We all are working together to fulfill common core causes. Yes, we—even those of us in information systems and information technology—are here to ensure patients and staff are safe and healthy.
Policies and procedures serve several roles, but one core role is to ensure this safety. Policies can be thought of as very high level guidelines defining ways in which we, as team members, can shape decisions toward our organization’s mission of helping our patients.
Procedures, on the other hand, provide clear guidelines for lower-level processes clarifying specific steps team members need to take to ensure they are adhering to your organization’s policies. These policies and procedures can often serve to show compliance to current standards (treatment standards, security standards, or operational standards).
continue reading
There is a lot of confusion when it comes to cloud data and backups.
Most people assume that the cloud inherently backs up there data. If you are using Office 365, OneDrive, or some other cloud-based data storage solution, you might be surprised to learn that your data isn’t really backed up.
What do I mean here?
Yes, you have a copy of your data in the cloud and if you have a disaster in your office you very well will be able to access that information somewhere else.
continue reading
I wish I could give you a resounding ‘Yes’ to answer this simple question, but in today’s cyber environment and knowing all of the risks involved I’d have to say you’d be better off not. I want to share a story that recently happened at a popular big city hotel where a lot of business travelers frequent. This is just one example of many examples with various public Wi-Fi connections.
As you are getting ready for your next business trip or vacation, please keep this story in mind. If you would like to speak to me or someone on my team to find a solution that would work for traveling, we are here to help!
This story mimics many that have happened and reflect how criminals exploit Wi-Fi to get valuable data.
continue reading
Microsoft was founded in 1975. That means well nearly 45 years and dozens of products, all leading to a mass confusion of what Microsoft has to offer your business and which products are actually useful in your workflows.
Microsoft actually offers a full breadth of business applications that many people are either under-utilizing or not even using. There are so many different products your head might spin if we were to list every single one out.
As one of the major business tech companies out there, Microsoft has tried to answer a majority of your business needs, many of which seem to overlap. In an effort to consolidate offerings and to move business applications into the cloud, Microsoft created Office 365 products to address growing demands within the modern business.
continue reading
Security researchers recently discovered a major security vulnerability in a tool that comes pre-loaded on many PCs. This specific tool, PC-Doctor Toolbox (also rebranded for other third-party manufacturers) has been identified with a flaw that would allow an attack to gain access to administrator privileges on the computer.
In Dell’s response to the vulnerability—yes, Support Assist or PC Doctor are typically loaded onto all business-grade Dell machines—they noted that a patch addressing this vulnerability had been released to customers on May 28th, 2019. The company believes that most computers have already received the updates. Prior to the update, millions of business computers were vulnerable to an attack that could compromise your entire network (from one PC!).
continue reading
There is one outstanding issue that deserves special attention: the recovery of information technology (IT) following a disaster. This chapter aims to demonstrate how you can succeed in this area by developing a robust Disaster Recovery Plan.
What Is A Disaster Recovery Plan?
A Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) outlines how your organization aims to bounce back from a major disruption like a cyberattack. Disaster recovery is closely connected to continuity and data backup. While Business Continuity Plans take into account all business assets and deal with the resumption of core operational functionality after a disaster, a DRP focuses exclusively on recovery of IT assets, such as computer systems, data, and IT infrastructure. A DRP is broader than a backup strategy, since it deals with recovery of all of your IT assets, not simply the data.
continue reading
