cyber security

Why You Need to Commit to Multifactor Authentication

It's February and 'tis the season for Valentine's-related everything. We won't be dishing out any relationship advice this year (this is an IT blog after all), but we do whole-heartedly recommend that you commit to multifactor authentication (MFA). It doesn't matter if your employees are working remotely across the country or if they've been in-office every day for the past 10 years. Multifactor authentication is now a business necessity that goes a long way to secure your infrastructure and financial information.

Are You Ready for 2022? Our Top 5 Tech Predictions

Here we are at the end of January already, racing ahead into 2022. Are you still keeping up with those New Year’s resolutions? Because the BITS team is still ready and raring to go this year! We’re already preparing for what the coming months will bring our way. As we leave 2021 behind us, we want to share a few hot topics that will be sticking points in the tech world during 2022.

Take it From Facebook: You Need a Cybersecurity Action Plan

Picture this: Years from now, you're sharing a holiday with your family. After overhearing you reminisce and discuss how unpredictable the beginning of the 2020s was–and hopefully how wonderful the rest of the decade was–a child in the family looks up from their tablet and asks you: "So, were you there for the great Facebook [...]

dont get phished text with fishing image

Don’t Take the Bait: Tell-Tale Signs of Phishing Email Scams

We’ve all gotten those emails. They’ll come from a company you’ve done business with, or from someone you know. A boss maybe. The wording is odd sometimes—there are always phrases that seem a little off, like “I’m stuck on a conference”—but the tone is usually urgent. Some action or information is needed. A cell phone number. Or credit card or social security data. Or maybe just clicking a quick link.

Cyber Insurance: Why You Need It and How Beacon Helps You Save

Bear with us here, because we’re going to take a moment to talk about a subject that isn’t particularly fun. Insurance. Ugggghhhh, right? Unless you are in the insurance business (in which case, sorry), there is nothing particularly enjoyable about insurance. It costs money, and if you ever use it, it means something bad has happened. Nope, no fun at all. Insurance IS important though, and it can provide some peace of mind that if the worst does occur, you won’t be financially ruined. Chances are you already have a lot of insurance in your personal and professional life: auto, health, life, liability, the list goes on. But now it’s getting increasingly important to add cyber insurance to that list. Here’s what you need to know about this new and evolving area of the insurance industry.

how to keep your network safe from ransomware

How To Protect Your Business From Costly Ransomware Attacks

It’s never good news when cybersecurity is in the news. Unfortunately, that’s certainly been the case this year, as story after story has emerged of cyber attacks and hacks crippling major corporations and utilities. The ransomware attack that halted Colonial Pipeline, hiking prices and causing gas shortages on the East Coast, was one of the most well-known recent incidents, but certainly not the only one: hackers also targeted food suppliers, insurance companies, communication companies, and many more. Indeed, one prediction from Cybersecurity Ventures predicts that businesses will be attacked by ransomware every 11 seconds by the end of 2021.

Avoid A DIY Disaster: Call in the Pros for Your IT Needs

We get it: when you’ve got a problem, the temptation to handle it yourself is strong. It’s why there’s a whole do-it-yourself (DIY) industry, devoted to giving you the tools you need to get the job done on your own. And it’s so satisfying and fulfilling, isn’t it? Fixing your house and putting together a new piece of furniture are great DIY projects. So it’s easy to say, “I can fix it”, when your computer, network, or something else in your information technology (IT) setup needs attention, right? Here’s the thing about IT DIYs though: Don’t.

Business on Top, PJs on the Bottom: Optimize Your Remote Office To Keep Working For You

“Are you working from home?” It’s become a common question this past year as the COVID-19 pandemic upended our lives. When it was suddenly unsafe to work in the offices we’d spent years commuting to every day, we adapted fast: spare rooms were transformed into makeshift offices, old chairs were drafted into service as desk chairs, and our home wireless routers were pushed to their limits handling the new wave of traffic from video calls, file transfers, and Slack conversations.

Top 3 Scariest Cyber Attack Trends of 2020

For many, October is a time to embrace the truly scary in the world. Whether in costumes or in late-night horror-movie binges, people steer into all things spooky for a thrill. But, as with anything truly scary, it’s the threats closest to home that really get the hair on the back of your neck standing on end. What’s worse than the threat you can’t see? What’s scarier than the threat that might already be knocking on your door ?

Connect Everywhere: Why You Need a Reliable VPN

So. Here we are. Still working from home. (Well, many of us.) Still not back to normal. (Not going to reiterate everything that’s going on. You know what’s up. And if you’re reading this in the future and have no idea what I’m referring to… well… you’re very lucky.) So yes, here we are, and here we stay. One thing to learn from everything happening now is that you need to be prepared for anything. Even if you’ve been able to get through 2020 largely unscathed, the general chaos and disruption right now should illustrate the need to be adaptive and ready to roll with whatever comes next.

Take a Rest, We Got IT: What Your IT Team Does When You’re On Vacation

It’s 8:44 AM. You wanted to sleep in later, of course, but it was still nice to not wake up to the sound of your phone alarm buzzing. You go to the kitchen and make some coffee, then sit down on your couch, enjoying the quiet. A worry creeps into your mind. Will everything be OK while you're on vacation? No worries, you can relax. You know that even while you’re taking your much-deserved rest, your information technology partner – your IT team – is still hard at work, keeping your network and infrastructure running so your business can keep doing business.

close up image of computer screen text that says security

What’s Hot in IT? New Programs to Keep Your Data Cool

Whew! It’s the height of summer and it is HOT. Take your breath away hot. Cook an egg on the hood of your car hot. Don’t go outside unless you can jump in a pool hot (or at least dip your toes into a kiddie pool in your backyard). In other words, it’s a good time to stay inside. And while you're inside, cooling off with a glass of something cold and refreshing, you can think about a different kind of heat, like what’s generating interest and excitement in the world of information technology services.

close up of fingerprint on laptop keyboard

Top Security Breaches of 2018

Some of the biggest companies in the world were hit by some of the biggest cyber security breaches in 2018. Of the 24 largest breaches of all time on the USA Today list, three of the top 10 occurred last year – Marriott, Under Armour, and Quora. But it’s not just the digital novices who are vulnerable. Cyber breaches were also a problem for tech giants, like Google, Facebook, and Twitter last year. If Google isn’t safe, what chance do small and medium-size businesses have of keeping their digital infrastructure secure?