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Multi-factor Authentication Demystified You have probably come across the term multi-factor authentication of late. It is an IT buzzword today and is fast becoming one of the best practices of cybersecurity. So, what is multi-factor authentication, exactly? Read this blog to find out. Multi-factor authentication, as fancy as the term sounds, is just multiple barriers to data access which adds to the security component. In simple terms, imagine, your data in a box and that box fit into another, and then into another--all with locks. It is basically adding layers of security to your data. In fact, we are already experiencing multi-factor authentication on a regular basis. For example, when you want to make a transaction online using your banking portal, chances are, it sends you an OTP (one-time-password) to your mobile number that’s registered with your bank. Some banking portals also ask you for the grid numbers on the back of your debit card, some online transactions using credit card...

4 Lesser-known benefits of hiring an MSP You are probably aware of the most common benefits of signing up with an MSP such as On-demand IT support: Having an MSP ensures that you get priority IT support when you need it. Scalable IT infrastructure: With an MSP by your side, you can scale your staff structure up or down without worrying about the IT aspect of it. Need to add 20 people to your workforce? You focus on the hiring, while your MSP will work out the IT logistics Lower IT costs: Overall, having an MSP gives you a lot of cost savings vis-a-vis having an IT team in-house. Even if you have an IT team in-house, you can have them work in tandem with your MSP for the best results. Or, have them focus on research and optimization of your IT environment instead of focusing on mundane tasks like backups or software updates. But, here are a few more benefits that are often overlooked. IT analysis An MSP has the expertise needed to analyze your IT infrastructure and identi...

Dark web monitoring: What you need to know The dark web is essentially a marketplace for cyber criminals. If your data has been compromised, the dark web is the place where it is traded. It could be sold by miscreants, to miscreants, who can later hack into your system or extort money from you to prevent a data leak and so on. What can be the implications for your organization if you are on the dark web? If your data is on the dark web, it puts your business and your customers at risk. For example, as a business, you possess a lot of the Personally Identifiable Information (PII) of your customers, which, if leaked can even shut down your business by Attracting lawsuits that require you to shell out large sums of money in the form of fines or settlements Causing serious damage to your brand Resulting in the loss of customers and new business What are dark web monitoring services? One way to mitigate the risks of the dark web is by signing up for dark web monitoring services....

The dark web: An introduction Have you come across the term, dark web, recently? As a business, you might have heard that you need to keep your data safe from the dark web. So, what is the dark web anyway? Read on to find out… What is the dark web? The cybercrime landscape is evolving fast. The “Nigerian” email scams are now old. Cybercriminals are smarter and more organized now--almost functioning like professionals. In fact, there’s a sort of a parallel universe where they all operate in a very corporate-like manner. And that parallel universe is called the Dark Web. The surface web, the deep web and the dark web Essentially, the internet can be categorized into 3 parts. The surface web, which includes your ‘regular’ websites--the kinds that just show up on web searches. For example, you type, Dog Videos and links to a bunch of dog videos on YouTube shows up. YouTube, in this case, is an example of the surface web. The deep web, which shows up in web searches, but requires yo...

5 Important IT checklists that no SMB should miss: Part-2 In our last blog, we discussed 2 of the 5 important IT checklists that every SMB should have. In this post, we cover the other 3, namely, IT training, Data Backup, and BYOD checklists. IT Training checklist Your IT staff is not the only one who needs IT training. Everyone in your office does. An IT training checklist serves as a good process document for any new staff or for any staff working on new hardware or software. Following the IT training checklist can help cut down the learning curve, and ensures the hardware/software is leveraged in the best possible way, thus making your staff more efficient. Here’s what your IT training checklist can offer. Rules and regulations regarding software and hardware use Links to user manuals/instruction videos with how-tos for the software and hardware in use Information about whom to contact if there’s a need for troubleshooting Training schedules for each hardware/softwar...