Tag: cybercriminals

Your Guide to the Best Email Security Practices

Every time you send and receive an email, you’re taking a risk. There’s ransomware, phishing, viruses, and compliance violations to be wary of. From CEOs of big corporations to secretaries who manage client emails all day every day, everyone needs to be aware of the best email security practices to follow to ensure that your emailing behaviour doesn’t become the very thing that brings your company to its knees.

To take the guesswork out of the process of drawing up an email security strategy, we’ve included some tips and advice for the correct and most effective security practices for your business. Before we investigate these practices, let’s learn more about the risks involved in using email.

the common threats

Regardless of its size, every company must have a cybersecurity strategy in place, and email security forms part of that.

Many people believe that as they aren’t sending or receiving particularly sensitive information, it doesn’t matter whose hands their email falls into. However, this is a risky mindset as hackers aren’t only interested in your email content. They want access to an even bigger network and the front door for them is through your email.  Once a hacker has access to your emails, the online world (your online world) is their proverbial oyster.

Cyber hacks and attacks are ever-changing. Over the years, they have progressed from simple phishing links to complex social engineering tactics and email security should form a critical part of your overall cybersecurity.

what to be aware of

Knowing what to watch out for is important. Here’s what to keep an eye out for.

These are emails that request money and sensitive information from a user. Spear phishing is when ‘someone else’ impersonates ‘someone you trust’ to get information out of you. You might receive an email stating, “Your online banking profile number and pin is going to expire in three days. Click on this link to register your new profile and pin.” Everything might look legitimate, but it’s not!

  • social engineering

Ever received an email or a pop up that says, “OMG, it looks like you in the video!” – well, that’s social engineering at play. This is when cybercriminals rely on you to click on a malicious link or attachment.

  • business email compromise

This is a form of spear phishing where a cybercriminal impersonates the CEO of a company or a manager. This type of scam relies on employees sharing sensitive information, which can be used to steal business data and even money.

  • spam

You know those emails that say, “You’ve just one a R1 000 Woolworths voucher!”? Well, this is known as spam, and most often, we fob them off as an annoyance when we click on it, and it takes us seemingly nowhere. What you’re not expecting is that a bot, instructed by the cybercriminal, sends you that link and when you clicked on it, spyware, malware or even ransomware is installed on your computer.

  • malware

Malicious software, called “malware,” often presents in the form of a Trojan, ransomware or some other program that attacks your computer system. In most instances, the files on the computer are encrypted, and you are requested to pay a ransom to get the key to unlock the encrypted files. Some types of malwares can get access to your computer camera or your entire device, which means they see what you see and do! Obviously, that’s a big risk.

  • botnet and ddos

Largescale spam and phishing campaigns are often managed by botnets which are groups of devices that are under the control of a cybercriminal. Often, these devices are used to overload a system or network in hopes of making it crash. This type of attack can cause absolute mayhem.

tips to the best email security practices

Email security is all about building as many walls as possible between your data and the cybercriminal. Cyber security should be no different to virtual security with multiple barriers making entry virtually impossible.

  • Educate employees on best email security practices such as never clicking on unexpected attachments and links;
    • Put rules and guidelines in place for all work email security.
    • Make sure that your employees understand what kind of sensitive data they are likely to be handling.
  • Encrypt sensitive email attachments through a secure hosting service.
  • Activate 2 factor authentication – this will tighten up access points from end-to-end, which includes email.
  • Add legal disclaimers to your emails so recipients are aware they cannot send that email on to anyone.
  • Regularly change email passwords (and ensure they are difficult passwords)
  • Do regular encrypted data backups just in case you ever fall victim to malware
  • Update your operating system to avoid software vulnerability which is often corrected with updates.

How do you ensure that your company uses email safely? Share your tips and advice with us today!

Virgin Active, Latest Victim of a Cyberattack in South Africa

May brought with it an unhealthy surprise for Virgin Active South Africa, the country’s largest gym chain. A cyberattack on the fitness group carried out by what the company refers to as “sophisticated cybercriminals”, is the most recent attack in South Africa by modern-day hackers.

If you were struggling to access your Virgin Active account online, now you know why!

The company took all services offline while they implemented measures to protect the data of its customers. All South African branches spent a week acting on a first-come-first-serve basis, which of course, lead to a degree of disgruntlement.

While there was no indication that any data had been removed from the systems, Virgin Active told customers that clubs would be operating as normal but advised that they should remain vigilant of any suspicious activity on their accounts. Forensic experts were hard at work trying to ascertain the extent of the attack!

business as usual, kind of!

Virgin Active doors remained open, but customers had to adapt to booking classes by phone or in-person, with online workouts out of the question for some time.

Regular gym-goers used to racking up points on a weekly basis became a little concerned about what this would mean for their benefits. In an attempt of goodwill, Virgin Active reassured customers that they would be awarded the full points for the week that they would have otherwise accrued.

virgin active’s response to the latest cyberattack in South Africa?

People want answers, and while those answers are sketchy right now, one thing is evident; the security of Virgin Active customer data seems to have been a top priority and that there was no negligence involved.

The company is adamant that the security practices of the brand are top-notch and that all security audits leading up to the attack were passed. Also, all financial and banking data of customers on the system were data encrypted, which leads to a massive amount of customer relief!

While Virgin Active is still to release the full details of the cyberattack, it’s reassuring for members to know that the company followed reasonable protocols in the face of the attack. The company notified the SA Information regulator and worked closely with law enforcement to ensure that all bases were covered.

last word

Cyber experts warn that it’s only a matter of time before other companies fall prey to similar data attacks in South Africa. Businesses and individuals are advised to change their passwords frequently and to ensure that they don’t use the same password across different websites.

Were you affected by the latest Virgin Active cyberattack? Let us know how you were impacted – we’d love to know!

 

Is the latest iPhone iOS update worth your time?

With iOS 14.5 now available, the question begs to be asked; is the new update really worth your time, and if it is, what exactly has changed or improved?

Digital giants are constantly releasing software updates for their devices, some small and relatively insignificant while other updates have a significant impact on the performance of the app or the device.

The new update comes alongside iPadOS 14.5 and WatchOS 7.4. That means it offers the Apple Watch unlock feature and App Tracking Transparency. Some say that the new features were designed to appeal to a world in the midst of a pandemic and, of course, to those worried about what happens to their data and their money in a world of digital payments.

So should you get the new iPhone iOS update? Without a doubt!

The new update comes hand-in-hand with iPadOS 14.5 and WatchOS 7.4. That means it offers the Apple Watch unlock feature and App Tracking Transparency. Some say that the new features were designed to appeal to a world in the midst of a pandemic and, of course, to those worried about what happens to their data.

ios 14.5 update #1: apple watch unlock

Apple watch unlock is for people on the move who want to comply with COVID-19 regulations (i.e., wear a mask at all times in public). As Apple devices have progressed over the years, the fingerprint ID feature is no longer. Now, Apple devices work purely on facial recognition, and you know what that means? It means you have to remove your mask to unlock your phone.

The new iOS 14.5 update enables users to unlock their mobile devices using their Apple Watch, eliminating the mask issue. Of course, you need to have an Apple Watch, and it must be running the Watch OS 7.4 version.

You can set up this feature in the following way:

  • On your mobile device, open settings.
  • Select “Face ID” and then “Passcode.”
  • Look for the toggle labelled “Unlock with Apple Watch” and select it.

Now you can unlock and relock your iPhone using your Apple Watch.

ios 14.5 update #2: app tracking transparency

This feature is for those worried about the safety of their personal data when using online services and applications.

By now, you’re aware that the apps you use (yes, including social media apps) track your user activity and data. The app tracking transparency feature requires these apps to ask your permission to do so. When you’re on a social media app, you will receive an alert asking if you want to allow the app to track your activity across other services and applications. You can switch off app tracking altogether or go to “Privacy” on your device settings and select which apps you want to disallow and allow monitoring.

additional features of ios 14.5 update

There are, of course, other features included in the iOS 14.5 update that aims to make the user experience more enjoyable and convenient. These include improvements to Siri, updates to the Podcast app, a selection of fun new emojis, Apple News updates, and various bug fixes that make the software run smoothly.

last word

If you want to take our word for it then the iOS 14.5 update is definitely worth your time, particularly if you want to ensure that you’re following COVID-19 regulations and keeping your personal data safe and secure. Download it today when you do your next online backup!

Mobile Health Apps Need Better Health to Reduce Cybersecurity Attacks

Mobile health apps are becoming more and more popular in modern medicine enabling hospitals to collect and share patient information on an anywhere-anytime basis.

Health apps also help to deliver a streamlined and beneficial process allowing hospitals and doctors to track and manage patient health and giving patients access to their medical data at the push of a button. The problem though is that many of these apps have been developed at high speed focussing more on innovation than security leaving the apps vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

why are cybercriminals targeting mobile health apps?

Mobile health apps amass detailed profiles of their users, making them a prime opportunity for cybercriminals to jump in and steal valuable user data. Some of the information includes an identification number, cell phone numbers, email addresses, banking details, and physical addresses. The personal information can be used to carry out identity theft, guess login details for accounts, and even make online purchases (especially if they encounter saved card details online) and there is big money in the ‘full medical record’.

Pair all the above sensitive personal data with vulnerable cybersecurity measures, and you have a big problem. Stored patient records make for a cybercriminal field day! Crime syndicates are quickly catching on to the fact that mobile health apps have inadequate data protection, which puts hospitals and patients in a precarious position. Measures need to be put in place swiftly to avoid significant repercussions.

authorisation and authentication

Authorisation as a step of security on these apps is not sufficient. Pairing authorisation with authentication may be the solution to the above problem.

Name and password authentication is no longer an adequate cybersecurity level, particularly with apps that store such a vast amount of personal data. App designers need to implement a further step of authentication as an added security element, which can be implemented in multiple ways.

One of the most common added security layers these days is a one-time pin (OTP) number that is sent to the users’ mobile device. Without the OTP pin, there is no access to the profile.

Avoiding user-only input and requiring a one-time pin generated from an external source is a simple yet effective solution to the problem. This simple step should reduce the number of cyberattacks on mobile health apps.

The issue of authorisation without authentication is not limited only to mobile health apps – it would seem to be a common security flaw in many apps. The concern with health apps, however, is that they contain far more personal data, making them a hot target for cyber-criminals as a “jackpot” of user data.

conclusion

Mobile Health Apps can save lives but there is no denying that cyberattacks are on the rise and these health apps are being targeted. It is up to both developers and hospitals to partner together and go the extra mile to ensure all users are sufficiently protected against possible cyberattacks. With the right crypto applications, end-users can ensure that they keep their data and privacy safe from cybercriminals.

Just how much is your personal data worth on the dark web?

To many, the “dark web” only really exists in chilling movies. The reality, however, is that the dark web exists in our lives, and it can have a dire impact on you and your loved ones if you’re not careful.

The thing about falling victim to criminals who lurk on the dark web is that it can take you completely by surprise. It’s all far too easy to unwittingly give someone all the information they need to ruin your financial life. Consider what’s involved when starting a new online job or opening a seemingly legit online account.

You may not appreciate the risk of emailing a copy of your ID to a company that requests it, but what if the person requesting the file is just a poser (not a real representative of the company)? The poser then sells the copy of your ID to unscrupulous criminals through the dark web. After all, they can’t exactly advertise your ID in the local newspaper.

how much is your personal data worth?

Criminals on the dark web actively advertise for the personal data of individuals and companies, often paying over ridiculous amounts for specific data records. They have become so flagrant and so commercialised that they even offer loyalty schemes and rewards programs for people who can sell them bulk lists of personal data.

What’s in the data, and how do the criminals score? It’s not just your name, surname, and ID that these criminals can get their hands on. It’s also your credit card and banking details. With your personal data, they can create fake documents, open loan accounts, impersonate you, and even steal your identity.

the dark web is like a freelancing site for criminals

It’s hard not to compare the dark web to freelancing sites.

Cybercriminals simply post an ad for the personal data they want and attach a price to it. A “freelance” criminal will then set out to find these details to hand over to the criminals in exchange for payment.

Stolen PayPal details, for instance, can net a cybercriminal just less than R3 000, while Master Card PINs will get you just over R200. These amounts make you realise why so many criminals are willing to spend a large portion of their time scouting around for criminal opportunities.

vigilance is key

Protecting yourself is all about being vigilant. You should be aware of the risks and ensure that you don’t become complacent with your personal data.

  • If you need to store a copy of your ID, don’t store it on your phone. Rather back it up to the cloud and make sure that it is data encrypted.
  • If a company asks for your proof of address and a copy of your ID online, take the time to research the company to ensure that they aren’t a scam.
  • Never throw your credit card statements with all your particulars on them in the regular trash.

in conclusion

The more aware and alert you are to cybercrime, the safer you can keep your personal details. Take the time to regularly change your passwords, back up your personal data to the cloud (encrypted), and never share your personal particulars with anyone.

The Serious Consequences of Bad Data Security Practices

Online shopping and digital payment systems were already on an upward trend before COVID-19. The pandemic only served to catapult businesses into embracing digital business formats ahead of schedule and now, more than a year in, retailers and small business owners are reaching a broader audience through their online services.

As we begin to settle in to a new state of normal, online shopping continues to soar, as do bad security data practices. In the rush to go digital, many companies have not given due consideration to data security and what happens when the correct measures aren’t set in place to protect consumers.

With consumers turning to digital shopping for lifestyle and convenience, “cash is king” is no longer relevant. Even if COVID-19 had to disappear tomorrow, it’s doubtful that consumers would go back to the old way of shopping.

A look at the current digital business environment shows us that companies are now using cloud-based point-of-sale systems as well as online networks to share, store, and access important company information. With such an upward trend in online transactions, the inevitable is happening; cybercriminals are starting to take note and pay attention to them. Modern cyber crooks are finding new ways to take advantage of people and businesses online.

bad data security practices an incentive for cybercriminals

In 2017, the retail giant Target paid the biggest data breach settlement in history to opportunistic hackers who had gained access to the payment details of their 41+ million customers.

With corporates showing that they are willing to pay what it takes in order to get their data back, the bar is set much higher for cybercriminals giving them far more incentive to exploit the weaknesses in the design of payment systems.

avoiding bad data security practices

The fact that Target was forced to pay a ransom as a consequence of bad data security practices was a costly lesson to many. What needs to be done now is that companies should seriously consider what they can do to avoid being hacked in the first place so that they don’t have to resort to the same behaviour.

Business owners need to spend more time ensuring that they select the correct security software for their business.

Tighter digital security practices can go a long way towards deterring point-of-sale system hacks.

If your business processes credit card payment information online, then protecting your point-of-sale system should be your number one consideration. In fact, you shouldn’t process even one payment online until you are 100% certain that your security system is well suited to your business and that it is running optimally.

make end-to-end encryption a priority

Don’t overlook the importance of end-to-end encryption when data is exchanged between two points. When the data is encrypted from both sides of the transaction it remains private throughout the process, making it less attractive to possible hackers. Even law enforcement can’t view a person’s data when it is end-to-end encrypted.

make two-factor authentication mandatory

Nobody wants to force their customers into doing anything, but you might want to put a bit of pressure on them to activate and make use of two-factor authentication.

Educate your customers. Let them know that when they sign up for an online account that they can access via log-in information, two-factor authentication should be the norm. This means that a customer will have a second layer of defence and will be the first to know if someone has accessed (or is trying to access) their account.

take heed – protect your company data today

No business is too big or too small to be the victim of a data breach. Hackers don’t discriminate and they don’t take pity on any company they target.

The reputational damage that a business suffers after a data breach is far more damaging than the monetary loss. Pay attention to the warning signs and don’t wait until it’s too late. Install encrypted data backups and look into various other ways of installing safety systems to protect your customers – and your business.

Pillow Talk – The Side-Channel Attack

It’s an accepted fact that no one would hand over their sensitive information and data to a stranger or criminal knowingly. But what if you’re doing just that each time you use your computer and are simply unaware of what information it’s spewing out, behind your back (or behind the scenes!)?

Let’s talk about what it is exactly that your computer might be doing behind the scenes, that may (in fact it will) lead to a side-channel attack.

What is a “Side-Channel Attack”?

A side-channel attack is quite simply your computer’s inability to keep a secret. Your computer might be giving away just a little too much information which to the average human would prove uneventful, but to a cybercriminal, is gold!

Side-channel attacks are quite smart in that a hacker can learn to read and make use of the little ‘tells’ and patterns in the information given off by every device.

Take for example the electric emissions on your computer’s hard drive and monitor. Different emissions are given off depending on what information is being processed by the hard drive or displayed on the screen in the way of time, power, sound. A side-channel attack by a clever hacker exploits these physical effects to gain the secrets in the inputs and outputs of the algorithms.

Consider the burglar who uses a stethoscope to open a safe by listening for the telltale clues in the dial clicks. The unintentional tactile and acoustic clues given off by the safe’s mechanical physics are the same as a side-channel in your computer. Each uses different techniques to process and learn the secrets within.

The Modern Hacker is Smarter Than We Think!

Many people see online criminals as dodgy individuals who send out poorly worded emails complete with bad spelling, simply taking a chance and preying on the weak.

In reality, the modern hacker and online criminals are far smarter than that… in fact, they’re incredibly sophisticated these days.

Remember all those years of study that you put in to become an expert in your field and in preparation for your career? Well, a cybercriminal is constantly analysing and refining his ‘skills’, searching for new techniques to decrypt and steal data. This means that they are always getting better at getting what they want – which is usually your personal information and your hard-earned money!

Any information that is accidentally leaked can be used for evil deeds by a skilled hacker and this unintended information is being sent back and forth constantly. If the simple sound of a person typing in their banking particulars on a computer keyboard can reveal an inner layer, imagine how much more information can be acquired if a hacker gains access to your mobile phone microphone or camera.

How to Avoid Side-Channel Attacks

There are several ways that cybersecurity experts can help you to avoid a side-channel attack. In most instances, randomisation is used to ensure the order of operations on data is constantly changing. Pre-charging registers and buses to minimise the generation of power-leakage signatures is also often used. Some companies go as far as processing regular dummy operations to reduce the effectiveness of cybercriminals when it comes to signal-to-noise ratio attacks.

It’s a good idea to ensure that you don’t actively store sensitive data on your device just in case a cyber-criminal gains access to it. Encrypted data backups can help with this. You should also make sure that your passwords are regularly changed and that you activate two-factor authentication, to ensure an extra wall of defence is in place.

Ready to start protecting your data and take the required steps to do so? Contact us at Soteria Cloud today.

COVID-19 Tracing Apps Disguised as Ransomware

As COVID-19 tracing apps roll out across the world chances are good that one will be coming to a phone near you, soon. Whether these apps slow the rate of infections by identifying people potentially exposed to the virus, who then need to self-isolate to reduce further exposure – is still unproven, yet varying apps are emerging.

When Canada recently announced the future roll-out of a COVID-19 contact tracing app, the interest of millions was piqued – including cybercriminals’.

In fact, just 2 days after the announcement in Canada – and even before the tracing app went live – cybercriminals got to work on creating websites that appeared to be offering the app for download. The reality, of course, is that these websites were offering a file that looked just like an app, when in fact it was a file that downloads ransomware known as “CryCryptor” to the device. Once downloaded, the app holds the device’s content to ransom. The fraudulent websites are called Tracershield and Covid19tracer.

What’s the Result of Downloading the Fake Covid-19 Contact Tracing App?

When a mobile phone user accidentally or unwittingly installs the fake contact tracing app, the usual things happen, but only for a few moments.

First, the app will request access to certain files. All apps do this, and many users absentmindedly accept the request without fully understanding what they are doing. This is when the ransomware gets to work encrypting all the contents on the device…including the images. The app then leaves a brazen demand note in each of the files where content is encrypted, requesting a ransom.

What to do if Fall Victim to the CryCryptor Ransomware

If you have visited any of the fraudulent Covid-19 tracing websites and unwittingly installed the ransomware files, you’ll be happy to hear that experts in the industry have worked hard to create a decryption tool for the current version of the ransomware. You can get your hands on it on the GitHub website here.

Word of Warning

As a word of warning, CryCryptor is not the only ransomware or malware that preys on people’s fears and insecurities surrounding COVID-19. Make sure that you always research the trustworthiness of applications before you download them.

Of course, you should also make sure that you do regular backups of your devices (documents, music, files, and images) to the cloud, so that if you inadvertently make the mistake of downloading malicious ransomware, you still have a copy of your data, safe, sound, and encrypted in the cloud. You can chat to our team at Soteria Cloud about safely encrypting and backing up data or find a package on our website that suits your backup requirements.

Top 5 Cybercrime Trends during the COVID-19 Era

When Coronavirus stole the limelight and drew the attention of literally every human on earth, it seemed the perfect opportunity for cybercriminals lying in wait to strike. And they have been striking hard ever since!

What Cybercriminals Have Been Doing While You’ve Been Fixated on COVID-19

A flurry of cybercriminal activity has been going on over the last few months and many of them seemed spurred on by the arrival of the virus itself. Let’s take a look at the top cybercrime trends that have recently been noticed.

They’ve enjoyed going phishing!

Unlike those who like to spend the day on a camping chair, with their fishing rod and line in the water, cybercriminals prefer to do another type of ‘phishing’. And it turns out that they are rather good at it. Phishing involves emails that contain legitimate-looking information that prompts you first to open the email and then to respond, usually by requesting your personal particulars or urging you to click on an unsafe link/file in order to fix or resolve some sort of problem. Coronavirus themed phishing emails disguised as health alerts or advice from the WHO have been on the rise.

They’ve enjoyed a bit of harvesting!

Have you ever heard of information harvesting? This requires an information-stealing trojan which is put to work gathering the likes of passwords, user names, banking details crypto currency and e-wallets and more. One particular version of this that you might have heard of is AZORult. This is sent out to people, cleverly disguised as a Coronavirus infection map app. It’s unfortunately designed to steal your information instead!

They’ve enjoyed a few ransom situations!

Ransomware is nothing new, but it’s suddenly on the rise. With more people working from home, they aren’t constantly being reminded of the possible data and security threats that arrive on their screens and inboxes. This makes it easier to encourage the victim to click on an unsafe link, download an unsafe file or click on through to a website that’s packed with booby traps. Once the link has been clicked or the file has been downloaded, the data on the device is encrypted and it can only be reversed if a ransom is paid.

Holding people to ransom in times of a world health crisis really shows you the true nature of a cybercriminal, doesn’t it!

They’ve enjoyed snooping on telecom virtual workers!

With many people still working from home currently, a large portion of the population has become familiar with online meeting systems such as Zoom. What they are perhaps still unaware of is that some of these systems, including Zoom, are not completely secure and a few (make that many) people have had their devices hacked by opportunistic criminals. These criminals then spy on the user and gain the info they need to steal their identity or data. Using a VPN (virtual private network) can help to minimise this risk, but it can’t completely eliminate it – especially if the cybercriminal knows what he/she is doing.

They’ve enjoyed reviving fake pharmacies

Cybercriminals have spent a lot of their time trying to promote shad markets. They have targeted real pharmacies with bots and scrips that turn the website into a site riddled with links and comments that are just as dodgy as the sites they send you to. Out of interest, a user may click on one of these links and is then taken to a fake pharmacy or encouraged to buy fake or harmful medical products.

Protect Yourself & Your Business Devices

During COVID-19 era, it’s not just about protecting yourself physically. You also need to protect your business devices and staff members from the onslaught of cybercriminal activity. Take the first step by backing up your sensitive data online and then start implementing methods to ensure that your remote workers are always taking cyber safety precautions.

Back to Basics of Backing Up: How to Choose the Right File Sync & Backup

2020 saw the whole work-from-home concept flourish. It’s not that people are starting up their own businesses from home, but rather that businesses are realising the value in having home-based and remote workers. Not only does this make for a happier workforce, but it also seems to boost productivity. Of course, with the convenience of home working comes a plethora of threats, data loss potential, and vulnerabilities open to opportunistic cybercriminals.

The work-from-home professional has a lot to worry about! Hard drive failure, ransomware, natural disaster (flooding or fires), human error – you name it! The only true way to protect your data, your business, and your employees is to get back to basics – backing up! By choosing a good file sync and backup service, you can minimise the potential for ultimate data demise.

What is the Best Backup Solution?

When it comes to backing up data, there are a few options to choose from. One is that of backing up to an external hard drive and another is to opt for an online backup service. The problem with external hard drives is that they can malfunction, you could lose the device (or it may get stolen), or you could fall victim to a natural disaster.

For these reasons, we believe that online encrypted data backup services are the best possible data protection solution.
What’s great about an online backup service is that the files are all encrypted for security reasons. In addition to that, the uploaded files can be accessed and restored at any time and from anywhere – as long as you have an internet connection and your username and password on hand.

Is Encrypted Backup the Same as Cloud Storage?

The simple way to answer this question is, ‘no’.  A file syncing and cloud storage service is a service such as Dropbox, Google Drive and even OneDrive. These services will store files in the cloud, but they don’t offer document protection.

The Cost of the Right Backup Service

One of the first things that business owners worry about is the cost involved in a cloud backup service. Because the right backup service doesn’t usually come for free, they think that opting for a free cloud backup service is the answer…when, in reality, it is only a temporary solution and will eventually lead to complications and even more costs.

All cloud storage and backup service providers offer packages that have different account features. These rates usually fluctuate depending on the security offered, the number of devices linked to the account, and of course, how much storage space will be used.

Free accounts do offer storage capabilities, but when it comes to document protection, it’s quite limited. Free cloud backup plans also come with storage space limits and restricted key features. These features are typically essential to a professional business. You might also find that the files are difficult to upload, or the size of the files that can be uploaded at once are limited. This can be quite inconvenient. When you run out of space, you will typically be offered the option to upgrade to a paid account.

The Convenience of the Right Cloud Backup Service

When shopping around for a good backup service, you will likely pay special attention to the data encryption offered – and that’s good – but what about the convenience? Imagine going to the expense of equipping all of your employees with professional backup systems on their devices, which they then forget to make use of! That’s a waste of money and a risk for your business.

With a decent backup service, you should be provided with software that is quick and easy to download and activate. You should then be able to set the software to carry out an automated backup on certain days of the week and at specified times. This means that you and your employees never have to remember to do a backup – the system will do it for you.

Because the data is stored in the cloud and encrypted, there’s no need to store sensitive information on employee devices and if something does happen to the device or if there’s a case of human error with an accidental delete, there’s nothing to worry about as it’s all there, safely stored in the cloud.

The Security of the Right Cloud Backup Service

There are many cloud backup services available, but not all of them are equal. Consider a backup service that offers data encryption as this means that not even your employees can access documents that are saved to the cloud and locked. Absolute peace of mind is yours. You will be given a private encryption key required to unlock your documents and you can use a password manager to store this for you.

Features of the Backup Service

One of the most important features to look for in a data backup service, and second only to encryption, is that of the restoring of files. Restoring and recovering files should be quick and easy. If it’s not, you are wasting valuable time and money. Make sure that your chosen system has an effective file search feature and that it also has the ability to recreate and restore entire folder tree structures – which is what you will require if you need to recover from a big data breach or loss.

The Performance of a Backup Service

Another important feature to keep your eye out for is – speed. You don’t want a backup service that is extremely slow. You need a service that can encrypt, compress, and upload files to the service quickly, especially if you need to upload a lot of data or a lot of large files. Pay attention to the minim speeds offered and ensure that you chat to the service provider about your particular size and amount of data.

In Conclusion…

Choosing the right backup service at the right price can seem daunting, but have you considered the risks and costs of going another day without it? The more your workforce works from home and the more freedom you give your staff to work from home, the greater the risk of data loss and breach is to your business. Protect your business, yourself, and staff – choose the right data backup service today.