This influx of new technology does not come without some concerns. New hardware and software can be difficult to understand and may result in a hesitancy to adopt, but the benefits of such technology cannot be overlooked. Healthcare facilities risk being left behind by more technologically advanced health centers that have more efficient workforces and happier patients. The positives and negatives need to be weighed out carefully in order to determine if specific technology is worth adopting. The following are some of the things that should be considered prior to implementing new hardware or software:

Positives:

More efficient workforce. Adopting new technology allows your medical staff to offload many of the day to day administrative tasks including: appointment scheduling, medical billing, management of patient health records and much more. This improvement in workforce efficiency can free up a lot of time so your staff can focus more on patient care and other aspects of customer service.

Digitized Health Records. Entering data in a centralized, electronic database allows patients to access their health records with the click of a button, providing them with the opportunity to review and submit any corrections instantly. Test results can be accessed as soon as they become available.

Digitized health records provide benefits to healthcare staff as well. Doctors and nurses are able to access real time health records that will make patient care safer and more reliable. Using handheld or portable devices for entering patient data will help ensure that all important information is updated accurately and efficiently. Additionally, staff are able to submit medical claims at a much faster rate.

Improved Patient Communications. Medical facilities can implement a chat feature that is incorporated to a company website or accessed through client profiles. This emphasizes easier communications between medical staff and patients in regards to questions, concerns and follow ups on appointments. Virtual visits are another form of communication that allow patients attend appointments from the comfort of their home, this can help if a doctor or specialist is a long distance from the patient or if a patient is too sick to leave their home. Virtual appointments also provide scheduling benefits for busy doctors, who can now schedule patients at times that best fit their schedule.

Negatives:

Lack of Network Interconnectivity. Not all technology will work seamlessly together. Having the right technology that works well together is critical to taking advantage of workplace and financial efficiencies. If certain systems don’t work well together, patient care can suffer as some information may be missing or not accurate.

Patient Data that is not so Private. Many healthcare facilities use large cloud providers for data storage, my first question for these providers would be what they can and can’t do with the data. Many cloud providers have long service agreements that outline what they could possibly do with the data. This legal terminology can be difficult to understand and overwhelming to read through.

An additional privacy issue emerges when you consider how data is transmitted from the cloud to users. The cloud uses hardware and software to transmit data through an internet connection. Different types and quality of devices and internet services can be used by doctors and patients to access this information, leaving open the possibility for different types of vulnerabilities if they are not careful.

Hacked Medical Records. In 2018, UnityPoint Health had to notify 1.4 million patients that their confidential records may have been compromised through a data breach. This data breach included very sensitive information such as medical data, test results, credit card information, social security numbers, and much more. The financial ramifications are large and the resulting reputation damage can put a medical facility out of business.

These risks can and should be mitigated properly by an experienced and trusted IT solutions provider.

In the end, there is always benefits and risks that need to be weighed before implementing new technology. Minimizing the risks are key, even if the benefits far outweigh any negatives. Taking the proper precautions such as arranging for annual security audits, using industry leading security products, having a dependable and redundant network in operation, consulting IT professionals before adopting new technology and using a cloud provider that keeps your data private are all steps that should be taken prior to any new technology implementation.

Do you have any specific concerns when new technology is implemented at your facility? Please submit any tips or concerns related to technology implementation by submitting a reply, located at the bottom of this blog post, clicking the following link, or contacting info@globalit.com

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Early Education for IT based Careers

Historically, boys have received more positive reinforcement in their pursuit of IT related educational goals, while girls were often pushed to pursue non-tech related fields, but this is changing. According to a Small Business Trends survey, girls have a natural interest in tech related fields that typically peaks at 11 years old. In 2018, more than 38,000 girls took the Computer Science Advanced Placement exam in high school, this is 10 times the number of girls that took it in 2000, so the interest is there and it’s growing. This trend has also expanded to college where there is an upward trend of women graduating with degrees in IT related fields. According to the National Center for Women & Information Technology, more women are obtaining computing degrees, but a large gender gap still exists.

The Workplace

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, women make up about 57% of the labor force. However, women make up less than 20 percent of U.S. tech jobs based on data from virtual event solutions company Evia.

Even with the small percentage of women holding onto an IT position in the tech industry, many are discouraged from keeping their position. In fact, women are twice more likely to quit their IT job. Why you ask? Because of the many different issues revolving around gender inequality, the pay gap and their overall workplace experience with their fellow male coworkers.

Fortunately, this isn’t always the case. Many women in the IT industry find the support they need from fellow female industry peers, focusing on their own skills and abilities and even finding a mentor. In an article written on the website fairygodboss.com, one woman stated:

“There is strength in numbers and the numbers representing women in tech are not currently in our favor—yet. Every unique challenge brings an opportunity to do something about it. Being a woman in tech is a badge of honor. Wear it proud, loud and continue to do the hard work to help lead the way for others. Even if you’re uncomfortable inciting change at your own company, there are plenty of ways to make a difference.”

Michelle Wingard

How You Can Help

Plain and simple – pursuing a career in technology is more difficult for women than it has been for men. A vast number of girls and women do not pursue a career in tech because society tells them that they are neither good or smart enough to take on such a scientific and technological position. The next time a female speaks to you about her passion in tech, shows interest in the field or is currently trying to pursue a career in it, we encourage you to encourage her, support her and remind her that she is capable of taking on such a male dominated field of IT.

Here at Global IT, we believe in providing supportive mentors that encourage young women to continue their pursuit of their tech related goals and we understand the importance of continued support and increasing post-graduation career opportunities in order to do our part in closing this gender gap. That is why we offer mentorship and internship opportunities to young women in high school and college that have an interest in IT. If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about these opportunities, please contact us at info@globalit.com for more information.

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Why Doing a Google Search for Managed IT Companies in Los Angeles Can Be Misleading

Unfortunately, when you do a Google search for “Managed Services Provider Los Angeles” businesses in Riverside County, Orange County, and other non-Los Angeles counties, come up quite often in the organic search results. Also, many managed IT firms from out of state come up in the paid results, which are easy to click on because they show up on top.

A classic maxim in real estate is location, location, location. It applies when picking a managed IT company too. If your business is in Los Angeles County, you want a managed IT company in Los Angeles. Tech support firms that are closer will provide faster and cheaper on-site support.

25 Managed IT Firms in Los Angeles County With Great Reviews

As we mentioned before, finding the best managed IT firm in Los Angeles is tough. Where do you start? Here are some simple rules that will narrow down your search.

1. Location- You want a company that’s actually in Los Angeles County.
2. Established- You want a company that’s been in business for a while.
3. Testimonials- You want a company with glowing reviews.

That’s why we decided to compile a list of 25 popular managed IT firms that are in Los Angeles. We looked for companies in Los Angeles with great reviews. We also made sure they’ve been in business for a while (the newest company on the list was established in 2010).

This list is in no particular order.

1)  Global IT

Location: 6720 Bright Ave, Whittier, CA 90601

Established: 2000

Customer Quote: “They are the best IT service provider I ever came across. Very prompt in resolving problems.”

2) Advanced Networks

Location: 4929 Wilshire Blvd Suite: 941 Los Angeles, CA 90010

Established: 2004

Customer Quote: As good as it gets. Patient, knowledgeable, great attitude, and go beyond the call of duty.

3) IT Support LA

Location: 6047 Tampa Ave, Tarzana, CA 91356

Established: 2002

Customer Quote: “We use IT Support LA and our agency couldn’t be happier with their services.”

4 ) TPX Communications

Location:  990 W 190th St, Ste 120, Torrance, CA 90502

Established: 1998

Customer Quote: “These guys look for problems early and actively and I appreciate their availability to respond to me if/when I have a question or concern.”

5)  Be Structured

Location:  500 S Grand Ave Suite 1150 Los Angeles, CA 90071

Established: 2007

Customer Quote: “Be Structured is always there giving us new ideas and solutions to help our company run more efficiently and cost effectively in today’s competitive market.”

6) Xperts Unlimited

Location: 13428 Maxella Ave, Marina del Rey, CA 90292

Established: 2000

Customer Quote: This company is amazing. I’ve never met a better group of people.

7) TechMedics

Location: 527 W Seventh Street, Suite 500, Los Angeles, CA 90014

Established: 1999

Customer Quote: “I was nobody, nowhere – until I met Techmedics!”

Tech Medics is on 7th Street in the heart of Los Angeles. They started in 1999 with two employees. Like all good managed IT companies they tout their proactive approach.

8 ) Computer Support

Location: 8605 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90069

Established: 2006

Customer Quote: “The wide variety of expertise they bring to our company not only in running the existing network but in the telecom area, planning for growth and budgeting has been a tremendous asset.”

9) DCGLA

Location:  600 W, 7th St Ste 550, Los Angeles, CA 90017

Established: 1993

Customer Quote: “If you are in the need to find an IT support provider in Los Angeles, look no further.”

10) TVG Consulting

Location: 217 W. Alameda Ave. #102, Burbank, CA, 91502

Established: 2005

Customer Quote: “They are very competent and concerned about each customer no matter how large or small.”

11) ZZ Computer

Location: 11968 Wilshire Boulevard, West Los Angeles, California 90025

Established: 1989

Customer Quote: “ZZ Computer is a great asset to our IT needs!

12) Front Line

Location: 6711 Forest Lawn Drive, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90068

Established: 2002

Customer Quote: A great team! Very attentive to their clients, always friendly, and I have yet to present an issue they’ve not been able to solve. Highly recommended.

13) Net Ready IT

Location: 5015 Eagle Rock Blvd. , Suite 208, Los Angeles, California 90041

Established: 1995

Customer Quote: “All of the Netready team members are fantastic, they always find a way to get to the bottom of our issues.”

14) Pro-Link Systems

Location: Woodland Hills, California, United States

Established: 1999

Customer Quote: “I have loved working with every single person at ProLink without exception. They have all gone personally above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that any of my technical difficulties are resolved in a matter of minutes.”

15) LA-Networks

Location: 5805 Sepulveda Blvd, Suite 710, Sherman Oaks, CA 91411

Established: 1997

Customer Quote: “LA Networks focuses on helping Southern California businesses with enterprise technology solutions including Cisco and AWS.”

16) Info 2 Extreme

Location: 5777 W. Century Blvd., Suite 1500 Los Angeles, CA 90045

Established: 1995

Customer Quote: “The perfect blend of technical innovation and business acumen is i2x.”

17) Clear Fuze

Location: 11693 San Vicente Blvd. Suite 395 Los Angeles, CA 90049

Established: 2002

Customer Quote: “When things go wrong, as they inevitably do when working with computers, it’s very comforting to know they are there.”

18) CPI Solutions

Location: 2260 E. El Segundo Blvd. El Segundo, CA 90245

Established: 1981

Customer Quote: “CPI is proactive and we always feel like they are one step ahead of us.”

19) GeekTek

Location: 4419 Van Nuys Blvd, Suite 412, Sherman Oaks, California, 91403

Established: 2010

Customer Quote: “They’re not your typical IT crew. They’re very friendly and approachable.”

20) Fantastic IT

Location: 3720 Skypark Drive, Torrance, California 90505

Established: 1998

Customer Quote: “When it comes down to proper IT for business, look no further than Fantastic IT.”

21) Barebones Networking

Location: 7083 Hollywood Blvd, 5th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Established: 2003

Customer Quote: “great service, friendly and pro, recommended A+++++”

*Note: Yelp says this location is closed but their website is still up.

22) Techital

Location:  144 N Glendale Ave, Ste 301, Glendale, CA 91206

Established: 2001

Customer Quote: “If I could give more than 5 stars I would.”

23) DLL Technologies

Location: 115 E Foothill Blvd #200, Glendora, CA 91741

Established: 2005

Customer Quote: “Great IT firm for small business.”

24) Generation IX

Location: 5839 Green Valley Cir Suite 103, Los Angeles, CA 90230

Established: 1984

Customer Quote: Four years later and we still talk about their work in our office.

25) Secure-Net

Location: 3250 Wilshire Blvd, Ste 920, Los Angeles, CA 90010

Established: 1991

Customer Quote: “Thanks to my conversation with Dave a few days ago, I just came up with the best [workflow] for our practice.”

Do Businesses in LA County Really Need a Managed IT Company in Los Angeles County?

Most IT support is provided remotely. So, some businesses think their IT company doesn’t need to be close. However, that is usually a mistake that results in slower (and sometimes more expensive) on-site calls. That’s because even small and medium-sized businesses have complex needs that will occasionally require an on-site call.

Global IT Cares About Your Business

That’s why we made this list. Our customers have told us that finding a managed IT company in Los Angeles can be stressful. We wanted to make the process of finding the best managed IT company in LA a little easier for you. Also, this list has more managed IT companies in Los Angeles.

Of course, we think Global IT is the best managed IT company in LA. After all, Silicon Review called us one of the Best 30 Small Companies to watch in 2018 and Enterprise Services Outlook called us the Most Recommended Compliance Provider.

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The False Narrative About Ransomware

This article’s readers will fall into two categories: those who have been recently affected by a ransomware attack and those who haven’t. The former group will have no illusions about the perniciousness of modern ransomware. However, the latter group may be under the misconception that ransomware is becoming extinct. After all, there are many headlines on the web touting the decline of ransomware.

Ransomware Is so 2017

Why Cryptomining Is the New Ransomware

Cybercriminals Move from Ransomware Attacks to Crypto Mining

The Decline of Ransomware and the Rise of Cryptocurrency Mining

Nevertheless, the statistics gainsay the decline of ransomware. The headlines don’t tell the whole story. Ransomware is still alive and thriving. Look at the following statistics.

• 48% of IT consultants noted an increase in ransomware related consolation and inquires. (Intermedia, 2017)
• From 2016 to 2017 Ransomware attacks spiked 350%. (Dimension Data, 2018)
• In 2017, 25% of cyber insurance claims were because of ransomware. (AIG, 2018)
• WannaCry ransomware could cost businesses $4 billion (Cyence, 2017)

Organizations of all sizes are impacted by ransomware attacks, even as rumors of ransomware’s decline float around the internet. These attacks are inconvenient and expensive. For instance, the town of Matanuska-Susitna, Alaska had its phones, servers, computers, and email exchange crippled by ransomware, forcing the town’s employees to use typewriters. Likewise, the city of Atlanta had to pay 17 million to clean up the devastating SamSam ransomware attack.

In summary, ransomware is still active and pernicious.

No Industry Is Safe From Ransomware

You may have noticed the examples above (Atlanta and Matanuska-Susitna) involve public sector organizations. It’s true that many high-profile ransomware salvos are against municipalities. At the same time, there is a myriad of ransomware attacks against the private sector. Here are some headlines that show the private sector is not immune to ransomware assaults.

• Ransomware Attack Targets Adams Memorial Hospital
• Allscripts sued over ransomware attack, accused of ‘wanton’ disregard
• Hospital pays $55,000 ransom; no patient data stolen, Greenfield, IN
• LabCorp 90% recovered from SamSam ransomware attack, Burlington, NC

You can find a myriad of examples of private sector companies that have fallen victim to ransomware. Here’s another point to consider: some ransomware attacks are never reported. Municipalities and hospitals typically have government regulations that demand disclosure. Conversely, many private sector businesses are bound by no such regulations and wish to stay out of the press. Therefore, the rate of ransomware attacks against private organizations is likely much higher than we know.

Practical Ways to Protect Your Company From Ransomware

Inventory Your Internet-Facing Assets- When your network is connected to the internet, your security is tested. Your internet-facing assets are open to being probed by hackers. The first step to securing these ports is to catalog them. Once they’re totally archived, you can ensure they’re protected by your security measures.

Filter All Email for Spam Messages- Email attachments with ransomware infect millions of computers. You can protect yourself by not opening up unsolicited attachments in unverified emails.

Macros- Disallow macros unless they’ve been verified by your IT admin or your managed IT team.

Limit RDP Access- Require all RDP access to be routed over a VPN secured by 2-factor authentication.

Comprehensive Backup System- Disaster recovery as a service and a potent cloud backup will help remove the sting of ransomware.

Ransomware Protocol for Employees- Don’t allow bad company policy to compound the negative effects of ransomware. Employees must know who to alert in case of a ransomware attack. Also, employees often fear retribution when coming forth about a cyber-attack. Time is critical in these instances, so it’s imperative you alleviate these concerns so employees feel comfortable coming forward. Lastly, employees should have a clear directive about what can be discussed with the outside world.

Should You Pay a Ransom

IT professionals are of two minds about paying a ransom. First off, you have a couple of alternatives. David Harley, the Senior Research Fellow at ESET, suggests contacting your security software vendor because recovery may be possible without paying the ransom. Second, Harley opines you may be able to restore your data from backups.

Recovering from backups can be more expensive than paying a ransom. That’s why businesses decide to pay. This is often a bad idea. Even if you pay, there’s no guarantee the hackers will keep their word and decrypt your data. There are many accounts of hackers asking for second payments or never decrypting data. On a macro scale, you’re also validating the business model behind the crime.

If you decide to implement a policy of paying ransoms, then make sure you designate someone in the company to be the negotiator. Having the proper policy and procedure is key.

Conclusion

More and more companies are depending on data and technology. As that trend continues, ransomware will likely continue to grow. To deal with the growing ransomware threats it’s critical that your organization addresses risk management tactics. This can be done internally or by consulting endpoint security experts like your managed IT company. Contact us today for more info.

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That’s what the Chief Security Officer of Egnyte, Kris Lahiri, says about the GDPR. Most tech watchers tend to agree with him. Without further ado, here’s a brief summary about the GDPR.

What Is the GDPR?

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a sweeping new European Union privacy law. It doesn’t only affect Europeans. Because of the widespread reach of the EU, sometimes referred to as the Brussels Effect, the GDPR has major consequences for businesses around the world. This includes many businesses in Los Angeles.

To cut a long story short, the GDPR replaced an outdated 1995 law called the European Data Protection Directive (EDPD). Since the EDPD was created in 1995, it was totally irrelevant for the digital age. Computer usage and data collection have exploded since the 1990’s, so a change was badly needed. In 2012, the European Commission proposed a comprehensive reform of the EDPD. Among other things, this law was meant to protect consumers privacy, curtail email spam, and make data collection more transparent. Notwithstanding, the law took the slow boat to China. It only gained teeth in May of 2018.

The GDPR is strict. And not complying with it is really expensive. Here are 8 facts businesses in Los Angeles need to know about the GDPR so they can protect their pocketbook.

1)  There Are Heavy Consequences for Noncompliance

Unless you have money to burn, you don’t want to run afoul of the GDPR. Disobeying the GDPR can cost you 20 million Euros (about 23.3 million Dollars as of August 2018). Technically, the fees don’t stop at 20 million Euros. If your company is rolling in money, you can be fined 4% of global annual turnover.

2)  It Doesn’t Just Affect Businesses in Europe

As mentioned earlier, the Brussels Effect is real. The GDPR affects businesses all over the world. If you target a data subject in Europe with marketing efforts, then the GDPR affects you. In particular, U.S. based hospitality businesses, software companies, and e-commerce businesses are especially vulnerable to the GDPR.

3)   Some Businesses in Los Angeles Aren’t Affected by the GDPR

However, it’s only the ones that don’t target European consumers with any marketing efforts. If you don’t sell products to Europeans or collect/buy/use emails from Europe the law doesn’t conern you.

4)   Los Angeles Businesses Are Already Changing for the GDPR

One of the most noteworthy examples is the Los Angeles Times. They’ve shut off access to internet users in the EU. The Chicago Tribune has also closed its doors. Tronc, the company that owns these two outlets (and other papers) won’t risk non-compliance because of the high fees. The GDPR is the real deal.

5)   The GDPR Gives Individuals Eight Rights

The GDPR is incredibly consumer-friendly legislation. It gives Europeans consumers a plethora of rights and protects their privacy. In detail, it gives these eight rights.

• The Right to Access- Consumers can request free access to their personal data anytime. They can also ask how the company is using their data.
• The Right to Be Forgotten- Customers have the right to ask for their data to be deleted.
• The Right to Data Portability- Consumers can request data is transferred from one service provider to another.
• The Right to Be Informed- Individuals must be informed before data (like an email address) is collected.
• The Right to Have Data Corrected- Consumers have the right to have their data updated if it’s incorrect (although, a company probably wouldn’t want out-of-date data in the first place).
• The Right to Restrict Processing- Individuals can ensure their data isn’t used for processing.
• The Right to Object- EU consumers can remove themselves from an email list or a phone list, and direct marketing must stop immediately.
• The Right to Be Notified- If data is hacked, the consumer must be informed about it in 72 hours.

6) May 25^th, 2018 Was the First Day Fines Started

You may have heard about the GDPR for years. It’s officially been on the books since 2016. Yet, fines only started on May 25^th, 2018.

7) Good Faith Attempts to Comply Aren’t Enough

There are lots of articles floating around talking about the effectiveness of good faith attempts to comply with the GDPR. These do help. Yet, the true course of love never did run smooth. In other words, good faith attempts aren’t enough to guarantee you won’t get a fine. If that was the case, the Los Angeles wouldn’t be blocking its European readership.

8) You Can’t Comply With the GDPR in Five Minutes

Applying with the GDPR is difficult. For one thing, it requires all of your emails to be collected with consent from the user. And the burden of proof is on you. Many legacy tech systems make this proof difficult or unattainable. Also, even one email can be a problem. The CAN-SPAM Act has fines of up to $16,000 for each email address that’s wrongly solicited. The law is complex, and if you do any business in Europe you need to spend time understanding it. Otherwise, it may come back and bite you.

Where Can I Learn More About the GDPR?

If you want to learn more about the GDPR, a good place to start is the GDPR Compliance Guide. You can also contact a GDPR expert at Global IT. We’re a managed IT company in Los Angeles. We work with LA-based businesses that sell products in Europe, and we can make your business 100% GDPR compliant.

The post 8 Facts Businesses in Los Angeles Need to Know About the GDPR appeared first on info.globalit.com.

It sounds like the distant future, but it is all happening right now. It is called the Internet of Things (IoT), and it could change the way you live and work. Smart cities are already in the planning stages that reduce vehicle emissions, are much more energy efficient, and handle traffic in such a way as to reduce traffic jams and pedestrian injuries. It all sounds like a dream, but there are problems to overcome as we head into the future of IoT.

What Is IoT?

In a perfect world, IoT means that every device that runs on some sort of power is connected to the Internet, or connected directly to each other. As you can imagine, there are issues with getting some items connected to the Internet, and there is also problems justifying connecting electric toothbrushes to a central server.

As these devices go through their daily activities, they collect information that can be used in a variety of ways. As our example in the opening paragraph suggested, devices and wearable technology would be able to anticipate a person’s needs and transmit critical information on its own. The data stored can be used to make a taxi cab fleet more fuel efficient, and it can be used as evidence in a personal injury lawsuit involving a car accident.

Commercial Adaptation Of IoT

Small and large businesses have started to create IoT strategies designed to connect all of their devices to a central storage and analysis point. There are two ways businesses can implement an IoT strategy; either buy all new equipment that is already IoT enabled, or start enabling equipment one piece at a time. Obviously, the more cost effective route is to enable devices one piece at a time, but that does not make it the easiest approach.

One of the most significant problems companies have with an IoT implementation is connecting legacy devices to the Internet. Large mainframes can be connected to the Internet, but what about the company trucks? It takes a significant amount of planning to outfit any size organization with an IoT network.

The payoff for installing an IoT system is significant. Companies can monitor the condition and activities of their vehicles in detail and develop a number of fuel-saving measures. Employee productivity can be easily monitored, and that opens up the door for developing more productive methods. Companies would be able to put worker’s compensation fraud to an end, and corporate attorneys would have much more information to use in defense of the company in any kind of lawsuit.

Many industries will show a massive growth toward IoT within the next several years.

Is IoT Vulnerable?

The vulnerabilities in an IoT system come from the significant number of Internet connections they create. When a car sends back information about its fuel usage, it is also opens up a connection on the Internet that hackers can use to access the company network. Even your personal information is not safe when your toaster retrieves your favorite toast settings from a central server and uses that information to make your morning a little better.

Compliance Issues

Implementation of IoT networks has been going on in the corporate world long enough for government agencies to start developing laws and guidelines regarding the creation and maintenance of an IoT system. But with so much information being transmitted from so many devices, there have been plenty of concerns raised about compliance with security standards.

The protection of data has been critical, and standards such as HIPAA for storing health care data and PCI for protecting credit card information have been created to make sure that the private data of customers and patients stays safe. But with the IoT, maintaining compliance with these laws is not easy. Most of these government agencies have issued detailed ways to make sure that data is transmitted over an IoT system safely, but the laws keep changing as more and more devices are placed online.

Protecting Your Data

Some of the factors that make the IoT possible is the massive expansion of WiFi service, the dramatic drop in technology costs, and the rapid rate at which technology is being adopted around the world. But at the heart of any IoT system is a reliable and secure cloud storage solution.

Global IT has dedicated servers placed in a secure location that you can use to safely store all of your IoT data. The amount of data you will collect with a IoT system is well beyond what your company is used to handling. Instead of taking chances, it is best to rely on the experts and state-of-the-art equipment used by Global IT to protect your critical data.

Resources:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2014/05/13/simple-explanation-internet-things-that-anyone-can-understand/#5a9a68386828

http://www.forbes.com/sites/janakirammsv/2016/08/22/10-steps-to-implementing-a-successful-enterprise-iot-strategy/2/#7b413f221fcd

https://www.thingworx.com/blog/iot-helps-business-regulatory-compliance/

http://www.business.com/technology/internet-of-things-security-compliance-risks-and-opportunities/

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-enterprise-internet-of-things-market-2015-7

Image Sources: aquaticinformatics.com and businessinsider.com

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Our nation’s critical infrastructure, including both private and public sector networks, are targeted by adversaries. American companies are targeted for trade secrets and other sensitive corporate data, and universities for their cutting-edge research and development. Citizens are targeted by fraudsters and identity thieves, and children are targeted by online predators. –FBI

What Is Ransomware?
The simple answer to defining ransomware is that it is a virus that takes hold of your computer and demands payment to a criminal organization to get the password that will release the virus. This affects personal and corporate computers, and it has become a big business for the criminal world. It is estimated that cyber-ransoms will become a billion dollar industry in 2016, and that only includes the paid ransoms. That figure does not include the costs for repairing the computers or recovering the information.
Once ransomware is downloaded, you will get a message telling you that your computer has been locked and you will be told that you need to take some kind of action to pay the ransom. The consequences of not paying include having all of your data erased, or permanently locking up your computer.
The more complicated description of ransomware is that it preys on your more vulnerable software applications and encrypts your computer. Normally, encryption is used to protect your data. But in this case, it locks you out of your computer and requires a password that only the criminal knows. When you pay the ransom, you hope to get the password that will open up your system. In some cases, the password is not provided after the ransom has been paid.

The FBI doesn’t support paying a ransom in response to a ransomware attack. Paying a ransom doesn’t guarantee an organization that it will get its data back—there have been cases where organizations never got a decryption key after having paid the ransom. Paying a ransom not only emboldens current cyber criminals to target more organizations, it also offers an incentive for other criminals to get involved in this type of illegal activity. And by paying a ransom, an organization might inadvertently be funding other illicit activity associated with criminals.-FBIHow do you get Ransomware?
In corporate settings, ransomware usually arrives in an employee’s email account as what looks like a safe and secure attachment. But when the attachment is open, the ransomware is loaded and it may start to move its way through the rest of the network.
In any setting, email is the most common way that ransomware gets loaded onto a computer. The second most common way is clicking on an infected website and having it loaded directly onto your computer. As frustrating as these can be, these delivery methods give us clues on how to combat these attacks.

Avoiding Ransomware
Always use a reputable  antivirus software vendor and can scan your received emails and warn you against websites that are infected. Never use a free AV. You should always have good antivirus operating on your computer, and you should keep your antivirus updated constantly. Corporate IT directors should keep their firewall software up to date, and have a policy in place that prohibits employees from opening email attachments.
Never open an email attachment from a sender you do not recognize. Many of these criminals try to disguise their emails as being from legitimate banks or communications providers, but you should never fall for it. One way to tell if an email is from your bank is to hover your mouse pointer over any link in the email and read the associated link at the bottom of the browser. If the link does not come from your bank, then the email is a phishing email that is looking for victims.

Make sure you look over the data in the email carefully. If you are not familiar with the vendor or the prospective client, call the phone number listed in the email. Here is an example of a fraudulent company that looks legitimate. If you look closely, you can see that there are (3) s’ in the email address dave@bluegrassscontracting.com. This is easy to miss.

Corporate and personal users should always have their computers backed-up to a resource that is not online. For example, personal users can get a large capacity USB drive and back their computers up to that drive every Friday. Corporate users can utilize offline back-up systems that are constantly updated with any changes to the network in case of an attack.

What To Do If You Have Been Attacked

If you open an attachment in your corporate email account and you get the ransomware warning page, then contact your manager immediately. If your manager is not available, then contact the IT manager directly and alert the trusted IT group to the problem.
If you get ransomware on your personal computer, then you should call a computer support professional immediately. Do not try to take care of the problem yourself because it could become worse.

Ransomware is just one of the growing threats that honest Internet users face every day. By practicing safe computer use habits, you can reduce your chances of getting attacked and have yourself covered in case you need to have your hard drive reloaded.

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A close look at the ICANN contract with the U.S. Department of Commerce shows that the contract will lapse if not renewed on October 1, 2016. When President Obama decided not to renew the contract, Senator Ted Cruz (who was a presidential candidate at the time he introduced the bill) introduced the Protecting Internet Freedom Act to prevent the ICANN contract from lapsing. The bill is still being considered, but with the contract being allowed to lapse, a Congressional law may be useless at this point.

What Is Going On?

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is the centralized body entrusted with regulating domain names and IP numbers throughout the Internet. It is a body made up of engineers and Internet experts from all over the world, and it was funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce until October 1, 2016. When President Obama allowed the contract with ICANN to lapse, he effectively gave up any kind of leverage the United States had with ICANN.

The act of allowing the contract with ICANN to lapse has been compared to handing the Internet over to China. But a closer examination of ICANN shows that it is basically an organization without a country that has a habit of following its own rules and creating a nightmare bureaucracy for governments to try and work with. In other words, ICANN is proud to operate on its own, and this severance from the United States only allows ICANN to work as an even more independent body.

No one country controls ICANN. There is a new committee in ICANN made up of governments from all over the world, but no one government has complete say in what happens. But should people be worried about China and this new open Internet? Recent information would say that China could very well be a threat to the Internet in more ways than one.

China Is Flexing Its Internet Muscles

Within its own borders, China is making changes to its own Internet that should be concerning to anyone outside of China. China is broadening its Internet resources and making it difficult for Western businesses to make money in China. A document that has many Western businesses very concerned is China’s newest cybersecurity law. This new law forces anyone using China’s Internet to follow all federal, regional, and local Internet laws. This would make it extremely difficult for outsiders to properly access the Internet in China, especially since many local Internet laws are unknown.

It is China’s habit of attempting to maintain control over everything that has the rest of the world concerned. Chinese Internet laws state that any information gathered on the Chinese public must remain in China. The Chinese government also has comprehensive rules on what kinds of hardware can be used on the Chinese Internet, and anyone using equipment that has not been approved is in line for serious legal repercussions.

Is China A Threat To The Internet?

China is the only oppressive country to have spent a great deal of time and money on developing Internet security and information distribution plans. China’s latest cybersecurity laws are open for the public to review, and Western business executives fear that these new laws make it increasingly difficult for Western businesses to make money in China.

China understands that money makes the world go round, and money may even be the key to running the Internet. China is already in the process of destabilizing the global economy through its cheap steel, and now China is trying to keep Western companies out of its marketplace by making its Internet increasingly exclusive.

Now that China has an equal say in ICANN thanks to the U.S. bowing out if its contract with the Internet organization, there is a real possibility that China will continue to use its aggressive tactics to have influence on how the Internet works all over the world, including inside the United States itself.

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In 2010, Oi signed an agreement with the Brazilian government to expand the country’s archaic and failing landline system to rural customers. After years of sinking millions of dollars into that expansion and the effect of other economic factors, the company finally had to admit that it was in trouble and filed for bankruptcy in Brazil on June 20, 2016. At $19.3 billion dollars, the Oi bankruptcy is the largest in Brazil’s history.

What Happened?

Over the past several years, Oi has suffered from poor managerial decisions and money mismanagement. The agreement to maintain and expand the landline system in Brazil instead of working to expand the growing wireless communications systems wound up costing the company millions.

Initially, Gontijo was attempting to negotiate a deal with shareholders that would wind up giving 92 percent of the ownership of the company to a group of bond holders and larger shareholders. The members of the board and other shareholders were not prepared to have their interests in the company diluted in that way, so Gontijo resigned. The financial world was shocked when Oi decided, after Gontijo’s departure, that filing the largest bankruptcy in Brazilian history was the answer to its problems.

Why Everything Went Wrong

A few years ago, Oi merged with Portugal Telecom to try and expand its market and bring in more revenue to offset the growing financial burden of maintaining and updating Brazil’s landline system. In the process, Portugal Telecom became one of the largest bond holders for Oi, and a major financial burden.

The $260 million bond payment to Portugal Telecom was set to come due in July 2016. Oi announced that unless some sort of debt reconfiguration plan was agreed to soon, then 92 percent of the company’s cash would be gone by the end of December 2016. This made Portugal Telecom nervous, and cause Portugal Telecom to put more pressure on Oi to come up with a payment solution.

Aurelius Capital Management is an American-based hedge fund that is heavily invested in Oi, and Aurelius has put together a group of shareholders that are pressuring Oi to create some plan for paying shareholders and bond holders back. The pressure from all of these financial elements caused Oi to decide to seek protection in the bankruptcy courts.

Oi maintains that Aurelius Capital Management is persistently blocking Oi’s attempts to restructure its debt, and the company needs protection from Aurelius and other American shareholders to complete its restructuring plan.

How Does This Affect the U.S.?

Brazil is the midst of a recession that has gone on for two years, and it’s one of the worst economic recessions that country has seen in the past 80 years. Even companies that are heavily invested in the country’s profitable oil industry are filing for protection from bankruptcy. The financial ripple effect is even reaching the United States, where Oi has filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection in the New York bankruptcy court, which is the part of the United States bankruptcy laws set aside for foreign companies.

In addition, many U.S. telecom companies have infrastructure resources in Brazil. Depending on the outcome of the bankruptcy, some of the U.S. telecom operators with assets in Brazil may need to seek alternative routing and infrastructure as services may be at risk for disruptions and support may be limited if wide scale layoffs occur.

The situation for Oi is bleak. A weak economy and a set of Brazilian business laws that prevent the company from being able to take the actions it says it needs to take to become solvent could mean even more problems for the troubled carrier. Since the Brazilian government relies so heavily on Oi for the country’s national landline system, some experts are speculating that the government may bail the company out. But with the financial turmoil going on in Brazil right now, there may not be enough money to help Oi climb out of its financial pit.

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Line of protesters demanding Apple to crack open the iPhone at the center of the San Bernardino investigation.

Apple has unlocked iPhones for authorities at least 70 times since 2008. Google celebrated Internet Safer Day earlier this month to raise awareness of ‘how they can help you stay secure online’.

Tech companies have been battling relentlessly with governments over access to people’s electronic information.

Last Tuesday rallies were held across the US to protest the FBI’s demands that Apple unlocks the iPhone at the center of the San Bernardino investigation.

A week before protests were held to support Apple, with campaigners gathering in front of Apple stores with branding signs and slogans, “Don’t break our phones”. Read the full story here.

Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that the company wouldn’t comply with a government search warrant to unlock an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters.

The case has placed technological security in the spotlight, with Apple acknowledging it could extract the information.

Apple defended itself in the San Bernardino case, with Cook stating the action as, “an unprecedented step which threatens the security of our customers.” This contradicts their previous stance, as Apple has unlocked approximately 70 iPhones for authorities in the past.

However, the U.S. government has taken things to the next level, by pushing Apple to create new code which would allow the government to bypass iPhone security protections.

Some argue this is an ethical dilemma when government agents are forcing individuals of a private company to perform a task, where the employee is stuck between keeping their job and abiding by the government.

Protestor standing for privacy protection supporting Apple in the San Bernardino case.

It is not all doom and gloom with the tech corps still keeping the public in mind.

Earlier this month Google celebrated Safer Internet Day with the redesign of its ‘Good to know site’, which is all about how to stay safe online.

The website launched late last year and is the search engine’s biggest consumer education campaign. Focusing on the web safety, dangers of the internet, scams, along with advice on how to keep your devices secure. Read the full story here.

But can we depend on tech giants with our personal data, do they really have our interest at heart, or is it just about public relations?

Apple further argued in the above case that extracting the data could threaten consumer trust and tarnish the brand.

There are blurred lines between private information, public security, and government control. For now, there’s not much we can do other than taking appropriate precautions online and being aware of what’s happening in the tech world, to defend our rights if we need to.

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