By Riva Richmond
original source

Your business has been hacked. It's bad news, but it doesn't have to cripple your operation.

Cyber-crooks increasingly are targeting small businesses to steal information such as passwords that lead to bank account balances and credit lines, customer data and sensitive product details. Hackers also may try to virtually hijack company computers or websites and use them to attack others online. They know most small businesses lack the security expertise, data protections and response tools that large companies have at their disposal.

Falling victim to a hack can be costly. Malicious or criminal data breaches on average cost victim companies $318 per compromised record in 2010, according to Traverse City, Mich.- based research firm Ponemon Institute.

But having a security recovery plan can make the process smoother and less expensive. Here are six critical steps to take if your business has been hacked:

1. Find out what happened.

To respond effectively, get a full picture of what happened, including how the hackers got in, which computers and accounts were compromised, which data was accessed or stolen and whether any other parties -- such as customers or business partners -- were affected.

This can be a difficult process involving costly security consultants, but you may be able to get less expensive help from companies you do business with, including your Internet service provider, security software company or website hosting firm. But the best route may be to contact your local, county or state police computer crimes unit and the FBI, which can do forensic analyses and provide valuable guidance.

2. Seek legal advice.

If you don't have a special cyber-insurance policy that will provide an experienced attorney, you may need to hire one to navigate the legal issues. For instance, when hackers gain access to the personal information of customers or employees, you likely have a legal obligation to notify them, says Todd B. Ruback, a Warren, N.J.-based privacy attorney who specializes in data breach response.

You may also be required to alert state authorities. Because there isn't a federal data-breach notification rule, companies that do business nationally may have to comply with as many as 46 different state laws. You also could face liability lawsuits from affected parties.

3. Communicate early and often.

Quick and honest communication with affected employees, customers and partners -- about what happened, what you're doing about the problem and what they need to do -- is often more than just a legal requirement. It may be necessary to salvage your business.

"A data breach can be fatal for a small business" if monetary losses, the cost of rebuilding or reputation damage is high, says Michael Kaiser, executive director of the National Cyber Security Alliance, a public-private partnership based in Washington, D.C. "Maintaining trust in a crisis is the best way to hold onto your customers."

4. Eliminate the problem.

To limit the damage, you may need to take disruptive and costly steps, such as removing infected computers and shutting down your website while you clean up. Consider reformatting hacked computers and restoring data with clean backups, or simply buy new computers.

If hackers exploited a software flaw, apply a "patch" from the software maker that fixes the problem or implement a recommended workaround. If they stole passwords, secure your accounts and set new, complex passwords that will be hard to crack.

5. Rebuild.

Put in place the technology and policies to help fend off future attacks. Make sure your computer operating system and other software are current and, if possible, receiving automatic updates to fix bugs. Consider designating one computer for online banking only, meaning no Web surfing and no email that might expose you to malware designed for financial fraud.

6. Revisit your security plan.

Make sure your security defenses are running properly and that data is being backed up securely. Your IT manager should consider setting up activity "logging," or tracking, on all devices on your network so any future problems can be investigated more easily, says Brian Honan, principal consultant at Dublin, Ireland-based security firm BH Consulting.

Check with customers, partners and vendors to see what they're doing to protect your data. Consider buying a cyber-insurance policy if you don't already have one. Also, create a disaster recovery plan and train employees so everyone can respond quickly and calmly if faced with a hack or other crisis again.

Original source

VoIP is a new form of business communications technology that is gaining popularity. Understanding this service is an essential requirement for anyone considering its implementation in their business, but what is VoIP and how does it work in the business world?

VoIP systems are an increasingly popular choice for businesses, offering them an alternative way to transmit telephone calls. Here is a quick guide of everything you need to know about business VoIP systems:

What is VoIP?

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. VoIP is a system by which verbal calls are transmitted across a computer Internet Protocol (IP) connection instead of over a telephone line. This means that all of the correspondence and data transmitted between a business and a client is done so across one connection.

What is Hosted VoIP?

Hosted VoIP systems are designed to address some of the problems encountered from combining VoIP with PBX (Private Branch Exchange) systems. These systems can incur larger expenses due to the need to install specialist equipment in each branch or office of a business. Hosted VoIP systems use a separate hosting platform in order to eliminate this, transferring the savings onto the customers. This offers a more reliable and easily accessible service, making it easier for business to conduct their daily tasks and correspondences.

What Do You Need for a VoIP System?

VoIP systems will require one Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to be installed. This is a singular phone line which is used to give the office its broadband connection which is then used to enable the VoIP system to work.

Other than that, businesses will just need to have relevant phone handsets installed – something which they are likely to have anyway. Providers of these services will be able to advise businesses on what features and equipment they need in order to make a VoIP system work but these will usually be items already held by most businesses.

What Are The Benefits of VoIP Systems?

VoIP systems have a number of great benefits the main one of which is reduced costs. As they only require one PSTN line businesses will not have to pay for multiple line rentals. This means that they can still deal with a large volume of calls but without encountering large costs.

VoIP systems also help to reduce costs by offering businesses a number of competitive rates on calls and other services. A VoIP provider will often offer incentives in order to give businesses fair and competitive prices for their communication systems. This means that businesses could benefit from free calls between their offices and cheap international calls, or other such offers.

VoIP systems are also incredibly flexible. The amount of handsets in an office can be increased quickly and easily, allowing the VoIP system to grow and expand with the business. This means that the system is scalable and therefore more efficient and cost effective.

Call us for more information about VoIP systems and how it can help your business save money and operate more efficiently. 866-578-5355.

Conducting day-to-day functions and activities within a business is essential to keep things running smoothly. Customers, suppliers, and fellow team members rely on the process of activities to be completed without interruption or stoppage to ensure standards and procedures are met. But what happens when a natural disaster occurs? Can your business continue to function? Are you still able to reach customers and clients who depend on the timely process of normal business activities?

That is where disaster recovery comes in. Having a VoIP phone system over a traditional solution can change the way you react when a natural disaster occurs. With VoIP there is no need to panic when you find yourself out of the office and still need to reach clients, whether that is because of a hurricane in August or snowstorm in January. When power or internet is out at your business that doesn't mean you have to stop working or receiving calls. With a VoIP solution, calls can be set up to ring to alternate phone numbers or cell phones when internet or power is temporarily down. Create a company plan as well as a minor plan to be prepared in case of an emergency, large or small.

Call us to discuss how VoIP can help your business in an emergency situation and also save up to 50% on your current solution. 866-578-5355.

By Om Malik
original source

The very idea of what is a phone call is changing, and changing fast. What used to be a fixed phone turned into anywhere calling. Now Facebook, Google and Skype have made calls about video chat, friends and social circles, not phone numbers. It's perhaps time to rethink the very notion of a phone call and what defines the classic phone network.

Tom Evslin, who has spent his entire life in telecom and data services industries, believes it's time for Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to come to grips with the reality that people are choosing cellular or Internet voice over traditional phone systems. He points to a recent report from the National Center for Health Statistics that notes that by 2018, only 6 percent of the U.S. population will be using the public switched telephone network (PSTN), which to non-telecom geeks means: your home phone from the phone company.