We often hear a similar story when new companies call us desperately looking for a quick IT solution. “As soon as I clicked it, I realized I shouldn’t have. I know better.” This is typically something that a user says following a virus infection or a successful social engineering hack.
Preventing this situation is exactly why regular user security training is a critical component to a comprehensive network security plan. User security training is not just for some of your users. Contrary to popular belief, it’s imperative that all users participate…including ‘C’ suite executives!
Anyone holding authentication codes that allow access to your network must endure these regular reminders of the latest and most successful strategies hackers use to obtain access to your data. Their objective may be to encrypt your data and hold the electronic key as ransom. It may be to farm the data looking for information that they can monetize, including account numbers, social security numbers, birthdates, and more. Or, these hackers may just want to disrupt your business with a Denial Of Service (DoS) attack or embarrass your company by having to report a hack.
At NetCenergy, we’ve been providing quarterly user security training (along with ethical phishing attempts) for years. All too often, users balk at attending the sessions. You see, many believe they are fully aware and savvy regarding cybersecurity, and they will try anything to get out of sitting for 60 minutes in a training room. But once the “know it all’s” complete the training, they invariably learn something new. More importantly, it keeps them on their guard.
If your Managed Service Provider maintains a strict schedule of user security training, you should demand that all of your users attend, each time. Including you! If your service provider doesn’t offer trainings, it should raise a red flag. Are you really doing all you can to ensure that you don’t become another statistic? Ransomware is a very real, very expensive, and very disruptive business threat that continues to grow. If you aren’t sure if your current MSP is doing enough to train your users on security threats, or you just want to learn more, contact us. Preventing an attack is considerably cheaper than recovering from one.
Authored by Donald Nokes
As President of NetCenergy, Don Nokes is responsible for ensuring client satisfaction, and overseeing company performance and direction. Prior to co-founding the firm with Dan Charland in 2003, Don held senior leadership positions with IT service firms ranging in size from $3 Billion to $10 Million in annual sales.
Nick Eckman joined NetCenergy in 2016 from an international gaming company. Nick’s experience with supervising and implementing secure, fiber and copper wire infrastructure services provides our clients with a team of highly trained and experienced technicians. In addition to the skills required to manage our infrastructure services department, Nick brings a very experienced and focused approach to project management and is a stickler for accurate documentation for every project designed and built by his team.
Peter Lachapelle joined NetCenergy in 2015 and is responsible for leading all of NetCenergy’s operations and accounting functions. Each department within NetCenergy reports through Lachapelle. He brings his years of experience to maintain a pragmatic, efficient, client-focused team at NetCenergy. Lachapelle joined NetCenergy after completing a 27-year career with a Rhode Island, federally-charted bank which culminated in his senior management position as COO and CFO for the bank.
Peter Nelson has 25+ years of technology and management experience and has been with NetCenergy since inception. Peter serves as the VP of Engineering at NetCenergy. His role consists of managing the engineering staff, driving the companies technology strategy, and ensuring NetCenergy keeps up to date on new technologies and solutions.
As a Founding Partner, Dan is a result oriented individual who is always focusing on what is best for his client. He understands that business applications empower an organization and that technology must support those critical business applications. Dan’s technology career started in 1990 at EMC Corporation. Through the years, he has represented technology and consulting services for several organizations until 2003, when he and Don Nokes founded NetCenergy.
With decades of hands-on HR experience, Margery Ahearn is our Director of Human Resources, overseeing all hiring of new positions for NetCenergy with a careful eye on sourcing technology savvy engineers and skilled office-based professionals who fit our company culture, understand our commitment to our clients, and bring their time and talents to our team. Margery has both a BA and MBA in Business Administration from Southern New Hampshire University.