Data privacy mistakes can set the stage for immense damage to one’s business. An insignificant error can cost you millions of dollars in fines and reparations. It can even put you smack in the middle of stressful lawsuits. And it can even blow up and seriously harm the reputation of your business!
Cyber threats will continue to grow in complexity and frequency in 2025. Attacks targeting businesses of all sizes require companies to prioritize robust cybersecurity strategies. Yet even strong security practices may not fully protect against the financial impacts of a breach. This is where cybersecurity insurance will become essential in 2025, offering financial protection and resources to aid recovery.
Many businesses that have yet to be hacked underestimate the value of cyber insurance. What if, one day a data breach or ransomware incident happens? Do you have the solutions to mitigate it? Are you sure you won’t go through any challenges when getting Cybersecurity Insurance?
Imagine this scenario: You are walking to work one morning. Suddenly, the sky darkens, and it starts pouring rain, but you didn’t bring an umbrella. Won’t you regret not grabbing the umbrella before you needed it? Rain isn’t something we can predict 100%. Nor can security experts predict cyber threats. As the Boy Scouts say, we should be prepared! It would be best to consider getting cybersecurity insurance for the rainy days ahead. Therefore, you must also know about cybersecurity insurance requirements and whether your company can get coverage or not.
Cyberattacks pose a real threat to businesses, potentially inflicting irreversible damage and leading to bleeding losses. Gaps in your IT protection can cause a loss of data, downtime, irate customers, and stain your reputation. Ultimately, it could make your finances crumble if you are unprepared. Based on your current setup, how would you rate your company’s cybersecurity insurance?
How many real or imminent cyber threats did your company encounter in the past month? These days, it’s not unusual for a business to face IT security risks daily since hackers are becoming increasingly creative. An unknowingly clicking on a link or download can cause bleeding losses before you know it.
What happens when AI-powered technology weighs into how companies do business? Now, you can stop imagining and start discovering with Microsoft Copilot, the premier smart assistant. It steadily emerges as a vital tool for firms and organizations across a broad range of industries.
If you have recently started a partnership to Integrate Co-Managed IT services with your business, congratulations! This decision can significantly enhance your IT capabilities and security. In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, where cyber threats are ever-present, such as the recent Microsoft attack, having a robust IT strategy is more critical than ever. Many organizations find that their internal IT teams are often stretched to their limits. By integrating co-managed IT, your staff can get some well-deserved relief while your business thrives like never before.
Cyberattacks are among the most serious threats that businesses today are facing. As technology evolves, so do these online threats that target businesses of all sizes. There are many ways to protect your data and your network, like using a reliable anti-malware program or regularly educating your staff on security measures. However, the best way to get maximum protection for your business is by subscribing to managed cybersecurity services.
Managed cybersecurity services are a range of security solutions offered by third-party IT providers. This service is designed to safeguard businesses and other organizations against even the most vicious online attacks. They include everything from the installation of firewalls to 24/7 monitoring of your networks for prompt detection of and action against threats.
There are tools available on the cloud that businesses can use to defend themselves against cyberattacks. However, if you want maximum protection against cyber threats and data breaches, partnering with a managed cybersecurity services provider is the way to go.
MSPs that specialize in cybersecurity solutions can implement a range of comprehensive security measures and proactive solutions to keep your business protected. Here are some of the primary benefits that you can expect once you start working with a reputable provider:
It is not easy to find independent IT professionals who are well-versed in all the different areas of cybersecurity. Hence, there is no guarantee that an in-house tech guy can protect your system from all the threats online. Managed cybersecurity services can give you prime solutions for any security concern and ensure the safety of your systems.
Cyberattacks cannot always be avoided, but with rapid action, the damage can be minimized. On your own, even identifying the cause of a breach can take a long time. Meanwhile, the hacker would already be stealing data and wreaking havoc. Highly skilled cybersecurity experts, however, can identify and address the problem quickly, keeping the damage as minimal as possible.
As technology advances and threats evolve, data protection regulations are also becoming more complex. Complying with these regulations can significantly add to the burden of a business. A managed cybersecurity services provider can efficiently take care of all these compliance issues, giving you peace of mind and leaving you time to run your business.
Not many realize it but cybersecurity solutions can be very expensive. Licensed anti-malware programs alone can cost a pretty penny, plus you need to pay cybersecurity professionals to install and maintain these solutions for you. Naturally, you do not want to skimp on security solutions because you want the best protection for your company, but you wouldn’t want to spend more on it than is necessary either. With a good provider, you don’t have to. You can get the best managed cybersecurity solutions at a much lower cost.
Many business owners spend more on cybersecurity than they should. In their desire to keep data and networks protected, they are very willing to purchase many solutions that will supposedly boost their defenses. The intention is good but if it is leading to unnecessary expenses, it’s time you take a closer look. You can do this with the help of our Excessive Spending Calculator.
The Excessive Spending Calculator is a handy program that can help you pinpoint areas in your business spending that you can curtail. It can help you prioritize investments so that you can fortify your cybersecurity defenses. You can download it for free right here.
Hackers show no signs of slowing down, and any business can be a target. Make sure you are prepared for any attack by keeping your defenses in top condition, with the help of a dependable managed cybersecurity services provider. We can also answer any questions you might have about cybersecurity and other MSP services. Just say the word, and we will be right over for a free consultation!
Cutting-edge IT solutions are a top priority among businesses in today’s digital world, and it’s no big surprise. Technology continuously evolves, sometimes at a frighteningly rapid pace. You must be equipped with the latest software and hardware to achieve that business success.
Technology evolves at a rapid pace. There is no stopping the onset of new infrastructure, IT strategies, tools, or concepts that would surely be integral to business growth. It can be a struggle to try to catch up with these new advances. So instead, why not take measures to keep you a couple of steps ahead? By anticipating the changes and having the necessary solutions in place to address them, your business can maintain its forward thrust and not get caught unprepared.
In the digital era that we are in now, there is no question why reliable IT support is a must for all businesses. Recently, if you want to stay productive, competitive, secure, or relevant in your industry, you need to have the proper technology in place. Ultimately, you also need capable In-House IT professionals to handle all these tech needs.
The big question for many business owners is whether to hire an in-house team or to partner with a managed services provider. Both options have pros and cons. To make the right choice, you need to analyze the many differences carefully. To make a thorough In-House IT Guy vs Managed Service Provider comparison, let’s answer some of the most crucial questions.
An in-house employee tasked with handling the company’s IT concerns is capable of regular IT infrastructure maintenance, general software, and hardware troubleshooting, and dealing with regular technology concerns.
A managed services provider can do everything that the IT guy can do, plus a much wider scope of services and solutions. An MSP employs several highly trained experts in various IT fields, so no matter what the issue, there’s bound to be at least one individual specially trained to address your problems.
The cost of hiring an IT guy is equivalent to having an additional employee on the company’s payroll. It appears to be the more cost-effective option until you encounter a problem that is beyond your IT guy’s expertise, and that requires you to hire a third party. Furthermore, you would also have to spend on training, benefits, and even equipment for every IT professional you have on your staff.
MSP services usually come at a fixed monthly fee, the size of which would depend on the services that you need. It might be a higher cost than a single monthly salary, but it is inclusive of everything you would need. There will be no surprise expenses, which is much better in terms of budget management.
An In-House IT guy knows your systems like the back of his hand. This familiarity plus a strong understanding of your business, enables him to make sound decisions that will benefit your organization. On the other hand, their skills are limited compared to the combined skill set of an entire MSP team.
MSPs employ many IT professionals trained in diverse fields, from network management and cybersecurity to disaster recovery and cloud services. They will deploy their appropriate specialist to your company depending on your specific needs, so you will always get the best service.
Since they are just one individual, it would be difficult for them to adapt to sudden changes in the system, or to handle highly specialized projects. This can cause delays and a lack of efficiency in operations.
Scalability is one of the biggest advantages of working with an MSP. The services they offer are always flexible and can be adjusted based on the changing IT needs of your business.
Based on the In-House IT Guy vs Managed Service Provider comparison above, for most businesses, working with an MSP presents significant advantages. However, keep in mind that not all MSPs are equally reliable. Before signing up with any provider, make sure they pass all the criteria listed in our 7 Components to Auditing an IT Provider. You can download the list here for your reference.
We can help you eliminate all this unnecessary spending. Call us today!
Companies are increasingly reliant on technology for different aspects of their operations. IT has indeed come a long way and is now instrumental in the growth of many businesses, but it is still far from perfect. The more technology evolves, the more unwanted issues can arise with its use or misuse. So, how will you know these IT red flags if you do not have professional IT training?
Artificial intelligence is an incredible kind of technology that simulates human intelligence. Through machine learning, AI acquires information that enables them to perform actions that are traditionally only done by humans. This kind of technology brings vast benefits to just about everyone. But at the same time, it also presents security risks, especially to organizations and businesses. This is because a hacker can use AI and use it to wreak havoc!
Safeguarding your business' infrastructure from various threats is a well-known imperative. In discussions about network security, the term "endpoint" frequently arises. Exploring the significance of securing all endpoints is the focus of today's article.
There has been a lot of talk recently, about how hackers are leveraging AI to breach businesses. Hackers can sneak their way in more easily with these new algorithms used in social engineering.
Unfortunately, these are no longer just theoretical discussions. We have reached a point where AI-powered data breaches are actually a reality. In fact, they are among the most rapidly growing threats to businesses everywhere. Today, we will talk about some real-life examples of recent data breaches made possible through AI.
IKEA’s well-known online marketplace TaskRabbit was one of the targets of hackers using AI to breach businesses in April 2018. TaskRabbit’s primary goal is to match freelancers (Taskers) in housekeeping, moving, delivery, and similar industries with local demand (Clients). It operates on a large scale, and when the breach happened, the site had millions of registered users.
The company has found out that over 3.75 million records of Taskers and Clients were affected in the breach. Personal information and financial details were stolen. The website and the mobile app had to be shut down and taken offline for a while as the company dealt with the damage. According to investigations, the distributed denial-of-service, or DDoS, attack used an AI-enabled botnet.
Yum! Brands, was the victim of hackers using AI to breach businesses in January 2023. Initially, management thought that corporate data was the sole target of the attack, but it turned out that employee information was also compromised. An unidentified malicious actor launched a ransomware attack that led to the breach.
Many ransomware attacks that took place after the creation of AI tools leveraged AI technology to automate decisions on which data to take, as some brought more damage potential to the target business. It proved to be a good tactic, as Yum! was forced to close nearly 300 of their UK branches for several weeks.
This wireless network operator is no stranger to data breaches, having survived nine separate attacks in the last five years. Early this year, T-Mobile revealed that 37 million of its customer’s records were stolen in a breach that began in November 2022.
According to the company’s AI analysts, the threat actor used an application programming interface or API equipped with AI capabilities and could secure unauthorized access. This ultimately led to the theft and exposure of sensitive client information, including full names, contact numbers, and PINs.
In December 2023, hackers launched a targeted phishing campaign against Activision, the company that created the Call of Duty games. Hackers used AI to breach businesses like Activision and created the SMS messages used for the phishing attacks, which ultimately proved successful as one HR staff member succumbed to the bait.
But we all know that one click is all it takes because, immediately, the hacker gains access to the complete employee database. This included email addresses, phone numbers, work locations, salaries, and more. However, they were able to find a solution since Activision could find the breach early.
Because of AI tools, data breaches have become much more far-reaching today in terms of business damage as compared to years past. The total cost is also much higher, with an average expense of $4.45 million for each breach. Although hiring an AI cybersecurity expert and upgrading your system would cost money, it wouldn’t come close to the expense of the harm a cyberattack would cause.
The examples above are all real, and as you can see, they have happened to large companies. All these companies thought they had reliable security systems, or so they thought. The point is that any of us, including you, could experience a data breach, especially one that uses AI. To learn more about how hackers use AI technology, download our FREE eBook, “The Growing Role of AI in Security – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.”
Would you take the risk and just cross your fingers that you don’t become the next victim, or would you take proactive measures right now to boost your defenses and maximize your company’s protection? If you choose the latter, we are here to provide all the services you need. Just contact us so we can make sure your system is safe from AI attacks.
Data breaches are now more rampant than ever to steal personal information. Each month sees at least 150 incidents that affect businesses, and these only account for the reported cases. One reason hackers can execute data breaches so easily is because of modern technology, like artificial intelligence. While AI can help society at large, it has also been instrumental in illicit activities like stealing personal information. Here are 7 ways by which hackers are using AI to infiltrate businesses.
Artificial intelligence has evolved dramatically, and the improvements are evident. In one of its first applications, AI was used to develop a checkers program. It was a monumental achievement at the time but seems so simplistic compared to today’s AI applications. AI is an everyday tool behind many ordinary things like virtual assistants, autonomous vehicles, and chatbots. Because of this AI is now used against your employees if they are not aware.
AI has become so advanced that it is often difficult to fathom whether something is real or AI-generated. When you attempt to distinguish between real photos taken by your friend and those produced by an AI photo app, it can be quite amusing. However, this could turn dangerous, especially when hackers use it to target employees. The goal is to infiltrate a company’s system or steal confidential data. And what’s alarming is that there are several ways that this can be done.
There used to be a time when phishing emails were easily distinguishable because of their glaring grammatical errors or misplaced punctuation marks. But with AI-powered chatbots, hackers can now generate almost flawlessly written phishing emails. Not only that, but these messages can also be personalized, making it more likely for the recipient to fall victim, as they won’t suspect that the email is fake.
This is not an entirely new method of social engineering. However, it has had a much higher success rate since generative AI tools emerged, making the phishing campaign more effective. In this type of phishing attack, hackers send out emails that look like they came from the CEO or some other high-ranking official. Most employees will not question this type of authority, especially since the message looks authentic, complete with logos and signatures.
Many people are aware by now that emails can easily be faked. With the prevalence of phishing scams and similar cyberattacks, we now tend to be more vigilant when reading through our inboxes. But videos are a different thing. As the saying goes, to see is to believe. If there is a video, it must be real. There is no need to verify because it is in front of your eyes, so they would willingly volunteer sensitive information, grant unauthorized access, or whatnot. However many employees don’t realize that AI is so advanced that even these videos can now be fabricated using Deepfake technology.
Hackers are taking advantage of AI technology to execute their attacks. We can only expect these strategies to become even more aggressive as AI continues to advance. But at the same time, there are steps you can take to increase safety for your business and your employees.
Awareness is key to mitigating the risks brought by AI-based attacks. With regular cybersecurity training, you can maintain employee awareness, help them understand how AI attacks work, and equip them with the knowledge to pinpoint red flags in suspicious emails.
Employees should always be on a need-to-know basis with the company’s sensitive information to minimize the damage in the event of a data breach. The less they know, the less the cybercriminals can get out of them.
When it comes to AI, two can play the game. Cybercriminals may use AI to penetrate your system, but you can also use AI to detect such threats from a mile away. The important thing is to stay a couple of steps ahead of the enemy by ensuring that experts equip your security system with the most advanced AI tools to protect your organization and your employees.
There is a plethora of AI tools widely available to anyone, and many of these are even free. But if you want to have the most secure system possible, we strongly recommend that you seek the help of experts in AI technologies. They can give you access to the most advanced AI tools and systems. On top of that, they can customize security strategies to align with your goals.
To learn more about what you can do, watch our on-demand webinar or download our Cybersecurity E-book.
AI technology has become so powerful that it can sometimes be scary. But with the right security solutions in place, your business and your employees can stay safe. If you are ready to take the step towards higher security and more robust protective measures, let us know. We will hook you up with an expert MSP fully capable of catering to your security needs.
Artificial intelligence has brought many advantages to different aspects of modern life. This new technology allows for the fast and accurate analysis of massive amounts of data. It can eliminate task redundancy and minimize human error. Businesses have benefited from this powerful tool, as it enables them to accomplish more while using fewer resources. However, AI-powered social engineering also brings with it a plethora of new security risks.
It is an impressive bit of technology, but it is not perfect, and hackers take advantage of its vulnerabilities for their malicious purposes. Also, it didn’t take long for cybercriminals to figure out how to leverage AI tools, especially with social engineering.
Before we bring AI into the picture, let us first talk about what social engineering is and why it is considered by many to be one of the most dangerous security threats.
It is the use of manipulative or deceptive tactics to entice unwitting victims to do something they won’t normally do, like divulging sensitive information or confidential data, granting access to unauthorized entities, or performing other actions that compromise the company’s security.
Social engineering comes in many forms, the most prevalent of which is phishing. Other methods are pretexting, baiting, and CEO fraud. When using these strategies, hackers bank on human error or weaknesses in human nature. It has always been a very effective method of hacking, but now, with powerful AI tools, social engineering has climbed to an entirely new level.
Generative AI tools have taken on much of the challenge that hackers used to face with social engineering. Through a range of AI algorithms, the techniques can now be implemented faster, more efficiently, and on a much wider scale than ever before.
Before AI, phishing emails had a generic look. They would not immediately draw your attention because it looks like something standard or random. But with AI, hackers can now create highly personalized and more convincing phishing messages that are more likely to get a response from the recipients. They can gather and analyze huge amounts of data from all over the internet, which helps make the emails seem credible.
It’s certainly fun to play with apps that give you AI-generated likenesses of your photos. However, hackers will use the voice and facial recognition technology in these AI apps for their social engineering schemes. You might have a video call from someone you know, not realizing that you are talking to an AI-generated video of them. Hackers can easily do this using Deepfake technology, which not only manipulates images but audio as well.
Another capability of AI that hackers find extremely useful is to emulate human behavior. Through data analysis and machine learning, AI can create fake social media profiles, which can then spread fake news or sway public opinion. Even worse, hackers can automate all of this so it can happen quickly and result in far-reaching disastrous consequences.
When live chat features came into use, customers would chat with a live person in real time. An actual customer service representative answered your questions or would assist you with whatever concern you had. But these days, it’s likely that you are only talking to a chatbot, which can give very human-like responses. Hackers use similar chatbots, except, instead of providing information, their main goal is to gather data or deceive unsuspecting individuals.
There is no way to stop cybercriminals from using AI tools for their malicious gain, especially since these tools have proven to be very effective. Despite the rising instances of AI-powered social engineering, you can take proactive measures to keep your business secure.
Ai-powered or not, social engineering tactics are highly reliant on human negligence. So it makes sense to keep these threats under control through constant education and awareness. Businesses must conduct regular training to keep employees updated on the latest cybersecurity threats and to remind them to stay vigilant and never let their guard down.
The more layers of security you have, the harder it will be for hackers to get into your system, even if they use the most advanced AI algorithms. Multi-factor authentication gives hackers an extra hurdle to overcome when they try to get into your system.
If hackers are using AI to boost their social engineering game, there is no reason you shouldn’t use AI to enhance your company’s security solutions. With artificial intelligence, it is a two-way street. You can either fear it or use it to your advantage. If implemented properly, an AI-powered cybersecurity system can give you an impeccable defense against any attack that online criminals might throw your way.
There are multiple ways that cybercriminals can leverage AI tools for their social engineering strategies. But there are just as many ways by which you can build a formidable defense against these attacks. To learn more about what you can do, download our Cybersecurity E-book. Call us anytime so we can send you more information or schedule a free consultation!
Hacking methodologies have improved over the years. The moment a new IT program or algorithm becomes known, cybercriminals are right on it, immediately looking for ways to use these developments to their advantage. This is especially true in the realm of AI and cyber attacks.
While artificial intelligence has long been part of daily computing, recent advancements like generative AI chatbots have become a playground for hackers. Despite having robust cybersecurity strategies, many business owners may underestimate the potential threats posed by AI and cyber attacks.
Thanks to AI tools, what used to be impossible is now very easy. Writing content, generating code, and analyzing data—an untrained employee with just a few clicks can do even so. For sure, businesses can save a lot of time, energy, and staff by using these tools. But since these same tools are also accessible to hackers, businesses will face harsh security risks because of AI and cyber attacks.
Hackers have found so many ways to use AI tools to launch cyber attacks. We have already discussed this in our previous two blogs, so we will no longer go into detail. However, some of the most notable applications cybercriminals have found for AI are for writing phishing emails that look very real, tracking keyboard inputs, analyzing online data, cracking passwords, and launching automated and simultaneous attacks.
AI has basically eliminated the need for superior programming skills to be a successful hacker. Hackers can do most of the tasks within seconds, with the right strategy and using the right AI algorithms.
So now that hackers are actively using AI as a tool to penetrate even the most foolproof systems, it is not the time for companies to sit back and relax. Instead, businesses should upgrade their cybersecurity systems, ensuring that they update them enough to protect against AI-powered security risks.
The widespread use of AI systems by businesses, which is understandable, is another factor contributing to the increase in cyber attacks. With the benefits these systems offer, it would be unwise not to take advantage of them. But like anything in its early stages, AI systems are still new and have a few vulnerabilities. Because of this, they have become an easy and prevalent target for hackers.
Hackers have identified at least four methods for attacking a company’s AI system. Adversarial attacks are the most common, where an algorithm misleads a machine learning model by submitting an intentionally wrong input. Other methods are data poisoning and prompt injection, which can corrupt the system’s learning process.
Hackers favor backdoor attacks because they can infiltrate a target AI system for a very long time without the system’s security even noticing them. Backdoors are a bit more difficult to implement, but the rewards for hackers are tremendous.
Now, although AI comes with endless benefits, it also brings with it monumental security risks. It is also not a passing trend that will fade soon enough and that you can ignore. This is just the beginning. AI tools for hacking will become more destructive in the coming years. And for this reason, businesses must be concerned about these AI tools and cyber attacks.
The good news is that there are many things businesses can do to protect against security risks. If you are already using generative AI tools in your business, you must identify and contain its vulnerabilities and take steps to strengthen these areas of the system. Regular employee training is also a must, particularly about prudence in entering data into AI-powered chatbots.
It is also crucial to do data encryption when training a generative AI system for your business. Keeping data anonymous is also helpful in maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive information. Of course, your choice of AI tools is also very important. There are now so many choices available, and the tendency is to go for the cheapest one. But it is always better to spend more on a reliable tool rather than risk the security of your business for a few dollars saved.
If you want to learn more about using AI systems and protecting your business from AI and cyber attacks, we can help. Just call us and we will schedule a consultation where we can discuss your business security needs and address them accordingly. Don’t forget to Download our E-book which talks about the cybersecurity role of AI in security.
CoreTech has been serving the Kentucky area since 2006, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses. Our experience has allowed us to build and develop the infrastructure needed to keep our prices affordable and our clients up and running.
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Bowling Green, Kentucky 42104
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