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Data Net has been serving the California area since 1983, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support, and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.

5 Things to Consider When Planning Cybersecurity Training

5 Things to Consider When Planning Cybersecurity Training

One of the most effective ways to reduce cyber risks is through comprehensive employee cybersecurity training. You protect your organization by ensuring that your workforce has the knowledge and skills needed to identify and thwart potential threats. Here are five essential considerations for implementing successful employee cybersecurity training programs.

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How to Avoid Amazon Scammers

How to Avoid Amazon Scammers

Scams using online retail giant Amazon have become more frequent around the holidays as online purchases tick up. Most of these scams come in the way of impersonation scams. With the holidays upon us, we thought we’d go through what kind of Amazon scams you should look for and how to avoid being a victim.

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Four Tips to Help You Avoid Amazon Scams

Four Tips to Help You Avoid Amazon Scams

With the holiday season upon us and online shopping surging, instances of scams targeting the popular e-commerce platform Amazon have become increasingly common. The majority of these scams involve impersonation tactics, posing a significant threat to unsuspecting users. With the festive season underway, it's crucial to be aware of the types of Amazon scams prevalent and take measures to avoid falling victim to them.

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Use this Cyberthreat Checklist to Adjust Your Security Infrastructure

Use this Cyberthreat Checklist to Adjust Your Security Infrastructure

Cyberattacks are horrifically dangerous to any business, especially for small ones that might not have the resources to protect themselves with top-dollar solutions or preventative solutions to bounce back afterward. Today, we want to explore what really causes cyberattacks and how even slight changes to behaviors and situations can be indicative of danger.

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A “Free” Covid Vaccine can give you a virus (and infect your IT network)

A-Free-Covid-Vaccine-can-give-you-a-virus

With the pandemic still raging in most parts of the world, cybercriminals have come up with yet another novel technique to lure unsuspecting victims and steal their data--the free Covid-19Vaccine scam. This is how it typically works.

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Ransomware vs. other malware attacks

Ransomware-vs.-other-malware-attacks

There is no end to the volume and type of malware out there in cyberspace. For a very long time, organizations were aware that viruses could attack their data, render it corrupted and unusable. They were also aware that malware was used to steal data and use it for–primarily–monetary gain. Sell off banks of credit card numbers, steal identities, re-sell Social Security numbers, etc.

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Password Management Tools: An overview

Password-Management-Tools-An-overview

Effective password management is an essential aspect of cybersecurity. With the increasing number of online accounts and services, remembering all those passwords can be a daunting task. Password management tools provide an effective solution to this problem. This blog discusses the benefits of using password management tools and some password management best practices to be followed.

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4 Ways to Detect a Phishing Attack

4 Ways to Detect a Phishing Attack

A modern network, when properly configured and protected with modern cybersecurity tools, can be extremely secure. Since that’s been the trend for some organizations over the years, hackers have been looking for ways around the security many businesses have in place. If hackers can’t break in through normal means, they will turn to other, more insidious methods, like phishing attacks, to get what they are after.

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Email safety: Firewalls and antivirus are great, but what about your employees

Email-safety-Firewalls-and-antivirus-are-great-but-what-about-your-employees

The Verizon Data Breach Investigations report states that emails are the primary source of two-thirds of malware. Email is an easy target simply because there is more human touch involved in the case of emails. There’s always a stray chance that someone will end up clicking on a phishing link or downloading the wrong attachment or simply including sensitive, confidential information in an unencrypted email. The first step to securing your email systems is training your employees. Train your employees to identify harmful email messages and to be aware of your firm’s IT protocols and rules. There are 4 major ways in which your employees may end up compromising your email security. These are

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7 Cybersecurity basics to never forget

7 Cybersecurity basics to never forget

No matter how much people hear “data safety,” they still can get sloppy about their cybersecurity. One of the reasons is that there are so many constant reminders that the warnings just become that much more background noise. Today, let's do a quick review of the ones you hear most about ( and most likely to forget about) Passwords.

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Open sesame! Life is not a fairy tale…your passwords need to be stronger than that

Open-sesame-Life-is-not-a-fairy-taleyour-passwords-need-to-be-stronger-than-that

You will agree that having passwords to access your IT devices, networks and data is the first step to securing your business data. However, having passwords is not enough. The passwords have to be strong and difficult to detect or hack into. A lot of ‘smart’ devices today such as phones, tablets, and laptops come with facial recognition and fingerprint sensors that can be used in lieu of passwords. But what happens when you don’t have biometric security measures? You need to ensure that your passwords are strong and also maintain good password hygiene.

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What is the Difference Between a Security Breach and a Data Breach?

What is the Difference Between a Security Breach and a Data Breach?

In our blog, we talk about security and data breaches all the time. We tell you how you can take efforts to avoid them and how to prepare your organization for the inevitability of being exposed to them. With all that security talk, we should briefly describe the difference between a security breach and a data breach, because they are two different things that get lumped together quite a bit.

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Employee training & Cybersecurity

Employee training Cybersecurity

Employee training will form a big part of the cybersecurity initiative that you will take on as an organization. You need to train your employees to identify and respond correctly to cyberthreats. Here are some employee training best practices that you can make a part of your cybersecurity training program.

Create an IT policy handbook
Make sure you have a handbook of your IT policy that you share with every new employee, regardless of their position in the company. This IT policy handbook must be provided to everyone--right from the CEO to the newest intern in your organization. Also, ensure this handbook is consistently updated. IT is evolving at great speed and your handbook must keep up

Make cybersecurity training a part of your official training initiatives
Cybersecurity training should be a part of your corporate training initiatives for all new employees. You can also conduct refresher sessions once in a while to ensure your existing employees are up-to-date on the latest cyberthreats. At the end of the training session, conduct tests, mock drills, certification exams. Good training includes assessment. Provide follow up training for those who need it. This strong emphasis on training will ensure your employees take cybersecurity seriously.

Day zero alerts
As discussed, the cybercrime landscape is constantly evolving. Every day, cybercriminals are finding new vulnerabilities to exploit, and new methods to steal your data or to hack into your system. Day zero alerts are a great way to keep your employees updated. Has a new security threat been discovered or has an important plug-in released for the optimal functioning of a browser? Send an email to everyone spelling out clearly what the threat is and what they can do to mitigate it. Then, follow up to verify they took the necessary steps.


Transparency


Let your employees know who to contact in the event of any IT related challenges. This is important because someone troubleshooting on the internet for a solution to something as simple as a zipping up a file could end up downloading malware accidentally.

Considering the serious ramifications brought on by cybercrime attacks, it makes sense for organizations to strengthen their first line of defense against cybercriminals--their own employees.

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Strengthening your cybersecurity policies

Strengthening your cybersecurity policies
Formulating strong IT policies and laying down the best practices for your staff to follow is one of the best ways to prevent your business from becoming a victim of cybercrime. In this blog, we explore the various areas your IT policy should ideally cover.


Passwords: Your IT policy should cover

  1. Rules regarding password setting
  2. Password best practices
  3. The implications of password sharing
  4. Corrective actions that will be taken in the event the password policy is not followed


Personal devices

  1. Rules regarding the usage of personal devices at work or for work purposes. Answer questions like

    a. Are all employees allowed to use personal devices for work or do you want to limit it to those handling lesser sensitive data, or to those at higher in the corporate hierarchy as you assume they will need to be available 24/7? Regardless, you should spell out the regulations that they must follow. For example, requiring a weekly or monthly check for malware and updates to anti-malware software, etc., If only certain kinds of devices, software, or operating systems may be approved as they are presumed to be more secure, then that should be addressed in the policy


  2. Discuss best practices and educate your employees on the risks related to connecting to open internet connections (Free WiFi) such as the ones offered at malls or airports.


Cybersecurity measures

Document the cybersecurity measures that you have in place for your business. This should include your digital measures such as the software you have deployed to keep malware out--like anti-virus tools, firewalls, etc., and also the physical measures such as CCTV systems, biometric access controls, etc.,
Another example of a good practice is how you handle employee turnover. When someone quits your organization or has changed positions, how is the access issue addressed? Spell out the rules and regulations regarding the removal of a user from the network, changing passwords, limiting access, etc.

 

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Why do you need a top-down approach to IT security?

Why do you need a top down approach to IT securityFor any organization, its employees are its biggest assets. But, what happens when your biggest assets turn out to be your greatest threats or liabilities? That is how cybercrime can change the game. In a recent study, it came to light that employee actions account for about 70% of the data breaches that happen. This blog focuses on the first step you need to take as an organization to better prepare your employees to identify and mitigate cyber threats--adopting a top-down approach to IT security.

Being a victim of cyber-attack can prove disastrous for your business as it has the following repercussions.


  • Affects your brand image negatively:  Business disruption due to downtime or having your important business data including customer and vendor details stolen reflects poorly on your brand.
  • It can cause you to lose customers:  Your customers may take their business elsewhere as they may not feel safe sharing their PII with you.

  • Can cost you quite a bit financially:  Data breach makes you liable to follow certain disclosure requirements mandated by the law. These most likely require you to make announcements on popular media, which can prove expensive. Plus, you will also have to invest in positive PR to boost your brand value.

  • It makes you vulnerable to lawsuits:  You could be sued by customers whose Personally Identifiable Information (PII) has been compromised or stolen.


The organizational mindset needs to change and acknowledge the fact that IT security is not ONLY your IT department, CTO or Managed Service Provider’s (MSP) responsibility. You need to truly believe that IT security is everyone’s business, and that includes everybody working in your company, from the C-level execs to the newly hired intern. Everybody needs to understand the gravity of a cyberattack and its impact. Only then will they take cybersecurity seriously.

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The Threat Landscape and What You Can Do to Navigate It

The Threat Landscape and What You Can Do to Navigate It

Cybercrime is up, way up. This is problematic for businesses in general, but can be a really serious issue for those companies that don’t have security measures in place that can thwart potential attacks. Today, we’ll talk briefly about how big of a problem cybercrime is and some steps your business can take to keep from becoming a statistic. 

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Security Issues You Can Run Into On Your Mobile Device

Security Issues You Can Run Into On Your Mobile Device

When it comes to mobile devices, you have a fine line to tread with security. On one hand, you want to make sure your devices are protected properly from all manners of threats. On the other, you need to balance this with productivity, and ensuring that your employees don’t feel overly restricted by your policies. To help you implement appropriate mobile device security practices, we’ve put together three of the top issues you should plan for and how you can address them.

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How to Get Your Employees to Engage in Cybersecurity

How to Get Your Employees to Engage in Cybersecurity

Millions of people find themselves sitting in front of a computer moving files around and corresponding with people over the phone, through email, or updating info in the company’s line of business app. What many of them don’t know, however, is that, at any time, they are only a couple of clicks away from causing major problems for their company. Therefore, it is extremely important to train your staff on what to look for and how to address those situations when they do arise.

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Cybercrime is Worse Than You Think

Cybercrime is Worse Than You Think

Cybercrime is often thought of as a loner’s game. There is this misconception that all hacks are carried out by hoodie-clad people in dark corners of a room. Nothing could be further from the truth. Today, we will take a brief look at organized cybercrime and why its growth is an ominous sign for businesses.

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Can Zero-Day Threats Actually Make Chrome More Secure?

Can Zero-Day Threats Actually Make Chrome More Secure?

Google Chrome is a widely used and popular web browser, and because of its popularity, it is a common target for hackers. A recent study showcases how there are more zero-day threats being discovered for Google Chrome, but don’t despair; it might not be a bad thing for your favorite web browser. Instead, it could signify exactly the opposite.

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SAN DIEGO — Veteran-owned and operated IT service provider Data Net Solutions Group is moving its base of operations to a new location in Banker’s Hill in order to facilitate more interactive events and activities.

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