Essential Cloud Storage – Cybersecurity

Why Cloud Storage Is Essential for Your Business

Businesses generate and store more data each year, and the recent wave of cyberattacks gripping the country highlights how valuable this information is—not only to businesses but also to cybercriminals.

As businesses scramble to avoid becoming the next victim of a data breach, leak, or ransomware attack, owners and managers are weighing their options for data storage.

With traditional physical storage, conventional cloud apps, and secure cloud storage emerging as the three main options, we’d like to make the case for encrypted cloud data protection.

Here are some reasons why secure cloud storage offers the gold standard in data protection and how it can benefit any business.

Protection of sensitive information

Businesses handle a variety of sensitive information, from company financial records and new product designs to sensitive client data that could result in serious privacy breaches if it falls into the wrong hands.

In light of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), which places an obligation on companies to protect client data to the best of their ability, obtaining the most powerful encrypted storage available has become a necessity.

Financial risk reduction

The monetary cost of a cyberattack can range from tens of thousands to millions of rands, depending on the scale and circumstances of the incident. The reputational damage could be even greater.

Secure cloud storage helps keep your business out of the high-risk landscape that comes with exposure to ransomware and phishing attacks. For a small monthly investment, you could pre-empt losses ranging from five to six figures.

Insider threat mitigation

According to research by Stanford University, 88% of data breaches involve internal actors like staff members. It’s also an unfortunate reality that many data leaks and breaches are the work of disgruntled employees—and it could be the person you least suspect.

Zero-trust architecture, which requires full credential verification before file access is granted, coupled with encrypted backups, removes personal trust from the equation.
Having a full backup of your valuable files ensures organisational control over your company data, regardless of what actions—good or bad—your team may take.

Customer trust

With news of data breaches being reported daily by the media, customers have developed heightened awareness and concern about how companies safeguard their data.

Having comprehensive and reliable data security in place inspires confidence in your clients as they trust you with their valuable and sensitive personal information. From a practical point of view, secure cloud storage also helps reduce the risk of losing client data in the event of a data breach or cyberattack.

To learn more about Soteria’s Total Data Protection package and how it can secure your business files, visit our product page today or click the button below.

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Doing your Backups | Online Backup

How Often Do you Back Up Your Data Online?

How often does your company back up essential business data? It turns out that the answer depends on which part of the world you live in.

A recent survey conducted by MyExpressVPN reveals that companies in North America, Europe, and the UK prioritise backup frequency differently. Let’s examine the data in detail and see how your business compares.

France leads the charge in data backup frequency

When managers and IT specialists from four major countries were surveyed about their data backup habits, the French emerged as the most diligent savers.

Twenty-two percent of respondents from France stated that they back up their data daily, while 42% reported conducting weekly backups—the gold standard for cybersecurity efficiency.
This places the European nation ahead of Germany, the UK, and the US, all economies typically considered highly efficient.

Despite their reputation for prioritising leisure, the French have recognised the importance of regular backups in securing vital company data. But what prevents businesses in other countries from following their lead?

Factors that make clients reluctant to back up their data

After identifying the country most committed to performing backups, the survey explored the reasons why other managers back up their data less frequently.

9% of respondents cited a lack of knowledge, while 6% attributed it to poor backup habits. Meanwhile, 5% found backup packages too complex to use easily.

To explore these concerns more deeply, the survey asked participants what improvements would encourage them to use their existing backup services more often:

Forty-one percent requested larger backup capacities at affordable prices, 36% called for simpler backup methods, 35% highlighted the need for enhanced privacy protection, and 34% desired faster backup services.

Given these insights, the responsibility for regular backups doesn’t rest solely on clients. This should act as a wake-up call for service providers to improve their solutions.

That’s exactly what we at Soteria have done with our new flagship product, Total Data Protection.

The solution: Total Data Protection

This new approach to cybersecurity product meets the exact needs of today’s business cloud storage user, offering unlimited backups at a single monthly price.

Customers can secure their data for up to five years, with instant access to all versions of their files in the cloud, ensuring ease of collaboration and sharing for teams.

The package also includes highly customisable options, enabling backups for selected applications and allowing IT managers to cater to complex networks, including remote systems.

Here’s how Total Data Protection can help:

Prevent data loss: Ensure your business is prepared for any eventuality, with files accessible anytime, anywhere.
Mitigate cyber threats: Keep a working version of all files in case your system’s version becomes compromised.
Protect against natural disasters: Safeguard your files from damage caused by floods, fires, or system failures.
Ensure regulatory compliance: Meet the requirements of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) by securing client data effectively.

Find out how Total Data Protection can support your business. Contact us today!

Learn more about TDP

Smarter Cybercriminals – Better Backup

The Ransomware Wave Intensifies as Cybercriminals Get Smarter

Ransomware is one of the most pressing online threats facing businesses today, and the not-so-good news is that it’s becoming more sophisticated.

Cybercriminals are discovering new ways to use AI to perpetrate online attacks, with several prominent businesses—including Starbucks—recently falling victim. To make matters worse, hackers are recruiting software developers on the dark web to raise the sophistication of their attacks to a level where many cybersecurity systems may be unable to stop them.

As the threat landscape becomes more advanced, business owners must take steps to protect their valuable data. Let’s look at the evolving threats and see what you can do to safeguard your company’s information.

Businesses of all sizes fall prey to ransoware attacks

The days when only large corporations were targeted by cybercriminals using ransomware are truly over.

Despite ongoing attacks against providers like Blue Yonder—which recently forced Starbucks shops across America to switch to a manual entry system to pay their baristas—cybercriminals are increasingly setting their sights on small and medium-sized businesses. These businesses have the funds to pay significant ransoms but often don’t have cutting-edge cybersecurity systems in place.

A striking example of such an attack is the recent ransomware disaster experienced by British logistics company Knights.

Russian hackers demanded millions of pounds to release encrypted files, including the company’s financial records.
Ultimately, rather than pay the ransom, the company’s management was forced to borrow large sums of money and eventually, to seek a buyer for the business as operations came to a complete halt.

The ease with which cyberattacks of this kind are being carried out raises the question: how sophisticated have hackers become that they’re able to bypass industry-standard cybersecurity systems?

Worryingly, the answer is very sophisticated indeed.

Cybercriminals harness AI and software professionals to carry out attacks

Artificial intelligence is revolutionising the way many industries do business, and unfortunately, cybercriminals are all too aware of its potential to assist in carrying out ransomware attacks.

Generative AI, such as ChatGPT, can be used to clean up phishing emails and make them sound entirely legitimate.
Cybercriminals even programme AI applications to imitate the tone used by companies in their PR materials, making impersonation scams more believable.

While some cybercriminals are turning to AI, a worrying trend on the dark web has emerged, where Russian hackers have started recruiting software developers to find security loopholes in their own ransomware and other harmful apps.

This helps them evade detection and mitigation efforts by cybersecurity experts.

These incidents show that cybercriminals are not only extremely serious about continuing their attacks but are also targeting smaller and less well-known businesses with sophisticated ransomware that may be difficult to evade.

This makes it absolutely imperative for companies to invest in secure cloud storage so that a working version of critical company data is always available in the cloud.

Secure your business with total data protection

Total Data Protection is the only real assurance businesses have when it comes to safeguarding their valuable information.

With comprehensive secure cloud storage, featuring immutable storage, regular automated backups, and access to the past five years’ worth of saved data, our flagship package is a powerful, turnkey solution ideal for any business.

To find out how this solution could benefit your company, click the button below.

Get TDP today

SASSA Grant Fraud – Cyber Hacking

R175 Million Grant Fraud Exposed at SASSA as Threats Continue

More than 26 million South Africans rely on some form of social grant to cover their basic expenses, and with the recent increases in the cost of living, this financial lifeline from the state has become a matter of survival for many families.

Unfortunately, cybercriminals may be planning to target the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), which has recently been shown to have significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

In this article, we take a look at the recent R175 million cyber fraud incident reported by the agency, in light of media reports suggesting its online application system may be an open invitation for fraudsters.

Here’s what every citizen needs to know with yet another government department buckling under the pressure of the country’s growing cybercrime wave.

R175 Million Stolen in Grant Fraud

The NaughtySecGroup has reared its ugly head again, claiming responsibility for stealing R175 million from social security grants by allegedly opening a staggering 100 000 fraudulent bank accounts across the country.

The hacking group, which made headlines last year by nearly stealing TransUnion’s entire data set for South African clients, says the recent move was in retaliation for not receiving the $60 million (close to R1 billion) ransom they demanded.

If the hackers are to be believed, the safety of South Africans’ financial information and the security protocols used by banks for account opening procedures are now in question. SASSA has revealed very little information in the wake of these claims, failing to reassure the public that the situation is under control.

Researchers Spotlight SASSA’s Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities

As the social welfare agency reels from its recent brush with fraudsters, a recent article reveals that the agency may be extremely vulnerable to follow-up attacks by cybercriminals.

Two students from Stellenbosch University conducted independent research into the agency’s vulnerability status by using a random sample of ID numbers to test the agency’s online application security. The results are alarming, to say the least.

When testing the system with ID numbers issued to people born in 2005 – representing a relatively young cohort of citizens – the researchers found that 91% percent of these numbers were associated with grant applications.
Given the young age and presumed good health of the applicants, it seems highly implausible that they would all be genuine grant applicants.
The researchers also applied for grants through the system at a rate of 700 per minute, an action that should have triggered a security alert and prevented further applications. However, the application process continued without interruption.

In conjunction with the claim of the R175 million fraud, these findings cast serious doubt on the security protocols in place at government departments, as well as in the financial sector.

Make Secure Cloud Storage Your First Line of Defence

At a time when the institutions we typically trust to protect our personal information – such as the banks or government – are under fire for failing to prevent cyberattacks, businesses and individuals should be thinking about beefing up their data protection.

Secure cloud backup is a proven method of keeping your personal, business, and financial information out of the hands of hackers.

To raise your security level, we invite you to browse our range of secure cloud storage packages and total data protection solutions. Powered by Acronis, for businesses and households of any size, you can trust Soteria Cloud to protect your most valuable asset – your data.

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Streamlining your Backup | Real-time Cloud backup

Streamlining Your Backup Process – How Soteria Offers One Solution for All Your Backup Needs

Every year, South African businesses lose millions of Rand to cybercriminals, and with the incidence of ransomware attacks and hacking incidents still rising it’s only a matter of time until your business finds itself in their crosshairs.

Unless, of course, you take proactive steps like automated backups.

Keeping a recent copy of your important files can make the difference between total disaster and a chance of recovery in the wake of a cyberattack.
Manually backing up your files is not only time-consuming but also impractical for most business owners. That’s why automated backups are the best option for enterprises of all sizes.

Backups: an essential and overlooked aspect of data security

With all the important things that go on in your business every day, backing up files may not be your top priority.

Companies can go years without backing up their data correctly and not be any worse off for it. Until the day when a cyberattack takes place and owners and management start scrambling to access reliable copies of their important data.

The financial cost to your business in the wake of a cyberattack can be significant, but the long term reputational damage that it can cause could be worse.

Once clients come to learn that their data has been leaked, they may question your business’s commitment to privacy protection- even if you took reasonable measures to avoid the cyberattack. Restoring your data from a recent backup can help you recover operationally and give your customers confidence in your IT security system.

No matter how you look at it, backing up important files is essential. Fortunately, you can save time and enjoy peace of mind by streamlining and automating this process with Soteria.

Discover our simple backup solution for businesses and households

Soteria’s range of secure storage solutions featuring automatic back up is the perfect way to keep your files safe without having to focus on the nitty-gritty of IT security all day.

With Soteria cyber files cloud you can share and manage content with all colleagues and personnel, store any content which can then be synced with all your devices giving you access anytime and anywhere.

To find out more about our products like CloudSync and get started with a package that suits your needs, visit our website today.

Soteria’s Flexible Options for Cloud Backup | Real-Time Cloud Backup

How to schedule your backups with ease

Backing up your important data couldn’t be more essential at a time when cybercriminals are unleashing increasingly sophisticated attacks on businesses across the country.

Cyber attacks on SA’s government departments have been particularly malicious in recent months with the Companies and Intellectual property Commission (CIPC) the latest victim of a security compromise, likely a result of under investment in the right security systems.

But for many business owners, the backup process remains a mystery, especially when it comes to scheduling and execution.

To help you keep your company’s data safe in the cloud, we’d like to cover the flexible options for cloud backup and highlight why scheduling correctly will help you manage your data effectively without using up too much storage.

Backups are a lifesaver when cybercriminals strike

If you’ve been following the news recently, you may be worried that a cyberattack could compromise your access to company data – and you’d be right to worry. Cyberattacks continued to plague South Africa in 2023 and criminals are only getting smarter; 28% of attacks against smart devices in Africa originated in SA last year according to Kaspersky.

One of the tactics that cybercriminals use to extort their victims is the threat of permanently deleting or corrupting files that the company needs in order to function.
An explanation for why companies agree to pay the ransom could be because the most recent backup they have is too old and they genuinely can’t do without the files that are being held hostage.

But all of this can be avoided with regular backups.

Best flexible options for cloud backup to give for peace of mind and efficiency

It makes sense that your business needs to have the most recent version of its files saved in the cloud, but how recent is recent enough?

Files that are updated daily should be backed up daily, and ditto for those that are updated weekly and monthly.
However, tracking the frequency of file updates can be a nightmare.
It’s best to update all your files as often as possible so that frequently changing documents will still be up to date if you need to restore them

A daily backup can be easily scheduled with our streamlined backup system options.

Your data will automatically move to the cloud in encrypted form and you can choose to overwrite older versions of files to save storage space – especially if your business uses a large amount of data for its storage each month.

If you do need more storage as your business grows, our flexible cloud backup options will let you size up your storage as and when you need it.

To learn more about our secure cloud storage packages for businesses, visit our product page today.

Cloud Backup Trends 2024 |Cloud Backup

Future Trends in Cloud Backup Technology

Secure cloud storage is every organisation’s number one defence against cybercrime. As hackers up their game on a regular basis, cloud backup technology must respond in kind by becoming more secure and reliable.

Keeping up with the race between cybercriminals and data defence systems is essential for every business, especially when it comes to choosing a cloud storage solution. Let’s take a look at some of the big future trends in the backup industry and what they mean for the safety of your data.

AI Integration

By now, almost everyone has tried out ChatGPT or a similar AI application. This technology may not be perfect yet, but it certainly has the potential to become a powerful assistant in almost every industry – and secure backup is no exception.

Cybercrime detection and recovery is a major use case for AI and we expect to see more applications of this type being rolled out this year.

Artificial intelligence can help to detect cyberattacks by monitoring changes to the files on a company’s storage devices or in the cloud. When it comes to recovery, a blanket approach whereby every file is rolled back to a certain point in time before the attack risks losing a significant amount of recent data.

AI assists in this regard by scanning individual files and restoring them to the most recent viable version.

Virtual desktops

When employees work remotely, they introduce an added layer of worry for IT security administrators: using their own devices.

No matter how careful the user may be, working on a device that doesn’t conform to the organisation’s digital security specifications will always create the potential for data leaks, breaches and cyberattacks to take place.

Forward thinking IT managers are responding by creating virtual desktops, which use the identical productivity and digital security software found on any of the on-site devices used by employees while maintaining real time back up. This helps to ensure data security while team members are working remotely.

The effectiveness of using virtual desktops will come down to advanced secure cloud storage and fully updated antivirus and malware software to prevent remote takeover attempts and data loss.

A serious demand for Cybersecurity

As the number of cyberattacks in South Africa continues to soar amid claims that the government isn’t doing enough to stem the tide, organisations are responding with a sense of urgency.

Cloud based backup solutions with immutable storage and full integration of real time backups across the organisation, coupled with enhanced user training for employees are likely to become the gold standard going forward.

If you’re ready to combat cybercrime, using the latest secure cloud storage technology. look no further. Soteria offers a range of effective secure backup solutions for businesses of all sizes. Visit our product page today to learn more.

Business Backups | Cloud Storage

Business Backups – Is it Time to Shift from Hard Drives to Cloud Backup

External hard drives, USB sticks, and even the occasional writable CD ROM are still being used in offices across the country – even as cloud storage becomes increasingly popular as a means to secure company data.

As a business owner, choosing between physical storage such as hard drives and secure cloud storage could have a big impact on your data security and potentially save you money in the long term.

Let’s take a look at physical storage and the cloud, compare their pros and cons, and help you decide which is best for your business.

Are hard drives still relevant?

From online streaming services taking the place of the movie theatre and CD shop to online shopping looking to replace malls – not to mention the ubiquitous Zoom call which changed our meeting cultures forever – it’s safe to say that the cloud is the future.

Despite these shifts, some businesses still choose physical backup hard drives over cloud-based storage, citing data breaches, hacking attempts and lost files. There is also often concern that their data is being stored in overseas locations.

Many businesses still see physical backups as the easiest, if somewhat least professional way of storing business data which can then be enabled to share to network drives on employee’s computers. The downside is that you have to pay for the hardware upfront and it’s not cheap.

Businesses like this will typically use external hard drives to back up their files – hopefully on a regular basis – in the hope that these devices will eventually contain a full set of data that can be used to restore files in the event of a hardware failure.

The perceived reliability of physical backup that comes with having an external hard drive on your desk or in the server room may be comforting to some, but these devices have one major flaw:

If the drive is stolen or malfunctions, the device itself can usually be replaced but the files can’t.

Cloud storage, with its decentralised and encrypted data protection technology, virtually illuminates this risk and gives individuals and business owners the peace of mind that comes with knowing that the data can be fully recovered in the event of a cyberattack.

Why cloud storage is a winner in 2023 and beyond

Secure cloud storage technology offers all the functionality of an external physical backup device, but with a level of encryption, security, and flexibility that these devices simply can’t offer.

Data kept safe in the cloud is encrypted so that it can’t simply be stolen and accessed by hackers and cybercriminals.
Cloud-based backup solutions offer multiple-factor authentication to verify the identity of users and prevent unauthorized access.
Unlike an external hard drive, the entire cloud can’t be stolen during a robbery,

As an added advantage, secure cloud storage can be scaled up or down depending on your data requirements.

A business that requires 1 GB of storage will pay a significantly lower monthly subscription, than one requiring one 1 TB of storage, helping business owners to reduce costs over the long term.

Experience the ease and security of secure cloud storage

Tired of forgetting to back up your data manually? Soteria’s range of encrypted cloud storage solutions for businesses and households alike offers the best security and flexibility at competitive rates to suit any budget.

To get started securing your data, browse our range of packages today and choose the backup option that best suits your needs.

More Cybersecurity – False Sense of Security

Is more cybersecurity always better?

Investing in security is something that goes without saying for most businesses. When it comes to protecting the company’s online assets, many IT managers are of the opinion that more cyber defences are better.

Yet with such a huge investment in multiple security layers, cyberattacks are still on the rise.

In this article, we make the controversial point that more (cybersecurity) is not always better. Here’s the case for companies to stick to a handful of security measures, including secure cloud storage and maintain these measures actively to achieve the highest possible level of protection.

got more cybersecurity measures than you can count?

…you probably can’t always count on them

When the environment seems threatening, the first thing most of us do is up our security game. In tech terms, that usually means adding more layers of protection.

This approach – which is akin to installing an alarm system, putting burglar bars on all your windows, buying a couple of pitbulls, and getting the best armed response in town – may seem like a surefire way to avoid a cyberattack.

Unfortunately, many businesses have fallen prey to hackers despite having a raft of security features including firewalls, multiple antivirus software, network monitoring software, and even proprietary security apps.

Extra security creates extra work: more apps to monitor and update. At the same time, it can also us complacent – and that’s exactly the type of scenario that cybercriminals like to exploit.

A single out of date app that hasn’t been patched can open a crack in your security shield for hackers to exploit – and the more layers you have, the greater the risk.

keep it simple with quality security solutions

Instead of piling one cybersecurity solution on top of another, we recommend that companies keep their data safe by having:

A high-quality firewall and antivirus software
Industry standard file encryption
Secure cloud storage
A comprehensive employee training program to reduce susceptibility to social engineering attacks and prevent unnecessary data leaks

Secure cloud storage with advanced encryption technology is exactly what you’ll find in Soteria’s range of cloud storage packages for business. Browse our product offering today to start backing up your crucial business data.

Understanding data backup and recovery solutions | Cloud backup

How does data backup and recovery keep your crucial information safe?

With all the headlines about data leaks, ransomware, and cyber attacks, you have every reason to be concerned about the safety of your business data.

Data backup and secure cloud storage are key tools for keeping your business information safe, but if you’re not a tech expert you may be wondering how they work.

To help you choose the best secure cloud storage package to suit your company’s needs, we’ve put together a quick guide to online backup.

What is backup, and why do you need it?

Every time you send an email, make a payment online, process an order from a client, or book a business trip, you’re creating thousands of bytes of new data that can be stolen by hackers and other criminals online.

Data backup and recovery, especially secure cloud storage, is one of the best ways to protect your sensitive company information from hackers and cybercriminals.
Cloud backup works by making a copy of your data and storing it online to protect it from cyberattacks and physical computer theft.
By scheduling regular data backups and storing your info in the cloud, you can rest easy knowing that your sensitive business files are safe from cybercriminals.

Many business owners are keen to keep their data safe, but the ins and outs of online backup can be complicated and even intimidating. In reality though, it’s an easy system to understand. Here’s how it works.

Backup keeps your data safe – at a safe distance

Many companies operate on the “321 data security model” to keep business and confidential client information safe:

There should always be three copies of important data.
Two of them should be on different physical media
At least one copy should be in the cloud

Cloud storage is essential because one of the biggest security risks relating to data stored on your office hardware (like a computer hard drive or USB stick) is that it can be physically stolen, lost in a fire or damaged.

One robbery at your company’s premises could be a major jackpot for criminals looking to obtain your company data and commit fraud or other online crimes – but not if your data is backup up in the cloud.

How much of your data should you back up – and how often?

Two major considerations when it comes to backing up your data are how often you want to perform a backup and how much data you want to save each time.

A full backup or mirror backup saves an exact copy of your data each time. This is extremely helpful in case of a data leak or breach but it also consumes a lot of storage space.
Opting for a full backup every time means you’ll need to continuously increase the capacity of your cloud storage.
Alternatives for businesses that would prefer to streamline their storage usage include incremental backup (which only backs up files that have changed since the last backup) and intermittent backup which sets a time interval like once a week or once a month to backup new data.

An automatic backup service is great in terms of time saving for both you and your employees,. However, you may not want to wait too long between backups since important data that hasn’t been saved in the cloud yet could be vulnerable to hackers and other cybercriminals.

We recommend that you backup your data at least once a week, especially given the wave of cyber attacks against companies in SA recently.

Now you know how back up works, we’d love to be your secure cloud storage provider

Regular scheduled backups using encrypted secure cloud storage are an excellent way to keep your data safe, no matter what the dark web throws at you.

To get started, head over to our website and browse our range of cloud storage packages for individuals and businesses today.