Hopefully, you’ve never run into this problem, but if you have and you’re looking for answers... Welcome. Refreshments are on the left.

One day you open your email to find that you’re bombarded with “Thank you for your subscription!” messages in all sorts of different languages from every corner of the internet. You obviously couldn’t have done this, nor would you have, but the subscriptions exist regardless.

Back in October 2019 – you know, before it all changed – Microsoft beta-tested a new baseline security program with 30 million users. We let the mega-computers crunch all of those numbers but the result was astoundingly clear: Adding things like MFA and conditional access to accounts made a world of difference.

To be fair that isn’t exactly a surprising find. While it’s our job to care about how nefarious types are trying to get into your data, you’re likely busy thinking about the 99.9% of the rest of your business. Cakes, cookies, muffins, whatever kind of delicious baked goods you make. (And even if you don’t make baked goods, you should still keep reading..) 

If you’re reading this, you’re probably pretty proactive when it comes to cyber security. You’re also probably well aware of the benefits of keeping terabytes of data behind a wall more secure than a password which is your first pet’s name and your birth year.

...Right?

No matter the industry you’re in if you’re collecting information, you should be protecting that data. And to protect that data, you’ve undoubtedly run into phrases like single-factor, two-factor, and multifactor authentication – and the responsibilities that go come collecting all that data. In nearly every instance that breaches occur, the missteps can be boiled down to simple problems like weak credentials and poor security standards. (Go ahead and take the sticky notes with your passwords off of your computer monitor before you read the rest of this.)

Data Security Methods That Are Effective for SMBs to Protect Themselves Against Today's Risks.