This is a Cybersecurity Guide for SMBs. After all, small and mid-sized businesses are the backbone of the economy, and they contribute to the majority of job creation in most countries… So we all can benefit.
Because they are also the primary target of cyber attackers.
So this comprehensive guide provides essential information for SMBs to help secure their business against cyber threats.
Guide to Cybersecurity for Small and Midsized Businesses
Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting computer systems, networks, and sensitive information from theft, damage, or unauthorized access.
Cybersecurity is an essential aspect of every business in the digital age, irrespective of its size. SMBs often overlook cybersecurity, assuming that only larger corporations are at risk of cyber attacks.
Why Cybersecurity is important for Businesses
SMBs are particularly vulnerable to cyber attacks, as they often have fewer resources and less sophisticated security infrastructure than larger organizations.
Cyber attacks can lead to the loss of business data, financial loss, legal liability, and damage to the company’s reputation.
The aftermath of a cyber attack can be catastrophic for SMBs, with some going out of business entirely.
How Small and Midsized Businesses Are At Risk
Cybersecurity threats can come from anywhere, and SMBs face unique challenges in protecting their networks and data. Phishing attacks, malware infections, ransomware attacks, and data breaches are some of the most common threats faced by SMBs.
According to a recent survey, 60% of SMBs have suffered a cyber attack in the last 12 months.
Cybersecurity Challenges Faced by Small and Midsized Business
SMBs face several cybersecurity challenges that make them vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Some of these challenges include a limited budget, a lack of in-house expertise, and complex regulatory requirements.
In many cases, SMBs are not aware of the cyber threats they face, which makes them easy targets for cybercriminals.
Best Practices for Cybersecurity in SMBs
SMBs need to adopt best practices to secure their networks and data.
Some of the essential cybersecurity practices for SMBs are:
Password Management – SMBs should use strong and unique passwords for each account and avoid using the same password for multiple accounts. Passwords should be changed regularly and should never be shared with anyone.
Employee Education and Training – Employees are often the weakest link in cybersecurity, and they need to be trained on how to identify and respond to cyber threats.
Employees should be aware of phishing attacks, malware, and ransomware, and they should be trained on how to secure their devices.
Data Backups and Disaster Recovery – SMBs should have a comprehensive backup and disaster recovery plan in place. Regular data backups ensure that data is recoverable in the event of a cyber-attack or data loss.
Network Security – SMBs should secure their networks using firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and other security measures. Networks should be monitored regularly for suspicious activity.
Mobile Security – With the rise of remote work, mobile devices have become an essential tool for many SMBs.
However, they are also a significant security risk. Mobile devices should be secured using strong passwords, encrypted data storage, and remote wipe capabilities.
Employees should also be trained on how to secure their mobile devices and avoid downloading malicious apps.
Cybersecurity Tools for SMBs
SMBs can use various cybersecurity tools to secure their networks and data.
Some of the essential cybersecurity tools for SMBs are:
Antivirus and Anti-Malware Solutions – Antivirus and anti-malware software can protect SMBs from malware infections, phishing attacks, and other cyber threats.
SMBs should choose a reputable antivirus software provider and keep the software up to date.
Firewalls – Firewalls can block unauthorized access to SMBs’ networks and prevent malware infections. Firewalls can be hardware-based or software-based and should be configured to block all unnecessary traffic.
VPNs – VPNs can provide secure remote access to SMBs’ networks and data. VPNs encrypt network traffic, making it difficult for cybercriminals to intercept and steal sensitive data.
Multi-factor Authentication – Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of security to SMBs’ networks and data. MFA requires users to provide two or more forms of identification, such as a password and a biometric factor like a fingerprint.
Conclusion For The Guide of Cybersecurity for Small and Midsized Businesses
SMBs are increasingly vulnerable to cyber attacks, and the consequences of a cyber attack can be devastating for small and mid-sized businesses.
By adopting cybersecurity best practices and using cybersecurity tools, SMBs can secure their networks and data against cyber threats.
From taking inventory of your devices and applications to choosing the right pricing plan and managing your server, this guide will provide you with the following Office 365 migration tips.
After all, migrating to Office 365 can be a daunting task for any small or midsize company. Whether it’s to upgrade business tools or as part of a merger, the migration process can present challenges that can negatively impact the business if not done correctly.
However, with the right planning and guidance, companies can make a safe and accurate transition. Follow these Office 365 migration tips and you will be on the right path.
8 Office 365 Migration Tips for Small and Midsize Companies
To make the migration process smoother, companies should not skimp on preparation and plan for coexistence to minimize the impact on business. They should also implement the ABCs of security and not forget about post-migration management. So keep reading.
Analyze what will be affected by migration: Before starting a Microsoft 365 migration, take inventory of all networked devices and applications that will be affected. This will help you identify which devices may lose functionality during the migration, and give you time to research and implement additional configurations to maintain their functionality in the new environment.
Meet System Requirements: Make sure your versions of Office and Windows meet the Microsoft 365 system requirements.
It’s important to ensure that your versions of Office and Windows are compatible with Microsoft 365 before starting the migration. While it’s best to use the most recent version of Microsoft 365, if your organization is currently using older versions, it’s still possible to upgrade. However, it’s important to note that older versions may have reduced functionality, which could impact your users.
Verify DNS Compatibility: Make sure to check whether your DNS provider supports SRV records, as this can impact your organization’s ability to email, instant message, and more.
If your organization is a nonprofit, it’s important to confirm that you qualify for nonprofit pricing before beginning the migration process. Unexpected expenses can be a headache, especially if you thought your licensing was free. Check your eligibility requirements listed on Microsoft’s nonprofit page, or speak with your IT partner.
Consider Business Needs: Before choosing a Microsoft 365 plan, consider your organization’s business needs.
For instance, if your organization has industry-specific compliance requirements for data security, regulatory reporting, or data recovery, make sure that the plan you choose meets those needs.
Test on-prem Exchange server: Use Microsoft’s Remote Connectivity Analyzer to test whether your on-prem Exchange server will encounter any connectivity issues during the migration process.
If your server doesn’t pass the test, the Connectivity Analyzer will highlight any problems that need to be fixed before the migration can begin.
Inspect Files Before: Before migrating files, inspect them to ensure that they’re supported by Microsoft 365 and that their filenames don’t contain unsupported characters.
Failing to account for file permissions can also cost you time and effort when you have to rebuild security policies from scratch after the migration.
Decommission On-Prem Servers: Make sure to verify that any on-prem servers, such as Lync servers, have been properly decommissioned before starting the migration.
Failure to do so could result in users being unable to connect to new Microsoft 365 features.
Decide Manage Server: Decide ahead of time who will be responsible for administering your Microsoft 365 tenant after the migration is complete.
If you’re working with an IT partner, they can manage it for you, or you can choose to manage it in-house by taking courses at Microsoft’s Virtual Academy.
Do’s & Don’t’s for a Successful Office 365 Migration
As you may or may not know, migrating to Office 365 and Azure AD can bring a range of benefits to organizations, from improved collaboration and productivity to enhanced security and compliance.
With feature sets now on par with on-premises counterparts, it’s hard to justify investing in expensive on-prem email, collaboration, and communication capabilities when everything can be obtained through a monthly subscription to Office 365.
Azure AD also offers compelling features, such as the ability to provide single-sign-on (SSO) to thousands of end-user applications, including non-Microsoft ones like Salesforce, and valuable security features like conditional access policies.
However, migrating to Office 365 is not without its challenges. Proper assessment, inventory, and cleanup of the source environment are necessary, along with efficient migration tracking, ensuring normal user operations throughout the process, and proper management of the target environment after migration.
Specific challenges include mapping permissions from the source platform to Office 365, dealing with feature restrictions and size limitations, and migrating highly customized SharePoint applications.
Additionally, native tools have important limitations during each phase of the migration process, with no capability to merge tenants or to migrate from one tenant to another. But with proper planning and execution, organizations can overcome these challenges and experience a successful migration. Simple Office 365 migration tips can go a long way.
That being said, here’s what we recommend you to do and don’t if you’re planning to migrate into Office 365:
Prepare – Planning and preparation are essential for a successful migration to Office 365. An accurate inventory of your source environment is critical, including user accounts, SharePoint content, and email archives. Application inventory should start early and should consider the target platform’s requirements.
Define your goals and what data and applications you want to host in Office 365, and consider governance, compliance, and technical limitations. Also, clean up your environment and review SharePoint metrics before migration and plan for possible issues and ensure a quick recovery.
Lastly, estimate how long the migration will take and plan for coexistence requirements and verify that the new environment is working properly before decommissioning the source environment.
Minimize the Business’ Impact – A successful migration should be complete and accurate, ensuring that all required data is moved and users can work effectively in the new environment. It’s important to update user profiles and ensure that SharePoint sites and OneDrive data are migrated completely and accurately.
To keep users happy, the migration should be completed quickly, with the ability to perform migration jobs in parallel and schedule jobs to run at convenient times.
Efficient administration and reporting reduce costs and help complete the migration on time, with third-party solutions offering a dashboard for tracking and reporting on migration status.
Consider getting help from migration experts, either for the complete project or specific pieces, as most IT pros don’t perform migrations frequently.
Finally, 24/7 support is crucial to address issues that may arise as quickly as possible, minimizing the impact on the business.
Co-Existence Strategy – When migrating from on-premises Exchange to Exchange Online, it’s essential to maintain a seamless user experience. This can be achieved through a co-existence strategy that synchronizes the source and target mailboxes, calendars, address lists, and public folders.
By flipping a switch, you can easily migrate a particular group of users without affecting others. You’ll also need to synchronize your Active Directory users and groups and migrate your back-end resources, such as file servers, databases, and SharePoint sites.
Native tools are not sufficient for this task, as they require extensive scripting and offer limited troubleshooting capabilities. Third-party tools that offer strong co-existence capabilities can make the migration process easier and less disruptive for users, reducing the risk of business impact.
Post-migration Management – Post-migration management is a crucial aspect of any migration to the cloud, including Office 365.
While moving to the cloud eliminates some administrative responsibilities, such as hardware management and platform availability, you and your team are still accountable for day-to-day administration, IT governance, and compliance with internal and external regulations.
These responsibilities include permissions reporting, privileged account management, compliance auditing, provisioning, backup and recovery, and license management.
Having the right tools in place before the migration starts is essential to ensure a secure and effective environment from day one.
Microsoft will be responsible for performance and availability, but you’ll still need to manage and secure your Office 365 environment.
When it comes to finding the right IT solution for your business, you have several options to choose from. Managed IT services and in-house IT department services all have their pros and cons.
This article will compare these two IT solutions to help you determine which is best suited for your company.
Managed IT Services vs. In-House IT Availability Comparison
Availability is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing an IT solution.
Here is a comparison of how managed, in-house, and co-managed IT services handle availability.
Availability
Advantages
Disadvantages
Managed IT
MSPs provide redundancy, ensuring that you always have access to IT support. MSPs have on-call engineers to address IT problems outside of typical business hours.
They cannot provide as much on-site support as in-house IT can. An MSP engineer may visit your site only once a week.
In-House IT
Hiring an in-house engineer gives you the option to have your engineer on-site during all business hours. Your in-house IT engineer can address problems as they arise.
In-house IT resources can have lapses when the engineer takes time off.
Managed IT Services vs. In-House IT Service Level Comparison
All IT solutions are designed to support your IT environment. Here is a comparison of what service looks like for managed, in-house, and co-managed IT services.
Service-Level
Advantages
Disadvantages
Managed IT
MSPs provide constant support from engineers with expertise in specific IT disciplines. MSPs have the knowledge and skills to solve complex IT problems.
MSPs might not know your business or industry.
In-House IT
In-house IT engineers know your business and industry. In-house IT engineers are always available on-site.
In-house IT engineers may not have expertise in all IT disciplines. In-house IT can be expensive to maintain.
Managed IT Services vs. In-House IT Cost Comparison
Cost is always an important factor when it comes to choosing an IT solution. Here is a comparison of the cost of managed, in-house, and co-managed IT services.
Cost
Advantages
Disadvantages
Managed IT
MSPs are typically less expensive than hiring a full in-house IT department.
MSPs may charge extra for some services or require you to sign a long-term contract.
In-House IT
In-house IT departments provide complete control over your IT environment.
In-house IT departments are expensive to maintain, requiring salaries, benefits, and infrastructure.
Conclusion
Managed IT services, in-house IT departments, and co-managed IT services each have their pros and cons. The right choice for your business depends on your specific needs and goals.
Managed IT services are becoming more popular as they are less expensive, easier to set up and maintain, and have teams segmented into tiers, ensuring that any issue is addressed by the right person.
They are also efficient, have experienced professionals, and offer remote problem resolution.
Managed IT service providers are experienced in managing network security and keeping data safe, ensuring your network is protected from cyber threats. However, working with MSPs can be a hands-off experience, and some companies may prefer more control over their cybersecurity.
On the other hand, building an in-house IT department allows for more customization, hiring employees with the exact qualifications and experience needed, and customizing the hardware and software.
However, it can be expensive, and the costs can quickly add up, paying for salaries, benefits, workstations, and cyber security and management software.
The decision between in-house or managed IT services depends on your company’s specific needs and capabilities, such as the size of the company, the level of control required, and the complexity of the IT infrastructure.
Ultimately, it’s essential to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of both options and review feedback before selecting an IT company.