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Cyber criminals never take a day off. And during the holiday season, employees can be distracted, letting their guard down and forgetting their security training. This time of year, even IT-security teams can get careless about credentials, more prone to falling for phishing attacks, and somewhat lax about monitoring their networks for anomalies.

The following are some of the risks posed to companies during the holidays:

Company Equipment Usage

• Employees will often use company workstations and phones to shop online around the holiday season. This puts the company in danger of being spoofed, phished, or hacked—all of which can lead to a data breach.

• Individual and corporate credit-card information is stolen at a higher rate during the holidays, as most people are not shopping over secure URL links.

Increased Social Engineering Attacks

• Cyber criminals increase their phishing campaigns during the holiday season, and employees often forget what they’ve learned during their annual training. These phishing campaigns will often center on the latest gadget or toy, hoping to lure last-minute shoppers into the trap.

• Fraudulent URLs posing as Amazon, Sony, Xbox, etc., are dangled as bait during the holiday season.

• Deceptive URLs can install keyloggers, allowing an attacker to gather vital information such as credentials and credit-card information.

• Vishing and spear phishing often increase during this time, as well. All suspicious calls and emails should be reported.

Holiday Party Virtual Invites & Registries

• Virtual invitations to holiday parties and party gift registries are often spoofed and hacked, allowing attackers to steal identities and use them for phishing campaigns. Registries can also be used to find specific employees, either to stalk them or to steal their identities.

IT/Security Team

• During this time of year, IT-security teams often fail to pay full attention to their network traffic, not realizing they’ve been hacked until it’s too late. Security updates and patches that come out during this time of year are often not installed until after the holidays, which allows attackers to exploit vulnerabilities and gain access to a network and its data—resulting in DDoS and Ransomware attacks.

It is critical for all employees to pay attention to cybersecurity threats throughout the year, as cyber criminals lie in wait to take advantage of any mistake. But companies should conduct cyber-awareness training just before the holiday season begins so that these vulnerabilities are fresh in everyone’s mind when the threat is greatest.

With an increase in social-engineering attacks, spoofing, and identity theft, IT personnel must stay vigilant and maintain their security postures. Cybersecurity teams should ensure that their infrastructure is protected through up-to-date security patches, vulnerability scans, and penetration testing. These will allow them to find any vulnerabilities that exist and mitigate them before a breach occurs.

Think before you click, report all suspicious emails and phone calls, and confirm that a web site is secure before making an online purchase. Enjoy the holiday season, and STAY VILIGENT!

If your business needs IT consulting and services near Winchester VA, call the experts at Netmaker Solutions.  We work with the United States Department of Defense, United States Navy, and various commercial Lead Systems Integrators and would love the chance to serve your business.

Remote work has completely shifted the landscape for business communication, both internally and externally. We’ve been introduced to different communication platforms which all require different logins, apps to download, systems to learn, and so on.

But what if all of these platforms were combined into one? Luckily, the 3CX Phone System makes this possible. 

What exactly is the 3CX Phone System?

3CX is a cloud-based business communication tool that was redesigned to cater to the remote workplace lifestyle. It includes useful features for your business, such as VoIP phone calls, video conferencing, live website chat, and more. It can also integrate with systems such as Facebook Messenger, Microsoft Teams, and even SMS texting. 

While some have claimed that the initial set-up can be slightly cumbersome, the savings alone make 3CX worth it, with some users saving up to 80% on telecommunication costs. It’s an incredibly easy way to manage an open platform that allows users to choose their own cloud provider, hardware, and so on.

So, what exactly does a 3CX Phone System consist of?

3CX Phone System Features

• Video Conferencing permits video conferencing for 25-250 participants. Due to integration capabilities, meeting guests can join no matter where they are without downloading 3rd party apps or logging into a different platform.

• Live Chat allows your team to provide real-time support to website visitors and turn them into customers. By selecting one-click video or voice calls, consumers can experience face-to-face communication about products and get information much more easily, prompting them to buy sooner. 

• Call Management includes features such as customizable call routing, estimated wait times, priority queuing, automatic callbacks, and so on. This not only helps employee productivity, but also increases customer satisfaction.

• Call Forwarding directs calls from business numbers to employees’ personal phones, which ensures shorter wait times for consumers and increases their chance of connecting with a live agent. 
  
  
• Business SMS protects employees from sharing their personal number by allowing them to send SMS texts to consumers and clients from their business number instead. All agents also have access to a queue system that shows incoming messages, which helps increase customer satisfaction and decrease wait time for responses to their inquiries. 

• Remote Collaboration lets users connect to calls on any device without needing to download an additional app, making both internal and external calls much simpler. 

• Integrations make everyone’s lives easier. Integrations include social media platforms such as Facebook Messenger, CRM systems like Salesforce, and office tools such as Microsoft Teams. The 3CX phone system allows multiple platforms to communicate with one another, making for better communication and data integration.

So, should my business use the 3CX Phone System?

In short, yes. 3CX allows you and your employees to work productively from anywhere with one system that includes video, voice, live chat, and instant messaging. It simplifies both internal and external communication with easy integrations and no additional downloads.

The 3CX Phone System is the future of communication systems. Not only does it help your employees stay productive with easy access from anywhere, but it also provides substantial cost savings for your business. Your customers will be nothing short of satisfied as you field their requests via Facebook Messenger, SMS text messages, or online chat through your website. For easier access for your employees, they can download apps for either iOS or Android for free.

Located in Winchester, VA, Netmaker Communications is one of the best VoIP providers in the area. We understand the importance of being able to easily communicate with customers, and recently released a capability for our 3CX system that allows your company to text customers! 

We’re confident we’re the best fit for your business! Contact us today for your free business VoIP phone service consultation. 

Over the past decade, cyber-attacks have become much more prominent and vicious than ever before. Phishing isn’t the only type of cyber-attack, but it is one of the most common.

What exactly do these attacks entail? How can you avoid them? Today, we’re going to cover what phishing is and how you can protect your business from this type of cyber-attack.

First things first, what exactly is phishing?

Phishing occurs when an individual (or individuals) poses as another person or a corporation in order to gain access to someone’s information. They mostly reach out via email, although sometimes they may contact targets via text message or phone calls.

Phishers often pose as a trusted contact and attempt to lure their targets into providing sensitive data, such as account logins, passwords, credit card information, and banking details. The information they collect helps them access important accounts or details that can ultimately result in identity theft and major financial loss.

Some common examples of phishing include:

• Unknown Sender or Requests – These messages often look like they’re coming from someone random with a story that pulls on your heartstrings. It could also be designed to appear as if it’s from someone you know, but with an odd request sent from a different email. Some examples of these requests include asking for gift cards or money to help a soldier return home.
• Unexpected Attachments – Unexpected or suspicious-looking attachments can contain ransomware or other viruses.
• Suspicious Hyperlinks – Links can appear very different from what they actually are due to scammers editing the link text to look more believable.
• Sense of Urgency – Some phishers will claim that a special deal is only available for a limited time or that account updates are needed immediately to avoid account closure. An extremely common example usually consists of someone pretending to be your boss and asking that you go out to purchase gift cards and send the gift card information over to them.
• Too Good to Be True Opportunity – Phishers will sometimes send offers that seem too good to be true, i.e., winning the lottery, receiving a free iPhone, an all-inclusive trip, etc. 

Why are phishing attempts so easy to fall for?

There are many reasons why someone might fall for a phishing scam, and they are not a one-size-fits-all type of scam. One person could fall for one message, while another could fall for a completely different kind of phishing attempt.

Here are a few common reasons why someone might fall for a phishing attempt:

• Believing they aren’t vulnerable to these threats – As phishing has become more prominent over the years, some people automatically think they wouldn’t fall for one, creating a false sense of security and the belief that those around them are much more vulnerable.
• Security isn’t a top priority – With the rising prominence of remote work over the past few years, workers experience an entirely new mix of challenges. They might find themselves juggling more issues, and roper security protocols could get pushed to the back of their mind as a result. This is especially true if their remote work requires using their personal device rather than work equipment.
• Lack of awareness – Whether their company hasn’t provided enough information regarding cybersecurity or the individual hasn’t taken time to fully understand the threats, some users are simply unaware of the dangers of phishing and how easily they can occur.

How can you protect your business and employees from these attacks?

Overall, one of the best ways to avoid a vicious phishing attack is to build awareness among your organization and employees. At Netmaker Communications, our cybersecurity services provide training and exercises specific to your organization to ensure your colleagues understand the risks of cyber-attacks such as phishing.

Some other ways to prevent phishing or other cyber-attacks are:

• Implement security software on all devices
• Update software automatically or as soon as updates become available
• Back up data frequently
• Utilize multi-factor authentication. [NOTE:  multi-factor authentication is better as an overall security posture because attackers could potentially gain access to your backup security methods as well and still perform a phishing attack.]

Visit Netmaker Communications for the best IT consulting and services around Winchester, VA! Our team of experts will ensure your data and confidential information are secure and safe from all types of cyber-attacks.

If you’re interested in our services or have a question regarding what we offer, contact us today to learn more!

Business VoIP systems have become increasingly popular over the past decade due to the advances in the technological industry and the rising costs of maintaining older analog phone technology. The FCC is requiring that the old copper dial-up technology be retired by commercial telephone companies by the summer of 2025. With the sum of these events, many businesses are now making the switch from their old analog business phone systems to VoIP.  

You might have heard of VoIP, but what exactly is it? Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) allows you to make calls over an internet connection. It not only helps streamline your business, but also saves you money in the long run as your data and voice are carried over one converged network connection.

Cost of Services

There are multiple ways you can save when it comes to a VoIP system, but the primary savings come from the low cost of a VoIP system in general. When VoIP first came into the market, typical costs for a VoIP system would range from $70,000 to $125,000, making it unattainable for many businesses. Today, those prices have dropped to significantly lower price points, with many basic 25 phone solutions selling on average for approximately $2,500. 

Keep in Contact with Contractors

Many companies occasionally use freelancers or contractors to provide services. More often than not, their workload requires them to communicate with the company’s employees and clients. However, giving them a business line can be very costly for a company, especially since they are not full-time employees.

Because of this, some businesses find that it is not worth it to buy a business line for their freelancers. However, VoIP services offer many ways for these nonemployees to connect with your colleagues and at a minimal cost. 

Advanced Features for Less

As we’ve learned over the past few years, it is essential for businesses to be able to adapt to remote work and the virtual world. They still need to be able to collaborate effectively and efficiently, even if they’re not in the same place.

Utilizing features such as video conferencing and screen sharing gives you and your employees the chance to connect as if you’re in the office together. VoIP provides functionality to the virtual side of the business at an extremely affordable cost, unlike other systems. 

Time Saver

Not only do VoIP services save you a substantial amount of money, but they can also save you and your colleagues a copious amount of time throughout your day.

Just because it is a system for your business does not mean that it can only be used in the office. Some packages are perfect for those who are not tied to their desk. Calls and other functionalities can still be available to any employee with an internet connection, allowing them to work when they’re on the go.

If you’re looking for VoIP services or VoIP providers in the Winchester, VA area, look no further than Netmaker Communications. Learn more about the pricing and packages we have to offer here, and get your quote today!

In this day and age, it’s extremely common to hear about businesses experiencing a cyber-attack and individuals falling victim to a security breach. As technological abilities advance, so do hackers’ skills to break down walls.

There are a number of ways to tell if you or your business are safe from experiencing a cyber-attack, but how can you know for sure?

First things first, what even is a cyber-attack?

A cyber-attack is an unsolicited attempt to gain, steal, expose, and/or destroy information that has been retrieved through unauthorized access to a computer system. These attacks can cause an insurmountable amount of damage to corporations in many different ways, from shutting down systems and causing downtime, to losing important data or funds that help the company run efficiently.

There are various types of cyber-attacks, but two of the most common include hacking and phishing. While they have the same end goal of stealing information, compromising your infrastructure and leaving your organization grasping to recover, these attacks are executed differently. 

What is Hacking?

Hacking is exploiting devices (i.e., computers, tablets, servers, etc.) and vulnerabilities within a network infrastructure often by brute force. This is done to steal data and/or exploit an organization/individual.  

They accomplish this by using either sheer technological force or more complex methods, depending on the target of the hacker(s). The more complex the network/device, the more thought-out and sophisticated the attack could be.

What is Phishing?

Instead of using force or technical exploits, phishing, a form of Social Engineering, attacks the logical and psychological of a person to gain access to data (i.e., login credentials, credit card information, etc.). In a phishing attempt, hackers often disguise themselves as a familiar source to trick you into responding with said data, clicking a link that’ll redirect you to enter sensitive information.

If your employees are not properly trained on cybersecurity and social engineering, it can be incredibly easy for them to fall victim to a phishing scam.

How to Prepare for a Cyber Attack

So, how can you adequately prepare for a cyber-attack or attempt to avoid them altogether?

Working with one of the top IoT companies in the Winchester, VA area is a start. Netmaker Communications will not only protect your company from these attacks, but also train you and your employees accordingly. Our cyber security services are designed to meet your organization’s safety and information security needs, no matter how big or small.

We offer a variety of cybersecurity services, such as training, testing, risk assessment consultation, and incident response, to name a few. But what exactly do these services entail?

• Training and Exercises – We implement company-wide training tailored to each individualized company, including SE exercises that test the company’s infrastructure security from multiple points.
• Vulnerability Testing and Remediation – We test your network for vulnerabilities and provide advice and corrections if any are found.
• Risk Assessment Consultation – We review what security you currently have in place and suggest improvements.
• Incident Response (IR) – We provide immediate assistance if a cyber-attack occurs, from locking the infrastructure to recovering all data and increasing security protocol.

If you’re looking for cybersecurity or IoT consulting services around Winchester, VA, you’ve come to the right place! With over 20 years of combined experience, our cybersecurity team makes us one of the best in the area. Start by getting a quote today to protect your company from future attacks.

Cyber-attacks can infiltrate your business and cause losses that you might not be able to recover from. To ensure this never happens to you, it is essential to have proper security methods in place to keep your business safe. 

What signs indicate your business might be vulnerable to a cyber-attack? Below are five indicators that your business might be at risk.

Do your systems crash regularly? 

If your programs go from working with no problems to constant crashes, there is a good chance that they are under cyber-attack. Technical issues could cause the occasional computer crash from time to time; however, it can also result from an active malware attack.

To be safe, work with a trusted professional to inspect your overall system and security posture and see if there are any red flags. 

Do you experience constant pop-ups?

More often than not, you should never trust pop-up windows. They most likely contain a suspicious link containing embedded malicious code that will automatically download onto your computer. It’s essential to avoid these suspicious pop-ups when you are visiting websites. 

Do your employees receive suspicious emails?

Believe it or not, phishing is one of the top tricks for hackers to access your computer and phone. The most common information gathered is banking, social media, and computer login credentials. To combat these attacks, avoid clicking on links in emails that redirect to websites seeking credentials and report these targeted emails to your IT/security teams.

Social engineering training plays a vital role in awareness and warning employees against opening attachments from unauthorized or unknown senders. There are many different ways hackers try to gain information via email, making it essential to inform and train your colleagues accordingly. 

Do you only have one authentication step?

NIST and CISA recommend that organizations implement Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) / Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to combat hackers from stealing login credentials. This is critical as hackers can access your information within seconds when passwords are the only authentication step you have in place.

Implementing 2MFA/MFA provides your business with an extra layer of security that protects against this vulnerability, even if someone figures out your password. Including SMS verification, phone calls, and single-use codes/token, will make your login credentials less susceptible to a cyber-attack. 

Is your technology up to date?

System updates and patches are being sent out daily for organizations to stay protected. Using outdated technology, software and programs give hackers an advantage to gain access to your computer and overall network. It is essential to install updates and patches as soon as they’re available and replace older systems with newer ones.

To secure your infrastructure, the first step is simply being aware of your organization’s vulnerabilities and current cyber threats and attacks. Seeing that you’re here means you’ve come to the right place and understand the importance of incorporating cyber security into your business! 

Located in Winchester, VA, Netmaker Communications is here to help you with all of your IT consulting and service needs. Whether it’s small business IT consulting or implementing cyber security for a major corporation, we’ve done it all! 

Contact us today to get started and to protect your information properly.