Articles

Should you Trust Password Managers?

A good password is a critical part of protecting your data. So, when LastPass, a popular password manager solution, announced that its third-party cloud-based storage service had been breached, allowing an unknown attacker to gain access to backups containing customer data including password vaults, a lot of people got nervous. The bad news is that those customer password vaults are in…

4 Reasons Xantrion Helps you Sleep Better at Night

According to a recent RSM report, a critical issue midmarket companies face when selecting an IT services company is determining which company they can trust. As your IT partner, we take our responsibility seriously, and the following are 4 reasons you can depend on us. 1. We are SSAE 18 SOC 2 certified each year Service organizations like IT outsourcing…

Top 10 IT Priorities and Challenges for SMBs in 2023

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Why Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) Instead of Anti-Virus Software?

Security remains one of the biggest concerns and most challenging responsibilities facing small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) today. In 2021, there was a 300% increase in ransomware attacks with over 50% reaching small businesses. To address this challenge, Microsoft is investing in security solutions purposefully designed to help protect them. Microsoft Defender for Business is a new endpoint security solution…

Ensure your Life Science Company Survives Investor Due Diligence

By Robert Thomas, Audit Senior Manager, WithumSmith+Brown, PC and Christian Kelly, IT Auditor, Xantrion Inc. Congratulations! Your pharmaceutical, biologic, or medical device startup has developed a promising product, and you’re ready to raise a Series B round of funding. Read on to learn what experts Rob Thomas and Christian Kelly recommend to make it easier to pursue and obtain that…

The Do’s and Don’ts of Preventing MFA Spamming Attacks

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a great way to add an extra layer of security to network access. But it’s not foolproof – as Cisco, Microsoft, and Uber all learned recently when cybercriminals breached their network using a technique known as MFA spamming. Also known as MFA bombing and MFA fatigue, this ploy is used by an attacker who has acquired…

Cybercriminals Like to go Phishing, Don’t Fall for the Bait

Phishing is when criminals use fake emails, social media posts or direct messages with the goal of luring you to click on a bad link or download a malicious attachment. If you click on a phishing link or file, you can hand over your personal information to the cybercriminals. A phishing scheme can also install malware onto your device. No need…

Ransomware Protection: Guaranteed

Last year’s headline-grabbing ransomware attacks on the Colonial Pipeline and meatpacking company JBS show how vital it is to remain vigilant in your efforts to protect yourself from ransomware. For several days, the attacks shut down one of the most vital oil pipelines in the US and disrupted the global meat supply chain. They also cost each company millions of…

Is Penetration Testing Worth the Investment?

1. What is penetration testing and why is it important? A penetration test identifies how a cybercriminal might successfully get into your network and systems in order to steal your data and compromise your operations. Many companies are required to provide the results of a penetration test to regulators or insurers every year, but even without an external requirement, a…

Take your Start Up to Grown Up in 3 Steps

By Karl Pontau, Owner, Squash & Stretch Productions, Dave Oates, Founder, PR Security Service, Anne Bisagno, President, Xantrion Inc. Perspectives from leaders in Managed Security, Crisis Management, and Story Coaching & Consulting Well done. You’ve cleared the hurdle of getting your startup funded and you’re now faced with the exciting, yet perhaps overwhelming next steps of scaling and growing your…

Best Places to Work 2022: Flexibility in Everything Helps Xantrion Tame Turnover

By Ari Mahrer, Data Reporter, San Francisco Business Times Xantrion meets its employees where they are. Literally. The Oakland-based provider of cybersecurity and IT services to midsized businesses has always maintained flexible working arrangements for its employees. Its “human-first approach,” according to its co-founder and President Anne Bisagno, has made it a sort of unicorn among the noise generated around…

Secure your Systems with Smart Solutions from Microsoft

Integrated Cyber Threat Protection with Microsoft

Why Xantrion Uses Microsoft

When you hire Xantrion as your managed security service provider (MSSP), you’re trusting our ability to protect your business-critical infrastructure and data – and the technology partners we choose to help us do that. Microsoft is one of our most trusted partners. In fact, we have so much confidence in their approach to zero trust security that we’ve made…

Prepare for New SEC Cybersecurity Requirements

In February, the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) announced new cybersecurity requirements for registered investment advisors. The proposed changes, which are currently in the comments phase, are likely to be formalized and published before the end of the year. Here’s what you need to know before that happens. What will the new rules do? Essentially, they will put teeth into the…

The Cyber Resilience Framework

By IDC The business impact of cyber incidents like ransomware attacks make it critical for companies to take action to lower their cyber risks and to avoid becoming the next victim. Companies must also be pragmatic and develop a strategy for dealing with the ramifications of a cyber incident should one occur. Reducing cyber risk, while imperative, does not guarantee…

Vulnerability Scanning: What It Is And What It Does

By Rapid Fire Tools Nearly every industry and government IT security standard around the world, including the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, the Center for Internet Security (CIS 20), Australia’s Essential 8, the Department of Defense’s CMMC and PCI requires vulnerability scanning. This almost universal requirement for network vulnerability scanning stems from its core function of identifying weaknesses in computers and networks…

Marrache Law Gains Peace of Mind with LawToolBox and Microsoft Teams

Marrache Law, a boutique law firm based in Southern California, needed a better way to track filing deadlines and manage cases. It brought LawToolBox into its Microsoft Teams environment to automate deadline management, speed communication, and improve workflows. Ruled by deadlines Everything in a law practice is driven by deadlines. Mismanaging dates can not only throw a case into jeopardy,…

Five Best Practices for Cloud Security

The volume of security signals is overwhelming. And the combination of legacy and siloed tools makes it even harder for defenders to protect against today’s sophisticated attacks. Many businesses are not yet protecting their cloud assets to the same extent that their on-premises assets are protected—and hiring security talent is an ongoing challenge. As a result, many organizations have large…

The New Normal: Hybrid Work Means Greater Focus On Endpoint Security

By Daniel Newman, CEO, Broadsuite Media Group With remote work here to stay for many organizations, endpoint security has never been more crucial. Why? Employees are now working from so many locations, on so many different devices, that it would be nearly impossible for any single IT team to verify that employees will use VPNs or other security measures to…

5 Reasons to Choose Microsoft 365 Business Premium for your Law Firm

Running a small or medium-sized law firm is hard work. You need to build strong client relationships, stay ahead of case deadlines, and make sure your staff has what they need to collaborate and respond quickly to clients. In addition, you’re juggling vendor due diligence requirements, and the ever-present risk of a cybersecurity attack. The following are five reasons why…

A Tailored Journey to the Cloud

The ability for employees to work from anywhere and still be able to communicate and collaborate remains business critical around the world. A recent survey showed 80% of customers intend to accelerate their digital transformation and 60% indicate security and compliance budgets have gone up to better defend customer’s infrastructures in these remote or hybrid work scenarios. Check out the…

Reimagine your Digital Endpoint Assets

Growing concerns about employee experiences—including securing mobile devices and working with flexibility—call for endpoint modernization. The value in Microsoft 365 is its innovation in secure, cloud-connected management as well as its awareness of employee satisfaction (including the acceleration of onboarding of all workers). Take stock in your endpoint estate and start using modern products like Cloud Configuration and Endpoint Manager…

Top 10 Ways to Manage the Cost of Cyber Liability Insurance

Why is the average cost of cyber liability insurance starting to double from one year to the next, and what can you do about it? In the past, getting a high-quality, affordable policy was as simple as providing your revenue and some basic information about your cyber security controls. Today, you must fill out a detailed annual questionnaire about your…

My Cyber Liability Insurance Premium Just Doubled, Now What?

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3 Reasons to Make Data Privacy your New Year’s Resolution

By Jodi Daniels, Founder & CEO of Red Clover Advisors Our favorite time of the year is finally here—and yes, we know the winter holidays have already come and gone. But as much we may love warming up with a cup of hot cocoa (topped off with unreasonable amounts of marshmallows, please!), there’s one day that holds a special place…

Getting to Zero: What You Need to Know About Zero-Trust Architecture

It may seem strange to talk about cybersecurity in terms of “zero trust.” After all, if you can’t trust your systems and applications, why are you using them? But the term actually refers to a cybersecurity best practice that applies the basic concept “Never trust, always verify.” Under the zero-trust security model, no user is trusted with full access to…

3 Ways Windows 11 Can Help You Work Smarter and Faster

The rollout of Windows 11 is going well, so Microsoft has made the upgrade more broadly available to eligible Windows 10 devices. Thus, it might be time to start thinking about whether you want to upgrade. Windows 11 has many new features and enhancements that you might find useful. Here are three enhancements that might boost your productivity: 1. Redesigned Start Menu Lets You Quickly Find…

The Seven Critical Layers of Cybersecurity

It’s no longer enough to just install a firewall and antivirus software and think you have robust cybersecurity protections. Today, you need a cybersecurity strategy that stands toe-to-toe with the bad guys’ methods, frequency, and vectors of attack. And rather than starting with solutions and working backwards, we recommend using a layered approach like the one below. For many small…