Category: Small Business

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The 6 Reasons Why You Need An Automated IAM Process

Face it, your company has an identity problem. Not that it doesn’t know what it is. Rather, too many people have access to critical accounts that, if used, can result in serious problems. These include broken processes and, in a worst-case scenario, hacked data. What you need is access management automation to keep track of user access, segregation of duties, and ID removal.

What is IAM?

Simply put, IAM is a process that permits administrators to add an employee or customer into a company’s IT environment. Additionally, it provides them with the necessary access privileges for various applications.

Why it’s Needed?

There are several reasons to implement access management.

  • It adds an extra level of security to your enterprise’s network.
  • It’s a proactive way of segregating duties between different departments.
  • It helps you keep track of an employee’s productivity.
  • It is a useful tool for organizations that consider expanding over time.

IAM improves the overall benefits of internal employees or external customers. Through extra layers of verification, like multi-factor authentication (MFA), they can access multiple platforms without remembering a large number of passwords. On top of this, managers have an easier time reviewing activity, tracking permissions, and minimizing security breaches.

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Why Do Businesses Still Run on Manual IAM Platforms?

There are a few reasons why more than two-thirds of businesses still rely on manual entry and management. One is size. Smaller companies might feel they don’t need to automate processes.

A second reason is their budget. The implementation of an automated IAM system not only requires software and hardware. Training is also required to ensure the proper steps are taken. If an enterprise doesn’t have a full-time IT department, then the cost of a software as a service (SaaS) agency must be added to a budget. Whether big or small, some companies don’t feel automation is worth the cost.

Another reason is complacency. If a manual IAM installation has worked for them then there’s no reason to make a change. Unfortunately, managers only see the top layer of operations. They might ignore or be in denial of the underlying issues.

Benefits of Access Management Automation

No matter the size of the company, there are benefits to an automated IAM setup. Here are 6 of them.

1. It’s a centralized system.

Automated IAM is designed to be centralized so information entered on a user is populated from that platform. This means your IT admins don’t need to create users on each system through manual entry or a custom-built script.

2. Creating, changing, and removing user information is time-consuming.

User administration can be a full-time job that takes away from other important tasks. When the process is automated it takes a few minutes to enter the information and have it populate across the network. In fact, some packages do it automatically through an online form.

3. You increase coordination with HR.

Automated IAM allows your human resources department to work more closely with department managers. Rather than search a huge database, HR representatives can quickly pull up an employee and make changes that populate across all platforms. For instance, they record if someone has been transferred, quit, or received a bonus or promotion.

4. Simplifies segregation of duties

Segregation of duties is critical for any organization, and it’s hard for department managers and HR representatives to keep up with all the changes. Automated IAM provides templates for each division. As a result, there’s no longer a need to manually select permissions from an extensive list.

5. Ease of use increases for everyone

Though the initial push might take some time, employees and customers have an easier time to set up their devices or access niche apps. They don’t need to request an ID for every new platform they access.

6. You gain full control of your IT infrastructure

It’s difficult to be in control of IT security when you continue to use a manual IAM solution. When you implement access management automation it gives you full control of the environment. Thus, you can block or release permissions should a system get compromised for one reason or another.

Industries That Benefit From Automated IAM

Practically every business benefits from access management automation. Not only does it simplify the population of the network but it also increases productivity in the teams that once had to manually handle these operations.

The biggest benefactor of automated IAM is corporations with a large number of employees or customers. Handling the manual addition, modification, and deletion of users regularly takes a long time and leads to mistakes.

Another industry that benefits from this form of IAM is eCommerce. Especially if the companies within the sector utilize the Cloud. Access management automation allows administrators to quickly add users and extra layers of confirmation like MFA. This secures logins and reduces the risk of cyberattacks.

Those sectors that require personally identifiable information (PII) from their customers also need automated IAM. This can be a healthcare organization or a regularly visited shopping site like Amazon.

First, it prevents them from accessing parts of the network that should normally be blocked from unauthorized users. Second, it keeps their PII safe from cybercriminals or ransomware attacks.

Words of Caution

Overall, IAM is a secure way to handle a user’s permissions within an IT infrastructure. However, there are some cautions to consider when you decide to implement this solution.

Most importantly, do not implement a DIY access management service. There are too many factors within this type of platform that result in security gaps. Since the role of an automated IAM is to protect IDs and the people that utilize them, lack of protocols leads to serious circumstances.

These gaps are also part of the general risks of any type of access management automation. Others include:

  • Availability of resources (IT or HR administrators) to manage the service.
  • Ownership of data.
  • Budget considerations.
  • Complex designs that are difficult to administer.
  • Ineffective user rollouts.

All of these risks are mitigated via a thorough project management setup.

The Bottom Line

Identity and access management processes and technologies play an important role in security strategies. Organizations and IT professionals that utilize them, particularly in automated form, need to ensure these strategies are robust enough to deal with new threats. For this, you may need some additional support. That is where Teamstack can help.

Our staff of subject matter experts on automated IAM is available to review your current environment and make the necessary recommendations to streamline user access processes. This is critical as the internet and network infrastructures continue to change. Reach out to us today for a free quote.

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All You Need To Know About An Audit Log

Understanding the importance of audit log procedures is important for your business. Ensuring your audit log management is effective supports your security, accountability, and compliance.

Unfortunately, we see numerous businesses overlooking this concept for more urgent issues. To help prevent you from making this mistake, we are providing you with a complete explanation of audit logs and how to ensure your business can take advantage of this opportunity.

What is an Audit Log?

We often hear audit logs referred to as an audit trail. The importance of audit log procedures for your business is the record you receive of any changes and events. Your audit log records the logs created by your IT devices based on events regarding specific activities or sequences.

Every audit trail operates differently according to your operating systems, applications, and devices. You receive a record of which individual performed an activity, the specific activity, and the response of your system.

You can use an audit trail to determine suspicious activities or to locate and fix any network issues. Your audit trail can be either an electronic or manual record.

You will need to input your logs for a manual record as opposed to using automation. We are aware of numerous industries dependent on audit logs including accounting, financial, billing records, health information, and design controls.

Benefits of Audit Logs

An audit log offers advantages and benefits for businesses and IT teams including the following:

Detect Security Breaches

A detailed audit log helps monitor data while tracking potential information misuse and security breaches. It ensures users adhere to protocols while preventing fraud. Examining audit records reveals an intrusion in real-time.

Audit Trails and Compliance

Audit logs are important for compliance because sensitive information is secure and only accessible to authorized users.

This is critical for numerous industries including government, finance, legal, and accounting. Logs serve as proof for auditors that files are shared securely and remain in compliance with privacy laws.

Risk Management

An audit trail is also used for reconstructing events after the occurrence of an issue. It shows why, when, and how normal operations were interrupted.

Gain Insight

To avoid future issues, you need to know why an intrusion occurred or your system crashed. Use audit logs for data corruption or loss by reconstructing files to see when changes were recorded.

Advantages of an Audit Log

The following are the advantages linked to an audit trail:

Lower Capital Costs

Decrease capital costs by finding and repairing errors and fraud quickly. Your financial statements will reflect lower interest rates and an improved ROI or return on investment.

Operational Efficiency

Ensure operating efficiency within your business with an audit log. As a result, there is a positive influence on your entire staff.

Deter Inefficiency and Fraud

If your business suffers a loss, proper auditing ensures funds are available for transfer. In some instances, the insurance carrier resolves your claims.

Settle Disputes

Easily settle management disputes by using the information obtained from audit trails. This is an effective option to constructively improve the efficiency of your business.

Profit and Loss Information

Logs help determine the profit and loss of your business. Employees have the opportunity to talk about the ideas necessary to improve your business and overcome difficulties.

Maximize Profits

Audits enable you to handle challenges to ensure any conflicts are resolved quickly. This means you can reach your maximum profit level.

Reputation Maintenance

Audits enhance the reputation of your business while helping to ensure growth. The necessary review of regulations helps you maintain a good reputation for your industry.

Audit Log Disadvantages

In addition to advantages, audit logs also have the following disadvantages.

Additional Costs

You will have to pay for the additional cost of testing.

An audit also requires the attention of your staff, which means there will be disruptions in your workflow.

No Guarantee

You will not receive prepared and analyzed data from your audit log. You receive financial accounts for the provided data based on the information you have agreed to accept.

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Conducting an Audit Trail

The system will be unable to maintain different audits at the same time. We generally see two different types of audit records, keystroke monitoring, or a record of all keystrokes and event-oriented logs.

Logs based on events usually have records detailing your system, user, and application events.

The audit trail should also contain enough information to determine what events occurred and the individual responsible. Records should specify the command or program initiating the event, the associated user, the time of occurrence, and the final result.

Best Practices

Actively monitor all systems connected to the internet or a third-party, processes involving sensitive or valuable information, all critical applications, and any systems abused or compromised in the past.

Any critical events or suspicious behavior should generate an alert you can assess and act on.

Each system or application will require a risk assessment to determine the level of monitoring, log review, and audit necessary.

We recommend logging a minimum of the following:

  • Key events including the time and date of all logoffs and logons
  • Failed and successful attempts to access your applications, data, and systems
  • System utility usage
  • Terminal identity
  • Networks and files accessed
  • Activating protection systems including antimalware and intrusion detection
  • User IDs
  • System configuration changes
  • Security exceptions including triggered alarms

Challenges of Log Management

Your log management is incapable of distinguishing between bad and good activity. The traditional purpose of your log management is collecting data. This does not mean it can determine the difference between malicious activity and normal business activity results.

You will discover the majority of systems for log management are automated. Your logs are generated by machines for central storage.

The result is a lot of logs requiring the attention of a human to conduct an investigation for digital threats. Unfortunately, we have seen a lot of businesses skipping this important step.

If you do not perform this step, you risk a massive accumulation of logs resulting in unchallenged potential security events taking place on your servers. Proper log management requires your resources, expertise and time if you intend to perform the process properly and receive optimal benefits.

You may be challenged when you collect your logs from the cloud. Do not assume your data will be collected and your activity monitored by cloud services. We have seen this misunderstanding trigger a lot of unnecessary confusion.

No matter which type of solution you decide to use, your data should be treated in the same way as when it is on your servers.

The Final Word

The audit trail from Teamstack was created to help you remain current regarding the activities of your users. Teamstack enables you to know when your users have logged in, logged out, and requested credentials.

Your audit will also contain the IP address, browser details, and location of all of your users. This means you can tighten your security and spot malicious attempts to log in.

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How To Prevent Unauthorized Computer Access

With the advancement of new technology each day, the world is fast becoming a global village, with all types of information accessible at the tap of a button. And as different people and organizations work towards securing their information, it is increasingly evident that the new norm is the data.

Data is the new commodity. However, protecting the same data is becoming a challenge because the information is almost everywhere. Taking steps towards protecting your data is the surest way to preventing others from installing spyware and deleting your vital files. So, the best way to protect your data is to prevent unauthorized access to your computer.

What Is Unauthorized Access?

We have passwords for our desktops and personal computers because we don’t want any second party to access our data without permission. Basically, we are aiming to prevent unauthorized access.

And while the popular term used for this illegal activity is referred to as hacking, it is essential to note that it isn’t not only limited to physical access. Somebody could be several miles away but could still access your files and ad data without your consent.

But how does it happen?

Hacking could happen in different ways. However, how and when it happens is distinct to every individual. Most of the time, hackers will prey on unpatched software or systems susceptible to other vulnerabilities.

What do you do in case such a scenario happens? Teamstack is here to take you through all the modalities and ensure you got the entire arsenal to fight back if somebody attacks your system.

What Is A Data Breach?

The number of companies coming down on their knees due to compromised software is alarming. A data breach is a wave that is sweeping across the information technology, therefore crashing all the companies along the way.

As earlier mentioned, we all have information or data in our systems we wouldn’t want to share with anyone else. However, some people would want to steal that information and use it for their selfish gains.

If a person views, steals, or uses your sensitive and protected information, we refer that to a data breach. Data breach has been with us for a long time and involves payment card information, personal health information, and intellectual property.

With most companies now storing their data on cloud servers and enterprise databases, breaching the company’s data has become quite simple and complex at the same time.

Data breaches have been there with us even before the world embraced the digital platforms to store vital information.

Now that we already know what it means to breach data and gain unauthorized access, what leads to the unlawful viewing ad using data or files?

Let’s find out.

Common Causes of Unauthorized Access

Access to our information and data doesn’t just happen overnight. It either results from our naivety or the hacker’s advanced skills.

However, standard ways may lead to a system’s hacking, which is easily avoidable.

1. Weak Passwords

The best gift you could ever give to a hacker is a weak password. We all have passwords to different accounts and other devices because we want to protect the data and information at our disposal.

However, not all passwords will pass for strong security. Some of them are too predictable or too short of guaranteeing the security of our systems. And while we all yearn to limit unauthorized computer access, the kind of password we use for the same must be unique and strong.

Password hacking refers to the gaining of access by guessing a user’s unique login credentials. The hackers usually use your general information such as lifestyle, birthdays, favorite team’s name, or children’s names.

What Makes Up A Weak Password?

A password should be unique and very difficult to guess. However, for most people, the need to have a strong password isn’t a priority to them. They end up setting passwords that have dates of birth, pet’s names, phone numbers, and names of cities they live in.

In most cases, weak passwords only comprise letters, making it very easy to guess. And for most hackers, just the basic knowledge of a person is enough to help them guess the passwords.

Understandably, we may all want a password that is easy to memorize. However, that should not be at the expense of your vital information. And for companies, the best way to avoid all these troubles is by setting up a password policy and ensuring every employee follows it.

2. Social Engineering Attacks-Phishing

Do you ever get those promotional emails, or text messages, requesting you to either submit your details or open certain links? Well, at first sight, they seem like genuine emails from credible sources. However, these emails generate from hackers who want to trick you into giving your vital information.

This kind of trickery is what is referred to as phishing. Phishing involves using emails, social networks, or direct messages in a desperate attempt to get all the confidential information. Most of the time, the phishers will send malicious links to company employees and wait for unsuspecting individuals to surrender their data.

While you may innocently open the fake emails, what you may not know is that the same email comes with malware. The intent is always to install the malware on your device, ad trick you into revealing your passwords and financial information.

Nonetheless, you can always protect your devices and data by using the access management platform such as Teamstack.

3. Insider Threats

One of the most common ways people store their passwords is through post-it notes. For a start, that is the most careless way an individual can keep their passwords.

Surprisingly, some companies don’t value their data and haven’t invested in cybersecurity.

It is a careless way to store your password. It means anybody could gain access to your documents and use them for their selfish gains.

Never compromise security
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What Are the Security Risks Posed by Unauthorized Computer Access?

  • You could lose money or goods through fraud.
  • Lost of private data
  • You could end up losing access to your accounts.
  • The organization’s systems and data could all be wiped away.
  • Could lead to a takeover of the system, and subsequent use for criminal activities

How Do You Prevent Unauthorized Computer Access?

You will need ways to cushion your data and devices from unauthorized access in the long run. Here are a few tips on how to guarantee security:

Set Strong Password Policies

Make it a policy for all employees to have long passwords, including numbers, letters, and special characters. Consider using tools such as Identity and Management.

Two Factor Authentication (2FA)

Knowledge-based security factors are vital for your security but aren’t reliable enough. Instead, use the two-factor authentication, which brings in other forms of security checks and login questions.

Physical Security Practices

Ensure that each user, or even you, lock their computers when they are through with their assignments.

Keeping Track of User Activity

While you may not be around all the time, it is essential to check out for activities such as numerous login attempts or login at unusual or odd hours. This is where an audit trail comes on handy.

Upshot

While technology continues to witness massive advancement, cybercriminals aren’t sleeping on their laurels as well. They are coming up with new ways of compromising data ad systems each day. It is, therefore, upon you to make cybersecurity a top priority.

Teamstack Is Your Ultimate Destination for All Cybersecurity Solutions

You can’t afford to lose your sensitive data. Without the valuable information, everything will grind to a halt. However, at Teamstack, we value you and wouldn’t want to see you lose what you have struggled to build. Teamstack will secure your data and make unauthorized access to your devices a tall order for anyone.

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How To Protect Your Business Online

Protecting your business online is undoubtedly a vital task against the never-ending security threats.

Regardless of the increased focus on cybersecurity due to web data breaches, employees in an organization remains the weakest link in the security protocol. Nonetheless, there’re several things that you can do to protect your business against online security threats. In this post, we will talk more about the tips that you need to follow to protect your business. Read on to find out more!

What is Cybersecurity?

Simply put, cybersecurity is all about securing your computer-based gadgets, digital assets, and information against unauthorized or unintended access, change, or even destruction.

Today, many business activities occur in the online world, where social media marketing, advertising, e-commerce, and digital management are the order of the day.

Luckily, technology comes with substantial benefits and opportunities for a company.

However, without an appropriate small business cybersecurity management system in place, your investments are at risk.

That is why protecting your business online should be a top priority for every enterprise, big or small.

What’s Cyber Attack?

A cyber attack is simply an attempt by hackers to destroy or damage a computer system or network. They can accomplish this by remote hacking into your network system or using third-party systems.

Additionally, other potential attack points involve getting the much-needed info from the staff or unattended access to the organization’s gadgets.

This type of attack can cause a couple of things:

  • disrupt daily operations
  • cause theft of financial data
  • or destroy your company’s customer base and reputation.

Ultimately, it leads to financial loss and potential prolonged adverse effects.

Top Tips to Protect Your Business Online

Train Your Employees on Cybersecurity

A simple tip that most SMEs regularly overlook: training their employees on how to keep the company safe online.

It will help if the employees understand the significance of maintaining strong passwords. Besides, they need to learn how to spot fake emails and identify suspicious online activities.

Always remember that the first line of defense in protecting your business online is having trained employees.

Protect with Passwords

Believe it or not, strong passwords are the key to most small business networks. As a result, using unique passwords is essential when it comes to securing access to your network system. The more characters and keystrokes you incorporate in your password, the stronger and harder to guess the password will be. Here are some of the tips to follow when setting passwords:

First, start out strong. Here, ensure that you set strong passwords containing a length of at least eight characters alongside embedded numbers. In the process, you’ll stop the hackers that guess passwords.

Secondly, it would be essential to set passwords that expire. Basically, the employees will have to change their passwords after a specific period. During the password changing process, ensure that the staff does not recycle their passwords.

Third, keep the passwords safe. That said, educate your staff about the risks of

  • writing down their passwords,
  • storing them on the PC or phones,
  • or even writing them down on sticky notes.

Lastly, ensure that you use the ideal character combination. When it comes to setting the strongest passwords, it would be helpful to avoid using words only. In its place, use special characters, numbers and random letters.

Write Your Policy To Protect Your Business Online

When it comes to cyber-attacks, hackers do not care about your company’s size. Whether you are a long-established company or start-up organization, it would help educate your team about your security guidelines. Having small business cybersecurity plus policy that the workforce adheres to will ensure that your company remains secure.

For instance, the policy may contain the type of applications the users can download and install onto the business PCs.

You also need to provide the consequences that the staff may face should they not follow the company policy to the latter.

Store Data Securely

Having all the company’s data in a single server is a recipe for disaster. Think about this; what would happen to your organization if the server breaks down or gets stolen?

Well, the best thing to do to ensure that your business is safer is to store data in the cloud. Basically, it entails storing your data in an encrypted location on the internet, where you can securely access files.

Several IT companies can store the orders from your online store securely and protect it in the cloud while meeting all the applicable guidelines. Storing your company documents in the cloud means you will not lose your data, in the event, you lose a company’s device.

Be Cautious When Disposing of a Computer

Before you sell or throw away a company computer or device, make sure you erase all info on it. You can use a professional erase utility application to format or overwrote the whole hard drive. Remember, there have been several cases of people purchasing gadgets and coming across vital info from past users on them or even gaining full access to their cloud accounts.

Don’t Forget The Mobile Devices

With more than 60% of companies presently allowing BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), such as smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables, or USB drives, it would be helpful for businesses to put in place a BYOD policy that mainly focuses on security measures.

Today, with the increasing use of wearables, like fitness trackers and smartwatches with wireless capability, it is crucial to include these smart devices in a policy. Teamstack recommends that you need to inform your staff to configure automatic security updates.

In addition, an organization’s password policy needs implementation on all mobile gadgets accessing the network.

Perform Regular Backups

While it is vital to avoid potential attacks as much as possible, you may still encounter breaches irrespective of your precautions. We recommend performing regular backups on word documents, databases, electronic spreadsheets, human resources files, financial files, and accounts payable and receivable files.

Additionally, make sure that you back up all the files stored in the cloud. For the physical backups, it is essential to store the backups in a separate location in case of an unforeseen storm or fire. In most cases, to guarantee that you will have the latest backup whenever need be, check the backup often to make sure that it’s working appropriately.

Be Up-to-Date

Remarkably, your company is only safe as its last update. Most hackers know how to stay a couple of steps ahead of the game. Thus, performing all that you can to ensure that the company is safe is inevitable. As a result, acquiring the latest and most sophisticated threat intelligence system will ensure that you have an additional protection layer. Thus, it’s always advisable to assure that you have got the latest antimalware systems in place.

Use the Two-factor Authentication

The 2FA (two-factor authentication) can significantly help keep out users who don’t have authorized access to your systems by necessitating a second form of identification, besides the typical username and password credentials. Whenever possible, it’s always essential to enable this factor.

Takeaway Points

With the ever-increasing number of companies of all types, sizes, and fields being affected by identity theft, fraud, reputation damage, and other adverse outcomes, protecting your business online has become more essential than ever.

Therefore, regardless of how big or small your company is, getting to grips with antivirus, using unique and strong passwords, writing a security policy, and performing regular backups are just a couple of tips to ensure that your organization remains secure on the internet.

Never compromise security
for convenience, choose both!

Try Teamstack Now

Using Teamstack to Protect Your Business Online

Two of the security concerns for businesses are the onboarding of a new hire and letting go of a former team member. This is where Teamstack can help businesses of all sizes.

Teamstack reduces the logistical overhead and risk involved in ensuring each member of your team has access to the mission-critical apps they need, when they need it (and not a moment longer).

Teamstack empowers teams and enhances company security within six main buckets: cloud directory, one-click provisioning, single sign-on, multifactor authentication, SAML applications, form-based applications

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Top 10 Cybersecurity Tools Your Company Should Have

Cybersecurity is no longer a battle of equality, but a fray of wit. With cyberattacks happening to big and small businesses alike, now more than ever every organization needs to have cybersecurity tools in place.

Digital security tools are essential as they increase productivity and boost protection within your business. These tools also boost customer confidence.

Let’s immerse ourselves into the intricacies of cybersecurity.

What Is Cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity is the practices and measures to secure networks, servers, and computer systems against cyber-attacks and any other unauthorized access.

Cybercrime, on the other hand, is the malicious use of computer systems to destroy, relay, and gain unauthorized access to private data.

Cybercrime is detrimental to any business, regardless of the size. A cyberattack often targets to cripple the financial systems in a company. Hackers and crackers are usually after the accounts, invoices, and even credit cards within the business.

Cyberattacks also taint the reputation of a business. Customers lose their confidence in a company that regularly experiences cyberattacks.

Furthermore, cyberattacks often lead to industrial espionage within a business. The hackers and crackers gain access and steal crucial data within the industry. They may share this data with competitors.

10 Must-Have Cybersecurity Tools

Because cybercrime is gaining popularity globally, every company regardless of size needs these 10 cybersecurity tools.

1. Firewall

A firewall is a network protocol that filters data packets across a network. Ancient, they may appear, but they are a requisite digital security tool. A firewall is set up across the network gateway.

A network gateway is any device configured to access the internet. A gateway may include a router, access point, or modem. The firewall rules aim to allow only the set devices to transmit data within the specific network. Because of this, any device outside the set rule is blocked from unauthorized access and data transmission.

2. Antivirus software

An antivirus is a program designed to protect a computer system from virus and malware attacks. A virus is a self-replicating malicious software that gains unauthorized access into a computer system. Having an antivirus software offers additional protection to the default operating system security layer.

More often than not, businesses operate online, thus increase their threats of virus attack. This antivirus software detects and deters any malicious program before it gains access to your computer.

Viruses come in various forms; malware, trojan, worm, spyware, etc. Viruses such as spyware often masquerade in email attachments and collect crucial data in the background. Antivirus software also comes in different forms. Some are freeware, while others require a commercial license to run.

3. Remote Monitoring Software

Akin to its name, these software run in the background to monitor any suspicious applications. Cyberattackers are using spyware and other background applications to collect and spoof data. This spyware configures a remote computer at the hacker’s end, and they can access vital information within the organization.

The remote monitoring software transmits real-time information on usage and access of both the hardware and software resources within the host’s system. With this remote software, data security administrators can detect and respond quickly to any threat. Remote monitoring software runs in the background, hence are not easy to identify by the employees.

4. PKI Services

The PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) is an encryption tool between the server and the client. PKI services integrate into your website for digital security. PKI utilizes two keys; the public key and the private key.

When a client connects to your website, they are issued with the public key. On each login, the server generates a secret private key. This private key protects the clients from accessing the organization’s server across the website.

During interaction with the website, the client encrypts and decrypts using the public key. The server does the same across the private key. PKI integrates both the symmetrical and asymmetrical encryption tools.

5. Managed Detection

A managed detection/ intrusion prevention system is a security tool that constantly scans through your network and computer system. The distributed detection system has an up-to-date database of all online threats.

The managed detection system keenly scrutinizes all the logs and processes against its database. It detects and flags any possible threats. These intrusion prevention systems are designed to freeze the computer system in case of any unauthorized access. As a result, a hacker or cracker is not able to access any data on the system or network.

Never compromise security
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6. Proxy

A proxy is a network tool that provides a set of unique IP addresses to computers on a network. A proxy limits the sharing and communication of nodes across the web. Proxies are similar to Virtual Private Networks (VPN).

A proxy acts as a gateway between the internet and your browser. Other users on the internet cannot monitor or track your activities and logins.

Proxies incorporate the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) authentication. Because of this, a hacker cannot track you down across the internet.

7. Penetration Testing

Penetration testing is done during an audit trail. It engages professional hackers and crackers to try and infiltrate the network and computer systems. These hackers and crackers can identify the loopholes within the system and seal them.

Because technology evolves in each passing second, penetration testing should be done periodically. Websites, networks, social engineering, and client access are the primary targets in penetration testing.

8. Secure Cloud Storage

This digital security tool involves storing data in cloud services. Instead of storing data at the physical computer systems, the data is stored remotely to an offsite cloud provider. This is a great security tool since hackers cannot access your information on the physical computer.

The data stored in the cloud is highly encrypted and stored in bits. Cloud storage is excellent as it provides data security against vandalism or natural calamities. You need to download back your saved data from the cloud in case of an eventuality.

9. Password Management

Passwords are the culprit to any unauthorized access. To gain access to your organization’s system, the passwords must have leaked. As a result, it is advisable to mask all passwords within your networks. You also need to avoid storing passwords on the physical computer systems. In case of unauthorized access into the system, a hacker gains the passwords seamlessly.

Because of this, it is strongly recommended that you update your passwords regularly and use unique characters always. Proper password management dictates the use of one-time passwords on each system.

10. Trained Employees

Knowledge is power. It is all futile if you integrate high-end security tools but do not train your staff. Trained employees are essential in curbing cyber threats. With the requisite knowledge, your employees will detect early signs of intrusion into the organization’s systems. They will also know basic troubleshooting and resource management.

The Bottomline

Cybersecurity is very crucial in any organization. A company loses on finances, but it also gains a negative reputation in the case of cyberattacks. Invest in the above cybersecurity tools for increased efficiency and productivity within the organization.

At Teamstack, we provide a secure cloud storage service for your organization’s needs. Our cloud service is compatible with significant applications globally. Join the thousands of satisfied clients on our reliable cloud service.

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How To Protect Your Business from Hackers

In the previous article, “How Hackers Can Hurt Your Business,” we discussed how a cyberattack can seriously impact a business. Whether a company is the victim of malware, ransomware, password cracking, or other methods of hacking, there will usually be damages to both a company’s finances and reputation.

The consequences of a hacked company are dire. But the good news is, there are ways to protect your business from hackers. Use some of these tips to prevent getting hacked.

5 Ways to Guard Your Business Against Hackers

1. Adopt a Password Policy

Without a password policy in place, most employees will use simple, easily-hackable passwords. As a result, these passwords are a giant security flaw. You can dramatically improve the security of your business by requiring that employees and clients alike use strong passwords. Strong passwords have uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.

2. Install Security Software

Some security software can indeed be expensive. However, many hackers rely on the fact that companies don’t use or update their security software to hack in more easily.

Also, it’s much more cost-effective in the long run to pay for good security software and prevent attacks than it is to pay exorbitant fees to clean up an attack after it’s happened.

3. Limit Access to Sensitive Data

The more employees that have access to important or sensitive data, the higher the chance is that a hacker will get access to it.

That is why it is best to make sure that confidential documents like payment info or health and accounting records are only accessible by those who truly need it.

4. Destroy Old Documents

Whenever you replace computer equipment, destroy all the old hard drives. Also, be sure to shred paper documents that contain sensitive data. That way, paper thieves can’t get access to your records.

5. Use Secure Identity Management Tools

In addition to standard security software, there are other useful tools you can use to keep your employee information secure. Identity access management tools like Teamstack work with hundreds of applications to keep identity information secure. It also reduces the risk of unauthorized access to your records.

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The Bottom Line

With such dire consequences to cyberattacks, businesses need to have strong defenses and an incident response plan in place that will help to prevent getting hacked.

Tools like Teamstack can help companies build security defenses against cyberattacks. Teamstack is a cloud identity management system that pairs with apps including Dropbox, G Suite, Zoom, and hundreds more to securely manage employee data and prevent unauthorized access to company data.

Teamstack has a variety of tools that allow your company’s team members to easily and securely log into these applications without compromising security.

Features like Single Sign-On and one-click user provisioning ensure data security while making it easy for employees to log on. Single Sign-On allows an employee to log in once and have access to all their apps through Teamstack. Not only does this reduce the risk of employees using weak passwords that are easier to remember, but it also reduces IT costs, as there will be fewer login issues overall.

One-click user provisioning also increases the security of employee data by making it simple to give and revoke access with the click of a button. Employees can be easily moved between active and inactive states and given access to the apps they need right away.

If you want to improve your company’s security and protect your business from hackers, Teamstack could be right for you. Check out the rest of Teamstack’s features here: https://www.teamstack.com/

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How Hackers Can Hurt Your Business

Are you worried about the impact of hackers on your large or small business?

If not, you might not have all the facts. The risk of a cyberattack gets larger every year. Even small businesses are increasingly vulnerable since they often don’t take the risk as seriously as larger businesses do.

Black-hat hackers are always on the lookout for new businesses to attack. But what are the repercussions of a cyberattack, and why should you care?

This article will help explain what hacking is and how it can negatively affect your business.

What is Hacking/What is a Cyberattack?

Hacking happens when someone gains access to private records and data without permission.

Often, the easiest way for a cyberattack to happen is when an employee’s password is compromised. It’s easy for this to happen because most employees don’t consider information security to be part of their job.

Whether they use a very weak password (such as password123 or their pet’s name), tell someone else their password, or write their password on a sticky note by their computer, hackers can easily gain access to this information.

Hackers use a process called password cracking to guess someone’s data. If the hacker knows personal information about someone, this can be as easy as guessing their mother’s maiden name or their favorite food.

Another extremely common way for hackers to attack companies is through phishing. Phishing occurs when a hacker creates a fake website that looks official. The hacker will send a malicious email to a very large group of people, asking them to enter their information into the fake website. Anyone who enters their password into that website is then compromised.

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Once a hacker gains access to an employee’s data, they have access to everything that employee can see or do. If that employee deals with sensitive or confidential records, the hacker can now do whatever they like with that information. A company getting hacked might not even realize it until it’s too late, and the hacker has stolen huge amounts of important data.

There are many different methods by which a hacker can gain access to sensitive data, and all of them can have a serious impact on the short and long-term operations of any business.

Impact of Hackers on A Business

Hackers impact on business around the world can’t be overemphasized. Whether a hacker steals your customers’ usernames and passwords, email addresses, or payment info, it can have a serious impact on a business’s reputation and longevity. A hacker also might steal other sensitive data from a company, such as employee information, confidential records, and other items.

Theft of Data

When a hacker gains access to a business’s data, they can steal it and do whatever they like with it. Often, hackers will sell data to other criminals, who use it for nefarious purposes. Health records, payment information, accounting records, user data, and other important documents are all frequent targets of data theft.

Financial Damage

It can be very expensive to repair the damages from a cyberattack. Many companies that did not hire IT and security companies before a breach end up paying extra for cleanup services.

Damage to Reputation

One of the main concerns about cyberattacks is the irreversible damage it has on a company’s reputation. Customers often lose faith in the company and see it as untrustworthy. As a result, businesses lose important clients who feel that their data is now insecure.

Recently, fitness tech giant Garmin was the victim of a massive ransomware cyberattack. Not only did this attack have a large financial impact on the company, but many customers have lost faith in Garmin as a result of this security breach.

Legal Consequences

Along with the financial and reputation costs of a cyberattack, there can often be serious legal consequences as well. Companies that are found to have been negligent with their data security are often forced to pay fines or remediation costs. Often, these companies are also subjected to government audits.

Extreme Consequences of Company Getting Hacked

In extreme cases, hackers’ impact on business might even cause a company to go out of business. Losing clients due to cyberattacks is very common and very serious. If the company loses many of its clients and much of its reputation and has to pay too much to clean up the mess, it may no longer be viable.

In this post, we discuss how to save your organization from cyber attacks.

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Audit Trail: What Is It And Why Is It Important?

An audit has never had a soft spot on people’s hearts, and some consider it a witch-hunt, which is not the case. An audit helps us keep track of activities taking place in your organization’s networks and databases. This is not likely to happen in the absence of a system audit.

Today organizations are using checks not only in accounting but also in IT and networking. The importance of the audit trail is not negligible when looking at the functionality of our IT infrastructure.

What is an Audit Trail?

An audit trail is a procedural record where you can track your IT infrastructure activities and determine the source. It is also an essential component of enhancing the privacy and security of sensitive organization data. The process provides evidence of user activity in the system, including altering any data in order.

Components

Audit trails will include three different types of information, namely:

  • a login user ID
  • a summary of system activities,
  • and timestamps.

In a financial audit, trail components include source records, a detailed list of transactions completed, and transaction identifiers.

When To Perform

An audit trail is put in use when there is a need to check validity transactions and sources in an organizational set-up. In an organization’s IT infrastructure, the company performs an audit log when the company’s sensitive data is at risk or is breached.

Did you know that according to the 2020 Insider Threat Report, a significant number of an organization’s security threat originates from trusted employees who have access to an organization’s sensitive data and not from malicious outsiders?

Importance of Audit Trail

Different sectors, including healthcare, manufacturing, and financial services, use electronic data storage. The following are some purposes of system audit:

1. A management team can watch who might be accessing different files, when and for what reasons. This is a common occurrence when organizations are sharing a data storage platform.

2. A system audit enables a company to retrieve lost files by looking at previous versions of the present ones. If there was an error during the documents’ editing, the inspection will reveal the error and necessitate corrective actions.

3. Audit logs can help detect the unauthorized system access, forecast system failures, among others.

4. An audit can detect and stop any fraudulent activities on transactions and data modification.

Having enumerated the benefits of an audit trail, it is, therefore, important to have a robust system audit in place.

How Is It Performed?

Audit trail has diverse ways of operations depending on the devices, operating systems, and applications. Ideally, they capture events in the order by recording the user, the activity, and the system’s response.

What Information Does It Provide?

A system audit is the monitoring of different activities that have taken place in a system intending to bring integrity and accountability within an organization. A reliable check should provide:

  • The number of login attempts before the user gained access to the system.
  • A record of a particular user accessing sensitive information, and the list of activities undertaken on the system.
  • A timestamp rested on the unchanged clock showing the activities and precise time and date when the user accessed the information.
  • A list of available information before the user gained access to the system.
  • The IP address and type of device that was in use when logging to the system.

This information should be readily available should there be a need to review the trail.
Where there was unrestricted access to information about the company, the users should provide a detailed explanation.

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Best Practices in Preforming an Audit Trail

To assess the level of risk that a database is prone to, we need to undertake a system audit log. This will aid in expediting swift action to deter suspicious behavior and necessitate corrective measures.

Some of the best practices in performing system audits include:

• Optimize the organization’s database performance. A company’s database should be at its peak level. This is achievable by integrating other database software with your audit log program, which will help the database’s performance and analyze the data. Besides analyzing data, this software can also help in detecting any abnormality in the system.
• Analyze the data retrieved from the trail. Data analysis is critical in determining any suspicious activities in our system.
• Protect your network from external attackers. There are different security software that you can integrate into your system to enhance its security.

Benefits of Maintaining Audit Trails

Improve on Company’s Data Security

Organization data is at risk, be it internal or external users. Audits are among the top effective measures of protecting our company’s data from malicious people. It also truncates the chance of exposure to malicious users.

Promotes Accountability

The audit log keeps a record of every employee’s activity on the system. This holds the staff accountable for their actions.

Enables Reconstruction of Systems

With a well-functioning audit log, a company can identify how cybercriminals infiltrated their systems. Therefore they can learn how to make it more robust.

Early Detection of Interference

A reliable system trail will help a team detect any intrusion before it materializes.

Teamstack’s Audit Log

Everything in audit is accounting particulars. The ultimate goal of securing an organization’s data lies in the privileged IT users and management’s hands.

You should, therefore, place privilege management as the priority of safeguarding your organization data.

With the difficulty of having enterprise-level security features, we advocate using Teamstack to secure your applications.

Teamstack can secure data for employees working in the office and those working remotely. With its audit log feature, Teamstack maintains a complete audit trail so you can check every log-in attempt across all of your tools. If something looks off, you can block the user instantly to keep your data secure.

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Why Every Company Needs A Competent Credential Management System

Credential Management System

In this era, every astute business owner knows how indispensable digital tools are for managing systems effectively. Technology is changing companies, and online credential management solutions streamline issues like managing credentials.

Corporations and small businesses alike must consistently create or revoke the credentials of customers and employees. Because processes and policies constantly evolve, companies need reliable, efficient credential management tools to succeed.

What Are Credentials?

Before going any further, let’s start with some basic definitions. Without getting too technical, a credential is simply proof of someone’s identity. There are plenty of physical forms of credentials that we use every day, like driver’s licenses or credit cards.

Credentials must establish the person’s identity, typically using identifiers like State of residence or address, and connect it to the company organization assigning the credential. For example, a driver’s license has an assigned license number, address, name, and state seal.

Why Do Credentials Matter?

Although credentials are tied to identities, they are not the same thing.

Credentials usually serve as a connection. They establish an individual’s identity and then connect them to a company and purpose. For example, a driver’s license confirms someone’s identity and shows that the person can drive and reside in a specific state.

Because of this connection, credentials do not stay static. They can regularly change and often expire.

For companies today, credentials are more important than ever. Every time someone logs into an online store to place an order, they’re establishing another credential. Likewise, every time a business hires a new employee, new credentials must be created.

Because these continuous edits must occur, managing credentials becomes much more difficult for growing organizations.

What is a Credential Management System and What Does the System Provide?

A credential management system is a type of software in charge of managing credentials securely. These systems often need to contain a massive amount of data about the people businesses sell to and the people they employ. It also includes personal data that identifies someone and their relationship with the company.

Credential management tools establish who has access to what information and control the privileges someone has. If a customer is part of a subscription with a membership to the company, they probably have special discounts and benefits.

It’s not merely a way to keep track of employee and customer data efficiently. Instead, credential management tools have become fundamental in ensuring organizations can validate people’s identity.

What are the Benefits of a Credential Management System?

Virtually all companies in this modern age require credential management solutions. With privacy regulations rising in response to identity theft and related security attacks, it is therefore vital to have strong credential management solutions.

There are numerous legal benefits

Credential management tools organize employee and customer identities alike. These systems are crucial for many legal reasons. Every company understands the importance of keeping track of their employees for tax season. Having a current, accurate account of who is working for you and their position will make the entire process easier.

It’s become crucial for businesses

For a lot of companies, credential management tools are vital. There has to be some system in place for managing credentials. Any business with an online platform where customers log in must keep a careful record while managing new credentials.

Likewise, corporations with hierarchies of employees need a way to monitor levels of access and edit their credentials. There’s no way around it. A successful company must have successful credential management solutions.

What are the Risks that Come With Credential Management?

Unfortunately, some risks come with credential management solutions. With cyber-attacks regularly occurring, managing credentials online can lead to impostors infiltrating corporations to gain access and a host of other problems.

Here are some common issues that plague managing credentials:

Credential management tools with weak security can jeopardize customer and employee trust. Even recently, there have been numerous high profile incidents of customer data leaking because of hackers. These hacks have significantly increased people’s expectation that their data should be efficiently protected.

Some tools can analyze the quality of a credential management system’s security and expose these concerns to the public. Not only could this potentially lead to legal danger, but it damages corporations’ long-term prospects, customer trust, and reputation.

Credential validation rates might not work as quickly as the rest of the credential management system. These slow validation rates mean that instead of getting an accurate and current insight into customer and employee data, there’s only a list of contradicting information.

Although this lagging might not seem like an issue at first, if it’s allowed to continue, it leads to giant administrative problems. Managing employees is infinitely more difficult with incorrect information.

Impostors hacking a companies’ system will wreak havoc. Imagine a hacker infiltrating a system and assuming the credentials of a trusted employee. There are thousands of malicious actions they could take to ruin an organization. Hackers could steal information and leak it to rivals, edit or erase large data chunks, or even release customer’s data just to cause chaos.

Any of these events can cost millions and send a corporation into bankruptcy. It takes time and requires a lot of money to find compromised credentials and fix the litany of resulting problems. Many organizations have experienced the wrath of ransomware.

How to Prevent Credential Management Flaws and Attacks

It’s clear that credential management systems come with many risks, but the benefits still outweigh the risks.

So, how can people find reliable systems without glaring flaws that prevent these damaging attacks?

Without getting too technical, there must be a process to encrypt all critical corporation information. Hosting an extensive database with personal details that are in plain text is a horrible decision. Even adding passwords or underlying security can easily be compromised by the right people.

Unless one is an expert in coding and cybersecurity, there’s no way to prevent credential management attacks by creating a system from scratch.

Creating systems managing the credentials of so many individuals is costly, time-consuming, and perilous. Suddenly, the full legal responsibility of any unlawful data breaches falls on one person. It’s far more productive to find a preestablished credential management system with previous experience and an interface that everyone can utilize.

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How Teamstack Provides Secure and Simple Credential Management

Teamstack offers its customers free, secure cloud identity management. With features like multi-factor authentication, secure cloud directory, one-click provisioning, and much more, Teamstack is a fantastic option for businesses looking to optimize their processes and use reliable, trustworthy credential management tools.

  • Multi-factor authentication means that every identity confirmation uses several factors to ensure no imposter sneaks into company data.
  • A secure cloud directory lets people in the administration efficiently manage their employees online. It allows for easy management.
  • Group-based credential management means executives can put employees in groups, assign permission levels, and instantly synchronize data changes.
  • One-click provisioning makes controlling users incredibly straightforward. With only one click, an administrator can add or remove a user from accessing the organization’s applications. Now, there’s no need to change passwords every time an employee leaves.

Teamstack’s cloud identity and access management platforms guarantee businesses have credential management solutions that are convenient, simple, and secure. It makes management so much easier and integrates with over 500 applications. For people looking to modernize their company and streamline their processes, look no further than Teamstack’s powerful platform.

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Login Security Tips Everyone Can Use

The Internet has seen a lot of changes since it first rose to popularity in the nineties. Online security has gone through countless transformations as the Internet went from being a niche hobby to a worldwide phenomenon. However, one thing remains the same: everyone’s accounts are secured by a simple login and password.

Websites have undertaken numerous steps to ensure their clients’ privacy. However, the fact remains that a 10-digit (or less) password is the only thing standing between a hacker and your personal information.

Fortunately, knowing these login security tips gives a greater sense of security as you do your activities online.

Common Mistakes That Make Your Login Less Secure

When you sign up for a website today, you’re typically prompted to come up with a complex, elaborate password. This normally includes letters, numbers, and symbols.

The password also has to be a certain length. And when it’s time to renew it, it can’t be the same as your previous three passwords.

With this much login security, you might feel like there’s nothing to worry about. But despite these precautions taken by websites, countless accounts are still hacked every day.

Here are some of the most common mistakes people make that reduce their login security.

Reusing the Same Password Across Multiple Accounts

We’ve all been guilty of this. Why come up with ten different passwords when we can use one password across ten different accounts? It’s much simpler and easier to remember. But it also means that if a hacker breaks into one of your accounts, they’ll also have access to everything else you’ve signed up for–potentially including your work login and your bank account. For this reason, it’s important to use a different password for every website. Read more about this in this post.

Using Weak Passwords

While many websites require a strong password, others are more lax with their security. It might be tempting to use a basic, easy-to-remember password so you can log in quickly and easily. But a simple password is also much easier to crack. Having weak passwords is a gift to hackers. Many hackers use programs that can run through hundreds of passwords in a matter of seconds, so it’s important to use a complex password that’s difficult for programs to guess.

Writing Down Your Password in a Visible Area

Not all hackers are based online. In fact, someone you know in person could hack into your account because they saw your login and password written on a sticky note on your desk. If you’re going to write down your passwords, never leave them in a place where other people have access to them. Write them in a secure area that nobody else knows about, like a private journal.

Sharing Passwords with Your Partner

You might not think much about sharing your passwords with a friend, partner, or co-worker. They’re not going to break into your account, right? But countless people have had their personal information compromised because they trusted the wrong person. Never share your passwords with another person under any circumstances. But if you must share your credentials, remember to do so securely. We discuss this in length here.

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Login Security Best Practices to Remember

Whether you’re signing up for an online bank account or a train hobbyist forum, treat every account that you open with the same level of importance. No matter how small your online presence might seem, a hacker breaking into even one account can lead to dire consequences. Take note of these login security best practices to keep your personal information secure as you browse the Internet.

Make Sure the Website is Encrypted

If you see a lock icon next to the URL bar in your browser, that means that the website is encrypted. An encrypted website means that no one can tap into your Internet connection and spy on your activity to steal your personal information. When entering personal details, always make sure the website is encrypted–if not, you could end up being a victim of identity theft. That little lock icon means secured login.

Avoid Sketchy-Looking Websites

Some websites disguise themselves as logins for another website to get you to enter your password. Always check the URL to make sure you’re on the official website, not a convincing lookalike. Additionally, avoid clicking on links in emails from sources that you don’t recognize. Read more about phishing here.

Use Strong, Diverse Passwords

One of the most important login security tips to remember is to always use a strong password. No password will ever make your account 100% secure, but the more complicated it is, the harder it will be for hackers to get your personal information. On a similar note: never use the same password twice. If your accounts all have different passwords, one account might be compromised, but you can shut it down and assess the damage without the hacker breaking into the rest of your accounts.

Use a Password Manager

A password manager is an app that offers a full suite of tools to keep your accounts safe while browsing the web. When you sign up for a website, your password manager generates a random string of letters and numbers that becomes your highly-secure password. This might sound difficult to remember, but the password manager also stores all your passwords for you. All you’ll have to remember is the master password that unlocks the vault.

Use Multi-Factor Authentication

Many websites give you the option to turn on multi-factor authentication. This offers additional security by forcing you to verify your identity every time you log in. When you try to log in, you’ll have to input an additional code that’s sent to your email or texted to your phone number. This keeps unauthorized people from accessing your online accounts, as long as you still have access to your phone or email address.

How Can I Make Sure My Business is Secure?

If you’re concerned about online security for your team of professionals, Teamstack’s Single Sign-On feature combines a simple and secured login process with the security you need to protect your growing business.

When they sign in at the start of the day, your teammates only have to sign in once to access all their applications. No more fumbling with different passwords and wasting time trying to log in to different clients. They’ll have everything they need right from their dashboard.