Keeping up with the complexities of modern IT infrastructure is an ongoing and demanding task for in-house staff. Unfortunately, just maintaining your current environment is not enough to prevent data breaches.

Cyber Security has been making big news for the last decade, not only in the US, but around the world.  The constant cyber-attacks directed at small and medium-sized businesses hit close to home, but do not make big headlines.

Last month, the Los Angeles Community College District announced that Los Angeles Valley College had been victimized in a ransomware attack to the tune of $28,000 in bitcoins. 

According to cybercrime watchdog APWG, phishing attacks in the first quarter of 2016 increased worldwide by 250% - and spear phishing attacks (where the perpetrators tailor their message to fit a business target) have risen at a similar rate.

In these days of enhanced technical security solutions, we often neglect the human variable in Information Security. Email scams and phishing attacks are on the rise. User information and training are key in combating them.  

We have seen at least two of these kinds of attacks on clients that could have been prevented with user security awareness.