Posts by Russell Vaughn
Third Party Vendor Risk Management
Are Former Vendors Still in Your Systems? Most businesses don’t have a formal process in place to cut ties with vendors once a contract ends. Former IT providers, software consultants, and third-party vendors often retain access to your network, cloud platforms, and sensitive data long after the relationship is over. The Verizon Data Breach Investigations…
Read MoreIT Budget Planning 2026
How Should Small Businesses Plan Their IT Budget for 2026? IT budget planning for small businesses in 2026 should start with three priorities: cybersecurity spending, hardware lifecycle management, and cloud cost optimization. These are the areas where underspending creates real exposure — and overspending becomes wasteful fast. Most small businesses build their IT budget reactively.…
Read MoreBusiness Continuity Plan Small Business
Does Your Small Business Have a Continuity Plan? Many small business owners assume a disaster won’t happen to them, or that they’ll figure it out when it does. Then a server crashes, a ransomware attack locks down your systems, or a severe storm knocks out power for three days — and the entire operation grinds…
Read MoreData Extortion vs Ransomware
What Is Data Extortion and How Is It Different From Ransomware? Data extortion is a form of cyberattack where criminals steal sensitive data and threaten to release it unless a ransom is paid. Unlike traditional ransomware, which encrypts your files and demands payment for a decryption key, data extortion often skips encryption entirely. The attacker…
Read MoreBrowser Extension Security Risks
Are Browser Extensions a Security Risk for Your Business? Yes. Browser extensions are one of the most overlooked security risks in many business environments. Extensions run inside the browser with significant permissions, which can give them access to what users see and type on web pages. Many also transmit data to third-party servers. Most organizations…
Read MoreEmail Security for Business
How Do You Keep Your Business Safe From Email Threats? Email is the number one entry point for attackers targeting small and mid-sized businesses. Business email compromise (BEC), phishing, spoofing, and malware delivery all start in the inbox. Defending against these threats requires a mix of technical controls (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), employee training (the SLAM…
Read MoreBest Password Manager for Business
What Is the Best Password Manager for Business? The best password manager for business in 2026 depends on how many employees you have, how your IT is managed, and what compliance requirements you need to meet. For most small and mid-sized businesses, Bitwarden, 1Password, and Keeper are the top three options. They cover the essentials:…
Read MoreZero Trust Small Business
What Is Zero Trust and Why Does Your Small Business Need It? Zero trust is built on a simple principle: never trust, always verify. Every user, device, and application must prove identity and get permission to access resources every time. There is no “safe zone” where anything gets a free pass. Every access request is…
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