The benefits of backing up data in Office 365

Posted by Computer Security and HIPAA Expert

Category: Data

December 28, 2021

Computer Security and HIPAA Expert

One of the best ways to safeguard critical data is to use a cloud backup system. Using one different software solution after the other can be frustrating. Picking the most appropriate software solution for your business can also be a daunting task.

Office 365 or Microsoft 365, gives your business the flexibility to operate anywhere at any given time. Important data is easily accessible with just a few clicks. All this is possible without having to worry about hosting your own email. Office 365 gives you control over the security of your data but with the control comes the responsibility to safeguard it.

In this article, we will discuss the benefits of using Office 365 as a backup solution.

Data Is Protected From Internal Threats

With just a few clicks, a disgruntled employee can put essential data at risk. If an employee erases important data, it may take a while before anyone notices and sounds the alarm, and by then it might be too late. Microsoft 365 comes with integrated tools that pinpoint any suspicious behavior from any of your employees. Suspicious behavior includes deviations from normal usage and login failures. Previously inactive accounts that are showing signs of activity are also a cause for concern.

Microsoft 365 Threat Intelligence alerts you if there are any security breaches, whether internal or external. It also helps to protect your data from malicious threats.

Data Is Protected From External Threats

External threats are always evolving to match the security systems that businesses have in place. The increase in people working remotely has created cracks in security that hackers are exploiting. Cyber-attacks have always been a problem, but the increase in remote working has only made them worse. Small to medium businesses are more vulnerable to cyber-attacks because most tend to neglect cyber security in one way or another. 89% of companies have admitted that their cybersecurity planning has a lot of room for improvement. Microsoft 365 cloud backup offers an efficient way to retrieve data in the event of a cyberattack. A cyberattack can have the purpose of completely wiping data, corrupting it, or making it inaccessible as is the case with ransomware. If your data is backed up, the damage to your business significantly decreases.

Protection From Accidental Data Deletion

In every operation where humans are involved, there is always the risk of human error. 70% of SaaS data loss occurs as a result of unintentional deletion. The recycle bin usually permanently deletes data after 30 days if it is not retrieved. At times, if an employee accidentally hits the delete button, the deleted information will not be missed until well after 30 days is up and permanent deletion has occurred. This is where a Microsoft 365 cloud backup comes in handy. Microsoft 365 acts as a fail-safe plan in case of accidental deletion.

You need an active license to access data in Office 365. When an employee leaves the company for one reason or the other, deleting their Office 365 account seems to be the most sensible solution.

But there’s a catch.

Deleting a previous employee’s Office 365 account means that the company loses access to any files that were created by that employee. On the other hand, paying to keep all accounts from previous employees open is costly. Office 365 cloud backup gives companies the option to archive any critical data from inactive accounts before permanent deletion. Using the Office 365 data backup solution, in this case, has the following benefits:

The company maintains ownership of any data created by the employee(s).
The company saves money that would have otherwise been used by paying for inactive accounts.

Provides A Safety Net For Legal Requirements

At one point in your business’s journey, you may need to retrieve old files, data, or emails for legal purposes. This is where cloud data backup comes in handy. Microsoft offers a few contingency plans in case of situations like these but they are not foolproof. If you accidentally deactivate or delete a user, all the data in their account is also deleted and becomes inaccessible to you.

If the deleted account contains important client data, the consequences can be devastating. Disgruntled clients can sue or make your business crash and burn. It’s always wise to have a data backup plan in case you need to retrieve some important files for your clients. If your data is backed up, there’s no need to worry about accidental deletion and you can rest easy.

Data Backup Solutions Save Time

Contrary to popular belief, Microsoft Office 365 does not back up your data automatically. It is up to you as the user to ensure that all-important data is backed up. In the event that you lose your data, Office 365 does not offer a data recovery option. All copies of your data that Microsoft makes are owned by Microsoft and are completely inaccessible to you. This means that you cannot depend on Microsoft to provide you with backups. There are two possible solutions to this:

1. Design a backup and recovery strategy. This means that you have to make copies of all your data and pick a location to store them in.

Invest in a backup solution that does all the work for you.

Designing a backup strategy is time-consuming and if it’s not done correctly, you risk losing important data. The best data backup solutions offer cloud-to-cloud backup, quick recovery, and quick access to backup Office 365 data. They offer all this while making sure you stay compliant with data storage regulations. In case of data loss, recovery of emails, files, and more will occur in a matter of seconds.

If you are undecided and need more information, contact IT specialists for some expert advice.

Secure Your Data In Office 365

Office 365 gives you an option to back up your data without relinquishing control by using a secure third-party cloud-to-cloud backup solution. A solid data backup solution is your best defense against ransomware, or even possible lawsuits. Discuss and implement a data backup solution that will let you access your data with just a few clicks from anywhere and at any time. Secure your data for 2022 and beyond.

December 28, 2021 Featured Post

A Guide To Cybersecurity Planning For Businesses

Posted by Computer Security and HIPAA Expert

Category: Data

December 27, 2021

Computer Security and HIPAA Expert

In the world of digital transformation, a sound cybersecurity plan is the only thing standing between a business and malicious threats. The 2016 State of SMB Cybersecurity Report states that about 14 million small businesses were attacked by hackers, which is half the number of small businesses in the United States.

The start of a new year is the best time to implement changes in your business and make improvements. Wondering which topics to address in your beginning-of-year meetings? Read on as we address a few critical cybersecurity topics.

How Can You Develop A Cybersecurity Plan For Your Business?

Identifying all possible threats and designing a system that protects your software is essential in cybersecurity planning. All businesses are connected to the internet and they use different types of software to achieve their objectives. All these factors and more mean that practically every organization is susceptible to cyber attacks. Carry out a risk assessment for your business that covers the following:

The goals you need to achieve.
The software needed to turn the goals into reality.
The potential risks and cyberattacks.
The gravity of the impact if the cyberattacks do occur.
The odds of experiencing the cyberattacks
Ways to mitigate the cyberattacks if they occur.

Let’s elaborate more on how you can develop a top-notch cybersecurity plan for your business.

Pinpoint Any Potential Vulnerabilities In Your Tech Stack

A tech stack or data ecosystem is made up of every software that a business needs to operate and reach targets. It includes every tool, operating system, operating language, and software that is used by an organization. In the event of a cyberattack, one or more parts of your tech stack will be vulnerable. It is essential to examine all parts of your tech stack and isolate any present weaknesses that may be exploited by hackers. On a lighter note, if security gaps are found, IT services companies like Silverstone Technology Group can come up with cybersecurity solutions that will secure every level of your tech stack.

Third parties are an important part of an organization’s tech stack and they usually have the most security vulnerabilities. Vulnerabilities in the third party can render an organization defenseless. Most cyberattacks that shook the business world have one thing in common: third-party use.

Most third-party vendors require access to company data and infrastructure to function. If the third-party application is not properly secured, it provides a gateway for hackers and puts your business at risk. 25% of businesses use at least 100 third-party vendors. 90% of these third parties are given access to critical or classified information, which is a security risk of enormous proportions. 89% of companies have reported being dissatisfied with their efforts to secure third-party access.

Keep Abreast With Possible Threats

As software technology evolves, so do cybersecurity threats. Keeping abreast with possible threats will ensure that your company is always one step ahead. Discussing cybersecurity threats and implementing plans to neutralize them will ensure that your data is always protected. Hacking evolves and it borrows from what worked in the past and perfects it.

Ransomware and phishing emails have become more common. Ransomware works by encrypting data and making it inaccessible to the owner. The owner is forced to pay ‘ransom’ for the data to be decrypted.

Discuss all possible cybersecurity threats and discuss an effective response plan. Implement a smart data backup strategy and prevent data loss through cyber attacks like ransomware.

Study Every Current Cyber Attack

The news can be an excellent source of current information, including the most recent cyber attacks.

Currently, the most common types of cyber attacks are ransomware and distributed denial of service (DDoS). DDoS attacks are expected to peak at 15.4 million by 2023, which is unprecedented. DDoS attacks harm your business by blocking all legitimate traffic to your website. The consequences of being offline for just a few hours can be devastating for businesses. Revenue is lost and customers become disgruntled.

The Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack had devastating consequences and caused gasoline shortages and widespread panic in the U.S.

Studying how each cyber attack was carried out will help you to spot weaknesses in your defense system and take the necessary steps to protect your business before anything goes wrong.

Bring In Professionals To Help Secure Your Data

Enlisting the help of IT services professionals will take your data security from adequate to exceptional. Professionals can thoroughly assess each level of your tech stack and secure all your data. You can get services like ransomware prevention and remediation, antivirus, and email security scanning.

Implement A Strategy To Secure Your Workforce

A solid cybersecurity plan always involves educating employees about the best security practices. Employees are a direct path to your internal data and infrastructure, therefore, they are one of your weakest links. Train your employees on the best cyber hygiene practices. Training should cover the following:

How to safeguard important customer and vendor data.
How to identify a phishing email.
Creating strong passwords.
Avoiding suspicious downloads.
Using an efficient antivirus.

One of the most efficient ways to help your employees to spot phishing emails is to activate phishing simulations. Using phishing simulations at intervals has been proven to decrease clicks by at least 27%.

Every organization has sensitive data to protect, and this becomes even more important as more and more employees switch to working remotely. All employees should activate high-performance VPNs before accessing company data. This ensures that all data is encrypted and prevents hacking.

Secure Your Data For 2022 And Beyond

As we get into the new business year, it is important to have a solid business plan. A detailed business plan will ensure that your business goes on an upward trajectory. Cybersecurity is an area that is neglected to some extent by most businesses. Make sure your company is secured and get in contact with experts that can help to protect your business from cyber attacks. Include cybersecurity planning in your start-of-year meetings and be secured in 2022 and beyond.

December 27, 2021 Featured Post