Cloudy with a Chance of Data Loss

What would happen if your company lost all of its email data? If you’ve yet to implement a backup solution for your Microsoft 365 data, you could be faced with that question if a cyber-incident occurs.

Over a million businesses use Microsoft 365 – chances are, you do too! By far the most popular productivity suite, this Microsoft product includes apps such as Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and others, depending on your configuration. But did you know that Microsoft is not responsible for backing up the data on in your Microsoft 365 suite?

Why Microsoft 365 Customers Need a Backup Solution

Many business owners using Microsoft 365 believe that their data is totally secure. The reality, however, is a different story. Although Microsoft offers many benefits in productivity, efficiency, and collaboration with Microsoft 365, the company doesn’t provide users with a comprehensive backup system for their underlying data.

Mechanical malfunctions and physical damage, hacking and theft, user error, and power outages all put user data at risk in the cloud. Protecting data has never been more important – hackers are now attacking computers and networks at a rate of one attack every 39 seconds. While companies do their best to prepare for these problems, no plan is foolproof, and stories of data loss are far from rare, with the average data breach costing small businesses $149,000. Furthermore, 60% of small businesses close their doors within 6 months of a data breach.

Cloud Backup Saves Data, Time, and Money

The fact is that having only one copy of important data is asking for trouble, whether it’s stored in the cloud or elsewhere. If your data isn’t backed up, you could be facing not only a loss of productivity as you scramble to rebuild, but also a loss in revenue and reputation.

Microsoft 365 is an excellent service that gives you access to your data from virtually any place at any time — and across many devices. As a software-as-a-service (SaaS) built on the industry-leading Azure public cloud, Microsoft 365 offers users high reliability, geographic redundancy, and secure connectivity.

This should not, however, be confused with a comprehensive data protection solution. Microsoft does not back up Microsoft 365 user data, so it recommends that customers use third-party solutions. Furthermore, Microsoft doesn’t protect data from common issues like file corruption or everyday human error. Nor does it offer a way to easily revert to older versions if something goes wrong beyond their normal data retention policy.

Back To Business I.T. can help you evaluate your options in addressing these shortcomings and specifically discuss how implementing a backup solution can be cost-effective and seamless and offer peace of mind.

Our Cloud Backup Service Is Easy to Use, and Recovery Is Fast

Not all backups are created equal, however. When looking into a solution that can protect your data stored in the cloud, there are a few fundamental questions you should be asking your vendor:

What data is actually being backed up?
How is the backup data being stored and protected?
How often is data backed up, and for how long?
How easy is the data restoration process?

Our Cloud Backup Service is a flexible, agile, and reliable solution that offers comprehensive data protection across the full Microsoft 365 tenant, unlimited storage and retention of user data, and a hassle-free setup and run experience. Better yet, data-recovery means you can have peace of mind that your company can be up and running with minimum downtime.

There are several things to consider when selecting a cloud backup solution – and our team of experts can help with that! Our team can customize an approach that works for the company data that should be protected as well as other business and budgetary needs.

Contact our team today to learn about our Cloud Backup solution for your Microsoft 365 data!

Create a Disaster Recovery Plan to Protect Your Data

Your company’s most precious business resource is its data. What is your game plan for protecting it?

Data loss cripples businesses – studies show that over 50% of businesses hit by cyber-crime close their doors within 6 months. What measures are you taking while cyber-criminals step up their game? If your game plan doesn’t include backups, you’re effectively planning to lose when (not if) a cybersecurity breach occurs. Don’t like losing? Let’s go over some game plan essentials to get that win.

Consider the elements

Even with strict information controls and excellent maintenance of technology, avoiding data loss incidents is all but impossible. You can account for what you can control – and that’s about it. Aside from the usual suspects – ransomware, human error, and technology failure – there are other forces that could destroy your business if you don’t have proper backups. Don’t let other variables, such as natural disasters, structural fires, and theft, derail your business success. Create a Disaster Recovery Plan to use as your playbook for succeeding in less-than-ideal conditions, and position yourself to recover that data quickly.

A strong lineup

Not all backups are the same. Businesses have different needs and budgets and every backup strategy needs to consider both. Think of this as your line up. How long can your business afford to be “down” in the event of a disaster? What players need to stay in as long as possible? What data is affordable to lose? Priority should be given to the data essential to carry out your essential business functions. In the event of a breach, recovering that data quickly could spare you big losses.

Use a long term strategy

A winning game plan takes you all the way, right? Backups protect your data by ensuring you have a ‘copy’ of everything you need in case of compromise. How long should you keep those copies? The compliance and regulatory requirements for your industry should guide how long you keep data backups. A good long-term strategy accounts for not just unexpected events, but also compliance requirements to ensure your data is there whenever you need it.

Plan for the wildcard

People are a constant variable in the biggest upsets. In times of emotional distress, employees often make poor decisions. Almost 75% of departing employees admit to taking company data in some form. 70% of intellectual property theft occurs within 90 days of an employee’s resignation. Worse yet, even more malicious activity can occur and hostile actors inside the workplace, unfortunately, purposefully delete data. Plan for the wildcards by having timely backups and enjoying peace of mind knowing you can get back to normal after a compromise.

The competitive advantage

If a disaster were to hit your area, how quickly would your business recover? How quickly would your competitors recover? Implementing a disaster recovery plan through effective backups ensures quick restoration and minimizes down time. Make backups your competitive advantage by ensuring you can get back on your feet faster and more effectively than your competitors.

A strong game plan accounts for all known and unexpected factors. It includes an aggressive offense for the things we can predict, and a solid defense for the sudden and unexpected. Plan for the win – backup your data and get back to business.

Want to secure a win for your business?

Our team will work with you to create a custom disaster recovery plan that fits your business needs, the data you need to protect, and your budget. Contact us today!

7 Cybersecurity Tips for SMBs

7 cybersecurity tips for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), brought to you by Back To Business I.T.

Antivirus and Filters

Scanning your systems regularly to detect malware and potential vulnerabilities should be at the top of the list when it comes to cybersecurity measures. Putting web and email filters in place can help block nefarious traffic and messages from ever reaching your systems.

Restrict Access

Along the same lines of defense as Antivirus and Filters, use restrictions to limit staff access. The same way you restrict departmental access depending on where a person works, it’s a good idea to implement internet restrictions. This way employees are limited to the websites they can access on company computers – and thus lessen the risk that they’ll wander into some dark alley on the internet.

Train Your Staff

One of the biggest cybersecurity risks any company faces is its people. To err is human, right? And err we do. Phishing emails are the most common cyberattack, and how over 90% of successful breaches begin. Educate your staff on best cybersecurity practices. Our cybersecurity awareness training offers not only educational materials, but simulated training exercises to test employees’ preparedness in a safe sandbox environment. Contact us to learn more.

Step Up Your Authentication Game

Setting up multi-factor authentication means that system access has a two-layer protection. Requiring both a password and a pin, for example, will likely reduce your risk of unauthorized access. Much like having biometric and pin or pattern access on your phone protects your data from prying eyes – two-factor authentication on your systems can keep your data safer.

Patch and Update, Faithfully

Clicking that ‘update later’ button is usually a bad idea. Updates ensure your system has the latest information on potential vulnerabilities. Patching does just that – patches certain ‘holes’ or fixes bugs in the system. This is part of why it’s critical to use up to date hardware/software – so you can be sure the manufacturer is working constantly to keep it as secure as possible.

Back Up Your Data

In the case of a breach, having your data backed up can make the difference between paying the ransom or not. Cybercrime isn’t the only reason to back up your data though – as other events can affect system functionality and disrupt your business. In the context of cybersecurity, it can give you the upper hand. If your data is securely backed up, there’s usually less down time in the event of an attack.

Have a Cybersecurity Policy in Place

All the good intention in the world won’t take the place of a solid information security policy. Make sure your staff is aware of the processes and best practices for cybersecurity in your company. You’ve worked hard for your business, protect its future.

Here at Back To Business I.T., we’re a business too. We have the same concerns and face the same challenges. Our customizable solutions are meant to change as your business grows – fitting your needs, and your budget. Take your business to the next level with a technology partner you can trust. Contact us today!