10 Signs That Your Small Business Needs IT Services (Part 2) 1 Apr 2021, 9:35 pm

Welcome to Part 2 of our exploration into the 10 most common warning signs that your small business needs managed IT services in New York City. If you haven’t read Part One, you can click right here to get caught up. Once you’ve done that, continue reading here!

Making Time for Your Technology Needs is a Burden

As a business owner, the bulk of your energies should be going towards running your business, not fixing your network’s connectivity issues. By letting an outside company handle your IT needs, you can lift the burden off of your shoulders and focus on your own role as a company leader. We can handle as much or as little of your IT services that you need, and we’ll always be available — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Regular Downtime

Downtime is a business killer. When you don’t have someone looking out for the IT aspects of your company, it’s only a matter of time before something brings your company’s systems to a screeching halt. Downtime is business going down the drain, and it can be damaging to your business’s reputation, weakening customer trust in your business and making repeat business less likely. 

Your company can do better than tackle symptoms as they pop up, only to have systems fail again and again because of a failure to address the root problem. We can diagnose what is causing these problems that result in downtime and fix them so they don’t happen over and over again.

Insufficient IT Staff

This may not be what you want to hear, but having one “computer guy” on your staff that sort of knows their way around technology simply isn’t enough to protect your company from the breadth of threats to your business. Perhaps having one IT person on staff worked when your company was just starting, but as your business grows, so do your IT needs. If your company has outgrown its IT resources, it’s time to invest in a partnership with managed IT services from Five Nines Consulting. Our team has decades of combined experience, and we can bring all of our expertise to your business when and where you need us. 

Non-Existent IT Personnel

If you’ve made it this far in your business having no IT personnel in any capacity, consider yourself incredibly lucky. Unfortunately, as we’ve seen time and time again, it’s only a matter of time before a system fails, data is lost, or your network is attacked by a bad actor. When that happens, your company’s future could be in jeopardy if you don’t have the proper IT resources to come to your aid. Having zero IT personnel to serve your business is simply a waiting game for catastrophic failure. 

Lack of Preventative Maintenance

Some companies do an okay job of handling problems as they pop up — essentially just putting out fires as they flare up. While this may work in the short term, it makes a lot more sense to invest in preventative maintenance to avoid problems from happening in the first place. In addition to providing IT services, Five Nines can also train you and your staff to recognize vulnerabilities and create strategies to protect your business. Problems that are entirely avoided are much easier to deal with and could save you thousands of dollars on the bottom line. 

Security Issues

We’re cybersecurity experts. When you work with us, we’ll always be at the top of our game, ensuring that you have all of the latest protections installed, that your staff is properly trained, and that the likelihood of a security breach is minimal.

Hire IT Services You Can Trust in New York City

If you experience even one of these warning signs, then it’s time to consider hiring Five Nines Consulting as your managed IT services provider. We want to see your company thrive, and for that to happen, you need to have an experienced IT service on your side. Contact us today to schedule an assessment of your company’s needs today! We look forward to working with you.

The post 10 Signs That Your Small Business Needs IT Services (Part 2) appeared first on Five Nines Consulting.

The Benefits of Hiring an IT Consultant in Long Island 25 Feb 2021, 3:54 pm

Throughout New York and Long Island, there are so many small business owners trying to wear all of the hats that keep their doors open — a business owner may also be the head of HR, in charge of payroll, or in many cases, their own IT specialist. The result of this over-extension is that many small businesses suffer as their leaders are spread too thin, and the company’s cybersecurity and tech infrastructure become vulnerable because of a lack of expertise. 

As a business owner in Long Island, you should only have to focus on leading a company and overseeing the general day-to-day activities of which that role entails. While bringing on a full-time, in-house IT team may not be feasible for most small businesses, what is feasible is delegating some of those other hats to other teams. That’s where Five Nines Consulting comes in! We specialize in helping small and medium-sized businesses throughout New York City and Long Island, offering comprehensive IT services on a budget that makes sense and is affordable. Today, we’d like to explore 10 reasons why it’s a great idea to hire an IT consulting firm to help manage your small business’ needs.

You’re Free to Focus On Your Business

No matter what type of small business is being run, that business’s employees will always function better when they are allowed to focus on their core competencies. Whether you’re talking about educators, physicians, lawyers, offices, etc. — all of those employees live up to their full potential when they can focus on doing what they do best. Very few small business owners also happen to be fluent in IT services. Because of that, it can be incredibly frustrating for business owners to navigate modern information technology, or to even bother with the cost of such a safeguard. By hiring an IT consultant to take on that role, you and your employees can narrow their focus to their core job and increase your bottom line.

Take Advantage of a Specialist On Your Side

Five Nines Consulting is comprised entirely of IT specialists. Many tech-minded people can be helpful when a printer starts acting up, but they may not know their way around cloud-based services that can help reduce unnecessary on-site infrastructure. An experienced team of IT consultants can and has handled several advanced projects like this, and can offer their expertise where it falls short on your existing team. When you know that your company’s IT services are being taken care of by a team of specialists, you can enjoy the peace of mind that comes with it, and drastically increase your business’s likelihood of success.

Gain an Outside Perspective On Your Operations

It’s possible that your existing IT structures worked fantastically… 10 years ago. As technology advances, it certainly has the potential to be disruptive in both businesses and society in general. Processes that may have been effective a decade ago just won’t cut it today. Hiring an outside consultant can help your small business gain a new perspective that allows you to take advantage of their expertise in supporting a variety of projects. Let a company like Five Nines help your business grow and improve your overall efficiency. 

Achieve Maximum Cost-Effectiveness

The cost of maintaining an in-house IT team can rule out that option for many small businesses, as it includes paying salary, providing benefits, a workspace, and a laundry list of other expenses. Consultants, however, can maintain your IT framework off-site and are often hired to manage particular tasks, allowing for more cost-effective and efficient use of your time and money.

Optimize Your Security

Small businesses are the targets for well over 60% of all cyberattacks in the United States and of those businesses affected by a cyberattack, nearly two-thirds of them go out of business within six months. When you have an IT consultant who specializes in cybersecurity in charge of assessing and maintaining your network by identifying vulnerabilities, establishing security protocols, and developing recovery plans, you give yourself a major competitive edge. Our specialists can also train and educate your employees to identify security risks to help prevent attacks or accidental data loss. 

Improve Company Productivity and Efficiency

Finding technology solutions to increase company productivity is part of our job! As IT specialists, we can provide file server services, cloud solutions, email protection, disaster recovery protocols, virtualization, and so much more. We can provide and manage the tools your company needs to increase efficiency and productivity.

Insight from Experience and Expertise

With combined decades of experience on our side, Five Nines can assess your company’s practices and help you determine what technologies are working and which ones need to be updated or eliminated. We can confidently recommend an IT solution that fits your business the best, as well as have the clout to implement all of those solutions. 

Gain Access to a Wider Breadth of Tech Knowledge

As a small business owner, when you hire an IT consultant you gain access to all of their expertise without committing to the expenses of hiring a full-time, in-house IT staff. With this dynamic, even small businesses can take advantage of the level of expertise that usually is only afforded to large businesses. We can handle just about everything in the world of IT, whether it’s cybersecurity, cloud migration, mobile platforms, disaster recovery, or managing remote working conditions.

Attract and Retain Employees

Most employees appreciate doing the job they were hired to do. Many small businesses make the mistake of trying to delegate IT responsibilities to employees that have little or no knowledge of the required tasks. Your accountant was hired as your bookkeeper, not your networking specialist. IT consultants like Five Nines can solve these efficiency problems and implement the right solutions, which in turn will help you retain employees who may otherwise become frustrated when tasks not suited to them are thrust upon them. 

Total IT Management

In-house IT teams are just another team for you to manage as a business owner, and that includes accommodating them for paid time off, benefits, bonuses, and more. Those types of costs and time commitments don’t come into play when you hire an IT consulting firm in Long Island. We manage our own team, whose singular mission is helping your small business succeed. 

Five Nines IT Solutions in Long Island

If you’re ready to change the way your small business handles its IT responsibilities, and if you’re ready to take off your IT specialist hat and hand it to a professional, contact Five Nines Consulting. We can assess your Long Island business’s needs and construct a plan that works for you and your budget. Contact us today to get started!

The post The Benefits of Hiring an IT Consultant in Long Island appeared first on Five Nines Consulting.

The Importance of IT Security Consulting for Small Business 19 Jan 2021, 4:53 pm

5 Reasons IT Security Consulting Matters for Small Businesses

One of the biggest challenges facing small and medium-sized businesses in New York is having the resources, time, or available expertise to defend against the latest cyber threats. As a small business owner, your plate is full of all of the responsibilities defined by that title, and sometimes that includes being your own IT professional. This shouldn’t be the way you’re forced to operate. Running your business is already a full-time position, and worrying about the state of your company’s IT defenses shouldn’t be something you need to take on alone. That’s where Five Nines Consulting comes in — it’s our mission to provide the small businesses in Long Island and the surrounding areas of New York City with IT security solutions that are tailored to your budget and needs. 

Not every business can afford to have a full-time in-house IT security team. With Five Nines, you can have all of the benefits of an in-house team without the added expense of providing a full-time salary. We work with several small businesses to provide customized plans of IT solutions, including IT security systems. In addition to taking the burden of IT services off of your own shoulders, consider these five reasons for utilizing our IT consulting services:

Security Assessment & Plan of Action

The cyber landscape is ever-changing and evolving, and staying ahead of the latest threats requires a team of professionals that is well-versed in tracking and defending against these attacks. Our team at Five Nines can perform security assessments for your business to analyze new risks, potential threats, and existing vulnerabilities that could harm your technology infrastructure. 

In our role as IT security consultant, we’re able to assess and address several things for your company:

• Your ability to detect and respond to cyber threats
• The physical security architecture and its weak points
• Effectiveness of security policies in regards to your company’s security strategy
• Formulate a comprehensive security solution to meet your business goals

Our role as IT security consultants for your company reach much further than these four bullet points, but they should provide you with an overall view of what our focus will be as IT service providers, and that we’re able to evolve and adapt your IT system to prevent attacks and remain secure.

Get the Most Protection for Your Investment

The first thing that many business owners think when they hear the words “security services” is “how much is this going to cost me?” Improperly managed IT services can be a money sink — however, IT security solutions, when properly scaled for return on investment (ROI), can be a business accelerator. What your business’s CEO or board of directors are really looking for is a provable ROI that shows IT security services are a worthwhile pursuit (and with our rates at Five Nines, that won’t be a hard sell.) 

Having a security consulting team working with your business means that you’ll have professionals that can build long-term security pathways that accelerate a proper ROI. Five Nines does this by working closely and continuously with your business to understand your goals, objectives, and other factors that help to advance your company. We can align your objectives to a specific IT solution that addresses all of the latest cybersecurity threats, including up-to-date antivirus protection, cloud solutions, and more.

Supplement Your In-House IT Services

If you happen to already have an in-house team, it is likely that they have their hands full with other current projects. In these instances, our IT security consulting professionals can act as a supplement and provide reasonable solutions for your business to prevent modern threats. 

We can offer specialized IT services, including security architecture, cyber threat detection, and prompt response to cyberattack incidents. Consultants have the advantage of having worked with hundreds of different clients over a number of years and have a firm grasp on the latest in security technology. With our breadth of experience, we can develop a security strategy that is tailor-made for your business’s unique environment and needs. 

Regulation Compliance

IT security consulting firms should be superheroes to small businesses, especially when it comes to dealing with the spectrum of regulations and compliance measures that are required from entities with large acronyms for names. This includes compliance with HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability), FISMA (Federal Information Security Management Act), GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard), and several others. 

As technology changes, so do the compliance and regulation requirements that may impact your business. An IT security consulting firm can help to translate and manage these requirements and provide a roadmap for doing so.

Seasoned Defense from Modern Cyber Attacks

With decades of experience in cybersecurity and addressing cyber threats, Five Nines Consulting is well-versed in determining the proper remedies for risks and vulnerabilities for your small New York business. Having a knowledgeable cybersecurity team on your side will go a long way toward helping you feel confident that you’ve lowered your overall risk of attack. 

The fact that you’re reading this is evidence that you know IT cybersecurity is essential, but the real question is when or how you’ll face a security incident in the future, and is it worth the investment. Our security consulting services will help your company reach a mature security environment, which is something that many small businesses don’t take advantage of. We know the damage that can be done to companies that are ill-prepared for a cyberattack — it’s for this reason that we’re determined to help ensure that your business is prepared for and can survive such a security violation. In the end, it could make all the difference. 

Five Nines IT Security Consulting In New York City

Contact our team in NYC today to speak to a professional IT consultant! We look forward to protecting your small business for years to come.

The post The Importance of IT Security Consulting for Small Business appeared first on Five Nines Consulting.

The Top Cybersecurity Risks for NYC Businesses 17 Dec 2020, 9:31 pm

Small Businesses Are Easy Cybersecurity Targets

Small- and medium-sized businesses in New York, whether they are new or old, usually rely on a variety of technology products and equipment to operate effectively. These types of products and services include devices like smartphones and tablets, personal computers, and cloud-based systems. The data that is contained within these items or systems is a potential goldmine for cybercriminals — information like customer and employee data or proprietary documents or designs. When you have a basic understanding of the cybersecurity threats that exist in today’s business marketplace, you’ll be better prepared to protect your digital information, property, and your small business. That’s where Five Nines Consulting’s cybersecurity services come in!

It’s important not to fall for the misconception that just because you own a smaller business it is less likely to fall victim to cyber threats. While large corporations often make headlines when a data breach occurs, far more often it is small businesses that are impacted the hardest by digital attacks. With that in mind, here are five of the most common cyber threats that you need to be aware of if you’re a business owner in NYC.

Ransomware

Malicious software, or “malware,” is a tool used by cybercriminals to wreak havoc on small businesses. There is a subset of malware, called “ransomware,” which is very common. Ransomware is malicious software that attempts to infiltrate your data and encrypt it without your knowledge. A cybercriminal will then seek to extort your business for a ransom in order to release a decryption code. Very commonly, ransomware is downloaded without a user’s knowledge through a seemingly innocent email. 

Phishing Schemes

Many small businesses fall victim to phishing schemes. “Phishing” is a malicious attempt by a cybercriminal to acquire sensitive information about your company or personal data by posing as a trusted contact or entity, like a regularly used online service or banking site. Phishing schemes are notorious because they are often very convincing, often using professional-looking online forms that may even have official company logos and identical verbiage compared to a legitimate site. Thankfully, these ploys are often undermined by spam filters and a healthy amount of skepticism about unsolicited or unexpected emails. 

Data Leaks and Breaches

Before the advent of the smart device, it was relatively easy to keep sensitive data within the confines of your business. Because of the widespread use of such devices in today’s society, however, the risk of data leaks due to carelessness with personal devices is at an all-time high. The inherently portable design of such devices makes storing and transferring data incredibly convenient, but also leaves them exposed to external threats. Personal awareness and proactivity about your devices are crucial first steps to keeping data safe. For example, set passcodes for devices, enable remote wiping capabilities in case a device is lost, use verified private networks (VPNs) to encrypt your data, and never leave your devices or documents unattended and unlocked. 

Malicious Hacking

While the Hollywood version of hacking seems very advanced, with a hooded figure furiously clicking away at a keyboard, the reality is much more straightforward. Criminal hackers can still find plenty of valuable data through relatively simple means, including tricking employees into revealing usernames and passwords. When you have an IT service on your side, most instances of hacking can be avoided. This is possible through setting up adequate firewalls, installing data access security measures, and establishing procedures for providing and removing access privileges. 

Insider Threats and Vulnerabilities

While it is certainly possible that a disgruntled employee may intentionally leak sensitive data for personal profit, it is much more likely that such valuable information is leaked entirely by mistake. This is where proper technology training and cyberthreat awareness training comes into play. The first step to avoiding accidental data loss is to educate your entire staff in order to minimize accidents. Secondly, it’s prudent to limit how much of your company’s sensitive data your employees have access to. As a general rule, employees should only have access to the minimum amount of data necessary to complete their roles — anything beyond that poses unnecessary risks.

What If You Believe Your Company’s Data Has Been Breached?

If you discover that your business has been breached by a malicious data breach, there are some vital first steps that you can take to minimize the damage as much as possible. 

• Immediately change passwords to new, stronger passwords
• Contact your company’s bank and/or credit card providers
• Carefully communicate to all involved parties, including affected clients so that they may take appropriate protective action
• Document all of the actions you perform

Protect Your NYC Business from Cyberthreats With Five Nines Consulting

IT solutions are our bread and butter. Our mission as an IT consulting company is to help small- and medium-sized businesses throughout New York protect themselves from looming cyberthreats. You’ve worked hard to build your business from the ground up, and you need a cybersecurity team that can move faster than cybercriminals. We bring decades of experience in cybersecurity compliance with every client we take on, with an aggressive dedication to keeping your business safe. As leading security experts, we offer actionable steps to keep your business safe by providing services like:

• Vulnerability assessments
• Defense testing
• Breach simulations
• Risk and compliance management
• Education and awareness
• Identity and access management
• Perform research on cybersecurity standards, systems, and validation
• Design optimal security architectures
• Deliver technical reports and results of security testing
• Offer professional guidance
• Regularly update and/or upgrade security systems

Thanks to our full menu of cybersecurity services, you’ll be free to focus on growing your business and fulfilling the potential of your brand without having to worry about cyber threats. Contact Five Nines Consulting in New York City today to schedule your cybersecurity assessment!

The post The Top Cybersecurity Risks for NYC Businesses appeared first on Five Nines Consulting.

The Benefits of Cloud Solutions in NYC (Part 2) 16 Nov 2020, 6:33 pm

Cloud Solutions for Your Small Business

Welcome to Part 2 of Five Nines Consulting’s deep dive into the benefits of cloud-based solutions for small businesses. If you haven’t already, we’d like to invite you to read Part 1 here. At Five Nines Consulting in New York City, it is our singular goal to provide small- and medium-sized businesses with the same quality of IT solutions that big companies have access to, and provide it in such a way that it’s financially possible and sustainable. That said, let’s continue to explore the benefits that a cloud-based IT solution will provide to your business. 

Collaboration Facilitation 

Cloud computing services make in-house collaboration simpler than ever before. Via the cloud, your company members can share and view information easily and securely. Your employees can work as if they are in the same room together, even if they are separated by miles, cities, or entire continents. 

Quality Control in Your Hands

Consistency is key to staying organized and maintaining a high standard of quality in any business. In a cloud-based computing system, all documents are stored in a single location and in a uniform format. When all authorized personnel has access to the same documents, it’s much simpler to maintain consistency, avoid errors, and have a concise history of revisions. 

Disaster Recovery Measures

This is something that we at Five Nines feel the need to emphasize — if you’re not adequately investing in disaster recovery measures, you’re doing your business a great disservice. Even with the most robust security systems in place, unforeseen events can occur that are completely outside of your control, and systems can fail. Such downtimes can result in damage to your productivity, your revenue, and your reputation.

While disasters will most certainly occur at some point, the effectiveness of your aftermath strategy is what will save the day. Cloud-based services provide fast data recovery in almost any emergency scenario, often in as little as a few hours. The same cannot be said for companies that do not have such measures in place. 

Prevent Loss of Critical Data

Absent a cloud-based solution, all of your company’s valuable data is stored solely in the on-site office computers. Most days, this won’t be a problem — until it is. Should your equipment suffer a hardware malfunction, either through computer viruses, age, human error, or even theft, you could be up the creek without a paddle. Without a cloud backup, your company is at risk of losing the entirety of your stored data. A cloud solution completely rectifies this problem. 

Regular Software Updates for Security

How often have you started up your software, only to be greeted with a software update notification? How many times have you clicked “remind me later?” Cloud-based applications automatically refresh and auto-update themselves on a regular basis, meaning that you won’t need to spend valuable time waiting for a program to update.

Competitive Edge for Your Small Business

Being a small business owner, you are probably familiar with other businesses wanting to “keep everything local.” While that is every company owner’s choice to make, the advent of cloud services puts those companies at a distinct technological and competitive disadvantage. The earlier that your company adopts advanced tech, the further along the innovation curve your company will be by the time your competitors follow suit. 

Sustainable Solution

A real action plan for sustainability requires that businesses do everything they can to address wastefulness at every level. Cloud-based hosting is environmentally friendly and leaves an exponentially smaller carbon footprint than traditional methods of data storage. Using a cloud service means less reliance on hardware and paper, improved efficiency in energy usage, and a reduction in computer-based emissions. 

Cloud Services in New York City and Beyond

We hope that this exploration into the benefits of cloud services for your small business has made it clear how Five Nines Consulting can help your company thrive in the digital age. For your free company assessment, contact us today and we’ll get started providing you all the IT tools that you need to be protected in the modern era. We provide our services in and around New York City, including Mineola and Larchmont. We look forward to speaking with you!

The post The Benefits of Cloud Solutions in NYC (Part 2) appeared first on Five Nines Consulting.

The Benefits of Cloud Solutions in NYC (Part 1) 16 Nov 2020, 6:26 pm

Custom Cloud Computing Solutions for Your Small Business

Although cloud-based computing solutions have been a part of the business landscape since the early 2000s, many smaller businesses have continued to try and make do without it. In an ever-evolving economic climate, the inability to have access to these types of tools can put smaller businesses at a huge disadvantage compared to their larger competitors. 

At Five Nines Consulting in New York City, it is our singular goal to provide small- and medium-sized businesses with the same quality of IT solutions that big companies have access to, and provide it in such a way that it’s financially possible and sustainable. In this two-part article, we’d like to explain just a few of the ways that cloud-based computing solutions can help your business thrive, even in strange and uncertain economic times like the current one we find ourselves occupying. 

Big-Budget Protection at a Small Business Price

The biggest hurdle for most small businesses seeking enhanced IT solutions, including cloud services, is cut and dry — the cost. Most small businesses can’t afford to hire an in-house IT team. Here’s the good news — Five Nines Consulting’s mission is to accommodate these very businesses. We can provide the same caliber of IT services that large companies have access to without having to be on your payroll, and at a fraction of the cost. Five Nines is also able to custom-create your cloud solution, which means that you don’t have to pay for a bunch of features that your business has no need for. Your solution will be handcrafted, so to speak, for your unique business needs. This will save you money overall, and make your return on investment all the more apparent. 

Enhanced Security

Some businesses are apprehensive in general to adopt cloud-based services for security concerns. That apprehension is understandable — after all, it means that files, programs, and other company data won’t be stored on-site, but rather digitally. How can you be certain that your company data is secure? Thankfully, there are actually several reasons that should instill confidence in cloud-based solutions.

First of all, as providers of your company’s cloud systems, the majority of our focus will be monitoring security. Additionally, since our clients are small and medium-sized businesses, it’s easier to narrow our focus and detect problems early. 

As far as concerns of external data theft occurring, you may actually be surprised to find that the majority of data theft instances occur internally by employees, not externally by cyber thieves. In fact, based on a study of small businesses, 94% saw an improvement in their security confidence after switching to cloud services, and almost as many found it easier to comply with government requirements. Our encryption measures make it so that it’s much easier to control who has access to what data, and much more difficult for your important data to fall into the wrong hands. 

Business Flexibility

As a small business owner, you shouldn’t have to add IT security measures to your plate of responsibilities. You should be able to focus on your role as a business owner, developing relationships with customers, and managing the day-to-day operations of your company. You probably didn’t start your business with the intention of being your own full-time IT squad. Using a service like Five Nines Consulting to handle your IT solutions will provide you with the flexibility you need to direct your energies where they’re most effective.

Business Mobility

Cloud computing is a godsend in the age of mobility and the remote workforce. When facing large-scale setbacks, like a worldwide pandemic, for example, more workforces have been switching to working remotely. Cloud services allow employees to have access to company data via smartphones and devices no matter where they are, ensuring that everyone stays on the same page. With cloud computing, information is accessible to all networked individuals no matter where they are.

Unprecedented Insight

Cloud services offer another invaluable asset — unprecedented analytics and insights. With cloud solutions, a bird’s eye view of company data is available to you, providing vast amounts of actionable data, allowing for increased efficiency and the ability to adjust your business strategies in real-time. 

Unbeatable Cloud Security in NYC

Cloud computing in New York City offers unbeatable scalability, speed, and security. The key is to have an IT team that can do it right. Offering more than 20 years of experience with IT services, Five Nines Consulting has the skill to create customized cloud solutions that are tailor-made for you and your business. To schedule an assessment of your business needs, or to ask any questions regarding the IT services that we offer, contact us today! We’d also like to invite you to continue reading in Part 2 of this exploration of the benefits of cloud-based solutions. 

The post The Benefits of Cloud Solutions in NYC (Part 1) appeared first on Five Nines Consulting.

Why IT Disaster Recovery is Important for Your Small Business 10 Jul 2020, 5:32 pm

Prepare Your Business to Withstand the Unpredictable

As a small business owner in New York, we’re sure that you’ve heard all sorts of tales of other businesses encountering a disaster where catastrophic data loss occurred, costing thousands of dollars in damages or customer loss. This is why it is absolutely critical that you defend your business with a reliable IT disaster recovery plan because that’s the nature of disasters — so often, you never see them coming until it’s too late.

According to statistics from the NFIB Research Foundation, disasters caused by human action affect 10% of all small businesses, and natural disasters have an impact on nearly a third of them. The scary truth is that something as simple as a power outage could put your entire company at risk without the proper safeguards. With this data in mind, the possibility of your business being at risk is not a question of if it could happen, but when.

Five Nines Consulting specializes in helping small and medium-sized businesses in New York City create disaster recovery plans, and at a price that has these types of businesses in mind — especially those that can’t afford to have an IT team on staff full-time. Here are several reasons why it’s vital that you consider safeguarding your business with our IT services:

Hardware Fails

As technology advances, the dependability of the machinery that goes into keeping your company’s data safe progresses with it, but no machine is perfect. Hard drives can fail or internet connections can go haywire. When these things happen — and remember, statistically it’s very likely they will happen — having an IT data recovery plan in place is the only way to help ensure that your services to customers aren’t interrupted or that important data is not lost forever.

People Make Mistakes

Most people know all too well how easy it is to make a simple mistake that has big consequences. Have you ever accidentally deleted an important document, resulting in the complete loss of hours of work or important customer data? It happens to even the most experienced worker. With a disaster recovery plan, your company can take advantage of online data backups that let you basically turn back the clock and restore your files that otherwise would be lost to the digital ether. This also includes making sure your business’s firewalls, anti-virus protocols, and anti-spyware software is current and maintained. Having these sorts of safety redundancies in place, where safety components are checked, then rechecked, are almost always the best solutions to prevent human error. 

Your Customers Expect Perfect Performance

You don’t need us to tell you that competition in small businesses in New York is fierce. Where there is competition, there are other businesses that would jump at the opportunity to swipe away your customers. The last thing you want to worry about is giving your customers a reason to go to a competitor because of an issue that could’ve been prevented. When you offer dependable, uninterrupted services, your customer base is much less likely to wander elsewhere. 

Retaining Customers vs. Re-Acquiring Customers

Small businesses know that it is much more cost-effective to keep existing customers than to try and re-acquire a previous customer. Trying to re-acquire a customer after an IT-related disaster, like prolonged service outages or data loss, can be practically impossible. When a customer’s trust in your business is put into question, regaining that trust can be an uphill battle. In contrast, having a disaster recovery plan is a much cheaper, more cost-effective solution compared to waging that losing struggle. 

The Hole in Your Armor Can Be Exploited

The saying that “you’re only as strong as your weakest link” is absolutely true in regards to the IT side of small businesses. You could be very confident in the majority of how the technology in your business is set up, but all it takes is one weak area to bring the whole operation to a screeching halt. No business will ever be completely immune to IT disasters, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t have a plan in place to prevent them or minimize their effects and recover quickly. 

Do What is Best for Your Customers and Your Business

Too many small businesses fail because of IT factors that are entirely avoidable. Five Nines Consulting is committed to our clients in New York City, providing IT data recovery and backup plans that prevent the worst from happening. With our services, you get all of the resources that an IT team can provide your business, but without the high cost of employing a full-time, in-house team. Save money, save your customers, and protect your business by contacting us today for a free assessment of your small business, and let us get started being your shield against the unpredictability of life.

The post Why IT Disaster Recovery is Important for Your Small Business appeared first on Five Nines Consulting.

The Biggest Cyber Threats When Working Remotely in NYC 1 May 2020, 8:56 pm

IT Solutions for Off-Site Employees in New York City

The year 2020 has seen the largest shift to off-site, remotely working employees in the history of modern New York. For public health and safety, practically all businesses that can have employees work from home have been forced to adapt quickly. Because of this, the potential for cyber attacks has never been higher for small and medium-sized businesses in our city. The workplace dynamic has dramatically shifted and now relies heavily on virtual private networks (VPNs) and cloud-based data storage. 

Without the proper IT precautions to keep your business working safely and smoothly, you may be opening yourself up to a dangerous cyber attack, further compromising your entire workforce. Fortunately, helping small businesses in New York with reliable, individualized IT solutions is what Five Nines Consulting is passionate about. Make no mistake — your small business has always been at risk from cyber threats, and now those attacks are more likely than ever before because of compromised networks and gaps in security measures. Learn more about what these threats look like, and how Five Nines Consulting can help you.

VPN Attacks

Since the beginning of March 2020, companies that rely on a VPN for working remotely from home have increased by over 33%. Cyber attackers see this as an ever-expanding menu of small businesses to take advantage of and exploit. Many of these businesses have poorly maintained VPNs, and have left themselves practically exposed to external threats to valuable company data and customer information. In order to reduce overhead costs or to streamline employee processes, many business owners have loosened or otherwise completely removed the security measures that an IT team would put in place. This is akin to leaving your front door unlocked and wide open for cyber criminals. 

Phishing Schemes

Cyber criminals will waste absolutely no time in creating phishing schemes to take advantage of small businesses and prey on people’s fears regarding the current world state. Recently, there has been a spike of fraudulent COVID-19 “maps” and false medical suppliers that make you believe you’re buying something helpful, when they’re actually getting you to download harmful malware and compromise your security. These cruel tactics are an unfortunate reality of today’s digital realm, and your employees need to be able to spot a phishing scheme when they see it.

Malicious Downloads

Similar to phishing schemes, malicious downloads, especially when they’re included in an email from someone posing as an individual you trust, can wreak havoc on your network. Many commercially available remote-working applications for business are beginning to get taken advantage of by attackers. These programs can be unknowingly infiltrated by attackers who ask for permissions from your employees to gain access to sensitive data, all while posing as a non-descript app or program. The moment they acquire your permissions, the attacker has access to all of your files and sensitive information.

Bypassing Security Measures

Attackers can get fairly creative in the ways that they attempt to steal your information. Most secure networks require a multi-factor authentication process to allow access, which is normal. Cyber thieves have been known to create very convincing-looking fake log-in pages in an attempt to steal your credentials and get around multi-factor authentication systems. If attackers are successful in retrieving your information, they could soon have free reign over all of your internal and customer data, even going so far as to cripple your system and demand a ransom to unlock it. 

Additionally, your employees may be using wi-fi networks in their personal residences that are not adequately secure and can easily be accessed by cyber criminals. Without an IT solutions team to ensure that all of your business’s networks are secure enough for use, you could be susceptible to a data breach.

Insider Threats (Intentional or Otherwise)

Most of the time, threats to your business’s security from your own employees happens unintentionally. In an effort to make their own experience easier or out of their distrust for your current network security, employees may download sensitive company data to an unsecured device. When this vital information is taken out of the control of the company as a whole and the IT solutions team that may be helping them, it can become irreparably compromised. Employee education from professional, expert IT providers can help alleviate fears that contribute to this behavior and put your company at risk.

Protect Your Small Business from Cyber Threats While Working Remotely

Five Nines Consulting is committed to bring dependable, fast, and effective IT solutions to the small and medium-sized businesses here in New York City, regardless of what the current working conditions look like. Being a small business, it may not be practical or affordable to maintain an in-house IT team. As a business-owner, you have enough on your plate and you shouldn’t also have to be your company’s personal IT tech. The solution that Five Nines Consulting provides is to give these services to your business affordably, and without having to add us to your payroll. Our IT services are available to you as you need them, and will be tailored to your specific business. 

Having dependable IT services doesn’t have to be a pipe-dream. Now more than ever, it is important that your small business is protected from growing cyber threats. Contact Five Nines Consulting today for your small business in the New York City area for a free assessment. We’ll determine what your remote workforce needs to be able to operate safely and securely, minimizing your risk from a devastating cyber attack.

The post The Biggest Cyber Threats When Working Remotely in NYC appeared first on Five Nines Consulting.

The 5 Most Common Cyber Security Threats to Your Small Business in NYC 22 Apr 2020, 3:16 pm

Your NYC Business Needs Competent IT Solutions 

No matter what size your New York business is, it is at risk from a cyber attack. It’s tempting to think that because your business may not be a Fortune 500 company that it is safe from these security breaches because it’s not a large target. That would be a mistake, however, as over 43% of cyber attacks target small businesses, and that percentage is growing. Of that 43% of attacked businesses, 60% never fully recover and go out of business within 6 months. What’s even more alarming is that almost 50% of small businesses have no idea how to protect themselves from these malicious attacks and have set up little or no defenses.

Your small business needs IT solutions like the ones provided by Five Nines Consulting. Most small businesses believe they don’t have the resources to employ an IT service, but with Five Nines Consulting, it’s more possible than you realize to protect yourself from these major cyber security threats.

Phishing

The most common and damaging cyber threat comes in the form of phishing, accounting for nine out of 10 security breaches that businesses face. Phishing is a malicious attempt by someone to appear to be a trusted contact and use that disguise to gain access to sensitive information. This can happen through providing a malicious link or a download file in an email, or simply through asking for sensitive data. 

Phishing is difficult to defend yourself against, since it largely preys on people’s willingness to trust others, rather than a technological flaw in a system. Defense is difficult, but not impossible. Five Nines Consulting can institute secure email gateways that help to prevent phishing emails from even reaching the inboxes of yourself and your employees, and also allows users to report suspicious looking messages and files. Five Nines is also happy to help educate employees through security awareness training, further enabling your employees to spot suspicious contacts.

Malware (Malicious Code)

Malware is the term used for malicious code developed by hackers to gain access to personal business networks to steal or destroy company data. When you hear terms like “trojans” and “viruses,” that is malware. Most of the time, malware finds its way into your computer network through illegitimate website downloads, spam email, or interfacing with other infected devices.

Malware can utterly cripple computer systems and digital devices, and can be extremely costly to small businesses, both in repair costs to their equipment and the losses that could occur from data breaches. Small businesses whose employees use their own devices and equipment can be especially at risk, since personal devices are much more likely to encounter malware through unsafe downloads. IT providers like Five Nines Consulting can implement security gates that stop unsafe downloads in their tracks, and protect your small business.

Ransomware

Similar to malware, ransomware attacks businesses to literally take their sensitive data hostage. These malicious programs can encrypt sensitive data, rendering it unusable and inaccessible unless the business pays a ransom to unlock their own data. As much as 71% of ransomware attacks target small businesses, and random demands can exceed $100,000. 

Cloud backup systems provided by Five Nines can effectively protect businesses from these types of attacks, as well as other measures to prevent them from happening in the first place.

Insufficient Password Protection

If, God forbid, your password is “password” or “1234567” then it is time to seriously reconsider your cyber security standards. Weak, easily guessed passwords pose a serious threat to small businesses in regards to their cyber security. Having sequential, easily guessed passwords, especially if they are used to access multiple accounts or cloud services, is like practically leaving the door open for a data breach. 

To circumvent these password woes, IT solutions companies like Five Nines can implement password management systems that create unique and regularly changed passwords for employees, making password security incredibly strong. We can also implement authentication measures to further ensure that the person accessing sensitive data is who they say they are. Multi-factor authentication further prevents attackers from accessing important data, even if they do happen to correctly guess a password. 

Insider Threats to Security

An insider threat to security is not necessarily an employee who is out to take down their own company, but rather employees that are either ignorant or careless with their own access to sensitive information. These types of insider threats constitute as much as a quarter of all data breaches in small businesses. 

This behavior can be prevented by ensuring that your whole company community has a culture centered around technological security awareness. Preventing breaches from occurring by accident or through ignorance, as well as training employees to recognize security risks from others who may be trying to take advantage of your business, will significantly reduce the likelihood of an insider attack.

IT Solutions & Protection for Your New York Business

Your small business may not be able to afford to employ an on-site IT team, but we’re confident that Five Nines Consulting can provide an IT solution that fits your budget and keeps your data secure. Cyber threats are real, and your business is not immune. Protect yourself and your employees by contacting Five Nines Consulting in New York today, and we’ll get started setting up your defenses.

The post The 5 Most Common Cyber Security Threats to Your Small Business in NYC appeared first on Five Nines Consulting.

Welcome 13 Apr 2018, 10:49 pm

Welcome to our site! We are in the process of building our blog page and will have many interesting articles to share in the coming months. Please stay tuned to this page for information to come. And if you have any questions about our business or want to reach out to us, we would love for you to stop by our contact page.

Thank you!

The post Welcome appeared first on Five Nines Consulting.