In 2006 Google CEO Eric Schmidt introduced us to the buzzword “cloud computing”, since then the number of companies moving to the cloud started to increase year by year.  With COVID-19 and many companies transitioning to a remote workforce the use of cloud solutions has exploded. 

Without even knowing, it is very likely that you already use a lot of applications running on a cloud. Take your phone storage for example, Microsoft, Google, and Apple all encourage cloud-based storage for photos, contacts, apps, and files. If you use any Adobe software, calendar app or email provider like Gmail, Yahoo etc. all are operating on a cloud system. 

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud Computing is the use of hardware and software over a network (typically the Internet) to store and access data instead of your computer's hard drive. 

So you are wondering why is everyone making the move?

1. Reduced Operating Costs

Utilizing the power of the cloud offers a great amount of benefits for all types of businesses from small to big. Without the need to purchase expensive equipment and build out data centers the saved costs for hardware, facilities, utilities, on site IT staff and all other expenses required from traditional computing is immense. 

2. Flexibility

In addition to the saved expenses on traditional computing most cloud computing programs and applications use a subscription-based model. This allows businesses to scale up or down according to their needs and budget. 

3. Increased mobility and efficiency

Cloud-based workflow and file-sharing applications give dispersed teams of people the ability to become more efficient and work together from anywhere. Businesses that make use of the cloud can provide staff with options to work on the go or at home, from their desktops, laptops, smartphones and tablets. 

4. Disaster Recovery

One of the biggest advantages of cloud computing is that the constant worry about losing valuable data to a natural disaster or hardware failure becomes a thought of the past. 

All your data is readily available and can be restored on any device any time and from anywhere. 

The Downside 

There is however a catch. Malware propagation is a prominent threat in SaaS (Software as a Service) applications. With SaaS applications essentially being storage clouds, they become an effective distribution medium for malware.  In a recent survey, Bitglass found that 44% of scanned organizations had some form of malware in at least one of their cloud applications. 

This makes it vital to have a Service provider that has proper security and backup measures in place to protect your data. 

An experienced managed service provider can help you find the right solution that suits your business needs and ease the process of migration. 

You ask yourself why you are still running your own server infrastructure and finally want to take advantage of all the benefits the cloud can offer your business? 

Find out here how we can help you and your business save costs and make the move to more flexibility, efficiency and security. 

What is Ransomware?

Ransomware is a type of malware Hackers use to infect computers and threaten to publish data or block access to it until ransom is paid. While some simple ransomware may lock the system in a way which is not difficult for a knowledgeable person to reverse, more advanced malware uses a technique called crypto viral extortion, in which it encrypts the victim's files, making them inaccessible, and demands a ransom payment to decrypt them

After the initial infection, ransomware will attempt to spread to connected systems, including shared storage drives and other accessible computers.

If the threat actor’s ransom demands are not met the files or encrypted data will usually remain encrypted and unavailable to the victim. Even after a ransom has been paid to unlock encrypted files, threat actors will sometimes demand additional payments, delete a victim’s data, refuse to decrypt the data, or decline to provide a working decryption key to restore the victim’s access. 

How can my computer get infected?

Most commonly Ransomware is delivered through phishing emails or “drive-by-download”. Phishing emails can be very difficult to identify as some hackers invest copious amounts of time into research before deploying their attack, making the emails look like they have been sent from a legitimate organization or someone known to the victim.  The email will entice the user to click on a malicious link or open a malicious attachment.  

A “drive-by download” is a program that is automatically downloaded from the internet without the user’s consent or often without their knowledge. 

How can I protect my Data, Network and prevent ransomware infections?

1. Backup your devices on- and offsite – It is vital to make frequent backups of your system and other important files. If your computer becomes infected with ransomware, you can simply restore your system to its previous state using your backups. To ensure the safety of your data you should always choose a solution that makes use of on- and offsite storage.
2. Keep your personal information safe and use caution when opening emails and clicking on links – Never enter your personal information before checking a website’s legitimacy and security to ensure the information you submit is encrypted and only used for the described purpose. Before clicking on any links sent to you via email, always attempt to independently verify website addresses and the sender of the email (search for the organization online and take a close look at the spelling of the domain and the name of the sender). 
3. Use and maintain preventive Software programs - Maintaining a strong firewall and keeping your security software up to date is critical. It’s important to use antivirus software from a reputable company because of all the fake software out there.
4. Employ content scanning and filtering on your mail servers - All Inbound e-mails should be scanned for known threats and should block any attachment types that could pose a threat.
5. Use a VPN network to access data remotely - When you connect to a network via a VPN, the data is kept secure and encrypted. In this way your information will stay out of sight for hackers.
6. Train your employees - 65% of attacker groups used spear phishing as the primary infection vector (Symantec Internet Security Threat Report (ISTR) 2019), meaning that one of the most important factors in keeping your systems safe is providing ongoing training and keeping your staff on top of the latest trends.
7. Always update and patch all systems and software - Make sure that all systems and software are up to date with relevant patches. Exploit kits hosted on compromised websites are commonly used to spread malware. Regular patching of vulnerable software is necessary to help prevent infection.

Proactive action is your best defence against these malicious attacks. Our Team at Nortech is highly experienced and certified to handle all this and more as part of our Managed IT services.

Book a consultation with one of our Experts today and find out if your business is safe.