As you begin to adopt cloud-based services, your network becomes more expansive and potentially more porous. Today, you most likely have a flexible hybrid workforce who are working remotely using a mix of personal and company-issued devices to access your network and its critical data. It may be the case that your data is now being shared and stored in platforms that may not be approved or known by your IT department. These examples demonstrate vulnerabilities within your network and we outline the cloud security essentials your business should have in place to reduce and mitigate cloud threats.

The time to think about Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions and policies isn’t after employees start using various personal devices for work related activities. If employees are using unapproved smartphones, laptops, or tablets to do their jobs, they are essentially using unsecure devices to access your organization's critical data. Read more about how a Mobile Device Management solution can protect against compromised credentials and protect sensitive data while verifying who the user is. 

Current events have forced many businesses into quickly enabling staff to work from anywhere at any time. Desktops were replaced by laptops that could be taken home, staff using personal devices to access company data, and quick adoption of cloud and mobile apps. The ability to keep your business running took precedence over strategic planning, and now is the time to enable your remote workforce to be productive and secure. This  mobile workforce evolution comes with many benefits, but if it’s not approached with careful thought and planning, it can also come with a unacceptable level of risk.

Has it been a challenge to manage your complex environment due to the frequency of Microsoft 365 feature updates? Would you prefer less frequent updates since they can be unpredictable and disruptive to productivity? If this is the case at your organization, then we have good news for you. As of May 12, 2020, Microsoft announced the general availability of a new Monthly Enterprise Channel. Now, organizations can bring users the latest capabilities to stay productive and secure, but on a predictable, once-a-month release schedule.

What’s in a name? As Juliet pointed out to Romeo, a rose could have any other name, and still smell just as sweet. This is essentially what Microsoft has done with their recent name changes to several of their Office 365 product suites. Going forward, all the product names of Office 365 for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and Office ProPlus products will use the Microsoft 365 name, dropping the ‘Office’ brand.

As we begin the third quarter of 2020, cybercriminals are continuing to adapt and increase their COVID-19 related attacks. Small to medium-sized businesses (SMB) are being targeted through a variety of malicious tactics. According to FBI Deputy Assistant Director, Tonya Ugoretz, the number of cybercrime reports has quadrupled in the months since the pandemic began. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) was previously fielding 1,000 complaints a day. They are now receiving between 3,000-4,000, with the majority of complaints related to COVID-19 (Source: The Hill.)

Company Joins Small Rank of New England Firms to Hold Designation 

PORTLAND, Maine — June 3, 2020 — Systems Engineering, a leading IT strategy and managed services provider serving clients across New England, announced today it is enhancing its services with Microsoft Premier Support for Partners agreement advancing the company's position as an elite Microsoft partner.