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Microsoft Launches Windows 365 Cloud Desktop

Organizations are excited to see Microsoft launch Windows 365 cloud desktop as remote users will have easy access as well as increased simplified cyber security for organizations.

 

Does your organization work with remote desktop or use VPN for connectivity?  Now organizations have the option to use Windows 365 cloud desktop to stream apps, settings, and content.  This will give organizations the ability to be more agile, secure, and productive using Windows 365 Cloud PC.

Windows 365 cloud desktop gives organizations the power to combine the power and security of the cloud with the versatility and simplicity of the PC.  It enables a variety of new scenarios for business in the competitive world.

What is offered with Windows 365 cloud desktop according to Microsoft?

  • The ability to purchase, provision, and deploy in minutes.
  • The ability to launch automated operating system (OS) updates.
  • The ability to give users access anywhere to their personalized Windows desktop experience.
  • The ability to create custom configurations for an elastic workforce.
  • The ability to continue working from where the user left off on the device of your choice.
  • The ability to optimized user experience on Windows endpoints.
  • The ability to scale on a per-user pricing.

Windows 365 cloud desktop is offer in two packages. Windows 365 Business that is designed for small businesses that want to deploy cloud PCs for up to 300 seats.  The good news is there are no technology prerequisites for the organizations, simply purchase, deploy, and manage.  Windows 365 Business is simple as you do not need an Azure subscription or an Active Directory (AD) domain controller.  Windows 365 Enterprise gives an organization much more control however not as much as Azure Virtual Desktop.  The good news is the pricing is simple and cheaper than Azure Virtual Desktop.

Windows 365 Cloud Desktop work in synch with other Microsoft cloud services such as Microsoft 365, Office 365 or any of Microsoft cloud services.  Microsoft reported that they do not expect compatibility issues and expect the majority of users to use QuickBooks, Adobe Creative Suite, and other mainstream applications.

What is not a recommended environment for Windows 365 cloud desktop?

Microsoft does not recommend Windows 365 cloud desktop for intense data processing requirements.  The Windows 365 Business Plan comes with a data cap of 20GB per user per month on the low end and up to 70GB per user per month on the high end. This is based on downstream and not upstream. This will only cause issues for organizations that try to use it for video editing.

What are the benefits to Windows 365 cloud desktop?

  • Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) – Windows 365 cloud desktop is far more cost effective that Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS). For Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS), you have a monthly payment for the hardware, software, licensing, and commitment.
  • Company Supplied Computer – If any organization wants to compare to a physical system, we can do easy math here on the business case. We will us the following example:

Lenovo E15 with i5 processor, 8GB of ram, and 256 GB SSD with 3-year warranty will cost you $1,350. An equivalent Windows 365 cloud desktop with an instance of 2 vCPUs, 8GBs of RAM, and 256GB of cloud storage will cost you $54 a month.

At first glance based on three years, the Lenovo laptop wins as it will cost you $1,350 compared to Windows 365 cloud desktop at $1,944 over the same period.

On a long-term outlook, the organization does not have to worry about replacing a legacy system, losing a system, or damaged system.  This also give organizations to have employees use their own devices to access company data and resources securely.

This will also include the ability to use Windows 365 cloud desktop features such as the ability to revert to previous versions, take a system snapshot, or recover the system.  Organizations also have the ability to use Microsoft Defender software as it is built in.

Windows 365 cloud desktop has just opened the possibilities for companies to be more competitive using technology and the possibilities are endless.

Have Your Passwords Been Stolen in a Data Breach?

Try our free data breach scan today and start protecting yourself from cybercriminals.

Going to the cloud or worried about security?  365 iT SOLUTIONS  is one of Canada’s first organizations to be CyberSecure Canada certified by the Canadian government.

We are your leading Cloud Services Providers Toronto and Managed Security Services Toronto.

365 iT SOLUTIONS  is a leading IT consulting boutique firm in Toronto offering industry leading IT solutions including Managed IT ServicesManaged Security ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support ServicesCloud ServicesBusiness continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR), and Cyber Security Training and Dark Web Monitoring.

We Make IT Simple!

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Large Amounts of Corporate Data Are Stored on Employees USB Devices

As organizations try to keep their data safe from cyber criminals, there large amounts of corporate data stored on employees USB devices making security a large risk.

According to a report from an industry leading SaaS data protection company, there has been a 123 percent increase in the volume of data downloaded to USB devices by employees since the start of COVID-19.

Remote working and working from home (WFH) have become widespread due to coronavirus and many employees have been left to figure out how they have to deal with working remotely and remote file access.

According to the cyber security report, here are some interesting statistics:

  • 74 percent of that data is subject to data governance policies based on regulated industries.
  • 84 percent of cloud storage and USB devices have become the most preferred data storage after COVID-19.
  • 89 percent of data has moved outside an organization since the COVID-19
  • 80 percent of data hit the cloud or USB devices the first month following WHO‘s COVID-19 pandemic.
  • 72 percent increase of employees uploading a huge amount of data to the cloud,
  • 62 percent increase in malicious cyber security activity from external hackers.
  • 54 percent increase in incident response investigations required due to cyber security concerns.
  • 25 percent of small- to midsized-sized businesses (SMBs) use free cloud storage services.
  • 51 percent of companies use at least one cloud services storage platform.
  • 11 percent small- to midsized-sized businesses (SMBs) store banking data in cloud services.
  • 14 percent of organizations store medical records in free cloud storage services.
  • 87 percent believe the cloud is very secure when using use a free version of cloud storage services.

The good news is that organizations have accepted that the economic and health effects of COVID-19 however it now has them thinking outside the box when it comes to remote workers.  We may not know when something or this nature will ever happen again however remote employees trying to store classified data at across uncontrolled devices will always be an issue unless measures are taken.

Organizations management, IT departments, and managed IT services providers need to consider implementing data storage and security solutions that provide visibility into this behaviour.  This will ultimately give them full control and the potential to avoid a costly potential data breach.

Try our free data breach scan today and start protecting yourself from cybercriminals to find out if your passwords have been stolen in a Data Breach?

Going to the cloud or worried about security?  We are your leading Cloud Services Providers Toronto and Managed Security Services Toronto.

365 iT SOLUTIONS  is Toronto’s leading IT consulting boutique firm offering industry leading IT solutions including Managed IT ServicesManaged Security ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support ServicesCloud ServicesBusiness continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR), and Cyber Security Training and Dark Web Monitoring.

We Make IT Simple!

 

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365 iT SOLUTIONS Ranked on Channel Futures MSP 501

365 iT SOLUTIONS Ranked on Channel Futures MSP 501—Tech Industry’s Most Prestigious List of Global Managed Service Providers

 Annual MSP 501 Identifies 365 iT SOLUTIONS as An Industry’s Best-in-Class Business

Growing Via Recurring Revenue and Innovation

JULY 14, 2021: 365 iT SOLUTIONS has been named as one of the world’s premier managed service providers in the prestigious 2021 Channel Futures MSP 501 rankings.

365 iT SOLUTIONS has been selected as one of the technology industry’s top-performing providers of managed services by the editors of Channel Futures.  For the past 15 years, Managed Services Providers (MSP) from around the globe have submitted applications to be included on this prestigious and definitive listing.  The Channel Futures MSP 501 survey examines organizational performance based on annual sales, recurring revenue, profit margins, revenue mix, growth opportunities, innovation, technology solutions supported, company demographics, and client demographics.

Managed services providers that qualify for the exclusive list must pass a rigorous review conducted by the research team and editors of Channel Futures.  Their mandate is to rank applicants using a unique methodology that weighs on financial performance according to long-term health and viability, commitment to recurring revenue and operational efficiency.

Channel Futures is pleased to name 365 iT SOLUTIONS to the 2021 MSP 501.

“I am thrilled to be on the top MSP 501 list again,” said Razmig Sagharian, President, 365 iT SOLUTIONS.  “Our company growth came from our hard-working team members, and 365 iT SOLUTIONS was one of the first managed services providers in Canada to achieve the new federal Cyber Secure Certification.”

The Channel Futures MSP 501 survey this year attracted a record number of applicants and was one of the most competitive in the survey’s history.  Winners are being recognized on the Channel Futures website and will be honored at a special ceremony at the MSP Summit held in Las Vegas as part of the Channel Partners Conference & Expo.

Since its inception, the Channel Futures MSP 501 has evolved from a competitive ranking into a vibrant group of innovators focused on high levels of customer satisfaction at small, medium, and large organizations in public and private sectors.  Today, many of their technology services and technology offerings focus on growing client needs in the areas of cloud, security, collaboration, and support of hybrid work forces.

“The 2021 Channel Futures MSP 501 winners are the highest-performing and most innovative IT providers in the industry today. They stand head and shoulders above the competition,” said Robert DeMarzo, vice president of content for the Channel Futures and Channel Partners Conference & Expo division of Informa Tech Channels. “Coordinated by Channel Futures MSP 501 editor Allison Francis, this year’s list was clearly one of the best ever on record.”

“Vendors that are aligned with the Channel Futures MSP 501 are driving a new wave of innovation in the industry. Through their partnerships they are demonstrating a commitment to moving the MSP and entire channel forward,” said Kelly Danziger, general manager of Informa Tech Channels. “We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 2021 winners and gratitude to the thousands of MSPs that have contributed to the continuing growth and success of the managed services sector.”

The complete 2021 MSP 501 list is available on Channel Futures’ website.

Background

The Channel Futures MSP 501 2021 list is based on confidential data collected and analyzed by the Channel Futures editorial and research teams. Data was collected online from March 1-May 24, 2021. The MSP 501 list recognizes top managed service providers based on metrics including recurring revenue, profit margin and other factors.

About

To be competitive in today’s economy, businesses need cost-effective IT services and IT consulting services they can count on. 365 IT SOLUTIONS believes in being long-term partners with our clients by providing proactive and hassle-free Managed IT Services, IT Support Services, IT Consulting, Cloud Services, IT Outsourcing, and IT Management.

Since 2003, 365 iT SOLUTIONS has developed a proven industry leading method of having a cost- effective IT services and IT solution to address all your information technology needs and business goals. As one of Toronto’s top boutique IT consulting and tech support services providers, we are extremely confident that our reliable managed IT services is unmatched in the industry.

About Channel Futures

Channel Futures is a media and events platform serving companies in the IT channel industry with insights, industry analysis, peer engagement, business information and in-person events. Our properties include Channel Futures MSP 501, recognizing the most influential and fastest-growing providers of managed services in the technology industry, Channel Futures DEI 101, honoring and celebrating those who have often been under-represented in tech channels; Channel Partners Events, delivering unparalleled in-person events, including Channel Partners Conference & Expo, The MSP Summit, and Channel Evolution Europe; and DEI Community Group, our initiatives to educate, support, promote, and sustain diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the IT channel industry. Channel Futures is part of Informa Tech, a market-leading B2B information provider with depth and specialization in the Information and Communications (ICT) Technology sector. Every year, we welcome 7,400+ subscribers to our research, more than 3.8 million unique visitors a month to our digital communities, 18,200+ students to our training programs and 225,000 delegates to our events. Channel Futures is where the world meets the channel; We are leading Channel Partners forward. More information is available at channelfutures.com.

 

Media Contact

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Ginette Andre

Associate Marketer, VIP Relations

ginette.andre@informa.com

 

Allison Francis

Editor, Channel Futures and MSP 501

allison.francis@informa.com

 

365 IT SOLUTIONS Unveils New Logo And New Office To Better Service Clients

Enzo Logozzo

365 iT SOLUTIONS

Director, Sales and Marketing

enzo@365it.ca

365 iT SOLUTIONS  is a leading Managed IT Services, Cloud Services, and Managed Security Services in Toronto.

365 iT SOLUTIONS  offers industry and award winning leading IT solutions including Managed IT ServicesManaged Security ServicesIT Support ServicesCloud ServicesBusiness continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR)Cyber Security Training and Dark Web MonitoringIT Outsourcing Services, and Tech Support Services,

We Make IT Simple!

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365 iT SOLUTIONS Awarded CyberSecure Canada Certification

365 iT SOLUTIONS is proud to announce that we are the 7th organization in Canada to achieve CyberSecure Canada Certification.

CyberSecure Canada is the country’s new cybersecurity certification program for small and medium-sized organizations.  The certification gives 365 iT SOLUTIONS a competitive advantage by letting organizations know we are a federally certified cyber security company and trusted business partner.

CyberSecure Canada Certification was developed by the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security with the consulting help of Canadian Cyber Security industry leaders.  The mandate of the CyberSecure Canada certification program is to help Canadian SMB (small and medium-sized business or small and midsized business) defend against the most common online cyber security threats as well as grow in today’s competitive digital economy.  When an organization becomes certified, it is announcing to its customers, clients, suppliers and investors that their sensitive data is safe within their network.

The Canadian federal government set two goals to help certify Canadian organizations:

  1. Help Canadian organizations boost their cybersecurity maturity by implementing baseline security requirements.
  2. Use the certification as a competitive advantage to assure customers that the firm is cyber security safe.

How can CyberSecure Canada Certification help your business?

The Canadian federal government is trying to make its CyberSecure Canada certification program easy by encouraging more small-and- medium-sized businesses to apply to be accredited.

  • It helps organizations against the most common cyber security threats based on the 80/20 rule.
  • An organization can achieve 80 percent of the benefit from 20 percent of the effort based on data on organizations below 500 employees.
  • It helps organizations defend against the most widespread cyber threats using easy-to-implement cyber security technical measures that are not expensive.
  • You could avert a business-crippling cyber-attack. The fallout from ransomware attacks and the theft of sensitive personal information such as banking details can be both in terms of impact to finances and reputation.
  • It helps organizations attract new business and investors as they can display the CyberSecure Canada certification mark.

What must my business do to become CyberSecure Canada Certified?

The most cost-effective approach is to find a CyberSecure Canada Certified managed IT services provider to help prepare and organize the certification process.  Once complete, the organization will need to find a certified CyberSecure Canada accredited certified body to audit your organization.  These ‘certified bodies’ are private organizations accredited by the Standards Council of Canada.

CyberSecure Canada Certification Step 1

You will need to contact a certified managed IT services provider if you need assistance or you can contact Cyber Security Canada stating interest in certification.

CyberSecure Canada Certification Step 2

You will need to implement the Baseline Cybersecurity controls with the assistance of a certified managed IT services provider or credited certification body.

CyberSecure Canada Certification Step 3

Submit documentation to Cyber Security Canada and undergo a certification audit from an accredited body.

CyberSecure Canada Certification Step 4

Once the required measures are in place and the necessary controls are verified and documented, your organization will be awarded certification with a 2-year expiration.   Prior to the expiry of the certification, your organization will need to repeat the certification process.   The renewal of certification will be much easier as you will already have the cyber security controls in place.

Cyber-Secure-Certification_2023- 356 it solutions

The CyberSecure Canada Certification Step Baseline Security controls

To achieve CyberSecure Canada certification, organizations will need to implement 13 controls set out by the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security.

The 13 CyberSecure Canada Certification controls are:

  1. Develop and implement a corporate response plan.
  2. Develop and implement a proactive patch management strategy.
  3. Develop and implement a proactive malware protection strategy.
  4. Develop and implement a secure strategy at protecting devices.
  5. Develop and implement a strong authentication protocol.
  6. Develop and implement a proactive cyber security employee training program.
  7. Develop and implement and effective backup strategy.
  8. Develop and implement a secure mobile devices strategy.
  9. Develop and implement strong perimeter defences.
  10. Develop and implement secure cloud services.
  11. Develop and implement website security.
  12. Develop and implement strong access controls.
  13. Develop and implement portable storage devices security.

How much will the CyberSecure Canada Certification cost?

The cost of certification will vary for organizations.  It will depend on several factors such as the Certified Body you choose, the size of your organization, and the complexity of your IT network.  The most cost-effective avenue would be to hire a certified CyberSecure Canada managed IT services provider as they can implement many of the 13 controls using their knowledge and tools.

The average time to achieve CyberSecure Canada Certification is approximately 12 months based on the state of your current IT infrastructure, IT policies, and IT procedures.  Due to existing cyber security policies and procedures in place, 365 IT SOLUTIONS was able to achieve full certification in 2 months.

365 iT SOLUTIONS  is a leading Cloud Services Providers Toronto and Managed Security Services in Toronto.

365 iT SOLUTIONS  offers industry leading IT solutions including Managed IT ServicesManaged Security ServicesIT Support Services, Cloud ServicesBusiness continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR)Cyber Security Training and Dark Web MonitoringIT Outsourcing Services, and Tech Support Services,

We Make IT Simple!

365 iT SOLUTIONS Awarded CyberSecure Canada Certification

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Questions You MUST Ask your Managed IT Services Provider

As a business owner, you know technology is critical to your success and here are questions you must ask your managed IT services provider.

This will ensure you have a clear understanding of your organization’s IT network, computers, and security.

Below are seven questions that are essential to ensure everything is updated and running smoothly.

1: How Are My Network Passwords Stored?

Your managed IT services provider has the keys to your network.  Managed IT providers have become prime targets for hackers and cybercriminals.  What secure systems do they use to secure and control access to your critical passwords and network information?  What safeguards prevent former employee or cybercriminals from stealing your passwords and data?

2: Who Validates Your managed IT services provider security?

Successful managed IT services providers work hard to stay on top of rapidly evolving cybersecurity measures. Your IT provider likely has many suggestions to improve your security but how is their security? Who is validating their cyber security measures?  Is your managed IT services provider externally audited (SOC2), satisfy Canada’s minimum standards (Cybersecure Certification), and whether they employ third-party security services, penetration testing, and vulnerability scanning.

3: Where does your cloud Infrastructure exist?

You should know if your managed IT services provider partner uses their own cloud or where it is located. This is a vital piece of information, so you are aware of their security standards. If they do host on their own cloud, you can ask what control over security they have as well as what standards they follow.

4: What kind of Remote Monitoring and Management do they use?

Not having Remote Monitoring and Management software has pitfalls such as disastrous security threats. Even thou your managed IT services provider has a Remote Monitoring and Management software, you need to ensure it is not freeware or use consumer grade software.  This will give your organization a layer of protection with network proactive monitoring services. These services must be secure and managed also to avoid something like the SolarWinds Monitoring and Management software hack.

5: What is Your Business Disaster Protection Plan?

A managed IT services provider should have confidence that they will have your organization protected from cybersecurity threats.  They will have a policy and procedure.  This well-developed plan should be available and able to break down for you upon request.  It should also be uniquely tailored to your organizations needs and specific industry cyber threats.

6: What type of tech support help desk support do they offer?

When your team has tech support issue, how and who will your team have access to?  Is it a single tech support person or an entire team based on the level of tech support issue?  The managed IT services support team should offer live help desk support for any technical problem.  This would lower downtime or lost productivity since they would handle the situation quickly.  For example, if you have a cyberattack incident, you should not have to wait on hold while your data is stolen, or your network is compromised.

7: What proactive security measures are they providing you?

The only way to increase your odds for safety from cyber criminals is to ensure your network is being proactively managed.  A proactive approach from your managed IT services provider means they will continually be looking for optimized solutions against cyber threats.  They will provide you with the best outcome that saves you money in the long run versus waiting for a disaster to happen.

Have Your Passwords Been Stolen in a Data Breach?

Try our free data breach scan today and start protecting yourself from cybercriminals.

Going to the cloud or worried about security?  We are your leading Cloud Services Providers Toronto and Managed Security Services Toronto.

365 iT SOLUTIONS  is Toronto’s leading IT consulting boutique firm offering industry leading IT solutions including Managed IT ServicesManaged Security ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support ServicesCloud ServicesBusiness continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR), and Cyber Security Training and Dark Web Monitoring.

We Make IT Simple!

 

 

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Managed IT Services vs Internal IT Department

As many organizations adapt the ever-changing world, the internal IT department has been challenged with new technology resulting in organizations asking what is the difference with managed IT services vs internal IT department?

Roll back the clock to years ago, and most organizations had an internal network administrator.  Most of them would hire a junior network administrator to ensure the organization had redundancy in case the network administrator was “hit by a bus.”

As with any other position or department, there is strength in numbers and the majority of these positions are seen as a cost-effective investment to protect the organization.  At this time there really was no managed IT services as it was still a new concept, so it was hard to make a case of managed IT services vs internal IT department.

The internal IT department network administrator perspective.

When organizations lose their network administrator or rely on a junior network administrator, there is a large gap in knowledge and experience.  This when organizations learn of the information they have compared to the information in the head of the former network administrator. This can be a thousand questions about access permissions  and infrastructure configurations. There will be a lot of reverse engineering trying to figure many things.  This can result in lost time, loss productivity, and worse loss of data.

 

Managed IT Services vs Internal IT Department 1

Fast forward to now and how managed IT services covers the gap.

The article title is managed IT services vs internal IT department however this is not about replacing an IT department, this article is about filling the gap and supporting an internal IT department.

Let us use the situation above where an organization lost their senior network administrator and now only have the resources of a junior network administrator missing information.  An organization can hire another senior network administrator that will be expensive, highly skilled, but the organization will still be reliant on one person.

Another option would be to hire a managed IT services provider to support the junior network administrator for less than the cost of one senior network administrator.   Managed IT services providers provide business proactive IT management and support for organizations.  They provide more in-depth IT investments without the burden of managing a large IT department.

Many organizations also use managed IT services providers to leverage advanced new cloud technology solutions since investing in and maintaining their own data centre infrastructure is too costly.  A strong IT strategy is key to the growth of most businesses; ensuring IT supports growth and reduces, rather than adds to, risk.

It is not about managed IT services vs internal IT department, it is how they work together to form a win-win solution for organizations.

Managed IT services has now been around for many years.  Organizations should look beyond just a managed services provider and find a technology partner that aligns business goals with technology and budgets.

Have Your Passwords Been Stolen in a Data Breach? Try our free data breach scan today and start protecting yourself from cybercriminals.

Going to the cloud or worried about security?  We are your leading Cloud Services Providers Toronto and Managed Security Services Toronto.

365 iT SOLUTIONS  is Toronto’s leading IT consulting boutique firm offering industry leading IT solutions including Managed IT ServicesManaged Security ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support ServicesCloud ServicesBusiness continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR), and Cyber Security Training and Dark Web Monitoring.

We Make IT Simple!

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What is CyberSecure Canada

Many organizations are receiving calls about this service so you may be asking what is CyberSecure Canada?

The Canadian government launched CyberSecure Canada.  It is a national cybersecurity certification program for small and medium-sized organizations.

Their mandate is to enhance organizations competitive advantage by letting their partners, client, and supply chain know they are a certified trusted business partner.

What is CyberSecure Canada Certification?

The Cybersecure Canada certification program helps organizations implement certification requirements so they can protect themselves against cyberattacks.  This will ensure they protect their business, their clients, and partners.

This program is a proactive step toward securing Canadian organizations from cyber threats.  The program is designed for organizations with less than 500 employees.

Why get CyberSecure Canada certified?

  • It will improve your competitive edge within your industry.
  • It will reassure your clients, partners, investors, and suppliers.
  • It will show that valuable data is secure to a standard.
  • It will limit impacts to your organization from cyberattacks.
  • It will reduce financial loss, reputation damage and protect critical infrastructure.
  • It will ensure your organization is eligible to compete in opportunities that require cybersecurity certification.
  • It will show that your security is adequate.
  • It will show that you are not risky organization.
  • It will Lower your cyber insurance premiums with certain carriers.

Is it hard to get CyberSecure Canada certified?

It is not an easy fast process however it is not as in-depth as a SOC2 Type II audit.  It will take work from management, human resources, IT department, managed IT services provider, and many more departments or professionals. You will need to pass thirteen controls published by the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security.  You can then apply for certification at www.canada.ca/cybersecure.  You will then work with an accredited certification body that audits your organization.   This must be repeated every two years to maintain certification.

What are the 13 Security Controls for CyberSecure Canada?

  1. What is the plan to recover from a cyber attack (Incident response plan)
  2. How do you handle patch management (Automatic patching)
  3. How do you securely configure your devices (Device configuration)
  4. What do you use to install and monitor systems (Security software)
  5. Do you use multi-factor authentication controls (Authentication)
  6. How do you handle ongoing team education on cybersecurity (Training)
  7. How do you backup and perform data encryption (Data Protection)
  8. What controls do you use to secure mobile devices (Mobility)
  9. Do you use a firewall in your network (Perimeter)
  10. What is the security posture of your IT partners (Outsourced IT services)
  11. What security do you use on your website (Websites)
  12. What limitations do you place on access to data and services (Access controls)
  13. What security, encryption, and disposal do you use for storage media (Portable storage)

How much does CyberSecure Canada certification cost?

The cost to get CyberSecure Canada certified will depend on your unique organization needs.  You will need to pay for registration as well as the audit. There are many certification bodies listed at www.canada.ca/cybersecure so find the one that works best for your organization.

Have Your Passwords Been Stolen in a Data Breach? Try our free data breach scan today and start protecting yourself from cybercriminals.

Going to the cloud or worried about security?  We are your leading Cloud Services Providers Toronto and Managed Security Services Toronto.

365 iT SOLUTIONS  is Toronto’s leading IT consulting boutique firm offering industry leading IT solutions including Managed IT ServicesManaged Security ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support ServicesCloud ServicesBusiness continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR), and Cyber Security Training and Dark Web Monitoring.

We Make IT Simple!

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The importance of disaster recovery testing

With all the cyber security threats, the importance of disaster recovery testing has become more critical to businesses that any other time before.

According to Gartner a leading research and advisory company, it is estimated that businesses lose an estimated $336,000 per hour or $5,600 per minute due to cyber security breach or unforeseen downtime.  This includes network downtime, loss of productivity, and much more.   Therefore, organizations need to test their Disaster Recovery (DR) plans regularly.  Due to the large opportunity for lost productivity, operational efficiency, and brand damage, the potential data loss and downtime is likely to keep even the most experienced IT departments or managed IT services providers awake at night. Hence the importance of disaster recovery testing.

The number of businesses that do disaster recovery (DR) testing is lower than one would expect.  The recent study surveyed 150 organizations and found that disaster recovery (DR) testing frequency was low.  Over 50 percent of the respondents conducted testing once every two years.  Approximately 44 percent of organizations test less frequently as they believe that their disaster recovery (DR) is inadequate after their initial test.  Another 22 percent ran into issues when testing their disaster recovery (DR) that would have caused sustained downtime for their organization.

The importance of disaster recovery testing 2

When should you test disaster recovery testing?

Some organizations believe that disaster recovery (DR) testing is not happening due to the fear of the results.  Industry reports show that IT departments do not have the time and resources to replace their disaster recovery (DR) system with a reliable one.  Unfortunately, they are taking a timed approach to data risk management.

An organizations confidence in their disaster recovery (DR) plan is determined by how many times and how extensively it is tested. disaster recovery (DR) testing needs to be conducted on a scheduled basis and as frequently as possible due to how complex and dynamic an organizations infrastructure may be.

Based on the consideration of the frequency of outages, respondents to the survey admitted they understand and hear the message based on research from industry cybersecurity professionals. The focus is on finding a proven remedy to cyber security breaches rather than preventing them. In case the only way to undo the damage caused by ransomware attacks is to recover from tested and proven data backups that have not been encrypted. Regular disaster recovery (DR) testing will give all organizations a clear view of the entire process of recovering their data from backups. This is particularly important since many ransomware attacks from cyber security professionals try to target backups as well. There have been many organizations in the news that are great examples of those that failed to recover after a ransomware attack.

When it comes to testing, time and planning is of the essence for any organization. Budget and resources are limited in almost every organization however recovering from a ransomware attack should not be a budget limited option. The lack of technical skills within an organization is an ongoing issue to keep day-to-day operations running. Testing an organizations disaster recovery (DR) gets pushed to the bottom of the never-ending task list for organizations when it should be a priority. Testing an organizations disaster recovery (DR) approach can be quite difficult. The additional cost of shutting down production systems or scheduling this out of hours compounds the issue of low priority to organizations.

The importance of disaster recovery testing 1

Testing should be more than just an afterthought

Given the dynamic and fragile nature of a technical ecosystems, it is concerning that over half of the organizations included in the study only conduct disaster recovery (DR) testing annually at best.

The results of infrequent disaster recovery (DR) testing are predictable. Infrequent testers are concerned about their disaster recovery (DR) almost half the time. An untested disaster recovery (DR) will ultimately fail and nothing can be done about it.

It is often due to the importance of disaster recovery (DR) within the organization that disaster recovery (DR) testing is not done as frequently as it should be. Questions to organizations should include the following:

  1. Is senior management aware of the definition of a disaster recovery (DR) plan?
  2. Has your organization classified what data is mission-critical?
  3. Has your organization classified what data is sensitive?
  4. Did your organization identify any physical facility constraints?
  5. What is acceptable downtime for your organization?
  6. Who will be involved in the disaster recovery (DR) plan and communication?

365 iT SOLUTIONS  is federally certified by the Canadian federal government under the CyberSecure Canada program.

Let our complimentary data breach scan investigate if your credentials have been compromised by hackers.

365 iT SOLUTIONS is a leading IT consulting firm in Toronto that offers Managed IT ServicesTech Support Services, Cloud Services, Managed Security ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesBusiness continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR), and Cyber Security Training and Dark Web Monitoring.

We Make IT Simple!

 

 

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Accounting Firms Must Prioritize Cybersecurity

Many different organizations hold confidential information like healthcare and that is why accounting firms must prioritize cybersecurity in order to protect their sensitive data.

PWC Canada recently released The State of Cybersecurity and Privacy and the stats were alarming. Here are some numbers to consider when thinking about why accounting first must prioritize cybersecurity.

  • 80 percent of Canadian CEOs are concerned about cybersecurity as a threat to their growth prospects.
  • 90 percent of Canadian CEOs are aware that the increasing complexity of threats is having an impact in shaping their cybersecurity strategy.

When so many CEOs have these concerns about cybersecurity, it is only natural they expect their business partners such as accounting firms to have the same concerns.

It is understood that accounting firms are a very important part of the Canadian economy.  These accounting firms are tasked with many duties including how they handle financial data including taxes.  Due to this important role, it makes accounting firms a prime target for cyberattacks.

Why accounting firms must prioritize cybersecurity?

Most organizations are not looking to be the headline of the next cyberattack.  Organizations spend a lot of money on their cybersecurity plan.  To hackers, they look at everyone involved, and accounting firms are high and the list as they have access to a lot of personal information as well as multiple organizations.

What is the best approach towards cybersecurity for accounting firms?

The majority of accounting firms do understand the necessity of cybersecurity however the degree of engagement varies from each firm.  You will need to design a strategic approach that addresses cybersecurity as a business issue rather than just a technical issue.

Most IT departments are too busy or do not have enough knowledge to implement a proper plan.  You can always reach out to a managed IT services provider (MSP) or managed security services provider (MSSP) to assess your data security level and test the vulnerabilities.  Your managed IT services or IT department should not perform a vulnerability test, you should always hire a third party.

Why should cybersecurity be on top of the list for an accounting firm?

This is very simple.  There are multiple industries including healthcare, construction, manufacturing, and much more.  One of the main things they have in common is they all use an accounting firm hence why accounting firms are high on the list for cybersecurity attacks.

As cybercriminals continues to change and adapt their hacking methods, they will be continually evolving. No matter how secure your accounting firm is, there will always remain a possibility of a data breach as a new method might penetrate your accounting firm security system.

What kind of financial loss can an accounting firm face?

If an accounting firm is hit by ransomware or a data breach, they can expect a substantial financial loss that has the potential to bankrupt your firm or seriously impact your financials.  In addition, you can look forward to reduced revenue as you will lose your clients confidence and trust.

What risks can an accounting firm bring to clients?

Like any other businesses, financial loss is only one aspect of compromised security.  It is the responsibility of the accounting firms to ensure they take every precaution possible to secure information as the consequences for clients can be big. Smaller accounting firms can also easily go bankrupt if their data security is compromised as CPAs and accounting firms have access to sensitive financial data.

Accounting firms must prioritize cybersecurity because…

They need to ensure they are protected from cyberattacks.  Every employee plays a part and each employee must be aware of how serious a cyberattack on the accounting firm can be. Through employee awareness about cybersecurity and best practices,  you will be able to protect your accounting firms sensitive data.

Our complimentary network and security assessment can put your IT infrastructure and business to the test.

Have Your Passwords Been Stolen in a Data Breach? Try our free data breach scan today and start protecting yourself from cybercriminals.

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365 iT SOLUTIONS Clothing Drive for Diabetes Canada

365 iT SOLUTIONS clothing drive for Diabetes Canada was a great success!

Diabetes Canada has been collecting clothing and small household donations over the past 30 years.  All funds coming from the clothing program help fund important research to end diabetes as well as send kids to D-Camp.

365 iT SOLUTIONS Clothing Drive for Diabetes Canada (1)

Diabetes Canada has invested over $5,000,000 into diabetes research as well as keep 100 million pounds of donated items out of landfill.

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All donations are processed in partnership with Value Village locations across Canada.

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