Quercus IT Blog

Cybersecurity training can be an overwhelmingly annoying issue for everyone. Unfortunately, it’s a must. Understanding the reasons behind this reluctance can help organizations tailor their training programs to be more engaging and effective. In this month’s newsletters, we go into four common reasons why employees might harbor disdain for cybersecurity training.

Humans have all kinds of stakes in digital security thanks to today’s online world demanding that we be more online than ever. Whether it’s personal information or financial details, you can bet everyone is at risk to some degree. Today, we want to examine why individuals—even technology professionals—are not immune to data theft.

If you’re in the know about cybersecurity and, specifically, mobile malware, you might have heard the name XLoader in the past. The malware has gone through considerable versions and variations, allowing it to steal information from users in more than seven countries, but the most recent is incredibly scary.

Even though passwords are not the most reliable security measure out there these days, they are still important and the first line of defense against potential threats. Today, we want to discuss how you can make better passwords for all of your accounts.

Imagine this scenario: amidst your daily routine, an email arrives in your inbox, seemingly from a cybersecurity company. The alarming assertion is that you've become the target of a hacking attack. Despite lacking IT expertise and being unfamiliar with your security agency's procedures, you trust the message and respond promptly. Unbeknownst to you, the email is a shrewdly disguised cyberthreat, ensnaring you in their trap.

A single oversight can potentially nullify the effectiveness of your cybersecurity measures. For instance, even if you've implemented security measures like multifactor authentication, a phishing scam or certain malware variants could grant unauthorized access to your email, compromising all the data stored in your inbox.

Data security is one of those things that you have to stay out in front of. Hackers and scammers are changing tactics and getting a little more sophisticated as time goes on and it creates a pretty difficult situation for most IT administrators. Utilizing multi-factor authentication (MFA), two-factor authentication, or whatever it is called by the application you are using has become a great way to add an extra layer of security to organizational data protection efforts. Today, we will discuss the benefits of this strategy and why it isn’t a be-all, end-all to your overall security.

Data security is an integral part of not just business operations but everyday life at this point. Most people agree that specific measures to protect data security, like verifying emails and updating antivirus software, are reasonable. However, one aspect that many people fail to consider is oversharing information on social media.

The cloud gives businesses more opportunities than ever to change operations for the better, but a poorly configured cloud could create more problems than it solves—including the potential for a security breach! Here are some of the most important reasons why you must configure your cloud solutions properly.

It doesn’t matter who you are; your age, your occupation, your employment status, your station in life—you need to make 2024 the year you get your cybersecurity hygiene in check. What we’re going to talk about today isn’t overkill, overly complicated, or expensive. This isn’t us trying to sell you on something. In fact, this is probably the easiest New Year's Resolution you can give yourself.

First, let me start with a really quick story.

2023 was a banner year for AI (Artificial Intelligence), as it truly entered the zeitgeist in a way that it previously had failed to. Many companies and industries have considered ways to implement AI and make it part of their operations, while others might be fearful of it for its role in job scarcity. However, 2024 might show businesses that they should be worried about AI for a reason you might not have anticipated: AI-generated cyberthreats.

It should come as no surprise that one of the biggest online retail days of the year also incites a lot of scams and threats targeting not just consumers, but online businesses as well. Let’s go over some of the major statistics surrounding online retail scams and what you should know as you navigate the post-holiday chaos.

Keeping your data safe is extremely important. More precedence has been put on data privacy and security in recent times as phishing and ransomware litter the landscape. Unauthorized access to data can lead to severe consequences. The methods employed by cybercriminals today are more sophisticated than ever; and it quite often allows them to breach organizational data security. Today, we thought we would take a look at a few strategies people are using to protect their data. 

In response to today’s threat landscape, safeguarding technology and data has become a pivotal concern for everyone; and every business. Ensuring the protection of essential assets and customer data within your infrastructure demands a strategic approach. Collaborating with a proficient managed service provider (MSP) is the key to prioritizing security effectively. Here are some critical services they can provide.

It can’t come as a surprise that businesses are starting to grow concerned about the potential of getting hit by a cyberattack. Just look at what's happening out there. Literally millions of hackers trying to enter, steal, and sell your business’ data. To help protect their data, businesses should consider the adoption of a Virtual Private Network (VPN), which adeptly conceals data during its transit. Let's take a look into some of the most compelling reasons why your business should embrace the use of a VPN.

Psychology—the scientific study of the mind and behavior—can provide some significant insights into which actions will ultimately be most beneficial to your company. What message will most effectively reach your clients, how can you inspire more motivation amongst your team, and what can you do to reach your goals more effectively?

Unfortunately, the modern cybercriminals that target businesses just like yours are going to be asking themselves the same questions. 

With network security being more important than ever for businesses of all types and trades, it’s important that you make it a priority. Thankfully, there are certain simple ways you can pull this off, even if you’re not a technology expert. Here are some of the network security basics that will cover a lot of ground for your business.

Phishing attacks frequently target sensitive data such as login credentials, financial records, and intellectual property. When these attacks succeed, they can lead to data breaches, resulting in significant financial losses, damage to the organization's reputation, and legal consequences.

Passwords are often the key to an organization's cybersecurity because they set them up as a tool for their employees to use that work better than leaving them to their own devices. They do have some detriments, however. This month, we discuss the pros and cons of password managers to protect company-owned digital resources. 

If anything has been made clear by recent strings of high-profile ransomware attacks, it is that businesses and organizations simply do not take security as seriously as they need to. We urge you to use this opportunity to reconsider your own levels of network security. Are you doing all that you can to keep your data and assets secure? There are countless threats out there, and they all must be addressed (or at least prepared for) in some way.