The importance of cyber risks cannot be overstated in this digital age. This year, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has highlighted the theme “Secure Our World,” emphasizing simple yet crucial steps to enhance online safety for individuals and organizations alike.
In a work setting, everyone within your organization needs to be proactive and scrutinize their personal security practices. This ensures they align with your organization’s protocols to help prevent a major data leak, or worse (think: ransomware attack). More and more business operations are moving to digital technology, and as you transform your own operations, it’s essential to make sure they’re secure from bad actors. Fact is, there’s a new scam every day. Educate everyone so that your users – and your organization – don’t become victims.
In a world where data is the new gold rush, every transaction, client detail and intellectual property exchange is a potential target for threat actors. Cybersecurity is not just an IT conversation, or a line item tucked away in compliance reports—it’s the backbone of your business defense strategy!
Today, let’s strip the jargony layers of cybersecurity and truly understand what it takes to give your business security the attention it deserves in the most realistic way. If your day job involves looking after your organization’s security, this blog is for you. I promise this will be the most informative 5 minutes of your reading time this week.
Hey there, corporate heroes and savvy online shoppers!
The festive season is upon us, and as we deck the halls and dive into the world of online shopping for the perfect gifts, it’s crucial not to overlook the ever-present threat of cyberattacks.
Cybersecurity should be at the forefront of our holiday to-do list, given the increasing number of threat actors eager to exploit any vulnerabilities in the digitized world. In this article, we’ll delve into the reasons behind the need for heightened cybersecurity during the holiday season and provide practical tips to ensure a secure online shopping experience in 2023. (more…)
The end of the year is typically a time of celebration and optimism for the future, but some Canadian organizations were marred by ransomware breaches that had a significant impact on many large organizations throughout Canada. Read on to discover the reasons behind this alarming trend and why tighter cybersecurity measures are needed.
Ransomware attacks are essentially encryption-based data extortion where threat actors block access to your data until a ransom is paid, after which a decryption key is given to retrieve data. According to a ransomware trend report, businesses and organizations in Canada remain among the top 3 most lucrative targets for the threat actors after the U.S. and the U.K.
November 2023 ransomware events in Canada included:
Toronto Public Library will continue to restore systems well into 2024 after a significant ransomware attack.
The Government of Canada data breach incident potentially affected information of current and former Government of Canada employees, members of the Canadian Armed Forces, and Royal Canadian Mounted Police personnel.
Moneris — the payment processing giant faced an unsuccessful ransomware attack, reports no data loss.
Why are ransomware attacks on the rise?
As our lives become increasingly digitized, the rate of ransomware attacks follows suit. Cybercriminals are becoming shrewder and exploiting this shift for financial gain. The rise of cryptocurrencies, particularly Bitcoin, provides an untraceable payment method, making the operation risk-free and lucrative. Artificial Intelligence (AI) further empowers these cybercriminals by automating the finding and exploiting weaknesses in security systems. But AI isn’t just the bad guys’ tool; it can be our superhero, helping to detect and block these attacks before they strike.
3 Steps to Cyber Resilience for organizations in Canada
Penetration Testing Conducting annual penetration tests, or more frequently following significant infrastructure changes, is a proactive measure to discover vulnerabilities before cybercriminals do. This approach offers a high ROI by preventing breaches that could incur substantial expenses.
Use Future-proof Tools Managed Endpoint Detection and Response (MEDR) is a next-generation solution that protects supported endpoints and responds to neutralize potential threats before they compromise your operations. MEDR is a future-proof response to today’s highly sophisticated cyber attacks.
Employee Cybersecurity Training
Human error often causes cyber breaches. Therefore, quarterly cybersecurity awareness training for employees is crucial. This cost-effective measure could save your organization from significant financial and reputation losses.
Additionally, choosing a competent IT partner is your best bet in this fight. The right partner will build both offensive and defensive strategies around your business infrastructure, catering to your budget. A strong partnership with your IT vendor goes beyond business; it’s a commitment to growth and stability.
Learn more about how Konica Minolta can help here.
In the tech-savvy world we live in today, trust has become more valuable than gold. This holds true whether you’re a law firm, financial consultant, or a creative agency of any size in North America. For Professional Services Organizations (PSOs) trust is vital. You need it to keep your current clients and to draw in new ones, helping your business grow and hold its ground in a super competitive market.
Here’s a fun fact: cybersecurity is a major player in building and keeping that trust. With cyberattacks getting more common and clever, your clients and prospects are more aware than ever about the safety of their sensitive data and confidential information. Through this blog, we’ll guide you on how your professional services firm can win trust through cybersecurity and make your clients feel at ease with your data protection efforts.
The Cybersecurity-Trust Link for Professional Services Organization
Simple Ways to Build Trust Through Cybersecurity in a Professional Services Organization
Show Off Your Cybersecurity Efforts to Your Clients
Every year, cyber attackers continue to grow more sophisticated, making it crucial for individuals and organizations to be prepared. From state-sponsored attackers to financially motivated ransomware gangs, these attacks are becoming more sophisticated and destructive as the technology industry continues to innovate.
However, this Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are taking an Action over Intimidation approach to get ahead of cyber threats.
In this blog post, we’re here to offer valuable insights on optimizing your organization’s technology budget within its IT infrastructure. We’ll cover everything from generative AI technology to the reassurance provided by cyber insurance. Our aim is to help you gain a comprehensive understanding of how to make your cybersecurity investment deliver maximum value for your money. (more…)
