Business email compromise (BEC) attacks are exploits where cybercriminals get unauthorized access to a business email account to steal the owner’s identity. The compromised accounts are then used for carrying out highly convincing social engineering scams against employees, partners, and customers.

Ransomware attacks are widespread and usually take victims by complete surprise. Then, they’re left struggling to make the choice between paying the ransom or risk losing their data for good. Fortunately, there are several warning signs that cybercriminals are already targeting your network.

Remote work has been the norm in many New Jersey businesses for some years now; as of 2019, the Garden State was already one of the top 15 states where one could easily find remote jobs.

However, other businesses were far from prepared when they were suddenly ordered to send their employees home in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Phishing scams used to be easy to spot because of their incredible claims. Take for example the infamous Nigerian prince scam, which asks victims to disclose financial information so that the royal prince may purportedly deposit his overflowing cash into their bank accounts.

First came the coronavirus pandemic, which forced companies all over the world to shift to remote work. Then came security experts’ warnings that cybercriminals would take advantage of the situation, given that many of the devices used at home don’t have strict security measures that office devices have.

The Garden State has had its share of data breaches, ransomware attacks, and other cybersecurity horror stories. Here are two of the well-known ones:

2017 Equifax data breach — The single largest data breach of 2017 happened to the multinational consumer credit reporting agency.

Imagine buying a safe for your valuables. To your surprise, there’s no lock on the door. That safe is your computer if you don’t put a password to protect it.

When you put a lock on your safe, you put a layer of security. Add a latch bolt or a thumbprint reader, and you double your protection.

The COVID-19 pandemic is the most pressing concern affecting all Americans these days. For us in New Jersey, this pandemic hits even closer to home, given that New York is now the epicenter of the outbreak. Because of this, most businesses in the Hanover, Morristown, and Madison areas now have employees working from home, relying heavily on the internet for work and for socializing.

More and more businesses are implementing remote work because of its numerous benefits. Boost in productivity, access to a wider pool of talent, and lower operating costs are some that immediately come to mind.

But for many small- or medium-sized business (SMB) leaders, deciding whether to stick to an office-based setup and integrating a remote workforce is hardly black and white, especially now during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Today, the risk posed by having sensitive information leaked to the wrong hands is pervasive. Technology has made the storage, accessibility, and shareability of information greater than ever, but the possibility of that information being made available to parties or entities they were not intended for is similarly increased.