Get Ransom Aware.

By: Samantha Geary, Marketing Executive

Ok, let me set the scene…

It’s a Tuesday.

Your commute into work was hassle-free, you have a cup of coffee in hand and you take a seat at your desk ready to start the day.

You turn on your computer, sieve through your inbox and you see that Jack from admin has emailed you. You open it, but it’s just a hyperlink asking you to…

‘Check out this really useful link’.

You click it, it prompts you to enter your log in details, you don’t think twice about it because Jack is a trust worthy guy and he’s always sending you emails. 

 

Then BOOM. You’re greeted by an unfamiliar screen.

As you read on, you realise that you’ve been hit by some kind of cyberattack demanding a ransom in exchange for your data.

You have just clicked a phishing link and opened the doors of your business to a nasty form of malware that can take over your computer.

Ransomware.

You have sensitive company data and other important files on your computer that you just can’t afford to lose like:

• Customer data
  
• Vendor information
• Financial information
• Payroll information
• Business plans

You get the picture.

It’s a scenario you don’t want to find yourself in and unfortunately, it’s not an uncommon one.

How does it work?

Ransomware is a form of malware that enables criminals to lock down or encrypt the files on your device. Criminals use ransomware to extort money from you (hence the word ransom) and claim to restore access to your files or device once the ransom has been paid.

Ransomware affects almost 50% of UK businesses. Don’t be another statistic.

Ransomware is just one of the many forms of malware. There are other cyber threats out there so remember to protect yourself and secure your end users. We offer a range of products, services and advice to ensure you’re not just another number.

Active Alerts:

A service which provides ‘hacker checking’ to protect against Brute Force Attack.

Mail Control:

An email continuity service which backs up e-mail, so it can’t be lost and also scans for spam and viruses in email attachments.

Cloud Backup and Disaster recovery:

Being locked out of your system is bad enough so ensure all your files are backed up, so in the event of a disaster (such as Ransomware) you can recover them.

Managed Antivirus:

Maximise protection against hard-to-detect threats and both known and potential viruses. Ensuring your antivirus is always working and up to date.

Cyber Aware

This service provides a simulated ‘phishing attack’ and allows us, in conjunction with our customers to recognise where training is needed. We offer guidance where necessary to educate employees on where cyber dangers may lie.

Web Protect:

Block and filter harmful websites.

Managed Encryption:

Encrypt your devices so data cannot be accessed in the event of loss or theft.

Patch Management:

Keeping your essential system software updated can stop cyber-attacks in its tracks, allowing you to stay secure and up-to-date.

These are very important measures and all businesses should include them in their cyber security plan but without the understanding behind why they are necessary, you’re stuck on square one.

When it comes to cyber threats- prevention is always better than cure.

So step one in your cyber security plan should be prevention.

So, get your team cyber aware.

For more information on any of the services mentioned above or advice on spreading awareness to your team,
click here and get in touch today.

Meet The Author

Name:	Sam Geary
Employment Start Date:	August 2017
Job Title:	Marketing Executive
Years in Marketing	3

Check out Sam on Social Media:

PCS

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Contact Us
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Meet the Team
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Registered in England No. 3082062

2-4 Northfield Point
Cunliffe Drive
Kettering
Northamptonshie
NN16 9QJ

08452 41 41 55

The post Get Ransom Aware. appeared first on PCS.

source https://www.pcs-systems.com/ransom-aware/

Cover Your IT Cover!

By: Chris McQuade, Operations Manager

As a business owner, you’ll have a range of things to think about on a day-to-day basis and your IT infrastructure is not usually one of them…

Not because you don’t care or because you don’t deem IT as ‘important’ but because you have so many other things to focus on.

Don’t worry, it happens to the best of us, but imagine if your IT systems went down for 24 hours or worse? Where would that leave your business?

If this is something you’ve never really given much thought to- now’s the time.

What if your offices were flooded and your entire IT infrastructure was ruined?

Sadly, downtime happens to more business than we’d like to imagine because it’s always assumed that IT systems are things that ‘just work’ in the background. As a busy business owner, you’ve got the ‘core’ of your business to focus on. There are so many other important parts to running a successful business and sadly, IT isn’t usually at the forefront of this list.

This isn’t our way of making you feel like you’ve neglected your IT department. It’s our way of opening your eyes to the bigger picture and the situation your business could be left in if your infrastructure wasn’t adequately managed.

So, making sure that your computers, laptops, phones, servers and your systems are all running smoothly and in a safe environment should be high up on your list of priorities.

We already know that technology is a must when you’re running a business. Having an in-house IT team comes with its pros but it also comes with a few downfalls too. Often, you’re faced with higher costs and prolonged downtime due to lack of expertise etc.

Outsourcing can help with these issues.

You may be happy with your current in-house IT department. Outsourcing isn’t for everyone but if you’re considering it, check out some of the following points to learn about the low key advantages of looking beyond your in-house team for IT support.

• Access to a multitude of expertise
• Monday- Friday assistance
• Optional weekend cover
• Increased Productivity
• Better staff moral
• Extension to your current IT department
• Improved performance
• Reduced downtime

Let’s say, for argument sake- you have an in-house team, you’re happy with the management of your IT, but what happens when your super smart IT techie goes on holiday for a week? You have hired this individual to cover and support every element of your IT infrastructure and to put it bluntly, your IT systems are left vulnerable when they’re not there.

So, the job of ensuring that you have cover when your employees are away falls upon you. Whether it’s a day, a week, a month. Whatever the timeframe your IT department is left unmanned- the same procedures apply and you’ll need to cover your cover!

It’s difficult to say what kind of trouble your business could be in if your IT department was abandoned for any amount of time, but it’s important to take the necessary precautions.

Our Interim Cover service provides IT management as and when you need it. It allows you to outsource the management of your IT infrastructure to us. Your IT systems will be looked after by professionals which means that you have that extra peace of mind. We know that holiday periods are busy, within the summer months, absences both planned and unexpected happen. These can leave your team short causing extra strain.

Interim Cover reduces the pressure and headache of filling shortfalls until your back up and running to full capacity. We can cover as much or as little as possible so there’s no strain on your productivity.

The best thing about our service is the fact that it’s 100% tailored to you. Meaning, we’ll learn exactly what your business needs and tailor the service around your requirements- ensuring everything you need to be covered is covered!

Not everyone has an in-house team. Sometimes, it’s the business decision maker who takes on the job of managing their own IT. We provide 100% IT management or partial management if you want one less thing to think about. As we tailor our service, we ensure you are getting the best bang for your buck. The most successful businesses are the ones that keep up to date with all the latest technologies and outsourcing to us does just that.

Meet The Author

Name:	Chris McQuade
Employment Start Date:	Oct 2007
Job Title:	Operations Manager
Years in IT:	19

Check out Chris on Social Media:

PCS

About Us
Contact Us
Support Portal
Meet the Team
News & Security

Useful Links

Managed Services
Blog
Case Studies
Downloads
Terms & Conditions
Managed Service Brochure

Registered in England No. 3082062

2-4 Northfield Point
Cunliffe Drive
Kettering
Northamptonshie
NN16 9QJ

08452 41 41 55

The post Cover Your IT Cover! appeared first on PCS.

source https://www.pcs-systems.com/cover-your-it-cover/

Malware, phishing, spyware and viruses – what’s the difference?

By: Sam Geary, Marketing Executive

Malware, phishing, spyware. These are all terms you’ve probably heard of, but you might not know what the difference is between each of them…

This is understandable considering Hollywood films seem pretty happy to use them interchangeably. You know… where the bad guys are attempting to take down a government with a ‘virus’ or ‘malware’.

Below is a comprehensive look at the difference between these four terms, so next time you go to see the latest blockbuster you can roll your eyes at the use of the wrong term.

Malware

The word ‘malware’ is essentially an umbrella term for a whole range of malicious software. In fact, that’s where the term comes from. It’s a combination of the words ‘malicious’ and ‘software’.

This means malware can include viruses, trojans, adware, spyware, ransomware and all other kinds of malicious programs. This is why you hear malware so often on the news.

Each type of malware does something slightly different, but usually the aim is to make money. Ransomware, for example, encrypts your files and makes you pay to have them decrypted and spyware. Each type of malware differs but we’ll go into detail about that in another blog.

Phishing

… Phishing isn’t actually software, it’s a method of acquiring information. This can involve using malware of course, but the term phishing refers to the actual process of attempting to get information from someone.

Phishing often involves e-mails containing links to websites that are infected with malware. These emails often imitate legitimate companies in order to trick people into clicking on their links or responding with personal information such as passwords and credit card details. Phishing scams are getting more and more believable and therefore difficult to spot- so beware!

Spyware

Spyware is a type of malware that, once installed on a computer, collects information without you knowing. Spyware can be difficult to detect, so it can be almost impossible to know you’ve been the victim of a spyware scam.

You can inadvertently install spyware on your PC by opening a webpage that’s been infected with malware, possibly as a result of receiving a phishing email.

One of the most common forms of spyware is a keylogger which records everything you type on your PC, including usernames, passwords, and bank details.

Viruses

The term virus is actually starting to fall out of fashion. Despite being commonly used throughout the 90s and 2000s, it is slowly being pushed out by the term malware. This is because viruses are considered to be malware. The term malware is more useful because it describes a broader range of malicious programs like adware, spyware, etc.

But if you’re looking for the definition of a virus read on. Computer viruses are aptly named because they’re very much like biological viruses. Viruses are therefore a program that replicates itself in the infected computer’s memory and spreads.

True computer viruses are used far less often now that online criminals have found better ways of spreading malicious code and making money.

So, there you have it – four of the terms that are commonly confused with one another. Although only briefly described I hope this blog has given you some clarity of the terms and what damage they can cause to your IT infrastructure.

Meet The Author

Name:	Sam Geary
Employment Start Date:	August 2017
Job Title:	Marketing Executive
Years in Marketing:	3

Check out Sam on Social Media:

PCS

About Us
Contact Us
Support Portal
Meet the Team
News & Security

Useful Links

Managed Services
Blog
Case Studies
Downloads
Terms & Conditions
Managed Service Brochure

Registered in England No. 3082062

2-4 Northfield Point
Cunliffe Drive
Kettering
Northamptonshie
NN16 9QJ

08452 41 41 55

The post Malware, phishing, spyware and viruses – what’s the difference? appeared first on PCS.

source https://www.pcs-systems.com/different-cyber-threats/