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In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, organizations face an ever-increasing number of security threats and vulnerabilities. The consequences of a security breach can be devastating, leading to financial loss, reputational damage, and compromised customer trust. In order to effectively protect sensitive data and mitigate risks, businesses are turning to Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and their robust Security Operations Centers (SOCs). In this article, we will explore the role of an MSP's SOC from the perspective of a client, understanding the value it brings in safeguarding critical assets. What is a Security Operations Center? A Security Operations Center (SOC) is a centralized team that operates as the nerve center of an organization's cybersecurity infrastructure. It consists of a group of skilled security experts who specialize in detecting, responding to, and preventing security incidents. The primary objective of an SOC is to provide real-time monitoring, threat intelligence, and incident response to ensure a proactive and comprehensive security posture. The Role of an MSP's SOC Managed Service Providers with dedicated SOCs offer clients a holistic approach to cybersecurity, delivering advanced threat detection and rapid response capabilities. Here's a closer look at how an MSP's SOC enhances security for their clients: Real-Time Monitoring: An MSP's SOC continuously monitors the client's network, systems, and applications for suspicious activities, potential threats, and vulnerabilities. Through state-of-the-art security information and event management (SIEM) tools, they analyze vast amounts of log data, network traffic, and system alerts to identify anomalies that could indicate a security incident. Incident Detection and Response: When a potential security incident is detected, the SOC swiftly investigates, classifies, and assesses its severity. The team leverages advanced threat intelligence, intrusion detection systems, and behavior analytics to identify the nature of the incident, determine its impact, and take immediate action to mitigate the threat. They follow predefined response procedures, collaborating with the client's internal IT team if necessary, to minimize the damage and restore normal operations. Threat Hunting and Intelligence: An SOC proactively hunts for potential threats that may have bypassed existing security controls. By analyzing patterns, indicators of compromise, and emerging threat trends, they stay one step ahead of cybercriminals. This proactive approach enables the SOC to identify vulnerabilities in the client's systems, implement necessary patches and updates, and develop tailored security strategies to fortify the organization's defenses. Security Incident Management: In the event of a security incident, the SOC manages the entire incident response lifecycle. They document all relevant details, perform forensic investigations, and compile comprehensive incident reports for the client. These reports help organizations understand the root cause, assess the impact, and derive valuable insights to improve future security measures. Ongoing Security Enhancement: An SOC is not limited to incident response alone. They work closely with clients to develop robust cybersecurity strategies, providing recommendations for risk mitigation, implementing industry best practices, and conducting regular security audits and assessments. The SOC's expertise ensures that the organization remains resilient to emerging threats and complies with relevant regulations and standards. Benefits of an MSP's SOC for Clients Collaborating with an MSP that operates a dedicated SOC offers several advantages for clients: Cost Efficiency: Establishing an in-house SOC can be costly in terms of infrastructure, staffing, and training. By partnering with an MSP, clients can leverage the expertise and infrastructure of the SOC without the overhead costs, optimizing their security budget. 24/7/365 Protection: Cyberattacks can happen at any time. An SOC can operate round-the-clock, providing continuous monitoring and incident response, ensuring that potential threats are identified and addressed promptly, even outside regular working hours. In summary, as cybersecurity incidents continue to increase and affect SMBs, businesses must create strategies and implement tools to mitigate the risks. Partnering with an MSP like MapleTronics for your managed security services can help protect your business. For more information about our Guard E.N. line of security services or our in house SOC contact us today.

If you are a SMB in 2023, technology and IT is without a doubt playing a large role in your day-to-day business operations. Many business turn to MSP (Managed Service Providers) to help relieve some of the technology burden. While outsourcing IT is not a new concept, many of the reasons businesses embrace it are. As organizational processes become more complex, companies are looking for dependable ways to: Enhance the customer experience with more personalized services Protect themselves against cyberattacks Provide flexible employee services today’s talent demands Safeguard data with secure storage and backup options While small businesses' technology needs continue to change, MSPs are evolving too. Experienced managed IT service providers are helping clients understand and apply new technologies to solve business goals and IT challenges, improve processes, and streamline operations. While there are many reasons SMBs are engaging with MSPs in 2023, below are 5 of the main reasons and benefits. Benefit from Predictable IT Costs and Cost Savings Engaging a Managed IT Services provider can result in significant cost savings for your business in a variety of ways: Avoid the expense of recruiting, onboarding, and training an internal IT team by outsourcing to an MSP that provides affordable external expertise. Eliminate the need to hire tech employees and lower overhead costs. Networks designed with an MSP's expertise can easily scale to accommodate business growth. Fill critical talent gaps or get assistance with major projects and know that billing is usually on a recurring monthly or per-use fee model, making it easy to adjust services as needed. Other ways you can save money by partnering with an MSP include: Reducing the need to invest in new hardware and software. Your managed IT service provider can suggest tweaks to your existing infrastructure that save time and cut costs. MSPs bring their experience working with other clients to assist in defining your objectives and providing solutions to your IT problems. They can provide a fresh perspective and help solve challenging IT issues or bottlenecks. In summary, outsourcing your IT support to a qualified managed service provider can save you substantial costs while providing access to top-notch IT expertise and infrastructure that can help drive business growth. Contact MapleTronics today to learn more about how we can help your business succeed. Better Protection from Security Threats In today's business landscape, mitigating security risks and threats to operations has become a top priority. Cyberattacks are not a matter of if, but when they will target a business, and their physical, financial, and reputational impact can be devastating. While preventing cyberattacks is not always possible, implementing an effective cybersecurity plan can significantly reduce the risk of being hit. However, the majority of SMBs lack the internal resources to handle sophisticated IT threats. An MSP can provide access to the most advanced cybersecurity tools and help businesses manage these threats to maximize their safeguards. But cybercriminals are not the only security threat. Natural disasters or system malfunctions can result in catastrophic data loss and significant downtime, and it's essential to be able to restore operations quickly. Unfortunately, many businesses lack a well-defined backup and disaster recovery plan or fail to regularly back up critical data. They may also lack a business continuity plan to recover from a disaster or event that causes business interruption. By partnering with an MSP, businesses can create and implement a comprehensive plan to manage any data security crisis. Allowing an MSP to manage your infrastructure can also insulate your business from the inherent risks of managing your data center. Manage Hybrid Workforces The growth of remote work has been exponential, with the percentage of remote jobs increasing from less than 4% to 9% by the end of 2020 and growing by over 1,000% by the end of 2021. Today, around 16% of companies worldwide operate fully remote, with almost 70% of full-time U.S. employees working remotely during the pandemic, many of whom still do. It's clear that remote work is not going away anytime soon, with experts predicting that a quarter of all North American professional jobs will remain remote as employee preferences continue to shift. Some companies have adopted a hybrid approach to the workforce, with nearly three-quarters of U.S. companies currently using or planning to implement a permanent hybrid work model, which around 44% of employees prefer. In this context, partnering with an experienced managed services provider becomes even more important, as an MSP can use cloud computing and other technologies to connect remote and in-house employees, ensuring work performance efficiency and productivity are not compromised. Additionally, MSPs can manage the extra cybersecurity measures required for employees working outside the office and using personal devices. While employees enjoy the flexibility of working from home or in-person, they also want to remain connected to coworkers. Hiring an MSP can help you manage your hybrid workforce more effectively, ensuring everyone, from the C-suite to the home office, is satisfied. Lessen Downtime Downtime can be caused by equipment breakdowns, power outages, computer malfunctions, or any number of other issues, and it can have a serious impact on your business, causing lost productivity and frustrated employees and customers. Working with a Managed IT Services provider can help reduce the risk of downtime and minimize its effects. An MSP will monitor your network proactively to catch problems before they can cause significant disruptions, and will work quickly to implement backup measures and get your systems up and running again. In addition to preventing and responding to downtime, your MSP can also help you create a business disaster recovery plan (BCDR) to ensure that your business can resume operations as quickly as possible after a major catastrophe or natural disaster. Expertise at Your Fingertips Partnering with a Managed IT Services provider gives your company access to a wealth of industry expertise, specialized skills, and the ability to tackle any IT issue that arises. At MapleTronics, our team of experienced engineers, with years or even decades in their fields of expertise, provides reliable and proactive support with fast response times. Managed service technicians have a broad range of qualifications in areas where your internal IT team may not specialize. They receive ongoing training and education to stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends and best practices. With an MSP, you can trust that your network is in good hands and will continue to run smoothly. Ready to Benefit from a Partnership with an MSP? As the business landscape rapidly evolves, change is an inevitable part of the game, and innovation is more critical than ever. To thrive in this environment, businesses must strategically align their initiatives with their existing technology infrastructure. However, this can be a daunting task, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMBs). Many SMBs are now turning to MSPs for assistance in addressing these challenges by: Developing a strategic technology roadmap that aligns with their strategic and operational objectives. Reducing the burden of managing IT functions in-house. While the connection between managed IT and business growth may not always be apparent, there are significant benefits to outsourcing your tech needs. One of these advantages is that you will have the freedom to create initiatives that can achieve both short- and long-term goals by improving productivity, reliability, and IT security. Additionally, your business will be less likely to experience crises that can halt progress and productivity. Even if you already have an in-house IT team, partnering with an MSP can enable your staff to focus on tasks other than dealing with constant tech issues. They can collaborate with other departments and take pressure off of your current team to help them get back to their essential job duties. Ready for more information and to begin seeing the benefits of working with an MSP. Contact MapleTronics and get started today.

Cybersecurity threats pose a risk to all businesses, regardless of their size or experience. With the increasing sophistication of hackers and the prevalence of sensitive data stored online, even a small cyber attack can cause significant disruptions and harm a company's finances and reputation. To safeguard against such threats, it is crucial for every organization to understand common types of cyber attacks and implement a risk management plan. In this regard, the following are some of the major cybersecurity threats that companies should be aware of, along with strategies to prevent them. Ransomware Ransomware is currently one of the most significant cybersecurity threats that companies must remain vigilant against. This malicious software infiltrates secure systems or data on a computer, locks and encrypts them, and then demands a ransom for their release. Ransomware can result in severe financial damage and compromise sensitive data. Unfortunately, ransomware attacks have been increasing in recent years, affecting businesses of all sizes and even multinational corporations. In 2022, for example, major companies such as Yum! Brands and Ferrari were targeted by cybercriminals with ransomware, and government entities have also fallen victim to such attacks, including the UK's National Health Service in 2022 and 2017. To prevent ransomware attacks, companies should take several precautions. Firstly, they must configure their systems properly with secure endpoints, firewalls, and antivirus software to prevent unauthorized access by hackers. Additionally, it is essential for all team members to avoid clicking on links or opening emails from untrusted sources, as ransomware attacks often begin with unauthorized downloads. Finally, when downloading new software programs, companies should verify the source and ensure they are reputable to prevent potential attacks. Social Engineering Social engineering and phishing attacks have been around for decades, but they remain significant threats to digital security today. While the general public is now more aware of phishing attacks than they were 20 years ago, hackers have become more sophisticated in their social engineering techniques. Social engineering refers to a hacker manipulating their target into revealing sensitive information or compromising their digital security in some way. Phishing is the most common type of social engineering, where a hacker poses as a trusted contact through email, text, or social media to gain access to secure information like passwords or social security numbers. Other forms of social engineering include whaling, baiting, and honey trapping. Whaling targets high-level business executives or government officials, baiting offers "free" rewards in exchange for personal information, while honey trapping feigns romantic interest to gain a target's trust. These are only a few examples of social engineering tactics, and we can expect to see more as hackers discover new vulnerabilities to exploit. According to a Verizon study, 20 percent of cyberattacks in 2022 utilized some form of social engineering. To protect your organization, you must train your entire team to recognize and avoid phishing emails. Phishing messages can be deceiving, looking like they come from trustworthy sources such as Google or Amazon. Still, closer inspection reveals something is off, like poor spelling and grammar or an offer that is too good to be true. Training employees to identify and avoid these messages is crucial to keeping your organization safe. Spam filters and antivirus programs can help identify and block some social engineering attacks, but creative ones are likely to slip through, so staying alert is necessary. Cloud Vulnerabilities Over the past few years, organizations worldwide have adopted cloud-based apps and networks as they offer great flexibility and the ability to work remotely. Cloud services provide access to software with just an internet connection and even smartphones can be used for work. However, with convenience comes security risks that are unique to cloud technology. If the cloud provider experiences a security breach, your data can be compromised. This is why choosing a provider that takes cloud security seriously is crucial. The provider should have transparent security measures and help you ensure that your servers are configured correctly. Moreover, cloud services are accessed from different devices and network connections, some of which may not be secure. If a user accesses the cloud via an unsecured wi-fi network, a malicious actor on the same network can access your systems and sensitive data. In 2022, about 80 percent of organizations faced cloud-related security incidents, and security professionals expect cloud-based data breaches to increase further in 2023. Encrypting the data stored in the cloud adds an additional layer of protection, reducing cloud vulnerabilities. Restricting the number of people who can access your systems also reduces the risk of data breaches. Internet of Things (IoT) Devices The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of physical objects that can communicate with each other via the internet. Common IoT devices include smart thermostats, security systems, and voice-controlled assistants like Google Home and Amazon Echo. Although these devices are convenient and offer helpful services, they are vulnerable to cyber attacks. IoT devices can be exploited as a gateway to the rest of your network. Cyber criminals often use Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks via cloud-connected IoT devices to flood your system with traffic, rendering it inaccessible to normal users. In addition, IoT devices can be targeted with other types of attacks, such as SQL injections, malware, and man-in-the-middle attacks. It's crucial to take cloud security measures with every IoT device to protect them from potential attacks. Regularly updating your IoT devices and protecting them with firewalls and other security measures is important, just like you would for your computers. Using strong passwords and limiting the number of people who can access the devices is also critical. As the global IoT market expands, we can expect to see more sophisticated IoT devices with better security. Regardless of the type of IoT device or what it does, it's important to take the time to properly configure it for maximum security every time a new device is implemented. Especially in fields like healthcare that deal with large volumes of sensitive data, the security of IoT devices should be taken seriously. Third Party Exposure Working with vendors and service partners is essential for many businesses, but it also comes with added security risks. If one of your partners experiences a security breach, your organization could also be at risk. With the rise of SaaS programs, outsourcing your operations online is more convenient than ever, but it also makes your organization more vulnerable to a data breach. The number of organizations that have experienced a third-party security incident rose from 21 percent in 2021 to 45 percent in 2022. To mitigate these risks, it's crucial to ensure that your partners take security as seriously as you do. Before starting a partnership, conduct a comprehensive audit of their security practices to ensure they meet your standards, particularly in industries with strict compliance standards like healthcare, finance, or defense. Signing a contract that outlines the security measures to be taken and the response to a security breach is also important. Regular security check-ins with your business partners will ensure that your systems are up-to-date and secure, as new threats emerge. Limiting third-party access to your systems through a least-privileged data access model is also crucial to protect sensitive data. In summary, taking the time to properly vet and maintain a secure partnership with third-party vendors can significantly reduce the risk of a security breach for your organization. Insufficient Cybersecurity Practices Cybercrime is often the result of inadequate security measures. It's important to prioritize your information security strategy, as the risk of a data breach is high. Neglecting cybersecurity, such as using weak passwords, failing to update software, and working on unsecured networks, can make you vulnerable to cyber attacks. Small business owners may find cybersecurity overwhelming, and 47% admit to having no understanding of how to protect their organizations from cybercrime. But taking proactive measures to secure your organization now will prevent future headaches and expenses. Start by implementing basic security practices, such as scheduling regular system updates and working from secure networks. You can also consider outsourcing to a managed IT service provider like MapleTronics for additional support. Managed IT services are scalable and can help you implement stronger security practices to safeguard your data. Their team of experts can assess your systems, reconfigure them as needed, and monitor for threats to prevent data loss.

The possibility of an economic recession, steep inflation, and supply chain disruptions have dominated headlines for the last few month, prompting concerns from business leaders. It's crucial to take predictions of a potential recession seriously, much like heeding a warning of a tornado or flash flood. Being unprepared could result in dire consequences, so it's essential to plan ahead. However, the initial reaction of many businesses is to reduce costs by eliminating anything deemed non-essential, including IT. While slimming down IT may be possible, it's vital to avoid making cuts that could lead to higher long-term costs. If IT suffers, the impact on customers and employees could result in inefficiencies and frustration, which have their own costs. Instead, the focus should be on optimizing IT resources by right-sizing them, not only during challenging times but at any time to make the best use of available resources. The way you do this is to evaluate: What you’re supporting What you’re paying for and why you’re paying it How you’re supporting IT How you’re managing cyber risks Who is supporting IT Double Check What You're Currently Supporting: To reduce IT costs, the first step is to examine the equipment you currently have. There may be unused or redundant hardware that is driving up support expenses. Each computer comes with licenses for software and security, and you may be doubling up on these without realizing it. For instance, if employees have a desktop computer at the office and a laptop for home, consider switching to just laptops and providing docking stations for ease of movement between locations. Reconfiguring workspaces may also be beneficial. If employees aren't in the office at the same time, there may be too much peripheral equipment, such as monitors and docks. Another area to streamline is data storage. The more data you have, the more space and money it requires for backups. Review data archiving policies or create new ones. To make backup procedures efficient, determine which data is critical for operations and which is less important Audit Your Technology Bill Have you ever paid a bill of $200 each month without knowing what it's for? Believe it or not, this is a common scenario. People pay bills routinely without knowing what they're for or what will happen if they stop paying them. To reduce IT expenses, it's essential to review all technology-related bills, including telecom, voice, data, and subscriptions. While it may take some time to track down all the details, persisting through the process could save you thousands of dollars. You may even find that you're paying for something you haven't been using and can request a refund. Another area to review is software licensing. If your employee offboarding process doesn't account for software licenses, you may be paying for more licenses than you need. Conduct an audit to ensure that each license is associated with a user. It's also worth asking employees if they're using all the web apps you're paying for, as their preferences and needs may have changed. If you're an MapleTronics managed client, you can seek help from your Client Relations Manager to facilitate this process. They may not have visibility into every technology-related bill you pay, but they can help you look into anything you need. Adjust your Approach to the Right IT Management After you have removed unnecessary hardware, services, and applications, and have a good understanding of data storage, the next step is to examine how you are managing IT. This includes the philosophy and approach guiding your IT support team. While it may seem like a good idea to only call IT when you need them, this reactive approach can lead to more problems down the road. IT should be viewed as an ongoing process with daily activity, similar to accounting. You wouldn't wait until you had a pile of bills before engaging your accounting person, and you should have the same approach with technology to avoid interruptions. Without the right proactive practices and processes, managing IT will be challenging, and issues will arise frequently. This can slow down your employees and make it difficult to serve your customers. It's essential to have support desk services and escalation resources available when problems occur. A strategic approach to IT management will help you manage technology costs effectively. Being strategic means operating with a purpose to establish a strong technology foundation, provide employees with the tools they need to be productive, leverage technology for innovation and competitive advantage, and use technology to achieve specific business objectives. If you need help with any of these steps, MapleTronics can help if you're a managed client by reaching out to your Client Relations Manager. Optimize Your Security Solutions To discuss IT management, it's essential to touch on cyber security. Making random cuts to your security measures without considering the implications can have severe consequences. A prime example is an IT manager who stopped performing software patches to cut costs. This led to unaddressed vulnerabilities, ultimately resulting in a cyber attack. In today's business landscape, cyber security is not optional. Enterprises require a high level of protection, and even small businesses must implement advanced tactics into their cyber security strategy. The baseline for security has risen, and it's crucial to keep up with it to prevent any security breaches. Make Sure You Have the Right Team The aspect of who provides IT support is closely linked to how it is delivered. Once you understand the impact your approach to IT and cyber security management can have on your results and the value you derive from your IT spending, it's important to evaluate the capability of your IT team or managed services provider (MSP). You need to ask yourself a number of questions about the people responsible for supporting your IT infrastructure: Do you have an internal team or do you outsource IT support? Do you have an IT manager or co-managed IT services? Is your current arrangement with the right people and is it delivering the results you need? If you've always relied on onsite support, is that still necessary? Does your IT team - whether internal, outsourced, or both - have all the necessary skills to manage your IT and cyber security needs comprehensively? It's also important to consider how staff turnover might impact your business, and whether you need to make changes to your IT support arrangements. If you're considering switching to a new managed IT services provider, be cautious of companies that slash their prices to take advantage of a recessionary situation. While things may start out well, their operational maturity may not be sufficient to handle your business needs in the long term. If you're tempted by a "good deal", remember to refer back to the "how" part of this article and ask the right questions to ensure that your IT provider is capable of delivering the approach to IT and cyber security management that will deliver the most value to your business. Looking for some help? We’ve been around a long time and wouldn’t still be here today if we didn’t know how to guide our clients (and our own business) through the ups and downs of changing circumstances. So whether you partner with us in a co-managed or fully managed arrangement, we’re on a mission to help businesses reduce the cost and risk of IT, and we would love to help you with it too.

Short for "SMS phishing" Smishing is a type of cyber attack that attempts to trick individuals into giving away sensitive information via text message. While Smishing isn't a new form of threat it is becoming increasingly common for businesses of all sizes. Employees must learn to identify and report suspicious messages before company data is compromised to successfully avoid smishing attacks. How Do Smishing Attacks Work? Smishing attacks come as a text message that appears to be from a reputable source such as a bank, government agency, or retailer. In a business scenario the SMS may appear to be sent by a member of your executive team or a trusted external vendor. The messages involved can be very sophisticated and appear to be legitimate which makes it difficult for employees to identify. The most common form of smishing messages ask the recipient to click a link or call a number to update their account information. When the recipient complies with the request, the attacker then uses that information to steal business data or drain accounts. How Can You Spot a Smishing Attack? Smishing attacks continue to become more and more sophisticated. Employees must be on high alert and educated on how to spot the following smishing red flags. A Suspicious Sender – When you first glance at a smishing message it will likely appear to be from a legitimate source. It is important to encourage your employees to double check the sender's phone number and details before responding, especially if the message is asking for you to click a link or provide any account information. Urgency in Implied – Hackers often create a sense of urgency in their targets to get them to do what they need quickly without thinking it through. If a text messages requests immediate action it should automatically be treated with caution. Sensitive Information is Requested – Remind employees that your organization and vendors will never request sensitive information (such as passwords, bank account numbers, or credit card details) via SMS message. If they receive a message asking for any sensitive information they should report the message and ignore the request. Grammar and Spelling Mistakes – Scam messages often have poor grammar and spelling errors. Employees should remain on the lookout for questionable formatting and/or unusual links. Requests to Click a Link or Call a Number – Encourage employees to only engage with known contacts and not to click on links from an unknown source. How to Protect Your Business from Smishing Attacks While promoting employee awareness of smishing attacks is important, businesses should also consider the following protective measures to help reduce the risk. Mobile Device Management (MDM) – One way to secure your company's devices is by using Mobile Device management. The right solution can help monitor incoming messages for suspicious activity, block malicious content, and prevent employees from accessing unauthorized websites or downloading malicious apps. Two Factor Authentication – 2FA or MFA adds an additional step that requires your employees to provide two forms of authentication to access their accounts. This makes it more difficult for attackers to access sensitive information and acts as an additional layer of protection to your company's data. Antivirus Software – A strong antivirus solution can help detect and remove malicious software and protects your business from smishing attacks. Smishing is yet another way that hackers are gaining access to businesses data and wreaking havoc on organization's of all sizes. It's imperative that you educate your employees about the risks and implement robust security solutions to protect your business. If you receive a suspicious message, avoid interacting with the content and notify your IT or security team immediately.

As businesses grow, their technology requirements evolve, leading to new opportunities and challenges. To effectively manage and plan for this growth, businesses need a clear understanding of their current technology state and a roadmap for future technology investments. That's where a technology maturity roadmap comes into play. In this blog post, we will explore what a technology maturity roadmap is and how it can help your business achieve its goals. What is a Technology Maturity Roadmap? A technology maturity roadmap is a strategic plan that outlines the current state of a company's technology infrastructure and how it will evolve over time. The roadmap can be viewed as a guide that shows the company's progress from its current state to its future technology goals. The roadmap helps to identify the gaps and opportunities within the organization's technology infrastructure, leading to more informed decisions regarding technology investments. How Does a Technology Maturity Roadmap Benefit Businesses? Budgeting: A technology maturity roadmap helps organizations budget for technology investments effectively. By identifying gaps in their current technology infrastructure, businesses can allocate resources to address these gaps and prioritize investments that will drive business growth. Asset Management: A technology maturity roadmap helps businesses keep track of their technology assets. It ensures that they have a complete understanding of their current technology infrastructure, including hardware, software, and licensing. This allows businesses to better manage their technology assets, reducing the risk of redundant investments and maximizing the value of their technology investments. Strategic Planning: A technology maturity roadmap allows businesses to plan for the future. It enables them to set goals and objectives for their technology infrastructure and determine the resources required to achieve them. This makes it easier for businesses to make informed decisions about technology investments and prioritize initiatives that align with their overall business strategy. Predictable IT Spend: By having a technology maturity roadmap, businesses can more accurately predict their IT spend. It helps organizations to forecast their technology investments and ensures that they are prepared for future technology expenses. This reduces the likelihood of unexpected IT surprises, which can disrupt business operations and cause unnecessary expenses. Conclusion A technology maturity roadmap is an essential tool for businesses looking to manage their technology infrastructure effectively. It provides a clear understanding of the current state of the organization's technology infrastructure and a roadmap for future technology investments. By utilizing a technology maturity roadmap, businesses can budget effectively, manage their technology assets, plan for the future, and achieve their overall business goals. Contact MapleTronics, a managed services provider, to learn more about creating a technology maturity roadmap for your business.

As a Managed Services Provider (MSP), MapleTronics is committed to providing our clients with the most efficient and effective solutions to their IT needs. One of the tools that are adding to Get Covered (our line of managed service solutions) is Self-Service Ticketing, also known as Robotic Process Automation (RPA). Self-Service Ticketing is an automation platform that creates processes and workflows, which helps to simplify and speed up the IT support process. For example, when you hire a new employee, there are many technology steps that need to be taken to get the employee set up with the necessary software, access, and permissions. Self-Service Ticketing allows us to quickly and efficiently complete these steps, reducing the time and effort required to onboard a new employee. The benefits of Self-Service Ticketing are numerous. By automating processes, the chance of human error is greatly reduced, resulting in fewer mistakes and more accurate results. Self-Service Ticketing also handles repetitive digital tasks, freeing up our team to focus on more complex and strategic tasks. Additionally, the time savings that Self-Service Ticketing provides can be significant, cutting the time required to complete a task by up to 70%. But the biggest benefit of Self-Service Ticketing is for our clients. By streamlining processes and automating tasks, we are able to lessen the wait time for getting a user set up, making things more efficient and quicker. For example, with Self-Service Ticketing, the process of setting up a new user can be completed in real-time, greatly reducing the time required to get the user up and running. The same streamlined process can be used for disabling a user, further simplifying the process and reducing the time required to complete the task. In conclusion, Self-Service Ticketing, is a powerful tool that helps MapleTronics to provide our clients with fast and efficient IT support. By automating processes and workflows, Self-Service Ticketing reduces the chance of human error, handles repetitive tasks, and provides significant time savings. But most importantly, Self- Service Ticketing streamlines processes, making the IT support experience faster and more efficient for our clients. Find out more about Get Covered at mapletronics.com/getcovered.

In today's technology focused world, security has become a top priority for businesses. This is true particularly when it comes to managing IT infrastructure. When looking for a managed services provider your organization needs someone who understands this and continuously updates their services to keep your business as protected as possible. A new security benefit that we've added this year to our Get Covered managed service solutions is Identity Verification and Password rotation. range of services to help organizations safeguard their systems and data. In this blog post, we will discuss what these services are and how they can benefit your organization. Identity Verification Identity Verification is the process of confirming a user's identity before granting access to a system or network. With the increase in cybercrime, it's crucial to ensure that only authorized personnel can access sensitive data. Identity Verification helps create more secure credentials, protecting your organization against unauthorized access. When a user tries to gain access to your business' important data, a code is sent from our tech to their device to verify that they are the rightful owner of the account. This process helps to prevent unauthorized users from accessing a network. Password Rotation Password Rotation is the practice of regularly changing passwords to ensure that there is no unneeded access to an organization's data. This new tool allows us to regularly do scheduled password rotations and changes passwords manually for a network. Password Rotation helps to keep the organization's data secure by regularly rotating passwords, reducing the risk of unauthorized access. Admin MTC accounts passwords will regularly rotate to restrict access to who at MTC has access to client's accounts. Benefits of Identity Verification and Password Rotation Identity Verification and Password Rotation offer several benefits to organizations. Firstly, they help to protect the organization from cyber threats and unauthorized access. By rotating passwords and verifying identities, businesses can ensure that only authorized personnel have access to sensitive data. Additionally, by pushing multi-factor authentication on us at MTC when working with clients, it adds another layer of security to ensure only the right people have access. Secondly, these services help to reduce the number of steps required to resolve a security issue. If a user forgets their password or needs to reset something on their account, MapleTronics can do it manually, ensuring that the issue is resolved quickly and efficiently. Want to learn more about MapleTronics Get Covered IT? Visit mapletronics.com/getcovered

The past couple of years have been full of ups and downs for businesses of all sizes across all industries. Many experts are predicting a recession in 2023 and while we don't have answers as to how extensive the recession will be many IT experts agree that a recession leads to higher occurrences of cybersecurity concerns. It is reported that there was a 31% rise in cyber-attacks per company between 2020 and 2021. This points to the fact that hackers may be more active as the economy is headed for a downturn. While businesses continue to prepare for a period of recession, they are shifting to having more and more teammates working from home, on the road, or really anywhere. While having a remote workforce has many benefits, it can also lead to new security challenges. The combination of the impending recession and a change in workforce behaviors could result in a big opportunities for hackers. Now is the time for companies to look at their security policies and software to make sure they are as protected as possible. Security Awareness Training is highly recommended for all businesses as 95% of cyber security breaches result from human error. What's Cybersecurity Awareness Training? Hackers aren't getting any less sophisticated, and they continue to find new ways to target employees. Cybersecurity awareness training puts the topic on employees mind while educating them on how they can avoid falling victim to a hacker's attempts. A good cybersecurity awareness training program well help train employees to recognize potential problems and threats and how they should act on them. From avoiding opening the email all together or reporting it to the right people, training will give employees guidance on how to handle an issue. Key Points in Creating a Good Cybersecurity Awareness Training Program Cybersecurity awareness training is going to look different for each business. Organization may have certain areas that need to be addresses or may have threats that are unique to their specific industry. For example a health clinic will have very different concerns from a construction firm. No matter the differences in needs a successful cybersecurity awareness training program will often have the same foundational components. Full Participation No matter their role all members of your team should receive proper training on the basics of cybersecurity. Don't just focus on teammates who have access to sensitive information, every teammates can end up in a situation that could put your organization at risk. Full participation from everyone promotes a culture of safety and security while ensuring that when employees are promoted or change their role they are equipped with the basics of cybersecurity. Open communication Creating a culture that encourages teammates to communicate about cybersecurity concerns can be an important step in protecting your organization. Sometimes employees feel confused or embarrassed and are too nervous to speak out about a security concern. Encourage teammates to have open communication about security and keep your employees updated regularly on your cybersecurity efforts. Prioritize Training as an Ongoing Process Organizations sometimes focus on one-time security awareness training at hire or during orientation. While this is helpful it doesn't always keep employees up to date on current concerns and allows employees time to forget as the topic is not top-of-mind. It is recommended to make cybersecurity a regular part of your employees training and to regularly emphasize that cybersecurity is a critical part of their job. It is a serious matter that employees should be considering every time they touch a computer or sensitive information. Ongoing training shows employees that you are taking the topic seriously and they should be too. Incorporate testing into training A good security awareness training program not only includes interactive ongoing training but also tests users on their learned skills. Assessments or testing after a training help the information stick better. Not only does testing help your team encourage participation in the training it also helps you determine if training is getting the necessary information across. One great way to test users after training is to perform test runs or context training. For example, training can include real-life phishing scams so your team can practice what they have learned while receiving some practical information. If you'd like more information about creating a robust training program for your team or need cybersecurity guidance, MapleTronics is here to help. Contact us today.

In a competition to be your organization's one-stop shop for business productivity software, Microsoft and Google each want your business. Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace are their subscription solutions that tick all of the top-level boxes on your company's communications and productivity checklist. Each suite includes the following features: Business email and shared calendaring services attached to custom domains Online storage, with shared space for collaboration and a large allotment of personal storage space for each user account Productivity apps for creating and collaborating on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations Corporate communication tools, including messaging, online meetings, and video conferencing A management interface, with advanced features such as compliance and archiving for enterprise customers as well as security features including two-factor authenticatio While there are quite a few similarities between Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, their individual applications and management tools are distinctively different from each other. Each suite includes applications for each of these suites includes applications for word processing, spreadsheet calculation, presentation, email, instant messaging, video conferencing, calendar, web hosting, note-taking, etc. We've compiled some of the main features and functions into a chart below to compare. What's included in Google Workspace? Gmail for Business Meet (video and voice conferencing) Chat (secure messaging) Shared calendars Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides Keep (shared notes) Forms (survey builder) Sites (website builder) Currents (the replacement for Google+ for Google Workspace) At least 30GB of cloud file storage (Google Drive) Security and administrative controls What's included in Microsoft 365? Desktop versions and /or cloud versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Access, Publisher Exchange Online email hosting with a maximum inbox size of 50 or 100GB Web-based versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook A minimum of 1TB of OneDrive for Business file storage per user SharePoint Online team sites HD video conferencing Online meetings (Skype Meeting Broadcast or Microsoft Teams live events) Secure messaging and collaboration (Microsoft Teams) Security and administrative controls Both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace provide their users with powerful efficient solutions. Both include unique features that aim to help with productivity and keep users happy. While they share a lot of similarities here is a breakdown of the key services in each platform: Email Exchange Online optimized for use with the Outlook desktop client is Microsoft's email option. Google alternatively has Gmail which is optimized for use in the Chrome web browser and on mobile apps. The 2 share features that both include just about everything a corporate email administrator would want including anti-malware protection, spam filtering, and group aliases. Google Workspace Business starter accounts have a maximum inbox size of 30 GB, but that limitation disappears once plans are upgraded beyond the starter account. Conversely Microsoft 365 caps its mailbox sizes at either 50 GB or 100 GB depending on the plan unless a business is on an enterprise plan with archiving turned on which is unlimited. Productivity Apps Google's productivity apps work exclusively in a browser or in one of its mobile apps. In contrast Microsoft provides office desktop applications as well as increasingly full-featured web versions for its most popular plans. Microsoft's availability of desktop apps is a crucial feature for some organizations. When fidelity with office document formats is crucial, these desktop apps become of extra importance. While it's easy enough to import and export Google Docs and Sheets, Office document features aren't guaranteed to survive round trips between the two environments. Cloud Storage Microsoft features OneDrive for business which shares the same sync engine as its consumer counterpart and has matured into a reliable service. OneDrive is well integrated with both Microsoft 465 and Windows and also works well on Macs and mobile devices. Every OneDrive for Business users get 1TB of personal cloud file storage; and the limit is removed for Enterprise accounts with at least 5 users. Google Drive storage allocations are shared with Gmail . On Business standard accounts that total is 30 GB and increases to 1TB on upgraded and accounts and unlimited for Google Workspace Business and Enterprise plans with at please 5 users. Communication and Collaboration Both Google Workspace and Office 365 offer an assortment of communication and collaboration tools. They both allow for simultaneous editing of documents in the web browser and Office has the ability to collaborate using desktop apps as well. Both Google (with Meet) and Microsoft (with Teams) provide collaboration and meeting tools that function well for organizations. Differences of Note between Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace Microsoft 365 provides both desktop and web versions. While Google only provides web based versions, Microsoft allows users to use web versions but also have browser based versions installed on their device. This gives Microsoft users the ability to easily use their applications without internet access. While Google does not provide desktop versions of their Workspace applications they do have a web-app features that provides certain offline functions for docs, sheets and slides Microsoft provides 1 TB of cloud storage to all of its users while Google Workspace have varying storage capacity depending on the version purchased. When it comes to security Microsoft and Google both provide secure workspaces. While Google includes two-factor authentication, Microsoft takes it a step further with multi-factor authentication. Google allows users to add-on a plethora of third-party apps that can also pose security risk. MapleTronics proudly partners with Microsoft and is able to assist in the selection of the right plan for your organization as well as getting your Microsoft 365 services started and maintained. Contact us today for more information.

You've most likely heard the recent news of the large Solarwinds breach that was discovered in December of 2020. While there is a lot of information out there already and more coming almost daily, we wanted to take the time to break down the attack and discuss some takeaways from a small business point of view. To listen to a podcast version of this discussion visit www.mapletronics.com/podcast or search "Mapletronics Tech Talk" on your favorite podcast app. Overview of the attack, who was effected, and what effects have come out so far from the breach? Solar Winds has a network monitoring product called Orion that is geared toward federal government agencies. In March of 2020, a hacker group believed to be a affiliated with the Russian government was able to place malware into Solar Winds systems. The malware installed malicious code into an update for the Orion software and this update was installed onto about 18,000 networks that use Orion. Homeland Security, State Department, and the Treasury Department were affected among many others including Microsoft. The malicious update gave hackers broad reach into the systems it infected. This means the hackers could see nearly everything in the network including files and email This type of attack is called a Supply Chain attack as it installs within normally safe software or updates and spreads to all who install. The malware laid dormant on Solar Winds systems for at least 2 weeks before deploying into the update. When we look at this large breach in a more practical small business sense and begin to think about how we can better protect our own organizations the concept of a Zero Trust network is something to consider. Here is a summary of what a Zero Trust Network entails: Implementing a Zero Trust architecture in your network can help mitigate a Supply Chain attack. We have always been concerned with our network’s perimeter and now need to think about it internally by preparing for the fact that a virus is going to get through our perimeter defense. Zero Trust incorporates least-privileged access which means users and programs in your network can only see and use what they need to use among other internal security facets. Instead of assuming everything behind the corporate firewall is safe, the Zero Trust model assumes breach and verifies each request as though it originates from an open network. Regardless of where the request originates or what resource it accesses, Zero Trust teaches us to “never trust, always verify.” Every access request is fully authenticated, authorized, and encrypted before granting access. Micro-segmentation and least privileged access principles are applied to minimize lateral movement. Rich intelligence and analytics are utilized to detect and respond to anomalies in real time. Read more about zero trust architecture here. Another important aspect to protecting your organization from a breach similar to that of the SolarWinds breach is having a robust system in place for detection, so if a breach happens you can quickly identify it and decrease the implications from the event. What does a detection strategy look like for an organization? For years organizations (including us here at MapleTronics) have focused primarily on prevention as a tactic to keep hackers from accessing data. While prevention such as firewalls, passwords, and anti virus software remain very important, it's not necessarily enough with how advanced hackers are in 2021. In addition to a robust prevention strategy, organizations should consider using a detection strategy such as a SIEM to help monitor their network and quickly be able to identify when a bad actor has gotten access. A SIEM works by collecting and reviewing your log files in real time. All of your network devices generate log files when any events or actions occur. If, for example, a new software is installed to your computer and your computer starts talking to another computer in China and a new network process is started, log files are automatically generated. These log files typically just sit on your device and are purged by the device after a period of time. These log files are actually very important in detecting an anomaly on your network if they are monitored. A SIEM does this monitoring for you. Read more about a SIEM here. It is logical to conclude that because the SolarWinds breach sat undetected from May 2020 - December 2020, if all of the organizations involved would have had a SIEM monitoring their networks the breach could have been discovered long before it was. This could have theoretically minimized a portion of the damage done. What are some other areas of focus that small businesses can begin looking at to prevent a breach like this from impacting their organization? Continue focus on Human OS - we've said it before and we'll say it again. The biggest threat to your organization's security is the users that have access to your network. Be sure to regularly educate your users so they know how to avoid being a phishing victim and keep your data protected. MFA - While a complex password is still an important step in securing accounts, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) continues to be even more important. MFA adds an additional step to the login process by making you verify your identity with a code generated either by an app on your mobile device, a text message, or an email. Adding this additional step to logging in makes it much harder for unwanted agents to gain access. Whenever you have the option to turn MFA on you should do it to help protect your data. Have a robust backup system in place - while no one wants to think about having a breach or having data held ransom, it is the unfortunate reality for many small businesses. Having a plan in place for if the worst case scenario happens is very important. Whether you choose to back up to the cloud or use an on premise device, make sure you have a way to access your files if you loose them and make sure you regularly are backing them up. While the SolarWinds Orion breach affected several very large corporations, as you can see there are several key takeaways for small businesses to take into consideration. If you have any questions or would like more information about anything discusses please reach out to us. You can contact us here or call us at 574.534.2830.

No matter how much focus and attention your organization puts into security solutions including anti virus, firewalls, and email filters, there is another large component of cybersecurity that is ultimately leaving your organization vulnerable to attacks. This component is commonly known as the Human Operating System. The HumanOS is made up of all of the users that have access to and use your network. Every time a human is logged in or accessing your network, they are a risk to your organization's security. Join us for a free webinar where our CEO and President get together to discuss how you can "Patch" your Human Operating System on Tuesday October 27, 2:00 pm (EST). For more information and to register visit: https://event.webinarjam.com/register/7/lp599cx Because technology alone can no longer secure an organization, organization's must look at how they can educate their human operating system to avoid falling victim to social engineering schemes where their human instincts could lead them into trouble and ultimately put your organization at risk. It is EVERYONE'S job to stay aware of threats and be educated to know how to best avoid falling victim to these attacks. While Microsoft, Windows, and other industry leaders are regularly providing security patches, perhaps the Human Operating System is the needs "patched" through regular training and education. While people are the primary target for many hackers, whether or not they are the weakest link is up to you and your organization. How is the Human Operating System Similar to other Operating Systems? Frequent Updating: most operating systems require frequent updating in order to remain secure. The HumanOS is no different, it requires continuous, active updating. Changing Risks: Over time, new programs, code or functionality are added to most operating systems. This means that the steps you take to secure them today will continue to evolve and change. When securing the HumanOS you need to ensure that you are regularly updating your awareness program to address changing human risks. How is the Human Operating System Different from other Operating Systems? Emotions: Unlike other operating systems, the HumanOS has feelings. In order to change behaviors you must engage users and create a program where people have an eagerness and a want to learn. A key way to engage is to focus on how people will personally benefit from security awareness training. Focusing on how the vast majority of risks people face at work are the same they face at home such as email, passwords, mobile devices, and social networking makes people more likely to pay attention. Misconceptions: There are often built in misconceptions that people have about security that you will have to address. For example you may have many people who believe they are not a target because their information or systems have no values. People also often feel they have no role in security or assume their role is to menial or not technical enough to come with security responsibilities. They often do not realize that their actions have a direct impact on the security of the entire organization. Key Points to Securing the Human Operating System Train with Regularity: the thing about humans is they can be forgetful and they can be unpredictable. This is why a program that trains your users just once on security, often times will not work in the long term. You need to be regularly training your users and keeping security top of mind. Keep it Simple: while cybersecurity can be quite complicated and complex, your users are not all technical and have many other tasks on their mind to keep track of. It is vital that you keep your security awareness programming and training, easy to understand for all users so that they don't simply ignore the training. Consider testing your users regularly: while training is important, you may want to consider regularly testing your users to see where there are weaknesses and providing additional training on areas or with specific users who are struggling in certain areas. We're continuing the discussion of Patching the Human Operating System in our upcoming webinar October 27 at 2:00 pm. For more information and to reserve your spot visit: https://event.webinarjam.com/register/7/lp599cx