Business

Tips on How to Prevent Cyber Attacks on Businesses

In today’s digital landscape, businesses rely heavily on technology and online platforms, and the threat of cyber attacks looms larger than ever.

Cyber attacks can lead to devastating consequences, from financial loss and reputational damage to compromised customer data and disrupted operations.

As a result, safeguarding your business against these threats has become an utmost priority. Consult Managed IT Services San Francisco experts to protect your business from modern cyber threats.

At its core, a cybercrime or attack lies in a violation of personal security and cyber safety. Hackers target confidential data, including customers’ names, addresses, social insurance numbers, dates of birth, and credit card information.

But you can take steps to protect your business from such attacks. By implementing simple, cost-effective, and rapid security measures, you can protect your business against cyber threats and minimize the risks of data breaches.

8 Tips to Prevent Cyber Attacks on Businesses

Train Your Employees

Cybercriminals often target employees as an easy way to access confidential information. They use phishing emails that appear to come from your company and request personal information or access to sensitive files.

Unfortunately, these emails often contain links that may seem legitimate, making it easy for even the most savvy employees to fall into the trap.

Training your staff in cyber attack prevention and keeping them informed about current cyber threats is crucial to safeguarding your business against potential cyber-attacks and data breaches.

Equipping your employees with the necessary knowledge and skills can establish a strong defense against cyber threats and ensure that your organization’s sensitive data remains secure.

Activate Data Encryption

Protect your sensitive data by activating data encryption. By converting your data into a secret code before it is sent over the internet, encryption ensures that only authorized parties with access to the encryption key can view it. This is especially important for businesses that store and share data regularly.

With network and data encryption turned on, you can limit access to your data and prevent unauthorized parties from reading or tampering with it.

Furthermore, some data encryption software can alert you when someone attempts to modify or alter your information, giving you peace of mind.

Create Complex Passwords or Use Passphrases

Employees often struggle to remember their user credentials, leading them to use simple and insecure passwords. However, these weak passwords can leave them vulnerable to cyber attacks, as hackers can easily steal these credentials.

To mitigate this risk, companies should prioritize passwordless authentication and invest in User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) strategies to enhance user account security. These advanced techniques bolster security measures and improve the overall user experience.

By implementing these modern technologies, companies can ensure that their employees’ sensitive information remains protected from potential threats.

Set Online Safety Guidelines

Despite implementing secure infrastructures in offices, networks still possess vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit. To mitigate these risks, businesses must establish online safety protocols, including upgrading their incident response plans and implementing them effectively.

By defining the roles and responsibilities of IT staff and security companies in the event of a breach, companies can respond promptly to attacks, whether they involve ransomware or other forms of cybercrime. A swift response is crucial in minimizing the damage caused by such incidents.

Consider Cybersecurity Insurance

Protect your business from the extreme cyber-attack costs by considering cyber insurance. The expenses of dealing with a security breach go beyond fixing databases, reinforcing security, or purchasing new equipment. Advanced IT Asset Management System Software can help you track your assets, saving you time and money.

In addition, cyber liability insurance provides coverage for your business to recover from an attack, giving you peace of mind. However, to ensure your business is fully protected, it’s crucial to understand the specifics of your coverage.

Install a Firewall

With the increasing sophistication of data breaches, new types are emerging every day and even making comebacks. It’s more important than ever to stay vigilant and protect your sensitive information from all forms of cyber threats.

Implementing a strong firewall system is one of the most effective ways to do this. By putting your network behind a firewall, you can prevent any brute force attacks from causing harm to your systems.

Limit Employee Access to Your Sensitive Data

Limiting access to your company’s valuable data is crucial in reducing the risk of human error, which remains the top threat to information security.

In addition, employees must have access only to the systems and information essential to their job responsibilities. By limiting access, your company can prevent unauthorized access, data breaches, and potential cybersecurity incidents.

Taking swift and protective action is essential when an employee departs from your company or moves to a different location.

This includes deleting their passwords and accounts from all systems, collecting any company ID badges and entry keys they may have had, and ensuring they no longer have access to sensitive company information or resources.

Taking these steps can help safeguard your company’s security and prevent potential breaches or data leaks.

Keep All Of Your Software Updated

It is highly recommended to ensure that all software used by your company and employees are updated to the latest version.

Outdated applications may contain vulnerabilities that cybercriminals can exploit to gain unauthorized access to your company networks, steal confidential information, launch a cyber attack, and potentially cause significant damage to your business and its reputation.

It is crucial to regularly check for updates and security patches on all major software at least bi-weekly. Once identified, ensure that all available updates and patches are promptly applied across all devices to maintain optimal security.

Why is Cyber Safety Important For Your Business?

Cyber attacks can be devastating for businesses, costing thousands of dollars to recover from and even resulting in closure in severe cases. That’s why protecting your business from cyber threats is crucial.

However, you can proactively safeguard your business by exploring the various cyber insurance options. Then, with the right policy in place, you can have peace of mind knowing that your business is protected against cyber threats, and you’re prepared to bounce back in the event of an attack.

Business

PepsiCo Reduces Revenue Projections As North American Snacks And Key International Markets Underperform.

(VOR News) – In the third quarter of this year, Pepsi’s net income was $2.93 billion, which is equivalent to $2.13 per share. This was attributed to the company.

This is in stark contrast to net income of $3.09 billion, which is equivalent to $2.24 per share, during the same period in the previous year. The company’s earnings per share were $2.31 when expenses were excluded.

Net sales decreased by 0.6%, totaling $23.32 billion. Organic sales increased by 1.3% during the quarter when the effects of acquisitions, divestitures, and currency changes are excluded.

Pepsi’s beverage sales fell this quarter.

The most recent report indicates that the beverage and food sectors of the organization experienced a 2% decline in volume. Consumers of all income levels are demonstrating a change in their purchasing habits, as indicated by CEOs’ statements from the previous quarter.

Pepsi’s entire volume was adversely affected by the lackluster demand they encountered in North America. An increasing number of Americans are becoming more frugal, reducing the number of snacks they ingest, and reducing the number of times they purchase at convenience stores.

Furthermore, Laguarta observed that the increase in sales was partially attributed to the election that occurred in Mexico during the month of June.

The most significant decrease in volume was experienced by Quaker Foods North America, which was 13%. In December, the company announced its initial recall in response to a potential salmonella infection.

Due to the probability of an illness, the recall was extended in January. Pepsi officially closed a plant that was implicated in the recalls in June, despite the fact that manufacturing had already been halted.

Jamie Caulfield, the Chief Financial Officer of Pepsi and Laguarta, has indicated that the recalls are beginning to have a lessening effect.

Frito-Lay experienced a 1.5% decline in volume in North America. The company has been striving to improve the value it offers to consumers and the accessibility of its snack line, which includes SunChips, Cheetos, and Stacy’s pita chips, in the retail establishments where it is sold.

Despite the fact that the category as a whole has slowed down in comparison to the results of previous years, the level of activity within the division is progressively increasing.

Pepsi executives issued a statement in which they stated that “Salty and savory snacks have underperformed year-to-date after outperforming packaged food categories in previous years.”

Pepsi will spend more on Doritos and Tostitos in the fall and winter before football season.

The company is currently promoting incentive packets for Tostitos and Ruffles, which contain twenty percent more chips than the standard package.

Pepsi is expanding its product line in order to more effectively target individuals who are health-conscious. The business announced its intention to acquire Siete Foods for a total of $1.2 billion approximately one week ago. The restaurant serves Mexican-American cuisine, which is typically modified to meet the dietary needs of a diverse clientele.

The beverage segment of Pepsi in North America experienced a three percent decrease in volume. Despite the fact that the demand for energy drinks, such as Pepsi’s Rockstar, has decreased as a result of consumers visiting convenience stores, the sales of well-known brands such as Gatorade and Pepsi have seen an increase throughout the quarter.

Laguarta expressed his opinion to the analysts during the company’s conference call, asserting, “I am of the opinion that it is a component of the economic cycle that we are currently experiencing, and that it will reverse itself in the future, once consumers feel better.”

Additionally, it has been noted that the food and beverage markets of South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa have experienced a decline in sales volume. The company cut its forecast for organic revenue for the entire year on Tuesday due to the business’s second consecutive quarter of lower-than-anticipated sales.

The company’s performance during the quarter was adversely affected by the Quaker Foods North America recalls, the decrease in demand in the United States, and the interruptions that occurred in specific international markets, as per the statements made by Chief Executive Officer Ramon Laguarta.

Pepsi has revised its forecast for organic sales in 2024, shifting from a 4% growth rate to a low single-digit growth rate. The company reiterated its expectation that the core constant currency profitability per share will increase by a minimum of 8% in comparison to the previous year.

The company’s shares declined by less than one percent during premarket trading. The following discrepancies between the company’s report and the projections of Wall Street were identified by LSEG in a survey of analysts:

SOURCE: CNBC

Business

Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.

(VOR News) – Old National Bank, a commercial bank with its headquarters in the Midwest, and Infosys, a firm that specializes in information technology, have recently entered into a strategic expansion of their link, which has been in place for the past four years.

This expansion is more likely to take place sooner rather than later, with the likelihood being higher.

For the purpose of making it possible for Old National Bank to make use of the services, solutions, and platforms that are offered by Infosys, the objective of this expansion is to make it possible for the bank to transform its operations and processes through the application of automation and GenAI, as well as to change significant business areas.

This lets the bank leverage Infosys’ services, solutions, and platforms.

Old National Bank Chairman and CEO Jim Ryan said, “At Old National, we are committed to creating exceptional experiences for both our customers and our fellow employees.”

This statement is applicable to Old National Bank. Infosys is carefully managing the business process innovations that it is putting us through, putting a strong emphasis on efficiency and value growth throughout the process to ensure that it is carried out efficiently.

This is a routine occurrence throughout the entire operation. Because of Infosys’ dedication to our development and success, we are incredibly appreciative of the assistance they have provided.

Old National has been receiving assistance from Infosys in the process of updating its digital environment since the year 2020, according to the aforementioned company.

Ever since that time, the company has been providing assistance. The provision of this assistance has been accomplished through the utilization of a model that is not only powerful but also capable of functioning on its own power.

Infosys currently ranks Old National thirty-first out of the top thirty US banks.

This ranking is based on the fact that Old National is the nation’s largest banking corporation.

It is estimated that the total value of the company’s assets is approximately fifty-three billion dollars, while the assets that are currently being managed by the organization are valued at thirty billion dollars.

Dennis Gada, the Executive Vice President and Global Head of Banking and Financial Services, stated that “Old National Bank and Infosys possess a robust cultural and strategic alignment in the development, management, and enhancement of enterprise-scale solutions to transform the bank’s operations and facilitate growth.”

This remark referenced the exceptional cultural and strategic synergy between the two organizations. Dennis Gada is the one who asserted this claim. This was articulated explicitly concerning the exceptional cultural congruence and strategy alignment of the two organizations.

We are pleased to announce that the implementation of Infosys Topaz will substantially expedite the transformation of Old National Bank’s business processes and customer service protocols. We are exceedingly enthusiastic about this matter. We are quite thrilled about this specific component of the scenario.

Medium-sized banks operating regionally will continue to benefit from our substantial expertise in the sector, technology, and operations. This specific market segment of Infosys will persist in benefiting from our extensive experience. This phenomenon will enable this market sector to sustain substantial growth and efficiency benefits.

SOURCE: THBL

Business

American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

The largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States stated Monday that it had been the target of a cyberattack, forcing the company to halt invoicing to consumers.

American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

American Water, based in New Jersey and serving over 14 million people in 14 states and 18 military facilities, said it learned of the unauthorized activity on Thursday and quickly took precautions, including shutting down certain systems. The business does not believe the attack had an impact on its facilities or operations and said employees were working “around the clock” to determine the origin and scale of the attack.

water

The corporation stated that it has alerted legal enforcement and is cooperating with them. It also stated that consumers will not be charged late fees while its systems are unavailable.

According to their website, American Water operates over 500 water and wastewater systems in around 1,700 communities across California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

SOURCE | AP