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What Israel’s Strikes on Iran Mean for Threat Intelligence and Business Cybersecurity

Israel Iran cybersecurity risks: The recent military strikes between Israel and Iran have escalated rapidly, and while the headlines focus on missiles and drones, the digital fallout is already underway. The cybersecurity risks from Middle East conflicts are mounting, and businesses around the world—especially in the U.S.—should take this moment seriously. State-backed cyber actors are increasingly targeting infrastructure, financial systems, and software supply chains in retaliation or as opportunistic moves during global instability.

In the 48 hours following Israel’s June 2025 airstrikes on Iranian targets, cybersecurity researchers observed a major surge in offensive cyber operations. Iranian-linked groups such as APT34 (also known as OilRig) and Charming Kitten are among the most active, leveraging phishing, malware, and intrusion campaigns to exploit the situation. While Israeli entities are the primary targets, the nature of global digital infrastructure means many attacks may spill over into unrelated regions and industries.

This hybrid warfare approach is not new—but it’s evolving. As geopolitical crises intensify, businesses thousands of miles away can be caught off guard by data theft, ransomware, or availability attacks that trace back to nation-state tensions.

learning about iran & israel war and cyber attacks

Why Your Business Should Be Paying Attention

Cyberattacks tied to state conflict are rarely contained. Hackers often deploy malware that spreads across networks and cloud platforms, intentionally or not. Phishing emails that reference energy disruptions or geopolitical news can bypass basic filters and trick employees into downloading malware or disclosing credentials.

Companies relying on remote access systems, third-party vendors, or cloud infrastructure may already be exposed. These dependencies make it difficult to identify the origin of risk—and even harder to defend against it without a strong, up-to-date cybersecurity framework.

Six Steps to Strengthen Threat Readiness

1. Monitor emerging threat actors: Track global intelligence feeds focused on Iranian APT groups. Ensure your security team can detect known IoCs (indicators of compromise).

2. Harden email security: Configure spam filters to catch region-specific phishing attempts and deploy phishing simulations internally to improve user awareness.

3. Review remote access protocols: Enforce MFA on all remote entry points and remove unused accounts with elevated permissions.

4. Confirm supply chain resilience: Reach out to vendors—especially those in logistics, healthcare, finance, or SaaS—and ensure their cybersecurity programs are current and verified.

5. Test your backups and recovery plans: Confirm you have offline, immutable backups that are tested regularly and easily restorable in case of attack.

6. Run a tabletop exercise: Walk through a cyberattack scenario based on this conflict with your leadership team. Identify gaps and assign action items now—before a real-world breach occurs.

How Cost+ Helps Companies Stay Ahead of Geopolitical Threats

At Cost+, we stay on top of international threat activity and translate it into local, actionable risk management strategies. Our Security+ team provides 24/7 monitoring, email threat detection, vulnerability scanning, and rapid response planning. Our Cloud+ and Recovery+ services ensure your systems stay secure, recoverable, and resilient—no matter what’s happening on the world stage.

We also help companies review vendor relationships, validate existing controls, and design customized response plans aligned with real-time global threats. The Cost+ approach is simple: stay proactive, stay secure, and avoid the costly surprises that come from ignoring warning signs.

Get a Free Cybersecurity Checkup

Whether you’re unsure where your vulnerabilities are or want to confirm that your systems are ready for whatever comes next, we can help. Our team will conduct a thorough review and deliver straightforward recommendations—without pressure or long-term commitments.

Schedule your free security check today or call 800.840.9690 to speak directly with a cybersecurity expert at Cost+.

Sources

By Thomas McDonald
Vice President

2025-06-22T16:14:33-05:00June 15, 2025|

Endpoint Protection for Englewood Professionals

Endpoint protection for Englewood professionals is no longer optional. With cyber threats evolving faster than ever, every laptop, desktop, phone, and tablet connected to your business is a potential entry point for attackers. Whether you run a law office, accounting firm, or medical practice, protecting each device is essential to protecting your business.

What Counts as an Endpoint?

An “endpoint” is any device that connects to your network. For most professional businesses in Englewood, this includes:

  • Employee laptops and workstations
  • Smartphones used for business communication
  • Remote desktops used by hybrid workers
  • Servers and office equipment like printers and scanners

Each endpoint is a doorway—secure it, and your business is safer. Leave it unprotected, and it becomes a liability.

The Risks of Weak or Missing Protection

Many small and midsize firms rely on basic antivirus software or outdated solutions that offer little defense against today’s threats. Common attack methods include:

  • Malicious email attachments or links
  • Unpatched software vulnerabilities
  • Credential theft via phishing
  • Unauthorized access from unmanaged devices

If one device is compromised, attackers can move laterally through your network—accessing files, emails, client records, and even financial systems.

What Modern Endpoint Protection Includes

Today’s businesses need more than antivirus software. A comprehensive endpoint protection solution typically includes:

  • Behavior-based threat detection
  • Real-time monitoring and response
  • Centralized management of all devices
  • Automatic patching and vulnerability scanning
  • Ransomware protection and rollback tools

At Cost+, we implement these protections as part of a managed service—so you don’t have to chase alerts or manually update software. Our cybersecurity team watches your systems 24/7 and responds before issues escalate.

Why It Matters for Englewood Professionals

Law firms, medical offices, financial advisors, and other Englewood professionals all handle sensitive data—and that data often lives on employee devices. Without proper protection, client trust and business continuity are at constant risk. Worse, many regulatory standards now require device-level security as part of compliance (including HIPAA, SOX, and industry-specific data protection rules).

The Local Advantage: Responsive Support

Unlike national providers, we live and work near you. That means when there’s an issue, you get fast support—remote or onsite. We understand the way local businesses operate and tailor our endpoint security solutions to match your workflows and compliance needs. With Cost+, you’re not just protected—you’re supported.

Secure Every Device—Before It’s Too Late

Endpoint protection isn’t a luxury. It’s a requirement for any business that depends on technology—and in Englewood, that means nearly every professional firm. Contact us today to learn how we can secure every device, reduce your risk, and give you peace of mind.

2025-06-09T18:32:20-05:00June 15, 2025|

Retail Cybersecurity in Paramus: The Risks Behind the Register

In Paramus, one of New Jersey’s most active retail corridors, thousands of transactions occur every hour. From large department stores to boutique shops, the local economy thrives on foot traffic and point-of-sale performance. But behind every smooth transaction lies a growing risk that many retailers haven’t fully accounted for: cybersecurity.

Retailers in Paramus face a perfect storm of vulnerabilities. High transaction volume, heavy reliance on cloud-based systems, multiple employees handling registers, and public-facing Wi-Fi all introduce serious exposure. Add to that the growing sophistication of cybercriminals targeting small and midsize businesses, and the question isn’t if there will be an incident—it’s when.

More Than Just Credit Card Theft

When people think of retail cybersecurity, they often imagine hackers stealing credit card numbers. But the threats run much deeper. Ransomware can encrypt entire POS systems, shutting down operations. Phishing attacks on retail staff can result in compromised credentials, leading to unauthorized access to vendor accounts, payroll data, or even customer loyalty programs.

One Paramus-based retailer contacted Cost+ after discovering that a former employee still had access to their cloud POS system, weeks after leaving the company. Another had unknowingly been forwarding sensitive order information to a spoofed email address due to a subtle typo in their vendor contact. These aren’t high-tech breaches—they’re simple mistakes with major consequences.

Threats Facing Retailers in 2025

  • Compromised email accounts through targeted phishing
  • POS malware planted via public Wi-Fi networks
  • Credential stuffing from re-used passwords on employee logins
  • Weak endpoint protections on tablets and handheld inventory devices
  • Lack of backup strategies for cloud-based systems

With most attacks automated and indiscriminate, even a single-location shop in Paramus is fair game. In fact, local retailers are often easier targets than national chains precisely because they lack the internal teams or vendor scrutiny to catch the early signs.

The Legal and Financial Fallout

New Jersey has tightened its requirements around data breach notifications and cybersecurity controls for businesses that handle customer information. Retailers who suffer a breach may be required to notify every affected customer, implement costly remediation, and endure brand damage that far outweighs the original attack.

And insurance won’t always cover the gap. Many cyber insurance providers require proactive controls to be in place—from email filtering and endpoint detection to documented incident response plans. Without those, claims may be denied, leaving owners to foot the bill.

How Cost+ Helps Retailers in Paramus

At Cost+, we work directly with retail owners and managers to reduce risk without adding unnecessary complexity. Our Security+ service helps secure email, endpoints, and cloud accounts with policies that match how retailers actually operate. We ensure devices are locked down, former employees are offboarded, and backups are both encrypted and restorable.

For retailers with advanced needs or high ticket volume, we also offer Recovery+ and compliance assessments to support PCI standards and insurance requirements.

Local Help, Fast Response

We’re not a call center in another state. We provide support to businesses in Paramus and throughout Bergen County with offices in Ramsey, NJ and boots on the ground. When there’s a problem, we answer—and we act.

Explore our services for retailers in Paramus, or schedule a free cybersecurity check to see where your risks lie.

Or call 800.840.9690 today.

2025-06-01T17:47:38-05:00June 15, 2025|

The Operational Value of Backup Testing and Validation

Most companies know they should back up their data; however most are not experts in backup testing and validation. Even fewer ask the next question: will those backups actually work when needed? A backup strategy without regular testing is an unproven assumption. In the event of data loss, corruption, or cyberattack, it’s not the existence of a backup that matters—it’s the ability to restore clean, usable data under pressure.

Backup testing and validation is the process of routinely verifying that backup files are complete, intact, and recoverable. This isn’t just a technical best practice—it’s an operational requirement. Businesses that skip this step often don’t discover the failure until it’s too late.

a business owner verifying his cloud backups

Why Backups Fail More Often Than Expected

Backups can silently fail for a variety of reasons. A misconfigured setting might exclude key directories. A backup job may have been interrupted by a network issue or disk error. In cloud-based systems, retention policies or storage limits may cause old backups to be overwritten or lost. Without testing, these failures remain hidden.

What Testing Actually Confirms

Regular testing isn’t about spot checks or file listings. It involves restoring data to a controlled environment and verifying its completeness, usability, and integrity. Key questions include:

  • Can critical systems be restored to a specific point in time?
  • Are application settings, permissions, and dependencies preserved?
  • Does the recovery process meet the business’s recovery time objective (RTO)?
  • How long does a full restore actually take in real-world conditions?

These answers define whether a backup is merely present—or operationally effective.

The Link to Business Continuity

From a leadership perspective, untested backups represent a blind spot in risk management. Ransomware attacks, hardware failures, accidental deletions—each of these scenarios requires not just data recovery, but confidence in the process. A tested backup strategy reduces uncertainty and allows decision-makers to act decisively in a crisis.

It also supports compliance and audit requirements. In regulated industries, proving that data can be restored is just as important as proving it was backed up in the first place.

Conclusion

Backups are only as valuable as your ability to restore them. Testing and validation turn a passive safety net into a proven resilience strategy. For businesses that rely on uninterrupted access to systems and information, this is not a technical detail. It’s a core component of operational continuity.

By Thomas McDonald
Vice President

2025-06-23T22:17:00-05:00June 15, 2025|

What NYC Law Firms Need from an IT Provider

In a city where legal work moves at the speed of litigation, downtime isn’t just inconvenient—it’s costly. New York City law firms operate under immense pressure, juggling client demands, court schedules, and strict confidentiality requirements. Behind it all is the technology that keeps the practice running. And yet, too often, IT support is treated as an afterthought.

The truth is that law firms don’t need a generic IT vendor—they need a strategic partner. One who understands the legal industry, protects privileged data, and responds immediately when things go wrong. For many firms across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and beyond, that means rethinking their current provider and looking for one that actually aligns with how legal practices operate.

Data Protection Is Not Optional

Law firms handle some of the most sensitive information in the business world—contracts, discovery materials, intellectual property, and client communications. A single breach can have devastating consequences. That’s why cybersecurity isn’t just a box to check; it’s a requirement. An IT provider supporting a law firm must implement strong access controls, secure email systems, data encryption, and around-the-clock threat monitoring. Anything less leaves too much to chance.

Response Time Matters More Than SLA Promises

When a server goes down or a user is locked out of a file system, no one wants to wait in a ticket queue. NYC law firms move quickly, and their IT support must move with them. Immediate access to real technicians—not just scripted help desk responses—can make the difference between a lost hour and a lost client. The best providers understand this urgency and build their services around availability and accountability.

Compliance, Confidentiality, and Continuity

Law firms face strict requirements around data privacy and document retention. IT providers must not only understand these regulatory demands but help enforce them. That includes setting up audit trails, securing cloud storage, implementing disaster recovery systems, and ensuring compliance with standards like ISO 27001 or SOC 2 when appropriate. Compliance should be baked into the support—not treated as an afterthought.

Cost Efficiency Without Compromising Quality

Many firms in NYC have learned the hard way that paying more doesn’t always mean getting more. Large IT vendors with a New York address often charge a premium simply for their ZIP code. Law firms don’t need inflated overhead—they need results. That’s why many are now working with IT providers located just outside the city. For example, firms that work with Cost+, based minutes from the George Washington Bridge, benefit from enterprise-grade support without the inflated rates.

Understanding the Practice of Law

Finally, not every IT team understands the specific needs of a legal practice. From e-discovery software and case management platforms to email archiving and secure file sharing, law firms rely on tools that aren’t always used in other industries. An IT provider must speak that language, support those platforms, and understand the workflows that drive legal work. Without that context, even basic support can fall flat.

The Bottom Line

NYC law firms require more than reactive tech support—they need a partner that protects their practice, understands their priorities, and helps them move faster. Whether you’re a solo practitioner or a 100-attorney firm, the right IT provider should make technology feel like an asset, not a liability.

To learn more about reliable, secure, and affordable IT support for law firms in New York City, visit our New York City IT services page.

2025-06-15T18:41:34-05:00June 14, 2025|
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