If recent national news has proven anything, it’s that ransomware attacks are on the rise. Especially for businesses here in the United States where approximately 39% of all worldwide ransomware attacks take place, new technology has made ransomware attacks both harder to prevent and harder to untangle once hackers have gotten into your internal infrastructure. Our managed security offerings, backup and disaster recovery, and tech infrastructure design services have helped business owners throughout the Midwest and across the nation avoid the frustration of a full-fledged attack.

What is Ransomware?

Ransomware is a form of malware designed to cause instability by encrypting files on a device. Then, the individual or group who organized the attack will demand a ransom in order to decrypt the file or files that were disrupted. Think of it like kidnapping, but instead of a person, these bad actors are after your private business information. This has been a growing issue, specifically in government entities, municipal utility companies, and other organizations that handle critical infrastructure, but now, even small- to mid-sized businesses are becoming targets for bad actors. Experts have estimated that ransomware and associated spending (loss of revenue due to inability to work, paying ransoms, etc.) will cost businesses somewhere between $20 and $25 billion in this year alone, and those numbers are rising every year. This has left many business owners wondering how they can protect themselves and their sensitive information before issues arise.

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Whether you’re preventing a ransomware attack or recovering from one, DataVizion has solutions to help!

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Recent Ransomware Attack in Omaha

A manufacturing facility near Omaha, Nebraska was the target of a ransomware attack recently. Hackers accessed company systems through existing remote access connectivity, and they managed to bring operations to a screeching halt for about two weeks. That meant no emails, no ordering products, no sending invoices to customers, and no paying vendors. Some floor production remained operational, but with manual processes and paper trails, even production was down. 

Now, more than a month later, the company is still in negotiations to have their information released, with the party involved asking for upwards of $100,000. Add that to the business costs lost by the inability to operate, and leadership has come to a few realizations about the future of their digital landscape.

Firstly, they realized that their company’s basic insurance coverage does not include ransomware coverage, leaving them to cover all costs with no help. Next, they realized that the sophistication of these modern attacks means having safe and timely backups in place is more important than ever. With the right backups, they could have restored their business easier, faster, and cheaper. The last and most important lesson learned by leadership at this manufacturing company is that in the event of a ransomware attack, you’re going to end up paying big bucks no matter what. The costs associated with the attack, legal fees, emergency IT assistance, lack of operations, and upgrading to new equipment add up quickly, so it’s actually more frugal to pay for great IT security upfront and avoid a ransomware attack in the first place.

 

Preventing Ransomware Attacks

There are a few simple steps that businesses of any size should be taking in order to protect themselves, their customer’s information, and their bottom line from the misfortune of a ransomware attack.

1. Prepare Ahead of Time: The best offense is always a great defense. That means creating and actually enforcing your security policies (yes, that includes regularly making new, unique passwords), ensuring all software is updated consistently, using multi-factor authentication, and training your employees to spot strange or malicious behavior in all areas of your technological infrastructure. 
2. Create Additional Protections for Highly Sensitive Information: Cyber criminals will always try to attack your most important information. From the systems that keep your physical building operational to sensitive data like customer payment information, keep all your most private data under multiple levels of security.
3. Use Experts to Manage Threats: Having a third party team of IT experts manage your cyber security is a great way to ensure you know about threats as soon as they pop up.
4. Create & Regularly Test Response Protocols: Should a threat to your business’ security emerge, it’s important to know how you’ll respond. Create a plan of attack (pun intended) and practice your response, so everyone knows what their responsibilities are when those threats arise.

 

Manage Threats with DataVizion

DataVizion is an industry-leading provider of security options for small- to mid-sized businesses, including manufacturing, healthcare, and even mom and pop shops across the country. We’re able to directly assist small business customers and larger mid-sized corporations with everything from managed IT security to network segmentation services. Our ransomware avoidance tactics also include:

• Management of border and edge security: Stopping the threat from being able to access a network
• Endpoint protection: Protecting the endpoint from being susceptible to ransomware attacks.
• Patch management: Distributing and applying updates to software vulnerabilities in a timely manner.
• Backups/Disaster recovery services: Restoring your network to the most recent update in the event that a cyber criminal is able to gain access to the network.

Talk with our experts today to schedule a security posture assessment so we can ensure your technological infrastructure best protects your business, your customers, and your employees from ransomware attacks.

Financial institutions are subject to some of the strictest regulations and compliance standards and for good reason. Protecting the financial data of the individuals you serve is crucial for the customers who trust you to keep it safe. For banks, credit unions, investment companies, mortgage companies, and other financial institutions, ClearPass is a tool that helps authorized users gain secure access to sensitive data, even when remote access outside a branch or location is necessary. 

 

Learning to Leverage ClearPass

According to a recent study, IoT devices are typically attacked within the first 5 minutes of logging onto the internet. Unfortunately, should a data breach occur, they’re typically discovered nearly 50 days after the incident, leaving plenty of time for bad actors to use the information they’ve gathered for their intended purpose. Using ClearPass helps your team detect and deal with security threats faster than ever before. By keeping an inventory of all devices that can log into and access your private network, what types of devices they are, any new devices that log on, and any untrustworthy or suspicious logins, ClearPass provides unmatched transparency regarding who’s using your network and why. But that’s not all it offers.

 

There are tons of features that can make ClearPass the most important security tool you’ll ever add to your arsenal. All you have to do is learn how to utilize the software to your advantage. That’s why we’re offering a free webinar for our partners who use ClearPass!

 

Start the Conversation!

Our free consultation teaches our partners the new ways to leverage their existing investments in the ClearPass platform so that they’re able to get the best protection possible. Plus, you’ll get a free gift just for showing up (virtually, of course.)! We’ll send a free drone, Amazon gift card ($50 value), or Blink Mini smart security camera to your home when you book your consultation today. Achieve your goals and work well from any location without fear of security threats with top-rated protection from DataVizion powered by Aruba, a Hewlett Packard company.

You can learn more here, or simply book your consultation now!

We’re beyond proud to announce our 20th Anniversary! For two decades, DataVizion has been growing, serving our customers, and implementing new strategies to make IT services for businesses of all sizes as seamless as possible.

 

Over the years, we’ve been recognized by numerous third-party organizations for our top-tier products, excellent service, and exceptional company culture. Some of the awards we’ve racked up over the years include recognition as a Top Managed Service Provider of 2020 by CRN, one of the fastest-growing private companies in America according to Inc. 5000, and one of the Best Places to Work in our hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska! 

 

As humbled as we are by all the recognition and accolades we’ve received over the course of the last 20 years, what we’re most proud of is the unparalleled team of IT experts we’ve put together. Our team is the foundation upon which all our success has been built, and we’re grateful to each and every person who has contributed to our progress.

 

“Looking back on all the great things we have accomplished over the years, the thing I’m most proud of is the fact that we built a great team that focused on each other and our customers.   That we owned success and failure wasn’t an option and boy there were times when we struggled to make payroll, we met with other companies about being acquired but we decided to keep putting one foot in front of the other and just keep moving no matter what.

I really think this mindset (Our GRIT) has allowed us to continue to grow on average 30-35% YOY and into the successful people developmental mindset that we are today.  As an associate, you could walk into this company and easily be supported to put your individual mark on the company to allow you to develop a career at DataVizion. We are built to build careers for folks, not simply jobs.  You can really focus on an area you want and make it special at DataVizion.  We are about our people and our people are about our customers…..to steal a tag line from one of our partners it is Customer First, Customer Last……..our people make IT happen.” - Kelly Schrad

 

As we look forward to the next 20 years and beyond, DataVizion’s leadership team has lots of lofty goals and ideas for continued success. From more research into the needs of our customers to discovering better ways to serve the specific needs of specialty industries like financial or educational institutions, our main objective is to continue building the best possible managed IT platform in the country.

 

Thanks again to all the partners who work with us, individuals we employ, and customers who trust us with their software and security needs. We look forward to another 20 years with you all.

Join the Celebration! Check out the exclusive offers we have going only in April!

Financial institutions have seen an astounding evolution in the past hundred years alone. The iron vaults of the past have been replaced by a digital alternative, but that alternative poses entirely new challenges when it comes to the safety of not just a simple stack of bills, but entire caches of data that your customers trust you to keep private. DataVizion’s team makes sure your customers are getting the safest, most secure financial services possible. With help from our partners at Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Company, we can gain secure, remote access to your system in the event you’ve experienced a tech emergency or issue. 

In our nearly 20 years of providing full-scale IT services for companies of all sizes, we’ve learned how to pivot quickly, strategize effective solutions, and work within the regulations of a variety of industries to custom-design IT solutions that best protect both our customers’ most sensitive data and, in turn, their own customers. Plus, we’re regularly researching the latest technology and data protection compliance standards for banks, credit unions, investment management companies, and other financial industries to ensure your IT infrastructure meets every criterion. That includes infrastructure that spans multiple branches and locations, with each branch’s technological landscape operating as smoothly and efficiently as the last. 

Our scalable solutions have kept private data private, provided backup and disaster recovery, managed IT and security, and created network infrastructure and cloud solutions that have been supporting financial institutions for the past two decades. The coming years will only see technology become more and more integrated into our daily lives. Make sure your business is staying ahead of the curve with help from DataVizion.

Book an appointment with a DataVizion rep today and you’re automatically entered to win a drone or a $50 Visa gift card!* 

*Must complete appointment as scheduled to be entered

About DataVizion: 

DataVizion is a leading provider of custom IT solutions for businesses for 20 years. Proficient in the full range of business technology solutions from Small Business to Enterprise, DataVizion provides a better connection through enhanced speed, flexibility, and productivity in a secure environment. Backed by superior support and customer service, these proven solutions give their customers a competitive advantage to grow and thrive. IT, the way it should be.

 

Follow Us: LinkedIn, Facebook, @DataVizion, 

How Do Managed IT Options Aid Small Businesses?

Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, but without the same access to great software solutions as larger conglomerates, many feel as though they’re being left behind in a digital sense. As technology becomes more and more integrated into both how we run our lives and our businesses, software solutions have emerged to meet the needs of smaller companies that don’t have the time, team, or tools to manage their tech on their own. When you need to keep your information and the information of your customers safe at a lower cost, DataVizion can help by integrating a Managed IT Service (also known as a SOC) program into your business.

What is a SOC?

SOC stands for “security operations center,” and it refers to a team within a company that is comprised of cybersecurity experts, security analysts, engineers, and other individuals. They focus on the detection, assessment, and response to cyber threats. As online criminals find more and more sophisticated techniques for infiltrating and stealing data, these teams are becoming more and more crucial for the safety of your business's sensitive information. 

Using a variety of tools, these are the people who spot vulnerabilities in a cybersecurity network, protect against viruses and attempts to infiltrate the network, and create countermeasures to prevent future threats. For small businesses, however, creating an entire team to protect your digital footprint isn’t likely in the cards (or, more accurately, it’s not in the budget).

What are Managed IT Services?

Many smaller companies are turning to Managed IT Services as a turnkey solution that, once implemented, provides you with a remote team to manage your data. It works very similarly to a subscription service. For example, when you pay for a streaming service, you’re paying for access to all the shows and movies available on their platform. Similarly, Managed IT Services uses advanced software to provide you with a dedicated team of security professionals who monitor your business’ devices, cloud storage, and networks remotely, detecting harmful activity from bad actors to immediately and effectively respond to threats. 

This is a way to provide a lower-cost option for businesses that don’t have either the knowledge to take care of these security issues on their own or the budget to finance an in-house team to do so. When you use VizionCare Secure as your Managed IT partner, your small business gets big protection, including:

• Threat detection
• Risk & liability assessment
• 24/7 network monitoring
• Real-time alerts & rapid response
• Compliance reporting
• And more!

Learn About Our Managed IT Services

Read more about our VizionCare Secure program for small businesses here, or contact our team to talk about the ways in which our Managed Service Solutions offer all the benefits of managed security software at a reasonable cost!

JOIN OUR WEBINAR TO LEARN MORE:

Thursday, May 13th, 2021 at 12:30pm CST

 

 

In today’s decentralized, mobile world, managing security and compliance has become an increasingly difficult task for IT. Palo Alto Networks, a global cybersecurity leader and DataVizion partner, knows these challenges all too well.

 

The solution? Prisma Cloud. It's a security platform that addresses three of the leading causes of IT headaches: security risks, compliance, and incident response time – all from an easy-to-use and comprehensive dashboard.

 

Security Risks

 For businesses, the scope of data, devices and more that need to be secured can be daunting. Prisma Cloud continuously discovers new resources as they are deployed into your cloud environment and alerts you to any suspicious activities or any configurations that violate your policies.

 

Compliance

 The dynamic nature of cloud environments can prove challenging and time-consuming to manage compliance, let alone prove it during an audit. Prisma Cloud continuously monitors all cloud resources for everything from misconfigurations and vulnerabilities to compliance violations. You can monitor your compliance posture in real time and easily generate audit-ready reports. Compliance validation goes from a multi-week headache to a few simple clicks.

 

Incident Response Time

 Prism Cloud uses machine learning to correlate and contextualize data from multiple sources – a task that would be overwhelming and time-consuming for even the best IT professionals. Every risk is then automatically ranked by level of severity so your teams can easily prioritize which vulnerabilities need attention first.

 

Ready to get started or want to learn more? JOIN US July 15^th at 11:30am CST. The experts at DataVizion and Palo Alto Networks are breaking down the power of Cloud Services and Next-Generation Firewall platform to protect your critical data regardless of location.

Register Today! Seats are limited to this in-demand webinar.

Typically, when a company moves to a remote work model, they have the luxury of time. Time to plan. Time to implement. Time to assess. The rapid workplace changes due to COVID-19 changed all that. Businesses of all sizes found themselves accelerating their mobile plans in a hurry.

 

Now that the initial scramble is over, it’s important to assess potential security gaps to stop cybercriminals eager to take advantage. Here are five steps you can take to ensure your business can continue to operate remotely while safeguarding business-critical information.

 

1. Communicate Security Policies

Which mobile devices does the IT department support? Can employee-owned devices be used for work? If a mobile device is lost, stolen or broken, what is the process to ensure that the data on the device is/was secure? These are all questions employees are bound to ask if they haven’t already. Make sure you have the answers to address these and other concerns that may arise.

 

2. Provide Ongoing Training

For many, working remotely has been a new concept. Make sure to train your staff on topics such as the dangers of using public Wi-Fi, the use of removable media, and how to recognize and avoid phishing scams to name a few. Hackers are constantly evolving with increasingly complex methods, so your training will need to be ongoing to stay ahead of the game.

 

3. Utilize Multi-factor Authentication (MFA)

When properly designed and implemented, MFA methods are much more reliable and a stronger deterrent for cybercriminals. MFA not only provides increased network security, but also can help make sure the right people are accessing the right information within your organization. Take the time to evaluate your authentication process and update if needed.

 

4. Know What’s on Your Wireless Network

You most likely have many Internet of Things (IoT) devices connecting and disconnecting from your network all day long. With the COVID-19 rush, many businesses were busy just trying to keep up with the need to assign computers and other devices. Take some time now to make sure you have clear visibility into what the devices are, who is operating them, and what they are doing.

 

5. Monitor. Monitor. Monitor.

Deploying anti-virus software and calling it a day simply won’t work. Continuous network monitoring is one of the most proactive ways to deal with security threats and make sure your network is operating the way it should be.

 

Sound overwhelming? It doesn’t have to be. We’re experts in mobility, so wherever you are at in the process, we can help. Give us a call

DataVizion is honored to celebrate its 2^nd year in a row of achieving CRN’s Top Managed Service Providers list.

[LINCOLN, NEBRASKA] — CRN awarded the highly coveted Top Managed Service Provider of 2020 to DataVizion on May 6^th, 2020 in recognition of their forward-thinking approach to providing managed services which are changing the landscape of the IT channel.

 

This is the 2^nd year in a row DataVizion has achieved the Top 250 Managed Service Providers with CRN. DataVizion was selected out of thousands of nation-wide companies and consultants across North America to receive the award. 

 

“To be in the CRN Top 250, is an honor I had only dreamed of achieving when DataVizion was founded in 2001.” Says Kelly Schrade, CEO & Founder of DataVizion. “To get it two years in a row? Incredible. I am so proud of the team we have.”

 

 “It is a great honor to be recognized for all the hard work we put into guaranteeing our customers success.” Says Aaron Tredway, Director of Managed Services at DataVizion. “We couldn’t accomplish this without the DataVizion crew and incredible clients.” 

 

CRN is your place for trusted news, analysis, and perspective for solution providers and technology integrators. Learn more at CRN.com.

DataVizion was founded in 2001 on two key principles: the belief that excellent support should be provided at a reasonable cost, and for the company to succeed our customers must succeed. We are now a leading-edge provider of custom and innovative next-generation technology solutions. The foundational principles remain at the core of everything we do. DataVizion brings together the right technologies which meet your current business needs and position you for future growth. Your success is our guarantee; our people make IT happen.

 

Curious about what it means to work with us? Let's Talk! 

We are in the fortunate position to be able to keep all of our employees working remotely full-time, with years of experience in remote workforce practices. We're also doing our part to flatten the curve by encouraging our workforce to be socially responsible in their social distancing practices, washing our hands for 20seconds, and continually finding ways to contribute to our community.

Ensuring the quality of our services to you: 

DataVizion was built as a sustainable business for over a decade, and while we have never seen anything quite like this, we continue to be ready to serve and scale with your needs, especially now.

 

Here are some basic tips and recommendations for good work from home practices.

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CYBERSECURITY:

1. Make sure your home wifi is secure and encrypted.
   • (Is your SSID default and/or broadcasting?
   • Have you replaced default admin user and passwords on all devices?
   • Have you updated firmware recently? Modem/Router, IoT, etc.?)
   • TIP: Remember to disable remote administration and use the strongest level of encryption. (WPA3 if available). You can also monitor the network and enable MAC filtering.
2. Use a VPN. (Yes, a hacker does live next door. And several work at your IP.)
3. Turn off/ Unplug/ Remove all voice/vision/motion-activated items and Smart devices that can listen or view (Alexa, Ring, Baby Monitors, Smart TV, etc.).
4. Secure your printer and any other network or home IoT Devices so they do not become an entry point.
   • This includes smart thermostats, lighting, home security, smart locks, wifi cameras, health devices and wearables, home entertainment for streaming, gaming or music, smart TVs, and smart appliances like refrigerators, microwaves, dishwashers and more.
   • Disable UPnP on your router and segment IoT devices, change default passwords and admin controls, use security features were available, and periodically power cycle devices. Where possible, turn off anything you aren't using.
5. Check with your security team to make sure you have the appropriate, updated security software to back up your work, remote wipe your device, and protect against malware, etc.
   • (Also make sure your OS and other software are updated)
6. Brush up on your security awareness training, especially any focused on working remotely, from home, and traveling. Knowing is half the battle.
7. Use multi-factor authentication where possible to protect critical accounts like email, company software, etc and mitigate the damage if a password is compromised.
8. Never leave your device(s) in your vehicle. If you brought it, you need to wear it. Take your backpack and guard it like the One Ring (or the Two Ring).
9. Lock your computer /devices when not in use and put them away, as well as any other sensitive information like meeting notes, client information, or other digital /physical resources.

TECHNOLOGY:

1. Make sure you have the right technology and tools, including hardware
   • Monitors, printer, headset, etc
   • Software (VPN, CRM, Slack, IM, Zoom, etc.).
2. Is your internet access fast enough and reliable enough? (Does your IP throttle speeds and/or limit data usage?)
3. Do not use personal devices or cloud accounts to store, transport, back-up, or work on company information.
4. If you use removable media for work, make sure all data is encrypted and stored securely.

PRODUCTIVITY:

1. Have a dedicated workspace and set a perimeter if others live in your home. Stock it with any needed supplies (See technology items above).
2. Remove distractions and resist the urge to knock out chores around your home.
3. Understand and stick to expected work hours, including a definitive END time for the day. If you typically work after hours anyway as many in our industry do - then purposefully go back to it later that evening after you have had a break and engaged with family or housemates (including furry ones).
4. Communication is critical, not only for your own interaction and feedback but so others know you're still on the job. Be proactive to send updates to your direct report and check-in with those under you. The idea here isn't to show where your minutes went, but rather an update on the status of projects and deliverables. Either the work is getting done or it's not.
5. Pick appropriate background music to help you concentrate and feel less isolated.
   • TIP: Best to avoid anything that you will start listening too closely to, so instrumental is typically going to be more effective.

BEHAVIOR & HEALTH:

1. How you take care of yourself will impact your mood and your productivity. Get up on time, make the bed, get dressed, cleanliness and grooming are still necessary.
2. If you will be in virtual meetings where someone can see you - be prepared for that every day so you don't misfire when it counts. This means being presentable, making sure the area /background behind you is presentable (not unfinished basement walls, dirty dishes, beer cans, or anything personal that shouldn't be posted on the internet - including pictures).
3. When you are using the phone, follow basic rules of consideration.
   • Pause your music
   • Make sure no one will hear the animals freaking out
   • Don't be multi-tasking dishes or other noisy behaviors
   • Don't eat while you're on the phone... enough said.
4. Make time to eat, stretch, walk around, a snack if needed, and keep yourself otherwise alert and fueled.

For a while now, businesses of all sizes have been steering away from traditional data centers and toward the cloud. Increased productivity, decreased overhead, and overall fewer IT headaches are just some of the results. However, there are disadvantages as well – compliance, lack of ability to predict costs accurately, and potential loss of control over infrastructure – to name a few.

 

The promise of public cloud with cost control and security you demand. You can’t have everything right? Wrong! The Nutanix Enterprise Cloud Platform delivers the simplicity, scalability and flexibility benefits of the public cloud, but with the control and security businesses need in the enterprise datacenter.

 

Simplicity

The Enterprise Cloud is a 100% software-based solution that can run on off-the-shelf servers from all leading server manufacturers. Worried about time? With a Nutanix-powered infrastructure, you can go from the starting line to full deployment in just 60 minutes or less. Enjoying the ease of day-to-day management through a single GUI/console.

 

Scalability

You have the freedom to start in the slow lane and accelerate as your business does – just like the public cloud. Plus, the capacity to your network and/or storage capacity can be added as needed without interruption or downtime. No more waiting for new hardware to arrive and taking time and resources to integrate it with your existing environment. With Nutanix Enterprise Cloud, an entire software stack can be upgraded in a single click, and without disruption to the live environment.

 

Flexibility

One of the most important aspects of the Nutanix Enterprise Cloud is the flexibility when it comes to application mobility. With support for one-click migration,  you can seamlessly move across various infrastructure platforms. Without infrastructure constraints, your IT team is in the driver’s seat when it comes to selecting and leveraging the best applications based on your current needs.

 

Control and Security

With the Nutanix Enterprise Cloud Platform, you will be in the fast lane with automated security features with no negative application impact. It also integrates with a broad network of validated, security partner solutions to provide a holistic approach to securing your data.

Utilizing patented machine-learning data-driven algorithms, the Nutanix Enterprise Cloud Platform becomes smarter over time, which reduces reliance (and potential for humor error) on everyday administrator intervention.

 

Let us help you determine which workloads you could move to Nutanix and put you standing at the top of the podium in your company.  We have a quick, proven method of sizing a Nutanix for you that will maximize ROI as well as decrease your administrative pain.  We WILL get your nights and weekends back for you!

 

Questions? Or ready to take a test drive? Please join us for an informative and fun-filled afternoon of go-kart racing March 5, 2020, at Pole Position Raceway in Des Moines, Iowa.

Click here for details and to register. We look forward to seeing you there!