Companies in the energy and utility industries are continuously being asked to find ways to reduce costs and improve efficiency. Whether it’s the power generation and alternative energy services, most companies have a very busy IT department. When the computers, servers, and data storage centers need to be upgraded and replaced; it can be exhausting. The right IT asset disposal partner can help get the most value from old IT equipment; resulting in maximum return on initial investment.
Data Security
More importantly, we are aware of the importance of data security when it comes to sensitive information on your used equipment. As more emphasis is given to refining cyber-security standards for critical data protection, more importance is placed on secure destruction of all data stored on retired IT assets. Sit back, relax, and let us help you with any upgrades and disposal of used IT equipment.
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Why You Should Be Selling You Used Assets
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Learn MoreA plan for guarding against ransomware in the energy industry.
So what can school districts, universities, online educators and other education providers do to guard against the threat of cyber attack? Â Here is a simple five-point plan that will go a long way to helping IT professionals in the education industry secure their defenses.
Stay up to date
Make sure that servers and PCs are up to date with the latest operating systems and antivirus solutions.
Retire unused IT assets
Consider if older machines, which are beyond updates or support, could be replaced or retired. The cost of doing so, and inconvenience of replacing older equipment will probably be less than the impact of a data breach.
Make sure everyone in the organization is familiar with ransomware methods and can recognize attempts to gain password credentials or circulate harmful links and attachments. Many industries employ so many different and diverse professionals, covering a multitude of functions, that there needs to be a culture of vigilance across the entire organization.
Use different credentials for accessing backup storage and maybe even a mixture of file systems to isolate different parts of your infrastructure to slow the spread of ransomware. Organizations that follow the “1-10-60” rule of cyber security will be better placed to neutralize the threat of a hostile adversary before it can leave its initial entry point. The most cyber-prepared alternative energy agencies should aim to detect an intrusion in under a minute, perform a full investigation in under 10 minutes, and eradicate the adversary from the environment in under an hour.
Three copies of your data, on at least two different media, with one stored offsite (e.g. cloud or tape) and one stored offline (e.g. tape). Having your data behind a physical air gap creates perhaps the most formidable barrier against ransomware. Tape can greatly speed up your recovery in the hours and days that follow an attack, especially if your primary backups have been disrupted. Tape is also supremely efficient for storing huge amounts of infrequently accessed data for a very long time. Tapes can also be encrypted so that even if they did fall into the wrong hands, it would be impossible for thieves to access or use the data.