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Author: Matt Kiolbassa, CTO

  • Remembering My Uncle Chester L. Kiolbassa: A Memorial Day Reflection

    Remembering My Uncle Chester L. Kiolbassa: A Memorial Day Reflection

    I never had the chance to meet my Uncle Chester. He died 16 years before I was born. But even though our lives never overlapped, his presence has always been a part of our family—spoken of with reverence, pride, and deep respect.

    Chester L. Kiolbassa served in the United States Army Air Force during World War II. He was part of a B-24 Liberator crew, flying missions over Europe at a time when the skies were filled with danger and uncertainty. In the early morning hours of December 11, 1944, somewhere over Austria, his plane was shot down by enemy fire. Recorded in the Missing Air Crew Report was a statement from one of only two surviving crew members who said he saw the pilot and co-pilot (Uncle Chester) struggling to control the aircraft as the rest of the crew bailed out. Chester was only 22 years old when he gave his life in service to our country.

    Growing up, my dad – Chester’s younger brother, who served in the US Marine Corps during World War II – would tell stories of their childhood, growing up in Chicago’s northwest side. In our household, Uncle Chester’s name was always spoken with a mix of pride and sadness. Among the stories and some photographs, there was always an enduring sense that Chester was a hero. Not because he wanted to be, but because he did what was asked of him, and he never came home.

    As someone who never got to hear his laugh, shake his hand, or see him grow old, I often think about the life he didn’t get to live—the family he never got to start, the dreams he had to leave behind. And yet, I also think about the legacy he left. His courage. His sacrifice. His unwavering commitment to something greater than himself.

    On this Memorial Day, I remember my uncle not just as a soldier, but as a young man who stepped forward when the world needed him. He fought for freedom, for peace, and for the hope of a better future—even for people like me, whom he would never know.

    Uncle Chester, thank you. Your sacrifice means more than I can ever put into words. I carry your memory with me—not just today, but every day.Chester L Kiolbassa

    The Veteran’s Legacy Memorial (VLM) is an online memorial that honors more than 10 million Veterans interred in VA National Cemeteries, private cemeteries and hundreds of other scared locations. Individual Veteran profile pages are populated with military service and cemetery information. Interactive features allow family, friends, and the public to submit Tributes, images, biographical information, and historical documents that help tell the story of their veteran.

  • Four Ways Disasters Fuel Cyberattacks

    Your business, in all likelihood, already faces numerous challenges in today’s tech-driven world. However, the aftermath of an unexpected disaster can push your organization to breaking point. This unintentionally creates opportunities for cybercriminals to launch devastating attacks, amplifying the chaos caused by such events.

    Disaster preparedness should be a top priority for your business — not only for physical resilience but also for fortifying your digital defenses. By understanding how disasters fuel cyberattacks, you can proactively safeguard your business against these deceptive threats.

    Understanding how disasters amplify cyberthreats

    Let’s look at four major ways disasters amplify cyberthreats and what strategies you can utilize to bolster your cybersecurity posture in the face of adversity.

    Leveraging diverted attention and resources
    When a disaster strikes, the immediate focus shifts toward safety and recovery. Unfortunately, this diverts attention and resources away from maintaining and protecting your IT systems and networks.

    With a reduced emphasis on cybersecurity measures, essential updates and monitoring may be overlooked, leaving your networks vulnerable to intrusion. Cybercriminals seize this opportunity to infiltrate your systems, compromise sensitive data and disrupt your operations.

    To tackle this situation, establish a dedicated team responsible for monitoring and maintaining cybersecurity, even during times of crisis. Implement automated security systems to scan for vulnerabilities and apply necessary patches continuously. By ensuring cybersecurity remains a priority, even in challenging times, you can minimize the risk of cyberattacks.

    Exploiting fear, urgency, chaos and uncertainty
    Disasters create an environment of fear, urgency, chaos and uncertainty — prime conditions for cybercriminals to thrive in. They launch targeted attacks, such as deceptive emails or fraudulent websites, capitalizing on the sense of urgency and the need for quick solutions. By manipulating individuals into disclosing sensitive information, cybercriminals gain unauthorized access to critical systems.

    To combat this, educate your employees about the tactics used in phishing attacks and social engineering scams. Train them to recognize warning signs, such as suspicious emails or requests for sensitive information. Encourage a culture of skepticism and verification, where employees double-check the authenticity of requests before sharing confidential data.

    By fostering a vigilant and informed workforce, you can fortify your defense against cybercriminals seeking to exploit fear and uncertainty.

    Damaging critical infrastructure
    Disasters can cause severe damage to your critical infrastructure, compromising components integral to your cybersecurity measures. Destruction of servers, routers or firewalls can weaken your defense mechanisms, allowing cybercriminals to exploit security gaps.

    To address this challenge, ensure your critical infrastructure has backup and disaster recovery in place. Regularly back up your data, store it securely off-site or in the cloud, and test the restoration process to ensure it functions smoothly. Implement robust disaster recovery and business continuity plans, including provisions for cybersecurity.

    By maintaining resilient infrastructure and regularly testing your backup and recovery processes, you can mitigate the impact of infrastructure damage on your cybersecurity.

    Impersonation and deception
    In the wake of a disaster, cybercriminals often exploit the trust associated with relief organizations and government agencies. By impersonating these trusted sources, they deceive victims through phishing emails, messages or calls, tricking them into divulging sensitive information or engaging in fraudulent transactions.

    To protect yourself from such scams:

    • Encourage your employees to verify the authenticity of any communication received during a disaster.
    • Advise them to independently contact the organization or agency through known, trusted channels to confirm the legitimacy of any requests.
    • Establish robust security awareness training programs that educate employees about common impersonation tactics and teach them how to report them effectively.

    By promoting a culture of caution and verification, you can defend against impersonation and deception tactics used by cybercriminals.

    Act now to safeguard your business

    Now that we know how cybercriminals can target your business during a disaster, prioritizing disaster preparedness and implementing the above-highlighted measures are important to navigate today’s ever-evolving technology landscape.

    If you need expert guidance, we’re here to help fortify your disaster preparedness and cybersecurity efforts. Together, let’s ensure a resilient and secure future for your business. Contact us today to proactively safeguard what you’ve worked so hard to build.

     

  • Deliver Enhanced Patient Care From Anywhere

    The right communications tools can help you deliver a great patient experience — from wherever.

    When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the shift to remote work happened virtually overnight. While some healthcare organizations began to adopt remote care initiatives pre-pandemic, there is a renewed sense of urgency to accelerate and broaden these capabilities to ensure patient needs are met in the safest ways possible.

    As your trusted IT provider, we can help your healthcare organization identify and implement cloud-based, HIPAA-compliant tools to keep your teams running efficiently while also communicating with patients—regardless of where anyone may be.

    We invite you to download and read “The Practical Guide for Virtual Healthcare” for best practices and insights on how your organization can:
    • Save money by streamlining operations with the right cloud communications setup
    • Improve virtual patient care
    • Give your employees the tools to work effectively in a remote world

    Read our “Practical Guide for Virtual Healthcare” today.

    Ready to get started today? Contact us at (209) 790-4560 or sales@ntelogic.com

  • Three Ways Auto Dealerships Can Improve the Customer Experience

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    Flexible and convenient ways to connect with customers are critical for car sales – wherever you, your team, or your customers may be.

     

    Auto dealerships need to rethink the buying experience and embrace the customer’s expectations for seamless, digital interactions. A fully integrated cloud communications platform goes a long way toward improving your marketing and customer engagement. It can help you quickly and easily transform customer experiences – from initial inquiry to price negotiations to after-sales service.

    As your trusted IT provider, we want you to succeed in this transformation. Download and read our useful tips – “Accelerating Sales and Improving Your Customer Experience with Cloud Communications” – for best practices and insights into how your organization can:

    • Use mobile communications to untether the sales teams
    • Schedule service appointments quickly and efficiently
    • Communicate seamlessly throughout customers’ preferred channels (phone, chat, text, video¬)

     

    Read our practical guide “Accelerating Sales and Improving Your Customer Experience with Cloud Communications” today.

    Ready to get started today? Contact us at (209) 790-4560 or sales@ntelogic.com

  • Cybercriminals Exploit QR Codes

    The growing use of QR codes – those funny looking square bar codes showing up everywhere – makes mobile transactions more efficient. It also presents a growing cyberthreat.

    I guess I’m not surprised. Sadly, cybercriminals gravitate to highly successful and useful tech tools to perpetrate their crimes. Our growing use of QR codes makes them an ideal tool to exploit our trust in them.

    In the Government Technology article Combatting the Growing Cyberthreat of QR Code Abuse, author Dan Lohrmann smartly lays out the looming threat of how malicious QR Codes can infiltrate mobile devices and wreak havoc in a variety of ways. What’s particularly insidious about this is how easy it is to create and distribute a malicious QR Code. 

    In his article, Dan quotes an India Tech Online report that explains “victims scan fraudulent QRs and find themselves taken to malicious websites where they are asked to provide login, personal info, usernames and passwords, and payment information, which criminals then steal. The sites could also be used to simply download malicious programs onto a user’s device.” Same old phishing scheme, different approach.

    What Can Be Done?

    Like any other link or request for information – especially if unsolicited – think before you click (or scan). Always verify the legitimacy of a QR Code before using it.

     

  • UCaaS Solutions for Small Business: Everything You Need to Know

    Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) can unlock a lot of doors for small businesses. Flexible, mobile, and easy to implement, this is one solution that has become even more useful in 2020 for companies forced to work remotely. UCaaS solutions for small business offer a way for teams to communicate, collaborate, and to stay productive from wherever.

    Let’s take a look at why UCaaS is becoming increasingly popular and how this technology is uniquely positioned to help SMBs thrive, even in the coronavirus era.

    Small Businesses Depend on Efficient Solutions

    Unlike big-budget enterprises, smaller companies don’t usually have a lot of financial flexibility. According to a recent McKinsey survey, close to one-third of small businesses in the US were operating at a loss of breaking even – before the pandemic.

    Yet, for many, adopting the right technologies quickly has become vital for sustaining business. With a UCaaS solution, there’s no need to invest in expensive hardware or to shoulder maintenance and IT management costs. To use the software, users simply need to download an app to their laptop or mobile phone.

    Not only that, but as a cloud-based solution, there’s no tech implementation hurdle. Once your teams have the software and your subscription is activated, staff can get to work. UCaaS has served as a frictionless solution for small businesses during the pandemic.

    UCaaS Boosts Productivity

    With Unified Communications technology, users can access all collaboration and communication apps from one interface. Your employees can log in to one platform – which means one password and username for one integrated solution. From there, they’ll have everything they need to connect, share, and stay productive.

    • Business phone system
    • Team chat and SMS
    • Video conferencing
    • Screen sharing
    • File management

    Since all of this is available through one platform in the cloud, your staff can use all these tools on-the-go. Whether employees are working from home, in the office, or anywhere else, they’re equipped to answer emails, chat with co-workers, host meetings with clients, send and review documents, and more.

    This is why UCaaS solutions are often adopted for their ability to increase agility and productivity. It’s also why this technology boasts a year-over-year market growth rate of 29 percent.

    Secure Solutions Are Exactly What Small Businesses Need

    With the right UCaaS solution, small businesses can count on comprehensive security. When exploring solutions, check that your provider is vigilant about keeping their infrastructure – and by extension, your data – safe. Here are some of the standard security measures you can expect:

    • Data centers that are physically monitored 24/7
    • Multi-layered security controls to protect the infrastructure such as formal policies for authentication and configuration standards for firewalls
    • Monitoring controls to identify potential security threats quickly
    • Use of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) protection to further safeguard network security

    They should also use data encryption to protect sensitive customer and call data. For a higher level of security, look for a provider that encrypts data both in transit and at rest.

    More than one-third of senior technology executives say that cybersecurity risks have gone up as the majority of employees started working from home. Chief technology officer for Nationwide, Jim Fowler said about the uptick in cyber threats, “Businesses should anticipate that bad actors will assume people aren’t manning the gates, providing them with an opening.”

    One way small businesses can combat this increased risk is to only adopt technologies that they know are safe. As your Unified Communications solution is the hub of business communications, choose a provider that takes security and data protection very seriously.

    UCaaS Is a Win for Small Businesses

    This is true in the current business climate. It’s also the case for the future of work. Whether your teams are working remotely or not, UCaaS solutions empower teams to be more productive and more efficient.

    NTELogic Elevate, our popular Unified Communications as a Service solution, comes with a 99.999% financially-backed uptime service level agreement and relies on state-of-the-art technologies to monitor for and protect against malicious intruders.

    You can also embed your communications into your everyday business apps. NTELogic Elevate integrates with Office 365, Microsoft Teams, Outlook, G Suite, NetSuite, Salesforce, Slack, and other leading CRM, sales, and collaboration applications. Find out more about how it can benefit your business.

  • Study Finds More Than Half of U.S. SMB Owners Believe Working Remotely is Here to Stay Post-Pandemic

    Embracing remote work has been a love-hate relationship for many small and medium-sized business (SMB) owners. With new technology allowing workers to work from wherever and whenever more than ever before, employers have had to balance this reality against having the peace of mind that frequently comes from being in the same physical space as your employees. As owners try and adapt to this new tech reality, more and more companies have been adopting a hybrid approach—offering the option for some remote work but not fully committing.

    Now, we’re living in a different reality. The coronavirus has made it abundantly clear that the need to work remotely is no longer a perk or a convenience – it’s a necessity. But thanks to the technology that has been enabling more productive and collaborative remote work in recent years, notably unified communications tools, the ability to stand up a remote work environment can be very easy, fast, and affordable.

    And yet, anything new, especially something that happens so rapidly such as the need to shift the majority if not all of a company’s workforce from centralized to remote, can certainly cause issues and concerns. So, to better understand how businesses are adapting to remote working and to gauge how prevalent remote work may be post pandemic, Intermedia commissioned a survey of 250 small and medium-sized business owners or senior decision-makers that employ between five to 250 people. These respondents had to have at least 50% of their workforce in office-based roles.

    Of those businesses surveyed, nearly 85% of their employees worked in a centralized office pre pandemic. That number has, not surprisingly, decreased dramatically – to 26% – once social distancing and shelter in place orders went into effect.

    Highlights of the Findings

    Ready to have everyone head back to the office? Not so fast.

    Early findings from the report reveal that of the SMB owners who increased remote working as a result of social distancing, 57% said they will likely maintain increased remote working options for employees in the long-term. This indicates a shift not only in the way businesses operate but also how business owners, employees, and customers will engage with one another in the future. Among the biggest benefits of shifting to remote work, SMB owners have found that employee availability (up 19%), job (up 15%), and life satisfaction (up 7%) have all increased, while overheard costs have gone down.

    Respondents offered real-world examples with comments like “workers attitudes have improved” and employees are “happier” and “more productive.” There are obvious pressures from the shelter in place protocols, but workers specifically noted their reduction in stress was due to no longer dealing with stresses around office work, commuting, time away from family, and the costs associated with being in a physical location, seem to result in workers that are more engaged and ready to make a difference.

    Business owners still see the value of in-person meetings, but video conferencing is on the rise

    One of the top concerns voiced by those surveyed was the ability to engage with new prospects and continuing to serve existing customers while Coronavirus-related interaction restrictions are in place. Almost all SMB owners (94%) said in-person interactions have been essential to conducting new business in the last two years. Additionally, 72% said that the current restrictions on face-to-face meetings will play a significant role in their team’s ability to continue business as usual. Technology however, was not cited as a top concern, implying that getting the right tools deployed in order to keep their businesses running was not a barrier.

    In fact, survey findings indicate that companies are turning to technology to help deliver face-to-face interactions once reserved for in-person meetings. 57% of respondents indicated a reliance on video conferencing pre-pandemic, while that reliance has jumped to 84% currently – an increase of 27%, the most significant jump across all communications channels covered within the survey (including phone, email, chat, and others).

    Remote Work Isn’t Just a Temporary Fix

    Remote work has been expanding considerably over the past few years. It’s allowed companies to have a larger pool of candidates and reduce costs. Workers crave a more flexible lifestyle that balances work and play, which often means they want the option to work from anywhere. Plus, technology now provides a perfect foundation for employees to work from any location with total accessibility, easy collaboration, and robust security.

    COVID-19 has certainly made us reexamine the entire concept of work, illustrating that many jobs can be done remotely without sacrificing productively. As more business owners realize that employee availability and job satisfaction can remain high, if not increase, within a remote working environment, the findings of this survey indicate an increase to remote working will remain well after the pandemic passes.

    Methodology

    This survey was conducted among 250 business owners or senior decision makers, from organizations employing between 5 and 250 people. Respondents belong to organizations where at least 50% of staff are normally office based but there has been a reduction in office-based working since Covid-19. All interviews were conducted online by Sapio Research, in partnership with Intermedia, in April 2020 using an email invitation and an online survey.