Blue Ridge Technology

Ransomware Protection Ransomware attacks can be absolutely devastating to your business. Imagine logging into work one day and there’s nothing left to log into. It’s all just…gone. Locked up and held for ransom by some group of digital thieves. What would you do if this happened to you? Would you have any choice but to pay up? And would that even work? You’d be placing your hope in the “upstanding citizens” that are already committing a crime against to suddenly become honest folks who give you your files back. In other words, ransomware attacks can be existential threats to businesses like yours (any business that can’t operate without its data and/or digital systems). The good news is there’s a tech-forward solution that can keep you safe, even if you do fall victim to an attack. The bad news? Most businesses don’t have that solution in place. Here’s what you need to know about ransomware attacks and your best defense against them — something called immutable storage backu...

Chrome extensions are great for boosting productivity and saving time. But if they’re not the real deal, you could be at risk from malware. Watch our latest tech update to stay protected. There are plenty of good reasons to use Chrome, from quality of life to productivity and efficiency. But Chrome comes with several drawbacks users should be aware of. Possible Chrome Drawbacks We see two major potential drawbacks to using Chrome: data use and extension security. Data Use Creates Business Concerns One big drawback to using Chrome is the way Google is likely using you — that is, your data. Remember the old adage, “if you’re not the customer, you’re the product”? That’s definitely the case with Chrome. Google wants you to use its free, really good browser because of what it does for them , not just out of the goodness of their hearts. More than other browser makers, Google appears to collect tons of data on its users: what you do, where you visit, what you like to buy, and more. Even if...

A new report claims that malware attacks are once again on the rise in 2024. This type of attack seems like it used to be all we talked about, but in recent years, it was dwarfed in popularity and frequency by phishing scams. Since the threat level of malware is rising, it's time to talk about it again. Here's what you need to know about malware attacks: what they are, why they matter, and what's different this time around. What Is Malware? Malware is a portmanteau of “malicious” and “software,” which pretty much explains the game: malware is software that runs on your computer just like any other software you would use, only this particular subset of software is malicious, dangerous, and usually installed without your consent or awareness. What Can Malware Do? All sorts of nasty things. Malware has the ability to do a wide range of things to your computer. It can act as a keylogger, which means recording every keystroke you make and sending that data back to the bad guys...

One day it could save your business This week on the blog, we’re talking about something that could be vital to your business’s continued existence: data backups. Now before you close this tab and move on with your day, hold on: we get it. Data backup and recovery isn’t the most interesting topic in the world—not anywhere close. But in terms of business importance, it’s right up there at the top of the list. Consider these 3 reasons why your business absolutely needs to be backing up data. But first—what’s a data backup anyway? What Is a Data Backup? A data backup is any copy of the data on a device or system that can be used to restore information and functionality if the device or system stops functioning (whether due to theft, sabotage, failure, disaster, or any other scenario). At home, data backups usually live on an external hard drive sitting in a drawer, or they live on a consumer-oriented cloud service (like iCloud, Google Drive, Carbonite, and so forth). At work, data backups...

Criminals are exploiting AI to create more convincing scams We wrote a couple of months ago about the dark side of generative AI . In that post we showed you a few ways that these new chatbots and other AI-powered generative technologies could do harm. Some of the things we talked about — like damaging your search engine optimization (SEO) or how generative AI generally has a loose relationship with telling the truth — aren’t exactly malicious or nefarious. They’re just things you need to know before you jump into using these tools. But other concerns do have some potential for malicious use and could be abused by criminals and bad actors. A few months ago, “could” was the operative word — but not anymore. Now it’s happening pretty much like we predicted. Here’s what you need to know about 3 new tactics criminals are already using to weaponize generative AI. 1. Phishing Emails Are Getting Harder to Spot In the past, most phishing emails had some tell-tale signs, like questionable gram...

Microsoft 365 makes Multi-Factor Authentication easier We wrote just last week about how crucial it is to implement multifactor authentication (MFA) wherever possible in your business. If you missed that post, check it out now (Have You Implemented MFA Yet? ) — we won’t rehash all of that news here. Still, we figure there’s a sizable group of businesses that fall into one of these categories: Still on the fence about MFA Convinced MFA is important but unsure how to get started In the middle of implementing MFA, and it’s not going well Already implemented MFA, but people are complaining or bypassing it If any of those sound familiar, we have great news: if you’re using Microsoft 365, things are about to get a lot easier. Here’s what you need to know. MFA Already Available Throughout Microsoft 365 First, it’s worth mentioning that MFA isn’t brand-new for M365 users. Microsoft already supported a few different kinds of next-gen authentication, including MFA. Maybe you never got around to ...

All businesses should adopt MFA. Now Have you implemented MFA yet on your business’s digital accounts? If not, you can’t afford to wait any longer. Here’s what you need to know about this crucial security tactic. What Is MFA? MFA stands for multifactor authentication. It’s a category of authentication methods that offer far greater security than the internet’s standard “username + password” system. If you’re not sure exactly what authentication means in this context, start with that username + password. At virtually any website you visit, those two elements tell the site that you’re you. (Sort of: technically it just tells the site that someone has credentials that only you should have — and that’s where the problems start.) You’ve probably come across two-factor authentication (2FA) somewhere in your business or personal life. There are lots of ways to do it, but the most consumer-familiar version is when a company asks for your username and password, then texts or emails you a tempor...

Take action to avoid a clever new phishing scam Another week, and yet another scam hitting the corporate interwebs, one that finds a brand-new way to exploit your employees and damage your company. We want to help you stay safe and keep your business free from the distraction or even devastation of a cyberattack. So here’s what you need to know about this new phishing scam, and how to keep yourself and your team members safe. The New Threat: Malware Wrapped in a Phishing Attack The new threat uses similar tactics to those we’ve warned you about before. But the specifics are different enough — and convincing enough — that this one warrants special explanation. Like any other phishing attack, this one sends a phishing email pretending to be from somewhere reputable. This time, it impersonates a very reputable tech brand, one that offices everywhere use and that employees will likely recognize. This phishing attack doesn’t try to steal your credentials, though: instead it delivers a payl...

What does Persistence mean in regards to a Cyber Attack? Persistence is a tactic that allows attackers to quietly maintain access to a system over time. This “dwell time” is often used to conduct additional research, explore the victim’s environment and determine what the best (i.e. the most profitable) next step should be. Hackers can spend 11-24 days in a network before being discovered! Right Click and save our Infographic The longer an attacker persists on a device, the more intel they’re able to gather—and the more damage they can ultimately do when deploying ransomware, stealing passwords or executing other malicious activity. Not to mention the amount of your Client’s information that they can absorb! Our security agents are always on guard against attack plans like this, shining a light on hidden trespassers and removing them. Give us a call to help get your business properly secured and constantly monitored, today!

None of your team would fall for this trick… would they What’s old is new again. Remember the early aughts, when USB flash drives seemed like the definition of our technological future? Think about it: cheap, extremely portable devices that work on just about any computer anywhere and can store any file type you can imagine. It was and still is an awesome technology, even if the advent of cloud storage and faster internet speeds have limited our need for them. The Problem with USB Flash Drives Back Then The USB drive suffered from one very frustrating (and sometimes dangerous) problem, though: because of the way USB works, there was no effective way to stop a USB drive from auto-installing stuff whenever it got plugged into a new machine. The PC simply recognized the new drive and tried to read it, and that was it: the damage was already done. Simply reading the contents of the drive was enough to install malware. If hackers, scammers, or corporate thieves had the right tech capabiliti...

If any of your staff work remotely, you need to be on top of this Is remote or hybrid work here to stay for your business? It is for many (formerly) office-based businesses operating in services or in the knowledge economy. If you weren’t set up for remote work before the pandemic, chances are you had to pivot quickly to get set up for remote work or work from home. And many businesses that went remote for the first time were operating in “emergency mode”: all that mattered was finding a way to keep business going. But as the pandemic eases into endemic status, one thing is clear: remote work isn’t going away, and hybrid is here to stay, too. If you have staff working remotely, it’s time to make sure your security protection is sufficient. One recent industry poll found that only around half of businesses today had the kind of security protection they need to keep employees and their organization safe no matter where people work. Those aren’t good odds. Here’s what you need to know so ...

If your business is like most, you have plenty to worry about in terms of keeping costs low, and you’re constantly looking for ways to improve efficiency and shed costs. This just makes good business sense. Still, savvy business owners know that there are areas where cutting costs can be strategic and other areas where doing so can damage the business, perhaps irreparably. In other words, saving money by making workflows more efficient is a great idea, but saving money by skimping on quality or service could be disastrous. Where does your managed IT services partner fall into this matrix? Should you look for the absolute cheapest deal around, or is choosing bargain managed IT support something that could cause deep problems in the long run? Here at Blue Ridge Technology , we believe the right answer is to take a holistic approach to managed IT support. Often, the best deals aren’t really the best: they don’t lead to the kinds of outcomes you want for your organization. Underpayment for...

Ransomware Resilience No matter the size of your business, you could be the target of a ransomware attack. These attacks are more complex to pull off than simple credential theft, and early attacks tended to target high-profile organizations and government agencies. But now, ransomware attacks are becoming more and more common. You might not think of your business as a likely target. But the danger is real regardless. Here’s what you need to know about ransomware attacks — and how to protect yourself and your business. What Is Ransomware? Ransomware is a type of malicious code-based lockout attack. In a ransomware attack, hackers break into a target system and lock out all users (typically encrypting data on that system as well). The perpetrators demand a payment (or ransom) to return or unlock the affected systems and files, often in cryptocurrency or other means that are difficult to trace. What Are Some Recent Ransomware Attacks? Ransomware attacks have been on the rise, including s...

There’s a false notion out there among small businesses that can be unimaginably dangerous. It goes something like this: “We don’t need to worry too much about cybersecurity. We’re so small, no one would want to hack us.” If you’ve ever been tempted to think something similar — and if your digital security efforts reflect this mentality — your business could be in danger. The truth is, small businesses are big targets for cybercriminals. Your small business isn’t too small to get hacked, and it may even be an especially enticing target. Here’s why, and some initial steps you should take. Fort Knox and Convenience Stores It’s tempting to think that hackers will always and only go after big, juicy, lucrative targets. And don’t get us wrong: hackers do go after big global corporations. Sometimes they even succeed. But everyday hackers are just as likely — if not more likely — to go after smaller targets. To understand why, we’ll use an analogy from offline crime. Which would you rather r...