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As more companies introduce Office365 into their central operations, more cyberattackers are coming up with means of accessing this new pool of data. For companies using Office365, long gone are the days where security measures can be brushed aside. They, too, are among the many who must take safety precautions surrounding data and sensitive information. Let’s take a look at the current situation and the countermeasures one can take.

Usage of Office365 has risen considerably in both Japan and the world in general, and it is considered one of the most successful business services today. Currently, about 80% of companies on the ‘Fortune 500’ list and 70% of ‘Nikkei 225’ companies make use of Office365 products. Some Japanese companies who are avid users include Toyota, Japan Airlines, Yamaha, Softbank, Rakuten, and many others. Office365 sets a high standard for every business environment and to many, these services are absolutely essential.

Unfortunately, as it has risen in popularity, so has it become a bigger target for cyberattackers. Attacks on Office365 accounts have been increasing and diversifying over recent years. Most recently, attacks have started to target administrator accounts that perform software integration and mail system management. These accounts tend to be overlooked in terms of security and when accessed illegally, this violation is harder to notice. Once an administrator account has been hijacked, there is a risk of attackers gaining more advanced access over the entire Office365 system.

Emails containing phishing ploys to steal Office365 login IDs and passwords are becoming far more sophisticated. For example, targets have been receiving emails that are responses to existing email threads. This means that when the dangerous email appears, it is from the real email addresses of a previous customer or client (these accounts were hacked as well), with the same email subject, and when the email is opened, it will have all prior exchanges quoted at the bottom. In other words, it looks no different from an ordinary email. Unless you pay a lot of attention to the content of the email, it can be difficult to recognize it as a phishing scam.

If you suspect you’ve been sent a phishing email and you try to send an automatic reply to the sender, it is likely you will have this email returned to you.

Right now, you’re probably wondering, “What measures can I take to prepare for these cyberattacks?” The first thing you need to do is back up all your Office365 data. If you back up all your data, including emails and files, on a daily basis, you will not lose any important data in the event of an emergency.

Office365 Protection is an effective new solution that completely backs up and protects all Office365 data including information on Exchange, OneDrive, and SharePoint. With Office365 Protection, you can finally get peace of mind for a low price of ¥ 580 a month.

Did you know that Microsoft recommends backing up Office365 data? According to their terms of service, they advise protecting all content and data using third-party applications and services. Follow their expert advice and protect your data with Office365 Protection, an official Microsoft reseller just for you. check whether you're facing 0x80070422 Error or not.

Natural disasters, fires, system failure, cyber-attacks: these are some of the many brutal risks a company can encounter. How well we respond and how we continue business activities after these unforeseen situations will determine the company’s strength and fate. This is particularly true in Japan, where powerful earthquakes are known to occur. There’s no telling when one might strike. Why not take this opportunity to consider your Business Continuity Plan (BCP) in the event of a disaster?

Companies and BCPs Today

A recent survey conducted has shown only a shocking 15% of companies have developed a BCP. According to this statistical survey, responses that a BCP had been developed, was in the process of being developed or development was being considered totaled to a surprisingly low 45.5%.

The most frequently cited reason for not developing a BCP is not having the necessary skills and not knowing how to go about formulation. Though many companies recognize the need for a BCP, it appears as if most aren’t sure exactly what formulation entails.

So what measures are necessary for business disaster prevention? What can businesses include in their plan for business continuity? Here are some examples:

Develop communication systems for times of disaster.
Identify alternative contact tools and services to the ones used daily, to prepare for the event they are not available during a disaster.
Establish data backup and recovery methods.
Shared use of cloud services.
Establish a disaster prevention manual.
Implement disaster prevention training.
Redundancy of servers and internal systems.

Tips for Improving Your Disaster Recovery Plan

A BCP and disaster recovery plan are pointless if they’re not practical. Here are some tips for creating a successful recovery plan:

Determine the appropriate response for different levels of disaster

Is it a big earthquake that causes massive damage? Or is it system or power failure that strikes unexpectedly? The correct response to these occurrences will vary depending on the scale of damage and the type of disaster. It’s important to consider these different types and levels of disasters, and identify the response that suits each one best.

Review content on a regular basis

Your BCP and recovery plan will not always be up-to-date. As soon as you start introducing new software and communication tools into your company, you’ll need new safety measures to safeguard this data. To ensure your plan is always up-to-date, make sure to review your BCP and recovery plans once every year.

Keep data security in mind

Data security should never be forgotten in your BCP. If your business falls prey to cyber-attacks such as ransomware, you may suffer damage that’s equal to or greater than a natural disaster. Recovery measures should be developed with cyber-attack risks in mind.

Take advantage of the cloud

Cloud solutions are an effective tool for BCP and recovery planning. With the cloud, you can take simple, affordable, and highly effective disaster countermeasures. For example, with Tsukaeru Cloud Backup, business data can be backed up safely in a data center away from the company. And with Tsukaeru Dokodemo Office, employees can continue work from home in the event of a disaster.

If you’re interested in advancing the BCP measures of your business but you don’t know where to start, we highly recommend using these cloud tools.

Learn more about Tsukaeru Cloud Backup here and Tsukaeru Dokodemo Office here.

And as always, please feel free to contact us.

In recent news, Malwarebytes, a leading cybersecurity company based in California, has reported a shocking new finding. Ransomware attacks against companies have risen by over 500% in just one year. This revelation has shaken the IT industry, and many have been left wondering: what could have possibly triggered such a shocking spike in cyber attacks? Who among us is most likely to be the next target?

For a period that was as fleeting as it was hopeful, it appeared as if ransomware would become an epidemic of the past. After its peak in 2016, ransomware cases gradually began to decline, replaced by less severe attacks from cryptocurrency mining viruses.

While at the surface it seemed like ransomware was defeated once and for all, many changes were occurring behind closed doors. Namely, a shift of target by ransomware attackers.

A report published every year by the US Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has shown that ransomware cases in the United States have decreased from 2,673 in 2016 to 1,394. And yet, the loss from ransomware has jumped from $2.4 million to over $3.6 million.

While ransomware cases have decreased, the cost of damage has risen significantly. What does this mean? Instead of attacking individuals, ransomware attackers have shifted their focus onto companies that are capable of paying more hefty ransoms.

In early 2019, the number of corporate ransomware cases was reported to have increased by a whopping 521%. The report by Malwarebytes indicates that this surge was caused by ‘Troldesh,' a ransomware virus that is thought to be of Russian origin. This year, it has wreaked havoc across the United States.

Many people believe ransomware is no issue, as long as backups are made every day. Is that really so? Yes, and no. Backing up data can be an important safety precaution in the face of ransomware attacks, but it doesn’t always succeed in preventing them. If your data is backed up to an internal server that is always connected to your regular server, then guess what? Ransomware will likely also infect your backup server. Be mindful about your backup location and who or what has potential access to it. For a higher chance of security, we recommend using the cloud for your backups.

If you’re a business owner or involved in IT security, make sure your defenses against ransomware are formidable. Take all safety measures possible, before it’s too late.