2 minutes read

In the modern digital landscape, cybersecurity is not a luxury but a necessity for businesses aiming to protect their assets and maintain operations. Path Forward IT, a leading IT firm in Cincinnati, OH, specializes in offering a wide array of advanced cybersecurity services designed to keep your business shielded from cyber threats. In this blog, we’ll explore the cybersecurity essentials and the bespoke services provided by Path Forward IT.

Navigating the Evolving Cyber Threat Landscape

Cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated and prevalent, putting both small and large businesses at risk. A successful cyberattack can result in data breaches, financial loss, and irreversible reputation damage. Understanding the types of cyber threats commonly affecting businesses in Cincinnati is the first step towards robust cybersecurity.

Categories of Cyber Threats

Phishing Attacks

These attacks deceive users into divulging sensitive information like passwords or financial details, often masquerading as genuine communications from reputable sources.

Ransomware

This malicious software encrypts user data, making it inaccessible unless a ransom is paid. Ransomware attacks can devastate businesses, causing substantial financial loss.

Malware and Viruses

These software programs are created to infiltrate and harm computer systems. They can pilfer sensitive data, disrupt operations, and undermine system security.

Insider Threats

This threat stems from within the organization, often involving employees who exploit their access to compromise data or system security intentionally.

DDoS Attacks

Distributed Denial of Service attacks overload a server, causing interruptions and making services unavailable to legitimate users.

IoT Vulnerabilities

The growing Internet of Things landscape expands the potential attack surface for cyber threats that target connected devices.

Comprehensive Cybersecurity Services by Path Forward IT

Risk Assessment and Penetration Testing

Before deploying any security solutions, Path Forward IT conducts in-depth vulnerability assessments and penetration testing. This helps pinpoint system weaknesses and address them proactively, reducing the chance of successful attacks.

Robust Network Security

Path Forward IT offers a myriad of network security services, including firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and encryption, creating a formidable barrier against unauthorized data access.

Endpoint Protection

The surge in remote work has made endpoint devices more susceptible to cyber threats. Path Forward IT ensures endpoint devices conform to security standards and are well-protected from potential threats.

Employee Training

Human error is often the weak link in cybersecurity. Path Forward IT’s thorough security awareness training educates employees about the current threat landscape and instructs them on best practices to minimize risks.

Incident Response and Recovery

Despite best efforts, security breaches can happen. Path Forward IT provides a well-planned incident response and disaster recovery strategy to minimize damage and resume operations with minimal downtime.

Why Choose Path Forward IT?

Custom-Tailored Solutions

Understanding that each business has its unique needs, Path Forward IT collaborates with clients to deliver personalized cybersecurity solutions.

24/7 Monitoring and Support

The around-the-clock monitoring and support by Path Forward IT’s expert team ensure swift identification and mitigation of potential threats, reducing the risk of extended breaches.

Staying Ahead of Threats

Path Forward IT keeps tabs on the ever-changing cybersecurity landscape, updating security measures as new threats emerge.

Compliance Management

Path Forward IT helps your business remain compliant with industry-specific regulations, mitigating the risk of legal consequences.

Conclusion

In today’s rapidly evolving cyber landscape, Path Forward IT serves as a reliable partner for Cincinnati businesses, providing comprehensive cybersecurity services that help protect assets and preserve reputations. To protect your business against the ever-present threats of the digital world, reach out to Path Forward IT at (513) 924-5500.

3 minutes read

Introduction

 

In today’s advanced technological landscape, businesses in Cincinnati, OH face an ever-growing number of cyber threats. Hackers, malware, and phishing attacks are relentless, placing sensitive company information, infrastructure, and customer data at risk. Cybersecurity is no longer a luxury, it has become a business necessity. Path Forward IT’s cyber resilience services are specifically designed to help identify, protect, and remediate cybersecurity threats, ensuring businesses in Detroit remain safe and secure.

 

A Glimpse of the Main Cyber Threats for Businesses

 

1. Ransomware

 

Ransomware is malicious software that encrypts a victim’s files, rendering them inaccessible until a ransom is paid to the attacker. Ransomware attacks are on the rise and can cause significant financial and reputational damage to any business. Companies in Detroit affected by ransomware may experience data loss, downtime, and lost productivity as they struggle to restore their systems.

 

2. Data breaches

 

Data breaches are incidents where unauthorized individuals gain access to sensitive company data such as customer information, proprietary information, and financial records. In addition to financial losses, data breaches can inflict long-lasting damage to a company’s reputation, making it challenging to regain customer trust. A robust cybersecurity approach is compulsory to prevent these breaches from happening in the first place.

 

3. Phishing attacks

 

Phishing is a fraudulent practice in which attackers deceive individuals into revealing sensitive information, such as login credentials and account details, by disguising themselves as a trustworthy entity. Phishing attacks can happen through various means, including email, text messages, and even social media. In a business setting, phishing attacks can result in data theft, malware installation, and unauthorized access to corporate networks.

 

4. Insider threats

 

Not all cyber threats originate from external sources. Insider threats are a growing concern for businesses, as they involve employees, contractors, or partners with authorized access to company systems. Insider threats can occur due to either malicious intent or simple human error, making them difficult to detect and prevent. Protecting company data from insider threats requires an in-depth understanding of user behavior, network access controls, and the ability to identify unusual activity on a granular level.

 

Importance of Cyber Resilience Services

 

To mitigate and prevent the risks associated with cyber-threats, businesses must adopt a cyber resilience strategy that focuses on the ability to withstand and recover from cyberattacks. Path Forward IT’s cyber resilience services offer comprehensive and tailored cybersecurity solutions to help businesses in Detroit maintain their security posture. These solutions encompass various components, including identification and protection against threats, incident response, and disaster recovery.

 

Path Forward IT’s Cyber Resilience Services

 

1. Threat Identification

 

It’s essential for businesses to keep up with evolving cyber threats by proactively identifying risk factors within their environment. Path Forward IT uses advanced security tools and techniques, along with expertly trained professionals, to analyze the company’s systems, detect vulnerabilities, and provide actionable insights that enable you to prioritize and mitigate risks.

 

2. End-to-End Protection

 

Path Forward IT’s cyber resilience services integrate robust security measures throughout your IT infrastructure. This includes technology solutions, such as next-generation firewalls and antivirus software, as well as vital security policies and best practices. Path Forward IT also offers Security Awareness Training to empower your employees with the knowledge they need to prevent cyber attacks and strengthen your company’s overall cybersecurity posture.

 

3. Incident Response

 

Responding effectively to a security incident can make all the difference in minimizing damage, downtime, and financial losses. Path Forward IT’s Incident Response services provide swift and coordinated action when a security incident occurs. Our experienced team will identify the source of the breach, assess the damage, and take appropriate actions to contain and remediate the incident.

 

4. Disaster Recovery

 

When the worst happens, and a disruptive event affects your business, Path Forward IT’s Disaster Recovery services help you restore your operations promptly. We provide solutions that ensure your company’s data is backed up and protected, enabling you to quickly recover and resume your business operations. Our disaster recovery solutions also cover regular monitoring and testing to make sure your organization is always prepared to respond to any situation.

 

Conclusion

 

The dangers of cyber threats to businesses in Cincinnati, OH cannot be underestimated. Establishing a resilient cybersecurity posture not only helps protect your sensitive data but also conserves the trust and goodwill of your customers and partners. Path Forward IT’s cyber resilience services are designed to provide expert guidance, advanced technology solutions, and unmatched support to safeguard your business against cyber threats and ensure long-term security and success. Don’t leave your company’s future to chance; contact Path Forward IT today to learn how our services can help you achieve a secure and resilient business.

 

For more information about Path Forward IT or to get a free quote for IT Services, visit our website https://www.pathforwardit.com/ or call us at 513-924-5500. We strive to be the best IT services in Cincinnati, OH. You can trust Path Forward IT to always provide satisfaction guaranteed IT services.

Check out this bog where we are mentioned as a leading IT Services company!

 

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3 minutes read

With the rapid evolution of technology, businesses are becoming more reliant on digital solutions and online platforms to store sensitive data and conduct transactions. This increasing reliance brings new vulnerabilities, with cybersecurity frequently making headlines for all the wrong reasons. Cyberattacks and data breaches can lead to great irreparable damages, impacting brand reputation, customer trust, and financial stability. In this blog post, we will discuss the growing importance of cybersecurity and Path Forward IT’s comprehensive range of services specifically designed to anticipate, adapt, and protect your business against ever-evolving threats.

 

Why is Cybersecurity So Important?

 

The digital era has transformed the way business is conducted globally. Enterprises now rely on vast amounts of data stored within complex systems to remain competitive. However, this exponential growth in digital assets has also attracted malicious parties, who seek to exploit system vulnerabilities for personal gain. The harsh reality is that no company is immune, and failure to prioritize cybersecurity can have devastating consequences.

 

Financial Losses

 

The first and most obvious consequence of a cyberattack is the resulting financial loss. In some instances, this can amount to millions of dollars, as attackers demand ransom payments, seek to steal company funds, or leak sensitive information. The cost of rectifying a cyber incident doesn’t end there, however. The expenses associated with legal processes, consulting fees, and implementing remedial technology solutions can quickly escalate, straining a company’s finances.

 

Reputation Damage

 

A cyberattack can have long-lasting effects on a company’s reputation. Once customer trust has been breached, rebuilding that trust can be a complex and time-consuming process. The negative publicity surrounding a cyber incident can also deter potential clients, making it harder for a company to grow and compete in the marketplace. Ultimately, the damage to brand reputation can have a far-reaching and irreversible impact on the overall business.

 

Operational Disruptions

 

Many cyberattacks aim to disrupt an organization’s operations by disabling critical infrastructure or stealing important information. These attacks can render internal systems inoperable, hampering communication, halting operations, and delaying important projects. The resulting downtime can be costly, with potential knock-on effects for partners, suppliers, and customers.

 

How Can Path Forward IT’s Services Protect Your Business from Cyber Threats?

 

At Path Forward IT, our experts recognize the need to stay one step ahead of the myriad cybersecurity risks that organizations face. We offer a wide range of services designed specifically to help protect your business from ever-changing threats, ensuring that your critical assets remain secure. Let’s examine some of the key services offered by Path Forward IT that can safeguard your business against cyber threats:

 

Proactive Security Assessments

 

A full understanding of an organization’s current cybersecurity posture allows for the identification of potential vulnerabilities. Path Forward IT’s security assessments provide a thorough examination of your company’s network, applications, and infrastructure, highlighting any weaknesses that could be exploited. Following this assessment, Path Forward IT will provide tailored recommendations and detailed steps to address vulnerabilities uncovered, ensuring that your business adopts a proactive approach to risk management.

 

Vulnerability Management

 

As new threats continue to emerge, vulnerability management becomes increasingly critical. Path Forward IT offers continuous monitoring and assessment of your IT systems, identifying vulnerabilities before malicious actors have the opportunity to exploit them. Leveraging our experience and state-of-the-art technology, we can help minimize the potential for successful cyberattacks against your organization.

 

Incident Response and Digital Forensics

 

In the event of a cyber incident, having an effective response strategy in place is vital. Path Forward IT’s incident response and digital forensics teams are equipped to handle such situations, ensuring timely containment and mitigation of the threat. Our specialists work around the clock to investigate the breach and develop a strategy for recovery, minimizing the impact on your organization and providing support throughout the process.

 

Security Awareness Training

 

When it comes to cybersecurity, the human element is often the weakest link. Ensuring that employees receive adequate training on security best practices can significantly reduce the risk of successful cyberattacks. Path Forward IT offers customized security awareness training programs that educate your team on the latest threats and the best strategies for prevention, ensuring that every individual is empowered to contribute to the company’s overall cybersecurity strategy.

 

Conclusion

 

The importance of cybersecurity cannot be overstated. As technology continues to infiltrate every aspect of modern life, the threats faced by businesses evolve in response. By understanding the risks and implementing a comprehensive strategy to address these risks, organizations can stay ahead of the curve and protect their most valuable assets. Path Forward IT’s all-encompassing services can help secure your business, ensuring that you remain resilient in the face of an ever-changing digital landscape. Contact us today to find out more about how we can help safeguard your organization from the ever-evolving world of cyber threats.

 

For more information about Path Forward IT or to get a free quote for IT Services, visit our website https://www.pathforwardit.com/ or call us at 513-924-5500. We strive to be the best IT services in Cincinnati, OH. You can trust Path Forward IT to always provide satisfaction guaranteed IT services.

 

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4 minutes read

As cyberattacks grow in frequency and severity, the demand for cyber insurance is exploding in response. According to Fortune Business Insights, the 2021 cyber insurance market was valued at an estimated  $7.60 billion in 2020 and projected to grow to $36.85 billion by 2028 — a CAGR of 25.3%. Zurich America estimated that by 2020, 78% of large organizations had purchased cyber insurance coverage of some type.

While insurance can help defray the costs of recovering compromised data and restoring damaged computers and storage devices, networks must be kept compliant with the terms of the policy. Otherwise, in the event of a cyberattack, your claim may be delayed or even denied. Keeping your environment in compliance can represent significant, ongoing costs to your organization — but the cost of neglecting compliance can be much higher.

What Is Cyber Insurance?

A cyber insurance policy (also referred to as ‘cyber risk insurance’ or ‘cyber liability insurance coverage’) is a financial product that enables businesses to transfer the costs involved with recovery from a cyber-related security breach or similar events. Typically, the most important aspect of cyber insurance will be network security coverage. This will offer coverage in the event of a network security failure – such as data breaches, malware, ransomware attacks, and business account and email compromises. However, the policy will also respond to liability claims and ancillary expenses of an attack or breach. 

Learn more about data protection services.

Coverage and Benefits

While cyber insurance coverage varies from provider to provider, typical policies cover organizations in five key areas:

Lost data. Companies are legally responsible for their data, whether stored locally, offsite, or in the cloud. And, if personal information (like protected health records) is exposed, companies may be liable. Cyber insurance typically covers the cost of recovering compromised data, notifying impacted customers, and may cover legal defense expenses.

Lost devices. Stolen or compromised laptops and mobile devices are a leading cause of compromised data. Many cyber insurance policies provide information liability coverage that covers the cost of device replacement, plus legal and other expenses.

Customer notification. The cost of notifying customers and impacted parties about a breach and ongoing remediation efforts can be significant. Cyber insurance can help compensate for the costs of legal counsel and specialized communications providers.

Investigation and forensics. Computer forensics experts help assess the extent of a cyberattack and determine whether sensitive data has been compromised. Cyber insurance may reimburse organizations for the cost of those expert services.

Miscellaneous expenses. Insurance may also help offset the cost of lost business, restoring compromised systems, and other expenses incurred during business restoration.

Tips to Ensure Compliance with Your

Cyber insurance is relatively new in the market, and many providers lack the historical data to accurately assess their risks. As a result, policies often require customers to maintain high security compliance standards to qualify for payouts in the event of a breach. Organizations relying on cyber insurance to compensate for inadequate security practices may be in for a shock when they make a claim, especially if they haven’t read the fine print in their cyber insurance contracts.

While the definition of compliance can vary from provider to provider, certain security best practice requirements are common to most policies and should be prioritized:

Third-party audits. An external security audit will help identify potential security issues and can help establish a detailed remediation plan.

Comprehensive backup and recovery plans. Effective backups are one of the best defenses  against cyberattacks. Secure, regularly-tested, cloud-based backups will replicate data offsite and help minimize downtime resulting from a breach.

Regular penetration testing. Penetration testing (completed annually at a minimum) can also uncover security gaps while helping to reduce risk from the insurer’s perspective.

Effective password controls. Some policies will insist on adherence to password best practices as a policy condition. These best practices include using strong passwords (letters, numbers, and symbol combinations), different passwords for every service, and even two-factor identification.

Comprehensive data encryption. All sensitive data must be encrypted at rest or in transit. Data access (physical or online) should be highly regulated.

Beyond Compliance: Expert Tips

While your policy will help define your cybersecurity priorities, here are two other steps you can take to strengthen your security infrastructure and minimize any issues if you need to make a claim.

Security training. Onboarding training for new hires and regular refreshers for existing employees will reinforce your organization’s security practices, create a ‘security-first’ culture, and help minimize unintentional breaches and exposure.

Collaborate with your insurance provider. A regular dialogue with your insurer allows you to communicate your ongoing security initiatives, identify and resolve any issues, and explore ways to enhance your coverage and optimize your insurance costs. 

The Value of an Expert Security Partner

A security-focused integrator can help optimize your organization’s security infrastructure and best practices to ensure you’re compliant with the terms of your cyber insurance policy.

At Path Forward IT, we’re experts in security and compliance. For years we’ve helped healthcare leaders meet stringent HIPAA, HITECH, and CMS requirements, and we bring the same knowledge and expertise to our customers in finance, education, and other industries.

Path Forward IT can work with your team to ensure cyber insurance policy compliance by conducting third-party audits and penetration testing, identifying and remediating security gaps, implementing operational best practices, and providing ongoing security training. 

Contact us to learn how we can help you ensure compliance with your cyber insurance policy.

3 minutes read

In 2021, escalating ransomware and other malware attacks continued to inflict significant damage on U.S. companies and public sector organizations. According to the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, there was $590 million in domestic ransomware-related activity in the first six months of 2021 alone.

While most cybersecurity solutions are designed to protect against existing malware threats, they cannot adequately defend against emerging complex attacks. That’s why many organizations are embracing more advanced application execution control solutions to further safeguard their environments. These solutions include allow-listing, which allows known, ‘good’ files to run while blocking all others.

Allow-listing combines with three other technologies — ringfencing, storage control, and elevation control — to provide a powerful, multi-layered solution that proactively prevents ransomware, malware, and other unknown threats from running on a computer or system.

Next-Generation Allow-Listing Solutions

While many businesses rely on antivirus software, those legacy solutions cannot fully protect sensitive data and network assets. Allow-listing, while effective, has traditionally been too complex for all but the largest companies to operate. However, with next-generation solutions, even SMBs can now deploy allow-listing technology in just a few hours.

Today’s best-in-class allow-listing solutions employ a default-deny approach that blocks all applications unless they are on the allow list. These solutions also allow you to control what software, scripts, executables, and libraries can run on endpoints and servers.

Ringfencing For Added Security

While allow-listing blocks all untrusted applications, it cannot completely stop an attacker from deploying tools and applications to penetrate your network. Ringfencing adds another layer of protection by giving you the ability to control how applications behave after they’ve been opened.

With ringfencing, you can stop applications from interacting with other applications, accessing network resources, registry keys, and even files. It is particularly effective at stopping fileless malware attacks and preventing rogue applications from stealing your data.

Ringfencing also allows you to:

• Stop fileless malware and limit the damage from application exploits
• Specify how applications interact with each other
• Prevent users from infiltrating applications connected within the network
• Stop applications from interacting with other applications, network resources, registry keys, files, and more
• Prevent applications from interacting with built-in tools such as PowerShell, and stop built-in tools from accessing your file shares

Combining allow-listing and ringfencing solutions eliminates untrusted applications and helps prevent other security breaches.

Storage Control — Complete Control of Your Data and Devices

Many data protection solutions block access to USB drives and encrypt data storage servers but can delay access by authorized users in the process. These delays can reduce user productivity and create employee satisfaction issues.

Storage control allows you to control device access down to the most granular level, including file type, user or group, application, and serial number. With storage control, you can determine what data can be accessed or copied and the applications, users, and devices that can access that data.

Storage control also lets you:

• Create an audit of all file access on USB, network, and local hard drives
• Restrict access to external storage, including USB drives, network shares, or other devices
• Use single-click approval for specified devices or users
• Provide permanent or temporary access approvals
• Restrict access to specific file types
• Limit access to a device or file share based on the application
• Enforce or monitor the encryption status of USB hard drives and other external storage devices

Learn about Path Forward IT’s managed services.

Understanding Elevation Control

Elevation control provides additional security by creating access policies for individuals using specific applications. Combined with allow-listing and ringfencing solutions, elevation control allows you to control what applications can run, who can access them, and how they interact in your organization’s environment.

Elevation control capabilities include:

• Full administrative rights visibility. The ability to approve or deny an individual access to specific applications
• Streamlined permission Users can request permission to elevate applications and attach files and notes to support their requests.
• Varied elevation levels. Enables you to set durations for how long users are allowed access to specific applications by granting either temporary or permanent access.
• Secure application Combined with ringfencing, elevation control ensures that once applications are elevated, users cannot infiltrate connected applications within the network.

Why Path Forward IT Recommends ThreatLocker

At Path Forward IT, our expert team has evaluated the leading application execution control solutions. Based on our testing and experience, we recommend ThreatLocker as the most effective solution available at this time. By integrating allow-listing, ringfencing, storage control, and elevation control into a single solution, ThreatLocker provides any size company (from SMB to enterprise) with unprecedented levels of security.

ThreatLocker incorporates specific features that prevent operational interruption. For example, single-click allow requests for applications that users want to install or access capture all relevant application information required by IT security administration. Competing products employ a more manual submission process that requires users to gather the relevant details themselves and communicate them to IT.

Your Expert For Application Execution Control solutions

Many smaller organizations may not have the in-house resources or expertise needed to onboard ThreatLocker or other security solutions. At Path Forward IT, we provide a comprehensive ‘security-as-a-service’ solution tailored to your specific needs. We’ll assess your requirements, implement, manage, and optimize your ThreatLocker and other services, and ensure they’re integrated into your overall security strategy.

Contact Path Forward IT to learn how you can put ThreatLocker and other security solutions to work protecting your business.

3 minutes read

Are you part of the 72% of organizations that don’t have an adequate data recovery (DR) plan in place? Even if you’ve maximized your resources to protect your data, your organization may not be fully prepared. A backup and recovery audit assesses your data security and DR readiness and provides valuable intelligence to ensure you have the right plan in place.

Your Data Is at Risk

Data is more vulnerable than ever. It is critical to frequently assess that your posture is keeping pace with the latest threats; however, there is no guaranteed way to stop a determined criminal.

Cybercriminals are relentless in their efforts to breach businesses, sabotage data, or hold it for ransom. A solid data recovery plan creates another viable alternative to paying an enormous ransom.

Cybercriminals aren’t the only threats to data — Mother Nature can wreak havoc too. The effects of too much (or not enough) rain can result in extreme flooding conditions for some and wildfires for others. There’s only a small window of warning when it comes to hurricanes and tornadoes, and with safety as the first priority, worrying about data loss only adds extra stress.

Knowing how, when, and which data can be restored in the event of a data disaster is critical information for any business. That alone is enough reason to conduct a data recovery audit to confirm the viability of your plan; however, there are other benefits. Here’s how you can use a backup and recovery audit to inform your business strategy.

>>Is your data recovery plan ready to withstand Mother Nature? Find out.

Re-evaluate and Re-Prioritize IT Budgets

As your business evolves, so should your data protection plan. Budgetary allocations often don’t consider changing needs or emerging (and better) technologies, especially in the case of data storage and security.

A backup and recovery audit provides ‘proof points’ to help drive budget changes or reallocations to keep pace with cybersecurity and right-size your data backup and DR initiatives.

IT executives need to consider two important factors when allocating resources for DR: compliance requirements and the cost of downtime. Many organizations’ backup and DR needs are driven in part by their industry compliance requirements. This is especially true for financial institutions, government, and healthcare entities who must adhere to standards like FDIC, SSAE, HIPAA, and GDPR. As these standards evolve, organizations must review and enhance their DR capabilities to keep pace.

To determine the appropriate backup and disaster recovery investments, organizations should first calculate their specific downtime costs. These include lost revenues and productivity, recovery expenses, and intangibles (e.g., lost future business, damage to reputation).

Downtime costs add up quickly, especially in the face of a natural disaster. For example, Hurricane Rita resulted in 384 hours of power outages, and Hurricane Sandy caused 337 hours. According to a 2021 survey by ITIC, 44% of enterprises say downtime costs can exceed $1 million per hour.

Armed with the backup and recovery audit findings, a summary of compliance requirements, and an understanding of downtime costs, business leaders can make informed decisions about resource allocation to address data backup requirements.

>>Schedule your third-party data protection audit with Path Forward IT, no strings attached.

Optimize Network Infrastructure and Performance

A backup and recovery audit does more than uncover misalignments between your business-driven backup and recovery requirements and your existing DR plan. It also helps identify and resolve network infrastructure and performance issues that prevent your backup and DR plan from working properly.

Frequent backups drive significant network traffic, and the strain on legacy networks may impact the performance of other critical applications. If the audit identifies network performance issues, it allows the IT department to see any vulnerabilities in traffic flow, areas to improve network performance, and key components of backup and recovery plans. Executing audit recommendations will lead to smoother day-to-day operations and greater productivity for the IT department and the entire company.

>>Learn more about what is covered in a backup and recovery audit.

Internal Versus Third-Party Audits

After understanding the value of a data recovery audit, the next step is to ensure the quality of the audit. Engaging a third-party vendor is almost always the best option. For the same reasons accountants trust a third-party auditor to confirm a company’s financials, IT teams benefit from an outsider perspective to take a fresh look and validate its data protection strategy.

The audit’s goal is not to ‘call out’ the internal IT team or their hard work. A third party brings an outsider perspective, the benefits of having conducted hundreds of previous audits, and the ability to work with the internal team to ensure the business data recovery plan will perform as expected.

Contact Path Forward IT to schedule your data audit today and learn how our DR experts can give you crucial insights into your business continuity plan.

4 minutes read

Each year in October, security professionals, educators, computer enthusiasts and others support Cybersecurity Awareness Month—co-led by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA)—by raising awareness about the importance of cybersecurity. Weekly themes give businesses and organizations an opportunity to geek out, err, explain concepts like the layered security model, phishing scams, ransomware, the importance of data backups and so much more. The theme for the final week in October 2021 is cybersecurity first.

It’s Not What You Think

When we talk about, “cybersecurity first,” most think it means cyber threat preparedness, awareness, prioritization or some variation of that (and a cybersecurity-first mindset will definitely get you further down the secured technology road than the set-it-and-forget-it crowd.) But what we’re really talking about is much more foundational to ensuring we can continue to address complex cybersecurity challenges today and well into the future. We’re referring to cyber literacy—a baseline cyber proficiency that doesn’t really exist among non-cyber professionals but should.

We take a collective run at educating businesses and consumers about evolving cyber threats, rapidly-expanding technologies, and the seriousness of our growing dependency upon them as mission-critical functions are increasingly connected to global networks. There’s much to learn and do to adjust our current technical and operational environments to accommodate our changing physical ones.

Fundamentally Secure

Faced with addressing the challenge of safeguarding the work-anywhere remote workforce has caused security professionals to rethink IT fundamentals, noting blind spots, lack of visibility, legacy system vulnerabilities and outdated security strategies. While there isn’t a single technology that will stop every threat, you can, and should, make it as difficult as possible for attackers to penetrate your environment. An attacker may be targeting multiple victims simultaneously to locate the most easily accessible opportunities so, the more barriers in his path, the more likely he may decide it takes too much effort to infiltrate your organization.

A First Line of Defense

A next-gen firewall (NGFW) is a fundamental, and indispensable, frontline defense that sets up a perimeter against harmful network traffic. A NG firewall combines a traditional firewall with other network device filtering functions, such as an application firewall, using in-line deep packet inspection (DPI), that goes beyond simple port and protocol inspection by inspecting data carried in network packets.

With Big Data driving more efficient operations, innovation, and customer insights, enterprise cloud-based storage is now a necessity instead of an option. A vast majority of enterprise firewalls don’t protect cloud storage systems, as it’s not part of the internal network. But the Palo Alto Networks firewall creates a virtualized network that also includes cloud storage, using site-to-site VPN tunnels, to ensure reliable protection of sensitive data  stored in the cloud. Palo Alto Networks is a preferred vendor for smaller enterprises for this very reason—it’s an ideal firewall for protecting networks using cloud-based file-sharing services like Apple iCloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox.

Part of a Greater Plan

Though a NG firewall can’t provide 100% protection, it is an important part of the network security mix. Multiple IT teams count on the firewall to enable them to do their jobs effectively and efficiently, for varied reasons:

1. Networking teams prioritize hassle-free integration with existing architecture, ease of deployment and use, and network performance and uptime.
2. Security teams focus on seamless integration with security controls, better overall security, and threat prevention.
3. Security operations teams work best with single-pane management and automation for security features and capabilities.
4. Data center teams need automated features and capabilities, segmentation of hybrid cloud environments, scalability to meet changing needs, and single-pane management.
5. Application teams value simple, fast, and secure application development and deployment.

Next-Level Integrations

Blumira’s modern cloud Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) platform integrates with Palo Alto Network’s next-gen firewalls to detect cybersecurity threats, automating actionable alerts to remediate when a threat is detected. When Blumira’s dynamic blocklist capabilities are configured to work with Palo Alto Network firewalls, Blumira provides automated blocking of known threats, automatically adding new block rules when threats are detected.

Worth the Risk?

With so much media attention on cyber exploits, it’s easy to question whether the rewards of technological advancements outweigh the risks. Cybersecurity as a priority continues to be compared and weighed against competing business interests and is often deprioritized as a nice-to-have.

When we consider lifestyle-defining technologies like alternating current, semiconductors, logistics systems, automation, fiber optics, telecommunications,  and more—that have resulted in modern marvels like medical centers, manufacturing, transportation systems, Apollo guidance computers… we have to wonder if we’d be where we are if creators had thought of protecting their inventions as a cost center versus an investment. Logic says, risk should naturally accompany innovation, but should there be a question about protecting what’s already been created?

It really comes down to the value you place on what you seek to protect.

Let Path Forward IT help optimize your firewall management to protect valuable data and assets by:

• Segmenting your network to ease Big Data monitoring; boost performance; localize technical issues and—most importantly—enhance security
• Upgrading your legacy firewall to ensure sensitive data protection in cloud storage too
• Right-sizing your next-gen firewall solution to best fit your business needs
• Auditing your unique environment and deploying the IT assets that will up-level your perimeter protection and improve overall security posture

Let us help you identify the key security priorities for your unique business.

Resources

What’s Your Perimeter? Network, Identity, or Endpoint?, CISO Mag

VMware Global Security Insights Report

Partner Perspectives: Disrupt Advanced Threats with Blumira + Carbon Black

Cloud SIEM for Palo Alto Next-Gen Firewalls

5 Critical Mistakes When Evaluating a Next Generation Firewall

Operating in the Dark: Cyber Decision-Making from First Principles, Journal of Information Warfare

The Information Security Practice Principles, IU Center for Applied Cybersecurity Research

4 minutes read

In early 2021, a cyber-attack was made on a water treatment facility in Oldsmar, Florida. The hacker infiltrated its computer systems and changed settings, increasing the volume of sodium hydroxide, slated to enter the water supply, to an excessive amount. A single, vigilant employee managed to catch the issue before it could do damage.

With all the knowledge and information available today to thwart cyber threats, why does this keep happening to fundamental human lifelines like utilities, healthcare, finance and business?

Is the adoption of new technologies not keeping pace with advanced threats? Are poor access controls, legacy systems, remote access, ransomware and insider threats to blame? Or are businesses just understaffed, under-resourced, and plain overwhelmed by what digital acceleration means for them right now and in the future? The answer for most is likely, D: All of the above.

The Age of Acceleration

The events shaping the past couple of years could easily define the time period as, “The Age of Disruption”, with the Covid-19 pandemic flipping everything about how businesses and communities engage on its head. But one theme that is consistent throughout is acceleration. We are all reimagining, transforming, adopting, adapting and repositioning in some way to engage and connect with others in new and different ways. And, if you—a corporation, small business owner, hardworking citizen, or contributing member of society—are doing that, unfortunately, so are cyber criminals.

You probably don’t typically spend a great deal of time thinking like a hacker. But, under the circumstances, it might be a helpful exercise to do so. What circumstances, you ask? For one, what does disruption or accelerated change mean to a hacker? Again, unfortunately, not much. Stealthy cyber criminals operate flexibly to be in position to exploit windows of opportunity. You probably see where this is going. Not only are we not on an even playing field, but we also don’t have the advantage. Cyber criminals are capitalizing on the transition to remote work, the scramble for businesses to adopt new operating models, and the vulnerability of unsecured or under-secured legacy systems, and there’s more to come.

Digital Accelerants

There’s more pressure than ever before to protect networks as the channel for conducting business in today’s global marketplace. Protecting the network from threats and vulnerabilities can be daunting under normal circumstances but, there are currently several technology disrupters driving digital acceleration that will impact the future of networks. These include AI, machine learning, Big Data and analytics, and 5G. Some are new, some are not, but all are interdependent and add complexity to existing IT systems.

“While digital technologies have been developing for many years, in the last decade their cumulative impacts have become so deep, wide-ranging and fast-changing as to herald the dawn of a new age. The cost of massive computing power has fallen. Billions of people and devices have come online. Digital content now crosses borders in vast volumes, with constant shifts in what is produced and how and where it is used.”—Digital Cooperation Report for the Web

The Evolution of Ransomware

Unassuming ransomware. It targets files in a slow-moving progression, zapping users’ access by restricting files and/or access at the system level. In 2020, research showed a 7-fold increase in ransomware attacks, as compared to 2019. That might not be as concerning if ransomware hadn’t also evolved. The ransomware families that appeared popular in 2019 are no longer as popular now. New ransomware families dominate the scene, and they no longer target individuals, but companies.

The many ways ransomware can spread infection today is quite varied and comprehensive. It might surprise you, the breadth of damage that can be done via an attack on mobile devices, Wifi networks, cloud storage, external hard drives, unpatched operating systems, and backups (yes, even your backups can be hacked). Ransomware can reside in a variety of applications, ranging from Skype to the Google Play Store, and gain systems entry through suspicious emails and fake desktop updates. Once downloaded, malware can hide in modified Windows registry keys, temporary folders, Microsoft Word files and elsewhere. It can even encrypt encrypted files at the device and file levels and hold them hostage for ransom, hence the name.

Ransomware begins simply enough, but like slow-growing cancer, your infected network then metastasizes and progresses to impacting your customers, service providers, utilities, all the way down to employees. So, how do you protect critical information assets traveling across your network?

Don’t Open the Door

Similar to how employee security awareness training helps close the door on social engineering and phishing attacks, application execution control closes the door on unknown threats, like ransomware and malware, while permissions settings “allow” trusted software to run within the IT infrastructure. Application allow-listing (formerly known as whitelisting) technology solutions, such as those offered by cybersecurity leader, ThreatLocker, simplify deployment with semi-automated options that ease the burden of manually building an allow-list.

Read more: 5 Tips for Protecting Data.

The Era of Managing Everything In-House Is Over (at least, for now)

Ransomware is on the rise because it’s underestimated and easy to deploy to vulnerable targets. During a time of unprecedented technological acceleration and economic and societal change, companies don’t have to be unwitting victims.

Right now, while cyber enemies are on the increase, cybersecurity roles are the hardest to fill. There’s something really wrong with that order that will, hopefully, resolve itself over the course of time. But you don’t have to wait till then to get the technical help you need. Whether you have an IT resource, an internal team, or no cybersecurity support at all, MSP, Path Forward IT can be the security partner who helps you confidently establish and implement your allow-listing strategy.

A few other ways Path Forward IT can support you and keep your network safe include:

• Administer security awareness training to your employees, including mock phishing attacks
• Conduct an audit to review your protection, hardware, and security configurations
• Collaborate on policies development, ensuring compliance with HIPAA, NIST, and other industry regulations
• Assure your network security through managed cloud services, including proactive 24/7/365 monitoring, updates, and patching, as well as immediate response in the event of a security breach

To learn more, request a consultation with Path Forward IT.

Resources

IT auditing and controls: A look at application controls, Infosec Institute

Visibility and Control at the Application Layer, ThreatLocker

NIST Guide to Application Whitelisting

The Ransomware Landscape of 2021, Brilliance Security Magazine

What you need to know about ransomware, CyberTalk.org

WannaCry Ransomware Attack, Wikipedia

MalwareTech, WannaCry and Kronos – Understanding the Connections, Tripwire

13 most difficult-to-fill IT jobs, CIO Magazine

3 minutes read

With burgeoning hybrid work environments, companies and their employees are more susceptible than ever to phishing attacks and social engineering. Cybercriminals are becoming increasingly more adept at changing tactics to exploit new vulnerabilities. As phishing attempts get more creative and difficult to discern, “new-school” employee training and access controls are a must.

Jumping Phish Ponds

Most of us have heard of phishing or even taken a cybersecurity compliance training that touched upon the threat. We know emails that seem “off” somehow are suspect—an invitation to click on a link from a stranger or a weird request from a usually trustworthy source. Social engineering like this is a cybercriminal’s attempt to manipulate, influence or deceive a target into taking some action that isn’t in their own best interest or in the best interest of the organization.

Phishing scams these days have changed in nature due to a variety of recent developments. During 2020, COVID-19, shelter-in-place and social distancing orders forced many companies to quickly adapt to changing environments and technology. Under these conditions, it wasn’t always possible for network access and privilege escalation to be fully monitored. Misconfigured databases and services were the leading cause behind all-time-high numbers of exposed records in enterprise security breaches. As more automation tools are being implemented on company networks to streamline new operational models, the ability to keep track of who has access to different points on the network, and what type of access they have, is becoming more complex to manage.

New Phish

These recent changes are driving bad actors away from “net” phishing and toward spear phishing (targeting specific groups and individuals.) The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received a record number of complaints from American citizens in 2020. Phishing—including vishing (voice phishing over the phone), SMiShing (text message phishing), whaling (targeting high-profile employees and C-level executives) and pharming (emails with links that redirect to fake websites)—was the most prevalent threat in the US in 2020, with 241,342 victims. This resulted in non-payment/non-delivery (108,869 victims), extortion (76,741 victims), personal data loss (45,330 victims) and identity theft (43,330 victims).

Phishing Victim Impacts

Link manipulation, fake trial offers, advance-fee loans, and job scams continue to be lucrative phishing methods for threat actors. The consequences, however, are high for victims. Here are some numbers shared by Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery MSP, PathForward IT:

• ~85% of security breaches start with phishing
• 86% of organizations had at least one user try to connect to a phishing site
• 53% of successful cyber-attacks infiltrate organizations without being detected
• 91% of all cyber-attack incidents didn’t generate an alert
• 70+ days: Length of time intruders typically go undetected
• 6–12 months: Estimated time to investigate and remediate a security breach
• 3–15 days: Average downtime, interruption to business continuity
• $1M–$3M: Financial impact of a successful attack
• Regulatory, civil, and criminal impacts: Fines, restitution, penalties to contracted partners, and brand reputation damage

Defending Against Phishers

Recognizing and stopping phishing attacks in advance of a data breach or ransomware is your best defense. The following are recommended mitigations that can help prepare and protect your organization:

POLICIES AWARENESS: The greatest threat to your organization’s cybersecurity strength is, unfortunately, also its greatest asset. Even if unintentional, employee carelessness, mistakes, unreported data exposures and other risky behaviors can provide easy entry points for bad actors. Raising awareness about policies that defend against security threats arm your employees with knowledge that can protect them in the workplace and also in their home offices. Here is just a short list of examples your policies should address:

• Verify financial-related request with a live phone conversation before responding
• Avoid clicking links from unknown senders, suspicious-looking or unverified emails asking for payment or banking information
• Never put financial account information in an email, text or other digital communication unless it’s encrypted
• Never use public WiFi to access your company email, financial institutions or any sensitive data

TRAINING: Providing training to your employees improves their ability to recognize threats and reduces the chance of successful phishing attempts. As cyberattack trends change, ongoing, updated training lessens your organization’s exposure and ensures new attack methods don’t catch your employees unaware. Path Forward IT training and documentation programs leverage best-in-class training tools from preferred vendor, KnowBe4, to help your team correctly utilize your technology’s full features and capabilities while meeting regulatory training requirements. Security Awareness Training, Anti-Phishing Training, and simulated phishing attacks can all help your employees gain real-world experience on how to address threats.

ACCESS CONTROLS: When new employees are hired, network access should be granted on a least-privilege scale. Periodic review of network access for all employees can significantly reduce the risk of compromise of vulnerable and/or weak spots within the network. Actively scanning and monitoring for unauthorized access or modifications can help detect a possible compromise in order to prevent or minimize the loss of data.

To learn more, request a consultation with Path Forward IT.

Resources

Internet Crime Complaint Center

50 Phishing Stats You Should Know In 2021

Cyber Criminals Exploit Network Access and Privilege Escalation

The Pandemic Struck, and Cybercriminals Went to Work

Report: 2021 Phishing By Industry Benchmarking

2021 Cybersecurity Threat Trends

Mandiant Security Effectiveness Report: DEEP DIVE INTO CYBER REALITY