by myCREcloud | Oct 29, 2025 | Company
As a business owner, you may feel that you need to choose between relying on your in-house IT staff or outsourcing technology management to an IT service provider. There is, however, a third option: co-managed IT. This approach combines the advantages and convenience of in-house IT with competent, specialized support from outsourced specialists.
It’s a “best of both worlds” approach that can help your business leverage an external IT service provider to fill IT gaps without sourcing, training and retaining qualified, expensive talent.
However, misconceptions about co-managed IT can make it difficult to make informed decisions. In this blog post, we’ll bust four common myths about co-managed IT to help you understand the benefits of this approach and how it can help your business succeed.
Myths debunked
Without further ado, let’s debunk the top co-managed IT myths:
Myth #1: My business won’t be able to afford co-managed IT. One of the biggest misconceptions about co-managed IT is that it’s too expensive. Co-managed IT is a cost-effective option since you can reduce costs by sharing the workload without sacrificing quality. Additionally, the cost of downtime due to internal IT resources dealing with unexpected issues or disruptions can be much higher than the cost of co-managed IT. Myth #2: My business isn’t big enough to need outsourced co-managed IT. Many business owners believe that only large enterprises benefit from outsourced IT services. However, businesses of all sizes can benefit from co-managed IT. Co-managed service providers can customize services to fill identified gaps and meet specific business goals. Plus, even relatively smaller businesses are not immune to cyberattacks, making the advanced security solutions provided by an IT service provider even more necessary. Myth #3: An outsourced IT specialist is less vested in my business’s success than my internal staff. This is not true. A good IT service provider will strive to provide co-managed IT services that align with business goals and outcomes. Careful vetting will help ensure they are committed to your business and its success. In a co-managed model, the IT service provider becomes an extension of the organization’s team, but the internal team controls the relationship. This ensures that the IT service provider is aligned with your business goals and objectives and is working to help your business succeed. Myth #4: My internal IT staff will lose their jobs.
Co-managed services are brought in to supplement existing resources, not replace them. In a co-managed model, internal IT workers and external IT providers each have distinct roles and responsibilities that complement each other. They work closely together toward common business goals and objectives. There will be no layoffs of internal IT staff, but they will have the opportunity to work alongside highly skilled and experienced IT professionals to help your business succeed.
Need help?
By now, you probably have a clear idea that co-managed IT is a good option for businesses looking to bridge the gap between in-house and outsourced IT. However, it’s important to remember that not all IT service providers are created equal. Choosing the right partner can make a massive difference in the success of your co-managed IT strategy. That’s why it’s crucial to partner with an experienced provider who understands the unique needs of your business.
And that’s where we come in!
We understand the importance of co-managed IT and can tailor our services to meet the specific needs of your business. We’re here to help you navigate this journey and ensure you get the best out of co-managed IT. Contact us today to discuss how co-managed IT can benefit your business and learn more about how we can support your organization’s IT needs.
by myCREcloud | Oct 22, 2025 | Company
In today’s digital-first business environment, data has become the lifeblood of organizations. When disaster strikes—whether it’s a cyberattack, natural disaster, or system failure—the ability to maintain operations while protecting sensitive information can determine whether a company survives or fails. Data security and business continuity are not separate concerns; they’re interconnected pillars that must work in harmony to protect organizational resilience.
The Intersection of Data Security and Business Continuity
Business continuity planning traditionally focused on maintaining operations during disruptions, while data security concentrated on protecting information from unauthorized access. However, modern threats have blurred these boundaries. A ransomware attack simultaneously threatens both data security and operational continuity. A data breach during disaster recovery can compound an already critical situation. Organizations must recognize that effective business continuity requires robust data security, and comprehensive security planning must account for continuity scenarios.
Understanding the Stakes
The consequences of failing to integrate data security into business continuity planning are severe. Financial losses from data breaches during recovery operations often exceed those from the initial disruption. Regulatory penalties for compromising customer data during disaster recovery can cripple organizations already struggling to recover. Perhaps most damaging is the erosion of customer trust when sensitive information is exposed during vulnerable recovery periods. The reputational damage from mishandling data during a crisis can persist long after operations resume.
Key Components of Secure Business Continuity
Creating a resilient framework requires several essential elements working together. First, organizations need comprehensive risk assessment that evaluates both continuity and security threats holistically. This means identifying critical data assets and their vulnerabilities, understanding interdependencies between systems, and recognizing how security requirements change during different operational states.
Data classification and prioritization form the foundation of effective planning. Not all data carries equal importance or sensitivity. Organizations must identify which information is essential for operations, what requires the highest security levels, and how different data types should be handled during various continuity scenarios. This classification guides decisions about backup strategies, recovery priorities, and security controls.
Secure backup and recovery systems represent the practical implementation of these plans. Modern backup solutions must balance accessibility with protection, ensuring data remains available for recovery while preventing unauthorized access. This includes encrypting backups both in transit and at rest, implementing strong access controls with multi-factor authentication, and maintaining secure offsite storage locations that meet both availability and security requirements.
Implementing Security-First Recovery Strategies
Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO) must be balanced with security requirements. While business pressure often pushes for faster recovery, rushing can create vulnerabilities. Organizations should establish security checkpoints within recovery procedures, ensuring that speed doesn’t compromise protection. This might mean implementing staged recovery processes where security controls are verified at each step before proceeding.
Access management during crisis situations requires special attention. Emergency access procedures must provide necessary flexibility while maintaining accountability. This includes pre-authorized emergency access protocols with enhanced logging, temporary elevated privileges that automatically expire, and clear chains of command for security decisions during recovery operations. Regular drills should test these procedures to ensure they work effectively under pressure.
Testing and validation must encompass both continuity and security aspects. Regular exercises should simulate various scenarios, from technical failures to cyberattacks, evaluating how well security controls function during recovery operations. These tests often reveal gaps where security measures that work during normal operations fail under continuity conditions. Organizations should conduct penetration testing specifically targeting backup and recovery systems, validate encryption and access controls under stress conditions, and verify that security monitoring continues functioning during failover scenarios.
Addressing Modern Threats
Ransomware has emerged as a critical threat that perfectly illustrates the intersection of security and continuity concerns. Effective protection requires immutable backups that cannot be encrypted by attackers, network segmentation that prevents lateral movement to backup systems, and regular restoration testing to ensure backups remain viable. Organizations must also plan for scenarios where primary and backup systems are simultaneously compromised.
by myCREcloud | Oct 6, 2025 | MSP, Resources
It’s crucial to keep all software and hardware up to date to maintain optimal security. If you don’t, cybercriminals can easily infiltrate your network and the chances for downtime increase significantly. However, many businesses don’t realize that expired software/hardware can actually be one of the most prominent security risks hindering their success.
If you are among those who continue to use unsupported software and hardware until it literally doesn’t work anymore, remember that it could be a severe hurdle to your organization’s daily operations and reputation.
We know there are many myths surrounding End of Service or End of Life that create a great deal of confusion for businesses like yours. This blog is intended to help you clear things up.
Debunking the myths
Without further ado, let’s debunk the most popular myths.
Myth #1: If it’s not broken, don’t fix (or replace) it
The adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is popular, but it would not be wise to follow it when it comes to software and hardware. The truth is that if you fail to update your software and hardware when the time comes, you expose your network to security vulnerabilities, bugs and other issues.
There are several reasons to keep your software and hardware up to date. Newer software and hardware versions are usually more stable and less prone to crashes and bugs. Moreover, new updates frequently include security patches that keep you safe from cyberattacks. Finally, updates may include new features and enhancements that can make your life easier.
Next time you’re tempted to skip an update, remember you could be kickstarting a chain of events that’s not good for your organization.
Myth #2: End of Life means the product will no longer exist
Although the product will still be available, it will no longer receive security updates, new features or tech support from the manufacturer. This means that it will become increasingly vulnerable to security risks and may be unable to keep up with your workload.
It also implies your IT team will find it harder to keep your IT network and devices secure from cyberthreats. If you’re using a piece of hardware or software that has reached the end of its life cycle, you should consider upgrading to a newer model or investing in a new software license.
Myth #3: End of Service means I can still use the product until it breaks
While the software or hardware might still physically work, being in End-of-Life and End-of-Service state means there’s no longer a team of people working to not only improve the product but also look after, communicate, create and release patches should a new security vulnerability arise.
This could leave you prone to attacks, as well as unable to use new features and capabilities that are released. Knowing the End-of-Service dates for your software and hardware can help you plan ahead and ensure you’re not left in the dark when support ends.
Join hands for success
It’s probably your top priority to keep your software/hardware up to date so your business doesn’t suffer avoidable consequences. However, it can be too much to handle if you try to do it alone. This is where an IT service provider can be of assistance.
We can support you by offering vital guidance and expertise so you can decide what steps to take to keep your IT systems running smoothly and securely. If you’re interested in learning more, feel free to reach out for a consultation.
by myCREcloud | Sep 25, 2025 | Company
Cyber insurance is a type of insurance that protects businesses from financial losses that can result from a cyberattack. While it’s an essential tool for businesses of all sizes, there are some facts you should be aware of before purchasing a policy.
Just because you have cyber insurance, it doesn’t mean you are guaranteed a payout in the event of an incident. This is because you may not have the correct coverage for certain types of cyberattacks or you might have fallen out of compliance with your policy’s security requirements. As a result, it is critical to carefully review your policy and ensure that your business is adequately protected.
Learn from the past
Here are three real-life examples of denied cyber insurance claims:
Cottage Health vs. Columbia Casualty
The issue stemmed from a data breach at Cottage Health System. They notified their cyber insurer, Columbia Casualty Company, and filed a claim for coverage.
However, Columbia Casualty sought a declaratory judgment against Cottage Health, claiming that they were not obligated to defend or compensate Cottage Health because the insured didn’t comply with the terms of their policy. According to Columbia Casualty, Cottage Health agreed to maintain specific minimum risk controls as a condition of their coverage, which they then failed to do.
This case reminds organizations of the importance of reading their cyber policy, understanding what it contains and adhering to its terms.
BitPay vs. Massachusetts Bay Insurance Company
BitPay, a leading global cryptocurrency payment service provider, filed a $1.8 million insurance claim, but Massachusetts Bay Insurance Company denied it. The loss was caused by a phishing scam in which a hacker broke into the network of BitPay’s business partner, stole the credentials of the CFO of BitPay, pretended to be the CFO of BitPay and requested the transfer of more than 5,000 bitcoins to a fake account.
Massachusetts Bay Insurance stated in its denial that BitPay’s loss was not direct and thus was not covered by the policy. Massachusetts Bay Insurance asserted that having a business partner phished does not count as per the policy.
Although BitPay is appealing the denial, this case emphasizes the importance of carefully reviewing insurance policies to ensure you understand what scenarios are covered. This incident also highlights the importance of employee security awareness training and the need to reach out to an IT service provider if you don’t have a regular training policy.
International Control Services vs. Travelers Property Casualty Company
Travelers Property Casualty Company requested a district court to reject International Control Services’ ransomware attack claim. The company argues that International Control Services failed to properly use multifactor authentication (MFA), which was required to obtain cyber insurance. MFA is a type of authentication that uses multiple factors to confirm a user’s identity.
Travelers Property Casualty Company claims that International Control Services falsely stated on its policy application materials that MFA is required for employees and third parties to access email, log into the network remotely and access endpoints, servers, etc. They stated that International Control Services was only using the MFA protocol on its firewall and that access to its other systems, including its servers, which were the target of the ransomware attack in question, were not protected by MFA.
This case serves as a reminder that when it comes to underwriting policies, insurers are increasingly scrutinizing companies’ cybersecurity practices and that companies must be honest about their cybersecurity posture.
Travelers Property Casualty Company said it wants the court to declare the insurance contract null and void, annul the policy and declare it has no duty to reimburse or defend International Control Services for any claim.
Don’t be late to act
As we have seen, there are several reasons why businesses can be denied payouts from their cyber insurance policies. Sometimes, it could be due to a naive error, such as misinterpreting difficult-to-understand insurance jargon. In other cases, businesses may be maintaining poor cybersecurity hygiene.
An IT service provider can help you avoid these problems by working with you to assess your risks and develop a comprehensive cybersecurity plan. Feel free to reach out for a no-obligation consultation
by myCREcloud | Sep 14, 2025 | MSP
When you think about cybersecurity, your mind might jump to firewalls, antivirus software or the latest security tools. But let’s take a step back; what about your team? The reality is that even with the best technology, your business is only as secure as the people who use it every day.
Here’s the thing: cybercriminals are intelligent. They know that targeting employees is often the easiest way into your business. And the consequences? They can range from data breaches to financial losses and a lot of sleepless nights.
So, let’s break this down. What threats should you be worried about, and how can regular training protect your team and business?
Common cyberthreats that specifically target employees
These are some of the main ways attackers try to trick your team:
- Social engineering: This is a tactic in almost all cybercriminal playbooks. Attackers rely on manipulation, posing as trusted individuals or creating urgency to fool employees into sharing confidential data or granting access. It’s about exploiting trust and human behavior rather than technology.
- Phishing: A popular form of social engineering, phishing involves deceptive emails or messages that look official but aim to steal sensitive information or prompt clicks on harmful links.
- Malware: Malware refers to malicious software designed to infiltrate systems and steal data, corrupt files or disrupt operations. It often enters through unintentional downloads or unsafe websites, putting your data and functionality at risk.
- Ransomware: A specific kind of malware, ransomware, encrypts files and demands payment to unlock them. It’s one of the most financially damaging attacks, holding businesses hostage until a hefty ransom is paid.
Employee cyber awareness training and its benefits
You wouldn’t let someone drive your car without knowing the rules of the road, right? The same logic applies here. Cyber awareness training equips your team with the knowledge to spot and stop threats before they escalate. It’s about turning your employees from potential targets into your first line of defense.
The benefits of regular employee cyber awareness training are:
- Fewer data breaches: Well-trained employees are less likely to fall for phishing or other scams, which lowers the chance of a data breach.
- Stronger compliance: Many industries require security training to meet legal standards. By staying compliant, you avoid potential fines and build trust with partners.
- Better reputation: Showing a commitment to security through regular training shows clients and customers that you take data protection seriously.
- Faster responses: When employees know how to spot and report issues quickly, the response to any threat is faster and more effective, minimizing potential damage.
- Reduced insider threats: Educated employees understand the risks, minimizing both accidental and intentional insider threats.
- Cost savings: Data breaches come with huge costs, from legal fees to loss of customer trust. Training can lessen the chances of cyber incidents and save your company money in the long run.
So, where do you start?
Start with a solid cybersecurity program. This isn’t a one-and-done deal. It’s ongoing. Your team needs to stay updated on new threats and best practices. And it’s not just about sitting through a boring presentation. Make it engaging, practical and relevant to their daily roles.
By investing in your team, you’re not just boosting their confidence—you’re safeguarding your business. And in a world where cyberthreats evolve faster than ever, that’s a win you can count on.
Not sure how to do it alone? Send us a message. Our years of experience and expertise in cyber awareness training are exactly what you need.
