Why you need to secure customer PII
  • The top causes of a PII data breach
  • The risks to your business when PII is stolen

In this blog, we are going to cover how stolen PII implicates your customers — and why you should care.

First let’s refresh your memory on what PII is and what happens when there’s a PII data breach.

 

What is PII?

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) refers to various data points that can be used to identify an anonymous individual. Social security numbers, tax identification numbers, and location data are all examples of PII.

 

What Happens When PII is Stolen?

When a hacker gets hold of any type of PII, they gain access to confidential information. They can use this information to tap into your network and steal your data. They can also use this information to target your customers.  Having a cyber security plan is crucial.

So, how can they use PII against your customers, and why should you care? Keep reading to find out.

 

PII DATA BREACH: KNOW THE RISKS TO YOUR CUSTOMERS

  1. Identity Theft

Cybercriminals acquire sensitive customer data to use it to their advantage. For example, they can impersonate your customers using their credit card numbers, social security numbers, health plan beneficiary numbers or biometric identifiers. Then, they use this stolen identity to commit fraud or gain financial benefits.

  1. Social Engineering Attacks

Data breaches can uncover your customers’ PII, especially sensitive data, such as name, address, contact details, date of birth and so on. Cybercriminals can put these data points on the Dark Web and use them to launch social engineering attacks on your customers. The attackers may then psychologically manipulate or trick customers into sharing their confidential details.

  1. Blackmail Campaigns

Data breaches can expose sensitive medical information, such as psychotherapy reports or blood test reports. Cybercriminals can use this information to run blackmail campaigns against your customers by threatening to leak the information online.

As you can see, the implications of a data breach can have devastating effects on your customers, and this can also affect you.

 

How Stolen PII Affects You and Your Business

So, how does stolen customer data impact you?

If your customers experience a cyber attack of this kind, they will be less likely to work with you in the future. What’s more, they may write poor reviews, which can damage your online presence. They may even go as far as suing you for negligence.

Don’t lose the trust of your customers and the integrity of your business.

 

Keep Customer Data Safe and Secure

Want to do everything in your power to prevent a cyber attack? Leave it up to the experts at Third Power IT. 

Our consultants have decades of experience protecting data for healthcare facilities, financial institutions, e-commerce businesses, colleges, and more.

At Third Power IT, we know one size does not fit all when it comes to cybersecurity. That’s why we create custom IT packages based on your unique needs. 

Start building your cybersecurity strategy today. Get in touch with us now by contacting us online or calling us directly at: 844-677-3687

The post Personally Identifiable Information: Don’t Put Your Customers At Risk Of Cyber Theft appeared first on Third Power IT – Managed IT Services.

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02.23.21
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Personally Identifiable Information (PII): Why You Need To Secure Your Customer Data

Are you risking a cyber attack by unknowingly allowing access to your clients’ personal information?

 

When you expose customer data, you become vulnerable to cyber attacks. Even if the breach is unintentional, you still risk getting sued for breaking confidentiality. And you will certainly be liable for violating legal compliance.

 

As a result, it’s important to secure customer data so you can avoid a cyber attack and the headache that comes with it.

 

Now that you know the importance of this, let’s take a look at the customer data in question, also known as Personally Identifiable Information (PII).

 

What is PII?

 

PII refers to any information maintained by an agency that can be used to identify or trace an individual.

 

In other words, PII includes data points that such as:

 

  • Social security number
  • Mother’s maiden name
  • Tax identification number
  • Date of birth
  • Biometric data
  • Race & religion
  • Location data

 

Any of the above information can be used to identify anonymous data.

 

So, why is it so important to protect PII?

 

Why Secure Your Customer Data?

 

If your organization handles PII, you must take steps to secure your customer data.

 

Not only is this essential from a compliance standpoint, but with security breaches on the rise, you have to make sure customer PII is not being compromised.

 

Is it really that common? In short, yes.

 

As a frame of reference, Risk Based Security revealed that by the end of 2020, a total of 36 billion records had been exposed and compromised.

 

When you put this information at risk, you lose the trust of your customers, thus damaging your company’s reputation. Plus, this enables hackers to steal your sensitive data and proprietary information. What’s more, if you are found negligent, you might end up facing fines, lawsuits, and more.

 

In particular, healthcare facilities and financial institutions must carefully collect and store customer data so that it remains confidential. The repercussions of falling short are severe.

 

Regardless of your industry, if you manage PII, you need to protect it. Are you ready to get started?

 

Protect Personally Identifiable Information With Third Power IT

 

If your business handles PII, you can’t risk putting customer data at risk.

 

A breach of this kind can result in:

  • Getting fined or sued
  • Losing loyal customers
  • Closing your business for good

 

Don’t let this happen to you.

 

Protect PII now with the help of Third Power IT, Miami’s best cybersecurity consultants. Visit www.ThirdPowerIT.com to learn more and get started now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The post Personally Identifiable Information (PII): Why You Need To Secure Your Customer Data appeared first on Third Power IT – Managed IT Services.

Courtesy of Miami IHIPAA Compliance IT Company - ThirdPowerIT.com