A business computer should be just that –apart from what you do for business, it should not be used for anything else.
Just what you need, emails, bank accounts, writing quotes etc., looking up industry news, but nothing else.
Other stuff, other computers (that should never have business stuff on it, different emails etc.)
It’s laptops that often get targeted.
So our IT gut at YBA is focused on examining the multiple ways they can be breached. What it all boils down there are usually two-step that happens (there are other kinds of attacks, too but let’s look at the common ones)
So, it makes sense to limit what a computer can run. If you are not going to get a computer guy in a red cape, you must make tight rules.
At YBA, we have new software to protect us.
Only programs that are explicitly listed can run. Anything else is blocked, so when ransomware software tries to run, it just can’t a bit like Bubba on the nightclub door, her son. I wouldn’t say I like your shoes. You’re not coming in.
If lousy software runs, we get an alert.
Our AntiVirus software is excellent and will most likely pick it up, but with this new security layer, it has even more to overcome.
Result. Layer one, new software, only lets authorised software run and nothing else. If this layer is somehow evaded, layer 2 uses AI to analyse if it’s malware and if it blocks it. Layer 3. If it gets through Anti Virus, we roll back the ransomware encryption to a state before the attack. Now, three shots instead of two to stop a serious malware infection and a much better shot at containing lateral infections.
We are locked into this perpetual arms race between attack and protection.
Australian Government lists eight things that all businesses should do (Essential 8), and Application control is one of them.
Our new system – our IT guy (who has a red cape and sees themselves as a Marvel comic character doing good) tested this software.
At Your Business Angels, we will fully tick this box now. I tested this software on a vanilla laptop and installed all my control software; this agent blocked those. It means business. If we don’t list it, it doesn’t run, baby!
We hope when the Government puts more red tape on small businesses to comply with security standards; it’ll be a breeze for us.
We don’t think of YBA as an infection waiting to happen but as the opposite. We have protection at every layer of your network, which we are sure most other accountancies don’t have.
Our IT guy is happy with our progress.
Don’t want to meet our IT guy or another IT guy (we have some clients who are great at this), Don’t want bad stuff and bad people on your computer. Give your client coordinator a call, and we will connect you.
