Computerware Blog

Data privacy is one of those issues that people find more serious the more they know about it. Most people don’t think much about it because they figure they are just one person and don’t move the needle for people looking to collect data. They couldn’t be more wrong. This week we’ll discuss individual data privacy, considerations individuals should have, and what to do to keep your data safe.

One of the biggest myths about cybersecurity and cybercrime is that smaller businesses are somehow immune to the more dangerous types of threats because they don’t pose a viable target for cybercriminals.

Nothing is further from the truth.

In June, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment—publisher of the eponymous Chicken Soup for the Soul book series—officially filed for Chapter 7 and then Chapter 11 bankruptcy, spurring the liquidation of many of its assets. Many may not realize that these assets include Redbox, the movie rental service, with its 24,000 distinctive scarlet kiosks.

What we’re concerned about, however, is what will become of these kiosks and, critically, the data they contain.

If you’re not familiar with ransomware, we wish we lived in the same universe you’ve been living in the past decade. It’s a serious problem for all types and sizes of businesses, not to mention its impact on individuals, governments, and world organizations. Today, we want to go over some of the latest ransomware tactics in use as of 2024.

Your employees might be putting your business at risk, even if they don’t know it yet. Most companies feel this frustration, and they want their employees to prioritize cybersecurity in the same way administrators and security staff do. This frustration is something that can be challenged and addressed… with the right solutions and policies, of course.

Many people still underestimate the importance of cybersecurity and data privacy, putting themselves and others at risk. Most individuals are accustomed to sharing personal information online, whether through social media, e-commerce platforms, or various digital services. However, this lack of caution can lead to serious security breaches, identity theft, and even financial fraud. When people fail to take basic security measures, such as using strong passwords or enabling two-factor authentication, they create vulnerabilities that malicious actors can exploit. These weaknesses don’t just impact them personally but also expose organizations and communities to cyberattacks.

Remote work has been a mainstay in most businesses’ standard operating procedures in at least some capacity, but it opens up a nasty can of worms regarding cybersecurity. If cybersecurity is not your top priority, and you have remote or hybrid employees, we need to have a talk—and probably a hard one.

Password best practices (and common sense, if we’re being honest) tell us to always use a strong password for every account we have. This is because, unfortunately, it doesn’t take much to crack a weak one anymore. A bit of software on a standard computer can crack millions of passwords in a matter of seconds… so the more complex and randomized a password, the better and more secure it will be.

However, this can also make it a real challenge to create and then memorize sufficiently complex passwords. To help, we wanted to share a fun trick.

Every time you log into an account, you have to enter a password. And we know exactly what you’re thinking: why? Good password hygiene is important, especially in high-profile environments like your business. Passwords play a crucial role in securing your network, so you should know how to build better passwords—if not for your own sake, then for your business.

Sometimes, companies don’t take the privacy of their services as seriously as they should, as evidenced by Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram. Despite their popularity, these services have had several security and privacy issues over the years. Today, we want to look at some of these services' most notable privacy and security breaches.

Email is a centralizing communication tool for most businesses, but what would you do if we asked if your email system was encrypted? Could you give us an honest answer? Encryption is a powerful security measure for networks and infrastructure, so it makes sense to use it for your email solution, too. Here’s what you need to know about encryption and email.

Passwords have long been a cornerstone of online account security, paired with usernames to form the basis of most login systems. Consequently, they are prime targets for hackers seeking to steal credentials and gain unauthorized access to accounts or networks. The inherent weaknesses of poor passwords have become more apparent in recent years, however. This has prompted the growing adoption of additional security measures available to users.

If your organization has an internal IT department, chances are they're managing a complex infrastructure while being understaffed and overworked. This isn't a criticism; it's simply the reality for many SMBs (we understand this well). We can ease the burden on your IT team and streamline your technology management.

If you are a consistent reader of this blog, it will not surprise you that we think of phishing as one of the most significant threats that impact businesses today, regardless of their size or industry. Understanding this threat and implementing effective prevention measures is vital for safeguarding your organization. Let's go into how you can minimize the impact of phishing schemes and protect your business.

Travel has become a common occurrence for many employees and business professionals. Yet despite the travel, their responsibilities do not get put on halt. Whether it’s for a conference, a professional development workshop, or visiting a potential client or vendor, chances are you’ll bring technology with you. It’s up to you to ensure that it is kept safe from today’s rampant cyberthreats.

Apple rarely sends out alerts about threats, and that is because threats that target Apple devices are somewhat rare in the first place. However, on April 10, 2024, Apple saw fit to send one to certain users in 92 nations by email. These notifications were “designed to inform and assist users who may have been individually targeted by mercenary spyware attacks.” What does this mean, exactly?

In today’s world of perpetual security breaches and cyberattacks, it’s no surprise that the greatest response to such threats is to actively prevent them from harming your organization in the first place. One key tool in this effort is an endpoint detection and response (EDR) solution. With endpoint protection on your business’ side, you can leverage a robust and powerful security solution to handle a significant portion of your network security.

Phishing scams are one of the most common (and insidious) problems you and your team may encounter. While it may seem simple to avoid a phishing attack, the truth is that many of these schemes are highly sophisticated and are constantly evolving to become more so.

Cyberattacks often attack healthcare organizations, including businesses and vendors they associate with, primarily due to how lucrative they can be. One particularly nasty hack is just one of the many organizations which have been featured in headlines due to their inability to protect against security threats. Let’s explore this new situation with UnitedHealth Group and see if there is anything you can learn from it.

Humans have all kinds of stakes in digital security thanks to today’s online world demanding that we be more online than ever. Whether it’s personal information or financial details, you can bet everyone is at risk to some degree. Today, we want to examine why individuals—even technology professionals—are not immune to data theft.