Prioritizing Email Security in 2019 and Beyond

Email Security

The future of tech has brought about dynamic advancements in how we do business. From CRM databases to enhancing interdepartmental collaboration, automation has made it easy to assume we live in a world where the risks of compromised data are a thing of the past. Unfortunately, despite significant improvements to antivirus software and firewalls, email security is still a vulnerability for many companies.

As we take a look back at the year in review, there’s much to be learned about protecting sensitive information and data through enhanced email security. AE Technology Group has paired down the highlights of email security in 2019. We’re here to make the goal of zero security breaches in 2020 a reality for our business clients.

Pinpointing the Vulnerability

Identifying the weakest link in your cyber security force is key to understanding and preventing data breaches. Many companies assume hackers will target the lowest echelon of employees first, making large businesses particularly vulnerable to compromised security at a departmental level. According to Mimecast’s 2019 State of Email Security Report, this assumption isn’t entirely correct.

While company wide security training is highly important, hackers tend to target members of the executive team in an effort to get their digital hands on the most valuable data and financial information. Mimecast found that a substantial 31% of executive level personnel sent sensitive data to the wrong person. Perhaps unsurprisingly given the aforementioned statistic, 40% of employees regarded their CEO as the weakest link when it came to cyber security and believed their CEO undervalued the impact of email security.

Assessing the Casualties

Now that we’ve all taken a moment to enjoy some humble pie, it’s time to take a look at the costs of a cyber attack. Of the companies survey, 39% reported data loss with financial data loss following close behind at 29%. 28% reported a decrease in their customer base, with 27% reporting job losses as a result of a large scale breach.

It’s easy to imagine that a data breach has a profound and lasting …

The Essential Guide to Preventing Cyber Attacks

Preventing Cyber Attacks

From data theft to compromising the core integrity of your company’s sensitive information, cyber attacks can strike anytime, anywhere. Malware and ransomware present a significant liability. Small businesses are especially vulnerable as these entities are often seen as an easy target. In fact. 43% of cyber attacks are aimed at small businesses and most close up shop within a year following a data compromise.

Don’t leave your company’s future in the hands of hackers. Take control with AE Technology Group’s Essential Guide to Preventing Cyber Attacks.

Identify the Weakest Link

Conduct a detailed audit of your business systems and protocols. Establish what security measures are in place and what areas need to be fortified. A quick vulnerabilities check is essential in determining a course of preemptive action. Does your company train employees to be technologically compliant? Are uniform password standards and other security measures in place? Is software updated to ensure new, evolving threats are actively being mitigated?

Filling the gaps in your security wall is the best way to start defending against cyber crime.

Build Your Defense

Invest in robust antivirus and anti-malware software. No matter the scale of your business, the most valuable asset is your data. Building a strong cyber defense is the best way to secure systems information. Arm your network with a strong firewall and establish a routine for updating software and applications — or set systems to automatically update so your security never lapses.

Train Your Team

People are the greatest asset when it comes to preventing cyber attacks. Make sure your staff is equipped to play an active role in cyber security. 

Hosting biannual technology training courses provides a comprehensive environment for employees to learn about technology compliance. From phishing schemes to password protection, the digital world is constantly updating and rapidly evolving to meet the needs of today’s professionals. Keep your crew up to date as well with dedicated in house support, IT management, and one-on-one training opportunities.

Compliance is Key

Provide uniform corporate standards for data security. This includes password …

How To Store Emails In An External Storage

When the first computer debuted for the public, most people used it as a form of communication. When emails made it to computers, the communication world was opened even more. You can reach anyone around the world. All that’s needed is one account. Or more. Today, you can choose from different email providers like Zoho, Gmail, Proton, Outlook, Yahoo, and more.

Like our documents, photos, videos, and other media content, programs and software, our emails can be just as important. They are forms of documented conversations between two parties that can come handy and helpful one day. Therefore, they should be stored in another storage device or the cloud as well. Simply put, emails are important too and should be backed up.

Storing your email archives for a long time can be done in different ways. There’s external storage, network, or cloud. Let’s take a look at each of them.

External storage includes external storage devices such as USB, memory cards, external SSD, or the more popular and widely used external hard drive. They are more popular because they offer large storage capacity, portability, and efficiency at a relatively affordable price.

External hard drives are easy to use too. But they can be prone to physical damage.

External hard drives are an attractive solution to long term data storage needs because of the extreme ease of use. In nearly all cases, all you need to do is to plug the hard drive into your computer with a USB cable and the drive is displayed to you in the file manager. From this point, all you need to do is to drag and drop your data files, such as your email archives, directly to this drive and they are copied. The only possible concerns for these devices arise if you travel with them or move them around often. There is only one hard drive inside and the reliability of that hard drive depends on the precision of the mechanical parts of the drive being able to read the disk. Dropping the

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Information Technology Association of Canada transforms for the future

Mississauga, ON (November 28, 2019) –  The Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC), the leading Canadian tech industry association, announced the launch of its new corporate brand identity and logo, TECHNATION.  This change comes at a time when the Association is evolving its service offerings to members and expanding its national reach. The announcement was made during the annual ITAC Ingenious Awards Program gala last evening, held in Toronto.

“We feel Canada as a nation must make a serious choice to embrace technology across all of our public and industry sector’s or we stand a chance of losing our global competitiveness, “explained Angela Mondou, president and CEO, ITAC. “TECHNATION represents the necessary power of collaboration across industry, government, academia and community required to keep Canada future ready as a Technology leader.  It also clearly demonstrates our role as a leader in Canada’s ever evolving digital economy.”

The new name, logo and tagline, Uniting technology, government and community for Canada’s future – came about after a strategic branding process that looked at creating an innovative leader-brand for today, and into the future. It included member, stakeholder and industry consultations and strategic planning sessions.

“ITAC has a long legacy of successes and has acted as the representative and advocate of Canada’s information, communications and technology (ICT) sector for more than 60 years,” added Kevin Peesker, president, Microsoft Canada and Chair, ITAC National Board of Directors. “The Canadian tech industry has changed and evolved significantly over the history of ITAC. It is our belief that Canada will be a global leader in technology and innovation if we work together with passion and vision. We are thrilled with the evolution ITAC and look forward to our Association’s future as TECHNATION.”

ITAC will officially begin to roll-out the new identity in January 2020.

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About Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC)

As Canada’s national ICT business association, the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) champions the development of a robust and sustainable digital economy in Canada. A vital connection between business and government, we …

Annonce des lauréats des Prix Ingénieux et des Prix CanadianCIO des DPI canadiens de l’année de l’ACTI : les TIC ont le pouvoir de transformer la vie des gens, des collectivités et des entreprises

                    

Toronto (le 27 novembre 2019) – Le premier instrument de test neurologique ludique au monde; la transformation numérique d’une grande société de construction qui tire parti des technologies et de l’analytique de pointe; des programmes d’intelligence artificielle qui détectent et réduisent les délais d’attente des personnes ayant un cancer de la peau : les cinq lauréats des Prix Ingénieux de l’ACTI 2019 et les deux lauréats des Prix CanadianCIO des DPI canadiens de l’année 2019 de l’ACTI sont de véritables pionniers de la technologie, selon l’Association canadienne des technologies de l’information (ACTI).

Les lauréats se sont vu remettre leur prix à l’occasion du dîner de gala annuel, tenu à Toronto le 27 novembre 2019. Les lauréats des Prix Ingénieux de l’ACTI 2019 sont :

  • Grande entreprise privée : PCL Construction Inc., pour son programme de transformation numérique;
  • Grande organisation publique : Humber River Hospital, pour son outil technologique iPlan;
  • Petite entreprise privée : MetaOptima Technology Inc., pour son outil intelligent de diagnostic du cancer de la peau DermEngine;
  • PME publique / Organisme sans but lucratif : eHealth Centre of Excellence, pour sa solution de soins virtuels;
  • Éclair de génie : Highmark Interactive, pour son outil de suivi EQ Active Brain Performance, le premier instrument de test neurologique mobile et ludique au monde.

Les lauréats des Prix CanadianCIO des DPI canadiens de l’année 2019 sont :

  • Secteur public : Mark Bryant, directeur principal de l’information, PCL Construction Inc.;
  • Secteur privé : Johanne Duhaime, vice-présidente – Technologies de l’information et des communications, Hydro-Québec.

L’ACTI est fière de s’associer à la CIO Association of Canada (CIOCAN) et à ITWC dans le cadre de ces programmes de prix.

Citations

« Les lauréats des Prix Ingénieux de l’ACTI 2019 représentent ce que les Canadiens et leurs entreprises peuvent réaliser de mieux avec la technologie : transformer et sauver la vie des gens, et contribuer à l’émergence d’une économie numérique de pointe. Je suis inspiré par les progrès individuels et sociaux accomplis grâce à la détermination, …

ITAC Ingenious Awards & CanadianCIO of the Year Awards winners announced: Provides glimpse into power of ICT to change the lives of people, communities and businesses

                             

Toronto, ON (November 27, 2019) – From the world’s first mobile, gamified neurological testing device, to the digital transformation of a construction leader, taking advantage of next-generation technologies and advanced analytics, to artificial intelligence-based programs to detect and decreasing wait times for individuals with skin cancer, this year’s five winners of the 2019 ITAC Ingenious Awards and the two ITAC CanadianCIO of the Year Award recipients exemplify the true meaning of technology trailblazers, according to national tech association, the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC).

Award recipients were honoured at an annual awards gala in Toronto on November 27, 2019. The 2019 ITAC Ingenious Award winners are:

The 2019 CanadianCIO of the Year Award winners are:

  • Public Sector: Mark Bryant, Chief Information Officer, PCL Constructors Inc.
  • Private Sector: Johanne Duhaime, Vice President, Information and Communications Technologies, Hydro-Quebéc.

ITAC is proud to partner with the CIO Association of Canada (CIOCAN) and ITWC on these Awards Programs.

Quotes:

“The recipients of this year’s ITAC Ingenious Awards represent the best of what Canadian businesses and individuals are able to accomplish using technology, from changing and saving the lives of Canadians, to helping build a leading digital economy. I am inspired by the ways technology truly makes a difference to individuals and society alike through the sheer determination, innovation and creativity of so many incredible Canadians and organizations. Congratulations!” Kevin Peesker, ITAC National Board Chair and President, Microsoft Canada

“The quality of the nominations for the ITAC CanadianCIO of the Year were outstanding, which made if very difficult for the judges. We are …

Now’s the time for federal agencies to get ready for 5G

With all the publicity about 5G and the applications it can support, some may feel like they’re late to the party if they’re still on 4G/LTE. The truth is, the 5th generation of cellular is just getting started. But that’s about to change, and early 2020 is the time for federal agencies to make sure they are ready.  

5G

Rolling out 5G

The telecoms have been deploying 5G networks in cities across the country, but smartphones and other 5G-enabled mobile devices just recently started hitting the market. That will change next year as the Federal Communications Commission makes more progress on its 5G FAST rollout. The program includes making more spectrum available, and as policies and regulations governing cellular service are updated, industry will respond with more devices and cell towers – federal agencies should have the foundation ready to move forward.

That means modernizing network infrastructure to support 5G, as well as other innovations such as Wi-Fi 6 and private LTE. These technologies are on the verge of being widely deployed, and CommScope’s acquisition of Ruckus and ARRIS has created the trifecta of network modernization to help agencies adopt this next-generation technology.

Why 5G?

5G allows for dramatic increases in the speed, coverage and capacity of wireless networks to support the next-generation of technologies. Mobile all the time, the Internet of Things (IoT), edge computing, virtual- and augmented reality, and 4K-resolution content are just some of the high-bandwidth demands that are becoming common throughout government—demands that 5G can fully support.

People expect to connect easily and stay connected with low latency, while moving seamlessly across internet-based programs — government agencies have the same expectations. Although 5G is expected to offer the most dramatic difference yet in cellular communications, it won’t solve all the government’s communications needs, specifically, in-building coverage.

Even with the potential capabilities of 5G, there are concerns about maintaining coverage inside of buildings, where 80 percent of mobile data is used. That could be a major problem for federal agencies.

Fortunately, there are additional wireless …

Different Types of Programs For Your Computer

Have you ever wondered what kind of program you are using for a specific task? Or do you just simply use one without minding what type it is? Whatever the case is, computers need programs in order for a software to run. Programs perform specific tasks depending on what you choose. They help us do our tasks when we’re using the computer.

Programs are instructions. And the first ones created were only 17. Today, the number has surpassed a billion. Pretty extreme, huh? To put it simply, programs are what comprise a software. A software is a collection of programs that you run for it to perform a task. And by run, you need to open it.

These programs or software have been helping us today in every task we do. It’s true because they are also on our phones and tablets which makes computing a whole lot easier and portable.

There are several software for productivity tasks. These might be one of the first ones developed and arguably the most widely used programs. This is because they are efficient and can multitask.

Productivity applications comprise some of the most commonly used software programs in the world, especially in work settings. One of the reasons people use computers is to take advantage of the efficiencies of productivity software. The two most common types of productivity programs are word processors for typing and formatting documents, and spreadsheets for organizing and tabulating numerical data. Other productivity software includes slideshow applications for giving lectures and presentations, formula editors for writing mathematical equations, and media editing programs for making graphics, video and sound.

(Via:https://www.techwalla.com/articles/types-of-computer-programs)

Computer programs also exist for web or internet use in the form of web applications.

The Internet is another reason people use computers, and a variety of computer programs facilitate different kinds of Internet use. Web browsers download and render HTML content into the Web pages that dominate the Internet. Email clients make possible the exchange of virtual correspondence. FTP clients enable the upload and download of files

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How do you make self-service for secure network onboarding easy?

End-user expectations in enterprise environments are shaped
by users’ experiences as consumers. This is especially true of the user
experience around network
onboarding–the process by which BYOD and guest users connect to the network for
the first time with a new device.

secure onboarding

The user experience for connecting to the carrier network
and home Wi-Fi establishes a frame of reference for what the connectivity
experience should be in an enterprise environment. That puts a lot of pressure
on IT teams to meet those expectations, especially with the complexity of
modern enterprise network environments.

We discussed this dynamic in a previous blog post, titled What Is Secure Onboarding, and Why Is It Such a Challenge? Fortunately, this linkage between consumer experience and enterprise user behavior cuts both ways, and you can also leverage it to your advantage. The key to this is user self-service for network onboarding, with the right mechanism in place so that it’s easy and intuitive for users.  

BYOD users will self-serve for secure network onboarding—but don’t use default methods

There was a time not so long ago when our experience as consumers was more high-touch and personal. Airline employees checked you in for a flight when you arrived at the airport, in a fairly labor-intensive process. Now you probably check-in online yourself before you even arrive at the airport using an app developed by the airline. Or you might print your boarding pass at home. If you wait until getting to the airport to check-in, chances are you get your boarding pass from a self-service kiosk. You can also use these kiosks to get the tag for checking your bag, and airline employees encourage you to attach it to the bag yourself. You can still complete the whole process by interacting with a live person, but most of us have become conditioned to this being mostly a self-service process.

You get cash from a bank ATM, not a live teller. You may use the self-checkout line at the grocery store. There are dozens of other examples …

How To Transfer Files Between Computers

Transferring files from one computer to another is important. Think of it like transferring dinner plates from the cupboard to the dinner table. You can carry them by hand. You can use a tray. You can use a trolley. And you can ask someone to carry them for you. But definitely cannot throw them though. Anyway, there are many ways on how to transfer a file from one computer to another. And this article will show you how.

 

The ideal way to go will depend on the number or amount of files you want to be transferred and the computer that will do the transferring and receiving. Transferring from PC to PC can be easy. But from a PC to Mac or vice-versa can be tricky.

 

Using external storage devices is the simplest. A USB or external hard drive can be connected to the computer, copy the files, safely remove it (or not), then plug it into a Mac or PC to transfer the files.

Transferring files to a USB drive or an external drive and then to another computer has the added benefit of supplying you with backup copies of your files, but it’s one of the slowest methods and comes with added expense. You’ll need to purchase the storage device, which can range in price from less than $50 to a few hundred dollars, depending on size and other features.

(Via:https://www.techwalla.com/articles/how-do-i-transfer-files-from-one-computer-to-another-computer)

 

Files can also be transferred through a local network.

You may be able to transfer files between computers on the same network if both computers are within range. When configured correctly, computers on the same network can access each other’s hard drives and files can easily be moved between them. In Windows 10, simply access the file or folder you want to move in File Explorer, press the right mouse button over it and select Give access to. A dropdown menu displays the options Specific people and Remove Access that allow you to enable or disable access to the file by other

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