This week we have had the opportunity to do what we love most…hit the road and meet with clients in person. We thought we would share our insights with you.
First, no two organizations are exactly alike. Even when we meet with two county governments in the same part of the state and next to each other.
Some of the differences we have seen are that each organization is structured a little differently, with its priorities, and in different stages of development (financially, technically, etc.). One county may have an on-site IT person (rarely), while others have an IT contractor/consultant, and some have no IT support.
Financially, some counties have more resources than others. This is often due to their tax structures. Some may have only a property tax base, while others also have occupational tax. Additionally, county governments are faced with emergencies/disasters that they must respond to whether it is a flood, ice storm, tornado, or snowstorm. Or even a pandemic.
We find some of the similarities that every county’s government is responsive to its citizens. They understand that they are there to serve. While many of the county judges we have met come from varied backgrounds, the one thing they have in common is a desire to do good things for their counties.
One of the things that I love the most about traveling the state and meeting with our county judges is the beautiful scenery of Kentucky. And every town has those things that make them unique and special. Those things that they’re most proud of. Earlier this week, we took some time to stop off at the Kentucky Artisan Center in Berea to see all the wonderful arts and crafts made by people across our beautiful Commonwealth. It’s truly impressive!
But the best thing about being on the road is the people. Every judge, county employee, shop owner, law enforcement officer, and more have been friendly and welcoming. These things make us proud to be Kentuckians and even that much more dedicated to helping our neighbors improve their security for the citizens of the Bluegrass! Our Old Kentucky Home.
CYBER NEWS
Global Phishing Attacks Hit A New Record in 2021
Global Phishing Attacks Hit A New Record in 2021
A new report from Zscaler reveals that phishing attacks showed a dramatic 29% growth as a record of 873.9 million attacks were observed globally in 2021. Organizations in the retail and wholesale sectors were the most targeted entities, experiencing over a 400% increase in phishing attacks in the last 12 months. Know more!
cyware.com • Share
Chinese state-backed hackers now target Russian state officers
Chinese state-backed hackers now target Russian state officers
Security researchers analyzing a phishing campaign targeting Russian officials found evidence that points to the China-based threat actor tracked as Mustang Panda (also known as HoneyMyte and Bronze President).
www.bleepingcomputer.com • Share
Gurnee-based doctor’s group reports data breach of patients’ personal, financial data
Gurnee-based doctor’s group reports data breach of patients’ personal, financial data
Illinois Gastroenterology Group, based in Gurnee with offices throughout the Chicago area, said they recently experienced a security breach that left their patients’ private data and financial information exposed.
www.lakemchenryscanner.com • Share
American Dental Association hit by new Black Basta ransomware
American Dental Association hit by new Black Basta ransomware
The American Dental Association (ADA) was hit by a weekend cyberattack, causing them to shut down portions of their network while investigating the attack.
www.bleepingcomputer.com • Share
TIP OF THE WEEK
Cyber Security for Small Businesses
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, cyber security is for everyone!
Small businesses are not small to the owners. They are their livelihoods. Therefore, protecting them is as important – and sometimes even more important – to the individuals who work hard to make them successful.
Here are some basic cyber security tips for what you need to do to keep your network, and your business, running.
1 – Remember the basics – don’t open email attachments from people you don’t know, use strong passwords (and different) and change them often, use multi-factor authentication
2 – Keep your applications updated and patched
3 – Keep your network secured – Secure your Wi-Fi network with a VPN; change passwords on routers from the default; install firewalls between internal and public networks; use AI to monitor logs for suspicious behavior
4 – Implement Least Privilege – ensure that users are only given access to the data, systems, applications needed to perform their jobs
5 – Train your employees – Provide security awareness training for all employees on a regular basis including phishing simulations
6 – Backup your system and data often using the “3-2-1 Rule” – Have 3 versions of backup (your primary and two copies), use 2 different media types, keep at least 1 copy offsite
VOCABULARY WORD
Least Privilege: Providing a user only those privileges (accesses) they need in order to perform their job
CYBER HUMOR