Tag Archive: Document Security

  1. Are You Keeping Your Documents Secure on the Cloud?

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    Many businesses are turning to the cloud to maximize productivity and take advantage of today’s technologies. But if you’re using the cloud today, you could be jeopardizing your company’s data security without realizing it if you’re falling prey to some of these common mistakes. Read on to learn if you’re using the cloud in a way that could make your business more vulnerable.

    Are You Compromising Your Security?

    The cloud is just like a storage company—you can rent a unit from a provider, and they’ll hand over the keys and say, “Good luck.” In this analogy, it becomes apparent that there are security needs that your provider will handle and some that you will be responsible for. Sure, your provider will make sure there are surveillance cameras and a locking gate to the compound, but if you leave your unit unlocked, you’re responsible for a loss.

    A cloud-based document management system works in a similar way. Although your services provider will give you some level of security, you and your employees need to stay vigilant. Here are some of the common security mistakes that companies make—and how to avoid them.

    1. Complacency: IT experts are well aware that the number one reason employees end up causing security problems is complacency. It may seem like your company would be the last to be hacked, but it can (and does) happen to anyone, particularly because personal data is so valuable. Don’t ignore update reminders or use weak passwords. Don’t let your technology get too outdated to be secure. Don’t become complacent.
    2. Lack of information: Many companies simply don’t have the knowledge they need to keep their cloud data safe. Make sure you understand how to use your service and that you’re asking the experts when you’re unsure.
    3. Document transfer carelessness: Sure, your document is safe in their electronic “home,” but what about when they’re in transit? Be aware of your network security, email security, and other factors when you’re sharing documents from your document management system.

    For more information about the cloud and document management, contact us today.

  2. The Most Common Security Mistakes: Are You Making Them?

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    There are few areas where you can afford to make mistakes less than in security. Business security is in the news constantly it seems with big breaches happening on the regular. If large companies like Sony and Target aren’t immune, how can you assume your company isn’t susceptible to these kinds of attacks?

    And yet, even with all the vulnerabilities created by fast-moving technology and ever-smarter hackers, many businesses find themselves making the same cybersecurity mistakes over and over again.

    The Most Common Cyber Security Mistakes

    Typically, security breaches are a matter of employees who aren’t sure what the correct procedures are coupled with managers who are too busy with day-to-day operations to take necessary precautions. But frankly, you can’t afford to keep ignoring cybersecurity. Is your company making these errors?

    1. Insufficient or no backup procedures: What would happen if your place of business was lost to a fire, a flood, or theft? What would happen if every computer in your office was inaccessible? Would your documents and other sensitive data be gone forever? Many companies are relying on insufficient backups or worse, no backups at all.
    2. Insecure passwords: Newsflash: password123 is not a safe password. Many employees use insecure passwords because company policies don’t require them to do otherwise. It’s also common for employees to inadvertently provide their login credentials to phishers and scammers via email fraud or other scams. Make sure your IT team provides adequate training to employees to keep login information secure.
    3. Improper printer security: Did you know that your copier could be a security threat? You should be sure that your printers and copiers are behind your network firewall and that all software is up to date, and also ensure that you wipe all hard drives before recycling old machines.

    For more information about how we can keep your office secure with managed network services, contact us today

  3. How to Make Disaster Recovery a Part of Your Plan

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    We’re now well into the first few months of 2017, and with this new year, many companies are setting their IT budgets. As you make your strategic plans for the year, it’s vital that you consider a disaster recovery plan. A disaster recovery plan can seem like a daunting task, but it could be the difference between your company weathering a disaster or shutting its doors. Here’s how managed network services fit into a disaster recovery plan.

    Disaster Recovery: Back-Ups and Security

    These days, it’s not uncommon to hear about even industry giants being victims of a cyber attack. It’s easy to see how a disaster can happen when even large companies like Target and Sony are in the news for stolen data. Of course, it doesn’t take this kind of issue for your business to be in a tight spot: a flood, fire, or theft of physical assets can leave you equally unable to operate.

    If the worst happens in your business, it’s crucial that you can continue with day-to-day operations. For that, you’ll need your most valuable asset: your company information. Managed network services can help you keep this information secure with back-ups and cloud services.

    • Managed network services provide offsite backups that can be accessed no matter where you are, allowing you to continue operating even if you can’t access your office.
    • Disaster recovery isn’t expensive. It’s a common misconception that disaster recovery will cost you too much, but with low subscription pricing models, you’ll be able to experience the many benefits of managed network services.
    • Downtime is expensive. Your company shouldn’t be investing in downtime. Managed IT services can help you with network monitoring to keep your business up and running.

    For more information about how managed network services can help your company, contact us today.

    IT Services Des Moines

  4. How the Cloud is Changing Education

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    Technology has changed the way we communicate, send, store, and share information. In fact, technology has been affecting our modes of communication for millennia—from the moment we began to augment our oral conversations with written words and symbols. From the pen to the printing press to the computer, technology has helped us tell stories and share ideas with increasingly sophisticated tools.

    Did you know that one of the newest tools for sharing information is revolutionizing modern education? Read on to learn how the cloud is making education more accessible, more affordable, and more global than ever before.

    Cloud Computing and Education

    Education has always been an expensive endeavor, and the past few decades haven’t seen much improvement in making school more affordable and available to individuals. But the cloud could be an integral part of lowering the cost of education and putting it in the hands of more people.

    Digital content has become commonplace in nearly every classroom, from smartboards to online course textbooks. This kind of content can make education accessible for people all around the world, even when they live in remote areas. Here are some of the ways cloud computing is revolutionizing the classroom.

    1. Goodbye textbooks? Textbooks are notoriously expensive, and students often feel burdened by the hefty price they have to pay for sometimes outdated content. The cloud can change that with much less expensive digital content.
    2. Updated information: Many students and schools are forced to use outdated textbooks because of the cost of purchasing new ones. Cloud computing can provide a way to keep updated information in the hands of teachers and students.
    3. Less hardware: The beauty of the cloud is that it can often be accessed and even managed through an internet browser, removing the necessity for expensive equipment in school districts or universities.

    Cloud computing is truly the way of the future. If you’d like to learn more about how technology can improve your company, contact us.

  5. Two Steps to Secure Documents

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    In today’s business world, it’s nearly impossible to operate a company without relying on information networks. The internet has become an integral part of how companies communicate internally and with customers, and without your network, your production comes to a screeching halt.

    And yet, too many companies leave their systems vulnerable to ever-increasing attacks from sophisticated hackers. In 2015, Statistics reported that the financial burden of cyber attacks on businesses was related to the disruption of day-to-day operations and information loss. Data breaches and hacks are in the news regularly, and with large firms such as Target and Sony in the crosshairs, how can you be sure you’re not next?

    Are Your Documents Vulnerable?

    Whether you use the cloud or a shared drive to share and access files, your documents could be at risk. Unsurprisingly, unsuspecting employees often facilitate data loss and hacking through insecure habits that create “doors” into your company. Here are the two crucial steps you need to take to keep your documents secure.

    1. Implement smart policies: Your employees won’t do what they don’t know they should do. Train employees on the basics of keeping information safe in the internet age, including how to identify phishing and scams, password safety, secure sharing, and email smarts. These simple tools could be the difference between a data hack and security for your company.
    2. Use managed IT services: Managed IT services can keep your entire network secure with routine monitoring and up-to-date firewall configurations and OS patches. More companies than ever are turning to managed IT services to meet the challenges of modern data security. Managed IT can ensure your business’s data security, and ultimately, your success.

    If you’re interested in learning more about how document management can help your company keep information secure, contact us today.

  6. Is Your Cloud Migration Secure?

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    Businesses are migrating en masse to the cloud these days, and the transition comes with some significant benefits. Some companies are achieving that mystical goal of one “single source of truth”—in other words, a single warehouse for every piece of data that was previously scattered across your company’s discreet devices, laptops, and hard drives. Who doesn’t want reliable access to information from one easy-to-use platform? Enterprises are even using the big data technology capabilities of the cloud to their advantage, using Microsoft, Google, and Amazon Web Services to manage big data. It’s a win-win-win.

    But some companies are missing a critical component of this migration to the cloud. When you move your information to the cloud, it’s vital that you upgrade and standardize your security practices. Here’s why.

    Take the Data, Leave the Bad Security

    Too often, data security is an afterthought in the cloud integration process. Your move to the cloud should be safe from start to finish, and you should leave any bad security practices behind you. Here are some areas of security you should be considering.

    • Encryption: Is your data encrypted? Perhaps more pertinently, is it encrypted at rest and in-flight? In other words, it’s not enough to have data encryption for your stored files; they also have to be encrypted during movement from place to place.
    • Appropriate permissions: Be sure that your new cloud storage has appropriate internal security. For instance, you should be able to ensure that your sales team doesn’t have access to your HR department’s records. Remember: security breaches aren’t only from the outside.
    • Use secure login procedures: Make sure that you’re using identities and strong passwords to access your cloud database.

    If your data isn’t up to par, your cloud migration is the perfect time to standardize and upgrade your security. For more information about network security, contact us today.