Wi-Fi. It's a symbol that everyone recognizes, a term that most people are familiar with, yet many business Wi-Fi networks are left unprotected and exposed. Securing your Wi-Fi is more than the avoidance of a slower connection, it is an integral part of being proactive in protecting entire internal networks.

SECURED VS. UNSECURED

If Wi-Fi is unsecured, anyone can access it. The purpose of secured Wi-Fi is that it is only allotted for individuals who have been granted access. If the Wi-Fi is not secure, many individuals have no problem taking advantage of the connection or the information that comes with it. According to a study conducted by Symantec, 25% of individuals surveyed have accessed a Wi-Fi network without the owner's permission, and 8% admitted to guessing or hacking the password. Once someone is connected to an organization's Wi-Fi connection, there is a greater chance that they can gain access to an internal network.

IMPLEMENTATION

In terms of implementation, organizations can increase Wi-Fi security by using a strong password users must type in to access the Wi-Fi. For even more security, businesses can keep Wi-Fi traffic and their internal network separate. That way, even if someone happens to connect to the secured Wi-Fi, they won't have access to internal data. Another protective measure that is highly recommended is implementing a separate Wi-Fi network for internal staff and anyone the organization wants to give access, while having a separate guest wireless network for visitors.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

If Wi-Fi isn't secured, someone could accidentally or maliciously access an organization's internal network. Once within an internal network, malicious access could result in stolen data, the shutdown of devices, encryption of data that the organization would have to pay to get unencrypted, inputting keyloggers on the network to steal users' passwords, and the list goes on. These vulnerabilities can be extremely costly, which is why taking the extra step to secure your organization's Wi-Fi network is important to protect the business at large and its' users.

Wi-Fi security goes beyond a slow connection, it's about decreasing a huge security risk that could lead to a loss of time, money, and confidential data. If you are unsure about the security of your Wi-Fi network, contact an IT team today to ensure the protection of your technology and information. It can make the difference in regards to the protection of your network.

Your Wi-Fi network can be compromised, but so can your mobile devices. Educate yourself and your team about several signs that will tell you whether or not your mobile device has been hacked by clicking below.

As cybercrime continues to evolve, it's time to look beyond traditional approaches to malware detection. 

In this webinar, we will discuss all things Cylance. This power hour covers everything from simple definitions to how Cylance works within an IT environment, as well as how Five Nines utilizes Cylance to protect businesses from advanced malware. 

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

• What is ransomware and malware?
• Preventing cyberattacks with artificial intelligence 
• Using artificial intelligence to predict and prevent threats
• A complete overview of Cylance
• Why companies choose to utilize Cylance
• How Cylance works through a technical demonstration

Presenter: 

Ryan Christensen: System Administrator at Five Nines

Sit back, grab some popcorn, and watch this FREE Five Nines Power Hour Webinar: Cylance - Proactive Protection For Your Business. 

When it comes to workplace technology, the possibility of downtime is very real and has lasting impacts for organizations who experience it. Downtime is idle time within a business when systems are unavailable, and it is commonly applied to networks and servers. Common causes of downtime are outages, a breach in security of an IT environment, or other system failures.

We'd like to tell you why downtime is a relevant aspect to focus on when it comes to your IT environment, what you can do to focus on uptime, and how to be prepared if downtime strikes.

PAST DOWNTIME

It's all about prevention and detection. According to Cisco's 2017 Security Capabilities Benchmark Study, four in ten companies have suffered an attack that caused them to lose substantial business opportunities. Downtime is not just about losing revenue, studies have shown if downtime isn't handled the right way, it can negatively affect client relationships as well. Preventing downtime is key to business success, which is why you must shift your focus to the present condition of your current IT environment.

WHAT TO DO IN THE PRESENT

It's time to focus on uptime. We recommend implementing a change management process, which is a process you put any IT environment change through to ensure that you're looking through a holistic lens when implementing new technical pieces. It helps you ask the right questions, such as analyzing whether certain departments will be impacted or not. Planning ahead prior to changes in your technical environment will help to avoid disruption.

Consistently tracking and implementing hardware refresh cycles is also an important way to increase uptime. Just because your business technology is still working, doesn't mean you're not putting your organization at significant risk of failure and downtime by not proactively replacing hardware prior to an issue.

THE FUTURE OF YOUR IT: PREPARATION

Expect the unexpected before it's too late. While focusing on uptime, your organization must also be prepared for the inevitable: potential downtime. Taking the time to carefully draft out a disaster recovery plan that will provide a smooth transition from downtime back to production will be a tool you will rely on in the case of an emergency. What are your options for data backup? How will you prioritize hardware and software reinstallation? Who will collaborate with your clients and vendors?

The past, present, and future of your downtime will derive from how proactive your organization is willing to be to achieve the highest levels of uptime. Potentially consider developing a Life Cycle Management Plan to hold your team accountable. If you're prepared you will place trust in your equipment, trust in your team, and trust in your processes. Peace of mind is worth the preparation.

There is a Five Nines Difference in combating organizational downtime. To learn more about the service model that sets us apart, click below for our free download.

SECURITY

Research conducted by IBM states that the financial services industry was within the top 2 industries targeted the most by cyber-attackers throughout 2017. This means financial organizations experienced 65% more attacks than the average company. This jarring statistic means that financial companies need to continue to take preventative action in 2018. First, don't allow employees to fall victim to a cyber-attack. Implement the right awareness and training to prepare all teams. The 2017 State of Cybersecurity in Small & Medium-Sized Businesses Report by Keeper Security shows that 48% of SMBs experienced a phishing attack last year, so it's recommended to develop a plan to address phishing scams ahead of time. Finally, ensure that all of your cybersecurity tools are up-to-date and working together.

MOBILE PAYMENTS

Mobile payments and transfers will continue to grow in 2018. Millennials prefer the use of their on-the-go digital devices whenever possible, which is why mobile within the financial industry will continue to skyrocket. This digital demand will push the industry to newer heights, as they will have to continue to streamline and implement efficient mobile payment systems. Applications such as Apple Pay and Android Pay, PayPal, Venmo, as well as banking applications will continue to grow in use and popularity, and will need to have the ability to work together seamlessly.

MODERNIZATION

There are many technical resources that banks are using to keep track of their assets. Modernizing core IT infrastructures so that operations run smoothly will become a trend in 2018 as technology continues to be implemented in different ways. Companies within the industry must maximize the use of their tools while minimizing the amount of tools they are using to ease confusion and streamline the overall environment.

Staying on top of industry changes and being open-minded to technological changes is extremely important when maintaining a successful and efficient IT environment. There's a pattern when it comes to workplace technology, change makes users uncomfortable, especially in the banking industry. Organizations don't want to compromise their processes or make their clients uncomfortable. As we have seen technology evolve throughout the years, however, one thing remains clear. Companies always have to evolve their technology eventually.

Be proactive, don't be afraid to make changes, and continue to keep workplace technology top of mind in 2018. Download our free Network Health Check today to briefly assess the quality of your IT environment. 

2018 is finally here, bringing new innovation and trends for healthcare technology. The International Data Corporation FutureScape conducted research and developed predicted IT trends for the industry in 2018. We'd like to share our insights on 3 of these key predictions that will strongly impact healthcare IT this year.

MOBILE ENGAGEMENT

Mobile technology is growing rapidly, and will only continue to expand in 2018. According to Health Data Management, digital mobile engagement by patients and providers will increase by 50% by 2019, which means we will be seeing consistent advances in mobile technology this year. Individuals on both sides of the healthcare industry will begin to access medical information on their phones or tablets, which will facilitate new forms of communication. Maintaining patient privacy on mobile devices, as well as application navigation will need to be a priority.

SELF-REPORTED MEDICAL DATA

Patients are gradually starting to become reporters of their own medical data through online patient portals to save time filling out paperwork at the office. The patients themselves are beginning to have the ability to play a role in their medical care by generating their personal data within healthcare systems. This will help them feel more in control of their medical history as they have the information they need at the click of a button. The data that is stored and collected over time will help providers determine a more personalized treatment plan for each patient. The technical aspects behind the scenes will need to be efficient and accurate to utilize these mass amounts of data.

SHARED INDUSTRY DATA

By this time next year, it is likely healthcare companies will have begun to utilize their data and studies to share across their industry. This will help to provide real stories and evidence that may help solve similar medical cases or advance current treatments. This availability of information will push the industry to innovate and grow. IT will play a role in maintaining the quality, security, and ease of access to this information as it is collected. 

All of these adjustments will result in IT teams needing to continue to streamline healthcare technology environments so that privacy, security, and productivity are maintained during the technical advances throughout 2018 and beyond.

Want to learn more about remaining privacy compliant with Healthcare IT? Sit back, grab some popcorn, and enjoy the free Five Nines presentation on Privacy - Technology in Healthcare.