Dark web monitoring: What you need to knowThe dark web is essentially a marketplace for cyber criminals. If your data has been compromised, the dark web is the place where it is traded. It could be sold by miscreants, to miscreants, who can later hack into your system or extort money from you to prevent a data leak and so on.What can be the implications for your organization if you are on the dark web?If your data is on the dark web, it puts your business and your customers at risk. For example, as a business, you possess a lot of the Personally Identifiable Information (PII) of your customers, which, if leaked can even shut down your business by

Attracting lawsuits that require you to shell out large sums of money in the form of fines or settlementsCausing serious damage to your brandResulting in the loss of customers and new businessWhat are dark web monitoring services?One way to mitigate the risks of the dark web is by signing up for dark web monitoring services.

As a part of the da…

The dark web: An introductionHave you come across the term, dark web, recently? As a business, you might have heard that you need to keep your data safe from the dark web. So, what is the dark web anyway? Read on to find out…What is the dark web?The cybercrime landscape is evolving fast. The “Nigerian” email scams are now old. Cybercriminals are smarter and more organized now--almost functioning like professionals. In fact, there’s a sort of a parallel universe where they all operate in a very corporate-like manner. And that parallel universe is called the Dark Web.The surface web, the deep web and the dark webEssentially, the internet can be categorized into 3 parts.

The surface web, which includes your ‘regular’ websites--the kinds that just show up on web searches. For example, you type, Dog Videos and links to a bunch of dog videos on YouTube shows up. YouTube, in this case, is an example of the surface web.The deep web, which shows up in web searches, but requires you to log in to…

5 Important IT checklists that no SMB should miss: Part-2In our last blog, we discussed 2 of the 5 important IT checklists that every SMB should have. In this post, we cover the other 3, namely, IT training, Data Backup, and BYOD checklists.IT Training checklistYour IT staff is not the only one who needs IT training. Everyone in your office does. An IT training checklist serves as a good process document for any new staff or for any staff working on new hardware or software. Following the IT training checklist can help cut down the learning curve, and ensures the hardware/software is leveraged in the best possible way, thus making your staff more efficient. Here’s what your IT training checklist can offer.

Rules and regulations regarding software and hardware useLinks to user manuals/instruction videos with how-tos for the software and hardware in useInformation about whom to contact if there’s a need for troubleshootingTraining schedules for each hardware/software, cyberthreatsInforma…

5 Important IT checklists that no SMB should miss: Part-1IT checklists are a great way to analyze, understand and take the necessary steps to meet your IT requirements. In this blog, we discuss 2 of the 5 important IT checklists--Hardware/software and Cybersecurity.

When creating a checklist for hardware/software purchase, use, and installation, answer the following questions.

How do you determine what hardware/software is needed?What about installation? Who will be doing it? Incorrect installation can end up resulting in loss of time and, in case of faulty hardware installation, it can also mess up the new hardwareWhat is the process for the procurement of new hardware and software? Do you have regular vendors who you approach or do you start looking for a suitable one once the requirement arisesEstablish a policy for operating systems, because not all hardware/software is compatible with all OS.What about updates, security patches, and upgrades? Who will be responsible for them and ho…

Know your IT risksWhether you have your in-house IT team, or have outsourced your IT needs to be taken care of by a Managed Services Provider, you need to know what are the possible risks to your business from the IT perspective. Having an IT risk checklist can help you be better prepared for an IT emergency.Getting startedIn order to assess your IT risks, you need to first know your IT landscape. Answer questions like

What role is IT going to play in the success of your businessWhat areas is IT supporting your business in, currentlyWhat new roles can you foresee for IT in improving your business efficiencyDo you have any new technology in mind that you want to implement in the next yearIf you have your in-house IT team, what kind of staff structure do you see in the next yearIf you are planning to expand your in-house IT team, how many team members will you need to bring onboard and what will be the cost associated with this decisionWould it be more effective and efficient to hire a…

What to consider when investing in cyber insuranceAs a business, you are probably aware of the term, cyber insurance. With the cybercrime rates rising consistently, cyber insurance is increasingly becoming a necessity for survival. Here are a few things to consider before you sign up with a cyber insurance service provider.Risk analysisFirst, perform an internal risk analysis. Research to understand what kind of cybercrimes are most rampant in your industry and ensure your insurance policy covers those for sure. Like we discussed before, the most basic of cyber insurance covers data breach and associated costs, but you definitely want more than just that.What is the scope of your policyBe clear about the scope of your policy before you sign the dotted line. Remember that cyber insurance functions on the same principles and policies as like any other insurance, which means there will be deductibles, waiting periods and exclusions. Be sure to ask your insurance service provider about th…