Author name: Mary Ann Velasco

When 8.5 million Windows devices, including those at airlines, banks and hospitals, suddenly displayed the “Blue Screen of Death,” people began to panic. “We are under a cyber-attack!” most speculated. Fortunately, that was not the case, but the real reason behind the outage is alarming and something every business owner should be concerned about. So, What Happened? On July 19, 2024, millions of Windows devices crashed, triggering an endless reboot cycle and an unresolvable blue screen. This issue caused massive global disruptions. Airlines had to ground flights, leaving thousands of passengers stranded in airports and unable to book new routes home. Electronic health record software was knocked offline, forcing providers to cancel or delay nonemergency procedures, surgeries and medical visits. Several major banks also went offline, leaving customers unable to access their accounts. These were just some of the significant issues caused by what is now labeled the largest IT outage in history. Almost brings back those Y2K fears, doesn’t it? If It Wasn’t A Cyber-Attack, What Caused It? Many worried that the outage was due to a cybersecurity attack, but the source of the problem was a botched software update from CrowdStrike, a leading cybersecurity company. The team behind their endpoint detection and response (EDR) platform, Falcon, configured what should have been a routine sensor update. This update, specifically for Microsoft Windows, unknowingly had a flaw, and due to its tight integration with Windows OS, it resulted in widespread system crashes when it was pushed through. How could a multibillion-dollar organization release an update with such a serious flaw? Representatives for the company later explained that it was due to a gap in their testing software. The issue stemmed from a flaw in the content validator tool, which failed to detect the problem in the update, leading engineers to believe everything was ready for release. As a result, the update forced Windows systems to enter an endless reboot cycle, displaying the infamous Blue Screen of Death. As the situation unfolded, CrowdStrike immediately acted to fix the issue, but the damage was already done. Reports from insurers now estimate the outage will cost US Fortune 500 companies upward of $5.4 billion. Why Should This Concern You? This event reinforces how integrated technology is in our lives and underscores the significant impact a single software flaw can have on global IT infrastructure. When it comes to your company’s technology management, there is no substitute for having three things: Don’t wait until you’re hit with a crisis to take action. Ensure your business is prepared by partnering with an experienced IT team. We offer a FREE, no-obligation Network Assessment where our team of experts will evaluate your current systems, identify potential vulnerabilities and develop a comprehensive plan to safeguard your business against future outages. Your company’s security and continuity depend on it. Call us at 774-421-8600 or click here to book your FREE Network Assessment today!

The National Cancer Institute in Maryland recently analyzed data from three major US health studies that gathered information on people’s daily multivitamin use. They discovered that people who took daily multivitamins had a 4% higher mortality rate than those who didn’t. This surprising result echoes a scene from the movie Grumpy Old Men, where a character explains that, despite never exercising and having unhealthy habits, he has outlived many who followed strict health regimens. This highlights a crucial point: shortcuts to achieving meaningful, difficult goals often backfire. In various aspects of life, including diet, we see that seemingly easy solutions can lead to significant problems. For example, “fat-free” or “sugar-free” labels might encourage overconsumption, negating their benefits. The Atkins diet, promising easy weight loss by avoiding carbs, led to various health issues due to an imbalanced intake. Similarly, weight-loss drugs like Ozempic have resulted in serious health complications, reminding us of the dangers of quick fixes, like Fen-Phen in the 1990s. In the IT world, shortcuts are equally perilous. Many businesses attempt to meet compliance requirements or protect themselves from data breaches by taking the easiest, cheapest routes. It’s a common mistake to rely on free antivirus or firewall software found through a quick search, underestimating the risks. Small businesses often believe they are too insignificant to be targeted, but cybercriminals target precisely these businesses, knowing they are less likely to have robust protections in place. Another frequent error is entrusting IT management to an acquaintance or someone with basic tech knowledge but lacking professional expertise. When businesses upgrade to professional IT services, numerous inefficiencies and vulnerabilities are typically discovered. The issue is not the intent but the lack of necessary skills and resources, which significantly increases risk. Not all shortcuts are detrimental, though. Entrusting IT matters to an experienced managed services provider can be the optimal “easy button.” By partnering with professionals who understand your industry and its specific requirements, you can achieve compliance, security and operational efficiency without the associated stress. Choosing the right IT provider is crucial. History shows us that experts can be convincing even when wrong, as demonstrated by past medical practices like lobotomies or financial scams like Madoff’s Ponzi scheme. Therefore, it’s vital to thoroughly vet potential IT partners, ask pertinent questions and seek testimonials from other clients. When deciding which IT provider to let handle your network, take it seriously and don’t blindly follow anyone’s advice. It’s not your responsibility to know every technical thing that needs to happen with your network, but it is your job to ask questions, request testimonials from other clients and hire someone trustworthy. Your company’s security, reputation and, possibly, future depend on you not letting the wrong person come in and muck up your business. That’s one of the reasons I created a FREE guide that you can get here that lists out 16 questions you need to ask anyone before you let them touch your network. It’s a great resource for every business owner to have. If you’re ready to hand off your IT to a reliable team of experts, our team of experts is ready to manage your network so you can focus on growing your business while we focus on what we do best: protecting it. (You can even check our website for real client reviews!) To get started and find out what you need, give us a call at 774-241-8600 or click here to book your FREE Cyber Security Risk Assessment now.

If the software your organization used to close deals and pay employees unexpectedly went down and you had no idea when it would be fixed, what would you do? Could you continue doing business? How much money would you lose? Unfortunately, in June, this happened to over 15,000 US- and Canada-based car dealerships when two cyber-attacks occurred on the popular industry software provider, CDK Global. This software attack shut down the sales, financing and payroll systems for thousands of dealers, forcing them to either stop business or revert to the old-fashioned pen-and-paper method. This incident should be a wake-up call for all small business owners, highlighting the importance of robust cybersecurity measures. What Happened? The initial attack occurred on the evening of Tuesday, June 18. Once it was detected, CDK Global immediately took the correct action, bringing the entire system offline to investigate the issue. The system was up and running again the following day until a second incident occurred, which resulted in the company bringing the system back offline. It’s thought the system was brought back online prematurely, before all compromised areas were discovered, resulting in a second attack. Cybersecurity experts are saying it could be weeks before the system is back to being fully operational. While some businesses were able to revert to manual processes, this incident highlights the vulnerabilities that come with relying on digital systems. In our ever-advancing digital world, where most transactions are a couple of clicks away, significant issues arise when systems go offline. Critical parts of the business process, such as completing transactions, managing payroll and interacting with financial institutions, can come to a standstill. This means that until the systems are back online, many business operations cannot be fully completed, leading to delays and potential financial losses. Business owners know that there is no sale until the check clears the bank! So, What’s Next? CDK Global didn’t disclose the exact cause of the attack. Whether that was intentional or they are still unsure remains to be seen. Their security team will need to meticulously comb over every area of the business to determine exactly what was compromised. It’s often difficult for large companies to get the details about cyber-attacks 100% correct after the first review because they may not be able to determine the extent of an attack’s network penetration if there are multiple points of vulnerability. In the meantime, businesses need to take a hard look at their systems for selling and operational continuity. Will they be prepared to continue doing business if and when this happens again? This incident should serve as a wake-up call for all business leaders. If you don’t have a business recovery and continuity plan in place, you’re putting yourself at risk. And if you do, you need to ask yourself if it is high-quality, tested often and able to handle a large-scale attack where multiple operational systems are disabled. If the answer is no, it’s time to do something about it. We’ll do a FREE Security Risk Assessment that will achieve two important things: To get started, call our office at 774-241-8600 or click here to book your FREE Security Risk Assessment now.

A recent report from Check Point Research revealed a shocking statistic – the Microsoft-owned business platform LinkedIn is impersonated in nearly half of all phishing attacks globally. One of the ways scammers leverage LinkedIn to deploy their phishing attack is when they zero in on anyone seeking a new job or career change. While e-mails like “You have 1 new invitation” or “Your profile has been viewed by 63 people” can be authentic, it’s critical to verify the e-mail address it’s sent from to ensure that it’s genuinely from LinkedIn. These impersonators will send e-mails that look identical to the real ones, with links to fake LinkedIn pages that will rip off your information as soon as you enter it. Another way cybercriminals leverage LinkedIn is by creating fake profiles and messaging people about job opportunities. Once you’re on the hook, they’ll either ask for a small payment upfrontto process your application (that you’ll never see again) or send you a link to a form you must fill out that’s actually a phishing link in disguise. LinkedIn is aware of the problem and is working on developing advanced security features to protect its users. Here are three of the current security features it has already deployed:

The recent global outage of Microsoft services, caused by a faulty software update from CrowdStrike, served as a stark reminder of how vulnerable even the largest tech giants can be to unexpected disruptions. Airlines, businesses, and countless individuals relying on Microsoft’s vast ecosystem felt the ripple effects, highlighting the interconnected nature of our digital world. The Importance of Incident Response Plans While the outage is mostly resolved, the incident underscored the critical need for comprehensive incident response plans. These plans, often overlooked or underestimated, provide a roadmap for organizations to navigate crises efficiently and minimize downtime. A well-structured incident response plan includes: Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) at Risk If a tech giant like Microsoft can be disrupted, the potential consequences for small and medium businesses (SMBs) are even more significant. SMBs often lack the resources and infrastructure to recover quickly from outages, making them more vulnerable to financial losses and reputational damage. Developing a comprehensive incident response plan is not a luxury for SMBs; it’s a necessity. By investing in preparedness, SMBs can: Moving Forward The Microsoft outage serves as a valuable lesson for all organizations. By developing and regularly updating incident response plans, businesses of all sizes can mitigate the impact of future disruptions and ensure their continued success in an increasingly interconnected digital landscape. Key Takeaways: Let’s not wait for the next outage to take action. Let’s make incident response planning a top priority today.