For most things in life, bigger is better. But when it comes to cyber crime all victims are considered fair game, regardless of size. While it may seem larger companies would be targeted due to deep pockets, hackers count on the fact that smaller organizations are probably not making security a top priority.

We found three recent and very interesting news stories revolved around data breaches. The organizations involved range in size and industry, and their stories differ greatly in how the breach happened, response, and final result. A common element from the stories is the importance of implementing a proper backup strategy. Regular backups may arguably be the single most important step you take for preventing a network disaster.

Wolters Kluwer
Wolters Kluwer NV makes the software on which many of the world’s small and mid-sized accounting firms run. Earlier this month, the organization was infected with malware. The attack took down the company’s software during a vital time for this industry (tax season). Although the situation has been contained, the incident offered a solid lesson in the importance of communication. Click to Read More

City of Baltimore, MD
It has been two weeks since a cyberattack crippled Baltimore’s computer network. The city refused to pay the ransomware and as a result government emails are down, payments to city departments are unable to be processed. Click to Read More

Brookside ENT and Hearing Center in Battle Creek, MI
Last month ransomware encrypted the system at Brookside ENT and Hearing Center which housed patient records, appointment schedules, and payment information, rendering the data inaccessible. When the company’s owners refused to pay the $6,500 ransom, the hackers wiped the entire system, including all patient records.  Click to Read More