A lot of you with school aged children are enjoying Spring Break this week. Weather kind of took a sideways turn but supposedly the nice weather will be returning later this week. Crossing fingers...

I don't like to be "alarmist" here but the situation described below by a counterpart (J'nai B., Founder, Entriq CyberSolutions in Georgia) in the security industry could be helpful for some of the small business owners/managers in the Memphis area. Cheap & "DIY" isn't always the best option... This is especially true if you don't change passwords & immediately disable former employee/manager access. Be vigilant & remember that business security isn't a "set it and forget it" investment.

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A small business owner bought a security camera on Amazon.

$200. Great reviews. Easy setup.

Installed it themselves over the weekend. Monday morning, they could check their store from their phone.

Tuesday afternoon, their entire network was encrypted.

Ransomware.

Entered through the security camera.

How?

The camera had default password: "admin/admin"

Connected directly to their business network. No firewall. No security updates. Hackers found it in 14 minutes. Used it as a gateway to their entire system. Encrypted everything.

Ransom demand: $180,000.

From a $200 security camera they installed to PROTECT their business.

This is happening everywhere.

Smart devices are the #1 entry point for business cyberattacks: • Security cameras • Smart thermostats • WiFi printers • Smart locks • Voice assistants • Even smart coffee makers

Why? Because they: • Come with default passwords • Rarely get security updates • Connect directly to business networks • Are installed by owners, not IT pros • Nobody thinks they're "cybersecurity devices"

But to hackers, they're open doors.

Here's what the Atlanta business owner told me: "I never thought a CAMERA needed cybersecurity. It's just a camera." That $200 "just a camera" cost them: • $180,000 ransom (they paid) • $40,000 in recovery costs • 3 weeks of downtime • 30% of customers who went elsewhere

All preventable with 4 simple steps: 1. Change default password immediately 2. Put smart devices on separate network (guest WiFi) 3. Disable remote access unless absolutely needed 4. Update firmware regularly

Cost: $0 (just time and knowledge) Time: 30 minutes Savings: EverythingIf you're a business owner:

Do you have smart devices in your office? Are they on the same network as your computers?

Do they still have default passwords? When's the last time you updated them? If you don't know the answers, you're vulnerable.

I see this constantly: Business owners spend thousands on computers and software.

But connect a $200 camera with "admin/admin" password. And wonder how hackers got in. Your security is only as strong as your weakest device. And it's usually the one you didn't think mattered...