Tag: cybersecurity

Gage Provides 24/7 Innovative Solutions for Unbeatable Support

June 26, 2024

“Gage provides innovative and cost-effective technology solutions that cannot be beat.”
Josh Loeske, CEO/Owner, QSM

It’s always nice to hear a ringing endorsement of our IT Services from one of our clients like Josh Loeske. Josh is the CEO and Owner of QSM, which provides high-quality infrastructure solutions for civil construction and municipal works projects across four states. We respect and admire the work QSM performs and are proud to provide the company a full range of IT services, which is an integral part of its day-to-day operations and ultimately its long-term success. So how do we assist? Let us count the ways.

IT Services

The best-performing IT Services are those that you don’t even have to think about. Your internet, computer systems, software, and hardware should all be working together, humming along and supporting your business so you can focus on serving your own customers to the highest degree. Our services include the following:

Infrastructure Management
Gage offers a suite of fully managed IT Services constantly monitoring your systems, fighting against viruses, performing backups to protect your data, and ultimately keeping problems at bay, often before you even know there’s an issue.

Cybersecurity
For as long as we humans can remember, there have always been bad guys and bullies trying to take what’s yours or disrupt your success. In today’s technological world, these villains’ destruction comes in the form of cyber-attacks and malware that can steal sensitive data or even bring your entire system to a griding halt, which almost always leads to lost time and money. We employ a range of tools and technology to protect your business from evil forces set to wreak havoc on your system.

Business Continuity
We consistently backup data and make sure your critical information is secure and accessible whenever you need it—even during a network failure or a disaster—so you’ll never have to worry about data loss again.

Help Desk
Got an issue? Our help desk provides 24/7 assistance every single day of the year and can be contacted by phone, email or web-based chat. Our skilled technicians can offer support for a variety of software applications and answer any technical questions to ensure your IT system is functioning at its best.

Custom Project Work
We can also offer a variety of custom projects designed to help optimize your IT infrastructure, including software installations, migrations, setups and configurations, and more.

Overall, Gage IT Services gives you 24/7 peace of mind that your system is working flawlessly to support your business. Click here to listen to Josh Loeske speak about our innovative and cost-effective technology solutions. Want to learn more from our customers about the range of services we provide from phone systems to IT to generators? Check out our additional client success stories. Let us know if we can assist, we look forward to hearing from you.

GAGE excels with comprehensive offerings and exceptional service

April 10, 2024

GAGE has been helping businesses communicate since 1980, evolving into the full-service telecommunications and IT services provider we are today. While we are working hard each day focused on providing customers with the very best products and services in our marketplace, sometimes we take it for granted that everyone knows about all of the many products and services we offer. The last thing we want to hear from a customer is, “Oh, I didn’t know you guys did that!” So, with that in mind, here’s an overview of our core offerings that can enhance your communications, increase profitability, and give you the competitive advantage you need for success.

Gage Cloud Voice

So much more than a phone system, Gage Cloud Voice is a cloud-based, carrier-class VoIP communications solution. What does that mean exactly? Well, Cloud Voice gives businesses the ability to be accessible anytime, anywhere, on any device. This product links everyone in your company, allowing you to communicate more efficiently and effectively. Another important point is when you use Gage Cloud Voice, we actually become your phone carrier, so you don’t have to deal with the big phone companies that treat you like a number. With GAGE, you get treated like the individual you are.

My Cloud Messenger—Business Texting

As we all get flooded by emails, calls, and social media messages, texts continue as a real option to cut through the clutter and communicate with people. Gage’s My Cloud Messenger enables your business to connect with customers via SMS and MMS messaging using your business’ main phone number, a toll-free number or even employees’ numbers. Use My Cloud Messenger for sales and marketing promotions, appointment reminders, customer support, delivery scheduling and tracking, one-to-one customer interactions, and more. Best of all, it’s easy to set up and easy to use.

IT Services, Cybersecurity, and Infrastructure Management

That’s right, GAGE provides IT Services, too. Gage Insite gives you 24/7 peace of mind freeing you to focus on driving your business forward. We monitor your systems, protect against viruses, ensure backups are performing successfully, and more. We’ll catch (and fix) the little problems before they become big ones, in many cases before you’re even aware there’s an issue. In addition, we protect you from cyber-attacks that could bring your entire system grinding to a halt, which can cost you time and money. Don’t leave your IT to chance, trust a reliable partner like GAGE.

Cabling Services

Many businesses don’t consider the importance of setting up the cable and wiring in an office. However, Structured Cabling is the foundation on which all other business activities depend. When you properly design, install, and administer your cabling system like we do at GAGE, it reduces costs through each phase of its life cycle including: installation, moves, adds, changes, and maintenance.

Power Generators

If you’ve lived through a hurricane or natural disaster with an extended power outage, you know how disruptive that can be to your business. GAGE offers our customers top-of-the-line generators to fit your needs along with a team of experts to perform regular maintenance that safeguards this important investment and ensures it’s ready when you need it most. Already have a generator? Our dedicated, reliable professionals can perform maintenance on a commercial or residential standby generator from several trusted brands including Cummins, Generac, Kohler, and Briggs & Stratton.

So, if you’re a business looking for communication assistance from phone systems to IT services to generators, GAGE has everything you need, along with customer service that goes above and beyond expectations. Want to learn more about how we form special connections with our customers? Watch our client success stories. Each connection is different, but the results are the same—satisfied clients using GAGE to connect with their own customers. And if you have a question about any services we offer, don’t be afraid to ask. We look forward to assisting you!

Arctic Wolf & GAGE Conducted a Webinar Explaining the Risks of Cyber Attacks on Businesses

November 18, 2022

In case you missed it, Arctic Wolf and GAGE conducted a joint webinar explaining the risks of cyber attacks on businesses, big and small.

What would happen to your business if you fell under a cyber attack? Do you have backups? Do you use cloud-based systems? Are you insured against cyber attacks? If you answered no to any of these questions, you might need to consider securing your business against cybercriminals.

It’s not a level playing field, cybercriminals are not some far-off entity you never have to worry about. They are businesses set up in foreign countries that target individuals and companies of all capacities to cause financial damage. Attacks are increasing and the level of security around what companies are doing to protect themselves is starting to heat up. Insurers are reducing coverage and increasing the costs of policies against these attacks and will evaluate your technology similar to a credit check.

So, what do you do? Educating and preparing your employees to stop social engineering attacks like phishing is critical since 90% of attacks target employees. Cloud-based systems such as DropBox, Google Drive, etc., and having backups make it harder for hackers to manipulate. Most importantly, having a company with the right resources in place to help you stay secure is vital to keeping your operations running. With GAGE and Arctic Wolf partnering together, we are constantly looking for cracks and monitoring the dark web to help customers and manage their vulnerability. Pick a framework, and be proactive about risk management to protect your business.

How to Protect Your Business Against Cybersecurity Attacks

October 14, 2021

With a number of the nation’s largest corporations and critical infrastructure systems, like McDonald’s, Adobe and Colonial Pipeline, having recently fallen victim to cybersecurity breaches, IT professionals have urged these high-profile entities to fortify their defenses. Where, then, will cyber attackers turn? They will have no choice but to go after less prepared small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). While this may feel like a cause for alarm to smaller-scale companies, it really just means now is the time for you too to take preventative steps to protect your staff, customers and future.

Use layers of security – When you take a layered security approach to your well-organized and properly-maintained network, you are allowing for any potential damage to be quarantined while simultaneously reducing the severity of the attack.
Activate multi-factor or 2-step authentication – While this is slowly becoming required on most systems, we recommend putting it into place in all scenarios. By requiring users to verify their identity through something like a text message or email, you are ensuring that only those you intend to access your information can do so.
Have a data backup and recovery plan – When it comes to your business’s key data, you can never be over prepared. Having a backup will not only ensure you have access to your data in multiple locations, but it will also help reduce any downtime needed to get the system back up and running again should an issue occur.
Use a SOC (Security Operations Center) – Enabling a SOC allows your team’s devices to be monitored 24/7 by a remote security team so that you can instantly be alerted of any vulnerabilities, areas of concern or potential breaches so that they can be addressed as quickly as possible.
Require mandatory cybersecurity training for employees – Unfortunately “human error” is the main cause of most security breaches. Instating mandatory training is a quick and simple way to cut down on the points of entry attackers can have by teaching employees exactly what to look out for and how to respond should a hacker make contact.
Remove all IT tasks from the CEO’s list of responsibilities – Your CEO has so much on his or her plate already. While one of their main responsibilities is the safety and security of their company and employees, they may not have the technical know-how to make the most informed decisions on which protocols, equipment and tools are best. Hiring a reputable IT company to guide you throughout this process will alleviate unnecessary stress and second-guessing for such a crucial aspect of operations.

Did you know that 60% of small- and mid-sized businesses that are hacked go out of business within six months? You can’t afford to wait to put an effective cybersecurity system in place. Gage can help you take the next step in the right direction. With over 40 years of experience serving businesses of all sizes, we are one of the region’s leading technology services companies. Get in touch to map out a plan for protecting your business today.

The Future of AI Integrated Cybersecurity Defense Strategies for Small to Mid-Sized Businesses

August 2, 2021

AI (artificial intelligence) is starting to play a key role in cybersecurity defense systems for small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs). Most businesses are becoming aware of how prevalent phishing attempts, identity theft and ransomware attacks have become in recent years and Gage is doing its part to help businesses put a stop to it, by sharing the technology industry’s response to more sophisticated attacks. Gage protects the interests of its clients by remaining on the forefront of technology’s latest advancements and it is actively advising SMBs on the potentials that AI integration promises for cybersecurity in the very near future.

“Whenever we talk about AI integrated into technology, the most common application that our clients are aware of is how facial recognition cameras can integrate with AI. With an appropriate data set, AI can proactively suggest a course of action based on a target’s background, prior behaviors, and other factors. This has obvious benefits for enhancing the security of any physical location,” stated Landry, VP of Sales of Gage. “However, AI is becoming more central to every facet of cybersecurity, as well. While the applications are still growing in widespread popularity, many business owners will soon be faced with this question: should I put my business on a ‘Smart Network’ or just on ‘a network?’”

As more businesses utilize key SaaS (software-as-a-service) apps like Slack, Office 365, GSuite and Salesforce to power their operations, the more attractive those services have become to cybercriminals. Gage is now leveraging AI to heighten defenses so that businesses can continue to work with their favorite SaaS applications, but can also rest assured that their access to those mission-critical programs remains 100% secure. AI is like adding another layer to an organization’s security stack that constantly evolves into a better version of itself.

AI is also entering the cybersecurity space as a tool for research and marketing purposes. Some AI-enabled applications can cross-analyze multiple publicly available databases to help businesses find their ideal clients’ names, email addresses, phone numbers and other relevant information in real-time. “AI is absolutely exploding, right now,” added Landry. “The fact that technology can learn, become smarter and more efficient, means ultimately that the businesses who harness AI now, are poised to gain significant competitive advantages in their industry. In other words, the gap between early adopters and laggards is widening.”

The main driver for AI-based technology is simple: since cybercriminals have access to more advanced technologies, they have continued to devise new methods of infiltrating networks. Since those are built on the back of AI, the solution for SMBs who want to operate securely, must meet those strategies with equally sophisticated cyber defense tools. With the proper AI infrastructure, SMBs can not only outpace the innovation curve of cybercriminals, but they can also enhance their security across every area of the organization.

Protecting Patient Data With the Latest in Cybersecure Technology

May 10, 2021

Recent studies show startling statistics in the healthcare industry’s ability to safeguard patient records. According to a 2020 study by Black Book Market Research, experts found that 82% of hospital CIOs in inpatient facilities under 150 staffed beds and 90% of practice administrators collectively, state they are not even close to spending an adequate amount on protecting patient records from a data breach. Additionally, 90% of health systems and hospital employees who shifted to a work-at-home assignment due to the pandemic, did not receive any updated guidelines or training on the increasing risk of accessing sensitive patient data compromising systems.

Healthcare organizations are primary targets for identity theft because of the value of the data they store. This is no secret to healthcare providers and policies like HIPAA have been legislative attempts to encourage providers to better safeguard this information; however, healthcare organizations can only protect patient data to the level at which they understand the latest cybersecurity methods and to the level at which their technology functions. In other words, since healthcare providers are rightfully focused on increasing patient health and well-being, the strength of their IT network often takes a backseat in terms of priority. This dynamic leads to ignored IT networks, outdated technology, and a perfect target for cybercriminals. Due to an increase in the frequency of cyberattacks on healthcare providers. Providers are under more pressure than ever before to adequately safeguard sensitive information. However, the challenge is that they lack the extra time required to become IT experts themselves and they also lack the extra financial resources required to hire internal IT staff that can keep pace with the new innovations in cybercrime.

“The reason that healthcare providers choose us is because they want to keep their focus on serving patients and they want to know that their information and technology is completely protected,” stated Jason Landry, VP of Sales of Gage. “Physicians should not be focused on their IT infrastructure, nor should they have to operate with lingering fears of compliance or audits. It’s a waste of their talents, time and contribution to society. We’ve spent decades focusing on finding the right technology tools, cybersecurity enhancements and best practices to keep patients, providers and staff safe from cyberattack,” concluded Mr. Landry.

ABOUT GAGE

GAGE is a full-service telecommunications and IT services company that has helped businesses since 1980. Founded in Baton Rouge, the company’s original mission continues today, which is to provide the very best products and services that enable its clients to increase their profitability, obtain a competitive advantage, and improve employee productivity. Gage has served the Louisiana business community for over 40 years through a culture of striving towards excellence and unparalleled commitment to customer service.

Gage works with companies of all sizes with business phone systems, computer networks, managed IT services, structured cabling and standby generators. The company conducts a complete needs analysis to ensure that each customer implements the right technology to meet their needs now and into the future. Gage has been recognized with numerous industry awards and has become one of the region’s leading technology services companies.
For more information on Gage, please call (225) 753-4243 or visit www.gage.cloud

What The Future of Work-From-Home Could Look Like After COVID-19

December 1, 2020

Gage has been preparing small to midsized business (SMB) owners on what to expect in the workplace, after the pandemic. With people working from home in droves, there is plenty of speculation as to where the modern business is headed in terms of remote staff, on-premise staff and hybrid staff. With some experts expecting the earliest vaccine to arrive sometime in 2021, most business owners are assessing their options and planning for their futures, now. As a trusted IT advisor, Gage is helping companies to map out solutions to address the new workplace reality.

The data is crystal-clear when it comes to employee sentiment about the brave, new world of work-from-home (WFH). According to the New York Times and Morning Consult, “In a survey of 1,123 remote workers…86% said they were satisfied with the current arrangements — even when that sometimes meant working from their bedrooms or closets.” Furthermore, more than half of that number, 47% reported they were “very satisfied with the current arrangements.” This isn’t a surprise because of the obvious increases in freedom, flexibility, and productivity spikes which are all natural byproducts of WFH. However, many business owners are still asking themselves questions like, “How do I effectively manage my team? How do I keep our network secure with everyone working-from-home? Which portion of my workers will need to remain in-person vs. remote? How do we foster collaboration and strengthen the company culture?”

The ‘Open Floorplan’ Concept

While the answers to those questions are still moving targets, the pandemic is forcing companies to make these decisions before their lease renews. “Unfortunately, due to health concerns, the ‘open floorplan’ concept is no longer going to be an option for most companies,” stated Jason Landry, VP of Sales of Gage. “As a result of this shift, we’ll see two major movements. First, some businesses will opt to downsize their office space and to reallocate their reduction in cost to strengthen their IT infrastructure as they go full bore into a remote workforce. For companies who double-down and reinvest in commercial real estate, their space demands will grow dramatically, because of the social distancing recommendations.”

“50/50” Offices

Some workers will return to “50/50” offices, where they’re in the-office for 3 days, but out for 2 days, or any variation thereof. Additionally, once employers learn how to take advantage of geological arbitrage, the cost savings that occur when a company budgets a San Francisco salary to hire someone with similar talent from the Midwest, at a much more affordable rate, WFH could likely expand to 4-5 days per week for most workers.

IT Demands

These shifts don’t come without complexity, though. As WFH grows into the new standard, SMBs need to consider the rigorous demands that will place on IT. “Business owners need to understand that if you have 30 employees and one main office, you now need to treat that situation like you have 31 distinct offices. Each one will require a dedicated internet network, firewall, access to private company network and of course, cybersecurity must be thoroughly considered, as well,” added Mr. Landry.

While 45% of home networks are already infected with malware, like keyloggers, a type of malware which records your keystrokes and sends your passwords back to the hacker. Historically, IT departments have never tackled the home office before because of its inherent complexity and the multiple users that utilize the network. The network is only as secure as its weakest link, and if someone’s child is playing online video games and exposing the network to potential threats, there’s a question of where to draw the line. Does the IT department block your child from playing video games? Can your teenager download apps that will make their TikTok videos more likely to “go viral”, when it could affect your company network?

Gage is leading the way and consulting with business to create a clear transition plan to whichever version of WFH suits them. “Fortunately, the technology that Gage deploys enables our customers’ employees to be just as productive at home. We work with our customers to customize solutions that support their WFH objectives,” commented Landry. To learn more about WFH or business solutions, contact Gage today.

The Top IT Threats to Small Businesses and How to Deal With Them

June 18, 2019

Regardless of your industry, small businesses around the world are dealing with very similar IT problems. There are many obstacles and challenges business owners must overcome in order to remain operational, secure and successful. In smaller organizations, we know that you may not have an in-house IT specialist, and that can present unique challenges. We’re here to help by sharing with you the most common IT problems small businesses face, and how to prevent or deal with them.

Cybersecurity Threats

Cybersecurity is a hot topic in IT right now and is one of the biggest challenges for small business owners. Simply put, cybersecurity is the protection of your computers, network and data from compromisation or damage. The truth is that most businesses are not investing in the advanced security systems needed to protect their data and assets. While nothing is 100% fool-proof, there are some security measures you simply must take to optimize data protection. Protect against viruses by equipping your computer with antivirus software and make sure to update your systems and programs regularly. Additionally, make sure your networks are secure by safeguarding your Internet connection and email systems. Another thing to take into consideration is passwords. Train your employees to make strong passwords and to change them often. The U.S. Small Business Administration suggests that you should “consider implementing multi-factor authentication that requires additional information beyond a password to gain entry.” This additional step could be vital in preventing hackers from getting into your personal files. Cybersecurity is one of the most important aspects of your business and should be taken into consideration before a problem occurs.

Using Outdated Hardware And Software

Using outdated hardware and software can lead to many problems such as slow speeds, overspending, security problems, downtime, and much more. Not only can utilizing outdated software discourage your consumers and cause communication hiccups, but it can also often mean that your software is unsupported which usually means it is unsecured. Many major attackers will take advantage of your unsupported and outdated technology. The longer your software has been exposed, the more time it gives hackers to exploit your data. You must update your software to avoid being hacked and potentially losing your data. While we understand that the financial investment can seem daunting, the truth is that using unsupported software could actually be costing you more than the upgrade fee! Taking advantage of the latest versions of the software will dramatically reduce the number of bugs and save time on tasks. It can help improve the efficiency of your team, as well as communication with your customers. Using outdated hardware and software then leads into the next important IT problem in small businesses.

Backup And Disaster Recovery

It’s extremely important to have a reliable backup solution for any type of business. We know you may have accidentally deleted an important file, or had a server crash, or even experienced a power outage that causes business downtime. In order to avoid these risks, our best advice is to have a custom backup solution BEFORE these events happen. Your data can be corrupted, lost, or stolen through many outlets such as human error, hardware failure, malware, and hacking. Find a backup provider that will catch (and fix) these problems before you’re even aware that there’s an issue. If a problem does arise, have a plan to recover your data and restore your systems as quickly as possible. Some, if not most, businesses cannot tolerate downtime and business interruption. It’s well worth the cost to take the hassle out of IT management, so you can focus on your business.

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With our complete suite of managed IT services, GAGE provides network monitoring and care, 24/7 Helpdesk, and business continuity. We are always prepared to find you and your business with customized data solutions. To learn more about our services, read about our products & services or contact us today!

The 3 Best Practices for Email Phishing Attacks

April 26, 2019

Phishing is the fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers. According to PhishMe research, “91% of the time, phishing emails are behind successful cyber attacks.”

The overwhelming majority of security breaches caused by phishing are completely avoidable. While cybercriminals have grown more sophisticated in their approach, the average attack consists of the same key ingredients: an undereducated employee, effective bait and a temporary lapse in judgment. While we are in the business of securing an organization’s entire network and protecting them from any threats whatsoever, there are some initial steps that will safeguard a company without costing much time, energy or capital expenditure. These measures we’d like to share are extremely easy to implement and are excellent first steps in protecting a company from cybercrime.

The “From” Field

The first sign to look for is the sender’s name in the “From” field of the email. Cybercriminals often use misspelled email addresses, such as JohnnyStealyastuff@gmaail.com, for example, in order to deceive the receiver into thinking that the email is coming from a reputable company. At a quick glance, many recipients won’t recognize the typo in the address field and they’ll open the email which opens them up to the bait.

Hover Your Mouse Over Link

The next step for employees is to hover their mouse over links, instead of clicking them without thinking about it. Lots of hackers use very long links or they hope that the recipient will just click on the link right away instead of previewing the destination by hovering above and making sure that the domains match where they expect to be directed. If the preview link looks suspicious, that’s probably because it isn’t a legitimate offer. We recommend deleting these types of emails.

Look in the Footer

The final step for employees is to look in the footer. One of the current laws around email marketing requires senders to leave a physical address within the footer of the email. This is often left-out by cybercriminals and is a very easy way to tell if the email is a phishing attempt. Furthermore, there should also be an “Unsubscribe” button at the bottom of the email, which is another step that most hackers ignore.

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By simply addressing these three initial steps, SMBs can avoid the vast majority of cyber attacks coming at their business. They are some of the simplest, yet most effective ways of minimizing risk within an organization. If all organizations were even this educated about cyber attacks, we would see a dramatic drop in incidents. Contact us or give us a call to find the right solution for your business.

Gage Protects SMBs From Windows 7 End of Life

March 7, 2019

Baton Rouge, LA – March 2019 – Gage a leading managed technology services provider (MTSP), is helping small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) secure their organizations from cyber-attacks, by addressing the Windows 7 “End of Life” policy that will begin in January of 2020. Microsoft has announced that they will cease supporting the software, providing updates, enhancing security features and the software will essentially become obsolete. SMBs need to be aware of this transition because cybercriminals are constantly inventing new methods and techniques to exploit weak infrastructure. If a business doesn’t adapt and bring in technology that can keep pace with the ever-evolving security threats that the modern business faces, they will eventually become a “sitting duck” for cyber attacks.

Many businesses handle problems like this in the same manner that they handle all other problems. Ignore it until they suffer a minor consequence, and after they feel some of the pain, then they react and begin solving the problem. However, this is a very dangerous strategy to utilize given the potential consequences. For example, we can look at the costs that some major players have paid for insecure infrastructure. According to Time Magazine, “The Equifax breach cost the company over $4 billion in total.” While small businesses can’t withstand losses like that, there’s also a stronger push from authorities for tighter cybersecurity measures, bigger fines and harsher penalties for lax policies.

“Business owners need to act, now,” advised Jason Landry, VP of Sales of Gage. “Indecision is also decision. The majority of Windows 7 users will migrate to the cloud which coincidentally will provide many increases in security capabilities that could greatly reduce their need for ad-hoc security features, driving total cost down. However, the key to a successful transition is starting early because these things take time. Unfortunately, businesses who decide not to act, may place themselves in even graver danger because they will be extremely susceptible to cyber attacks, precisely because Windows 7 is obsolete technology and it may be too late.”