Webinar: Keep Your Business Safe from Cyberattacks

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — International issues like the current situation with Ukraine and Russia are elevating the global risk of cybercrime.

As such, it’s critical for individuals to have a proper cybersecurity plan in place, not only for their business but their personal information, says Lauren Butka, marketing and communications specialist with Executive Computer Management Solutions Inc., or ECMSI.

ECMSI is conducting a free webinar entitled “Cybersecurity: What you need to know to keep your business safe.” The event is hosted by The Business Journal and is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on April 6.

Presenters include CEO/Owner Ralph Blanco, Sales Manager Shane Nesbitt, Service Manager Dave Galioto, NOC Team Lead Kyle Forward and Nate Bair, security team lead.

“Having an IT strategy within your organization is incredibly important to save from downtime, security breaches and keeping them productive,” Nesbitt says. “Without the appropriate stacked security, you’re broadening the chances of having a security breach. Not only having the right layered software but to also make sure hardware is up-to-date and all old operating systems are current.”

Webinar participants will address ongoing cybersecurity concerns that threaten all businesses, and will discuss how ECMSI keeps its partners safe and positioned for growth.

“Now more than ever, it’s important to know the steps to take to make sure your business has a strong IT strategy to make sure you’re safe, you’re productive, you’re protected [and] you’re profitable,” Butka says.

Cyberattacks are getting more sophisticated, she says, “and they’re getting harder to detect.” When it comes to business security, companies need to know what they’re looking for and need to have staff adequately trained to be vigilant.

Phishing emails and so-called whaling emails – highly targeted phishing emails where cybercriminals masquerade as senior executives – are becoming more prevalent in any workplace.

In fact, 3.4 billion phishing emails (Valimail) are sent daily worldwide, reports DigitalInTheRound.com. Of all phishing threats, 91% begin with an email (Deloitte), and 96% of phishing attacks seek to gather intelligence (Symantec).

“It’s terrifying,” Butka says. “And it’s terrifying how it could cripple a business in seconds.”

When working with new clients, ECMSI finds many companies aren’t as protected as they should be, she says. Typically, much of their hardware is outdated, which makes them more vulnerable to cyberattacks.

Cybersecurity is more than keeping antiviral software up-to-date, she says. Equipment needs to be routinely updated so it can keep up with Windows updates and others that keep a company’s network protected.

“If your equipment is not up to par, you’re a sitting duck,” she says.

Any IT effort needs to be an ongoing strategy, which is why partnering with a managed services provider like ECMSI can be beneficial, she says. IT professionals in the company’s internal network operations center, or NOC, and its advanced security teams monitor clients’ networks 24/7 and are “actively looking for malicious threats to keep you protected.”

Businesses of any size are encouraged to participate in the webinar. A common misconception among small businesses, she says, is they thing they’re too small to be noticed by cybercriminals.

“Hackers don’t care what size your company is,” she says. “They only care how much money they can get from you, or the data they can get from you and sell.”

Click HERE to register for this free webinar event.

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