IT Solutions Blog
9 North Carolina Cybersecurity Incidents That Happened in 2019
In 2019, our state saw its share of cybercrime. From ransomware to malicious code, I can document at least 9 North Carolina cybersecurity incidents that happened last year. And here’s what’s sobering. This is probably the tip of the iceberg as CSO reports the...
An Open Letter to My Clients and Colleagues: Sweating the Details Means Caring about Cybersecurity in 2020
Dear Clients and Colleagues, I’ve been talking about cybersecurity. A lot. If you thought we turned up the volume on cybersecurity-focused content and education in 2019, your observation was correct—we did. In 2020, our message isn’t changing....
I Got an Email about Something Called a Microsoft SAM Engagement. What Should I Do?
You got an email from Microsoft. It’s assertive. It’s confident. And it’s talking about your business getting something called a Software Asset Management (SAM) engagement. What is a Microsoft SAM engagement? And how should you respond to the...
Why Your Business Needs a Cyber Breach Response Plan
71 days. This is the median time that a cybersecurity breach went undetected by organizations in North, Central, and South America according to FireEye. This is known as dwell time, which FireEye defines as the following: Dwell time is calculated as the...
The North Carolina State Bar Ransomware Attack: 5 Lessons in the Aftermath
It should be surprising, but it’s not. If you haven’t heard yet, the North Carolina State Bar was hit by a ransomware attack. Our State Bar announced on Thursday, October 3 that (on September 30) ransomware had infected the Bar’s servers. According to the...
Your Data Security Plan: The CPA’s Guide to the FTC’s Safeguards Rule
Every tax preparer needs a data security plan. That isn’t just my opinion. According to a July 2019 IRS announcement, “all ‘professional tax preparers’ must create a written data security plan.” The IRS cites the Safeguards Rule of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)...
Free Cybersecurity Workshop: Proactive IT Partners with the National Cyber Security Alliance
Ignore the reality of cybercrime at your own risk. This week, one of my team members got an email that announced scammers are exploiting the Equifax breach. Last week, we received an email about what’s going on in Louisiana. If you haven’t heard yet, “Louisiana Gov....
When Windows 7 Support Ends, Here’s What You Can Expect
The era of Windows 7 is quickly coming to a close. Microsoft is telling us that “Windows 7 support will end on January 14, 2020.” You can read the announcement I’m referring to for yourself, but here’s a quick summary: Next year, Microsoft is pulling the plug on...
The Silent Bad Actor: Why Typical Solutions for Cyberattacks Aren’t Enough
The year is 1204.¹ A castle named Château Gaillard is under siege by Philip II of France.² Despite being “the strongest castle of its age” (according to the Encyclopaedia Britannica), the fortress falls into the hands of the enemy.³ Just how did it...
Serverless Networks: The Next Wave of the Future
Serverless networks are coming to businesses near you. Yes, I’m talking about technological advances that could mean you’ll never need to buy another server again. Back in the day, businesses needed on-site servers to run their applications, store their...
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