Blue Ridge Technology

Ask most business owners and leaders, and you’ll hear that they’re committed to (or at least concerned about) data security. But what does that mean exactly, especially in 2026? Most everyday businesses have data in the cloud, stored locally on network servers, copied onto individual machines, you name it. And that says nothing about AI and how it can affect data security. If you’re worried about data security for your business — or even if you’re pretty sure everything’s OK — It’s time for a quick reality check. Troubling Stats from Large Businesses If you’re reading this blog post, chances are you don’t represent an enterprise business. But since the big guys tend to be more focused on IT security, the state of data security there does have something to say about small and midsized businesses. And even among large businesses, the reports aren’t great. In surveys of IT leaders, data security consistently ranks near or atop the list of concerns or priorities around IT moderniz...

Spoiler Alert: It’s Mostly Don’ts Public Wi-Fi is really something, isn’t it? 30 years ago it was the stuff of sci-fi: a wireless connection you can access throughout much of any major city that offers you just about whatever of the world’s information you ask for. Today, we take it for granted. Perhaps too much for granted. The thing is, public Wi-Fi, as magical as it might seem, has a dark side. And using it for business work? It’s pretty risky. So this week we’re giving you a guide of do’s and don’ts: if you find yourself out and about and you need to get a little work done, here’s how to stay safe. The Problem with Public Wi-Fi The big problem with public Wi-Fi is that it’s insecure. You can’t be sure whether what you’re doing is safe from prying eyes, or even that your connection won’t lead to some kind of compromise. See, public Wi-Fi networks — at least the ones that don’t require any kind of authentication — are completely, horrendously insecure: it’s built right into the syste...