Monthly Archives: December 2022

Developing a Culture of Cybersecurity

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When it comes to cybersecurity, tools and technology help. What can help even more is making cybersecurity a part of company culture, to the point of safety becoming second nature. Read on to learn more about establishing a culture of cybersecurity. 

 

The Vital Importance of Cybersecurity

 

The attacks just keep coming. In recent years, SolarWinds and Colonial Pipeline are just a couple of well-known incidents. According to statistics, more than half of cyber attacks result from human error–weak or poorly managed passwords, susceptibility to phishing schemes, perhaps even ignorance of company policies and of best practices. The cost of attacks is supposed to continue increasing, to over $10 trillion by 2025. 

 

The Cybersecurity Conversation

 

It’s never too late–or too soon–to openly discuss cybersecurity in your organization. Your executives, both in your IT department and outside of it, can set the tone for your company’s cybersecurity culture. For example, sharing learning from past experiences can show your workers that anyone can learn from mistakes. More than technology and tools, cybersecurity training needs to be an integral part of company culture–it saves costs, preserves your company’s reputation, and keeps your company in business. You can freely discuss cybersecurity in team meetings and everyday work conversations. Ideally, this will get workers of teams talking about ways to keep your company safe and may reach the individual level, encouraging them to evaluate their cybersecurity savvy and improve it. Regular training and retraining should also be part of the organization’s culture of cybersecurity. Staging mock “phishing” attacks to test workers’ knowledge and ability to act, will help to make training concrete. This is where tools and technology can come in, providing engaging ways for workers to understand the importance of cybersecurity.

 

Clear Policies and Procedures

 

Having and clearly communicating policies and procedures helps all employees know what to do in case of emergency, and even how to avoid an emergency in the first place. Does everyone know what a phishing email looks like, and how to report one? Do they know to choose strong, hard-to-guess passwords, and change these passwords periodically? What’s the first thing they should do in a cyber attack? If everyone, from the top executive to the newest trainee, knows what to do, all contribute to the security of the organization. 

 

Establishing a culture of cybersecurity begins at the executive level. Establishing cybersecurity as part of your company’s philosophy, as well as clear policies and procedures, can help everyone understand their role in protecting company systems and data. For additional assistance, contact your technology provider today.

What’s On Your Holiday Tech Wish List?

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What if you could deduct technological expenses, reducing your taxes and availing your business of new technology?  According to the IRS, you can deduct a portion of your tax expense for products (sometimes even services) if you deploy the tech in the current tax year. Read on to learn more about defraying expenses and even gaining a competitive advantage, too.

 

Tax Deductions for Technology Purchases

 

Your company may be considering what technological purchases to make in the near future. What if you could get the technology assets you need, while lightening your tax bill? According to the IRS tax code, Section 179, small to medium-sized businesses can deduct the entire purchase price of both new and used equipment from what they pay in taxes. To be eligible, the business must meet any one of three requirements. The business must be in operation, or set to start operating, and have purchased IT assets throughout the year. Types of purchases to which the deduction applies are on-premise improvements like security systems and security systems; devices like computers and laptops, tablets and phones; and software, servers and networking equipment. A business must earn no more than $2.5 million annually, as well as deploy the technology within the same tax year as purchased. Equipment purchases arising from an IT services contract can be deducted, but not the service itself. 

 

Business Benefits and Considerations

 

Who doesn’t want to pay less in taxes? Aside from this obvious benefit, the budgetary burden for purchasing even new equipment is lightened. Your company can perhaps even launch a new initiative like unified communications (allowing your company to be even more effective) while paying less for the equipment. That said, to get the deduction your company needs to deploy the equipment in the current year. What purchases can you make that will help reach business goals? Whatever technology you invest in, it needs to be in line with your objectives. 

 

Now is the time for considering your tech budget, and what purchases you plan to make. For further assistance, contact your trusted technology advisor today.