WOOF! Newsletter

January 15, 2020

The 2 Most Effective Cybersecurity Solutions You Can Deploy in 2020

While we're all working on our 2020 goals, let us add an item to the list: "Defend Against Cyberattacks." They're coming whether we like it or not. You can mount an effective defense though, for low cost and not a lot of time.

TIME TO READ: 5 MINUTES

 

Now is the perfect time of year to adopt new cybersecurity protocols. We suggest putting "Employee Cybersecurity Training" on the list.

Why? Quite simply, the future of your business is at stake. In this WOOF, we'll illustrate why.

 

The Threat of Cyberattacks Grows Stronger

Would you walk down a hallway if you saw dozens of spiders hanging from the ceiling? I'm going to guess "No."

When you're online though, that's pretty much what you're doing. The spiders are cybercriminals, lurking in dark corners, constantly on the lookout for new victims.

Cybercriminals now use phone calls, stolen data, third-party networks, and even in-person visits to conduct their phishing attacks. One employee's click in an infected email can unleash ransomware on your entire network. 

No business, small or large, is safe.

So how do you protect your company?  There are a lot of things you can and should do...but at the very least, do these two!

 

The 2 Most Effective Cyber-Defenses Any Business Can Employ

  1. Cloud Backups. Proven time and time again: If you don’t have “cloud” backups, you don’t have backups.
  2. Employee Cybersecurity Training. Teach your team how to recognize & avoid cyberattacks.

Sounds simple, doesn't it?

Our experience however, especially these past 3 years, shows that it's true. These two actions prevent the vast majority of cyberattacks from wreaking havoc.

Cloud Backups are pretty self-explanatory; we have . Employee training though, that deserves more explanation.

For the past 3 years, we've conducted onsite cybersecurity training seminars for our customers’ employees.  We call the training "Cybersecurity Kung Fu" or "Cyber Fu" for short. Let's go through how the seminars work.

 

What Goes into a "Cyber Fu" Training Seminar

Each seminar is an in-person presentation conducted by a PlanetMagpie cybersecurity expert. Employers require all employees to attend. Remote employees can view the presentation live online.

The expert gives up-to-date knowledge about the latest cybersecurity threats. How cybercriminals sneak into your office networks…through your computers. How to recognize an attack. How to protect your company.

Afterward, we conduct a test to cement the knowledge shared. With prizes, to keep it fun!

The seminar lasts just 90 minutes. It's often presented over a team breakfast or lunch.

As a leave-behind, employees get a Cyber Fu Tip Sheet to keep at their desk, for future reference.

 

What "Cyber Fu" Trainees Learn

"Cybersecurity Kung Fu" Training is packed with information. In those 90 minutes, we cover:

  • The Reality of Cybersecurity Today
  • Today’s Threats to Your Network
  • Steps Cyber-Savvy Businesses Take to Protect Themselves
  • The Eight Master-Level Techniques of Cyber Fu
  • 3 Bonus Online Safety Tips
  • What to Do if There’s a Breach
  • Q&A Session with a Cyber Fu Master

The seminar only costs $499 per presentation. 

Contrast that cost with the Heritage Company, a telemarketing firm in Arkansas . After losing hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to recover, they had to shut down their company right before Christmas. 

 

Resolve to Stay Safe Online This Year

As we said, the safety of your business is at stake. Most businesses cannot absorb the extreme costs of data loss from a cyberattack. Avoidance costs much, much less than repair.

We want to see every employee equipped with cyber-defenses, protecting their business from cyberattacks year-round.

Put a "Cybersecurity Training Seminar" on the year's calendar. It may end up being the New Year's Resolution that saves everything.

 

Do you have a pressing cybersecurity question?  Email us at  to talk business!