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Message from J. Antonio Rico
In early May, I had the opportunity to attend a technology conference which, among other things, discussed technology forces which are becoming increasingly important. The conference sponsors and organizers agreed that ransomware attacks will continue and will become stronger keeping security at the fore front of business technology. They also see growing regulation and compliance requirements for the safeguard of business data in different industries. Lastly, Cloud adaption will continue to change businesses technology environments as more conduct day-to-day operations on the Cloud.
One more important aspect resulting from the discussion about the three forces re-shaping business IT is the need for strong technical support when implementing, managing, and applying newer technologies to the work environment. No longer is it enough to have a "Consultant" who a business can call when something breaks. Businesses need an in-house or outsourced technology team that understands the mission and the goals of the organization in order to decide what technology to implement.
In this newsletter, I have touched on what businesses can do to protect themselves against ransomware problems, how to implement compliant data protection and back-up mechanisms, and what to look for when contracting Cloud services.
In the first article of the newsletter, I include an updated version of an article titled "IT in the Strategic Planning Process" which highlights the importance of involving IT in the decision making process. In the second article, I list sound polices that can be established to protect access to systems and data.
As always, I hope that the information in this newsletter is of value to you.
Sincerely,
J. Antonio Rico, P.E.
President
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Information Technology in the Strategic Plan Process
Is your business technology dependent or technology strategic? A technology dependent business typically will see Information Technology as an expense and will always
be looking to cut its budget as much as possible. A technology strategic business, on the other hand, will invest in systems and applications that will help the business better manage the operation, strengthen relationships with clients and suppliers, and provide tools to the staff to make day-to-day operations efficient.
In order to accomplish this, technology strategic businesses involve the IT experts during the planning process. This expertise may be internal to the business or external support companies; this is the case for most small and some midsize enterprises. Regardless of where the technology know-how resource resides, technology strategic companies will ask for a status of the technology systems and applications and a projection of costs for the upcoming period. Once this assessment is completed, the technology strategic decision maker will lay out the plans for the following period and will request a technology plan of action and corresponding budget to support the business plan.
Lastly, technology strategic companies will implement initiatives which optimize the costs of IT, among them are:
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Establish a budget based on revenue and consistent with what other businesses in their same industry,
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Evaluate the cost of each application/system against the needs of the business,
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Identify old technologies which are costing more than the newer ones,
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Identify costs of training staff in the use of technology, and
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Assess how much downtime and or computer issues are costing and address the issues.
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Sound Data Security Policies
With regulation increasingly focused on the protection of sensitive data, establishing sound policies for the management of data across the small and midsize business organization is a priority. Efforts to put in place good solid best practices to secure data and systems will go a long way to help avoid hefty penalties. The definition of "reasonable security" is constantly evolving, but here are some basic things to look at to avoid being labeled irresponsible:
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Managing access. Who can access the confidential information you store in your business? Is this information easily accessible by everyone in your company? What is your policy about taking data out of the office on mobile devices?
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IT Security and passwords. The more sensitive the data, the higher the level of security you need to keep on it. Are your passwords easy to crack? Is the data encrypted? Secured behind a strong firewall? If not, why?
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Training. One of the biggest causes of data breaches is the human element: employees who accidentally download viruses and malware that allow hackers easy access. Do you have data security policy? How about a password policy? Do you have training to help employees understand how to use e-mail and the Internet responsibly?
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Physical security. It's becoming more common for thieves to break into offices and steal servers, laptops and digital devices. Additionally, paper contracts and other physical documents containing sensitive information should be locked up or scanned and encrypted.
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The bottom line is this, data security is something that EVERY business is now responsible for, and not addressing this important issue has consequences that go beyond the legal aspect; it can seriously harm your reputation with clients. So be smart and assess what areas you need to secure in order to be compliant with your industry requirements. |
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All Windows 7/8/8.1 users out there who want to upgrade to Windows 10 have until July 29th!
On July 29, 2016, the Get Windows 10 will be disabled and eventually removed for PC's worldwide.
As of May 2016, Microsoft reported already 330 million activations since the launch in April 2015.
Note: Make sure your computer system is eligible and programs are compatible with Windows 10; contact us if you have any questions.
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Offer:
Request a copy of "20 Questions Businesses Should Ask Computer Consultant Before Hiring Them To Support Their IT"
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Contact Liz Ayoub today to discuss how ESEI's services can help your business...
Our clients are comprised of progressive businesses who truly understand the role that technology plays in the growth of their companies. Virtually every business and organization today relies on computer systems to conduct day-to-day business.
Without individuals working to monitor or repair those systems, businesses cannot function properly.
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Summer Tip:
Keep your office computer cool this summer!
Tips to keep your systems running happily through the summer heat:
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Keep your computers in a well ventilated area,
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Install a surge protector between the power socket and the computer's power cable,
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Ensure your computer's cooling system is working properly, and
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Beware of dust.
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From the Top 2016 Cybersecurity Reports:
-The healthcare industry was the one most frequently attacked, speeding straight past financial services and manufacturing.
Source: IBM X-Force Cyber Securitiy Intelligence Index Report
-89% of all cyber attacks involve financial or espionage motivations.
Source: Verizon Data Breach Investigation Report
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