IT Blog Canada | SIRKit.ca

Update on Semiconductor Shortage

What’s the current status of the semiconductor shortage? Unfortunately, it seems as though the shortage of semiconductors will continue onwards – perhaps as far as 2023. However, there is a possibility that the shortage could be addressed sooner. Companies such as Marvell Technology have invested billions in opening new factories. The shortage will likely continue into the short-term future until these factories are built. …

What is Smishing?

Received any suspicious texts lately? Smishing is the practice of sending fraudulent text messages claiming to be someone else (usually a company). This is another type of phishing. Smishing scams tend to target mass groups rather than specific individuals like office workers or executives. With smishing messages on the rise, it’s become increasingly important to …

What is Least Privilege, and Why is it Important?

The Principle of Least Privilege Least privilege is an essential tool in your cybersecurity toolkit. When appropriately utilized, least privilege can increase security for your organization. But what is least privilege? How can you implement it in your business? Read on to find out. What is Least Privilege? The Principle of Least Privilege (POLP) refers …

The Basic Guide to Microsoft Intune and Autopilot

Microsoft Intune and Autopilot are two services that integrate and work well together. These tools are primarily unknown or not well understood by most people. This article aims to clarify what each of these tools does and how they work together. Read on to find out more about Microsoft Intune and Autopilot. What is Microsoft …

Modern Firewalls- How Next-Gen Firewalls Secure Your Business

What is a Next-Generation Firewall? Next-Generation firewalls (NGFW) are the modern standard that every business should have in place to protect itself. Next-Gen firewalls go beyond conventional firewalls by offering application awareness. They can identify which applications are in-use by analyzing network or internet traffic sent through them. Next-Gen firewalls provide various security services that …

Four Rules for a Robust Password Policy

A password policy is a simple way to enhance your company’s security. When implemented correctly, a password policy makes it much more difficult for 3rd parties to compromise accounts. A password policy, therefore, lowers the chance that your company might experience a breach. Most modern systems that facilitate authentication can be configured to enforce a …

Five Awesome Features of Windows 11

There is surprisingly little information known about Windows 11. With the new OS coming out soon, new features are slowly being revealed. Though there is plenty of new functionality in the latest version of Windows, a few features stand out from the rest. These features relate primarily to ease of use- particularly around multitasking. Read …

Minimum Requirements for Cybersecurity Insurance

The world is changing. There was a time when cybersecurity insurance was easy to obtain. With insured cyber losses of $1.8 billion in 2019 (Hiscox) and cyber incidents growing rapidly, insurance companies are now introducing minimum requirements for businesses. Read on to learn what may be required before they will approve you. 1. Multi-Factor Authentication …

The Hidden Costs Behind Data Breaches

Data is one of the most valuable assets in today’s world. Today’s digital giants- such as Microsoft, Google, and Facebook- command incredible amounts of data. Despite their size, however, even they deal with security incidents. Breaches are a huge threat to any organization, with the average cost of a data breach being $3.86 million (Varonis). …

The SMB Guide to Office 365

Microsoft has an overwhelming number of licensing options. It can be difficult to understand the available software and services, let alone choose an appropriate license for your team. We’ve put together the following information to help you make the right choice. Office 365 licensing should be based on the size of your business. If your …

Edgewood Case Study

Edgewood Group is the largest stocking wholesale distributor of floor matting products in Canada. The company was founded in 1979 in Edmonton, Alberta and now has two additional warehouses in Toronto, Ontario, and Vancouver, British Columbia. Edgewood Group provides products and services to dealers anywhere in Canada and prides itself on being able to customize …

Four Cybersecurity Measures to Adopt

Cybercrime as an industry is constantly developing. There are approximately 350,000 new malware strains released every day. To protect your business, it’s important to follow certain cybersecurity best practices. Using Multi-Factor Authentication, using centrally monitored anti-malware, anti-virus, and anti-ransomware tools with Artificial Intelligence, securing cloud programs, and using secure business software will all help enhance …

Why Your Business Needs Microsoft Defender for Office 365

What is Microsoft Defender for Office 365? If you’ve been looking into cybersecurity for your business, you probably know about the risks associated with phishing, malware, and other virtual threats. There are many ways to protect your organization from these threats, including teaching staff to recognize phishing emails and installing anti-virus, anti-malware, and anti-ransomware protection. …

Why Your Business Needs Cybersecurity Insurance

Why Your Business Needs Cybersecurity Insurance Preventing cyber-crime is one of our top priorities – and for good reason: the threat level is higher than ever. In 2020, Data breaches exposed 36 billion records in the first half of 2020. While partnering with a Managed Services Provider can help provide cybersecurity, no network should ever …

Six Most Overlooked Devices to Protect in Your Office

Many companies across the world are investing in better cybersecurity. They’re securing computers and email, choosing secure software, and backing up data to the cloud. There is, however, one area that’s often overlooked in cybersecurity: Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices. While IoT devices improve productivity and quality of life in the workplace, they can also act as …

What is Multi-Factor Authentication, and Why Is It So Important?

As a team responsible for protecting thousands of users around Canada, we want to make it clear that if you are not already using Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to protect your business and yourself, you should make it a priority to implement as soon as possible. Clients often ask us if MFA is truly necessary, and …

Why You Need Managed IT Services

Technology is advancing at unprecedented rates. Staying current, protected, and leveraging technology to help your team reach its full potential truly requires expertise and continuous improvement. All businesses should now have their systems monitored, maintained, automated, and frequently checked against best practices to avoid falling behind and exposing the business to unnecessary risk. As a business leader, you need to focus on …

Office 365’s Backup Misconception

Your Office 365 data may be at risk. Here’s the problem. Microsoft has incredible Data Centers with loads of horsepower and built-in redundancies to protect your real-time information. With features like redundant storage arrays, highly available connectivity, backup generators, and exceptional security, your data is stored in one of the safest locations on the planet. …

Global Computer Chip Shortages

SIRKit is sending out this communication to advise our clients about a severe global computer chip shortage that is now directly impacting product availability. If you require new PCs, Servers, or electronics in general, delivery times are impacted. You should expect delays of up to 12+ weeks on certain products. Silicon chips are used in …

What to Look for in an IT Company

Deciding on a managed services provider can be difficult. Here’s how to pick the best IT company for your business. So, you’re searching for an IT company – specifically, a managed services provider. Perhaps you’ve struggled with downtime. Perhaps you have outgrown your existing tech expert. Or perhaps you recently suffered a data breach- which, …

Why You Need Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is no longer optional for any business. Read on to find out what you can do to increase cybersecurity for your business. Cybersecurity is a hot topic for businesses in the modern age. Everyone is talking about it, and yet, many businesses lack sufficient protection. It’s often overlooked because they feel their business is …

Managed IT Services for Non-Profits

It’s pleasing for us to say that in one part of our practice, SIRKit is a Managed Services Provider (MSP) for non-profits, including government bodies and charitable organizations. Securing managed IT services has become extremely important for non-profits in Canada, as they blend more digital technologies into their daily operations. Given that not all MSPs …

The Importance of Offsite Backups for SMBs

By definition, an offsite backup is a method of digital data backup involving the use of a remote location as a means of securing data in the event of a disaster. Modern data backup employs the cloud, where a data copy is sent over a network to an offsite server. While a large enterprise may …

2020 BYOD Policy for SMBs and Nonprofits

Bring-your-own-device (BYOD) has become commonplace in today’s workplace as businesses leverage the tools their own staff have in what they hope is a way to bolster productivity. While it can improve communications and encourage remote work (i.e. they can answer critical emails while travelling) it opens your organization up to threats. Should you abolish the …

Why Your Business Needs Cybersecurity Insurance Too

Cyber crime prevention has headlined many articles in our blog, and for good reason given that the threat level is higher than ever. And while partnering with a Managed Services Provider that offers access to enterprise level cloud-based productivity and security solutions is the first step to mitigating risk, we’d be remiss to not suggest that you …

Top 5 Phishing Targets Your Organization Needs to Protect

Phishing surpassed ransomware attacks for the first time last year, and now shares the throne as a top cybersecurity threat to businesses to watch out for in 2019. While it’s an organization-wide concern, evidence shows that there are certain individuals and departments that have bigger bullseyes painted on them. And as you might suspect, Phishers are …

Computer Security Tips for the Workplace

Computer security in a corporate environment is concerned with the security of physical computers (desktops, laptops, mobile devices) and installed software. It’s only one component of cyber security, which is concerned with the entire network, but it absolutely requires your attention. Today, we’re going to look exclusively at your hardware so that you can block …

5 Most Vulnerable IoT Devices in Your Office 2020

Companies are finally coming around when it comes to investing in better cyber security. They are securing email and computers, subscribing to more secure software, and backing up data to the cloud. But one concerning area is often overlooked, the internet-of-things (IoT) devices used in the office environment. All of the digital bells and whistles that intend to improve both productivity and …

5 Things Your Business Needs to do for Better Email Security in 2019

Email security remains a top IT concern for businesses entering 2019. The exponential increase of phishing attacks over the past year alone can be credited for this, especially after news broke that additional Yahoo and Gmail users were compromised in December. To help get 2019 started, here are several steps you can take to improve your email …

5 Ways Your Business Can Realize Revenue Growth Through Managed IT Support

There’s no denying the numerous benefits of Managed IT support, so why do some businesses remain on the fence about outsourcing? A lack of understanding the ROI. Many businesses overlook how easily technology can impact revenue and, in comparison to technology, downtime is expensive. Establishing reliable and effective systems will allow your team to maximize production …

Why You Need a Cloud to Cloud Backup Plan

By now you know that your business should increase migration to the cloud in order to leverage the numerous productivity benefits, one of which includes data backup. But now here we are telling you that you need a cloud to cloud backup plan too? Redundant? You bet, and when it comes to Software as a Service (SaaS) …

7 Reasons Why Your Business Needs to Increase Cloud Adoption

The cloud provides businesses with a simple, powerful, and cost-effective alternative to traditional in-house servers. It affords companies and stakeholders the opportunity to tap into substantial “big business” systems and services that are generally unattainable for small businesses due to the upfront and on-going capital cost. A reputable cloud service is designed for maximum uptime …

Why Small to Medium Businesses Need Managed IT Services

What is managed IT? We define it as real-time technology management that is fully-integrated into your business to proactively protect, monitor, maintain, and support everything and everyone. For all intents and purposes, managed IT offers end-to-end accountability and awareness of your information technology systems. Backed by a dedicated team of professional technical experts, a managed services provider …

IT Security Tips for Every Business – Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Every business, no matter how large or small, should be prepared to make a larger investment in cyber-security; data shows that 73% of businesses admit to having inadequate defences. The numbers are concerning and while some businesses are taking steps to appropriately protect their systems, many continue to ignore how serious the risk actually is. And that’s …

4 Reasons Why Your Business Needs a Managed Services Provider

Small, medium, and large businesses alike benefit from managed IT services for many reasons. However, one of the most common gateways to the partnership is the critical need for cyber-security. Global spending for cyber-security is projected to exceed $124 billion in 2019 (up nearly 30 percent from 2018) and many managed service providers are establishing security services …

How to setup and use Intel WIDI (Wireless Display)

Plugging your laptop into a television or projector is something many of us do on a daily basis. But cords can be as limiting as they are ugly. There are an increasing number of solutions to this, but one that is already built in to many laptops is Intel’s Wireless Display (WiDi) solution. WiDi allows …

How safe is Public WiFi?

Here’s a scenario: You’re in an airport waiting to board your flight. You remember that you need to transfer some funds between bank accounts. You open your laptop and are about to connect to a public WiFi hotspot. Should you? Wireless hotspots are extremely common. In high traffic areas (airports, waiting rooms, etc) it is more …

Ransomware and Modern Threats

Multi Factor Authentication (MFA) is a login security check feature that requires more than one method of authentication, from independent categories of credentials to verify user identity.

How to Recognize a Phishing E-Mail