Business Solutions & Software Group Blog

Cryptocurrency is one of the more interesting technological innovations that has been introduced over the past 15 years.

The rise of cryptocurrency has changed finance, but it has also provided cybercriminals with a powerful tool to monetize their illicit activities, primarily through ransomware. Ransomware is a form of malware that encrypts a victim's files, extorting payment in cryptocurrency—usually Bitcoin—in exchange for the decryption key. Understanding why criminals favor this digital asset and what businesses can do is essential for modern defense.

It can be challenging for small to medium-sized businesses to see the true value of artificial intelligence. After all, up until not that long ago, most people associated AI with things like the Terminator, so it has a bit of a reputation to make up for. Regardless, AI is now accessible enough that even these SMBs can embrace its features.

Let’s review some of the ways you could incorporate AI into your business, relatively easily.

A data backup is meant to give you a sense of relief, a safety net in case of disaster. This means it needs to be reliable… but what if it isn’t?

Too many businesses simply set up a backup and never think about it again, working under the assumption that all is well and everything is working according to design. Often, it is too late by the time these issues come to light, and the backup is needed but isn’t there.

Having a backup is a good start. However, the real difference comes from having a backup that you know will work. 

You’ve probably heard various terms like network hubs, network switches, and network routers, but do you know what these devices are, and more importantly, what differentiates them from one another? Each of these devices serves a different purpose, and depending on your business’ needs, one might be better than the other. Let’s look at the differences between all of these networking devices and why you might choose each one for running your business.

Productivity is among the most highly prioritized metrics in modern business, as it impacts so many functions and directly influences your success. This makes every moment precious…meant to be spent progressing toward a goal, not simply doing busy work.

Let’s go over some ways you can manage your time using some proven and trusted frameworks.

Have you ever downloaded a file, then wondered where exactly it ended up? This is a common problem that can create all kinds of inefficiencies in your workflow and complicate the day more than it needs to. Today, we want to cover where you can find all the files you download using your web browser—even if you’re not using a Windows PC.

The Internet is full of incredible resources that people can use to be more productive or to troubleshoot issues. One such resource is the near-limitless feed of videos on YouTube. All that said, most videos are chock full of filler that you might not want your team to waste time on, even if it’s done so with good intentions. Wouldn’t it be great if you could just skip to the helpful stuff right away?

A cybersecurity insurance plan sounds great in theory, but how much is it actually protecting you from potential threats? If you suffer a data breach, your business is going to have to suffer through downtime so it can address the problem, all the while you’re filing claims and hoping that your policy will cover the issue that occurred. What happens when you’re denied your claim, and you’re back to square one?

You can invest all you want in security software and firewall systems, but how much will these systems help when someone physically breaks into your office and steals data or destroys property? This is why you need to shore up weaknesses not just in your digital infrastructure, but physical infrastructure as well. Today, we want to go over how even a passing thought at physical security is better than the alternative (and how it can make a big difference in your approach to business continuity).

The idea of an audit might strike fear into your heart, but an IT audit is actually a cause for celebration. You’re finally discovering what needs to be done to improve your business, as well as checking to see whether or not compliance regulations are being met. Today, we want to look at three of the common reasons why a business might fail an IT audit and what you can do to ensure the process is a learning experience that makes your business stronger as a result.

Allied codebreakers didn't just win with math in WWII; they won with psychological warfare. They manipulated German systems into giving up their secrets. History proves that manipulating a system to expose its inner workings is a timeless, effective tactic.

Now, that same art of manipulation has found its highest-tech target: the Artificial Intelligence your business is starting to rely on. It’s called prompt hacking, and it's a new form of digital social engineering aimed directly at your most valuable AI models.

Stop me when this sounds familiar: you have 15 browser tabs open, each with its own, specific username and password required to log in. Despite what you’ve been told, there’s the infamous sticky note on your monitor, reminding you of your most utilized passwords.

From the business owner's perspective, this mess always results in frustration and missed deadlines, and honestly, it’s hard not to blame your team members. Before you jump to conclusions, however, you should consider something.

An IT project manager might be the most important cog in the machine that is project implementation, and you want to make the best decision possible for the project’s future. We recommend you look for specific qualities that make for an excellent project manager. 

What are these traits, and how do you find them when they matter most? 

Free Wi-Fi is a business tactic that many organizations use to get people in their doors, particularly service industry businesses that offer food, drink, or products. That said, how much can you actually trust the free wireless they provide? You want to avoid connecting to just any public wireless network, as doing so could put your devices at risk.

Not to skip over the holidays, but the new year is rapidly approaching, and it is more than clear that—short of a Y2K-level event—artificial intelligence isn’t going anywhere. Quite the opposite: AI is being adopted en masse, and for many, it’s without any oversight or strategy… or appreciation for how dangerous it is to feed data into AI without any thought or consideration.

Back in the 1960s, long before the Internet as we know it was around, a computer scientist named J.C.R. Licklider imagined an “Intergalactic Computer Network.” What sounded like science fiction then is the reality we work in today, but we call it by a much simpler name: the cloud.

The term is everywhere, but it's vague. It sounds abstract, maybe even a little insecure, as if your data is just floating around in the ether. This article will cut through the jargon. Today, we want to explain what the cloud really is and why it's one of the most powerful tools for a modern business.

Your business has a choice to make with its IT solutions: reactive or proactive. You might be wasting countless dollars on an IT model that works against your best interests, and worse, you might not even realize it until it’s too late. Today, we want to explore this idea that reactive IT actively hinders your business’ growth and operations—and what you can do about it.

Running a business isn’t cheap. Nobody can blame you for wanting to save a few bucks wherever you can. That said, one place you should not pinch pennies is your business technology, particularly when it comes to updates. While that old computer may still look like it’s perfectly fine, technology being broken is measured on a spectrum. Yours could easily be holding your business back and costing you potential income.

Let’s estimate just how high these costs could be, and how to resolve them moving forward.  

Business is all about friendly competition, and you might be wondering how your competitors reach out to leads to turn them into paying customers. With automated technology solutions like customer relationship management software, it’s as easy as can be. If your competitors are using innovative new technology solutions in this way, you might also be wondering, “How can I use technology to beat them at their own game?”

The success of a business is heavily dependent on the smooth operation of its technology. When the technology it depends on fails, it can disrupt productivity and ultimately alienate customers. Obviously, this is bad for the profitability of the endeavor. One key to avoiding many of the technology pitfalls you could encounter is a conscious change from a reactive strategy to a proactive one.