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Data Backup Best Practices - The 3-2-1 Rule
If you never want to lose data again, then you need to know The 3-2-1 Rule of data backups.
In the backup and disaster recovery industry, the 3-2-1 Rule is often referred to as the Golden Rule, the king of all data backup best practices. The 3-2-1 Rule says that in order to avoid data loss, you need to maintain:
3 copies of all important data, on at least
2 different types of storage media, with at least
1 copy stored offsite and off-network.
The reason you need to keep so many copies and store them in so many different locations is that the greater diversity and redundancy you build into how you store your data, the less likely it is that any disaster event can wipe out all copies of your data.
There are many data backup best practices I could share, and maybe I'll do a video series on them soon (comment below if you think I should), but the 321 rule is by far the simplest and easiest to implement.
If you do nothing else after watching this video, please do an inventory of your backups, and make sure you're adhering to the 3-2-1 rule for everything important.
𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼 𝗜 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝟯 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗲𝘀?
I get this question a lot. The reason is that no IT system or data storage is completely infallible. Hard drives crash, ransomware encrypts data, and natural disasters do happen. Instead of the next lightning strike or phishing email bringing your business to its knees, if you follow data backup best practices, the 3-2-1 rule just might save you.
𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗵𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗹𝗲.
Maintaining multiple sets of backups doesn't need to break the bank. The first copy of data is your live production copy. The one on your computer that you use every day. The second copy (your 1st backup copy), can be stored on a local USB drive. For $100, you can get a decent sized external USB SSD drive, or an even larger non-SSD drive.
The 3rd copy (your 2nd backup) usually does come at a cost, because you're going to be paying someone else like a cloud provider to store it for you. But the offsite and off-network nature of this copy means that it's also the most valuable, because it is the one that is least likely to be affected by any issues.
If you have any questions on data backup best practices, the 3-2-1 rule, or anything else related to data protection, I'm here for you. You can always find me at http://meetcathy.com
_______________________________________________
𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗨𝘀
🌐 https://www.esilo.com/contact-us/
📞 (800) 747-9255
📧 hello@esilo.com
𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽𝘀 (Get free data security & tech tips!)
LinkedIn 🧑🤝🧑 https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8722123/
Facebook 🧑🤝🧑 https://www.fb.com/groups/techtipsfor...
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹
Facebook ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/eSiloDataBackup
LinkedIn ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/company/esilo/
Twitter ➡️ https://twitter.com/eSiloDataBackup -
How to Secure Your Accounts and Passwords - 3 Simple Steps
80% of all cybersecurity breaches involve a weak or stolen password, according to Newsweek. Do you know how to secure your accounts and passwords?
May 5th is World Password Day and, we’re sharing 3 incredibly easy tips to help you secure your accounts and passwords.
Watch this short 1-minute video to learn:
👉 Why you should never reuse passwords across multiple sites
👉 Don’t use these common things when creating a password, and what to use instead
👉 How to store and manage your passwords securely, without memorizing them all!
Almost every business leader, entrepreneur and individual I've ever met has had at least one password lost or stolen in the past. Oftentimes, through no direct fault of their own. A website or a service you use gets hacked, and your name, email, password and more get leaked on the dark web for the world to see.
We all know we're supposed to use long, complex and unique passwords to protect our accounts, but let's be real for a moment. Doing what we know we're supposed to do is time-consuming and tedious. And some sites just aren't worth the hassle, right?
It can be challenging to secure your accounts and passwords, but the 3 simple tips included in this video will make it painless.
And what's the alternative?
It's certainly better than rushing to change all your passwords in a frenzy when one gets leaked, or to deal with the headaches of identity theft, payment fraud, or account hijacking.
If you need help to secure your accounts and passwords, I invite you to reach out and chat.
You can always find me here at http://meetcathy.com
_______________________________________________
𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗨𝘀
🌐 https://www.esilo.com/contact-us/
📞 (800) 747-9255
📧 hello@esilo.com
𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽𝘀 (Get free data security & tech tips!)
LinkedIn 🧑🤝🧑 https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8722123/
Facebook 🧑🤝🧑 https://www.fb.com/groups/techtipsforsmallbusiness/
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹
Facebook ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/eSiloDataBackup
LinkedIn ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/company/esilo/
Twitter ➡️ https://twitter.com/eSiloDataBackup -
Ransomware Hidden as a Copyright Infringement Notice
In this video, Cathy Miron, CEO of eSilo, and Randi Karpinia, CEO of Sagacity Legal discuss a new and alarming type of cyberattack that delivers ransomware hidden inside a copyright infringement notice.
The attack has affected both businesses and individuals. Anyone with a web or social media presence, or who is guilty of using or sharing “free” photos or content they downloaded on the web is at risk of falling victim.
In this video, Cathy and Randi explain how this new infection tactic works, why it's so dangerous, and how to tell if a copyright infringement notice is real vs. fake, so you never accidentally fall for ransomware hidden inside a bogus “legal notice”.
But First, What is LockBit 2.0 Ransomware?
It's popular ransomware as a service (RaaS) strain that many hackers are using to target existing businesses. What’s most concerning about RaaS is that your attacker does not need to be highly skilled. Almost any cybercriminal can buy the ransomware “kit” and follow the instructions to deploy it.
Once installed, the ransomware encrypts files on the victim's computers and then demands payment in the form of cryptocurrency (usually Bitcoin) to unlock the files. LockBit 2.0 was first identified in June 2021 and it’s since been used to attack a number of small to large businesses across the globe.
How Does LockBit 2.0 Disguise Itself?
LockBit 2.0 disguises itself as a legal notice or official legal document. The claim will either look like it comes from a lawyer or attorney’s office, or it could appear to be sent by the claimants themselves.
The most common type of legal notice is a copyright infringement notice, claiming that the recipient has violated the copyright owner’s rights under the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA). The email goes on to include examples of the infringing material, along with proof of the sender’s copyright ownership. That "proof" is a PDF inside of an encrypted ZIP file attachment. But when you open it, you're installing malware. This is how ransomware can be hidden inside a copyright infringement notice, disguised as a simple PDF document.
Why is LockBit 2.0 Dangerous?
LockBit 2.0 is surging among small businesses, causing extensive disruptions made worse by loss of revenue and expensive ransom payments. The rise in recent cases also highlights a general lack of cybersecurity preparedness on the part of many small businesses, especially those without offsite backup plans.
By delivering ransomware hidden inside copyright infringement notices, cyber criminals are using human nature to their advantage. As a general rule, most people are afraid to get in trouble, tend to trust authorities and “official” looking correspondence, and are not very familiar with legal processes. This results in a social engineering campaign that is very effective and very difficult to distinguish from the real thing.
How Can You Avoid This Ransomware?
Watch this video for an in-depth discussion of what to look for so you know if a legal notice is real vs. fake. As a bonus, we also discuss Randi’s “Three Lines of Defense” model, which can ensure you stay compliant with all copyright laws, and never risk a violation in the first place. If you receive correspondence that you believe is a real legal notice, or even if you’re not sure, the best thing to do is to review it with your attorney or reach out to Randi or Cathy.
To learn additional ways to protect your business from legal “what if’s” be sure to SUBSCRIBE to Randi's YouTube channel below, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
Randi Karpinia, CEO of Sagacity Legal
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AttorneyRandiKarpinia
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randikarpinia/
Website: www.sagacitylegal.com
Cathy Miron, CEO of eSilo
YouTube: www.esilo.com/youtube
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathytmiron
Website: www.esilo.com
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Most successful business owners are not IT pros. They use technology tools every day, but rely on someone else to manage their computers.
You know good cybersecurity and data protection are important, but do you have the right resources and expertise to properly protect your information?
This is where eSilo's data backup and cybersecurity services can help.
Any business can exponentially reduce their risk of a cyberattack or IT failure, and increase their chances of a full and speedy recovery with eSilo's data protection solutions.
Our team of professionals are expertly trained and ready to help you today. Give us a call or visit us online to learn more.
www.eSilo.com | 800-747-9255 | hello@esilo.com
Or schedule a FREE Data Protection Audit at www.esilo.com/sales -
Don't Restore a System Backup Until You've Done This First
In this video, Cathy Miron shares the steps you must take before restoring a system backup or before restoring from a backup.
Before restoring from a backup, you should take a few precautionary measures. If you were to restore your data prematurely without following the cautionary steps listed below, you risk damaging your data backups.
𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐮𝐩
𝟭.) 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲
Whatever is destroying or deleting your data in the first place, it’s critical to stop the damage before restoring a system backup.
𝟮.) 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘂𝗽𝘀
Often malware and ransomware can linger on a machine for days or weeks. Hence, in-depth analysis is required to determine which version of your backup is clean
𝟯.) 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘂𝗽 𝗯𝘆 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼!
The effects of cyberattacks can last for long periods of time. Often, it is tempting to restore immediately because you want to get up and running as soon as possible. In the long run, however, you'll save yourself headaches and hassle by following the steps listed in the video before restoring a system backup.
#cyberattacks #restorebackup #backupsolution
If you'd like to have a confidential conversation about your unique situation, I'm always accessible over here: http://meetcathy.com
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Most successful business owners are not IT pros. They use technology tools every day, but rely on someone else to manage their computers.
You know good cybersecurity and data protection are important, but do you have the right resources and expertise to properly protect your information?
This is where eSilo's data backup and cybersecurity services can help.
Any business can exponentially reduce their risk of a cyberattack or IT failure, and increase their chances of a full and speedy recovery with eSilo's data protection solutions.
Our team of professionals are expertly trained and ready to help you today. Give us a call or visit us online to learn more.
www.eSilo.com | 800-747-9255 | hello@esilo.com
Schedule a FREE Data Protection Audit at www.esilo.com/sales
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𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 & 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀!
LinkedIn 🧑🤝🧑 https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8722123/
Facebook 🧑🤝🧑 https://fb.com/groups/techtipsforsmallbusiness
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹
Facebook ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/eSiloDataBackup
LinkedIn ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/company/esilo/
Twitter ➡️ https://twitter.com/eSiloDataBackup -
The True Cost of Business Downtime
In this video, Cathy Miron provides an in-depth explanation of the costs downtime has on your business.
Business owners know how devastating unplanned downtime can be to your business. Each minute that passes you can't help but think about how much money, time, and other resources are going down the drain. It is also likely to negatively affect your brand's reputation and decrease customer loyalty. Needless to say, the costs of downtime can severely impact your business.
𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝟑 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞:
𝟭.) 𝗟𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮
Whether it is your own data, employee information, and/or customer data, losing that information can cost you $210 per record of personally identifiable information (PII). To put that into perspective, most businesses have collected hundreds or thousands of PII. So, If you lost 100 pieces of customer data, you would incur an extra $21,000 in costs.
On top of that, your business is subject to laws and regulations as a result of a record breach that could result in lawsuits from customers or employees.
𝟮.) 𝗟𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲
Downtime has a much larger impact than you’d expect because 1 week of downtime equates to about 2% of your annual revenue. Partially this is due to costs to recover, and another part is because you’re unable to sell, market, serve clients, or collect money during downtime. For a million-dollar business, one week of downtime would result in $20,000 of lost revenue.
𝟯.) 𝗟𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆
This is the time you’re spending on the phone calming angry customers, writing emails, consulting with your attorney, and more. It’s time that is not spent on business endeavors, but instead on recovering from a data breach. During this time, all hands will need to be on deck, and you may need to pay employees overtime. With those extra costs added to the $21,000 and $20,000 from the previous points, it will be very difficult for your business to recover from downtime without spending as much money as necessary.
Downtime is a serious consequence of cyber incidents that damages your business in the short and long run. To reduce this risk, use backup solutions to recover faster or implement antivirus software to prevent possible cyberattacks. Taking preventative measures could protect your business from unnecessary downtime and its costly consequences.
Do you have any questions, tips, or ideas about the true cost of business downtime? Let us know in the comments section below!
#systembackup #contingencyplans #downtime #cybersecurity
If you'd like to have a confidential conversation about your unique situation, I'm always accessible at http://meetcathy.com
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Most successful business owners are not IT pros. They use technology tools every day, but rely on someone else to manage their computers.
You know good cybersecurity and data protection are important, but do you have the right resources and expertise to properly protect your information?
This is where eSilo's data backup and cybersecurity services can help.
Any business can exponentially reduce their risk of a cyberattack or IT failure, and increase their chances of a full and speedy recovery with eSilo's data protection solutions.
Our team of professionals are expertly trained and ready to help you today. Give us a call or visit us online to learn more.
www.eSilo.com | 800-747-9255 | hello@esilo.com
Schedule a FREE Data Protection Audit at www.esilo.com/sales
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𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 & 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀!
LinkedIn 🧑🤝🧑 https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8722123/
Facebook 🧑🤝🧑 https://fb.com/groups/techtipsforsmallbusiness
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹
Facebook ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/eSiloDataBackup
LinkedIn ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/company/esilo/
Twitter ➡️ https://twitter.com/eSiloDataBackup -
Don't Lose $30,000 On This Fake Microsoft Tech Support Scam
In this video, Cathy retells a true story of a fake Microsoft tech support scam that almost cost her client $30K, and how to avoid Microsoft tech support scams in general.
There is a multitude of scams out there. They target us on our phones, at our computers, in our emails, and more. They can be so convincing that we often don’t even realize they’re happening until it's too late, but there are things each of us can do to avoid falling victim to scams.
Cybercriminals and scammers often use a combination of different methods to trick you, including:
* Phishing emails
* Fake websites
* Malicious advertisements ("malvertisements"), and more
Additionally, fake Microsoft tech support scams are one of the most common types of online fraud. They can be difficult to spot unless you're pretty tech savvy and are familiar with the most common types of error messages for your operating system. Tech support scammers know that when a scary warning message flashes on screen, people will panic and follow the message's instructions. When they call the phone number or visit the website listed on the message, they don't realize they're contacting the scammer, who then takes the con a step further.
In a fake tech support scam, the cybercriminal is usually impersonating a customer support representative from a well-known technology company. In this case, it was a fake Microsoft scam, but in others the employee claims to be from Apple, Best Buy's Geek Squad, or even your company's own IT department.
Posing as a fake Microsoft tech support employee, the scammer will ask you to provide login information or other sensitive data in order to fix some problem on your computer.
The catch is, that the very problem they're going to help you "fix" is actually a problem they created and launched against you!
In the video, Cathy explains how a client named Mike fell victim to a fake Microsoft tech support scam.
In Mike's case, he received a fake Microsoft pop-up that was designed to look like a legitimate Windows notification. It said that his computer was infected with a virus, and directed him to call Microsoft tech support immediately. He contacted the toll-free number on screen and was greeted by someone from Microsoft tech support, or so he thought.
Scams in general (and fake tech support scams in particular) are designed to take advantage of human emotions. By creating situations of urgency, fear, and confusion, victims become easier to manipulate. Especially when hackers impersonate a friendly tech support employee or trusted system administrator, it's easy to go along with the person on the other end of the phone or email.
Mike, in this situation, put his trust in the fake Microsoft tech support despite his better judgment because he was overwhelmed and emotionally distraught. He felt compelled into action. This set off a chain of events that almost led to him losing $30K to fake tech support scammers without realizing he was being taken!
Luckily, before Mike sent the money, he contacted eSilo to make sure it wasn't a mistake. We talked Mike through what happened, identified that it was a fake Microsoft tech support scam, stopped the money transfer, and undid the damage to his computer.
Mike's ordeal was a true nightmare, but with eSilo's technology, he was able to restore his systems quickly and completely.
Watch the rest of this video to find out exactly how the scammers convinced Mike to wire the money, how eSilo helped Mike overcome this fake Microsoft tech support scam, and what he is doing now to be better prepared to defend against future cyberattacks.
If you'd like to have a confidential conversation with Cathy to find out if you have the right protections in place, or to discuss your unique situation, schedule a call here: http://meetcathy.com
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Most successful business owners are not IT pros. They use technology tools every day, but rely on someone else to manage their computers.
You know good cybersecurity and data protection are important, but do you have the right resources and expertise to properly protect your information?
This is where eSilo's data backup and cybersecurity services can help.
Any business can exponentially reduce their risk of a cyberattack or IT failure, and increase their chances of a full and speedy recovery with eSilo's data protection solutions.
Our team of professionals are expertly trained and ready to help you today. Give us a call or visit us online to learn more.
www.eSilo.com | 800-747-9255 | hello@esilo.com
Schedule a FREE Data Protection Audit at www.esilo.com/sales
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𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹
Facebook ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/eSiloDataBackup
LinkedIn ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/company/esilo/
Twitter ➡️ https://twitter.com/eSiloDataBackup -
How Do I Know If My Backups Are Working, Part 1 Weekly Report
Now that you've upgraded to eSilo's latest version of Offsite Backups, which is our full image backups powered by Veeam. The update has drastically changed the overall backup, so you may be wondering how do you know your backups were successful?
Before the updates, eSilo had used a file-based backup that would send a report every morning that showed which files failed to backup or were successful. With your upgrade, we've improved that process to make it easier to see when backups require your attention.
The backup now follows the process of a full-image backup. A full image backup is completely different than file-based. A full-image backup takes a "snapshot" of everything on your hard drive at that moment in time, and eSilo uses that snapshot as a basis for your backups.
So, why is this important?
When we have a snapshot-based methodology for performing backups, that enables us to protect or backup files that are open or in use at the time the backup program runs. This is beneficial because the file-based backup would have skipped over those files that were open or in use, but the full image backup will capture every piece of data on your hard drive no matter its status (opened, closed, in the trash). Our full image will also backup a live, running database without causing any corruption to your systems.
The biggest benefit is that this simplifies what is required of you as a customer. Before, you received a daily report of files that were skipped in the backup for the reasons mentioned above, as well as others, along with a count of the files that were backed up successfully. This "partial" protection was not ideal, or very clear.
Now, the question is simply "Did last night's backup complete successfully?", and the answer is either Yes or No -- Success or Failure. If you see a 'Success', then you can have confidence that every single element of that machine has been backed up offsite and protected.
At a glance, it becomes really simple. The servers will show up as red, yellow, or green and these statuses can be seen at any time at https://portal.esilo.com or we also have it configured for it to go out to you in a weekly status report each Saturday morning.
If you would like more frequent reports, such as daily, you can configure that in your eSilo Backup Portal.
Note that the yellow status referenced above indicates a "Warning" notification. The warning means that there's something that you might need to be aware of as the owner of that machine, but the backup itself was still successful. The warnings can say that storage is almost full or the system can't be awakened for backup. If you have questions about a warning message please send your questions to our support team at support@esilo.com or browse for the answer in our knowledge base at https://esilo.com/kb.
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Most successful business owners are not IT pros. They use technology tools every day, but rely on someone else to manage their computers.
You know good cybersecurity and data protection are important, but do you have the right resources and expertise to properly protect your information?
This is where eSilo's data backup and cybersecurity services can help.
Any business can exponentially reduce their risk of a cyberattack or IT failure, and increase their chances of a full and speedy recovery with eSilo's data protection solutions.
Our team of professionals is expertly trained and ready to help you today. Give us a call or visit us online to learn more.
www.eSilo.com | 800-747-9255 | hello@esilo.com
Schedule a FREE Data Protection Audit at www.esilo.com/sales
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𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 & 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀!
LinkedIn 🧑🤝🧑 https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8722123/
Facebook 🧑🤝🧑 https://fb.com/groups/techtipsforsmallbusiness
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹
Facebook ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/eSiloDataBackup
LinkedIn ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/company/esilo/
Twitter ➡️ https://twitter.com/eSiloDataBackup -
Mistakes Businesses Make With Data Backup
Today's Tech Tip is all about the mistakes Small Businesses make when it comes to their data protection and backups.
Most business leaders understand the importance of having a set of data backups. If you've ever spilled coffee on your computer, you know what I'm talking about.
But, sometimes the personal practices people use to protect their data will transfer over into their business world, but not in a way that's going to protect that business from all potential forms of data loss.
What we find is a common method of data backup, for files at least, is a file synchronization service like One Drive, Google Drive, or Dropbox. These are great to get a set of documents off of your laptop so that a second copy lives somewhere else–you spill the coffee, as I mentioned. But, the challenge with a synchronization service is that if you were to have malicious activity on your computer that corrupts or encrypts your files, like ransomware, those damaged files are also going to sync to the Cloud.
While you may have some level of version history in that cloud, it’s usually not that you can control. The problem becomes when you have a malicious program that is editing all of the documents on your computer, encrypting them, changing them, deleting portions of them, or whatever that may be. You can, very quickly, exhaust all the automatic version control that happens in these cloud systems where you can only go back 20 or 50 versions. When you go back to pull the oldest version, it is still already corrected.
I’ve had that happen to people.
The other thing I see a lot is if you’re doing this at most offices are local backups which might look like a removable USB, a server, or NAS devices. Either way, it’s a local copy of data that sits on the same network. But, when one device at the office is affected by malware, that malware can easily move from device to device.
The last method we see with backups is a local backup with rotated drives. This does enable you to have offsite backups. The problem is when your employee is out of the office or work, then that rotation becomes interrupted.
So, the Cloud file sync tools get you offsite protection. The USB or NAS device gets you local protection. The rotated drives will give you both offsite and local protection. But, each one of these has its own flaws.
So, what you want to be doing instead is following the 3-2-1 backup rule. You’ve got 3 copies of data, 2 copies on 2 different types of media (internal or external hard drive), and 1 of those offsite. This reduces the likelihood that any single disaster or event will damage all of your copies. This is the best methodology to follow for data protection.
When you have a more robust server environment, these servers will hold different things, you’re going to have the operating system, databases, configuration settings, and files. So, what you want to make sure is that your method for backup doesn’t just cover one of those couples of different types of data, but protects everything. The best way to do that is something called a System Image Backup which is what you want. It’s an image-level backup that can store in multiple places, have multiple copies, and have at least one of those offsite.
If you’re not sure how to do all of these things, reach out to us and we’ll be glad to. help
If you'd like to have a confidential conversation about your unique situation, I'm always accessible over here: http://meetcathy.com
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Most successful business owners are not IT pros. They use technology tools every day, but rely on someone else to manage their computers.
You know good cybersecurity and data protection are important, but do you have the right resources and expertise to properly protect your information?
This is where eSilo's data backup and cybersecurity services can help.
Any business can exponentially reduce their risk of a cyberattack or IT failure, and increase their chances of a full and speedy recovery with eSilo's data protection solutions.
Our team of professionals are expertly trained and ready to help you today. Give us a call or visit us online to learn more.
www.eSilo.com | 800-747-9255 | hello@esilo.com
Schedule a FREE Data Protection Audit at www.esilo.com/sales
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𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 & 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀!
LinkedIn 🧑🤝🧑 https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8722123/
Facebook 🧑🤝🧑 https://fb.com/groups/techtipsforsmallbusiness
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹
Facebook ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/eSiloDataBackup
LinkedIn ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/company/esilo/
Twitter ➡️ https://twitter.com/eSiloDataBackup -
Cloud Sync vs. Cloud Backup (And Why The Difference Matters)
Understanding how to properly back up your data is crucial to protecting your data. But, there are so many types of backups and software that operate as one, it is easy to miss the target and become vulnerable to a cyberattack.
In this video, we’ll cover the key differences between Cloud Sync vs. Cloud Backup and why the difference matters.
When it comes to protecting your data, cloud sync does not provide the same level of security as a business-grade cloud backup.
Cloud sync service is great for keeping a copy of your data on another device. It may protect your data if your device is damaged, but cloud sync will not give you complete guaranteed protection. Cloud sync is not able to protect the databases, applications, and overall system your data may reside on. It’s only able to protect files and documents. To protect the entirety of your operating system, you’ll need a full image backup solution.
Secondly, cloud sync takes longer to restore files and documents because it has to be done one by one. Consequently, you'll browse through the version history, select it, and restore it. It can be tedious and time-consuming to go through each file in your cloud sync tool. Especially in moments you may have faced a cyberattack and need to restore hundreds of important documents one by one. A business-grade cloud backup tool is much faster at restoring multiple documents, systems, and more at once.
Thirdly, version control is much different with a cloud sync tool. A document's version history may differ depending on which cloud sync service is used. But, a cloud backup service will have a clear retention policy.
Fourthly, cloud sync services have a high rate of change. So, every time you make a change to a file then those changes are synced to the cloud and any other accounts connected to the cloud. It's great in theory, but it can be tedious if you make a mistake when editing a file and have to comb through the version history to find the right version. Cloud backup tools have fixed version history, making it much easier and less time-consuming to find the version of the file you need.
Overall, knowing the difference between cloud sync and cloud backup will help you make an informed decision about what is best for you individually or for your business.
#databackup #dataprotection #cybersecurity #cloudbackup #ITmistakes #techtipsforbusiness #techtips
If you'd like to have a confidential conversation about your unique situation, I'm always accessible over here: http://meetcathy.com
--------------------------------
Most successful business owners are not IT pros. They use technology tools every day, but rely on someone else to manage their computers.
You know good cybersecurity and data protection are important, but do you have the right resources and expertise to properly protect your information?
This is where eSilo's data backup and cybersecurity services can help.
Any business can exponentially reduce their risk of a cyberattack or IT failure, and increase their chances of a full and speedy recovery with eSilo's data protection solutions.
Our team of professionals are expertly trained and ready to help you today. Give us a call or visit us online to learn more.
www.eSilo.com | 800-747-9255 | hello@esilo.com
Schedule a FREE Data Protection Audit at www.esilo.com/sales
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𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 & 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀!
LinkedIn 🧑🤝🧑 https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8722123/
Facebook 🧑🤝🧑 https://fb.com/groups/techtipsforsmallbusiness
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹
Facebook ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/eSiloDataBackup
LinkedIn ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/company/esilo/
Twitter ➡️ https://twitter.com/eSiloDataBackup -
Your Backup is No Good If It Can't Be Recovered
The goal of backups are to preserve a secure copy of your data, ready to be restored at a moment's notice in the case of emergency, right
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But what happens when 𝟱𝟴% 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹?
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Your backup is no good if it can't be recovered. And last year, a study by Veeam found many businesses have gotten a nasty surprise when the people they pay to manage their IT systems failed to restore their systems from those #backups.
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The causes of these failures are varied. With so many factors at play that are unique to your specific IT "stack" -- or combination of hardware, software, hypervisors, programs, and network specifics of your particular setup -- it's hard to diagnose every possible issue before it happens.
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But a skilled IT service provider will alert you to these problems through their monitoring of your backups and testing of your recoveries. Because your backup is no good if it can't be recovered, they will work with you to address those issues.
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𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩: Sometimes this will require changes or upgrades to your IT equipment or configurations, in order to optimize your data protection.
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But wouldn't you rather improve on areas that are sub-par vs. leave them as-is?
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Setting all uniqueness aside, when it comes to #entrepreneurs and #smallbusinesses trying to do their own backups and failing to succeed, there are a few common pitfalls we see all the time.
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𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 🎥 to see if you're making any of these mistakes, and what you can do about it instead.
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(And should you find this overwhelming... fraught with hassle and the fear of screwing it up -- Reach out. I can help http://meetcathy.com).
--------------------------------
Most successful business owners are not IT pros. They use technology tools every day, but rely on someone else to manage their computers.
You know good #cybersecurity and #dataprotection are important, but do you have the right resources and expertise to properly protect your information?
This is where eSilo's data backup and cybersecurity services can help.
Any business can exponentially reduce their risk of a cyberattack or IT failure, and increase their chances of a full and speedy recovery with eSilo's data protection solutions.
Our team of professionals are expertly trained and ready to help you today. Give us a call or visit us online to learn more.
www.eSilo.com | 800-747-9255 | hello@esilo.com
Schedule a FREE Data Protection Audit at www.esilo.com/sales
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𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 & 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀!
LinkedIn 🧑🤝🧑 https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8722123/
Facebook 🧑🤝🧑 https://fb.com/groups/techtipsforsmallbusiness
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹
Facebook ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/eSiloDataBackup
LinkedIn ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/company/esilo/
Twitter ➡️ https://twitter.com/eSiloDataBackup -
The Basics of Multifactor Authentication and Why You Should Use It
Today’s video is a crash course on the basics of Multifactor Authentication (MFA) and why you should want to use it. Multifactor Authentication, sometimes referred to as two-factor authentication (2FA), is the best thing that you can do to protect your online accounts.
Multifactor Authentication means there are multiple factors used to prove your identity to online accounts. MFA says, “I need something that you KNOW and something that you HAVE to prove that you really are you.”
The username and password are something that you know. A unique code that you (and only you) possess is something that you have. In some scenarios, there are additional factors that can be used by MFA, like a biometric fingerprint which is something that you are, or your IP address which is your location.
It's common to receive MFA codes sent through text messages, but it is a mistake to believe that this easiest and most secure way to use Multifactor Authentication. Text messages are inherently not secure because they are not encrypted and can be easily intercepted by a skilled hacker.
Your text messages can also be hijacked. This has been proven through hackers calling up mobile phone companies pretending to be you, and convincing customer service staff to change the SIM card associated with a particular account. By transferring your account to another physical device they control, they gain full access to all phone calls and text messages -- meaning that your MFA codes are sent via text directly to the hacker.
The better and safer method to receive those MFA codes is either through an Authenticator app like Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator. When you set up your Multifactor Authentication, it’s important to save a set of backup codes, also. These are preset numbers that don't change and can be used to access your account in an emergency. What you should do is print them out or save them in your password manager. You never want to save them just on the hard drive of your computer.
The importance of saving a set of backup codes when you configure each of your online accounts for MFA cannot be understated. If you lose your phone or lock yourself out of your Authenticator app, you will need to contact every one of the account providers to verify your identity and reset your login security settings. Proof of identity can require you to upload a copy of your government-issued ID or to confirm the credit card associated with your account. So while it can be done, it’s a very tedious process and one you want to avoid if at all possible.
If you'd like to have a confidential conversation about your unique security needs or concerns, I'm always accessible over here: http://meetcathy.com
--------------------------------
Most successful business owners are not IT pros. They use technology tools every day, but rely on someone else to manage their computers.
You know good cybersecurity and data protection are important, but do you have the right resources and expertise to properly protect your information?
This is where eSilo's data backup and cybersecurity services can help.
Any business can exponentially reduce their risk of a cyberattack or IT failure, and increase their chances of a full and speedy recovery with eSilo's data protection solutions.
Our team of professionals are expertly trained and ready to help you today. Give us a call or visit us online to learn more.
www.eSilo.com | 800-747-9255 | hello@esilo.com
Schedule a FREE Data Protection Audit at www.esilo.com/sales
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 & 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀!
LinkedIn 🧑🤝🧑 https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8722123/
Facebook 🧑🤝🧑 https://fb.com/groups/techtipsforsmallbusiness
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹
Facebook ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/eSiloDataBackup
LinkedIn ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/company/esilo/
Twitter ➡️ https://twitter.com/eSiloDataBackup -
VPN Basics: What is a VPN and How Do I Use it
A Guide To VPN Basics | What is a VPN and How Do I Use It?
WHAT IS A VPN?
Traditionally, VPNs or Virtual Private Networks have been used by large corporate organizations to enable remote workers to securely access resources on the company network from outside their offices. These are referred to as Corporate VPNs.
But now, with so many companies using cloud and internet-based tools, the boundaries of the corporate network are fading.
You may have heard of the term Software-as-a-Service, or SaaS. SaaS applications like Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Hubspot, and others are hosted in the cloud, and accessible from the internet.
However, that doesn't mean that VPNs are becoming obsolete.
With so much work done on the go these days, a Personal VPN can be really handy to ensure the security of your computer's internet communication, no matter where you're connecting from.
WHY DO I NEED A VPN?
Let's say you're working from Starbucks or your favorite coffee shop for the afternoon and you've brought your laptop. To save on your mobile data plan, you've decided to connect to the free coffee shop WiFi.
Because this is a public WiFi hotspot, you don't know how secure the network is, or who might be controlling it. If the network is not properly secured, hackers can eavesdrop on conversations, or even gain access to intercept unencrypted communications between your computer and the websites you visit.
WHAT DOES A VPN DO FOR YOU?
When you use a VPN, the software creates a secure 'tunnel' between your machine and the VPN provider's servers. That tunnel shields your communications from prying eyes and ensures that all of the data sent to and from your computer is encrypted, secured, and unable to be seen or tampered with by other people or machines on the network.
VPNs also add a layer of privacy to your communications. Don't want anyone including your internet service provider to know that you secretly love watching videos of cats dressed like celebrities? A VPN is going to help you maintain your anonymity as you browse the web, watch foreign TV shows, or post anonymously in online forums.
WHAT A VPN CAN'T DO
A VPN is great for many things, but it doesn't do everything. One thing it can't do is prevent websites from tracking you and displaying targeted ads. It can't block tracking cookies, pixels, and other web traffic analysis tools. If you don't want to be tracked by those websites, you're still going to need some ad-blocking software.
KEY CONSIDERATIONS WHEN USING A VPN
A VPN can slow things down.
VPNs are known for security and privacy, but they're not known for speed. That's because a VPN encrypts all the traffic between your computer and the sites you visit, which can slow things down.
If you have a good VPN service, the difference shouldn't be too noticeable. Where you will likely notice it, however, is in streaming video and audio playback. For example, your Zoom video might freeze up, or the audio may have an extra delay.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT VPN SERVER
Another source of potential VPN slowness is congestion. Remember that all VPN traffic is funneled through a series of VPN servers managed by your provider. During peak times, those servers can get overloaded. Just like in a real-world traffic jam, when the server or network is congested, traffic flow slows down.
There are a few ways to mitigate this. First, use a well-known and reputable VPN provider. They're going to have more access points and infrastructure to handle a high volume of connections. Second, unless you have a good reason, it's best to allow the VPN software to automatically select which VPN server you'll be connecting through.
If you're based in Miami, you don't want to be connecting to a VPN server in London or Australia or California. It's just not going to be the most efficient.
WHEN SHOULD YOU USE A VPN?
The simple answer is whenever possible. Because you can toggle your VPN tunnel on and off, it's easy to turn it off for that Zoom meeting, and forget about it. Unlike antivirus that defaults to being on all the time, and you can only disable it for a few minutes or hours before it turns itself back on.
If you get in the habit of checking your VPN status every time you do a sensitive transaction, like sending a payment, logging into email, or accessing your accounting software, you'll be in good shape.
WHY YOU NEED A VPN
To recap, using a VPN service has many benefits, including:
- Securing your internet traffic with encryption
- Preventing hackers from intercepting your communications
- Masking your IP address from the websites you visit
- Enabling you to get around location-based censorship
- Accessing foreign TV shows not available in your home market
If you have questions about VPN services and what other measures you can take to safeguard your information, I'd love to hear from you.
You can always message me on LinkedIn, or you can book a meeting on my calendar at www.MeetCathy.com.
Backup & Cybersecurity VideosJames Feudo2022-08-30T19:41:23-04:00
