Your phone rings once.  The number looks familiar, same area code, same exchange as your local area, so you pick it up.  Hello? No one responds on the other end of the line.  You repeat “hello?” and it feels like a bad connection or that they can’t hear you on the other end, so you […]

Are you familiar with the United States Space Force (USSF)?  This branch of the US Air Force military was established in recent years to protect and secure space, just as it does for air, land, and sea with other branches.  This past week in the news, it was announced that Space Force was hiring or […]

We tend to not ask too many questions and let things slide when we aren’t certain about the situation.  Is that normal?  Should that happen like that?  I guess so.  I don’t really know. I mean, it seems ok?? And as with all things related to COVID-19, there’s an air of uncertainty that hasn’t left […]

Dating or cultivating relationships is hard enough, let alone trying to do it successfully during a pandemic.  You’re putting your heart in the hands of the internet gods and trusting that they will guide you safely along the corridors of the unknown and unseen.  Don’t get us wrong, online dating is the way that many […]

This week a friend shared a story about her college-aged daughter Jane and her recent experience in finding a job.  She is in graphic design and has a portfolio, so when she came across a well-known company that creates sports-branded gear that was hiring, it was something she wanted to pursue.  She sent them her […]

As we move ahead, taking advantage of the energy of the new year and work to get our annual plans moving, sometimes rushing to get a lot more done than usual since we now know the unexpected is all that can be expected, let’s have a quick refresher.  On what, you ask?  Smart, safe, and […]

New normal. Our new reality. The various ways that we describe everyday life in the time of a global pandemic. It means a lot of change, in a lot of ways, for a lot of people. While parenting is definitely more challenging when it comes to managing to homeschool and work from home at the […]

Bell bottoms, neon colors…kale…trends come, and trends go, and generally, we’re not one to care much about what’s in style, but cybersecurity trends?  That’s one we can get behind and think that there can never be enough of! So, what can you expect to see as both a consumer, employee, employer, business owner or just […]

The end of the year in the usual circumstances brings about reflection even if it hasn’t given us challenges to face or decisions to look back on. This year was one of extraordinary circumstances, and while the situation was unprecedented, the summary of what transpired lends itself to the age’s old advice: Preparation is key. […]

When establishing a safe environment at home, we put locks on the doors, latches on the gate, and home security systems that keep uninvited visitors out, and alert us to any intruders otherwise. What we see is what we address – as is the case with most things and situations. But hidden somewhere in your […]

Regardless of whichever way you lean politically, the recent announcement of a few incoming Presidential government staff appointments is hopefully good news to those who know the importance of strong cybersecurity. Why? Because these individuals come with a collective history of working in the industry. This means that there won’t be any lag time in […]

Let’s try to make lemonade out of these lemons we keep getting with COVID-19.  Yes, there is an uptick in the number of cases and yes, it appears we are heading towards additional restrictions and lockdowns in various ways.  One of two things has likely happened, you started working from home and are still there; […]

With the election season winding down, and a new administration announcing plans for the future, there will be another factor that contributes to the uncertainty of our times.  (When does the list of uncertainties stop growing, I wonder?) And again, we find hackers and cybercriminals in a power position to take advantage of our uncertainty […]

As the need for cybersecurity awareness increases across the entire business landscape, so does the need for strong programs and a trained and competent workforce. This affects everyone in at least two ways. First, you need to have a designated leader in place who facilitates the program, and second, you need to ensure that the […]

There’s a lot to talk about in the political world right now. In the United States, we’re on the cusp of a huge election and the opinions are strong. We aren’t here to discuss that side of politics; we’re here to look at how cybersecurity factors into this election process and how it affects all […]

No, this is not a political post.  In fact, we know that there are some topics that don’t even merit an effort to try to discuss.  They’re important, but differing opinions each hold their own value.  But when it comes to cybercrime, we should all be a united front.  There is one choice, and that […]

And so, the season starts.  Which one is it that we’re referring to?  Cyber Monday, Black Friday, Prime Day…all of these sales tend to lean towards exceptional deals on electronics, and today that means the “smartest” of appliances are being purchased and set up in our homes. By getting the latest and greatest, are we […]

The United States government has been known to take a stand of ‘we don’t negotiate with terrorists’ when it comes to discussions of ransom. Whether this has 100% certainty to it can be argued in more ways than we care to discuss here. What we do know for certain is that this week, the government […]

October kicks off 2020’s cybersecurity awareness month, and if this year has given us any type of certainty, it’s that smart cyber practices are a necessity. The uncertain, the unexpected, and the unknown all allow for hackers to gain our trust, and eventually access, into our personal and professional records without knowledge or permission. Phishing […]

We are past the point of whether or not working remotely, or from home, is something we are unsure of. It is likely our permanent setup, or at the very least, a long term one that we need to move forward with and in confidence. These recommendations should be for readers who find themselves in […]

We knew that any type of newsworthy topic was going to give cybercriminals so much opportunity – and COVID-19 gave them so much bang for the buck.  Just because this was something affecting the world in a detrimental way would never be reason enough for hackers to take a break.  They were going to take […]

You can’t help someone effectively if you don’t know the details of their situation.  So how can you determine what your clients need if you are not aware of what they are looking to achieve, the problems that they are trying to solve, or their behavioral tendencies when it comes to decision making? Does this […]

The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) division announced a final directive this week that requires all individual federal civilian executive branch (FCEB) agencies to “develop and publish a vulnerability disclosure policy (VDP) for their internet-accessible systems and services and maintain processes to support their VDP.” Identified as the Binding […]

The conversation around selling your services can get uncomfortable for a variety of reasons.  We all have our own beliefs as to how we should be doing it, and few people want to acknowledge that they might be doing it wrong. Start with marketing.  Get your name out there, have a call to action, and […]

Business Email Compromise (BEC) is not a new term. BEC scams have been growing in popularity for some time now. If you’re not familiar with BEC, it’s when a fraudulent email is sent to a company or individual, and the email appears to be from a legitimate business resource or person, often varying from the […]

“This pandemic is great for my business!” said very few people. Unless you’re a hacker. And then it’s likely that business is booming. We don’t think of cybercriminals as businesspeople. We tend to think they are individuals lurking about in hoodies in their basement. Quite the opposite – or so we have found through investigations […]

The emphasis on smart cybersecurity practices is vital. As professionals in the IT industry, we know this, we work to ensure policies and procedures are in place that keep the topic at the forefront of every business we support and work within. But while training employees to learn these behaviors is important, there is one […]

It is easy to get left behind if you become less interesting. No, we aren’t talking about your friends or your childhood toys, although that does happen. We’re talking about YOU. Yes, don’t leave yourself behind. What? How? Explain! Remember your MySpace account? Or when your significant other wanted you to create a TikTok account […]

It should hardly come as a surprise to anyone that cybercriminal activity has surged in 2020. By May of this year, the number of reported attacks had already come close to the total for 2019 according to the federal government. With the onset of COVID-19, there were a plethora of new opportunities for cybercriminals to […]

Imagine if you had two emails that were worth a million dollars each. You would do everything that you can to protect those emails and ensure that no one deleted them. You would back them up, have multiple copies in place so that if you lost those emails, you would have a quick way to […]

Marketing Magic Having an in-house marketing team is not always possible for small businesses.  Also, it can be difficult to maintain an ever-growing and ever-changing list of vendors and products to market. As a Managed Service Provider you face the struggle of not only supporting your clients full time but also carrying the full-time weight […]

We all knew that the world was going to be forever changed when the  World Health Organization declared a global pandemic earlier in 2020. Just how much it was going to change was unseen – and remains unclear as each day brings new challenges for each city, state, and household in our country. As a […]

There is no way to emphasize enough, just how important it is for small businesses to be prepared for a cyberattack. But according to a recent survey by the Wall Street Journal Pro Research of 400 companies and their security officers, many companies are not taking it seriously enough to improve their readiness and risk […]

Legal Cybersecurity In the world of law, continuing legal education (CLE) credits, or minimum continuing legal education (MCLE) credits, are ongoing professional education credits for attorneys that take place after their initial admission to the bar. These are available to American Bar Association (ABA) members in a continually growing library that can be accessed online […]

There are gaps in cybersecurity and the level of risk awareness as most of us work from home right now.  And if heading back to an office environment happens for some, it isn’t going to be the majority of workers, at least anytime soon. With reports of productivity being higher from the work-from-home structure, many […]

New Frontier The recent conversation with Chris Wiser and Art Gross covered several issues that will continue to be “hot topics” regardless of where we stand regarding COVID-19. Procedure & Policy Whether you are going to continue to work remotely or have your team return to an office, the first thing that you’ll want to […]

State and local governments need funding and resources.  For which thing are we talking about here?  Respirators? Masks?  No, but we are talking about another type of protection, for another unseen threat – cybercrime.  With malicious activity already on a steady rise, the current crisis has brought some government offices to an even more heightened […]

The numbers are on the rise – and in this case, we aren’t talking about COVID test results.  In just a few months, the number of consumers that suspect they are at risk of identity theft has increased.  In February of 2020, we saw numbers from CyberScout that out of 1050 employed adults in the […]

When this pandemic hit the world, the realization that most countries were not prepared for this also hit hard at the same time.  Here in the United States, and all political opinions aside, we realized that despite our confidence in our economy, in our intelligence, in our standing as a “world leader” we were not […]

“Why do I always have to update my software?” “What is a patch update and why is it so important?” As an MSP, you know that it is hard enough to emphasize to every one of your clients and their employees the importance of strong security.  You also know that keeping track of what they […]

Small Business, Big Problems There is a multitude of problems that small businesses are facing today. Clients are working from home.  This is happening as a matter of force, but also will likely evolve into a matter of choice.  And all of this is happening by them essentially picking up their desks and going home […]

A New Normal Working from home has become a new normal for you, your customers, and communities across the country, with dining room tables and shared spaces becoming the offices where we conduct business of all kinds.  While this structure has many benefits to productivity and employee satisfaction when done correctly, the fact that most […]

When you’re a small business, you hope for exposure.  But recently, we learned that the Small Business Association (SBA) was the victim of an incident that exposed user data in a less than positive way.  This occurred at the end of March, about two weeks into the official COVID-19 crisis for the United States, and […]

Maintaining your sanity as a business owner during this time of global crisis is enough to make you want to crawl into bed and come out when it is over. But you know you have to push through and be the rock for your business, for your family, and for your clients.  They are turning […]

Technology at the Forefront Many companies are finding that the technology projects that were put on hold, or on the back burner, have moved up to the top of the list of priorities.  This is happening for a variety of reasons. Working from home is now a necessity, and so are the technical features and […]

As an MSP, you are on call 24/7, even if your hours are not technically ‘round the clock’. As a business owner, this is amplified.  You not only have a team to take care of and maintain, but you also have clients that need looking after as well.  Ideally, all of these individuals are tethered […]

The arrival of COVID-19 restructured the world in countless ways.  We have had to rethink how we socialize, live day-to-day, and in order to keep a lot of other parts of our lives running, we are having to rethink the way in which we run businesses. When we start to address how a business will […]

Effective Immediately As the Novel Coronavirus pandemic continues to greatly impact our nation, working from home is no longer an occasional benefit for many Americans, but is now a requirement for many businesses to continue operating safely and effectively. While working from home does come with its perks, there are many new cybersecurity risks created […]

We’ve all been through challenging times personally and professionally, and in our heads and hearts, we know that “this too shall pass”. But with the COVID-19 virus being declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, the time in which things pass may be longer than we’d like. As a business owner and MSP, your […]

The Untapped Vertical With the cannabis industry growing rapidly in the United States, and more states legalizing marijuana, this sector of business is one that can be explored as a vertical by MSPs to uncover the cybersecurity needs within. The profitable nature of this business means that they are growing exponentially not only as single […]

An Easy Target The value of stolen data increases when it is more easily manipulated and used.  With a social security number, you can apply for identification, loans, and a range of other things that are valuable.  If your credit score is high, the possibilities of what can be done are higher too, so who […]

Malvertising We are in a time when “fake news” has become a term thrown around so frequently it is now part of our vernacular.  In fact, there are quite a few new terms and words borne from the rise of technology in our lives.  One of those words is malvertising. What is malvertising?  It’s when […]

Insider Threat A recent discovery of a breach of customer data at Fifth Third Bank uncovered a troubling truth. It wasn’t hackers outside the United States that had accessed the information, it was intentionally handed over by employees.    Starting in 2018, personal information that included Social Security numbers, addresses, and account numbers were provided by a small […]

Made in China The 2017 Equifax breach brought individuals and one of the largest credit agencies to their knees.  And now, over 2 years later, the United States Justice Department has charged four Chinese military officials as responsible parties in the breach. The Equifax breach compromised the personal information of nearly 150 million Americans, which […]

How to Get Found  We know that running a business is more than ensuring that you have the right products to resell.  It’s more than having the right people in place to sell, deploy and support those products.  It is about having all of those pieces in place and then having the right people and clients […]

The rate at which data breaches are occurring is on the rise, this we know.  But another corresponding rate on the rise is the dollar amounts that are being paid out in a ransomware attack.  That number has risen by 104% for the fourth quarter of 2019.  With an average of $84,000 being paid by […]

End of Windows 7 They say when one door closes another one opens, but in this case, it’s a window.  On January 14th, 2020, Microsoft ended its support for Windows 7.  Since Microsoft is no longer offering patches or security updates for vulnerabilities identified in Windows 7, hackers have a new way of gaining access […]

I just fell for a phishing email. Yep, the guy who builds services to protect clients from phishing emails was tricked by a phishing email! Now, I didn’t click on anything or give up confidential information but I did think a phishing email was a real email and forwarded it over to my staff to […]

The team here at Breach Secure Now curated a lot of content in 2019 that we hope you found informative and thought-provoking when it came to your cybersecurity, both personally and professionally. We’ve put together a list of some of our favorite blogs that generated some tremendously positive feedback, addressing both you as a Managed […]

Evil Twin You’re out and about for any number of reasons.  Traveling for work.  Killing time while waiting for co-workers or family members.  But you have some time and you have work that needs to get done. You pull out your phone or laptop, and all of the available wi-fi connections come up.  Perhaps you’re […]

It isn’t breaking news that there is a steady – and alarming – rise in cybersecurity breaches and overall compromises in data and hardware.  What is news is the lack of field experts that are available to deal with such a rise in demand. The field of ‘cybersecurity expert’ wasn’t even on the radar until […]

Nothing Random in this Ransom The end of the year always gives one reason to reflect back and review the past 12 months in a variety of ways. When we take a look at the year in cybersecurity, we can say with certainty, that there was nothing random about the pattern of attacks on businesses.  […]

Alexa, What Are You Collecting? At the top of many holiday gift lists was a smart speaker device.  They can make our life easier and more convenient with integration across all of our devices, taking efficiency to the next level.  And it is likely we’ve all made a new friend in Alexa, Siri or their […]

You can teach your clients how to spot a phishing email and hope that they take heed. You can warn them about the dangers of reusing passwords and basic cyber safety. But how do you educate and create awareness about something that is so slow-moving and “creepy” that most people don’t even realize it’s there […]

Plan, people, policies Under the guidance of Maria Vullo, the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) created and finalized cybersecurity regulations for the banks, insurance companies, money transmitters, credit unions, brokers, and mortgage bankers that they oversee.  These companies and institutions run the gamut in size and sophistication of their systems. So, they looked […]

Some of us attack and engage in our holiday shopping with a plan that rivals the most well thought out strategies.  We scour weekly fliers, online ads, and research who will have the best price and coupon code for us to use.  In order to shop smart, yes, keeping track of prices is important, but […]

If your phone rings and the caller id is UNKNOWN, you likely won’t answer.  And scammers know that, so they’ve been cleverly hiding behind fake caller id numbers that are just a digit off from numbers that are familiar.  So, you pause, and figure you better pick up “just in case”.  The voice on the […]

Prices may go down over the holidays but hacking incidents go up.  Way up.  While online shopping is something we all need to be diligent about when it comes to our personal cybersecurity, we need to be mindful of our working environment as well. Many employees take this time of year as an opportunity to […]

Modern Law Cybersecurity is something you have to think about at the individual level. At the healthcare level. And at your place of business. But what about when it comes to the businesses that support you?  We make assumptions that there are policies and procedures in place, but never really verify them, we just trust […]

Election season scams  Political candidates will target voters to get their message across, and hackers will take advantage of the timing.  With petitions, polls, and surveys being posted to get a sense of the political climate online or by telephone, citizens let their guard down and assume that the information being collected is for candidates […]

Skim This Over Recently the FBI issued a warning against e-skimming threats in response to the increase of attacks on small and medium-sized businesses, as well as against government agencies.  This relatively new form of attack occurs when malicious code is placed within a site that accepts payments.  The payments are rendered via credit or […]

New Lures for Phishing A recent security alert from the online payment processing company Stripe has informed users of a phishing scam that shows just how fast hackers adapt to the efforts used to counter their tactics. Stripe is successfully used by small business owners, charities, and individual consumers for payment & donation processing.  Recently, […]

There’s a tweet that has Twitter aflutter. It includes the news that Twitter inadvertently sent users’ email addresses and phone numbers that were provided for security purposes, including two-factor authentication (2FA) phone numbers, to advertisers for targeted marketing. Their Tailored Audiences and Partner Audiences advertising systems were the lucky recipients of the lead information.  These […]

It’s the Little Things When we think about cybersecurity, we might first imagine big data centers being guarded.  Hackers working diligently in the shadows to compromise a large network or company and “maybe” get to our information at some point.  But like all things in life, the little things add up. When it comes to […]

I’d Like a Word with You In fact, I’d like a word with all 218 million of you.  Yes, that is the number of users in the popular game Words With Friends, the very one that was allegedly hacked by the Pakistani hacker, who uses the alias Gnosticplayers, on September 2nd of this year.  This […]

October 1, 2019 — Breach Secure Now! today announced its commitment to National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM), held annually in October, by signing up as a Champion and joining a growing global effort to promote the awareness of online safety and privacy. NCSAM is a collaborative effort among businesses, government agencies, colleges and universities, associations, nonprofit […]

Knowledge is power.  And when it comes to fighting hackers, we need all the power we can collectively find.  Educating your employees is the key to preventing cyberattacks, and Chubb’s Third Annual Cyber Report confirms this. With small businesses having a tendency to have limited funds and resources when it comes to “extras”, cybersecurity training […]

Instant Money…Maybe? The popular commercial asks, “What’s in your wallet?” and if you ask most anyone, it probably isn’t cash.  The slow death of bill carrying was first hit by the credit and debit card.  Then we were able to pay via our watches and smartphones.  Now, you can just click an app and send […]

Are You a Hacker Helper? Here you go, let me get the door for you.  Are you looking for access to my company’s network?  One moment, let me get those login credentials for you. Of course, this sounds ridiculous.  But in reality, it is exactly what is happening.  Cybercriminals use advanced social engineering to get […]

Security Risk Rate vs. Spend Rate According to the 2019 SMB IT Security Report from Untangle, 80% of the small to medium-sized surveyed businesses identify IT security as a top priority.  Of the 300 worldwide businesses in the study, 29% are spending less than $100 a month to address that concern.  With an annual spend […]

A New Approach to an Old Problem Resistance to yet another government regulation, a lack of understanding the complexities of the rules, and an overall unwillingness to take on yet another area of expertise in an ever-changing technical landscape can make the sale of HIPAA compliance a tough one. Gone are the days of using Meaningful […]

HIPAA – Then & Now The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, better known as HIPAA, has been around since 1996, with the intent to protect patients by properly handling their protected health information (PHI). With good intentions, HIPAA set forth to provide both security provisions and data privacy. The legislation was passed in the […]

Live and Learn Most situations teach us lessons so that we don’t repeat damaging behaviors. For example, if you touch a hot stove, you know to pause and make sure it’s off before doing it again.  If you run out of gas on a highway, on future drives, you’ll be on the lookout for a […]

There is a rise in awareness with small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) of the threat to their cybersecurity.  The problem is, it causes a subsequent rise in a risk factor to Managed Service Providers (MSPs).  That risk is of them losing their business. According to a recent report conducted by Continuum and Vanson Bourne, “Underserved […]

The Excuses  It’s not easy! It’s a lot to keep track of. I have no idea where I’ve used that before. There’s nothing in there that anyone would want. You want me to go back and change ALL of my accounts? These are all responses when a user is told that their passwords need changed […]

Filing and Smiling  When is the last time that you filed a piece of paper?    It used to be that a file cabinet was like your personal bank vault – holding the papers that defined and valued a business. From employee records to bank statements, that file cabinet had everything necessary to keep things humming […]

Can I Get Some Privacy in Here? If you’re talking about your online data, probably not.  While businesses can create policies and procedures that limit the exposure of your private data, those lines are often blurred between professional and personal information. As a result of this, at least 25 states have laws that address the […]

What happens if your computer systems are hacked with ransomware?  I think I’m covered by my insurance policy for that…(pause)…you scramble and try to find your policy documentation.    It’s here somewhere. I’m sure I’m covered…I mean, I think we’re covered.  I better make sure.   You email your insurance agent…wait for the declaration page.  Try to sort it […]

The Ethics of Hacking In 2013 the then National Security Agency chief Keith Alexander spoke at the Black Hat cybersecurity conference about acknowledging, and protecting, ethical hackers.  He discussed how through surveillance, these individuals would be uncovered, but also shielded, from legal jeopardy. Black Hat is a computer conference that focuses on security consulting, training, and […]

This week I saw a story link come across my newsfeed to “make sure you get your money from Experian” – it was referring to the compensation being offered as a result of their breach.  You could either opt-in for credit monitoring or take the $125 payout. Regardless of what choice you made if you […]

If you are management, and your employee came to you with a proposal, you’d likely (hopefully) listen. What if that employee proposed to you that by keeping business as is, you’d likely lose millions of dollars – and possibly go under?  But if you made one small change, you’d increase your odds of staying in […]

This isn’t something you can pencil in and get to when you have time, cyber maintenance has to be something you commit to. We all have those moments when we realize that we had the best intentions to stick with something, but its priority fell by the wayside. We start off strong, then taper off […]

Tip-Off You know how certain people seemed to have a way of predicting the future?  They were ahead of the curve if you want to call it that… those who “got in on a good thing” before anyone else seemed to be aware? Consider this your lucky day, because we’re going to let you in […]

Facebook Status: Away on Vacation Social media is great for a lot of things.  Sharing photos, reconnecting with old friends, finding like-minded people and groups to share ideas and hobbies.  But when does sharing become oversharing? Hackers gain access to your personal data via your profile and the information you share there – and you […]

When Global News Hits Home When you hear and watch news headlines, you can often tune out.  It’s not happening here; it’s not affecting you directly.  It’s a global issue right now.  You’ll worry about it when things are closer to home. The problem is, by the time it hits home, we may have forgotten […]

Sunday funnies Remember the Jetsons?  Robots that cleaned, food choices you tapped into a computer for preparation…moving sidewalks?  Flying cars aside, we aren’t too far off from the technology that seemed so unlikely and impossible.  The future – it’s here. We live in a day and age where these advancements bring forth so many wonderful […]

In business, if you can cast a bigger net to reach a larger audience, it’s considered a good idea – a win.  Unfortunately, hackers are now taking the same approach. With c-level executives offering a higher payoff when compromised, sending out phishing emails to the general population at a company will likely increase your odds […]

And So, It Grows First, it was a widespread, if not generic, notion – you need to protect your personal information.  Then we began to call it cybersecurity, and it was applicable to your business as well.  It was still a concept that blanketed data generically – the overall message was that you need to […]

Ransomware Is Not Randomware Gone are the days where you “might know” someone who has, or will, come under attack to a ransomware attack.  The skyrocket in cases has come in at a 105% increase according to Beazley Breach Response (BBR) Services team which compared numbers against their 2018 data. Adding insult to injury, the […]

RobbinHood – the Not so Heroic New Outlaw Stealing from the rich to give to the poor – in theory, the original Robin Hood had good intentions.  There’s a new generation of him and his not so merry men and in this adaption, the takeovers are far less charitable.  Using malware instead of arrows, this […]

Every Cog in the Wheel Matters Whether your name is on the sign out front, or you are in a leadership role, the success of the business is in your hands.  In that role, you know that each department feeds into the overall health of the business, and you need to ensure everyone, and everything […]

Hot Spots New York and California.  The mention of these two locations may have you conjuring up images of entertainment, celebrities, and people living the fancy life. Unfortunately, when we mention New York and California here, we’re not referring to anything glamorous. In fact, these two states are famous for something that they don’t want […]

When a breach occurs, after the confusion and panic have passed (or merely settled in), the finger pointing starts.  Generally, clients assume that since the anti-virus icon in the corner was there, they were protected.  Firewall?  Not sure what it is, but I get an alert every now and then about it, so it must […]

Missed Opportunities Missed opportunities.  They come in many forms, shapes, and sizes.  It might be personal, professional, or just for the fun of a moment. We all have them, and it likely still pains us to think about being wrong on any opportunity in life, especially those that would provide you with a way to […]

You Can’t Teach an Old Dog…. or Can You? I remember trying to explain a VCR to older relatives.  It wasn’t that they were less intelligent or unable to grasp the overall concept, it was that it wasn’t a necessary thing to learn in their opinion.  They weren’t interested in the technology; they had fared […]

Business email compromises (BEC) scams made a big statement in 2018, seeing a 133% increase over 2017, according to a recent report by Beazley Breach Response Services. The Beazley Breach Briefing looked at information gathered from investigations into more than 3,300 data incidents that were reported to Beazley in 2018. The investigations revealed that nearly […]

How many times do I have to tell you? Sadly, if you’re reading this, odds are that you are an adult now, but you should know that I’m saying this with the same frustration that your parents had. We teach kids when they are younger by repetition.  Lessons become so ingrained in our head that […]

Tis the season!  You’re making mental plans with what is hopefully a generous tax refund and deciding what to do with the surplus of cash you’ll soon have on hand. Along the way from starting to submitting the paperwork, there are quite a few roadblocks to be aware of.  Even if you aren’t getting a […]

We are all aware of federal compliance regulations when it comes to the privacy and security of our information.  For example, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who hasn’t heard of HIPAA.  Yet are you aware that regulations have been put in place at the state level that have the same goal – to […]

Data breaches are extremely common as technology continues to advance. Of those breaches, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are a favored target for cybercriminals. In fact, more than 70% of attacks target small businesses, according to the National Cyber Security Alliance, and as many as 60% of hacked SMBs go out of business following a […]

Being scammed can happen so easily today, but when you make it about a topic that many people can let their guard down with, the scam can happen much easier.  What topic is that? We’re talking about money. Fake check scams have been around for quite some time, however, with the increase in online sales […]

Social media allows you to stay connected to people that you don’t get to see all of the time, and for that, it is a great thing.  Family photos are easily shared, groups of like-minded people are able to gather together and share thoughts and ideas, and events are marketed to the masses for better […]

Anna Jones is an employee of Your Financial Services, Inc. and has used LinkedIn since 1996.  It’s been a great tool for listing her employment history as well as communicating with former colleagues and potential employers to keep in touch.  Over the years there’s been a lot of private information exchanged between her and these […]

You get an email or text from what seems to be a legitimate email or phone number.  Then you read the message: “Send bitcoin right away or else I am sending compromising photos or information to your friends and family.” If you’ve received this type of email, you’ve likely been a victim to a new […]

Love is in the air, and many people are turning to the internet to find it.  We all know someone who has met their significant other online or at least is having a good time while trying to find them by dating a few people they’ve met through dating apps or services.  But are they […]

“You need to check out this company I’m investing in… it’s a no-brainer.” “My friends are in this club, and it’s crazy, they basically paid a membership fee to join, and they are getting checks every month for doing nothing!” Have you ever been on the other end of one of these conversations?  Congratulations, you’re […]

Today, many people are working more than one job, and with the flexible options of contractor work, or work as needed opportunities, you can likely find something that fits your schedule and financial needs.  Maybe you are looking for a little bit of extra work to make ends meet, or a way to save up […]

  We’ve all heard of the Dark Web. The infamous private corners of the internet that are only accessible through special software that mask your IP address. You know, where you can do just about anything, from joining a book club to hiring an assassin. Maybe you want to play a chess match? The Dark Web […]

Remember ransomware, the malicious software that blocks computer access until a ransom demand is paid? The threat was huge and dominated headlines in the past but seems to have slowed down in recent months. Could the decline in publications citing ransomware as the cause of a data breach or loss of data indicate that cybercriminals […]

Too often, we look at our business relationship with clients as a linear connection.  Every business or organization is a potential client, and you want to make that connection, that line, a direct link between you and them.  Yet we often make the endpoint a purchase of our products or offerings. Do they need anti-virus?  […]

Identity theft is not a new crime, in fact, criminals have been altering and improving their techniques to capture and use stolen information for years. While identity theft historically targets an individual consumer, an increasing number of criminals are now targeting businesses instead. What is identity theft? Identity theft occurs when someone pretends to be […]

In a recent warning, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has cautioned consumers and small businesses about the continuing and growing threat of phishing scams. In the statement, the FTC has expressed that while cybercriminals continue to send out mass emails asking bluntly for personal information, they have become more sophisticated in their attempts. Small businesses […]

Azure Active Directory Synchronization Is Here! The long-awaited enhancement is finally here! At Breach Secure Now!, we value partner feedback and use it to fuel the development and enhancement of our platform. We’ve made it our ongoing mission to implement new features to help our partners free up time, and grow their businesses. One of […]

I have run an MSP for 18 years and counting. I have learned a lot over the past 18 years, and I continue to learn new things every day. When I first started out I was good at technology but crappy at sales and marketing. Back in 2000, there were no organizations like Robin Robins […]

As the multi-billion-dollar industry of cybercrime continues to thrive, employees remain the number one cause of cyber attacks. Despite cybercriminals relentlessly targeting and attacking organizations of all sizes, employees remain untrained on security awareness, leaving them to fight a battle they’re unprepared for. A 2017 study from Keeper Security and the Ponemon Institute revealed that […]

In an age where businesses are moving their data from in-house servers to the cloud, the complexity of how to appropriately care for that data is beginning to disappear. Although that may not sound like a bad problem to have for those organizations making the move, MSPs who were once extremely sought after to protect […]

Business email compromise (BEC) scams remain one of the most widely used attack vectors among cybercriminals to date. In fact, cybercriminals are finding so much success in exploiting human vulnerabilities through BEC scams that their frequencies have been dramatically increasing. What is a BEC scam? In a BEC scam, the attacker gains access to an […]

A lot can happen in 5 years, and unfortunately, not always for the better. According to a recent report by Juniper Research, Cybercrime & the Internet of Threats 2018, data breaches are expected to reach 146 billion records over the next five years. For cybercriminals to successfully compromise such an extreme number of records, significant […]

Small businesses are often thought to be a forgotten entity when it comes to cybercrime. On the surface, it seems like a fair assumption that hackers wouldn’t target small businesses when there are large enterprises with much greater assets. Unfortunately, many small business leaders fall for this “I’m not a target” mentality, when in fact, […]

Known for its anonymity, the Dark Web is a dangerous portion of the internet only accessible by using a special browser. This “secret spot” of the internet is intentionally hidden from search engines and uses masked IP addresses, creating a home for many websites dealing in illegal activities. The Dangers of the Dark Web The […]

Phishing is a cybercrime that has been around for many years, where targets are sent malicious emails claiming to be from a legitimate individual or organization to trick them into disclosing their sensitive information. Phishing emails remain a major threat today, however despite increased awareness of the cybercrime, cybercriminals continue to fool their targets into […]

In a time where data breaches have become the norm, there is no such thing as exercising too much caution when it comes to protecting your online assets, including your login credentials and access to accounts. Two-factor authentication (2FA), a method of confirming a user’s identity via combining two factors is widely accepted and recommended […]

  There is a good chance you’ve never heard of the major marketing and data aggregation company Exactis, but that doesn’t mean they don’t know you. In fact, Exactis may know a great deal of your personal information, including your email address, your home address, your habits and hobbies, your children’s ages and genders if […]

Ransomware should be a concern for everyone, from small businesses to large corporations, although the likelihood of suffering from an attack may be dependent on various factors. Cybercriminals often select targets they believe to have the most attractive data and will likely respond quickly to their ransom demands, as well as targets who may have […]

  Human-error; we talk about it all the time, but what exactly do we mean? Human-error occurs when an individual performs a task or does something with an unintended outcome. It’s easy to point the finger at employee’s as being an organization’s weakest link, but without appropriate security awareness training provided by the employer, how […]

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If you are a New York Financial Services organization and have not complied with the New York Department of Financial Services (DFS) Cybersecurity Regulations (23 NYCRR 500) you probably received a notice over the weekend. The notices were sent from Maria Vullo from the DFS with the subject: Failure to File Certification of Compliance. The […]

The following blog first appeared on the Secure ERP blog. It is reprinted here with permission.   Some small business owners will realize I’m describing them after they read this blog, but then those same c-level guys won’t see it and even if they do, they won’t read it, because they don’t want to know.  […]

Identity theft is an unfortunate occurrence that is all too familiar with most business owners, but do those individuals know where the compromised data will end up? Often, these business owners are unaware of the virtual marketplace where stolen data is purchased and sold by cybercriminals; a place known as the “Dark Web”.  An article […]

An article over at Bleeping Computer gives very good insight into the use of exploit kits. It seems that cybercriminals have started to move away from exploit kits that spread ransomware in favor of spreading cryptocurrency miners and information-stealing trojans. The exploit kit landscape has continued its downfall started in the summer of 2016 and […]

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Click to Enlarge Courtesy of: Visual Capitalist

Breaches are becoming increasingly common as cybercriminals continue to advance their skills and tactics to trick their victims into falling for their scams. While cybercriminals are remaining diligent in their efforts to carry out their attacks, small business owners continue to underspend on cybersecurity. An article on Entrepreneur looks at 5 things your employees are […]

The dark web is often known for the illegal activities conducted there, and while not everything on the dark web is illegal, it’s most appealing factor is its anonymity. The dark web is often a place where stolen data and personal information is bought and sold following a data breach or hacking incident. An article […]

Infographic by Digital Guardian

MORRISTOWN, N.J. (PRWEB) JANUARY 22, 2018 Dark Web Breach Assessment shows businesses which employees could cause a data breach With today’s release of its Dark Web Breach Assessment (DWBA) service, Breach Secure Now! (BSN) makes it possible for MSPs to strengthen their clients’ defenses against cybercriminals who exploit human errors to steal vital financial data […]

Cybersecurity issues have become very prevalent in the modern era, making headlines with their disasters and fines associated with them. While it may seem obvious that businesses should take precautions to protect themselves against these potential attacks, they have been slow to move forward with improving their security measures – especially small and medium-sized enterprises […]

As cyber-attacks continue to sweep across the globe, the pressure is also increasing for IT providers and security professionals to keep security measures a top priority. An article on Entrepreneur explores the consequences of falling victim to a data breach and ways to prepare for one in the event it were to occur.  While you […]

Ransomware, a popular form of a cyber-attack usually involves criminals tricking their victims into installing malware. The malware causes serious issues for its victims by preventing them from accessing their files unless a ransom is paid to the criminal. An article on Inc. explains why ransomware is becoming more dangerous and how you can ensure […]

A major cyberattack took the world by storm Friday, hitting 150 countries and affecting 200,000 computers and over 20 hospitals in the U.K. This attack serves as a major wakeup call to both companies and consumers that securing systems and devices is vital. Although this incident should prompt immediate action in increasing security measures, if history repeats […]

Cybercriminals have no boundaries when experimenting with ways to successfully carry out a cyberattack. We have seen these criminals prove time after time just how creative they can be when choosing their victims, but who have these hackers chosen as their newest targets? Ransomware operators have now made targets of superyacht owners. Experts believe that […]

We’ve all heard of hackers going extreme lengths to steal information from their victims, but just how far will they go? A couple from North Carolina can attest to these unfathomable measures, having lost the contract on their new home to email hackers. An article on Graham Cluley depicts the nightmare suffered by the couple. […]

Three States Pass New Data Breach Legislation With data breaches increasing drastically across the United States, the need for states to have appropriate data breach legislation in place is vital. States are now stepping up to further explain, update and enact data breach laws to protect those affected by a breach. New Mexico, Tennessee and […]

  Identified by the U.S. Department of Justice as 2017’s “biggest cyberthreat”, ransomware is making a name for itself across the board. While you may think, cybercriminals are only after large corporations like hospitals or banks, the focus is increasingly shifting towards targeting smaller organizations, who may be more vulnerable. An article on The Parallax […]

  Tax season can be stressful. From filing to paying taxes, Americans have enough to worry about this time of year without adding identity theft and refund fraud to the equation. Unfortunately, tax scams have become so common in today’s world that not considering ways to protect yourself from tax scams would result in more […]

While it is true that Americans are becoming more aware of the need to protect their information online through methods such as utilizing strong passwords or being conscious of how they’re using public Wi-Fi, many still lack in key areas which could cause significant data breaches. Things like recognizing “phishing” emails or determining if a […]

We all know that ransomware can be detrimental to businesses, but just how much could an attack cost your business?  According to a survey released by Imperva, on average a ransomware attack could cost businesses anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000 dollars per day. These figures were gathered with the help of 170 security professionals at […]

You know ransomware is a real threat when it starts showing up on TV shows. Chicago Med is a victim of a ransomware attack on the hospital. It is time to be concerned in real life! [tvideo type=”youtube” clip_id=”LOQfWaKOSnU”]  

According to research by the Ponemon Institute, approximately 80% of business data breaches are a result of human error. An article over on Entrepreneur explores ways to improve your small businesses security awareness.  It only takes one careless employee to cause a big issue.” Entrepreneur provides a great example of how one employees’ simple mistake […]

Although it is no secret that some significant breaches have occurred with cybercriminals stealing user’s information and passwords from sites like LinkedIn and Yahoo, business users continue using passwords that do not offer adequate protection, according to a study by Preempt. An article over on Tech Republic goes into detail about the poor password practices of […]

In an article over at Business Solutions, Ellen Jennings, CEO of BEI, talks about cloud based security services that every MSP should offer. Here at BEI we have been using Breach Secure Now a platform that allows us to easily deliver data security training to our client employees under our brand. Our clients may also […]

It is no secret that cybercrime has been increasing rapidly, but the statistics may surprise you. According to a report released by PhishMe, 2016 saw a massive increase in ransomware, toppling over 2015 by 600%. An article on TechRepublic explains how PhishMe came up with these statistics and what you can do to protect your […]

As awareness of ransomware continues to grow globally, so does the sophistication and efforts of cybercriminals to successfully carry out these detrimental attacks on large and small businesses alike. An article on Entrepreneur gives us some great insight on the severity of ransomware as well as simple steps to protect yourself from falling victim. Small […]

According to a Verizon study, data breaches at Small and Midsize Businesses (SMBs) occur more frequently than at larger companies. Another study found that the impact of a SMB breach could be devastating to the business. Find out more about the leading cause of SMB data breaches and what you can do to prevent a […]

On Friday we launched the Breach Secure Now! Breach Prevention Platform (BPP)! The BPP is a security service built for MSPs to help lower the chance of a client having a data breach.  The MSP branded service includes: Simulated phishing attacks Continuous weekly security micro-training lessons Monthly magazine styled security newsletters Security policies Security risk assessments […]

In the mistaken belief that their companies are not big enough to attract data thieves, small and midsize businesses notoriously resist tightening their IT security, ranking it as a low priority. Yet, when those same SMBs experience a data breach, they sometimes point the finger at their MSPs. Worse, they may file lawsuits and haul […]

We are excited to announce a webinar with our technology partner Trusted Metrics. The webinar is geared towards MSPs and will provide insight into monitoring clients’ networks from a security point of view. Find out more about Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), Security Information Event Monitoring (SIEM) and more. Very good introduction on how an MSP […]

In this “always connected” society being without Wi-Fi and Internet access makes a lot of people uncomfortable. Many people have heard about the dangers of free Wi-Fi but still that doesn’t stop a majority of people from connecting when it is available. According to an article over at ZDNet, the security company Avast setup open […]

Ransomware that crippled Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital made national headlines but ransomware continues to be a major menace for small to midsize businesses. A print shop in Lubbock, Texas was shut down last week due to ransomware. An employee opened an infected file and ransomware took control of the network. Questions Ransomware is rapidly becoming one […]

The following article appeared in ChannelPro Network Want to increase the number of security solutions your clients purchase? Give them something of value up front for free. By Art Gross In the spirit of “go-giving,” some MSPs provide valuable information to prospective customers that can make them more receptive to additional conversations later on. When […]

Travelers Insurance put together the top 5 cyber risks for businesses. There are no surprises in their list. They not only look at each risk but give associated costs with each risk. Let’s take a look at the top risks. Cyber Risk #1: Human Error: Lost and Stolen Laptops and Smartphones Everyone at one time […]

The New York Times has a very good article titled: No Business Too Small to Be Hacked. We have been saying for the past few years that businesses of all sizes are vulnerable to cyber-crime. The more examples of real-life, documented cyber-crime the more awareness will be raised. Awareness of risks is critical because many […]

According to an article over at The Register, the FCC has fined Cox Communication $595,000 over a 2014 data breach. Hacker disguised as IT support The breach in question occurred in August of 2014 when, the FCC says, a hacker called “eviljordie” phoned Cox customer service claiming to be an employee in the company’s IT […]

The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act CFAA is not a very widely known piece of federal legislation but could help companies that have been victims of employee or ex-employee theft of digital information. According to an article over at Fox Rothschild LLP the CFAA can be used to help companies that have had employees or […]

A form of malware called Dridex is targeting finance employees at small to midsize companies. The criminals are sending emails with Microsoft Word and Excel attachments. The emails are very targeted and trick the employee into opening the attachment. Once the employee opens the attachment and enables macros the malware infects the computer. It sits […]

In a Verizon Data Breach Investigations Study, they found that 71% of breaches occurred in businesses with less than 100 employees. You would think that Small to Midsize Businesses (SMBs) would be very worried about security. And many SMBs might be worried but for the majority they just don’t believe that they need to worry or […]

According to an article over at SC Magazine, hackers are using brute force to crack their way into Remote Desktop / Terminal Servers and installing a CryptoLocker type malware that is encrypting the files on the server. The blog was alerted to the malware by users on its support forum. The ransomware appears to be […]

There is a very good article over at the Grand Forks Herald that makes a compelling case that employees are the biggest security threat a business has. Steele says the No. 1 threat to a company’s network security today is its employees. It’s been his experience that “breaking into a network is much more difficult […]

Data breaches dominate the news headlines. Whether it is the Home Depot, Target, Staples, Anthem or the Ashley Madison breach. Every day a new company is experiencing a data breach. Many businesses are asking when this will all end. Unfortunately, the end of data breaches don’t appear to be happening anytime soon. What has changed? […]

MORRISTOWN, NJ (PRWEB) SEPTEMBER 08, 2015 Breach Secure Now! has lowered the barriers to increased IT security sales for MSPs by introducing Unlimited Clients Employee Security Training that they can now offer their SMB (small and mid-sized business) clients for free or for a minimal fee. A YouTube video explains the training program in detail. […]

As we talk to potential MSP partners and give presentations at ASCII and MAXfocus events, we are starting to hear a common message: I worried about providing security services to my clients because they may hold me legally responsible if they have a data breach. You can understand why MSPs might think that not discussing […]

An article in Forbes discusses the risk of cyberattacks on businesses. Many companies are unprepared to prevent a cyberattack. Yet many are still ill-prepared for the new age of cybercrime. Recently, PwC indicated less than half of companies surveyed are taking necessary steps to protect their business. This lack of action is not only leading […]

Large scale data breaches such as Target and Home Depot make the news but smaller organizations are victims of data breaches as well. The problem is that most data breaches that happen to small or midsize companies are either not reported or do not make the news headlines. This in turn leads many small to […]

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Division of Investment Management has issued cybersecurity guidance (PDF) to registered investment companies (“Funds”) and registered investment advisers (“Advisers”). The SEC has identify cybersecurity as an issue for both Funds and Advisers. Both funds and advisers increasingly use technology to conduct their business activities and need to protect confidential and […]

Spear phishing emails are highly effective and have been the cause of many successful hacking attempts. Unlike a regular phishing email that could be sent to thousands or millions of recipients, a spear phishing email is created to target just one victim. And if that victim falls for the bait, there is a good chance […]

A survey by Mayer Brown shows companies consider the disclosure of PII the biggest cyber related threat. Survey respondents overwhelmingly considered the disclosure of personally, identifiable information as the biggest cyber-related threat to their companies (63%). Concern about interruption of business operations such as system sabotage ranked second (24%). Less than 10% of the respondents […]

The CEO of Lloyd’s of London, one of the largest insurance companies in the world, says that cyber risk is the most serious threat to businesses Inga Beale, chief executive of Lloyd’s, said: “Cyber risk poses the most serious threat to businesses and national economies, and it’s an issue that’s not going to go away. […]

Market intelligence from ABI Research estimates the current global market for managed security services will be around $15.4 billion by the 2015. They state that there is a big push by businesses to use managed security service providers (MSSP) to help with outsourced security. ABI Research estimates the market for MSSPs will be around $33 […]

An article over at medium gives excellent insight into the real dangers of open public WiFi. After reading this article you will never use a public WiFi hotspot again! You should read the full article but here are some highlights: A small device is all it takes to setup a fake WiFi hotspot Wouter removes […]

Research by security company FireEye reveals that hackers are becoming much smarter in their methods to gain access to networks that they are trying to break into. According to ZDNet Fresh FireEye research suggests that today’s cyberattackers are becoming smarter about the systems they seek to break, and are commonly using impersonation and social engineering […]

Breach Secure Now! can help your MSP move from Managed Services to Managed Security Services.

Read how Breach Secure Now’s technology partner iScan Online is helping organizations find unprotected data. If you don’t know where your data is, how can you protect it? Scanning for unprotected data along with a thorough Security Risk Assessment will help lower the chance of having a data breach.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) published a short interactive game that quizzes a person’s knowledge on physical protection of laptops. The quiz / game only takes a few minutes and gives some good pointers on protecting laptops. Share this with your employees, clients, family and friends. Lost or stolen laptops and portable media are some […]

An article over at The Guardian called Cybercrime and hacking are even bigger worries for small business owners gives good advice on how a small business can protect themselves from cyber-crime. A lot of small businesses do not properly protect company and customer information A report from McAfee found almost 90% of small- and medium-sized […]

We are excited to announce a new security service called Breach Secure Now (BSN). BSN is a first of its kind security service built exclusively for Managed Service Providers (MSPs). BSN helps MSP clients reduce the chance of a data breach and provides resources in the event of a data breach. BSN combines a Security […]

Breach Secure Now’s IT channel offering provides rigorous security services + $100K of cyber-Insurance to protect their SMB clients Morristown, NJ (PRWEB) January 20, 2015 Breach Secure Now!, a new division launched by HIPAA Secure Now! enables MSPs (managed service providers) to offer high-powered protection for sensitive data to their small and mid-sized business (SMB) […]

Infographic based on ICO FOI request data by Egress Software Technologies, providers of email security as well as large file transfer and encryption software.

Video shows just how easy it is to crack passwords with free downloaded software. The video also shows how easy simple passwords are and how hard complex passwords are to crack.

Computer Weekly has an insightful article on how small to midsize businesses should develop security strategies to protect valuable information while enlisting the help of employees. Invest time and effort into making every member of staff a security champion. It is false economy to not utilise every means at your disposal to protect organisational assets, […]

Source: University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Online Business Program

The security firm, FireEye, has a very eye opening report titled “Big Threats for Small Businesses Five Reasons Your Small or Midsize Business is a Prime Target for Cybercriminals” The report addresses a common misconception that small businesses have: I’m too small to be a target “The ‘I’m too small to be a target’ argument […]

There is a good article over at Privacy Risks Advisors that discusses what to consider when buying cyber insurance. Consider the Need for Cyberinsurance There are now a number of cyberinsurance products available, and the scope of coverage varies from insurer to insurer. These policies typically cover losses and liabilities such as: Data liability. This covers […]

An article over at Security Intelligence discusses the 5 actions every CEO should take to increase security. These security actions apply whether your are a 5 person company or a multi-national corporation. 1. Increase the Security IQ of Every Employee Ensuring a culture of security throughout the organization is essential and should cover every employee, […]

The Breach Secure Now! website will try to educate and inform businesses about the risk to sensitive data. This data might be customer, client, employee or vendor information. Once you understand the risk to sensitive data, you can take the precautions to protect the data. Thanks for stopping by and feel free to use the […]