NOC Tech Blog

Just a quick refresher— what is email phishing? Phishing is a type of cyberattack where attackers try to trick you into giving away sensitive information—like passwords, credit card numbers, or even access to your business’s network— by pretending to be someone you trust . These emails often look like they’re from legitimate companies, like your bank, a well-known retailer, or even someone within your own organization. The goal? To get you to click on a malicious link or download an attachment that can compromise your system. Sometimes, the emails are obvious fakes, but other times, they can be extremely convincing, making it crucial to stay vigilant.

Looking for weak points could save your business.

Just a quick refresher— what is email phishing? Phishing is a type of cyberattack where attackers try to trick you into giving away sensitive information—like passwords, credit card numbers, or even access to your business’s network— by pretending to be someone you trust . These emails often look like they’re from legitimate companies, like your bank, a well-known retailer, or even someone within your own organization. The goal? To get you to click on a malicious link or download an attachment that can compromise your system. Sometimes, the emails are obvious fakes, but other times, they can be extremely convincing, making it crucial to stay vigilant.

Looking for weak points could save your business.

Just a quick refresher— what is email phishing? Phishing is a type of cyberattack where attackers try to trick you into giving away sensitive information—like passwords, credit card numbers, or even access to your business’s network— by pretending to be someone you trust . These emails often look like they’re from legitimate companies, like your bank, a well-known retailer, or even someone within your own organization. The goal? To get you to click on a malicious link or download an attachment that can compromise your system. Sometimes, the emails are obvious fakes, but other times, they can be extremely convincing, making it crucial to stay vigilant.

Looking for weak points could save your business.

O'Fallon is al ready one of the best places to live.

While our eastern Missouri offices are a safe 700 miles from the Gulf, we're no stranger to severe storms on the Central Plains. It’s impossible to know what to fully expect when a tornado or hurricane is headed your way, but we want to help you prepare to the best of our abilities. So how should your office prepare for severe weather (or other natural disasters)? Here's a checklist to follow. Severe weather tech checklist for SMBs Have a written plan for disaster recovery. More on that below. Create a tech inventory. Ensure you have an inventory of all the technology at your office. Communicate the computer equipment checklist to all staff. Prepare network documentation. – Make sure your IT Manager or IT Consultant has this information and can provide it to you in case you need it. Ensure your data is backed up offsite. Most businesses have an onsite backup. Having an offsite backup will ensure you maintain access to your data, even if your brick and mortar suffers devastating damage. Test your backup. Ask your IT team to verify that the backup is intact, and your data can be recovered in the case of a disaster. Establish a plan for remote access. Identify which parts of your operation can work remote in the case of an outage or disaster. Ensure that users can work remotely if needed. Create an SOP for natural disasters. Communicate with staff so they understand exactly what the procedure is if you are unable to return to the office for multiple days or even weeks. Practice working remotely. While many businesses have an idea of how to work remotely following the pandemic, working out the kinks before a potential outage will reduce your productivity losses. Ensure your IT team is prepared to respond to a server outage or assist with bringing your technology up after the storm. If you don’t have an IT team or work with a small group, develop a relationship with a larger entity that can respond quickly in the case of an incident. Set up call forwarding. Ensure your phones are forwarded to a cell phone, alternative number, or set up to a test softphone/software phone (if your phone system allows this). Special considerations hurricane preparedness Shut down computers and unplug all machines, including printers. Move computers and other computer equipment off the floor. This will protect your equipment from flooding. Unplug ethernet cables from computers or docking stations If possible, use dry bags or plastic to wrap electronics. Coordinate with IT to schedule a normal shutdown of servers prior to the storm. Consider getting a wireless internet failover. Your main coax or fiber line may have outages: having a backup internet option could be the missing link to keep your operation moving. 

O'Fallon is al ready one of the best places to live.

While a great option for many businesses (and their employees!), the hybrid work model, combining remote and office-based work, brings its own cybersecurity challenges. Let's take a look at the risks posed by hybrid work: More access points to company resources In a hybrid work setup, you are essentially creating more access points to your company's resources. It's as though rather than entering through the main door, staff can use any number of side entrances to access key files and information. More access points are great for your staff, but they're also convenient for would-be hackers. More difficulty spotting security risks 
With employees working from various locations, it can be harder to spot unusual activities that might indicate a security risk. Businesses need smarter ways to watch the access points to their data. The right cybersecurity solutions monitor your staff's remote logins for you and instantly alert your business if any offsite access looks suspicious. So if those are the main challenges and risks posed by hybrid work environments, what are some practical strategies business owners can implement to protect their team and their data? Adapt Security Rules Security rules need to be flexible and adaptable to different situations in a hybrid work environment. For example, if an employee accesses files from a new location, the system might ask for extra confirmation or even limit what they can see. Make sure these rules are in-place and you know how to access them: they are vital to giving employees the right permissions and making sure there are no exploitable holes in your network. Don't know how to set up security rules? Schedule a free consultation with our experts. Educate Your Team Create clear policies regarding work-from-home security. Teach your team about safe online practices and how to not “open the door” for hackers and threats. Provide training on following your security procedures— and why it's important. Encourage Secure Connections Provide your staff with tools like VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) to create a secure 'tunnel' for your data. Remind any traveling staff (outside sales team, management traveling to a conference, etc.) that open internet connections (like you may find in airports and cafes) cannot be trusted and should not be used for work. Take Extra Security Steps Implement extra steps like Multi-Factor Authentication, which sends a code to your phone when logging into important systems. While these steps can be a bit of a pain, it is important that your staff uses them consistently to protect your business. Keep Systems Updated It's easy to dismiss or ignore security patches and software updates. Ensure all devices used for work are up-to-date with the latest security features. Remind your staff that the time it takes to update their equipment is worth it to you! Help with Home Network Security Help your team secure their home internet connections so that their home security is just as robust as your office. Not sure how to do this? Ask our experts for pointers. 
Managing cybersecurity in a hybrid work setting doesn't have to be overwhelming. By simplifying access to resources, being alert to unusual activities, and having adaptable security rules, you can protect your business effectively. With the right implementation, you’ll create a secure and flexible work environment that supports your team's needs.