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How Nonprofits Can Stay Aligned and Adapt as Conditions Change
Stronger alignment and shorter planning cycles help organizations stay focused on what matters most while adjusting more effectively to changing conditions.
Cyber criminals often exploit known or not yet known vulnerabilities of the Operating System and/or other critical systems, such as a web server or a database, in order to penetrate your network/systems. In the recent WannaCry attack, hackers exploited the Microsoft Windows Server Message Block protocol and encrypted data demanding ransomware. There was a patch that Microsoft had provided but thousands of systems around the world had not yet installed the security update. 
In honor of October being Cyber-security awareness month, AAFCPAs would like to take this moment to remind our clients again of the critical importance of taking measures to protect against malicious cyber-attacks.
What can you do to minimize your vulnerabilities?
- Have desktops/workstations on auto download / auto install mode so the latest patches are automatically installed on the system.
- Schedule regular maintenance windows to apply patches, combined with “emergency” downtimes when critical patches need to be applied as soon as possible. Additionally, consider investing in a high availability system, i.e. two systems running parallel, which would allow you to apply patches easier with minimal down-time.
- Regular maintenance should also include infrastructure systems, including: firewalls, routers, switches, printers, etc. These systems need patching as well because they are part of your network, and provide opportunities for exploitation.
- Run regular, annual at a minimum, vulnerability tests which can help identify your risks.
- Be aware of the latest vulnerabilities. You may subscribe to information services such as https://www.us-cert.gov/, an official website of the Department of Homeland Security, and managed by the US Computer Emergency Readiness Team.
AAFCPAs advises clients to take a disciplined approach to cyber-security in order to better guard against, and minimize your organization’s risk of becoming a victim. Patching is one tool making it harder for hackers to penetrate your environment and steal your data.
To schedule a cyber-security assessment, or for specific advice on how to best protect your organization against cyber-attacks, please contact James Jumes at 774.512.4062, jjumes@aafcpa.com, Vassilis Kontoglis at 774.512.4069, vkontoglis@aafcpa.com or your AAFCPAs partner.
