Cybersecurity

If your IT provider has mentioned upgrading your Microsoft licensing, enabling conditional access, implementing MFA, or adding identity threat detection and response tools, these might sound like separate recommendations or line items on a proposal. They’re not. They’re all protecting the same critical thing: your cloud identities. This is what the cybersecurity industry calls identity management or identity protection. Your cloud identity is the account you use to access your work applications—your Microsoft 365 login, your Google Workspace account, or your Okta credentials. Identity management is about protecting these accounts. Why is protecting these accounts so critical? Because each individual […]

Phishing attacks are getting through email security filters at an alarming rate. The technology hasn’t failed, but the attacks themselves have fundamentally changed. A cyber-literate workforce—employees who understand how modern threats work and know how to respond—has become essential to protecting your business. A typical attack starts with something completely ordinary. Your employee receives an email from a vendor they work with every week. The subject line references their current project. The message includes a link to review updated documents in OneDrive. They click it, log in when prompted, and get back to work. Two days later, your company discovers […]

Most business leaders never think to ask who has access to their network. You know your employees have access, but what about your phone system vendor, HVAC maintenance contractors, security system installers, cleaning service management software, or equipment monitoring services? Each of these vendors likely has remote access to your network through SSL-VPN technology. SSL-VPN served organizations well by replacing less secure methods like direct RDP connections and basic VPNs and has been considered best practice for secure remote access for years. SSL-VPN stands for Secure Sockets Layer Virtual Private Network. It creates an encrypted tunnel that allows remote users […]

Remote access technology is under attack. Cybercriminals are successfully breaching organizations through their SSL-VPN systems, even those with the latest patches and multi-factor authentication enabled. SSL-VPN is widely used to let employees work from home and allow vendors to connect to company systems. While it has served organizations well for years, recent security incidents have confirmed what IT professionals have been planning for: the transition to Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA). Key Takeaways SSL-VPN technology has fundamental security problems that cannot be fixed. Industry reports document attacks that successfully breached organizations with fully updated systems and multi-factor authentication. Patches and […]

Zero Trust is a modern cybersecurity approach designed to keep up with today’s faster, more adaptive cyber threats. For years, firewalls, VPNs, and antivirus software provided a solid foundation for security, and for many businesses those tools still play a role. But cybercriminals have adapted. Many of today’s attacks are powered by automation and artificial intelligence, giving threat actors the speed and scale to bypass traditional defenses and cause damage quickly. In this new reality, the old “castle and moat” model—where the focus was on protecting the perimeter and trusting everything inside—just doesn’t hold up. That’s why more organizations are […]

When you’re evaluating different managed IT service providers, it’s natural to look for proof that they can do what they promise. This is especially important for cybersecurity because when you partner with an MSP, you’re essentially sharing the responsibility for keeping your data and IT systems safe. Fortunately, there’s a trust signal you can look for. It’s the SOC 2 Type 2 badge. In this article: Definition of SOC SOC stands for System and Organization Controls. It’s a framework developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) to evaluate how an organization handles and protects data. The roots […]

As cyber-criminals continue to find new ways to bypass security measures, traditional login methods like passwords and basic multi-factor authentication (MFA) are becoming less effective at keeping business data safe. Whether it’s employees falling for phishing emails or struggling to manage complex passwords, these vulnerabilities expose your organization to significant security risks. The latest evolution in identity management—phishing-resistant and passwordless MFA—offers a more secure approach by requiring something only the account holder physically possesses, such as a security key or biometric verification. By removing passwords from the equation and using physical authentication, these methods close technical gaps and protect against […]

Your organization’s greatest vulnerability might not lie in its technology, but in the everyday actions of your team. Cyber-criminals have long understood that one of the easiest ways to breach security isn’t by hacking systems but by manipulating people. One wrong click or a moment of misplaced trust can open the door to devastating consequences. That’s why cybersecurity awareness training is critical. By equipping your employees to spot and stop these threats, you strengthen your organization’s overall cyber defense. Why Social Engineering Works Social engineering continues to be effective because it targets human psychology. Cyber-criminals craft attacks that play on […]

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, an annual promotion dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of protecting data and IT systems from cyber threats. While this is an important reminder, at Bellwether, we believe cybersecurity must be a year-round priority. Every day should be Cybersecurity Awareness Day, with continuous attention to protecting businesses against evolving risks. Cybersecurity is an Ongoing Responsibility For business leaders, overseeing cybersecurity isn’t about managing technical details. It’s about making wise decisions and nurturing a culture of security throughout the organization. This responsibility is ongoing because cyber-criminals are constantly evolving their tactics. Attacks like ransomware, phishing, […]