ISG Technology Recognized on CRN’s 2023 Security 100 List

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Overland Park, KS, March 15, 2023 — ISG Technology, today announced that CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, will feature ISG Technology to its Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list in the Security 100 category for 2023. CRN’s annual MSP 500 list identifies the industry-leading service providers in North America who are driving a new wave of growth and innovation for the channel through forward-thinking approaches to managed services, helping end users increase efficiency and simplify IT solutions, while maximizing their return on investment.

MSPs have become a vital part of the success of businesses worldwide. MSPs not only empower organizations to leverage intricate technologies but also help them keep a strict focus on their core business goals without straining their budgets.

The annual MSP 500 list is divided into three sections: the MSP Pioneer 250, recognizing companies with business models weighted toward managed services and largely focused on the SMB market; the MSP Elite 150, recognizing large, data center-focused MSPs with a strong mix of on- and off-premises services; and the Managed Security 100, recognizing MSPs focused primarily on off-premises and cloud-based security services.

“We continue to see increasing demand for our managed services, especially our managed security offering.” “Unfortunately, too many companies are experiencing breaches and then getting ahold of us to remediate the situation. It’s keeping our incident response team busy, but we’d prefer to help companies get proactive with their cybersecurity efforts and their overall IT operations.”

Brent McCollum, COO of ISG Technology

“Managed services offer a path for businesses of all sizes to remain efficient and flexible as they grow,” said Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Company. “The solution providers on our 2023 MSP 500 list are bringing innovative managed services portfolios to market, helping their customers win by doing more with the IT budgets they have and freeing up resources to focus on mission-critical activities to drive future success.”

Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Company

The MSP 500 list will be featured in the February 2023 issue of CRN and online at www.crn.com/msp500.

About ISG Technology

ISG Technology helps organizations unlock possibilities so they can realize their full business potential. They do it by providing a unique combination of managed IT services, technology consulting, professional services, and cloud/data center solutions.

Part of the Twin Valley Family of Companies and a fourth-generation family business, ISG Technology has grown and evolved into the recognized leader in the Midwest by aligning its success with the long-term success of its clients. They are consistently recognized in CRN’s Top IT Providers in the nation, most recently as part of the Tech Elite 150 for excellence in managed IT services.

ISG is headquartered in Overland Park, KS, with 8 locations across the Midwest including a regional network of SOC II Certified data centers. For more information please contact Scott Strickler, Director of Marketing, ISG Technology, 913-826-6058.

About The Channel Company

The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequalled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelco.com

© 2023 The Channel Company LLC. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

The Channel Company Contact:

Natalie Lewis

The Channel Company

nlewis@thechannelcompany.com

Why Your Medical Office Needs to Get Serious About HIPAA Compliance

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It’s no secret that HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is a highly important topic for medical practices. While it may often be forgotten or swept under the rug, getting serious about HIPAA compliance can save your practice from costly fines and penalties associated with data breaches, inadequate risk assessments, and improper record-keeping.

So how does one go about getting serious about HIPAA compliance?

How Your Medical Practice Benefits From HIPAA Compliance

Besides the fines and penalties, the most important reason to get serious with HIPAA compliance is its ability to streamline processes seamlessly from paper to electronic records. Moreso, all of this ensures your reputation and even your livelihood stay intact.

When making that transition from paper to electronic records, it’s important to have a plan. That means considering the following questions:

  • What data is most valuable?
  • Are security measures up to date?
  • What risks may be associated with accessing and storing this data?
  • Are there any gaps in compliance that need to be addressed?

Good news—you don’t have to answer these questions alone. Having a compliance partner who is knowledgeable in the field and can ensure your office’s security is paramount.

Protect Your Patient’s Records, Protect Your Reputation

Imagine you’re a patient and you want to share your medical information with another doctor. HIPAA makes it possible for you to do that without having to worry about that info being shared with someone else. Moreover, HIPPA can ensure the following for patients:

  • Privacy and security of their medical records
  • Controls access to data
  • Patients having the right to access their own medical records
  • Ensuring accuracy of patient information so nothing is lost or miscommunicated

Medical information is a vulnerable thing, so it’s important that you take the necessary steps to protect your patients’ information and make sure they feel safe and secure. In return, your reputation will stay intact and the trust of your patients will remain.

Don’t Do it Alone—Get Serious About HIPAA Compliance

A complex and vital process such as compliance is no feat that should be done alone—you should get a compliance partner to help you. According to UpGuard, “As of November 2022, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has settled 126 cases of HIPAA violations for over $133 million”. Doing it alone leaves you at risk for data breaches and even costly fines with the OCR.

An experienced partner can provide customized solutions tailored to your unique needs and will assist with all aspects of the process from establishing your privacy and security policies to training your employees on how to properly handle patient data.

You don’t want to be left in a situation where you are scrambling to become compliant. You need a partner that can get serious and stay ahead of the process with you.

ISG is Your Partner in HIPAA Compliance

ISG is a compliance partner with extensive experience in the medical industry. Our team of professionals will be able to provide you with everything necessary for compliance and make sure that your practice is fully compliant.

We pride ourselves in taking a proactive approach, making sure all aspects are covered, and the process stays on track. That’s why we:

  • Conduct risk assessments to ensure all areas are compliant
  • Provide customized solutions tailored to your unique needs
  • Train employees on how to properly handle patient data
  • Ensure your office is HIPAA compliant and staying up-to-date with the latest regulations.

If you’re ready to get serious about HIPAA and make sure your office is fully compliant, contact ISG today. We’re here to help you every step of the way.

5 Cybersecurity Tips to Remember During the Holidays

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The holidays are a time for family, friends, and celebration. But they are also a time when your personal information is most at risk. Cybercriminals take advantage of the holiday season to try and steal your data and money.

This is why it’s more important than ever to be aware of cybersecurity risks and take steps to protect yourself during the holidays. Here, we will discuss 5 cybersecurity tips to remember during the holidays.

Cybersecurity is More Important Than Ever During the Holiday Season

The holiday season is a great time for cybercriminals. This is because, more than ever before, people are shopping online and entering their personal information into websites without considering the risks.

Cybercriminals know that this time of year, customers have an increased demand for online services. They also know that people are more likely to be in a rush and may not take the necessary steps to protect their information.

As a result, it’s important to be aware of cybersecurity risks and stay vigilant while using your personal information online during the holidays.

5 Cybersecurity Tips to Keep in Mind During the Holiday Season

It’s more important than ever to be aware of cybersecurity risks and take steps to protect yourself during the holidays. Here are five tips!

1. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

First of all, there is a lot of lingo that comes with talking about cybersecurity. It is important to have a good idea of what certain words and phrases mean when joining this conversation.

MFA is a security measure that requires two or more components to authorize access – usually, something you know (a PIN or code), something you have (a security key or app), and something you are (biometrics like face ID or fingerprint). By enabling MFA on accounts and services, you can ensure that it is not just one account password preventing your personal data from getting into the wrong hands.

2. Only Input Personal Information in Trusted Sites

It is important to only input personal information such as credit/debit card numbers, addresses, and Social Security numbers on trusted sites. To ensure you are visiting a secure website look for “https” at the beginning of the address and make sure you trust the organization.

3. Beware of Phishing

Cybercriminals may try to steal your personal information by sending phishing emails disguised as genuine and legitimate messages, so be sure to exercise caution when dealing with any suspicious emails.

Over 15 billion phishing emails are passed through the internet every day with 83% of organizations saying they experienced phishing attacks in 2021. Look for inconsistencies in the email address, spelling/grammar errors, or requests for sensitive information such as usernames and passwords.

4. Update Software

Outdated software can potentially leave you more vulnerable to malicious attacks, so make sure to keep all of your devices up-to-date with the latest security patches. Outdated software is a major source of network insecurity.

Partner with ISG to Boost Your Cybersecurity

With cybersecurity being a larger threat than ever and hackers constantly innovating and getting more sophisticated—protecting and preparing your business is a massive responsibility. Managed Security through a cybersecurity partner has become more of a necessity. 

ISG Technology’s fully managed security solution protects networks from existing and future cybersecurity threats. With ISG as your cybersecurity partner, we allow you to focus on your business as we take care of its cybersecurity.

By taking the time to understand these tips, you can better protect yourself and feel fully safe during this holiday season and beyond. Contact us today to make sure your business is equipped and secured with the right cybersecurity partner you need for your business. 

Financial Institutions Waging War on Ransomware

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The content of this blog post is based on our recent webinar that you can watch here. 

Cybercriminals follow where the money is. With all the money involved in financial institutions, it is no surprise they are one of the most threatened organizations. 

It is vitally important to make sure your financial institution remains secure and compliant against cyber threats and has a security response plan in place in case you do suffer an attack.

Don’t Play the Blame Game

There is no room for passing blame when getting to the bottom of a security issue or vulnerability. Blaming discourages people from coming forward and getting all the information IT security professionals need to solve the problem. The person who is attacked is the victim, and the victim should never be blamed.

The Journey: Constant Patching and Configuration

Constantly patching and configuring vulnerabilities in your network is one way to keep your institution safe from attacks. New threats come along constantly, but so do new patches and protection procedures. Staying on top of it could be what saves your institution from an attack. 

It is a constant journey—there is no destination. Simple policies can go a long way for security preparation. Security awareness training for employees on a regular basis, phishing tests, audit firewalls, vulnerability tests, and risk assessments are all simple low-costing steps to take to better prepare, educate, and protect your institution. 

What you Should Look for in a Cyber Security Partner

Whether it is data, physical assets, or personal information—it is important to define what you are trying to secure when looking for a cybersecurity partner and where that information is. It is also helpful to contact their past or current clients and see what their experience was like. 

Cloud Data, Responsibility, and Cyber Insurance 

Cloud services are incredibly helpful for business. However, moving data to the cloud is moving your data to another data center—this does not mean you are no longer responsible for it. The same compliance and checks are expected. You are still liable for the security of your data.

When it comes to the cloud, it is important to know exactly what your cloud provider’s patch strategy is and know if there have been background checks on their employees. Your cyber insurance should not be your cyber response policy. 

It is also very important to name someone in your institution responsible for security. It has to be made a key responsibility and an organizational value and have someone be in charge of it. You could hire security staff, train everyone and make everyone responsible, or get managed security services. 

Common Threats to the Financial Industry 

There are many cybersecurity threats to financial institutions. SQL injection, credential phishing, credit card manipulation or theft, and remote employees’ login information are some of the most prevalent threats facing the financial industry. 

Credibility and Insurance when Breached 

Having IT security, executives, and public relations professionals involved in the conversation is vitally important when it comes to a response to a crisis. Having an outline and knowledge about what should be said to the customers and consumers to keep credibility after a disaster should be part of an insurance policy. 

It is important to publicly respond correctly when something happens. Cyber insurance has to be looked at from an executive and PR perspective as well as a technical one.  

The financial industry is a massive target for cybercriminals. ISG Technology has the proper security controls and preparation for cybersecurity attacks that are essential for your institution’s protection and can be your guard against cyber criminals. Contact us today for a consultation with our experts and see how we can help keep your institution safe. 

Educators Waging War on Ransomware

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The content in this blog is based on a recent webinar hosted by ISG Technology that you can watch here.

With the development and innovation of technology that we see in our world today, there are dangerous innovations being developed as well—cyber attacks. As technology becomes more and more prominent, so do cybercriminals. 

No matter what industry you are in, every business needs to be prepared and have the right cybersecurity protocols and protections in place. Even those working in education. 

Though educators do not seem like targets to cyber criminals—no industry is safe from cyber-attacks unless the right measures are put in place. Everyone is a target. 

The Explosion of Online Education Resources

If you consider the spectrum of education from kindergarten to higher education, there is an incredible amount of educational resources out there. Though students have started to return to schools after the pandemic, the expansion of online resources has not stopped. 

Ransomware has also become very prevalent in the education space. There is a lot of sensitive information involved with education. In K-12 education, one in every three devices contains some kind of sensitive data. 

How Hackers Can Get in Through and Securing IoT

Ransomware attacks are happening everywhere and from every point. There are countless points of entry to your network. 

The network that the devices in your school are connected to, or the Internet of Things (IoT), is very important to consider. It could be a point of entry for ransomware attacks that is not secure. It can feel overwhelming, but there has to be a plan put in place and effective implementation to make sure your network is secure. 

Double Extortion

If you fall victim to ransomware, hackers lock up your data and force you to pay for the encryption. What’s happening now is hackers are copying our data—and once you pay for the encryption—they threaten to expose your sensitive data unless you pay more. This is called Double Extortion.

There are a lot of malware encounters in the education space as well. 5.5 million encounters were reported just from May to June this year.  

K-12 Cyber Security Act

The CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) is coming out with guidelines and toolkits to address and prepare for cybersecurity issues schools are facing. However, the problem is so great that schools need to go deeper. 

Higher Education Institutions Have Unique Data

In higher education, there is a lot of data and research involved – sensitive information about students and teachers. A lot of this data can be very useful for cybercriminals.

Policy and Procedure and The Consequences of not Protecting Infrastructure

When it comes to vulnerability, it is important to find a security provider that exposes you to the holes in your system. With so many threats, the policy and its process is the key. Phishing simulation software can also be very helpful to stay on guard against attacks. 

Failing to protect your infrastructure is going to bring consequences. Whether that be at the cost of time, money, or reputation. It puts your people at risk. 

Fundamentals, Visibility, and Tracking – The Keys to Success

Setting up fundamental security measures can make a huge difference in protecting your network. Measures such as an active directory, MFA, and a password protection policy. Getting these elements down will allow you to focus on the larger issues facing your organization. 

Making your IT infrastructure 100% visible to those in charge of security operations and having the ability to track and gather the metrics can dramatically change your protection and security. The two most important metrics in security operations are the time it takes to detect an issue and the time it takes to remediate (response time). 

ISG Technology has the tools and expertise to work with your organization to make sure the proper controls are in place to protect and prepare your infrastructure against cyber attacks. 

To find out more about how to protect and prepare your organization and its students against cyber threats and ransomware, contact us today.

Power of Humans

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In a recent webinar, we discussed why humans are so important to the IT world. And why it’s not just a tool discussion, but a human one.

Faulty Integrations

In the cybersecurity space, expertise is slim. Because of this, people try to integrate with systems, trying to find expertise through technology.

Unfortunately, it takes one faulty piece to bring the whole chain down. This is why humans are so important to technology: without them, the technology would falter and not be able to solve why for itself. That’s where we come in by implementing procedures on how to not only prevent but prepare.

Employee Training

Employees are often the weak link to a business when it comes to cybersecurity. While experts can spot faults, non-experts can create them.

According to Verizon’s 2022 Data Breaches Investigations Report, 82% of data breaches involved a human element. This includes incidents in which employees expose information directly (for example, by misconfiguring databases) or by making a mistake that enables cyber criminals to access the organization’s systems.

Your team isn’t trained in cybersecurity which puts your organization at great risk. A plan needs to be in place because preparing for when and not if a threat is going to occur puts you in a better place to mitigate any damage. Once you have your cybersecurity plan in place it’s vital that this is communicated to your entire team. 

Preparing for Disaster

Being in the cloud isn’t enough anymore, knowing how and where you’re backing up your data is important. Veeam took up a 3-2-1 principle for your data that is gaining traction. Because there is no one solution to data protection, taking this approach ensures you’re covering your bases.

This principle allows a foundation of rules that can be flexible for your specific needs:

  • Production copy
  • Local copy
  • Off-site copy

For extra security, an additional copy can be used: an immutable copy of that data. This ensures that if any component fails, you have that data copied in multiple places to be able to recover it.

On top of that, testing that backup is vital to ensure it’s doing it’s job. It could be corrupt so regularly testing it to make sure it’s not a waste of time and your backup isn’t faulty could save you an incredible amount of data.

IT Burnout

Companies often think one person can be their cybersecurity team and often, that person has other tasks outside of monitoring data. This is a common mistake companies make: putting that security on one person instead of assembling a team.

Often, when humans look at something for too long, they start to experience burnout. In this case, the employee handling the data and staring at it day in and day out can cause slip-ups. They will start letting things through because their guard isn’t up like it was at the beginning. This is why it’s important to have fresh eyes on the data and rotate employees through different tasks, as well as taking breaks.

60% of employees in data security jobs leave their position yearly for a new one due to this burnout. It is extremely hard to replace people in these kinds of positions and the rate will have to go up when experiencing that turnover.

We Need Humans

Humans are necessary to technology because they bring expertise, problem-solving skills, and a fresh perspective. Without them, technology would falter and fail. When it comes to cybersecurity in today’s threat landscape, humans need to be a top priority and treated as such with training, fresh perspectives, and teamwork. It’s not just about the technology, but the people behind it that make it run smoothly.

ISG Technology can work with your company to ensure you have the proper technology in place to proactively protect your organization.   Give our team a call today or visit our contact us page to schedule a consultation with one of our cybersecurity experts. 

Code Grey: The Evolving Threat Landscape of Healthcare IT

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In our recent webinar, we discussed the evolving threat landscape of healthcare IT. Healthcare might be one of the most confidential industries in the world, which makes it one of the most targeted by cybercriminals.

From ransomware attacks to phishing emails and insider threats, healthcare organizations must be prepared for a multitude of potential security threats.

You can view the webinar in its entirety here. 

Evolution of IT in Healthcare

Prior to the last 3 years, the transition in healthcare technology has been somewhat gradual. The covid-19 pandemic not only amplified the gaps in current patient care but also sped up innovation to find more efficient and better solutions to deliver quality care.  The need for secure healthcare technology solutions has nearly affected every aspect of patient care. 

Healthcare organizations started seeing the value in online platforms and doctors started to become more available via phone which ultimately got more patients access. However, this opened the doors for new threats: cyber attacks. This shift required them to adapt to these new security challenges.

Healthcare providers are focused on patients whereas IT is focused on the cybersecurity of protected health information(PHI) stored. This new wave of technological importance meant there was a lot more training to be done in healthcare, the kind of training that IT support was responsible for.

Understandably so, the healthcare industry is fearful of ransomware. This is because they carry a high risk of experiencing it due to a recent survey where it was reported by HIPPA Journal that 66% of surveyed healthcare organizations said they had experienced a ransomware attack in 2021, up from 34% in 2020 and the volume of attacks increased by 69%, which was the highest of all industry sectors. Healthcare had the second-highest increase (59%) in the impact of ransomware attacks.

Additionally, they carry highly sensitive information including

  • Personal Health Information(PHI)
  • Financial data
  • Intellectual property

The healthcare sector is at such a high risk for cyber threats that now in order to get more advanced protective cybersecurity, prices have skyrocketed creating new challenges for smaller healthcare providers. 

Cybersecurity Threats and Ransomware Prevention

The ever-increasing cybersecurity threats are more prevalent than ever and the importance of knowing how to prevent them is insurmountable. 

According to HIPPA Journal, In 2018, healthcare data breaches of 500 or more records were being reported at a rate of around 1 per day. Fast forward 4 years and the rate has doubled. In 2021, an average of 1.95 healthcare data breaches of 500 or more records were reported each day. Healthcare organizations are targeted due to their high propensity of paying the ransom, the value of patient records, and the inadequate security measures they often have in place.

It is essential for healthcare organizations to have multiple security measures implemented. The following is a list of steps you can take to protect your data.

Multi-Factor Authentication

MFA solutions provide an additional layer of security and are a user-friendly and cost-effective solution for boosting your healthcare organization’s cyber hygiene.  MFA adds a second layer of security through the use of biometric technology, such as facial or voice recognition, or via an authorization code being sent to a user’s device.  As the threat landscape continues to grow, most cyber insurance policies will not cover your organization unless you have MFA enabled on all applications. 

Patch and Vulnerability Management

In the healthcare industry, this added layer of protection tends to take a back burner. The act of patch and vulnerability management is the process in which you apply security patches to systems and software. Your resources don’t always cover everything, this is one of those things that can cover the leaks your resources may miss.

Formulate an Incident Response Plan

A plan beyond calling your cyber insurance company must be implemented, in order to prevent these attacks before they happen. In fact, Comparitech reported that the average ransomware victim loses around 35 percent of their data.

Waiting until a breach occurs without a plan in place puts yourself in a position where you not only have to rely on an unlikely payout but may never fully recover your data.

Train Your Employees with Security Awareness Training 

Employees are your first line of defense against cyber threats.  Ensuring that your team is well-trained on the importance of proper cyber hygiene and is following security measures in place will help boost your cyber posture.  Training 

them repeatedly on password hygiene, phishing emails, and suspicious links is vital in preventing a breach.

Review Your RPD Policies

Your RPD (raw programming data) policies should be reviewed often to make sure they comply with HIPAA and HITECH regulations. This is a necessary step in preventing a breach as well as having proper documentation in the case of one.

Data Backup and Recovery

One of the most important steps in preventing a breach is having a solid backup and disaster recovery plan. This ensures that if something were to happen, you have a way to recover your data and continue operations smoothly.

Preparing for the Future of Healthcare

Because of the new technology debt in healthcare, it’s important to stay ahead of the game. This means keeping up with technology, staying educated on new threats, and constantly reviewing and updating your security measures.

When preparing for the future of healthcare, it’s important to take a look around and delegate expertise appropriately. CEOs don’t need to be IT experts – they just need to find IT support that is not only affordable but provides all of the benefits so your time is spent well in other places. With the right provider, there should be no worry that your IT is not in the right hands.

As healthcare IT continues to evolve, we must adapt and protect ourselves against these evolving threats in order to continue providing top-notch care for our patients. Partner with ISG Tech for our healthcare IT services.

Critical Fortinet Remote Authentication Bypass Vulnerability [CVE-2022-40684] – What it is & What to Action to Take

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About CVE-2022-40684

On October 6, 2022, Fortinet disclosed a critical remote authentication bypass vulnerability impacting FortiOS, FortiProxy, and FortiSwitchManager – CVE-2022-40684 that could allow a remote unauthenticated threat actor to obtain access to the administrative interface and perform operations via specially crafted HTTP or HTTPS requests.

On October 10th, Fortinet became aware of an instance where this vulnerability was exploited and provided remediation guidance. At this time, it was added to CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog with a recommended due date for resolution of November 1, 2022.

On October 12th, our detection and response services observed threat actors begin exploiting CVE-2022-40684 on a widespread basis by:

  • Accessing and downloading the appliance’s configuration file.
    • We have observed threat actors leverage Node.js and Report Runner to download the file.
    • This includes and is not exclusive to cleartext rules, policies, filtering, usernames, routing configurations. As well as encrypted passwords encrypted via the private-encryption-key.
  • Creating privileged administrator accounts.
  • Uploading and running scripts.

Upon hearing this, ISG and our security partners are recommending prompt patching of all impacted systems, which are listed below.

ISG Managed Perimeter Security customers are being contacted to identify the ideal time to complete these patches and identify any potential impact. ISG has patched our internal systems and is working in lock-step with our security partners to stay appraised of the latest threat intelligence on this vulnerability.

Impacted Systems

  • FortiOS versions 5.x, 6.x are NOT impacted.
  • FortiOS version 7.2.0 through 7.2.1
  • FortiOS version 7.0.0 through 7.0.6
  • FortiProxy version 7.2.0
  • FortiProxy version 7.0.0 through 7.0.6
  • FortiSwitchManager version 7.2.0
  • FortiSwitchManager version 7.0.0

Recommended Actions to Take

  • Please upgrade to FortiOS version 7.2.2 or above
  • Please upgrade to FortiOS version 7.0.7 or above
  • Please upgrade to FortiProxy version 7.2.1 or above
  • Please upgrade to FortiProxy version 7.0.7 or above
  • Please upgrade to FortiSwitchManager version 7.2.1 or above

Additional Recommendations

As always, ISG recommends following change management best practices for applying upgrades, including:

  • Testing changes in a dev environment before deploying to production to avoid any operational impact
  • Do not expose administrative interfaces externally
  • Limit IP addresses that can reach the administrative interface using a local-in-policy
  • Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) to make successful exploitation significantly more difficult

For more best practices around network access, reference Fortinet’s user authentication best practices document.

If you should need help applying patches or have any questions, contact us today.

The First 48 When Ransomware Strikes

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The content of this blog post comes from our webinar that you can watch here.

Ransomware is an increasingly popular and dangerous threat to businesses and organizations around the world. As cybercriminals continue to advance their techniques, it’s up to businesses and IT professionals to do what they can to stop and mitigate attacks. 

The Security Landscape

There were more than 300 million ransomware attempts in the first half of 2021 alone. Since then, the number of ransomware attacks have only increased, and the resulting damage has been extremely costly.

The current cybersecurity threat landscape for businesses and organizations is complex, with a wide variety of threats to consider. Without cybersecurity experts or even basic cyber hygiene practices, many organizations leave themselves vulnerable as easy victims for cyberattacks such as ransomware and phishing.

When Ransomware Strikes

Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts a victim’s files and demands a ransom be paid in order to decrypt them. Once ransomware has encrypted a file, the only way to get the data back is through decryption, which can only be done with a special key.

Ransomware attacks can happen to any business or organization, no matter how big or small. In fact, smaller businesses are often targeted because they may not have the same level of security as larger organizations.

Once an organization has been owned by a ransomware attack, there’s little they can do to mitigate the loss unless they had previous protection measures in place such as a secure data backup. Additionally, even if a backup exists, the process of restoring data can be time-consuming and expensive.

The Importance of Managed Backups

In the event of a ransomware attack, having a secure backup is critical to mitigating loss. Backups should be stored offline and not connected to the network in order to prevent them from being encrypted by ransomware. Additionally, it’s important to have multiple backups in different locations in case one is lost or destroyed. As an ISG Backup client, we follow the best practice of a 3-2-1 solution. This means our team creates 3 copies of your data, in 2 different media formats, with 1 of those off-site.

The Remediation Process

Once a ransomware attack has occurred, the first step is to contain the spread of the malware. This can be done by disconnecting any infected devices from the network and taking them offline. Once the infection has been contained, the next step is to start the process of cleaning and rebuilding any infected systems.

Payments, Prevention, and Preparation

There are a few things businesses and organizations can do to prevent themselves from being targeted by ransomware attacks. The first is to have proper cybersecurity measures in places, such as firewalls, anti-virus software, and email filtering. Additionally, it’s important to educate employees on cybersecurity best practices and have an incident response plan in place in the event of an attack. 

For a thorough list of the controls, you should have in place, check this clip that speaks to the 12 Critical Controls Cyber Insurance providers are now required to qualify for cyber insurance. 

12 Critical Controls Cyber Insurance Providers Are Now Required

In the event that an organization is targeted by a ransomware attack, it’s important to not give in to the attacker’s demands. Paying a ransom only incentivizes cybercriminals to continue their attacks and doesn’t guarantee that files will be decrypted.

The best way to prepare for a ransomware attack is to have a comprehensive backup and disaster recovery plan in place. This will ensure that in the event of an attack, data can be quickly restored and business reducing the amount of downtime allowing business to continue as usual.  

Partnering With ISG Tech Mitigates Ransomware Risk

Ransomware attacks are becoming more and more common, and they can happen to any size business or organization within any industry. In order to protect yourself, it’s important to have proper cybersecurity measures in place and to educate employees on best practices. Additionally, having a secure backup is critical in the event of an attack.

If you do find yourself the victim of a ransomware attack, the best course of action is to not give in to the attacker’s demands and reach out to cybersecurity professionals such as ISG Technology.  By partnering with a managed service provider for IT security you are increasing your cybersecurity posture, give us a call today or visit our contact us page here to schedule a call with a security expert today. 

Cyber Insurance. And The War on Ransomware.

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The content of this blog post is based on our recent webinar that you can watch here.

Cyber insurance is a must-have cyber defense weapon for all organizations trying to mitigate modern security threats. But the exponential increase in ransomware has created an industry chain reaction – Insurance providers are leaving the market, premiums are on the rise, more security controls are being required, and organizations are left scrambling.

As cyber criminals continually advance and develop new tactics to disrupt IT infrastructures, it’s critical that experts, businesses, and insurance companies work together to slow down the rise of cybercrime. 

The Rise of Ransomware and the Industry Chain Reaction

Video: State of The Cyber Insurance Industry in 2 Minutes

Ransomware attacks are rising at an alarming rate, and businesses of all kinds are threatened by this cybercrime. One reason for the recent growth of ransomware is that more and more businesses are digitizing their valuable data, which allows for more accessibility and therefore more opportunity for human error.

Essentially, this transition to digital business processes makes it easier for cybercriminals to gain access to company data. Another reason for the rise in ransomware attacks is that many businesses don’t have comprehensive cybersecurity measures in place to defend themselves against even basic hacking attempts. 

Video: How Much Will Cyber Insurance Cost Going Forward?

As a result, when a ransomware attack does occur, businesses are often left with no choice but to pay the ransom in order to get their data back. This only serves to encourage cybercriminals, who know that there’s a good chance they’ll be able to get away with their crimes.

According to the Global Insurance Market Index U.S., cyber insurance prices have increased by 79% from last year.  The cost of cyber insurance has soared due to the rise in cyber-attacks and threats.  Due to these circumstances, insurance companies are asking for more in-depth information about organizations’ cyber policies and procedures, and those that don’t have the level of security needed face higher premiums and less coverage. 

How Businesses and IT Partners Must Partner Together

In order to protect businesses from ransomware and other cyber threats, it’s important for businesses and their IT partners to work together. By collaborating, businesses can ensure that comprehensive cybersecurity measures are in place to defend against attacks.

IT partners can also help educate businesses about the importance of having a robust incident response plan in place in the event that an attack does occur. This plan should include information about how to contact the appropriate people, what data needs to be backed up, and what steps need to be taken to minimize the damage caused by an attack.

The Role of Cyber Insurance in Incident Response Plans

Webinar Preview: Cyber Insurance & The War On Ransomware

Cyber insurance can play a critical role in incident response plans. In the event of a ransomware attack, cyber insurance can help businesses recover lost data and get back up and running as quickly as possible.

Cyber insurance can also help businesses cover the costs of hiring a professional to clean up any malicious software that might have been installed on their systems as part of the attack. In some cases, and depending on your policy, cyber insurance may even cover the cost of the ransom itself.

The Increasing Controls Insurance Providers are Requiring

Video: 12 Critical Controls You Need to Get Cyber Insurance

As the threat of ransomware and other cyber threats continues to grow, insurance providers are starting to require businesses to take more comprehensive security measures in order to qualify for coverage. 

For example, many insurance providers now require businesses to have incident response plans in place before they will provide coverage. This helps to ensure that businesses are prepared in the event of an attack and can take steps to minimize the damage caused.

Managed Security + Cyber Insurance Mitigates Cyber Risk

In the current cybersecurity threat landscape,  it’s important for businesses, IT partners, and insurance providers to work together to fight the war on ransomware. By taking comprehensive security measures and being prepared with incident response plans, businesses can minimize the damage caused by an attack and be ready to quickly recover lost data.

Cyber insurance can play a critical role in these plans, but insurance providers are increasingly requiring businesses to take more security measures before they will provide coverage. ISG Technology can work with your company to ensure you have the proper security controls in place to not only proactively protect your infrastructure but also prepare you in the event of an attack.  Give our team a call today or visit our contact us page to schedule a consultation with one of our cybersecurity experts.