Small Business

Scam of the Week: Be Careful with Online Job Offers

February 7, 2019 by securewebsite

Imagine you’re casually scrolling through your LinkedIn newsfeed when you come across an ad for a position that you’re perfect for, at a company you’d love to be a part of. Considering you are on a website that knows your job title, industry sector, location, etc., you likely wouldn’t think much of it and proceed to find out more information, right? This is what the bad guys are betting on.

Once you respond to the ad and apply for your dream job, they’ll have your “would-be employer” respond and schedule a call, sometimes over Skype.
Once the bad guys have you where they want you–in your hopeful bliss of acquiring a new position–they’ll ask you to install a program (ApplicationPDF.exe) to “generate your online application”. What the program actually does is install malware on your computer.

LinkedIn’s reputation for being a professional networking platform inherently causes many of its users to lower their guard when it comes to cybersecurity. Just because an ad is on LinkedIn doesn’t mean you can trust it. Remember: Never download any questionable files (in this case ApplcationPDF.exe). If you’re interested in a position you find on LinkedIn, navigate to the company’s website to see if you can find it listed and apply for the position there.

Stop, Look, and Think. Don’t be fooled.

Why Are IT Consulting Services Important For Your Business?

February 6, 2019 by securewebsite

At some point, every business experiences stalled growth. This is a difficult period to manage, but it is also a great opportunity to jumpstart your growth. Fortunately, in today’s technology-driven era, businesses have quick access to resources that will help them develop their business plan. The key is learning how to utilize these resources efficiently so you can move ahead of your competitors. I.T. Consulting Services are one such resource, and the right team can ensure you receive quality support as your business transitions.

Need For IT Consulting Services

No matter your industry or the size of your business, technology is necessary if you want better business performance. Hiring professional I.T. Consulting Services can help you to maximum your IT resources and address problems in a professional and efficient manner.

The other option you have is to hire a full-time I.T. department. Whether you are a large or small business, creating a separate department for your I.T. can take time and money, especially because you want to make certain you are hiring only the best. Be sure to always check for the required competencies as you search for an I.T. partner who can help take your business to the next level.

ORAM Corporate Advisors has a combined experience of over 30 years. They provide I.T. Support and can help your business with their expert I.T. Consulting Services. From asset tracking and maintaining network security to real time monitoring, we can help you with your business’ IT infrastructure. Looking for I.T. Support in Boston? Fill in this form to contact us right now!

How I.T. Consulting Services Can Benefit Your Business

There are many ways your business can benefit from IT Consulting Services:

Efficiency

Hiring the right IT Consulting Services can make your business operations more efficient. They can provide a cost-efficient solution, reducing downtime and ensuring better utilization of your I.T. infrastructure. I.T. Consulting Services can help you save time and focus on the more important business operations.

Security

By hiring the right I.T. Consulting Services, you’ll ensure that your network is protected from any security breaches. This will help you maintain the integrity of your data and block unwanted access to your network. You’ll significantly minimize your risk of data loss.

Experience

It can be difficult, especially for small businesses, to assemble an I.T. department from scratch. Hiring I.T. Consulting Services gives your business the advantage of experience. The best providers of I.T. Consulting Services will have a team of highly experienced professionals who will partner with your business.

Looking for IT Support in Boston? Contact ORAM Corporate Advisors by filling this form right now!

Common Business Challenges That Need I.T Support

February 6, 2019 by securewebsite

One can never emphasize enough on the importance of information technology in the business world. New technology allows businesses to access, process and consume information at a much faster pace and deliver services accordingly. Therefore, it is essential that you understand that the term “I.T.” extends beyond just the hardware used to conduct business, like computers. It is an umbrella term which includes radio equipment, VoIP services, 3D printers, devices necessary to configure and maintain an IT system, and others.

From a business perspective, information technology streamlines functions across various departments. Businesses have incorporated I.T. in a manner that allows them to efficiently manage day-to-day operations and enhance overall productivity.

Just like any other system, however, there are various challenges associated with I.T. that require the expertise of a competent business management consultant. These challenges include:

Data Backup and Recovery:

If you’ve ever had your data lost or deleted, you understand the importance of a reliable backup and recovery solution. Data loss is costly and causes downtime, both of which can be detrimental to the growth of a business.

Network Security:

No company can confidently say, “yes we are 100% safe from getting hacked. “ As technology develops, so do methods of hacking into networks. Only a proficient IT expert can help mitigate your cyber risk and vulnerability, and divert potential attacks by cybercriminals.

Integration Issues:

Technology evolves every day. The software that you might have used to enter data might not easily integrate with new systems. This can hamper the efficiency of the organization, an issue that can be easily avoided with thorough planning by an IT expert.

While almost every organization faces these I.T. challenges at one time or another, which ultimately hampers their business’s overall productivity, but instead of learning from their mistakes, they make several excuses not to hire a business management consultant. They give reasons like the following:

Had a terrible experience:

Bad experiences may cause you to become more cautious. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing; you should always be careful when selecting your next business strategy consultant agency. We at ORAM Corporate Advisors Boston promise to provide the best in class I.T. solutions to fit all of your business challenges from data backup to end-user support and network management. We provide strategies tailored to your organization at a reasonable rate.

Too expensive:

Business strategy consultants customize their services to meet the needs of their clients. Take, for instance, ORAM Corporate Advisors , which offers different solutions for different business challenges and provides these tailored services at a reasonable rate

We already have an I.T. team:

Having an I.T. team to help resolve the organization’s I.T. issues in-house is a good practice, but if it’s not feasible, you can always hire a business strategy consultant like ORAM Corporate Advisors Boston. We have a dedicated team of experts that have extensive experience providing prompt and effective solutions for all business problems. We serve organizations of all sizes! ORAM I.T. experts guarantee to find and implement the best solutions for all your unique business challenges at an affordable price.

So, instead of making excuses or cutting corners, hire a proficient business management consultant like ORAM Corporate Advisors Boston. We will make sure all your business challenges are solved in a timely manner, enhancing your business’s overall productivity and growth.

Get in touch to request a meeting with ORAM Corporate Advisors today!

This Week in Breach: Graeter’s Ice Cream

January 31, 2019 by securewebsite

Graeter’s Ice Cream:Regional ice cream brand based in Cincinnati.

Risk to Small Business: Severe:After discovering the potential breach, the ice cream chain was forced to notify approximately 12,000 customers, informing them that their personal and payment information may have been compromised. Malicious code was inserted into the company website’s checkout page between June 28, 2018 and December 18, 2018, but the investigation has still not definitively revealed if anyone was actually breached. Nevertheless, customers are upset due to uncertainty surrounding the breach and the brand will reluctantly undergo security process improvements that will cost additional time and money.

Individual Risk: Severe: The malware was capable of copying any data entered during the checkout process, including personal details (names, addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers) and financial information (card types, numbers, expiration dates, and card verification codes). With this in hand, hackers are able to conduct payment fraud or build data profiles that can be sold on the Dark Web.

Customers Impacted: Approximately 12,000

How it Could Affect You: Considering that Graeter’s is still unsure if the malware was able to siphon payment data, the situation can quickly become frightening and frustrating for the end-user. The ambiguity leads to customers shuffling through statements and wondering if they’ve been hacked, causing them to think twice before doing business on a checkout page that has previously been breached.

Scam of the Week: CEO Fraud, the Bad Guys Are Now Bribing You

January 30, 2019 by securewebsite

The bad guys are getting creative with CEO Fraud and gift card scams. This particular campaign involves a bad guy impersonating one of your executives, and then asking you to buy gift cards for customers. They even allow the employee to take one for themselves–how generous! The unknowing employee is instructed to go to the store and physically buy the cards, then email or text the gift card numbers to “the boss”.

Never blindly comply with a suspicious request like this. Always call the requester directly to determine whether the request is valid or a scam. Sometimes it’s OK to say “no” to the CEO!

Stop, Look, and Think. Don’t be fooled.

Budgeting for Technology in the New Year

January 24, 2019 by securewebsite

How to squeeze the most out of your IT and save your business money

With the New Year in full swing you’re probably preparing to implement your updated information technology (IT) plan. As a business owner or leader, you probably have many questions such as, “How much should my business budget?” You may also be wondering if you’re making the most of the IT you already have in place. In this blog, we break down what every business should be budgeting at the very least as well steps for ensuring your business has the technology it needs and that your network is as secure as possible.

Cloud Computing
If your business has not yet migrated to the cloud for your email and other services, now is the time to do so. There are several reasons it is best for businesses to move to the cloud. From saving money to better data security, cloud computing offers a ton of benefits to modern businesses.

To begin, establishing and maintaining your own data storage is expensive. Not only do you need to purchase the right hardware and software, but you have to hire people to install it and set it up. Cloud computing allows you to pay for just the services you use and can reduce your IT costs. It is so affordable that is was estimated in research by McAfee that nearly one-third of worldwide enterprises would be using software-as-a-service (SaaS) by the end of 2018. Cloud providers typically charge based on the features you choose, storage used, and number of users. Most also charge for time and memory space. This means you get to select the package that best suits your IT budget.

Cloud computing also allows you both flexibility and scalability. Cloud computing lets your employees work from anywhere they have internet access through virtualization. Giving employees the option to work remotely means you can cut the number of workspaces at the office further reducing your costs. In addition, scaling Cloud computing services is a cinch. You don’t have to spend a ton of money on new servers, storage, and licenses as your business grows. With the cloud, you just sign up for additional storage space or features as your business needs them.

If you store your own data, a breach or disaster such as a fire could devastate your business’s valuable information. With the cloud, your data will always be available as long as users have internet access. Many businesses use the cloud specifically for backup and disaster recovery for this very reason.

Data security is also a top priority in this day and age of hacks, breaches, and ransomware. Email is the lifeblood of most businesses to ensuring it is secure should be a top priority. Storing data and using email on the cloud is often more secure than storing it or hosting on physical servers and data centers in your office. Laptops and desktops can be stolen as can other hardware. Data on the cloud can be deleted remotely or moved to a different account and hackers face a greater challenge in breaching cloud platforms so your data is simply more secure. As a matter of fact, 85 percent of enterprises keep sensitive data in the cloud according to Vormetric.

Finally, cloud computing is one of the most effective ways to promote collaboration and it gives you a wide variety of service options to choose from. Your employees will be able to easily share data, collaborate on projects, and provide updates in real time from the field. Time wasted on repetitive tasks such as data entry are no longer an issue and you get to choose the services your business really needs whether it is abundant storage or software from a wide range of providers.

Leveraging Your Existing IT
Hardware and software can be hugely expensive investments for many businesses. Your business needs to get the most out of every bit of IT it has invested in. For example, you may already be using Office 365 for email but is your business using it for file sharing or collaboration between teams? A network assessment and IT audit can tell you where you have room for improvement, opportunities for growth, and options for cost savings.

A study by Bank of America in 2017 revealed small business owners found the greatest barrier to achieving a balance between work and their personal life involved administrative tasks. Perhaps you have software that can help you automate administrative tasks to help your business free up time. For example, Intuit’s QuickBooks Self-Employed software has an expense management system built right into it. An independent IT auditor can show you how to best use what you already have to meet your organization’s needs without spending more money unnecessarily.

Hardware Replacement
Most businesses cannot afford to replace their desktops and laptops all at once. This is especially true when the average lifespan of a desktop today is between three and five years according to a piece by Chron, an online news source.

“Of course, this number is just a generalization and a number of factors play into lifespan, ranging from the computer’s quality, care, and room for upgrades,” according to the blog, “What is the Life Span of the Average PC?” “For small business owners, every new computer is an expense and an investment, one whose worth over time largely depends on how you use it and care for it.”

Laptops are also a typical expense for most businesses. According to a blog by TechGuided, the lifespan of a laptop will depend on the quality of the product you purchase, how often it is used, and how it is maintained. “A mid-range laptop should probably last around four to five years, though, give or take a year or two depending on how you use it,” advises the piece.

To make such updating of your IT more affordable, we recommend making replacements in quarterly cycles rather than all at once. Your IT personnel or your IT auditor can make recommendations as to which hardware needs to be replaced immediately, which can hold off for a few months, and which pieces still have a good life ahead of them. Based on these recommendations, you can schedule a plan for cycling out old hardware each quarter on a regular basis. This serves to level out your IT spending rather than investing a ton of money all at once.

According to an article by Business.org, businesses should “expect to pay between $400 for a basic model with limited storage space to $3,500 for a top of the line desktop with a large hard drive. Desktops also range in price based on operating system as well. For example, models that run Windows may be less expensive than Apple models. Apple desktops vary in cost from $1,500-$3,500, depending on which features you need.”

The same piece also stated that laptops “range from $300 for the most basic models to $3,000 for high-speed models with large storage capacity. Similar to desktops, laptops also vary in cost depending on which operating system you prefer. Apple laptops tend to fall towards the middle of the price scale, ranging in cost from $1,000 to $2,500. Laptops that run Windows have a wider price range, and cost depends mostly on features and brand.”

The Latest Software
In addition to hardware, businesses will also need to consider the software they are using. When you purchase software, it is licensed to your business and may have an end date to your user agreement. Additionally, software changes over time and there may be upgrades that could benefit your company or even new software that is better than what you have.

This is where the IT audit can once again assist your business with saving money. Your IT auditor can evaluate your existing needs versus the software you have in place. They can determine if you have the latest software or if the software you have simply needs to be patched or updated. A real IT expert can educate you about software to help you achieve your business goals while saving you money. Based on their recommendations, you can choose to either use what you already have or purchase better software to save your business money over the long term.

Email Security
As we mentioned before, email is as critical to business continuity as breathing is to life. That means you need to have quality security for your email. Software such as Microsoft Office 365 and other programs can scan for threats, identify phishing attempts, and filter spam. Programs such as Mimecast offer many of the same advantages and can also aid employees when it comes to identifying websites as safe or unsafe to visit based on URL reputation. Anti-virus, anti-spam, and firewall software are also good to include in your IT plan.

The cost of software will vary by brand and product. For example, a one-year subscription to Office 365 Unlimited Professional is just $99.00 online. That cost covers up to five desktops, five tablets, and five mobile devices such as smartphones. There are also monthly subscriptions to Office 365 Business for as little as $8.25 a month. What you spend will ultimately depend on what software you purchase or subscribe to, how many devices you need to cover, and for what length of time.

Technology Awareness Program
All of the hardware and software in the world won’t protect your business if your employees are not technology savvy. Any IT expert will tell you that regularly-scheduled, ongoing employee education is the cornerstone of securing your business data. This is something that every business should budget for because it’s your employees that can make or break your business.

The cost of security awareness and end-user training will, again, vary from business to business. This is because most companies that handle Technology Awareness Training programs, such as Oram Corporate Advisors, base their rate on how many people are being trained, how in depth the training will be, and how frequently you host trainings. Ideally though, businesses should train every new employee as part of their onboarding process with all-staff training every six months to keep employees updated on the latest threats and how to avoid or combat them. This investment in training will pay off in dividends as each employee becomes more aware of the threats they face and their role in protecting your business.

At the end of the day, how much your business should budget for technology this year will depend on a variety of factors from how you store your data to what hardware and software you have as well as your business goals. If you would like more information about IT asset management, network assessments and IT auditing, or other IT support services, please contact Oram at (617) 933-5060 or visit us online. We can even schedule a free technology assessment to get your business started off on the right foot in 2019.

« Previous Page