Shielding Your Finances: A Comprehensive Guide to Securing Your Bank Accounts

January 5, 2026 by Leave a Comment

In today’s digital era, where financial transactions are increasingly conducted online, safeguarding your bank accounts is paramount to protect your hard-earned money from cyber threats and fraudsters. Whether you’re managing personal finances or overseeing business accounts, implementing robust security measures is essential to mitigate risks and ensure the integrity of your financial assets. In this article, we’ll delve into practical strategies and best practices for securing your bank accounts effectively.

1. Choose a Reputable Financial Institution:

Start by selecting a reputable bank or credit union with a strong track record of security and customer service. Research financial institutions’ security protocols, encryption standards, and fraud prevention measures to ensure that your accounts are protected by industry-leading security practices.

2. Use Strong Authentication Methods:

Opt for multi-factor authentication (MFA) whenever possible to add an extra layer of security to your bank accounts. Most banks offer options such as one-time passwords sent via SMS or email, biometric authentication (e.g., fingerprint or facial recognition), or hardware tokens for enhanced account protection.

3. Create Strong and Unique Passwords:

Choose strong, complex passwords for your online banking accounts and avoid using easily guessable phrases or personal information. Use a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters, and refrain from using the same password across multiple accounts. Consider using a reputable password manager to generate and store unique passwords securely.

4. Monitor Your Accounts Regularly:

Stay vigilant by monitoring your bank accounts regularly for any unauthorized or suspicious transactions. Review your account statements, transaction history, and alerts from your bank’s mobile app or online banking portal to identify and report any fraudulent activity promptly.

5. Enable Account Alerts and Notifications:

Take advantage of account alerts and notifications offered by your bank to receive real-time updates on account activity, such as large withdrawals, unusual transactions, or login attempts from unrecognized devices. Set up alerts via email, SMS, or push notifications to stay informed and respond promptly to potential security incidents.

6. Secure Your Devices and Networks:

Ensure that the devices and networks you use to access your bank accounts are secure and free from malware, viruses, and other cyber threats. Install reputable antivirus software, keep your operating system and software updated with the latest security patches, and use secure Wi-Fi networks for online banking transactions.

7. Be Wary of Phishing Attempts:

Exercise caution when responding to emails, text messages, or phone calls purportedly from your bank, especially if they request sensitive information or prompt you to click on links or download attachments. Be vigilant for phishing attempts and verify the authenticity of communications before disclosing any personal or financial information.

8. Set Account Restrictions and Limits:

Consider setting account restrictions and transaction limits to control access to your funds and minimize the impact of potential fraud. Enable features such as account freezing, transaction monitoring, and spending limits to protect your accounts from unauthorized access and fraudulent activity.

9. Educate Yourself About Fraud Prevention:

Stay informed about common types of financial fraud, such as identity theft, account takeover, and phishing scams, and educate yourself about best practices for fraud prevention. Familiarize yourself with your bank’s fraud prevention policies and procedures, and report any suspicious activity or security concerns to your bank immediately.

10. Stay Informed and Proactive:

Keep abreast of the latest cybersecurity trends, threats, and regulatory developments affecting the banking industry. Stay informed about security breaches or data leaks involving financial institutions, and take proactive steps to secure your accounts and protect your financial well-being.

By following these essential tips and best practices, you can fortify your bank accounts against cyber threats and fraudsters and safeguard your financial assets with confidence. Remember that securing your bank accounts is an ongoing process that requires vigilance, awareness, and proactive measures to protect your financial interests effectively.

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Signs You’ve Been Hacked: How to Detect Cyber Intrusions

September 15, 2025 by Leave a Comment

In today’s interconnected digital world, the threat of cyberattacks looms large. From individual users to large corporations, no one is immune to the possibility of being hacked. Whether it’s personal information theft, financial fraud, or corporate espionage, the repercussions of a successful hack can be devastating. Therefore, it’s crucial to be aware of the signs that indicate you may have been compromised.

Here are some key indicators that you might have fallen victim to a cyber intrusion:

  1. Unusual Account Activity: One of the most obvious signs of a hack is unusual activity on your accounts. This could include unauthorized logins, changes to your account settings, or purchases you didn’t make. Keep a close eye on your bank statements, credit card transactions, and online accounts for any suspicious activity.
  2. Unexpected Pop-ups or Redirects: If you notice an increase in pop-up ads, unexpected redirects to unfamiliar websites, or your browser homepage suddenly changes without your consent, it could be a sign that your device has been compromised. These could be symptoms of malware or adware installed on your system.
  3. Slow Performance or Crashes: Malware often consumes system resources, leading to sluggish performance, frequent crashes, or unexplained freezes. If your device is suddenly running slower than usual or experiencing frequent crashes, it’s worth investigating for potential malware infections.
  4. Unexplained Files or Programs: Keep an eye out for unfamiliar files, folders, or programs on your device. Hackers may install malicious software without your knowledge, which could be disguised as legitimate programs or files. If you notice anything suspicious, conduct a thorough scan of your system using reputable antivirus software.
  5. Suspicious Emails or Messages: Phishing emails and messages are common tactics used by hackers to trick users into revealing sensitive information or downloading malware. Be wary of emails from unknown senders, especially those that contain urgent requests or ask for personal information. Avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from suspicious sources.
  6. Social Media Anomalies: If you notice strange posts, messages, or friend requests on your social media accounts, it could be a sign that your account has been compromised. Hackers may use your account to spread malware, spam, or phishing links to your contacts.
  7. Unexplained Data Loss: Sudden loss of files or data could indicate a ransomware attack or unauthorized access to your system. If you find that files have been encrypted, renamed, or deleted without your consent, it’s important to act quickly to prevent further damage.
  8. Warnings from Security Software: Pay attention to any warnings or alerts from your antivirus or security software. These programs are designed to detect and prevent malware infections, so if they flag any suspicious activity, take it seriously and follow their recommendations.
  9. Unusual Network Activity: Monitor your network for any unusual activity, such as unauthorized devices connecting to your Wi-Fi network or unusually high data usage. Hackers may attempt to gain access to your network to steal data or launch further attacks on other devices connected to the network.
  10. Missing or Altered Files: If you find that files have gone missing or have been altered without your knowledge, it could be a sign of a breach. Hackers may delete or modify files to cover their tracks or disrupt your operations.

If you suspect that you’ve been hacked, it’s important to act quickly to minimize the damage. Disconnect the affected device from the internet to prevent further communication with the attacker, then run a thorough scan using antivirus software to remove any malware. Change your passwords for all affected accounts and enable two-factor authentication for an extra layer of security. Finally, report the incident to the relevant authorities or your IT department to investigate further and prevent future attacks.

Being proactive and vigilant is key to protecting yourself against cyber threats. By staying informed and knowing the signs of a hack, you can better defend yourself against malicious actors seeking to exploit vulnerabilities in your digital life.

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Navigating the Digital Frontier: A Comprehensive Guide to Internet Security

March 6, 2025 by Leave a Comment

In today’s interconnected world, where the internet is an integral part of our daily lives, ensuring robust internet security is paramount. From personal privacy concerns to safeguarding sensitive corporate data, the stakes have never been higher. This article delves into the nuances of internet security, offering insights and strategies to navigate the digital frontier safely.

Understanding Internet Security:

Internet security encompasses a broad spectrum of measures designed to protect data and systems from unauthorized access, cyberattacks, and other online threats. It encompasses various layers of defense, including network security, data encryption, user authentication, and proactive threat detection.

Common Threats:

  1. Malware: Malicious software such as viruses, worms, Trojans, and ransomware pose significant threats to individuals and organizations alike. These programs can infiltrate systems, steal sensitive information, or render devices inoperable.
  2. Phishing: Phishing attacks involve fraudulent attempts to obtain sensitive information, such as login credentials or financial data, by posing as a legitimate entity. These attacks often occur via email, social media, or fake websites.
  3. Data Breaches: A data breach occurs when unauthorized parties gain access to sensitive information, such as customer databases or intellectual property. Breaches can have severe repercussions, including financial losses, reputational damage, and legal liabilities.
  4. Identity Theft: Cybercriminals may steal personal information to impersonate individuals or commit fraud. This can lead to financial losses, damaged credit scores, and other adverse consequences for victims.

Best Practices for Internet Security:

  1. Use Strong Passwords: Create complex passwords that combine letters, numbers, and special characters, and avoid using the same password across multiple accounts. Consider using a reputable password manager to securely store and manage your credentials.
  2. Keep Software Updated: Regularly update operating systems, applications, and antivirus software to patch vulnerabilities and protect against emerging threats. Enable automatic updates whenever possible to ensure timely security fixes.
  3. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): 2FA adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide a second form of verification, such as a code sent to their mobile device, in addition to their password. This helps prevent unauthorized access even if passwords are compromised.
  4. Exercise Caution Online: Be wary of unsolicited emails, suspicious links, and requests for sensitive information. Verify the legitimacy of websites before entering personal or financial details, and avoid downloading files from unfamiliar sources.
  5. Encrypt Data: Use encryption technologies such as SSL/TLS for securing data transmission over the internet and encryption tools for protecting sensitive files stored on devices or in the cloud. Encryption scrambles data into unreadable format, making it inaccessible to unauthorized parties.
  6. Implement Firewalls and Security Software: Install firewalls and reputable antivirus/anti-malware software to monitor network traffic, detect malicious activity, and block unauthorized access attempts. Configure firewalls to filter incoming and outgoing traffic based on predefined security rules.
  7. Backup Data Regularly: Perform regular backups of important files and data to minimize the impact of potential ransomware attacks, hardware failures, or other data loss incidents. Store backups securely offline or in the cloud, and test restoration procedures periodically.
  8. Educate Users: Educate yourself and others about internet security best practices, including how to recognize and respond to potential threats. Promote a culture of cybersecurity awareness within your organization or community to mitigate risks effectively.

Conclusion:

In an increasingly digitized world, internet security is not just a concern but a necessity. By understanding common threats and implementing best practices, individuals and organizations can bolster their defenses against cyber threats and safeguard their valuable assets. Remember, proactive measures today can prevent costly breaches and disruptions tomorrow. Stay vigilant, stay secure, and navigate the digital frontier with confidence.

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Safeguarding Your Digital Assets: The Importance of Data Backups

October 2, 2024 by Leave a Comment

In today’s digital age, data serves as the lifeblood of organizations, powering critical business operations, storing valuable information, and enabling innovation and growth. However, with the increasing prevalence of cyber threats, hardware failures, and natural disasters, the risk of data loss and corruption looms large. Data backups emerge as a vital safeguard, offering organizations a means to protect against data loss and ensure business continuity. In this article, we’ll explore the importance of data backups, the risks of data loss, and best practices for implementing a robust backup strategy.

Understanding Data Backups:

Data backups involve creating copies of critical data and storing them in secondary locations, such as external hard drives, cloud storage, or tape drives. Backups serve as insurance against data loss, enabling organizations to recover lost or corrupted data in the event of hardware failures, cyber attacks, human error, or natural disasters. By maintaining up-to-date backups, organizations can minimize the impact of data loss and maintain continuity of operations in the face of unforeseen challenges.

The Risks of Data Loss:

The consequences of data loss can be severe, impacting organizations of all sizes across various industries. Some of the risks associated with data loss include:

  1. Operational Disruption: Data loss can disrupt business operations, leading to downtime, productivity losses, and delays in delivering products or services to customers.
  2. Financial Losses: Data loss can result in financial losses due to the costs associated with data recovery efforts, downtime, loss of revenue, and potential legal liabilities or regulatory fines.
  3. Reputational Damage: Data loss can damage an organization’s reputation and erode customer trust and confidence, particularly if sensitive or confidential information is compromised.
  4. Compliance Violations: Data loss can lead to violations of regulatory requirements and industry standards, exposing organizations to legal and compliance risks, penalties, and sanctions.
  5. Loss of Intellectual Property: Data loss can result in the loss of valuable intellectual property, trade secrets, proprietary information, or research and development data, undermining competitive advantage and innovation.

The Importance of Data Backups:

Data backups play a crucial role in mitigating the risks of data loss and ensuring the resilience of organizations in the face of threats and disruptions. Key benefits of data backups include:

  1. Data Protection and Recovery: Data backups provide a reliable means of protecting critical data and enabling timely recovery in the event of data loss, corruption, or accidental deletion.
  2. Business Continuity: Data backups support business continuity efforts by minimizing downtime and enabling organizations to quickly resume operations following disruptive events, such as hardware failures, cyber attacks, or natural disasters.
  3. Risk Management: Data backups help organizations manage risks associated with data loss, enabling them to mitigate the financial, operational, and reputational impacts of data loss incidents.
  4. Compliance and Legal Requirements: Data backups help organizations meet regulatory requirements and compliance obligations related to data protection, retention, and privacy by ensuring the availability and integrity of critical data.
  5. Peace of Mind: Data backups provide peace of mind to organizations, knowing that their valuable data is securely backed up and protected against unforeseen events and threats.

Best Practices for Data Backups:

To ensure the effectiveness of data backups and maximize their benefits, organizations should adhere to the following best practices:

  1. Identify Critical Data: Identify and prioritize critical data and systems that require regular backups based on their importance to business operations, regulatory requirements, and risk exposure.
  2. Implement Regular Backup Schedule: Establish a regular backup schedule to create copies of critical data at predefined intervals, such as daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on the data’s volatility and importance.
  3. Use Redundant Backup Locations: Store backup copies of data in multiple redundant locations, including on-premises storage, off-site facilities, and cloud-based storage services, to ensure redundancy and resilience against failures or disasters.
  4. Encrypt Backup Data: Encrypt backup data both in transit and at rest to protect it from unauthorized access, theft, or interception. Use strong encryption algorithms and secure encryption keys to ensure data confidentiality and integrity.
  5. Test Backup and Recovery Procedures: Regularly test backup and recovery procedures to validate the integrity and reliability of backup copies and ensure that data can be recovered successfully in the event of a data loss incident.
  6. Monitor Backup Processes: Monitor backup processes and performance metrics to ensure that backups are completed successfully within the defined timeframe and that backup systems are functioning as expected.
  7. Update Backup Strategy: Review and update backup strategies regularly to accommodate changes in business requirements, technology advancements, and emerging threats, ensuring that backup solutions remain effective and aligned with organizational goals.

Conclusion:

Data backups serve as a critical line of defense against the risks of data loss, providing organizations with the ability to protect, recover, and restore critical data in the event of hardware failures, cyber attacks, or other disruptions. By implementing a robust backup strategy and adhering to best practices for data backups, organizations can mitigate the risks associated with data loss, ensure business continuity, and safeguard their valuable digital assets against unforeseen events and threats.

Filed Under: News

Strengthening Digital Defense: The Power of Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

May 30, 2024 by Leave a Comment

In an era where cybersecurity threats loom large, protecting sensitive information and online accounts has become more critical than ever. As cybercriminals continue to employ increasingly sophisticated tactics to breach security measures, individuals and organizations must adopt robust strategies to safeguard their digital assets. Among these strategies, Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) stands out as a powerful tool in the fight against unauthorized access and identity theft.

What is Two-Factor Authentication?

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) is a security mechanism that adds an extra layer of protection to the traditional username-password combination used for logging into online accounts. In addition to entering their credentials, users are required to provide a second form of verification to authenticate their identity. This secondary factor typically falls into one of three categories:

  1. Something You Know: This could be a password, PIN, or answers to security questions.
  2. Something You Have: This involves possessing a physical device, such as a smartphone, security token, or USB key, that generates a one-time code or receives authentication prompts.
  3. Something You Are: This encompasses biometric data, such as fingerprints, facial recognition, or retinal scans, which uniquely identify individuals based on their physical characteristics.

By requiring users to provide two different types of authentication credentials, 2FA significantly enhances the security of online accounts and helps mitigate the risk of unauthorized access, even if one factor is compromised.

How Does Two-Factor Authentication Work?

The process of Two-Factor Authentication typically unfolds as follows:

  1. User Initiates Login: The user attempts to log into an online account by entering their username and password.
  2. Secondary Authentication Prompt: Upon successful entry of credentials, the system prompts the user to provide a second form of verification.
  3. Authentication Method: The user selects or provides the secondary authentication method, which may involve receiving a one-time code via SMS or email, using an authentication app to generate a code, or scanning a biometric identifier.
  4. Verification: The user enters the code or completes the authentication process using the chosen method.
  5. Access Granted: If both sets of credentials are verified successfully, access to the account is granted.

Benefits of Two-Factor Authentication:

  1. Enhanced Security: 2FA significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access by adding an additional layer of authentication beyond passwords alone. Even if a hacker manages to obtain or guess a user’s password, they would still need access to the secondary authentication method to gain entry.
  2. Protection Against Credential Theft: With the prevalence of data breaches and phishing attacks, stolen passwords have become a common avenue for cybercriminals to compromise accounts. 2FA mitigates the impact of credential theft by requiring a second form of verification, making it more challenging for attackers to exploit compromised credentials.
  3. Secure Remote Access: For organizations with remote workers or employees accessing corporate systems from external networks, 2FA provides an extra level of assurance that only authorized users can access sensitive resources, helping to secure remote access and prevent unauthorized intrusions.
  4. Compliance Requirements: In certain industries, regulatory standards such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) mandate the use of multi-factor authentication to protect sensitive data and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
  5. User Convenience: Despite the added layer of security, 2FA can be implemented in a user-friendly manner, with options such as authentication apps, push notifications, and biometric verification methods offering seamless and convenient authentication experiences for users.

Conclusion:

In an age of escalating cyber threats, Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) emerges as a vital defense mechanism in safeguarding digital identities and sensitive information. By requiring users to provide two separate forms of verification, 2FA significantly strengthens the security posture of online accounts and mitigates the risk of unauthorized access and identity theft. As individuals and organizations embrace 2FA as a cornerstone of their cybersecurity strategy, they can navigate the digital landscape with greater confidence, knowing that their valuable assets are protected by an extra layer of defense.

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Has Your Company Data Been Compromised?

October 10, 2023 by Leave a Comment

You might believe that your information assets are secure and your company’s security systems are keeping things safe, but how do you really know? While large scale financial services companies and other major corporations have the resources, highly trained technical staffs, and custom tools to monitor for and identify leaked data, most businesses do not. Companies with the resources are constantly scouring the internet, deep web and dark web for any indications that sensitive information has been exposed.

Now you might think, who wants my information or why would anyone target my company? It depends on an attacker’s motivation, or maybe its just a blind scan looking for vulnerable hosts by a potential hacker. If you become compromised perhaps access to your environment might be sold and your infrastructure used to email malware or house stolen data. Maybe your email credentials are compromised and someone is illicitly reading confidential communications. Whatever the outcome, certainly at a minimum, your business reputation is at risk.

Many companies that are compromised typically find out long after the initial occurrence, with time spans perhaps extending months into years. Typically breaches are not found by the company itself. Many times law enforcement or other 3rd party sources may advise a compromised organization of the unfortunate situation. 

There are organizations that take extensive proactive approaches to managing information security through the use of firewalls, intrusion detection systems and monitoring software, while also investing in various technical assessments, the approach does not take into account how to detect information that may have quietly been leaked to the internet in an isolated event or ongoing.

While building robust defensive measures have improved security for many corporations and helped protect many companies from network attacks it does not account for other sources of compromise such as theft of login credentials or compromise of a 3rd party service provider’s network connected to the company’s environment. In such instances data flows may likely be flagged as normal traffic and not detected by security management systems. In these instances companies may leak sensitive information over an extended period of time.

You may still believe that data breaches don’t apply to your company, but they do.  Unfortunately many employees may use the same email address, (name@yourcompany.com), and password for sites they access in their personal lives. A compromise of a third party site used for cooking recipes may lead to a credential compromise at your company, followed by a potential loss of sensitive company data. Maybe third party service providers that work with your company’s sensitive data may expose this information through a compromise of their own infrastructure, leading to your sensitive company information being for sale on the Internet. The point is if your information has been leaked to hacker websites, regardless of the manner in which this occurred, you really should care to know.

There are an emerging set of tools that gather information in realtime, not by directly scanning a company’s infrastructure but from querying public records and other illicit sources. These relatively new commercial offerings scan internet records, the deep web, and dark web to identify what is known that may be exploited or company data that may be for sale. This may include login credentials, proprietary data, compromised servers, client sensitive information, vulnerable hosts, or other assets. Employed ongoing, such tools can provide proactive alerting to enable a company to understand potential issues and develop realtime response strategies to protect the company and its reputation.

Network Management Solutions has been helping business navigate technology challenges since 1996. If you are concerned about what company data might be readily available on the dark web, please contact us for a free, confidential discussion. We can be reached at 908-232-0100 or on the web at www.nmscorp.com

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Ransomeware Attacks Hit Home

June 3, 2023 by Leave a Comment

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has proven to be challenging. For most of the US, this epidemic has been ongoing for near 9 months with a new wave overtaking the country once again. Businesses have shuttered, jobs have been lost, and financial insecurity has become an obstacle for many to deal with.  

As one of the ongoing complexities, COVID-19 has shuttered in-school learning for many US students. Several US school districts including Baltimore County, MD announced that online learning had been impacted for 115,000 students due to an apparent Ransomware attack. As parents struggle to maintain a somewhat normal learning experience for their children studying from home, lacking information security practices within the information infrastructures are paramount in these disruptions. 

So what is ransomeware and how does this impact a compromised organization? Ransomeware is malicious software designed to deny access to an organizations information assets, files and or services. The perpetrator having compromised the target organization demands a ransom payment prior to restoring access to the locked data. In the case of Baltimore County, it has been reported that access to online learning tools and grading systems have been disrupted. 

Cyber insurance policies are available to facilitate ransom payments should such an attack occur within an insured’s environment. Many organizations choose to pay the ransom through insurance or directly if not insured. The cost of ransom payments have risen with many payments now being 6 figures or larger. Other organizations that choose not to pay a ransom spend millions trying to restore systems.  Atlanta Georgia in the spring of 2018 chose not to pay a ransom of $52,000 and instead paid a reported $2.6M to recover. 

While an insurance policy payment may reduce the recovery cost of an outage it does not account for the lost time of a disruption and only encourages further ransomware attacks. Ransomware attacks accounted for 41% of policyholder claims, insurer Coalition stated in its 2020 “Cyber Insurance Claims Report,” released in September of 2020. In some instances insurance companies have denied claims with excessive damage as in the case of NotPetya.

According to a Dark Reading article Maryland State auditors found a variety of vulnerabilities that could have lead to the incident in Baltimore County. While there is not clarity yet in the Baltimore County incident, it should be noted that ransomeware attacks have been ongoing for many years and most propagate due to unpatched systems. Typically, exploited systems are Windows based. Impacted systems in the case of Baltimore County have been reported to be Windows based.

At what point do we demand that organizations who maintain our personal information and upon which we rely on make certain that vulnerabilities are minimized? Individuals that are placed in technical roles must be held accountable in some manner as well as their management teams should they choose not to appropriately address ongoing maintenance of the systems and applications for which they are responsible. 

The most formidable defense against most cyber attacks beyond a properly designed infrastructure, is to establish reliable ongoing patch management and update processes for the entire infrastructure. While some may have you believe that this is a complex endeavor and perhaps it is in a very large scale environment, once established the organization’s ability to withstand cyber attacks is significantly improved. Choosing not to establish the proper protocols either through in-house staff or consulting resources is a dire mistake.

Network Management Solutions has been assisting organizations to properly design, implement, monitor and manage information technology infrastructure since 1996. We are available to assist your company in navigating the technical complexities associated with your business infrastructure. Call us today at 908-232-0100 for a free, confidential discussion on how we can assist your business and support your ongoing information security and technology goals.

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The importance of online privacy

February 2, 2023 by Leave a Comment

Online privacy is a topic that is often misunderstood. Many people believe that since they are not involved in doing anything wrong that there is nothing to hide and therefore online privacy is not an important issue. However, online privacy is more about service providers profiling you, including your likes, dislikes, habits, beliefs and beyond, so that you can be the target of advertising, misinformation, and beyond. Ultimately, service providers you have trusted use your information to generate revenue. Who knows where it all goes from here and perhaps one day that profile intersects with insurance companies, healthcare providers, employers, and government if it hasn’t already.

Everywhere you travel, every move you make, the nuance of your writing, emails, phone conversations, essentially everything you do, is being logged and analyzed through artificial intelligence with the aim of monetizing the information. We are all subjected to a conglomerate of big tech company experiments. While corporate attorneys may have written language in their terms of use agreements for the applications or services we use, explaining how your information may be used, most of us never bother to read or consider the impacts of misuse.

We are barraged by privacy statements with many sites now asking you to accept their use of cookies and privacy policies.  Here is one of note:

“YouTube Privacy Warning”

“YouTube (owned by Google) does not let you watch videos anonymously. As such, watching videos here will be tracked by YouTube/Google.”

Have you ever turned off location services for Apple Maps 0n your iPhone only to have it tell you later that your car is parked 150 feet away? Did you know that Alexa has features that allow it to listen and record private conversations and forward them on to contacts? Do you know when Alexa is listening or any other “smart” devices? Have you ever had Siri speak to you when you weren’t talking to her? The point is we don’t know how a lot of the technology works and what happens with the associated data. Have we invited devices into our homes and businesses naively thinking they’d help without considering adverse consequences? How often do you see advertisements for products that you were viewing online elsewhere being presented to you as an advertisement on social media or another website?

Big tech is doing its best to monetize your private information by either directly targeting you with adds, or through the sale of your private information to other data mining companies. Google now buys credit card data so they can better understand your purchasing habits to better target adds and know when you bought an item after an advertisement was presented. Online marketing campaign metrics have become very precise.

So still, why care about privacy? The Cambridge Analytica scandal speaks for itself where a vast amount of personal information was provided by Facebook and shared with Cambridge Analytica who exploited the information for political purposes during 2016, targeting profiled potential voters with disinformation in attempt to get them to vote a particular way. This was business as usual for Cambridge Analytica who had been helping politicos win elections throughout the world with its tactics. Weaponizing personal information is clearly crossing the line.

The free services model being provided by companies like Google and Facebook are at the heart of the problem where services like email and social platforms are provided in exchange for users personal information being collected, analyzed and eventually monetized. Unfortunately our representatives are underwhelming in there knowledge of and response to the problem. This was demonstrated during a 2018 US Senate hearing where senators asked questions of Facebook’s CEO such as how do you make money. Between lobbyist and uninformed representatives we have little hope in solving the core issues in the near term.

So how can you begin to protect yourself? 

  • For starters take care in how you utilize online platforms such as Facebook and other social media applications. The questionnaires that your network routinely share that seem harmless are utilized to directly profile you and may be later used against you in the form of advertising and disinformation campaigns.
  • Use Internet Security Software that blocks website tracking by web analytics, ad agencies, behavior trackers and social networks.
  • Consider utilizing VPN services that can enable you to browse anonymously and encrypt your data end to end, so that your activity is not tracked by your Internet Service Provider nor intercepted by prying eyes.
  • Utilize web browsers, email platforms, search engines and internet security software, or services who have stated missions to support your privacy.
  • Some names that come to mind are Mozilla, Proton, DuckDuckGo, among others.

Network Management Solutions has been helping business navigate technology challenges since 1996. Please contact us for a free, confidential assessment. We can be reached at 908-232-0100 or on the web at www.nmscorp.com

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Business Continuity Planning – Lessons Learned

October 10, 2022 by Leave a Comment

The COVID-19 pandemic has created strife across the globe. Many families have suffered from illness, the loss of a loved one, loss of employment, and in some cases maybe a loss of hope in a way forward back to normal. While many businesses have been shuttered others deemed critical or those that operate virtually may be thriving. Assuming your business is operating, have you been able to operate effectively and efficiently? 

Some businesses are benefitting from their consumers being shut in, leading to increased online video and music consumption, people using at home time to learn a new skill, hobbyist expanding their knowledge base. All that aside, in order to operate virtually a business must have at a minimum an appropriate technology infrastructure and a business continuity plan that considers workflows.

Maybe you moved your business operations to the cloud so that all you applications are hosted in some remote data center and not your office space. Maybe you had a plan in place. Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, WA treated patient number one in the US. They had a pandemic plan, had recently tested it, felt confident but when the pandemic hit they realized they didn’t have enough critical supplies and were scrambling for personal protective equipment, PPE. Additionally, defective test kits provided by the CDC were also a major problem. This story played out throughout Washington State, the country and world.

Some business may have segments or divisions that were able to operate just fine while other segments were shutdown. Content providers such as Netflix or Disney have had no problem providing streaming services and supporting end users watching TV shows, movies and documentaries. However, their content creation businesses that produce new movies and shows have been shuttered. Even with the best planning and infrastructure in place, market dynamics have had a huge impact on business operations.

Assuming you have been able to provide your service virtually or were deemed critical and allowed to remain open, having employees isolated at home has had its problems. I personally needed equipment and what normally would take no more than 2 days took over 2 weeks to connect, get advice and place an order. The company was operating virtually and demand was at all time highs and their technology infrastructure did not support their business process remotely as it did when employees worked onsite.

So what have we learned? For me the biggest difficulty was to have imagined the scenario we all faced. This event was beyond many organization’s planning. Perhaps many of the behemoths got it right, or scrambled to make things work. The largest obstacle perhaps was getting the business processes right when forced to operate remotely with employees in isolation. Difficulties collaborating with colleagues, maintaining business workflows, and operating efficiently are among the largest hurdles that virtually operating businesses have had to deal with. This pandemic will certainly impact business continuity planning for many years to come.

So what can we do to be better prepared for other unanticipated disruptions? A framework is important to getting things right for all business continuity planning. Below is a simplified 5 step approach.

  1. Develop a plan – Assemble a team, identify outage scenarios and goals. List what services must function as soon as possible, and what other functions can wait.
  2. Establish business operations workflows – Define how various departments and staff function both independently and cross functionally. Identify how the business operates with staff in isolation or at remote locations. Identify logistical moves of personnel that could be made today which would support business recovery plans in the future. Some firms such as Facebook are already defining work from home positions. Establishing work from home positions could potentially boost employee productivity and reduce company costs.
  3. Define the technology – Identify the services and infrastructure necessary to support the plan, as well as what other technologies could improve efficiencies or resilience. Identify potential logistical technology moves that might better protect the company, i.e. cloud computing and services.
  4. Brainstorm potential pitfalls – Ask what are we missing, identify the what ifs….
  5. Test the plan – Testing can help identify gaps in planning. After testing assess what worked well, and where expectations fell short. Identify the necessary changes and retest.

Network Management Solutions has been assisting companies since 1996 to design, implement, monitor and mange IT infrastructure. We have helped companies recover from failed projects, security breaches and outages. Contact NMS for a free, confidential, consultation to understand how we may contribute to your business ongoing businesses success.

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Managed Service Providers – Strategic Investment or Cost Reduction?

May 10, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Many businesses will tell you that they initially decided to engage a Managed Service Provider (MSP) to reduce their information technology costs or avert adding additional employee resources. Fast forward to 6 months later and those same businesses may speak of the strategic value they have gained from the financially motivated move. While it is true that the right MSP can help control costs and expand resources, the right MSP can also bring considerable strategic value that was perhaps not part of the initial business decision.

Persistent ongoing security threats and continuous operational tasks place a significant burden on internal IT resources responsible for managing the company’s systems and networks. While properly trained full time resources often provide excellent support, in many small to mid-sized companies these resources are stretched beyond limits leading to missed tasks that can negatively affect service and security levels. Over time a once efficient and secure infrastructure can become exposed to slowdowns, outages, data losses or worse yet, compromise. MSP resources can be a welcome addition to help assess, patch, configure and restore the infrastructure to its former state. 

Managed Service Providers can add to an organization’s technical depth and know how specific to tools, approaches, and methods to maintain and improve service levels and security. MSPs interface with its customers through Standard Operating Procedures tailored to client requirements. These procedures help define service delivery, improve efficiency, and communications between the organizations. Additionally, custom tool sets used by MSPs can be leveraged to identify potential weaknesses before problems impact business operations or security. 

Simple vulnerability assessments can identify unpatched systems that are vulnerable to exploitation. As has been the case for many years, attacks continue to propogate through improperly patched systems. Unfortunately, many unchecked systems and networks have vulnerabilities that persist, raising the probability of an inevitable compromise. Simple ongoing systems maintenance has a significant impact on improving an organizations overall security profile and operating availability. However, many companies do not maintain proper patch management across their networks, systems and applications. Whether your business operates its own infrastructure or uses cloud services, ongoing systems management and maintenance is still a requirement.

A MSP brings value not only in the services which it provides but also in the knowledge of what is available and should be done in order to protect an organization. Ask any of the municipalities, government offices, or others that have spent millions recovering from recent attacks which were propagated through unpatched systems, certainly they would do things differently to avoid the events if they could go back in time. To believe there is little chance for your organization to fall prey is a mistake.

So what are some improvements a Managed Service Provider can provide its customers?

  • Improved service levels
  • Expanded knowledge and resources
  • Monitoring and assessment tools
  • Improved security posture
  • Improved processes and efficiency
  • Increased awareness 
  • Proactive planning
  • Personel redundancy
  • Reduced operating costs

While not an all encompassing list the above can provide significant improvement to any organization and its business infrastructure.

Network Management Solutions has been providing custom information technologysolutions since 1996 for large, mid-sized and small businesses.  We provide a variety of design, assessment and managed services customized to meet your business needs. Please call us at 908-232-0100 for a complimentary, confidential discussion of how Network Management Solutions can help your organization better manage its technology challenges.

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