Training Employees on Cybersecurity

After completing your annual phishing training, which teaches employees how to spot phishing emails, you feel confident. However, your confidence is shattered when your company falls victim to a costly ransomware infection due to a click on a phishing link. Despite undergoing the same training every year, you continue to experience security incidents, which begs the question of how often you should train your employees.

How often do you need to train employees on cybersecurity awareness?

It’s not enough to train your employees just once a year. Without reinforcement, people are unlikely to change their behaviors or may forget what they’ve learned after a few months. According to research, the “sweet spot” for training frequency is every four months, as this results in more consistent improvements in IT security.

A recent study presented at the USENIX SOUPS security conference looked at the relationship between training frequency and users’ ability to detect phishing emails. The study tested employees’ phishing identification skills at various time increments, including four months, six months, eight months, ten months, and twelve months. The results suggest that training every four months is optimal for improving your team’s cybersecurity awareness.

Employees took phishing identification tests at several different time increments:

  • 4-months
  • 6-months
  • 8-months
  • 10-months
  • 12-months

The study revealed that four months after their initial training, employees had good scores in accurately identifying and avoiding phishing emails. However, their scores started to decline after six months and continued to worsen as more time passed since their training.

To ensure employees remain well-prepared, it is crucial to provide ongoing training and refreshers on security awareness. This will empower them to actively contribute to your cybersecurity strategy.

Tips for Training Employees and Cultivating a Cybersecure Culture

The ultimate goal of security awareness training is to foster a cybersecure culture. In this culture, everyone recognizes the importance of safeguarding sensitive data, avoiding phishing scams, and maintaining secure passwords.

Unfortunately, according to the 2021 Sophos Threat Report, most organizations do not exhibit this culture, and a lack of sound security practices poses a significant threat to network security.

According to the report, the root cause of numerous severe attacks we’ve investigated is a lack of attention to basic security hygiene. Having well-trained employees plays a crucial role in mitigating a company’s risk and reducing the likelihood of falling victim to various online attacks. Effective training doesn’t necessarily require lengthy cybersecurity sessions; it’s more effective to diversify the delivery methods.

Here are some examples of effective cybersecurity training methods that you can include in your training plan:

  1. Monthly self-service videos: Provide employees with self-service videos via email on a monthly basis to enhance their cybersecurity knowledge and awareness.

  2. Team-based roundtable discussions: Organize interactive roundtable discussions within teams to encourage knowledge sharing and collaborative learning about cybersecurity practices.

  3. “Tip of the Week” in company communications: Include a regular “Tip of the Week” in company newsletters or messaging channels to deliver bite-sized cybersecurity tips and best practices.

  4. IT professional-led training sessions: Arrange training sessions led by IT professionals who can provide in-depth insights and guidance on various cybersecurity topics.

  5. Simulated phishing tests: Conduct simulated phishing tests to assess employees’ susceptibility to phishing attacks and provide targeted training based on the results.

  6. Cybersecurity posters: Display informative and visually appealing cybersecurity posters in common areas to reinforce key security concepts and promote awareness.

  7. Celebrate Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Dedicate the month of October to celebrate Cybersecurity Awareness Month by organizing special events, workshops, or training sessions to emphasize the importance of cybersecurity within your organization.

By incorporating these diverse training methods, you can ensure a comprehensive and engaging approach to cybersecurity training for your employees.

When conducting awareness training, it’s essential to cover not only phishing but also other crucial topics. Here are some important areas that should be included in your training mix:

Phishing by Email, Text & Social Media

While email phishing remains the most common form, it’s crucial to address the growing threats of SMS phishing (“smishing”) and phishing through social media. Employees need to be able to recognise these deceptive tactics and avoid falling victim to these scams.

Credential & Password Security

With the widespread adoption of cloud-based platforms, credential theft has become a significant concern. It has become the leading cause of data breaches globally, particularly as it provides an easy pathway to breach SaaS cloud tools. It’s critical to discuss with your team the importance of maintaining secure passwords and using strong authentication methods. Additionally, provide guidance on tools such as business password managers to assist them in safeguarding their credentials.

Mobile Device Security

Mobile devices have become an integral part of daily work, enabling employees to access emails and perform tasks from anywhere. Considering this, it’s essential to review the security requirements for employee devices that access business data and applications. Emphasize the importance of securing mobile devices with passcodes, keeping them regularly updated with the latest security patches, and following best practices for mobile device security.

By addressing these topics in your awareness training, you can better equip your employees to recognize and mitigate the risks associated with phishing, credential theft, and mobile device security.

Data Security

As data privacy regulations continue to increase, it is crucial for companies to comply with multiple data privacy regulations. To mitigate the risk of data leaks or breaches that could result in costly compliance penalties, it is important to provide training to employees on proper data handling and security procedures. By ensuring employees are well-versed in data security, you can minimise the potential risks associated with mishandling sensitive information.

Need Assistance in Maintaining Your Team’s Cybersecurity Training?

Take the burden off your shoulders and entrust the training of your team to cybersecurity professionals. We offer an engaging training program designed to help your team develop better cybersecurity practices and enhance their cyber hygiene. With our expertise, we can provide the necessary guidance and knowledge to facilitate behavioral changes and improve your overall security posture.

Recent articles

Dark Web Monitoring: what is it & does my business need it?

The global pandemic transformed the way we conduct business, and it’s unlikely that things will ever be the same again. With the increasing reliance on online platforms for both personal and professional transactions, geographical distances and time zones have become irrelevant. However, conducting business online also comes with inherent dangers and threats that we must be aware of.

One significant threat is data breaches, where cyber criminals manage to hack into legitimate commercial website databases. Well-known companies like Facebook and T-Mobile have fallen victim to such breaches, resulting in the theft of over 550 million records. In fact, the Identity Theft Resource Center reported a staggering 68% increase in stolen data in 2021 compared to the previous year.

When your email and password used to log into a website are stolen, they end up in the hands of highly skilled and destructive cyber criminals. These criminals may also obtain other personal information, such as addresses, mobile numbers, and credit/debit card details, that you have saved on the website.

So, what happens to your stolen data?

Your stolen credentials typically end up in a hidden part of the internet known as the Dark Web, where a significant portion of cyber-criminal activity takes place. Over time, your stolen data may be used and distilled by a sequence of criminals in their efforts to create financial gain at your expense. The exact methods they use to steal from end users using stolen credentials can vary, but it’s a sophisticated and malicious process that can span months or even years.

Understanding the risks and implications of data breaches and the Dark Web is crucial for protecting your personal and business information. It’s important to take proactive measures, such as implementing strong security measures and monitoring services, to safeguard against these threats in the ever-evolving landscape of online business transactions.

As we have emphasised, cybersecurity is not limited to a single tool or service, but rather a comprehensive security suite that protects various aspects of your online presence, including email, computers, devices, and overall online activity.

Now, we can answer the initial question of why dark web security is necessary. Dark web scanning acts as a proactive measure before cyber criminals can fully exploit your breached data. By providing timely alerts about breach details, it allows you to take relevant actions to secure your account and render the stolen or breached data useless.

You can easily purchase dark web security from Geniosity at a reasonable monthly cost. A large substantial loss can be avoided with dark web security in place.

If you would like to delve deeper into this topic, please feel free to get in touch with us. We are happy to provide useful information for your business and assist you with dark web security.

For more information about dark web scanning, please visit our Dark Web Monitoring page or drop us a line.

Microsoft Teams for Business

By Daniel Smith

Collaboration software is getting better all of the time and Microsoft Teams is steadfast becoming the tool of choice. We are spoiled for choice in a market saturated with chat and collaboration tools (not a bad problem to have).

One of its obvious strengths is the integration into the overall Microsoft ecosystem. By 2019, 91 of the Fortune 100 companies was already using Microsoft Teams*.

The unified platform allows smooth integration with employees, content and tools – all in the same place where you are already working. When implemented successfully, the boost in efficiency will be felt throughout you workplace; as companies move to be more mobile, global, and social.

With the average employee spending 80 percent of their work time collaborating with others, the importance of a seamlessly integrated communication tool should not be underestimated.

By now, in 2022, most people have experienced at least one meeting in Microsoft Teams. This communication tool has become synonymous with remote work collaboration.

For some organisations though, their use of Microsoft Teams stops there – with that excellent video communication component. This only scratches the surface in terms of what Microsoft Teams can do. A whole host of plugins, spaces automations and workflows can be implemented to make your work easier and more streamlined.   

If your business is not using Microsoft Teams, then it should be; and if you are using it, are you using it to its full potential?

Fortunately, the days of emailing around different versions of the same spreadsheet are fading away as more and more companies embrace true, collaborative teamwork. 

Streamline Microsoft Office 365

The top automations and actions that will save you time in O365.

There are stacks of options for automation within the Microsoft 365 eco-system. Automation allows you to set up a process that runs automatically to reduce manual processing and repetition.

Microsoft Power Automate is an excellent cloud program in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Previously called Microsoft Flow, Power Automate allows you to create actions that will save you time.

There are also other great automation options around, outside of the Microsoft eco-system such as Zapier, Tray.io, and Integromat. These can still be integrated with Microsoft 365.

We have put together a quick list of 5 quick and easy automations to get you started.

1. Save email attachments in Outlook to OneDrive

This is fairly simple time saver which automatically saves all of the attachments sent to your Office 365 Email address to a folder in OneDrive for Business. A few tweaks, would allow you to change the folder locations to even sort into folder by date or by sender.

Automate it!

2. Save email attachments from Outlook.com to Dropbox

Similar to the above automation, this one takes attachments received at your Outlook.com email address and saves them to Dropbox. Follow up additions could see you add an email or notification to another email address such as Gmail.

Automate it!

3. Create a task in Planner when a new email arrives in a shared mailbox

This is a handy automation that triggers when an email arrives into a shared mailbox. Let’s say that your company has a customer service or support email address and when an email is received, a task is created in Microsoft Planner with a due date after a specified time. This could be used to create a support ticket for follow up by staff. Assign a due date of how long you would like, say 48 hours to have the issue actioned or resolved. 

Automate it!

4. Email me with a list of upcoming Calendar events

This automation is rather clever, you can schedule it to run whenever is best. It analyses the following week in your calendar, looking for events, flights, hotels, weather information and locations, and sends you a handy summary via email.

Automate It!

5. Email yourself new Tweets about a certain keyword

Easily track tweets containing specific keywords on Twitter, according to your interests. You will get an email every time that your keyword is included in a tweet. This could be a good way to track your brand specific keywords or just keep up on the latest #CatVideos 😺

Automate it!

So, there are a few automations to get you started, but as you can imagine, the options are basically endless. Take a look at some more templates on Microsoft’s Power Automate site.

Get more tips through our mailing list!

Working from Home Securely

Keeping Your Company Data Secure for Remote Work

The last couple of years has seen some big changes in the way that we work and communicate. Both technical advancements and the need for people to work from home has made for quick uptake of group work, online communication and collaboration software. Of course, it was always heading that way but COVID became something of an accelerator. It is being widely reported that the ways that we communicate in our personal and business lives, are forever changed.

With the added advantage of remote communication and shared files comes an added risk for the security of data and information. Managed correctly though, you can have your communication cake and eat it securely too (apologies for the bad pun 😉). We take a look at a few ways to ensure that your staff and data are safe for remote work.

General Security Principals

Hopefully by now, you have had the time to settle in to some processes and procedures that allow for your team to work uninterrupted from any location. General security is a must whether people are working remotely or on-site. Setting up those baseline configurations, processes and procedures around security are always critical to the running of an effective business.

Some businesses that have not correctly setup their IT infrastructure can be at risk of security breaches. When a single security issue can be enough to expose all of your client data, leak intellectual property or leave your system open to attacks and damage, it is of the utmost importance that you are protected.

It can be easy to assume that your system is secure as you have not experienced any problems (that you are aware of). Any business owner or manager is all too familiar with issues that occur with handover of tasks and changes in employees. Business moves quickly and as you company adapts, it is a given that some things will be missed or corners may have been cut. Businesses with a small number of staff who started with ad-hoc IT setups or which have experienced rapid growth may have holes in their security and not even know it.

One basic foundation is to ensure that all of your software is updated promptly to the latest version, especially updates with security patches. The latest software versions on all devices will ensure you are safe against current known threats. Having an automated system in place for security upgrades to automatically run at the correct time is important. People often begrudge having to update their passwords but scheduling changes of passwords regularly can save you some issues down the track. Just be sure to avoid bad passwords like password, computer and qwerty.

Cloud Solutions

The move to cloud computing brings a whole new world of collaboration and the ability for an improved workflow. Many companies have moved their on-site servers into the cloud by migrating their data, files and email into a service like Microsoft 365. By moving to the cloud, data is easily accessible and working from anywhere becomes a simpler concept once setup properly.

You need to ensure that you have a good Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) software, for protection against online threats such as viruses, which offers protection on all of your devices and compliments the protection offered by your cloud provider. For companies that still have the requirement for some on site files such as backup you can look to an integrated approach. Different regions also have data and privacy protection laws around where you are allowed to physically store client information. Microsoft allows for you to set specific server locations to meet this requirement.

With a cloud solution like Microsoft Office 365 your staff are able to work directly in a browser with options for desktop versions of software available too. You can set up a bespoke solution that ensures data security and protection.

Extra Protection

As a part of a complete data security approach there are plenty of solutions that will increase your protection. With people working from home or on portable devices it is wise to implement some rules around where files are stored and how they are accessed. If you have a workforce using some of their own devices, you want to ensure that you retain access to all of the work files. Extra processes such as 2 Factor Authentication (2FA) require staff to verify their details upon login through an extra app.

Rolling out a password manager across your company for sharing logins that are used by multiple staff will ensure passwords are up to date and secure. Platforms like LastPass, 1Password and Dashlane all offer an excellent product but there are also bespoke solutions available. Some even offer a browser plugin that allows for staff to login without revealing the actual password to them.

There are a range of extra steps that you can take to increase security, for more information take a look at our 3 part series on computer threats in the digital age, Viruses, Ransomware & Phishing, Oh My! or drop us a line.

If you would like to learn more about how protected your business is, get in touch with us for a free introductory security audit.

The Silicon Shortage

What does the chip shortage mean for your business

You probably already know but the world is going through somewhat of a silicon chip shortage. It has been affecting auto-makers, appliances, LED lighting and of course electronics such as TVs, smart devices, desktops, printers, laptops and some accessories. Shortages are expected to last until 2023 and perhaps beyond.

What has Caused the Shortage?

The shortage has been caused by the perfect-storm of factors including COVID delays and adverse weather at different places around the world. Supply became greater than demand and manufacturers have found it hard to keep up.

So what does that mean for your business?

If you have not already been affected then you need to start planning for your business. As the range of affected products is quite broad across consumer electronics and technology, if you are considering purchasing or upgrading equipment in the next few years, it is best to plan early. Get in quickly to secure the equipment you need to grow your business.

We are currently seeing most major supplier’s stock levels being impacted in some way. Some popular products have a wait time of up to 3-6 months. You need to be building that delay into your planning.

Luckily there are key products that we sell in all of the main categories that are in stock now. Get in touch today to find out what products we currently have in our warehouse or take a look at the Geniosity Online Store to see stock levels on computers, printers, scanners, networking or displays.

Stock levels are subject to change quite quickly, so get in touch to secure something today!

Further Reading

What the global shortage of computer chips means for you – ABC News

Chip shortage is starting to have major real-world consequences

Why the chip shortage drags on and on… and on | Ars Technica

Global semiconductor shortage explained | CarsGuide

From Ford trucks to Xbox, the chip shortage is still causing problems – Vox

4 Critical Industries Affected by the Chip Shortage

Viruses, Ransomware & Phishing, Oh My! Part 3

This is part 3 of a 3 part series on keeping up with computer threats in the digital age, you can read about Viruses, Spyware & Trojans in Part 1 and take a look at Part 2 for information around Ransomware.

Phishing​

Phishing attacks attempt to trick you into providing hackers or scammers with your information. This might be your passwords, bank details or personal information. A phishing attack often arrives in the form of an email with a clickable link. The email may look like a legitimate email from a friend or trusted company or it could look like a simple link to a shared file. Hackers can target someone directly and build a profile of information on them. By using information from a data leak and some personal information they can launch a phishing attack to get more information or directly access your accounts. Some phishing systems are multi-layered and advanced, gathering a hierarchy of logins that take advantage of services such as resetting your password through email to access more and more of your data.  

Many browsers will alert you to websites that are not secure and may be fraudulent and attempting to steal your information. By not opening unknown or suspicious looking emails and not clicking on unknown links or files you will be protecting yourself a great deal. Generally banks and financial institutes will not request your login or account details via an email. Also be sure to check if the website you are on is correct by checking the address bar. Some antivirus software will also check links and websites visited and can stop malicious software from opening.  

There is an ever-increasing range of threats and the financial motivations and online anonymity make them a desirable tool for criminals across the world. Do your best to stay safe online and for further reading check out our Staying Safe Online Checklist. You can also check out our anti-virus software or for more information on how we can help you to protect your personal or businesses devices get in touch.  

Get in touch with us for more information on how we can help you and your business.

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Viruses, Ransomware & Phishing, Oh My! Part 2

This is Part 2 of a 3 part series on keeping up with computer threats in the digital age. If you missed the first part, you can read about Viruses, Spyware & Trojans in Part 1.

Ransomware​

Ransomware is something that has been in the news a lot lately. As more of our systems and services have an online component, criminal syndicates are creating ways to take advantage of this for financial gain. A ransomware program has the ability to gain access to a system and spread, it works away in the background of a device and, in essence, can lock you out of your data by encrypting it or even moving it. Often the system will then display a message saying that the data has been locked and that you will need to pay a ransom to have it unlocked.

Ransomware is the number 1 security threat and can be highly profitable for hackers. Ransomware attacks can target individual computer users and small to medium sized businesses but increasingly large corporations and even government services and providers are being attacked. Many of these breaches have made the news lately with high profile providers such as Colonial Petroleum Pipeline and multiple hospitals, having their systems locked. At times the locking of this data can have very serious and even life-threatening consequences.

An attack on your personal system may see a request for a relatively small amount of money in the thousands but some larger targets may be required to pay millions of dollars to retrieve their data. Worryingly ransomware threats are on the increase with some hackers even offering RaaS or Ransomware as a Service where a hacker can provide a system that will take control of the whole process including the requesting of funds.

 

Similar to ransomware is Doxware or Leakware which can infect your system and leverage your sensitive photos or files. It requests a ransom, which if not paid, will see your data shared online.

Ransomware can be hard to protect against with quality antivirus software being an essential first level of protection. As ransomware can be used to remotely lock your system through the use of services like iCloud, good password security is a must. Make sure to use different passwords for each of your logins and change them often. A password manager can assist in remembering all of your passwords with some even notifying you of a breach. Two-factor authentication is another security measure that can help you to stay secure. As companies like Windows and Apple are constantly fixing security vulnerabilities as, they will release system updates which contain ‘patches’ or fixes. Keeping your computer or mobile device up to date is a great general security measure.

Keeping a regular backup that is separate from your main system is also a good option. If your device is infected with ransomware, then you will have a copy of your data to restore. You can regularly backup to your cloud services such as Dropbox, Google Drive and iCloud or use a backup specific program that backups to an external hard drive while you work. A good practice is to have a rotating system of backup drives with one kept offsite. While external hard drives can be infected by ransomware, keeping an offsite drive will minimise this risk.

 

Continue reading this series of 3 articles in Part 3, where we take a look at the threat of Phishing. 

Viruses, Ransomware & Phishing, Oh My! Part 1

This is Part 1 of a 3 part series on keeping up with computer threats in the digital age.

Threats to computer systems are constantly evolving and getting more advanced, while also causing more serious problems. In the early days, it was enough to have a basic antivirus program on your computer that would stop viruses and malware from affecting your computer. While this is still an excellent first line of defence, as the threats become more advanced there is an increased level of vigilance needed to stay safe.

While computers are generally what comes to mind when thinking about these types of threats, any connected device carries a degree of risk and can be targeted for an attack. Criminals, hackers and scammers are constantly developing new methods to gain access, steal data and even lock the data on your device and hold it to ransom. The need for safety measures extends from your personal devices such as mobile phones, tablets, computers and even smart devices around the home; to the online platforms that you use such as your email account, cloud storage and online banking. With so much of our lives now online, scammers and hackers are regularly targeting the online platforms that people use daily.

Oh My!

While there are a lot of crossovers between the various types of threats that are out there, we have broken them down into a few of the main categories with some information on how to stay protected. While the threats are quite serious and can cause a lot of damage, by following some simple guidelines and best practices you can maximise your protection.

Viruses, Spyware & Trojans

Virus is one of the most commonly used terms people use when speaking about threats to computers and it fits under the broader category of Malware. Malware is short for Malicious Software, this umbrella term includes a range of threats including viruses, spyware, trojans, key loggers, worms and more.

Some viruses have the general goal of causing issues on your system, by deleting data and spreading itself to other computers. In the early days, the computer virus, although malicious, was often made to just cause general mayhem and spread across as many computers as possible. A virus is self-replicating and therefore able to copy itself across local computer networks and even online.

McAfee VirusScan Enterprise Server

IT Management as a Service

AVG Anti-Virus Business 3-12 PCs

One of the keys of a successful virus is the ability to stay hidden in your system while replicating and causing damage. Many viruses and types of malware are designed to stay hidden indefinitely such as a Trojan which disguises itself as a legitimate program and Spyware which hides in the background, collecting information such as passwords, files, location data or financial information. Adware will even display pop up ads directly on your computer. Some of these programs have a Keylogger which records every press you make on a keyboard and sends it to a third party.

One of the absolute best protections against viruses and malware generally is a good quality piece of anti-virus software. There are plenty of excellent free options out there and some paid programs that offer extra levels of protection. As viruses and the criminal systems behind them get more advanced though, we are seeing malware and viruses designed to steal information, spy through your devices and gain access to secure data. A decent Antivirus software will give you an essential base level of protection.

 

Continue reading this series of 3 articles in Part 2, where we take a look at the threat of Ransomware.Â