TechJournal, December 2020
What's New
There is a crises brewing and no I’m not referring to the pandemic. I’m talking about the security crises as cyber criminals get more brazen and take advantage of people looking for help, direction or just wanting to help others in need.
I recently did a video that you can see that talks about security approach and how it is becoming a priority in small/medium business space. The video is at pcsn.lll-ll.com/?i=1352663 or you can go to our website and visit Nadeem’s blog.
December 2020
This monthly publication provided courtesy of Nadeem Azhar, Owner of PC.Solutions.Net
Our Mission: To build a community of successful-minded entrepreneurs that inspires excellence, encourages collaboration and expands the capacity of all members to achieve great things.
4 Critical Cyber Security Protections EVERY Business Must Have In Place NOW To Avoid Being Hacked
Did you know the average website is attacked 94 times every day? As cybercriminals become better equipped with more advanced technology, that number will increase. Small-business websites (and small businesses, in general) are the most at risk for attack. Small businesses are tempting targets because SMB websites are often a direct link to that SMB’s network, where all kinds of goodies are stored, including sensitive business and customer data.
This is data cybercriminals want.
Cybercriminals and hackers can be aggressive when it comes to attempting to access your network and data. They use malware, ransomware, phishing scams, bot attacks and even direct attacks to get to your data. If you don’t have protections in place against these kinds of incursions, you are putting your business in harm’s way.
There are many “barriers” you can put between your business and the bad guys, but there are four things you can do (and should do) right now to put yourself ahead of the curve. These will protect your business and protect your data.
1. Create A Culture Of Awareness. Education is a powerful tool, and that is 100% true when it comes to cyber security. There are several steps you can take to create a culture of awareness. This includes employee cyber security training, along with ongoing education that keeps everyone in your organization informed about the latest threats and the latest ways to combat those threats.
Training helps your team identify threats and recognize when someone is trying to break into your network (such as through a phishing scam). Because cyber threats are constantly evolving, ongoing education will keep these threats top of
mind, so as the threats change, your team is right there on the frontlines ready to take on whatever may be around the corner.
2. Monitor Threats 24/7. This is where partnering with an experienced IT services firm really comes in handy. Coming back to point #1, an IT services company can help you create that culture of awareness, but more than that, they can keep two eyes on your network 24/7. This way, if something or someone attempts to force their way into your network, they can stop it before it becomes a problem.
Even better, threat monitoring helps protect your team from more common types of attacks, such as malware or ransomware attacks. Should an employee accidentally click a harmful link or download a malicious program, it can be isolated before it takes hold and spreads.
3. Make Sure Protections Are Up-To-Date. Practically every piece of hardware and software you use needs to be updated at some point. When you don’t update, you put yourself at serious risk. Hackers are constantly looking for vulnerabilities in the apps and devices you use. CRM software is a good example. This software connects your business with customers, and it can be used to store all kinds of information, from very basic contact information to very sensitive customer-specific data.
"You should have an IT handbook – a plan that spells out every detail of your IT protocol and cyber security strategies.”
Should a vulnerability be found, hackers won’t waste any time attempting to exploit it. In response, the makers of that CRM software should send out a security patch. If you do not make the update (or have the update automatically installed), your risk increases significantly.
Again, working with an IT services firm or a managed services provider can help you address this minor – but very important – step. They can ensure everything under your roof is up-to-date and that you have all the latest protections.
4. Have A Plan. Every single person on your team should be on the same page. They should all change their passwords every 60–90 days. They should all be required to use secure passwords. They should know how to identify potential phishing scams. They should know who to call if the network or their devices go down for any reason. You should know exactly what to do if your on-site data becomes compromised in any way, whether it’s due to malware, a natural disaster (flooding, fire, etc.) or hardware failure.
In short, you should have an IT handbook – a plan that spells out every detail of your IT protocol and cyber security strategies. This goes hand in hand with the three points we’ve already discussed: awareness, threat monitoring and keeping hardware and software updated. When you have a plan, you know exactly what to do when threats come your way. You’re ready and aware.
Cyber threats are always going to be out there. There isn’t anything you can do about that. But there are things you can do for yourself and your business to prepare for those threats. Put these four points into action, work with an IT services provider and give yourself the advantage over those who want to take advantage.
Help Us Out And We’ll Give You A Brand-New
Kindle Fire For Your Trouble
We love having you as a client and, quite honestly, wish we had more like you! So instead of just wishing, we’ve decided to hold a special “refer a friend” event during the month of December.
Simply refer any company with 20 or more computers to our office to receive a FREE computer network assessment (a $597 value). Once we’ve completed our initial appointment with your referral, we’ll rush YOU a free Kindle Fire of your choice as a thank-you (or donate $100 to your favorite charity … your choice!).
Simply call us at 281-402-2620 or e-mail us at
referral@pcsn.net with your referral’s name and contact information today!
Stay Safe!
First of all, if I don’t talk to you, Merry Christmas and hope everyone has very happy holidays. More importantly, I hope everyone stays safe.
Remember we only have each other and we are on this planet for such a small amount of time so lets make it count!
Like I tell everyone, customers or not, if you need help with anything feel free to reach out. Don’t worry about the costs or expenses right now, we have the resources and are willing to help anyone in need.
We have some awesome plans for 2021 and beyond but none of this would be possible without all of you! Even if we’ve only talked for a brief moment, you have left a mark and I will make it a priority to reach out and get to know as many of you as possible.
I sincerely hope everyone success and good health.
Make it a great day!
The 2 Secrets To World-Class Service – It’s Not What You Think
Nick Stoyer, Learning and Development Leader at Four Seasons Resort Orlando, revealed some secrets to world-class service. Nick was generous enough to stop off at our summit to share some secrets to success, and he and his firm agreed to allow us to share them with you.
How does the Four Seasons deliver world-class service across the globe? That was the central question. Below are some excerpts from the conversation. I hope you find the insights as powerful and as useful as we did.
Geoff: Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is known as the gold standard for service worldwide. It has achieved more Forbes five-star ratings than any other hotel and resort brand in the world, among a long list of “best of” awards. The experience is unique, and it’s consistently awesome. Any company in any industry can benefit from learning from your example. The question is, “How do you do that?”
Nick: Long before it was fashionable for CEOs to talk about doing good in the world and treating “stakeholders” (also known as “people”) well, Four Seasons was practicing the Golden Rule: to treat others as you wish to be treated. Our founder, Issy Sharp, son of Polish immigrants, started Four Seasons in 1961 in Toronto. It seemed to him that if you wanted to build the best hospitality company in the world, you had to treat your colleagues and guests the best.
Geoff: Easier said than done.
Nick: For us, it’s all about the people we hire, the way we develop them and the culture we build together. That’s what we focus on in order to give
our guests the best possible experience. One of our guests said that she defines luxury as “the absence of worry.” We thought it was brilliant, and we rolled it out as our definition of luxury. So, we need to hire the best people, develop them and give them a culture of support (alleviating them of worry as a team member), so they can do their best to free our guests from worry.
Geoff: Beyond developing and coaching people, what’s the culture like at Four Seasons?
Nick: It’s very positive, even in failure. We have this saying: “You either win or you learn something.” Everything we do, we try to make it as fun and engaging as it can be. We innovate constantly. We are building micro-videos of best practices. We constantly huddle and talk about if a guest or a colleague needs something special. That’s the culture. It’s one of overwhelming support and encouragement. This permits our folks to really focus on the guests, observe what they need and take action.