Posted by Sarah Rixey on Wed, May 08, 2013
As part of our comprehensive disaster recovery planning services, Agility Recovery Solutions sends out a free weekly tip through email. If you would like to receive these tips, please sign up here.
Password Protection
Password policies are easy to implement and require next to no budget. For most businesses, it’s a no brainer – a quick, easy and effective way to protect themselves against hackers.
And while many organizations have these policies and procedures in place, the importance of using a strong password can easily be overlooked by executives and employees alike. To ensure compliance across the board, here are a few requirements you may want to consider adding to your network account settings.
- Password Complexity – Set rules that ensure passwords are complex (i.e. contain one upper case letter, one number and must be a minimum of eight characters).
- Lockout Policy – The ability to disable a user account if an incorrect password is entered a specified number of times (many organizations follow the '3 strikes and you’re out ' rule).
- Password Age – Set guidelines that require employees to change their passwords regularly (every 60 to 90 days is good rule).
- Reuse Limits – The ability to detect a certain number of old passwords preventing a user from reusing the same passwords over and over again.
Want to check the strength of your passwords?
Click hereto access Microsoft's Password Checker. Remember: You’re only as secure as your weakest password.
If you have additional questions or would like to talk with a recovery professional about your business continuity needs visit www.agilityrecovery.com or call 866-364-9696.
Posted by Sarah Rixey on Tue, Mar 26, 2013
As part of our comprehensive disaster recovery planning services, Agility Recovery Solutions sends out a free weekly tip through email. If you would like to receive these tips, please sign up here.
#Prepare
Over the years, social media outlets have proven to be a go-to source for news and information during a disaster. Organizations like the Red Cross and FEMA have taken to twitter to provide timely information to their followers during an emergency.
Not on twitter? No problem. Twitter has a simple feature called “Fast Follow” that makes it easy to follow anyone on Twitter via text messages, even if you don’t have your own Twitter account. To use it, all you need to do is text “follow [Twitter username]” to Twitter’s short code 40404. From there, you’ll start receiving all of that user's updates via text message. Want to test it out? Simply text “follow @agilityrecovery” to 40404.
For more helpful tips on how to effectively integrate social media into your organization's disaster recovery plan, join Agility for a free webinar on April 10th.
If you have additional questions or would like to talk with a recovery professional about your business continuity needs visit www.agilityrecovery.com or call 866-364-9696.
Posted by Sarah Rixey on Fri, Feb 22, 2013
As part of our comprehensive disaster recovery planning services, Agility Recovery Solutions sends out a free weekly tip through email. If you would like to receive these tips, please sign up here.
Cybercrime Goes Mobile
Mobile devices have become an essential tool for everyday life. We check in for flights, make online purchases, access bank accounts and connect to social media all on mobile-enhanced websites and newly developed applications.
The worldwide adoption of the smartphone has prompted cybercriminals to shift their focus toward mobile users and away from the traditional PC environment. According to Norton’s Cybercrime Report, 1 in 4 adults have been a victim of mobile and social cybercrime.
So what can we do to protect our mobile devices and guard our personal information? Use the tips below to keep your smartphone safe and secure.
- Regularly update your operating system for security patches.
- When you enter a website (especially financial) make sure that "https" appears in the address bar, which means connection is secure.
- Turn the Bluetooth function off after using it. It is another way unknown applications or viruses can access your cell phone.
- Be sure to use applications only from trustworthy and reputable sources.
- Use a password to protect your device. The more random your password, the better.
- Don't connect to unprotected WiFi access points.
- Know how to perform a remote wipe to remove data from your device if lost or stolen.
If you have additional questions or would like to talk with a recovery professional about your business continuity needs visit www.agilityrecovery.com or call 866-364-9696.
Posted by Sarah Rixey on Thu, Sep 13, 2012
As part of our comprehensive disaster recovery planning services, Agility Recovery Solutions sends out a free weekly tip through email. If you would like to receive these tips, please sign up here.
#DisasterRecovery
The use of social media tools for product promotion and marketing is quite common today. However, not all businesses understand the immense advantage that these tools have to offer when it comes to disaster recovery and business continuity.
In today’s internet intensive world, popular social media outlets like
Facebook and
Twitter are excellent tools for a business to communicate with employees, stakeholders and clients when power is out and in-house systems are down. These online communities provide businesses with the unique opportunity to share information rapidly with a large audience.
Join Agility next week for a free
National Preparedness Month webinar to learn how to effectively integrate social media into your organization's disaster recovery plan.
Utilization of Social Media During a Crisis Guest Speaker: Laura Howe,
VP of PR, The Red Cross
September 19th – 2:00 p.m. EST
Click here to register
If you have additional questions or would like to talk with a recovery professional about your business continuity needs visit www.agilityrecovery.com or call 866-364-9696.
Posted by Sarah Rixey on Thu, Aug 16, 2012
As part of our comprehensive disaster recovery planning services, Agility Recovery Solutions sends out a free weekly tip through email. If you would like to receive these tips, please sign up here.
There’s an App for That
It seems more and more companies are designing new applications to help smartphone users prepare, plan for and recover from disaster. Just this summer, the
American Red Cross released two free apps as part of their five part emergency preparedness series.
With so many apps out there, how do you know which ones are worth downloading? To help you narrow it down, we have come up with a list of our top three favorite apps available to both iPhone and Android users. Download them, check them out and get prepared.
- NOAA Now App - The latest information on severe weather in your area including quick status updates about tropical systems or weather watches. From hurricanes to tornadoes, this app covers it all.
- Red Cross First Aid App - Lifesaving information on how to handle the most common first aid situations. With videos, interactive quizzes and simple step-by-step advice it’s never been easier to know first aid.
- FEMA App - Preparedness information for different types of disasters, an interactive checklist for emergency kits, a section to plan emergency meeting locations and information on how to stay safe and recover after a disaster.
Click here for a list of additional mobile resources and applications available for download.
If you have additional questions or would like to talk with a recovery professional about your business continuity needs visit www.agilityrecovery.com or call 866-364-9696.
Posted by Sarah Rixey on Fri, Aug 10, 2012
As part of our comprehensive disaster recovery planning services, Agility Recovery Solutions sends out a free weekly tip through email. If you would like to receive these tips, please sign up here.
Cloud Coverage
10 Years ago, tape backup was the standard solution for backing up company data - mainly because there were no other viable alternatives. Large network storage solutions were primitive, expensive and hard to use. Today, more and more businesses are choosing to back up some or all of their data in the cloud.
What is cloud storage? Cloud based storage and data backup allow businesses to send data over the internet to an off-site server typically hosted by a third party.
While the cloud is growing in popularity, it is important to remember that there's no one-size-fits-all backup solution. What works for one business may not for another.
Click here to find out what solution best fits your business. Have additional questions? Want to know what your peers are doing?
Join the cloud conversation on LinkedIn.
If you have additional questions or would like to talk with a recovery professional about your business continuity needs visit www.agilityrecovery.com or call 866-364-9696.
Posted by Sarah Rixey on Wed, Apr 18, 2012
Disaster Recovery To-Do List
Update Key Contacts - It is important to maintain up-to-date contact information for all employees, customers and vendors including their names, titles, recovery responsibilities, street address, mailing address, all phone numbers, a friend or relatives contact information, and email addresses. Then, keep this information offsite so if you need to access the information quickly you may do so. If you are a member of Agility you may use your myAgility account to store and update this information.
Develop an Evacuation Plan - Share your plan and meeting place with employees and post it around the building. Schedule a drill so all employees know exactly where to go and what is expected of them.
Make and Emergency Kit – You may have to evacuate at a moment’s notice and most likely will not have time to search for the supplies you need. A disaster supply kit is simply a collection of basic items you may need in the event of an emergency. Click here for a complete list of things to include in your kit.
Back up your Data - Backing up your data is an important task you need to perform on a regular basis. Also, remember to store your data in an offsite data storage facility. There are many offsite storage solutions available. Take a few minutes online and find the best solution for you.
Make Copies of Important Documents - This includes insurance papers, contracts, tax documents etc. Scan them into the computer and then store them offsite. Again, if an Agility member you may use your myAgility account to store this information.
Delegate Responsibility – Every disaster recovery plan should have a list of 'who is responsible to do what tasks.' For example, someone needs to be assigned with the following: securing the existing site, finding a new work site if necessary, arranging for new computer systems, retrieving the backup data, restoring telephone and fax service.... the list goes on. It needs to be decided who will do what. Luckily if you are a member of Agility, you just need to delegate someone to call us and we will take care of the rest.
For more information about how Agility can help your businesses prepare and recover from disaster call 866.364.9696 or visit www.agilityrecovery.com
Posted by Sarah Rixey on Thu, Oct 13, 2011
As part of our comprehensive disaster recovery planning services, Agility Recovery Solutions sends out a free weekly tip through email. If you would like to receive these tips, please sign up here.
How Smart is Your Phone?
Millions of BlackBerry users around the world had their work, business and social lives severely affected this week after a server crash that disconnected smartphone users across the globe. The three-day outage interrupted email messages and Internet services for customers spanning five continents.
In today’s world of continuous communication, a network disruption can be detrimental to your business. Below are some simple tips to keep you and your employees connected during an outage. For more helpful tips, download Agility’s Crisis Communications Checklist.
- SMS Text Updates – Regardless of the severity of the interruption, it is important you have a way to notify employees, clients and stakeholders. SMS text messaging has proven to work even when other mobile functions are down. (Agility members, the Alert Notification tool is perfect for this.)
- Backup Contacts – Keep your contacts updated across all channels, including phone, email and social media. This will make it easy to reach out to the right people quickly.
- Have a Backup Email Provider – Keep a list of your key contacts in a separate web-based email system such as, Gmail, Yahoo Mail or myAgility. This will allow you to access your contacts and send updates from anywhere with an internet connection.
- Update Your Website – Know how to quickly update your website to address the situation. Consider having a pre-populated webpage that can be activated on short notice to provide information during an emergency.
- Follow-Up – Always inform your employees, stakeholders and clients when the outage has ended and steps you may be taking to prevent future interruptions.
If you have additional questions or would like to talk with a recovery professional about your business continuity needs visit www.agilityrecovery.com or call 866-364-9696.
Posted by Sarah Rixey on Fri, Oct 07, 2011
As part of our comprehensive disaster recovery planning services, Agility Recovery Solutions sends out a free weekly tip through email. If you would like to receive these tips, please sign up here.
Get Tech Ready
The world mourned the death of Apple co-founder, Steve Jobs this week. Apple fans worldwide held iPhone-lit vigils paying tribute to the man who made computers personal, put internet in our pockets and ultimately changed the way we do business.
Here at Agility, we understand the role technology plays in our day to day lives. We have seen first-hand how a technological disruption directly impacts the ability to do business.
Preparing and knowing how to adapt in the event of a business interruption can ensure connectivity before, during and after a disaster. Click here for some tips from Ready.gov on how to prepare your business and get tech ready.
If you have additional questions or would like to talk with a recovery professional about your business continuity needs visit www.agilityrecovery.com or call 866-364-9696.
