Directive Blogs

Most small businesses have trouble navigating cybersecurity, and that’s because there are too many threats to count. You might even feel like you're a little over your head yourself. Today, we’re bringing to you four of the biggest threats to watch out for on the Internet, as well as what you can do to keep them from impacting your operations.

With so many devices now connecting to the Internet, decreasing your business’ threat surface area is more important than ever. Your threat surface area consists of any device that connects to your organization’s IT infrastructure, and if you’re not careful or forget a couple of oddball wearables, you could be looking at a data breach. Today, we want to go over how you can prevent that from happening.

Fairly recently, news circulated that a data breach had exposed 16 billion—yes, with a “b”—passwords for various logins, including social media accounts, virtual private networks, corporate tools, and more. Effectively, every online service imaginable was represented in this breach.

This is very bad… arguably unprecedented.

However, this impression is at best misleading. Let’s dig into the truth of the matter, while still acknowledging that there are some lessons to be learned.

Android 16 is now officially available for device manufacturers to implement, introducing significant enhancements to security through a new mode: Advanced Protection. Let’s focus on these enhancements and how they have altered a user’s built-in security within the operating system. 

Summer is here, and with it comes the rest and relaxation that warm weather encourages. That said, summer is not a time to let up on your cybersecurity awareness. Today, we’ll share how you can both enjoy the summer season without putting your security at risk in the process.

Running a business means you’re juggling a lot — from day-to-day operations to keeping your team on track. Regardless, one area that can’t be overlooked is your IT policies.

While they might seem like a “nice-to-have,” they’re actually a must-have for protecting your business, your data, and your reputation.

Think of IT policies as the rules of the road for how your team uses technology and handles sensitive information. Without clear guidelines in place, your business could be at risk from unexpected security breaches or compliance issues.

Running a small or medium-sized business is difficult enough without having to worry about cyber threats all the time. If you haven’t updated your security systems in a while, your infrastructure could be at risk. In fact, when considering IT security, we recommend adopting zero trust as a security measure, and we’ll explain why.

Safeguarding your assets, employees, and customers is a top priority for any business owner. While traditional security measures like locks and alarms remain fundamental, modern security camera systems have evolved significantly, becoming indispensable tools for comprehensive business protection. For small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMBs), understanding the capabilities and benefits of these systems is crucial for maintaining a secure and efficient operation.

When it comes to cybersecurity, businesses have a lot to keep tabs on—even a small business like yours. In fact, you wouldn’t believe just how much goes into cybersecurity and why your organization needs to make it a priority. Today, we want to convince you that cybersecurity is more than just a buzzword on the Internet; it’s a lifeline that will keep your company secure.

A new and formidable predator is stalking the digital waters of the Android ecosystem. Dubbed Crocodilus, this sophisticated Trojan is rapidly evolving, expanding its reach, and demonstrating that it’s likely going to be a major problem. Today, we’ll tell you about the dangerous new strain and what you can do to avoid contact with it, because you will want to.

As you prepare to travel, remember that your digital security strategy needs to be as agile as you are. While advice like using strong, unique passwords and employing a VPN on unsecured Wi-Fi are helpful, professional data on the move has grown more complex. Today, we offer key security strategies that go beyond the usual to help you travel with greater digital confidence.

Technology is meant to be the wind in your business' sails, propelling you forward, simplifying tasks, and making operations smoother than a freshly paved highway, right? Sometimes, it is! Other times, it feels more like a mischievous gremlin has been let loose in the engine room, and certain seemingly small habits can escalate into full-blown operational nightmares.

Here at Directive, we've seen a pattern or two. Today, let's shine a spotlight on three common technology missteps that might be silently sabotaging your productivity or even worse, leaving your digital doors wide open.

Do you ever wonder why some businesses seem to have endless technology problems? It’s not by accident. It's often a matter of not having the smart, simple habits in place to combat issues that present themselves. Let’s take a look at three ways that your business can avoid big technology headaches.

The constant chatter about cybersecurity can really be overwhelming. While some Internet tales might be exaggerated, the reality is that these cybersecurity risks are a serious concern for every business. Is your organization truly prepared to confront the sophisticated digital adversaries of our time? Let’s take a look at three prevalent cyberthreats that could inflict significant damage on a business, and what you can do to keep them from negatively impacting yours.

Cybercriminals are in the business of ripping you off, make no mistake about it. They’ll do what they can to trick you and steal your hard-earned cash. Thankfully, there are common and recurring trends you can look for that expose these fraudsters for what they really are.

Third-party vendors are essential for modern businesses, as they deliver mission-critical resources and tools to the organizations that utilize them, including raw materials, software, and other services. Unfortunately, these vendors can also serve as direct lines into your business for a cyberattack to take advantage of for their own purposes.

Let’s talk a little about how you can still lean on your vendors without sacrificing your all-important security.

There are a lot of regulations out there that businesses need to follow, both for their own good and that of their clients, customers, and associates. Many of these regulations—like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX), and the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS)—are relatively well known and critical to follow.

That said, these regulations dictate many basic practices that, to be completely frank, should already be a priority for every business that cares about its security and efficiency.

2024 was a banner year in the worst possible way: cybersecurity threats broke records and incessantly targeted individuals and small businesses alike. Are there tools to help prevent these threats through detection and mitigation? Of course… but they unfortunately can only do so much to avoid the vulnerabilities caused by insufficient cybersecurity practices.

The following guide is intended to fix this, reinforcing such practices so they remain top of mind and are easier to enact regarding the data you work with every day. As such, we encourage you to share it so it can educate as many people as possible.

We're all busy. Whether you're steering the ship or making sure the daily operations run smoothly, cybersecurity might feel like another drain on your time. Imagine a day when everything grinds to a halt, trust evaporates, or significant money vanishes into thin air. These aren't abstract fears; they are all-too-real consequences of cybersecurity oversights, creating moments that everyone in a business, from top to bottom, desperately wants to avoid… and can.

The methods criminals use to access money and sensitive information have evolved dramatically. That official-looking email requesting an urgent payment, or a sudden system lockdown demanding a ransom; these are no longer rare occurrences but calculated tactics by modern cyber thieves. 

Cybertheft isn't a one-size-fits-all problem; it's sophisticated, and the types of techniques are designed to exploit vulnerabilities and deceive unsuspecting individuals and businesses. Let’s explore some of the primary ways these digital adversaries operate.