Small business owners have to wear a lot of hats, from handling core operations to managing staff members. It is easy to let IT concerns fall by the wayside, especially when making needed updates requires time and money. However, ignoring the need for business IT support costs far more in the long run than completing tasks on-time - and the true impact is often broader than the initial cash outlay required for repairs.

Each year, organizations of all sizes become victims of a data breach, and the financial losses are staggering. A recent study sponsored by IBM puts the total expenses per incident at $4 million, with a per-record cost of $158. This is an increase from previous years.

Digital technology has transformed the business world, allowing companies of all sizes to take advantage of greater speed and efficiency. Advanced data gathering tools make it possible to compile detailed information on consumer preferences and production capabilities, so leaders can deploy resources in a strategic, cost-effective way.

Technology is a major investment for companies of every size, and it can be tempting to cut corners to keep costs down. However, making cuts in the wrong places often results in greater expenditures over time because security breaches, poorly managed systems and IT inefficiencies rapidly drain resources.

Though new hire background checks are standard in many industries, the truth is that it can be difficult to predict whether specific employees pose a risk. A long list of internal security breaches at the most secure government agencies in the world prove that any business can fall victim.

No matter what industry you are in, IT security is a serious concern. Data breaches risk release of customer information — including payment details — to individuals who make a career out of turning a profit on stolen personal records.

Staying a step ahead of cyber criminals isn’t easy.

I had a client call me the other morning around 7:30 AM in a panic.  One of his other businesses was in trouble with a major server issue and he wanted us to get involved and help their internal IT person.   They had been down for two days and he was pleading for our help to jump on it right away.

The bad guys are moving fast with this one, and I’m warning as many people as I can.  It’s CEO fraud.  What is it, you ask?  Simply put, the bad guys are using Social Media to target a specific group, CEO’s.  The CEO’s being targeted are primarily in the United States and this is how they do it.