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Results in Cyber Security Breaches across Canada

Recent results in cyber security breaches across Canada have shown that according to a time-lapse of cyber security data breaches, there are four key categories.

According to a recent data breach study by Ponemon Institute, the numbers are alarming and should be a fair warning to organizations looking to improve their cyber security policies and procedures.

The results in cyber security breaches across Canada resulted in the following alarming statistics:

  • The number of records lost or stolen has climbed by 2.2% in 2019
  • The mean time to identify and contain rose to record highs
  • The average cost savings generated from working with an Incident Response (IR) team were as high as $14 per compromised record
  • Canada ranks second for highest average per capita costs at $202 per record
  • Canada averaged 22,275 records that have been compromised in a single breach
  • Canada experienced 6,295,443 breached records

With these alarming cyber security breaches giving us the statistics listed above, it has become clear that data breaches are a growing concern in Canada.  The numbers have increased also due to companies mandatory reporting data breaches under the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) now requires that organizations alert their customers any time there is a risk of significant harm to an individual.

Even thou cyber security attacks are growing in cost, size, and impact, there is an increased awareness towards cybersecurity.

As the Cyber Security Training and Dark Web Monitoring continues, 365 iT SOLUTIONS actively performs simulated cyber security and phishing attacks on employees to test their skills.

Why should you offer cyber security training to employees?

If employees do not how to recognize a cyber security threat, they will mostly likely fall victim to it. A recent survey found that email security and employee training were listed as the top problems faced by organizations.

Your employees need Cyber Security Training and Dark Web Monitoring to protect your organization as well as themselves from constant cyber-attacks. By making employees aware of cyber security threats, you are strengthening your most vulnerable link.

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

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 Services, Managed Security ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support ServicesCloud Services, Business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR), Cyber Security Training and Dark Web Monitoring

 

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Industry Insights IT Solutions Managed IT Services

365 iT SOLUTIONS Unveils New Logo and New Office to Better Service Clients

TORONTO, ON., May 21st, 2020 – 365 iT SOLUTIONS is pleased to announce a new corporate office and brand new logo, as it embarks on its 8th year as a leading managed IT services provider.

As one of the industry leaders in Ontario, 365 iT SOLUTIONS has acquired additional property and built a custom state-of-the-art technical facility in order to strengthen its position in the country’s largest city. Along with the new office, 365 iT SOLUTIONS also refreshed the company’s former logo to better align with the company’s current positioning and core competencies, said 365 iT SOLUTIONS President Razmig Sagharian.  Toronto has always been a priority market for 365 iT SOLUTIONS, which offers organizations industry-leading IT solutions including Managed IT Services, Managed Security Services, IT Support Services, IT Outsourcing Services, Tech Support Services, Cloud Services, Business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR), Cyber Security Training and Dark Web Monitoring.

“365 iT SOLUTIONS has built an impressive client portfolio with industry leading clients in Toronto with international reach. Our new logo aligns our brand with our premier technical service offerings. As our organization and clients have evolved, so has our position in the marketplace. With all our exciting growth and new initiatives, our logo and new office reflect our innovation, energy and approach to the business landscape,” said Enzo Logozzo, Director of Sales and Marketing.

 

365 iT SOLUTIONS NEw Logo

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Industry Insights IT Solutions Managed IT Services

Security Tips for Employees Working from Home

Security tips for employees working from home is nothing new however we have recently seen a huge increase based on the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.

With the ever-changing progression in technology, working remotely has grown in popularity for many organizations as it gives them greater flexibility as well as allow organizations to attract better talent.

A recent study found that over 70 percent of global employees work remotely at least once per week prior to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.   Due to the recent lock down or isolation from the coronavirus pandemic , a large number of employees were forced to work from home and to many this is an unfamiliar territory.

365 iT SOLUTIONS have put together some security tips for employees working from home.

Security Tip 1 – Working from Home Physical Security

For employees working from home, you must ensure your work devices are physically safe.  This will avoid employees offering unauthorized access to confidential information.

  1. If you leave your home, you need to ensure your work devices are either shut down or locked.
  2. If you live with a roommate or young children, be sure to lock your computer even when you step away for just a bit.
  3. If you do not have a separate workspace in your home, be sure to collect your devices at the end of your workday and store them someplace out of sight.

Security Tip 2 – Working from Home System Access

Every employee must think of ways to protect against unauthorized access from their computer. Here are a few steps to help.

  • Computer access should always be protected with a password.  If a computer system is stolen, this will keep the thief from easily accessing company information.
  • Some networks have easy access to work software but now you may be required to enter a variety of passwords to gain access externally.  If your workplace doesn’t already offer a single sign-on service, consider using a password manager.
  • Encryption is a vital component to help protect information on stolen or compromised computers.  Data encryption should be active on your work computer.  If you are not sure, ask your IT department or managed IT services provider on whether you have it.
  • If you are connecting your work computer to your home network, make sure you do not make it visible to other computers in the network. Make sure the option to share files is off.

Security Tip 3 – Separate work and personal devices

When working from home, it is important that you create boundaries to separate work from home.   Many do not like it, but it is best you separate between the devices if your concerned about your personal information.  Properly managed networks will not allow you to install apps without permission but if they do, the more programs and software you install, the more potential cyber vulnerabilities you introduce to the network.

  1. You should not use your work computer to pay personal bills.  There is a major chance that you can create confusion as well as compromise your personal information when cybercriminals are looking to breach an organization.
  2. You should not send work-related emails from your private email address.  This does not look professional.
  3. Speaking of homeschooling, it’s especially important to keep your child’s digital curriculum separate from your work device. Both are huge targets for threat actors. Imagine their delight when they find they can not only plunder an organization’s network through an unsecured remote worker, but they can also collect highly valuable PII on young students, which garners a big pay day on the dark web.

Cybersecurity best practices

You should practice the same security policies and procedures in your home as you do in your office.

Be wary of phishing emails. There are cyber criminals trying to use coronavirus to issue questions about isolation and its psychological impacts.  Some are also offering advice or health information. Scan those emails and do not open attachments unless they are from a trusted source.

 

The COVID-19 coronavirus has been a large adjustment for many people and organizations.  Many have felt a mixed bag of feelings including irritation, uncomfortable, unmotivated, or just plain exhausted.

When working from home, always ask employees to find a comfortable they can have a healthy posture, minimize the distraction from others, and where their presence has the least impact on them.

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

Did you network handle working for home properly? Did employees have issues connecting via remote desktop, VPN, or other connectivity issues? 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 Services, Managed Security ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support ServicesCloud Services, Business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR), Cyber Security Training and Dark Web Monitoring

 

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Industry Insights IT Solutions Managed IT Services

How do you identify a Phishing Email?

As cyber criminals continue to get very creative, how do you identify a phishing email so you can protect your data and organization from financial disaster?

As this continues, organizations are constantly trying to address the following:

  1. Do our users know what to do when they receive a suspicious email?
  2. Do our users have to call the help desk or forward it to tech support?
  3. Do users forward to the IT department including all headers?
  4. Are users deleting the email and not reporting it?

Are employees your weakest link in your security strategy? Yes but they can be your greatest strength also.

Did you know that phishing emails have been so well structured using social engineering that leaks of sensitive information have been causing a huge financial loss.  Phishing emails are one of the largest serious cyber security threats to organizations as they are responsible for 94% of ransomware.

How do you identify a Phishing Email

 

How do you identify a Phishing Email? Use the following six examples.

  1. Look out for suspicious sender email addresses

Cybercriminals use various spoofing techniques to trick users into believing an email is legitimate.  Your employees should be trained to check the domain names closely.  Employees should also be very cautious when reading email on a mobile device as only the display name may be visible.  Domains can easily be manipulated to trick users. Example, “www.365itsolutions.com” versus ‘www.365itsolutoins.com”. Just swapping two letters can have a large impact.

  1. Look out for the subject line and email tone

Hackers will always try to entice, mark things as urgent, use threatening language to encourage the recipient to take immediate action.  They create a sense of curiosity, greed, or even fear as a common tactic used in phishing emails.  Employees should be trained that if it is urgent, they should call and verify.  They should never rush unless they are 100% of the sender and request.

  1. Look out for spelling and grammar errors

Majority of emails from cybercriminals have simple mistakes such as grammar. Grammatical errors are an obvious red flag. There may also be more subtle mistakes such as minor spacing issues or use of symbols instead of words. Train employees to keep their eyes open and prepared for all these items that can give it away.

  1. Look out for suspicious email attachments

Attachments should always be viewed with caution.  Always be wary of emails that include attachments. Phishing emails are notorious for attachments and may include a link within the attachment.  This avoids them from imputing the dangerous link in the body of the email to avoid detection by an email filter or spam filter.

  1. Look out for email images

Did you know that hackers and cybercriminals can easily replicate brand logos and images in emails and webpages?  It is very hard to distinguish between the real thing and made up pictures.  Check logos, colours, or hover you mouse over without clicking to see the link. Always consider all the above factors before you decide to click.

  1. Look out for strange or odd email greetings

Ever get an odd email out of the blue?  Cyber criminals and hackers often send out mass emails to gather information on potential suspects.  They will offer generic greetings mostly, but the good phishing attempts will offer sophisticated personalize emails with information such as names, email addresses, and even breached passwords.  Have you ever Googled your name to see what comes up easily? This would include LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, company websites, and other associations.

When in doubt, users should always forward email threats to the IT security team, IT department, managed IT services provider, or managed security services provider depending on their options.

This gives them the ability to proactively analysis and block to prevent future exposure.

Are Your Users Aware How to be Safe Online? Here is a free Quick Security Awareness User Training video that you can share with employees, friends, and family members.

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

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 Services, Managed Security ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support ServicesCloud Services, Business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR), Cyber Security Training and Dark Web Monitoring

How do you identify a Phishing Email (1)

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Industry Insights IT Solutions Managed IT Services

How do you identify a Spear Phishing Email?

Cyber security threats increase daily but how do you identify a spear phishing email so you can protect your information and organization?

Spear phishing email is a highly targeted form of phishing cyber-attacks that involves fake emails being sent to victims that have been well search including social media such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and your company website as they attempt to steal confidential information.

These are well planned and staged accounts which make it hard to spot without close inspection.  As a leading managed IT services provider in Toronto, we always recommend industry best practices when setting up IT security as well as ongoing training for employees such as Cyber Security Training and Dark Web Monitoring.

Over 91% of cyberattacks begin with a well-engineered spear phishing email based on managed security services providers and IT security research firms.  This shows that users are the weakest link in IT security.

How do you identify a spear phishing email?  Here are five areas that can help to identify them.

  1. Look at the sender address in the email

Cyber criminals use spear phishing to trick users into thinking an email address is legitimate.  They use a wide variety of email spoofing techniques including impersonation of display name.  If you are on a mobile device such as a smart phone, always expand the sender’s name of suspicious emails so you can see the entire email address.  You should also check for subtle differences in the domain name.

  1. Look at the subject line in the email message

Hackers use spear phishing emails with urgent subject lines to capture the potential victim’s immediate attention.  This causes pressure and the need for an employee to respond to the email.  These sophisticated spear phishing cyber criminals may be subtle, but the subject line will be financial in nature, including the keywords purchase, invoice, direct deposit, or similar language.

  1. Look at the body of the email message

Another important part will include the body of the email as it will almost always include a financial request of some nature.  Cyber criminals spear phishing can often use language designed to make the victim feel that they are the only person who can help.  They also make the victim feel that it must be done in a timely manner or it could be detrimental to the business.

  1. Look at the pretexting in the email message

So what is pretexting? It is a form of social engineering in which a cybercriminal engage a potential victim over the course of time with multiple emails to gain the victim’s trust.  Once the achieve the information they want, they engage in small talk getting them to where they are vulnerable.

  1. Look at the signature in the email message

Hackers often include an additional line in the email signature stating that the message was composed on a mobile phone device.  This sets the sense of reinforcement of an urgent nature, creates an excuse for sending the email from a personal email address, and presents a cover for any potential grammar errors in the email.

How do you identify a Spear Phishing Email (3)

 

How do you identify a spear phishing email and mitigate the risk?  

 

There is no single approach that will stop spear phishing email as  your best defense is a layered approach. Defending against cyber-attacks is always handled using a multi-layer approach.  The defence is to make it as hard as possible for the hacker to get through your defenses.

 

Try not to list all employee email addresses on your website.  Get your IT department to regularly scan the internet for exposed email addresses and network credentials.  If they can’t,  get a managed IT services provider or managed security services provider to assist them as they may be over loaded.

 

Users are your last line of defense and the best if trained properly. Always remember to think before you click!

 

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

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 ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support Services and Cloud Services.

 

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World Health Day 2020 – #worldhealthday – 365 iT SOLUTIONS

Today, 365 iT SOLUTIONS would like to thank everyone during World Health Day 2020. #worldhealthday

Unfortunately due to COVID-19, the world is celebrating World Health Day differently this year.  Words would not be enough nor would it do justice to show all healthcare providers our thanks.

They risk their lives daily to save people.  With the current pandemic, they are sacrificing and distancing themselves from their own families to help reunite other families.

They are staying up all night so others can sleep safely at home while being protected from #COVID19.

On #WorldHealthDay, join us as we celebrate all the healthcare workers and support staff who are currently serving at the front lines.

We want to thank all of you for your hard work, courage, and bravery everyday.

The World Health Day is a global health awareness day under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO).

World Health Day Love

 

 

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Microsoft Microsoft 365 is to be rebranded as Microsoft 365

In a recent announcement, Microsoft Microsoft 365 is to be branded as Microsoft 365 on April 21, 2020.

For people familiar with Microsoft products and services, they are aware that Microsoft first introduced “Microsoft 365” a few years ago.  Microsoft 365 (M365) was launched as a specific service as a subscription bundle of Windows 10 Enterprise, Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security.

Microsoft is now changing some Microsoft Microsoft 365 subscriptions to Microsoft 365 (M365).   Microsoft 365 (M365) will not include Windows and PC device management tools.  Good news is that it will not be changing the pricing or what is included in the cloud subscription.

Microsoft 365 subscriptions for small and midsize business (SMB) will be renamed to Microsoft 365 (M365).  Enterprise and small and midsize business (SMB) will see a new name by “Microsoft 365 Apps for the enterprise” which use to be “Microsoft 365 ProPlus”.

Here are the former Microsoft services name and the new ones coming shortly:

  • Microsoft 365 Business Essentials will be Microsoft 365 Business Basic.
  • Microsoft 365 Business Premium will be Microsoft 365 Business Standard.
  • Microsoft 365 Business and Microsoft 365 Pro Plus will be Microsoft 365 Apps.
  • Microsoft will use “for business” and “for enterprise” as labels to distinguish the two.
  • Microsoft 365 Business will be Microsoft 365 Business Premium.

Here is a list of plans that will not be affected by the upcoming name change and will keep their existing names:

Microsoft 365 for Enterprise

  • Microsoft 365 E1
  • Microsoft 365 E3
  • Microsoft 365 E5

Microsoft 365 for Firstline

  • Microsoft 365 F1

Microsoft 365 for Education

  • Microsoft 365 A1
  • Microsoft 365 A3
  • Ofice 365 A5

Microsoft 365 for Government

  • Microsoft 365 G1
  • Microsoft 365 G3
  • Microsoft 365 G5


Why is Microsoft changing Microsoft 365 to Microsoft 365?

Microsoft’s explanation was Office product line was to be reserved four their productivity suite which includes Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint.  It now includes Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Stream, Microsoft Forms and, Microsoft Planner.

This is all part of Microsoft’s strategy to help organizations increase productivity and continue its path to cloud services adoption.  As Microsoft continues to invest heavily into cloud services, they are launching multiple in new products and services to make it easier and simple for organizations.

Microsoft has been working with managed IT services providers, managed security services providers, IT consultants, and IT departments especially in the area of hybrid cloud computing.  This gives organizations the ability to use in house infrastructure as well as Microsoft cloud services such as Azure, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Dynamics and much more via the cloud.

Microsoft Microsoft 365 is to be rebranded as Microsoft 365 and this will benefit all organizations.

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

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 ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support Services and Cloud Services.

 

 

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Industry Insights IT Security Managed IT Services

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.

How have donations to Diabetes Canada helped?

  • Over $5,000,000 invested annually in diabetes research
  • Over 2,000 kids with type one diabetes and their families can go to D-Camps
  • Over 11,000,000 Canadians with diabetes or prediabetes are getting support
  • 100,000,000 lbs. of donations will be diverted from landfills

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

365 iT SOLUTIONS has committed to continue to support local charities.

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365 iT SOLUTIONS is Open for Business During COVID-19

Ontario has ordered that all non-essential organizations to close at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday March 24th, 2020 as an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus.

As an essential service, 365 iT SOLUTIONS plays a vital role as a managed IT services provider with clients that are front-line workers, logistics, emergency services, healthcare, and much more.

As we all come together to battle COVID-19 coronavirus, 365 iT SOLUTIONS is committed to helping organizations in this time of need.

We continue to implement strict precautionary measures in accordance with government and public #health requirements.

Stay safe and we will continue to do everything within our power to help during these exceptionally challenging times.

In the case of pandemic or other crisis situations, the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety has created a business continuity guide to help organizations.

The checklists include:

For the most accurate and up-to-date information, visit the World Health Organization (WHO) website and The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website or The Health Canada Website.

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

365 iT SOLUTIONS is Toronto’s leading IT consulting boutique firm offering industry leading IT solutions including Managed IT ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support Services and Cloud Services.

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Industry Insights IT Solutions Managed IT Services

Thank you Front-Line Healthcare Workers

Thank You to All the Front-Line Healthcare Workers from 365 iT SOLUTIONS

365 iT SOLUTIONS would like to thank all the front-line health care workers including doctors, nurses, support staff, and cleaning staff for their tireless work and effort during this COVID 19 coronavirus pandemic.

Let’s not forget the rest of the people working to ensure there is little disruption in our food supply, utilities, and security.

While many of us have the option stay home and use social distancing to protect ourselves from COVID 19 coronavirus, front-line health care workers do not have this option as they care for people with COVID 19 coronavirus as well as all other emergencies.

The COVID 19 coronavirus news is changing rapidly and creating new challenges daily.  Our front-line health care workers are the ones ensuring that the virus does not get out of control.

If you know of anyone in the medical field, thank them for their service and offer any assistance possible to ensure they can fight COVID 19 coronavirus for us.

Thank you everyone that is helping during the COVID 19 coronavirus pandemic.

365 iT SOLUTIONS Team!

We will get through this together!