Yeo & Yeo Technology Continues as a REMC SAVE Awarded Vendor

Yeo & Yeo Technology (YYTECH) is proud to have secured another one-year contract with the Regional Educational Media Center Association of Michigan (REMC) to sell Ergotron products. The contract allows YYTECH to continue to provide competitively bid and awarded pricing to schools, local and state government entities, and teaching hospitals.

REMC SAVE works with top technology providers to procure large-volume bid prices on a variety of educational resources. By using REMC SAVE contracts, Michigan schools have saved more than $1.4 billion since 1990. YYTECH was selected to participate for the eighth consecutive year based on selection criteria such as price, product quality, customer input and satisfaction, and trained product experience.

As a REMC SAVE Awarded Vendor, YYTECH offers many ergonomic products, including:

• Kore wobble chairs and stools
• LearnFit^® sit-stand desks
• WorkFit^® desk converters
• Charging carts and cabinets

“We are excited to continue our contract with REMC SAVE, ensuring that educators, healthcare providers, and government leaders have access to cost-effective solutions that can boost productivity and well-being,” said YYTECH President Jeff McCulloch.

Are you interested in purchasing but unsure if your organization is eligible?

Our ergonomic solutions specialist has helped a wide range of organizations purchase products through the REMC SAVE program. With 15 years of experience providing ergonomic workspace solutions, our specialist will help you navigate the process and match you with the ergonomic products that best meet your needs. To learn more about ergonomic solutions for your organization, contact Yeo & Yeo.

Cybersecurity encompasses more than just technological aspects. A considerable portion of cyberattacks involves targeting individuals at some point in the process. Establishing a robust cybersecurity culture emphasizes the significance of people in your defense strategy, offering a layer of protection that technology alone cannot replicate. This culture aims to support and empower individuals in preventing attacks.

Here are 3 key components of a positive cybersecurity culture:

1. Incorporate cybersecurity into business goals: To ensure that employees comprehend the importance of cybersecurity for the organization, it is crucial to articulate its relevance to their roles and the overall business. Providing specific reasons enhances understanding and engagement. Leaders should actively discuss, promote, and reward cybersecurity measures to emphasize that it is a collective responsibility, not confined to IT teams. Leadership should also set an example by adhering to a high standard of cybersecurity behaviors.
2. Emphasize cybersecurity basics: Considering the busy nature of employees, it is more effective for them to excel in a few tasks than inconsistently attempting many. Communicate expectations, focusing on foundational elements of a cyber-secure culture, such as using strong passwords, implementing 2-factor authentication, and promptly reporting suspicious emails. Consistently convey these expectations, ensuring that communications remain relevant and engaging. Training should be interactive and tied to real-world examples and the business’s values.
3. Establish a straightforward reporting system: Implement a clear and simple method for colleagues to report cybersecurity incidents or concerns. Regardless of the business size, a transparent reporting process reduces confusion and encourages everyone to voice concerns without hesitation. Over-reporting is encouraged in cybersecurity, emphasizing the collective responsibility of everyone in the organization, particularly leaders and those overseeing technology. Creating spaces for regular discussions and setting minimum standards contribute to building a transparent cybersecurity culture.

Cultivating a security-oriented culture is a gradual process requiring organizational change. Embracing the three core behaviors outlined above will facilitate this transformation. Your employees and stakeholders will evolve into a formidable line of defense, ensuring the continued success of your business amid changing threats.

Information used in this article was provided by our partners at Sage.

Crafting a cybersecurity budget is critical for any organization, laying the foundation for protection against evolving cyber threats. This concise guide explores key factors influencing cybersecurity budgets and provides a step-by-step approach to ensure budgets align with current and future organizational needs.

What impacts a cybersecurity budget? 

Several external factors and trends significantly influence cybersecurity budgets:

• Regulatory changes: Updates to data protection laws can necessitate new compliance measures, affecting the budget allocation towards legal consultation and software updates.
• Threat landscape: The ever-evolving nature of cyber threats, such as ransomware or phishing attacks, can lead to increased investment in advanced security solutions.
• Technological advancements: Adopting new technologies like IoT devices or 5G can create new vulnerabilities, requiring updated hardware or software solutions.
• Labor market: Fluctuations in the availability and cost of specialized cybersecurity talent can directly impact budget allocation for in-house or outsourced staff.
• Competitive landscape: Market pressures to offer cutting-edge services may accelerate investment in new security solutions.

Creating a cybersecurity budget 

Creating a well-balanced budget involves more than simply allocating funds to various technologies and initiatives. The process requires a comprehensive approach that includes risk assessment, resource evaluation, and strategic alignment with overall business goals. To navigate these complexities, let’s delve into each key aspect of budget planning.

1. Assess and Analyze Your Current Cybersecurity Landscape: Ask yourself, are your systems up-to-date and robust enough to neutralize contemporary threats? If not, you may need to allocate some of your budget to new software or hardware.
2. Define Objectives and KPIs: Align cybersecurity goals with overall business strategy, ensuring investments contribute to business growth and competitive positioning.
3. Create an Inventory of IT Assets: Begin by categorizing IT assets based on their criticality and sensitivity. Recognizing the varying degrees of value and risk among assets enables you to prioritize your cybersecurity investments more wisely.
4. Prioritize Risks: Address only the most high-impact risks first to optimize your investment and secure the most vulnerable aspects of your operations. This focused approach will yield greater ROI on your cybersecurity spend.
5. Allocate Budget for Various Resources: Effective cybersecurity depends on a well-considered, strategically allocated budget that spans various key areas: infrastructure, personnel, training, tools, and third-party services. A well-balanced budget does more than address risks; it positions the organization to respond proactively to diverse threats.
6. Estimate Costs for Technology and Tools: Technology and tools are vital in cybersecurity, with the increasing complexity of the digital landscape demanding a broad range of security tools. This encompasses security software, firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and encryption tools. Account for ongoing licensing and maintenance fees, as they can significantly impact the total cost of ownership.
7. Allocate Funds for Training: Allocating funds to train staff on recognizing phishing attempts and social engineering schemes offers a high return on investment. From identifying phishing email red flags to securely managing access credentials, employees must be well-versed in digital vigilance.
8. Create a Contingency Fund: Even with robust capabilities to detect and remediate various cybersecurity threats, it’s important to expect the unexpected. A contingency fund becomes indispensable when dealing with such uncertainties. A well-planned contingency fund provides a financial cushion and enables rapid, expert intervention in worst-case scenarios.
9. Get Approval from Key Stakeholders: Present budget proposals to key stakeholders, emphasizing benefits such as averting financial losses and safeguarding the company’s reputation.
10. Regularly Review the Cybersecurity Budget: Maintain a regular cadence of review, presenting well-reasoned budgets backed by research and trends to ensure buy-in from stakeholders.

How cybersecurity solutions support staying within budget 

Efficient cybersecurity solutions offer a streamlined approach to budget optimization by providing multi-functional and scalable tools that adapt to evolving threats. This not only ensures digital asset security but also results in long-term financial efficiency.

When selecting cybersecurity solutions, opt for integrated platforms like unified threat management systems, which consolidate multiple security functions—firewalls, intrusion detection, and antivirus—into a single platform. This reduces manual monitoring and associated labor costs, giving you more value.

Yeo & Yeo Technology can help you explore cybersecurity solutions. Learn more on our website.

Information used in this article was provided by our partners at ConnectWise.

The importance of robust cybersecurity measures cannot be overstated. This article will guide you through a comprehensive cybersecurity framework, encompassing ten key pillars to fortify your business against the evolving threat landscape. From prevention and detection to incident response and continuous improvement, each aspect plays a vital role in creating a resilient cybersecurity posture.

1. Audit

Before making any changes, take stock of how well-protected your business is. Carry out a thorough audit to identify your areas of strength and weakness. Understand your assets, from critical data to vulnerable entry points. This will act as a navigational chart, helping you make informed decisions about where to allocate resources.

2. Prevention

Strengthen your defenses with robust security controls. Implement firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, secure network architecture, and enforce strong access controls. By layering your defenses, you create multiple barriers for would-be attackers, significantly reducing the risk of successful cyber assaults.

3. Detection

Despite your best efforts, some threats may still sneak past your defenses. That’s where detection mechanisms come into play. Invest in security monitoring tools, log analysis, and threat intelligence to identify and alert you to potential security incidents. Swift detection enables rapid response, mitigating the impact of cyberattacks.

4. Incident response

Breaches will happen. Having well-defined incident response procedures in place is crucial. These procedures should outline the steps to take when a security incident occurs, from containment and investigation to mitigation and recovery. Your incident response team should work together to minimize the damage and restore normal operations.

5. Vulnerability management

Regularly assess and test for vulnerabilities in your systems, applications, and network infrastructure. Vulnerability assessments and penetration testing are your allies in this battle (penetration testing is where good guys try to break into your network to see where there are opportunities). Identify and patch weaknesses quickly.

6. Awareness and training

Your people are both your greatest asset and your biggest potential vulnerability. Invest in regular cybersecurity awareness training. Educate your employees about best practices, social engineering threats, phishing attacks, and the importance of strong passwords. If they feel they can recognize and respond effectively to potential threats, that will greatly boost your business’s overall security posture.

7. Data protection and encryption

Protect your data with encryption. Even if an attacker gains unauthorized access, encrypted data remains unreadable without decryption keys. You should also establish data backup strategies and disaster recovery plans to protect against data loss.

8. Compliance and regulations

Ensure your business meets legal and regulatory privacy, data handling, and security requirements. This might involve implementing specific controls, conducting audits, and maintaining documentation to demonstrate compliance.

9. Continuous monitoring and improvement

Remember, great cybersecurity is not a one-time event. Continuously monitor your systems, networks, and what people are doing to detect anomalies and potential breaches. Regularly assess and update your security measures based on emerging threats and changing best practices. By staying agile and adaptable, you’ll ensure that your cybersecurity measures remain effective and current.

10. Choose the right IT partner

Get this one right, and everything else immediately gets easier and faster with less hassle. Find a partner who understands cybersecurity and can design the most appropriate way to protect your specific business. For example, locking everything down is rarely the right approach for any business, as it can encourage staff to cut corners. Imagine a physical security door that staff use several times a day but takes 2-3 minutes to unlock each time. At some point, someone will prop it open for a few minutes to make their life easier. It’s no different with cybersecurity.

Information used in this article was provided by our partners at MSP Marketing Edge.

If I accidentally close a tab in Chrome, is there an easier way to get it back than searching it up again?

You can bring back the closed tab with a simple keyboard shortcut. If you’re using Windows, ChromeOS, or Linux, it’s CTRL+Shift+T. For Mac, it’s CMD+Shift+T.

I’m finding ChatGPT is not giving me great answers and is inaccurate – what am I doing wrong?

You’re probably not being specific enough with your question. Also, check your question for typos and slang… too many, and you won’t get great responses.

I’m fed up having to minimize my windows when I want to look at my desktop – surely there’s an easier way?

If you’re using Windows, there is! Look to the bottom and right, beyond the date and time, and you’ll find a little sliver of a secret button. Click it to minimize all your open windows at once, then click it again to bring everything back.

Information used in this article was provided by our partners at MSP Marketing Edge.

Chief financial officers (CFOs) are increasingly asked to get involved in more diverse projects within their organizations, using their skills and experience to contribute to strategic growth. This creates various challenges for finance leaders, who need to use all the tools at their disposal to make sound decisions based upon quantitative evidence.

Investment in enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems can make a difference for CFOs. From small to larger enterprises, many businesses already rely on ERPs to gain insight and exercise control over business operations. Yet many more are still to launch integrated solutions, citing fears over implementation, training, and budgetary constraints, among other issues.

As such, many CFOs are missing out on an array of potential efficiency, information accuracy, and cost benefits. Finance leaders should consider how ERP systems can add value to their organization by making their job easier.

ERP solutions provide a single view

With ERP at their disposal, CFOs can gain real-time insights into precisely what is happening within the finance function and within other business arms. This means it is possible to manage income and expenditure more effectively, monitor customer orders, and control the business’s stock. The finance chief can see what is coming into and out of the company, where and when, and budget and forecast accordingly.

Ideally, CFOs need to have access to all relevant information in a single location, and this is where ERP solutions add value. Data that exists in a silo is of little use to the finance chief – they need to make decisions based on a range of variables, each of which is impacted by the others. Centralizing data in an ERP system overcomes this obstacle and ensures all relevant factors are considered.

These solutions also help ensure the accuracy of the information since anomalies and errors can be flagged. This is crucial for cash management – mainly as the CFO is likely to be responsible for sizeable budgets. Even minor mistakes in the data used to support decision-making can prove extremely costly when scaled up.

In terms of organization costs, implementing an ERP system allows CFOs to identify potential efficiencies, enabling costs to be reduced across organizations. In addition, integrating data can render some systems and processes redundant. This means they no longer need to be supported, helping to preserve valuable budgetary resources.

ERP offers value to CFOs

Whether organizations embrace on-premises ERP, software-as-a-service, or cloud-based solutions, the same principles apply. ERP solutions offer a more cost-effective way of collecting, managing, and analyzing data, allowing it to support decision-making in the boardroom.

When called upon, CFOs need to ensure they can add value to the debate based on a clear view of the finance function and the organization as a whole. ERP systems can provide this, ensuring CFOs can have courage in their convictions when critical decisions need to be made.

Information used in this article was provided by our partners at Sage.

The consequences of a successful cyberattack can be utterly catastrophic, both in terms of financial losses and damage to your business’s reputation. And cyber threats are not just becoming more common; they’re evolving fast. Your business’s cybersecurity has never been more crucial.

You might be wondering what 2024 may have in store for us on the cyber front. Here’s our view on the major threats to be aware of next year.

Ransomware: Ransomware is everywhere and is only becoming more prevalent with machine learning and artificial intelligence.

The Internet of Things: Think your TV, doorbell, and refrigerator. Unfortunately, many of these gadgets do not have the best security. Cybercriminals can use them to get into your network, link devices together to form a botnet (where lots of computers are used to attack others), or, in the worst-case scenario, wreak havoc in critical sectors.

Mobile devices: Expect to see a rise in phone-specific threats like malware, banking trojans that try to get your login details, and phishing attacks where they get you to use your real login data on a fake site. Why? Because your mobile gadgets have troves of personal and financial information. A breach could lead to identity theft, financial fraud, and unauthorized access to your most sensitive data.

AI: Cybercriminals are using AI to automate attacks, improve evasion techniques, and craft clever social engineering tactics (where they gain access to systems by influencing people to take certain actions).

What about the Cloud?

When it comes to cloud computing, the sky’s not the limit; it’s the gateway to innovation. But as we become increasingly reliant on the cloud and data we can access on any device, anywhere, at any time, we must be mindful of its unique security challenges.

• Data breaches: Data breaches can occur due to misconfigurations, weak access controls, or insider threats. Robust security measures are paramount.
• Shared infrastructure: Cloud services operate on shared infrastructure, introducing the risk of vulnerabilities that could lead to unauthorized access to other tenants’ resources.
• Lack of control and visibility: Relinquishing some control to cloud providers is part of the deal, but it can make detecting and responding to security incidents challenging.
• Compliance and regulatory requirements: Regulated industries must ensure their cloud deployments comply with industry-specific regulations and standards. This includes addressing data residency, privacy, and data protection obligations. Careful evaluation of provider compliance capabilities is essential.
• Data loss and recovery: Cloud outages or disruptions can lead to data loss or unavailability. Robust data backup and recovery strategies are vital, including regular backups, redundant systems, and disaster recovery plans. Understanding provider backup and recovery mechanisms and aligning SLAs with business needs is key.

Yeo & Yeo Technology can help.

With every year that passes, cybersecurity becomes increasingly more complex. But when you stay educated about evolving threats and stay on top of your security measures with a multi-layered approach, you protect your data and staff better.

This is something we help businesses like yours with all the time. If we can help you, get in touch.

Information used in this article was provided by our partners at MSP Marketing Edge.

The growth of cloud computing has completely changed how we work. Zoom, Microsoft 365 – the whole array of collaboration tools that have become part of daily life over the past couple of years – are all cloud-based applications that many of us wouldn’t want to do without.

But security in a cloud environment can create challenges.

In many ways, the move to the cloud has created an open invitation to cybercriminals. All they need to do is get hold of your login credentials, and they’re in – relatively simple phishing emails or brute-force cyberattacks are all it takes.

This provides the attacker with genuine credentials, making it even more challenging to detect unauthorized access to your systems – especially now that many of us are working flexible hours and may access systems at any hour of the day or night.

Scarier still, once inside, cybercriminals can spend weeks, even months, digging around in your network before they launch an attack. So, you must have the right security tools and protocols in place when using cloud services. Here are a few to consider:

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Multi-factor authentication requires a second-stage, single-use password to make the login process more secure. This second password is usually sent to a smartphone or generated via a secure USB key so that only the intended person can use it.

The other good thing about MFA is that the second stage notification can be an extra security alert. If you receive a text with a single-use password, but you haven’t attempted to log in to the application, you’ll know that someone is trying to access your account. That allows you to take action to make sure they’re not successful.

Use encryption

This means that your data is encoded the moment it leaves your device and stays in the cloud until you use it again, or share it with a privileged co-worker, for example. When it stays encrypted for the duration, this is called end-to-end encryption. It stops cybercriminals from hijacking your data once it leaves your device or network. It also means that, should your cloud provider suffer a breach, any stolen data will be useless without a decryption key – which only you have.

Many cloud platforms will provide this service as part of your package. But it’s good practice to make 100% sure instead of assuming it’s being done.

Manage your user accounts

Some team members, especially in IT, may have high-level admin accounts with full access to your entire system. As you may imagine, unauthorized access to this could be highly detrimental.

Ensure employees who don’t need admin access don’t have it. The more people with higher access, the greater the opportunity for cybercriminals to gain entry to your cloud services.

Install the update

As with all applications, cloud services receive regular software updates to keep them working and patch any new vulnerabilities. These patches must be applied immediately to prevent cybercriminals from taking advantage of and entering your network.

Alerts are often issued about newly discovered vulnerabilities, and it’s important that you follow the alert’s advice and apply any new updates.

Zero trust

Zero trust supports the ‘least privilege’ principle – meaning that people are only given access to the things they need to perform their job, and nothing more.

Zero trust principles extend deep into how chunks of data speak to each other in the cloud. So, if you work with a lot of personal or business-critical information, you should seek expert guidance on keeping it secure.

You still need to back up

No network is impossible to breach. Your cloud security strategy – and indeed your entire security strategy – should always include storing offline data backups. So, if something happens that leaves your cloud services unavailable (like your provider suffering a major disaster of its own), your business wouldn’t be disrupted.

It also means that in the event of a ransomware attack, you still have all your data to work with. You still have to worry about where stolen data could end up, but you can at least continue working.

There’s a lot to think about regarding the security of your cloud services. Some of these protections will already be offered by your cloud service provider, but if you’re unsure, it’s worth checking your setup to understand if you could be at risk.

If you find that your cloud services aren’t as secure as you’d like, or don’t know where to start, contact Yeo & Yeo Technology. We’re here to help.

Information used in this article was provided by our partners at MSP Marketing Edge.

I’m still using the original version of Windows 11 (21H2). Should I upgrade?

Yes! Upgrade to 22H2 as soon as possible. Support for 21H2 ended last month (October 2023). That means there will be no further security updates, and you may be at increased security risk.

I’ve had an email saying a Teams meeting recording has expired and been deleted. Is there any way I can recover it?

Don’t panic. Go to your Recycle Bin, find the recording, and hit “restore.” Remember, though, you only have a 90-day window to do this. Once the recording is recovered, it is no longer subject to automatic expiration dates.

Will Google penalize my website if I use ChatGPT?

No. There’s no reason to worry about Google penalties when using ChatGPT for your website content. Chatbots don’t negatively affect the SEO of your website. But do get a human to review everything an AI writes to ensure it reads well, is factually correct, and makes sense.

Information used in this article was provided by our partners at MSP Marketing Edge.

Keeping your business secure and managing potential cybersecurity risks can be challenging. This is especially true if you are a growing organization with limited resources. Many companies wonder how to choose the right provider or cybersecurity service and what questions they should ask to ensure they get what they need.  

To help you make an informed decision, here are the top five factors to consider when selecting a cybersecurity vendor:

1. Capability alignment: Determine the gap in your security measures and find a vendor that can fill that gap.

• Have you correctly identified the gap that you need the vendor to fill, and are they the right people to fill it?
• What is it that the vendor is doing that you need?

2. Cost: Strategize how to derive value from a new security tool while also considering the expenses associated with setting it up and maintaining it over time. Research and compare multiple suppliers to ensure you’re getting a reasonable price.

• Who is going to maintain it or communicate with the provider?
• Have you accounted for the spending for the entirety of your contract?

3. Culture fit: Find a vendor that fits your organization’s culture and communication preferences. Consider whether they view you as a valued partner or just a small fraction of their bottom line.

• Will they communicate with you in the way you want them to?
• Will they be responsive enough?
• Do you have a named account manager who will get to know your business, or is it an anonymous support or sales team?

4. Value add: Look for a vendor who can provide additional support and services, such as a broader skillset or professional development opportunities for your staff.

• What can the vendor support you with that might be outside your radar?
• Can they open your network, help with your staff’s professional development, or otherwise support the evolution and growth of your security team?

5. Responsiveness or flexibility: Consider how a vendor can adapt to changing situations and whether their contract length suits your needs.

• Can the vendor adapt with you to changing situations? How would that affect your contract?

In summary, planning and being clear on what you really need is important when considering security vendors. It will save you from wasting time and money on the wrong solutions and bring your teams together with a cohesive solution that ensures the security of your business, supported by the right partners. Are you looking to bring on a cybersecurity partner? Learn more about Yeo & Yeo Technology today.

Information used in this article was provided by our partners at ConnectWise.

As remote work becomes more common, it’s important to consider the potential security risks that come with it. When employees are working from public places or their own homes, it’s essential to take precautions to protect sensitive data. Here are five habits that remote workers should adopt to stay safe.

1. Choose a private work location: While working from a coffee shop or park may be tempting, it’s important to remember that public spaces can make you vulnerable to cyberattacks. Employees should opt for quieter, more private locations to minimize this risk.
2. Avoid public Wi-Fi: Public Wi-Fi networks are often less secure and can leave you open to hacking. Instead, use your phone’s hotspot or a VPN for a safer internet connection.
3. Invest in security software: Protective software can help safeguard against malware and cyberattacks, making it an important addition to personal and company devices.
4. Keep devices updated: Regularly updating software is not only about accessing new features but also about fixing vulnerabilities that could leave your data at risk. This includes laptops, phones, routers, and other IoT devices connected to your network.
5. Manage household risks: Employees should be mindful of potential data breaches even within the safety of their own homes. If they share their space with others, parental controls can help prevent accidental access to sensitive information.

By following these habits and taking other necessary security measures, remote workers can safely enjoy the benefits of working from anywhere. If you need help securing your remote setup, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Information used in this article was provided by our partners at MSP Marketing Edge.

Recent data indicates that obtaining cyber insurance policies is becoming more challenging, and some organizations are reporting that certain circumstances could lead to claim denials.

In today’s world, it seems every organization is either obtaining or seeking cyber insurance as part of their cybersecurity strategy. As insurers continue to gain insights from the claims stemming from their issued policies, new trends are emerging. According to Delinea’s 2023 State of Cyber Insurance report, cyber insurance is creating a gap that may make the case that tighter security controls are a better answer.

Obtaining a policy is not as simple as obtaining car insurance. According to the report:

• 28% of organizations with less than 250 employees who applied were denied coverage
• 63% of larger organizations had to use insurance-provided solutions/appliances
• 67% of organizations say it took four months or longer to obtain a policy
• 69% of organizations have experienced an increase in cyber insurance premiums of 50% to above 100%

However, once organizations obtain a policy, it’s not as easy as filing a claim and getting it covered. The report indicates that 79% of organizations had to place a claim with their cyber insurer, but many of them were denied for several reasons, including:

• Lack of security protocols in place (experienced by 43% of organizations)
• Human error (38%)
• Not following compliance procedures (33%)
• Not reporting to the insurer first (31%)

These issues create a gap between the rising costs of premiums, additional required solutions, and increased denial of claims. Essentially, it means that people are paying more for a service they may not be able to use. It’s also worth noting that despite an increasing need for additional security solutions, people-related mistakes often lead to claim denials.

To address this issue, it’s essential to educate users through new-school security awareness training. Organizations can significantly lower the risk of successful attacks by teaching employees how to interact safely with malicious content in emails and on the web. This, in turn, reduces the likelihood of needing to file an insurance claim.

Information used in this article was provided by our partners at KnowBe4.

Planning for the worst may not be pleasant, but it is crucial when it comes to cybersecurity. With the increasing prevalence of cyberattacks, it is important to prepare for the inevitable rather than hoping it won’t happen. This article provides insight into what constitutes a cybersecurity incident, how to prepare for one, and what to do if you become a victim of an attack.

What is a cybersecurity incident?  

A cybersecurity incident occurs when an unauthorized person gains access to your data or systems, typically through the internet. It is a broad concept encompassing many different types of incidents, including cybersecurity breaches, which involve the loss, publication, or lack of access to data or systems. Whenever an attacker encrypts data and prevents access or steals it, it becomes a security breach.

Plan for the unexpected.

It is critical to plan and respond quickly because the actions you take in the immediate aftermath of an incident can significantly impact its severity. Penalties may be imposed, and you may be required to report any breaches to the authorities.

The key to managing unexpected events is to plan thoroughly, regardless of the size of your organization. A well-designed plan will assist you in identifying any deficiencies in your incident-handling capabilities, such as who to contact for assistance or who in your organization is authorized to make critical decisions.

If you’re planning for an incident, there are three important things to consider:

1. Record everything required to keep your business running, such as IT systems, services, databases, and people in specific roles. Determine your minimum viable business and list everything you need to be operational. If you can’t access these things for a specific period, such as two weeks, consider alternatives and plan accordingly.
2. Compile a list of critical roles, individuals, and supporting companies that can assist you in critical domains such as customer service, legal, communications, IT, and cybersecurity support. Identify the first person to contact in the event of a cybersecurity incident, as well as any additional people who can help. Consider employees, service providers, technical or legal professionals, regulators, or law enforcement agencies.
3. Plan for incident roles and responsibilities and be clear on the priorities. Clear roles are essential for staying focused during an incident. Determine who will make decisions during an incident and in what areas. Write everything down and ensure that it is understood by non-technical personnel.

In the event of an incident, it is critical to remain calm, know what to do, and communicate clearly and promptly with clients and stakeholders. It is also a good idea to simulate a situation like this by bringing key personnel together and working through the points outlined in the incident playbook.

Overall, understanding what you have and what could be impacted in the event of a cyber incident is critical. Preparing your organization and creating a plan before anything happens will pay off in the long run.

Information used in this article was provided by our partners at ConnectWise.

According to a study by IBM, 95% of cybersecurity breaches result from human error. To safeguard your business against cyber threats, it is important to prioritize training your employees. In addition to investing in cutting-edge tools, regular cybersecurity training for your team can help them stay up to date on the latest threats and know how to respond in case of an attack. Here are three common cyber threats you and your team should watch out for:

1. Admin attack: Cybercriminals often target email addresses like “info@” or “admin@” because they are usually less protected. However, multiple teams may access these accounts, making them vulnerable. To double your security, use multi-factor authentication (MFA), which can be as simple as using a smartphone.
2. MFA fatigue attacks: MFA can feel intrusive, and employees may approve requests without scrutiny. Cybercriminals exploit this complacency by sending fake notifications. Encourage your team to verify all MFA requests carefully.
3. Phishing bait: Cybercriminals use deceptive emails to mimic trusted sources, making it easy to fall for a phishing scam. Educate your team to closely inspect email addresses and implement a sender policy framework for enhanced protection.

To make training more engaging, try simulated attacks and think of them as an escape room challenge. This approach can help identify vulnerabilities without assigning blame. It’s also important to involve your leadership team, as they should know the response plan in case of a breach.

Remember, training your staff in cybersecurity is not just smart. It’s crucial. If you need help getting started, don’t hesitate to reach out for assistance.

Information used in this article was provided by our partners at MSP Marketing Edge.

Sage100 CRM helps you simplify the sales process, shorten sales cycles and make the most of every sales opportunity. It automates sales tasks, such as creating quotes and orders, forecasting sales, pursuing leads and converting them into opportunities using workflows.

By using Sage100 CRM software, your team can identify the sources of leads, opportunities and closed sales. They can also seek out customer information for upcoming campaigns and launch targeted email marketing campaigns.

Sage100 CRM integrates seamlessly with Sage100cloud ERP. So, you can track customers through the sales funnel from order to delivery. Sage100 CRM gazes outward at how to better approach prospects and serve customers, while Sage100 cloud ERP gazes inward at how to streamline processes and improve efficiency. Together, these two systems provide a complete solution for your company to increase sales, revenue and productivity.

Sage100 CRM is also highly customizable. You can choose from fully integrated CRM or Sage Sales, Marketing, and Service modules to suit your business needs.

YYTECH Can Help You Implement a Customized CRM Software.

Find out which CRM software would best fit your organization, contact us today.

Studies show that sitting for extended periods slows your metabolism and raises your risk for obesity, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and early death. Yet, many employees and students find themselves sitting at their desks for six hours or more every day. Employers and educators need ergonomic spaces that not only decrease health risks, but inspire creativity and collaboration. The solution? Mobile desks.

The Ergotron Mobile Desk allows you to move throughout the office or classroom, adapting to how and where you want to work. Easily go from sitting or standing to collaborate with peers, travel between workspaces or facilitate group projects.

Yeo & Yeo offers Ergotron mobile and height-adjustable desks designed to turn classrooms and offices into active learning and working environments while simultaneously promoting better health.

YYTECH is a REMC SAVE Awarded Vendor.

REMC Item # 192004

Studies show that sitting for extended periods slows your metabolism and raises your risk for obesity, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and early death. Yet, many employees and students find themselves sitting at their desks for six hours or more every day. “We weren’t designed to sit,” said Dr. Joan Vernikos, former director of NASA’s Life Sciences Division and author of Sitting Kills, Moving Heals.

Kore Wobble Chairs and Stools

Kore wobble chairs and stools allow for constant movement, decreasing sedentary time and increasing secondary focus. Wobble chairs and stools encourage active sitting, which increases blood flow, activates core muscles, and improves posture.

Other Notable Features

Kore seating products are:

• Manufactured with an FDA approved antimicrobial, which reduces up to 99.9 percent of common bacteria
• Available for all ages from kids to adults
• Made in the USA
• Covered with a lifetime warranty

Learn more about YYTECH’s Ergonomic Solutions on our website or contact us.

YYTECH is a REMC SAVE Awarded Vendor. REMC Item # 212636.

How can I tell if my email has been hacked?

The most obvious sign is if you can’t log in. But it’s not always that simple. If you suspect something’s off, check your sent items and login activity for anything that wasn’t you. We can help if you’re worried.

Should I allow BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) in my business?

If managed correctly, it can be an excellent option for some. However, it does pose a serious security risk if you don’t regulate it correctly. Our advice? Seek help to get it set up.

Does my business need cyber insurance?

If you store or send data, it’s a good idea. Every business is vulnerable to an attack or an employee’s error, which puts you at financial risk, so insurance may remove some of the financial burden in such a situation.

Information used in this article was provided by our partners at MSP Marketing Edge.

No matter what kind of business you run, technology sits at the heart of it. And it’s going to become more and more critical in the future. Big thinkers see IT as a long-term investment. They understand the short-term impacts on cash flow and the long-term benefits of business growth, increased productivity and highly satisfied staff and customers.

You’ve heard the saying, “You can’t manage what you can’t measure.” So here are five technology KPIs – Key Performance Indicators – that you could use to ensure you’re getting your return.

1. Budgeted IT Spend vs. Actual IT spend: In short, your budget represents the amount you expect to pay, while actuals are the numbers you’ve spent. Having a solid budget in place helps you forecast technology costs and reduce the chances of “urgent, emergency spending.”
2. Uptime vs. planned/unexpected downtime: Downtime is when systems and devices are unavailable for your team to do their everyday work. There are two types of downtime – planned and unexpected. It’s crucial to ensure that planned downtime for maintenance has as little impact as possible on your staff and overall productivity.
3. Recovery Point Objective and Recovery Time Objective: Recovery Point Objective (RPO) is used to determine how often your data needs to be backed up. This will depend on how often it changes and how critical the information is. Recovery Time Objective (RTO) is the length of downtime your business can tolerate until data recovery. Put another way, it’s how long you realistically have to restore full operations.
4. Mean Time Between Failures: Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) is the average time between system breakdowns. Knowing this can help you measure the performance and reliability of your infrastructure.
5. Mean Time To Recovery: Mean Time To Recovery (MTTR) measures the average time it takes your business to recover from a failure: from discovery to fix. This can also be a valuable measure of how robust your business’s infrastructure is, and it can help you decide where to invest long-term.

Of course, there are other KPIs that you could measure to look even more deeply into your IT systems. But these are the ones we recommend starting with. They give you insight into how well your current infrastructure is working for you and help you plan for the future.

Would you like help with determining the right technology KPIs for your business and measuring them? Contact Yeo & Yeo Technology today.

Information used in this article was provided by our partners at MSP Marketing Edge.

How effective is your spreadsheet strategy for fixed asset management? It may appear to get the job done, but the world has shifted to digitalizing all business workstreams for improved efficiency and cost savings. Managing fixed assets is no different.

Fixed asset depreciation, the process of tracking the lifecycles of fixed assets and reporting their value for insurance and tax purposes, is one of the most critical financial processes in any business or organization.

A good fixed asset tracking system is multi-dimensional and more than a spreadsheet can accommodate. And the bigger the organization, the bigger the system requirements.

Six reasons why it’s time to say goodbye to spreadsheets

Here are six common signals it’s time to switch from using spreadsheets to manage your inventory control:

1. Missing assets: An incomplete reporting of all assets can lead to tax penalties and insurance issues.
2. Lack of privacy and data: Using spreadsheets to manage your fixed assets is a huge security risk. What if someone hacked into your system? Would your data be protected? Using software is a safer route for protecting your assets.
3. Trouble with scalability: Tracking a growing capital asset inventory on spreadsheets can lead to data errors and communication breakdowns that negatively impact your business. Your need real-time tracking data to make better decisions.
4. You consistently discover errors in your data: Have you found errors in your formulas when calculating depreciation? Entering formulas into spreadsheets often comes with a margin of error since the data is manually entered into the document. Not catching those errors can cost your company money.

Final thoughts

Fixed assets may appear complicated at first glance. After all, they can be subject to many rules, regulations, and depreciation methods and can be physically located in a wide range of geographical locations, making it challenging to keep an eye on.

And that’s before you factor in cumbersome spreadsheets and information silos.

ERP Software can help you better manage these assets, ensuring cost savings for the company and enhanced productivity for everyone involved. With a streamlined process for tracking and depreciation, fixed assets can simply be part and parcel of a well-run organization, enabling its growth rather than hindering its progress.

Want to learn more about our ERP Solutions? Contact Yeo & Yeo Technology.

Information used in this article was provided by our partners at Sage.