Washington Works Blog

The Internet of Things, or IoT, has transformed how modern businesses operate in 2024. Whether you’re a manufacturer or a healthcare provider, the IoT offers previously impossible applications, from real-time data collection to smarter decision-making. Let’s explore some ways your business can use IoT in 2024.

Cyberattacks will not let up anytime soon, so businesses need to be prepared with the knowledge and expertise to combat them. Unfortunately, finding the right folks with the right expertise is hard. According to a report from Kaspersky titled “The Portrait of Modern Information Security Professional,” the world is short about 4 million security professionals, and even the existing professionals make grave errors in their first couple of years. Let’s take a look at some of these insights and see what we can learn from them.

Transferring data between computers and devices is now a routine activity. Let's review the steps to ensure your data remains intact and your memory card stays in good condition before ejecting it from a computer.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, business owners considered remote work a forbidden fruit. If employees got a taste, they would only want more of it. Nowadays, remote work is a bit more commonplace, no doubt as a result of the pandemic forcing most knowledge workers into some sort of remote work arrangement. How have companies adjusted to this new reality? Let’s look at the numbers.

You might have noticed the mobile technology around you, like smartphones, tablets, and wearables, getting noticeably stronger in recent years. As their strength increases, so too does their power expenditure, demanding more effective batteries and charging technologies as a result. Today, we want to look at the ever-fascinating topic of batteries for mobile technology and how innovations can help to fuel change in device design.

What would you do if you lost your smartphone? While some might do their best to keep their composure and work to find it, there’s no mistaking the amount of data stored on our favorite mobile devices. Today, we want to walk you through some strategies for finding your misplaced or stolen device.

Everyone should soon have access to a very handy feature in Google Sheets that helps close the gap between Sheets and its rival software, Microsoft Excel.

This feature? Simple table conversions, complete with advanced organization features.

Password management can be challenging for both businesses and individuals, but it doesn't have to be as difficult as it seems. With the increasing threat of cybersecurity attacks, relying on a single password is no longer sufficient. Instead, you need to use complex passwords stored in a password manager, which simplifies the process of remembering them.

We talk a lot about phishing on this blog, and for good reason. It makes up a significant portion of today’s cyberthreats, irrespective of size or industry. Today, we want to highlight how your business can protect itself from phishing attacks and keep their impacts to a minimum. We’ll dive into some details about phishing schemes and the solutions you can implement to keep your business safe.

When businesses start operations, they require a stroke of luck to realize their growth ambitions. With numerous businesses folding shortly after launching, seizing available opportunities becomes critical. In this month’s newsletter, we’ll explore strategies for businesses to better leverage these opportunities.

Ransomware is not just a business problem; it is also a consumer and user problem. While it might lock down your business’ files and make them inaccessible, there is also the possibility that the cybercriminals will steal and sell the data on the black market rather than safely return it. What happens to users who have had their data stolen during a ransomware attack?

If your organization is fortunate enough to have an internal IT department, it’s likely that they are managing a complex infrastructure on top of being understaffed and overworked. We're not knocking your business or anything; it’s just the nature of the work and the reality of SMBs (trust us, we’d know). We can make managing your technology significantly easier and less of a pressure on your IT workers.

Secure and reliable file sharing has become essential for businesses. It makes collaboration, communication, and better productivity possible. With the increasing prevalence of cyberthreats, however, having a comprehensive plan to ensure the security of your files in transport is extremely important. Let’s explore some of the best practices for secure business file sharing.

All businesses use technology to varying degrees, typically to improve operations or offer innovation through a service or product. SMBs often benefit from the increased use of technology in the business world, as it’s generally quite effective at solving their problems and accessible enough that even companies on a budget can afford it. Let’s look at some opportunities your own business might have in 2024.

The work landscape has changed quite a bit in a short period of time. Nearly 13% of American workers work from home full-time, while over 27% more work remotely part-time. With nearly two-fifths of workers working from home at least part-time, understanding what technology is behind this new normal and how to meet your business needs is critical. 

Today, cybersecurity responsibility extends beyond the IT department; it's now everyone's concern. Experiencing a hack can be deeply unsettling, leaving you feeling vulnerable and uncertain about what steps to take next. This short guide aims to assist you by outlining the necessary actions to take post-hack, along with practical cybersecurity advice and measures to help you strengthen your defenses. Let's transform this stressful situation into an opportunity to learn and fortify your cyber resilience.

Keeping track of your organization’s technology can actually be more difficult than you may think. First of all, most businesses aren’t that worried about their technology as long as it works as designed. Secondly, technology tends to move in and out of an organization pretty fast. In this month’s newsletter, we are going to go into some steps you need to take to get a handle on your technology inventory.

Cybersecurity attacks happen when you least expect it, and data is often more susceptible to a cyberattack while it’s moving from one individual to another. This is what is commonly known as a man-in-the-middle attack, or MitM. Essentially, data gets intercepted while it’s in transit—but what can you really do to stop it? Let’s find out.

Firewalls are stalwarts in network security. They serve as a protective barrier between trusted internal networks and potentially hazardous external ones, such as the vast expanse of the Internet. Essentially, they act as vigilant gatekeepers, scrutinizing each packet of data attempting to traverse their domain. Let’s briefly discuss the diverse types of firewalls and their pivotal roles.

Utilizing a form to gather data for your business offers myriad benefits, including insights into customer impressions, service needs, and employee feedback for collaborative decision-making. However, the challenge arises when it's time to consolidate responses—unless you're proficient with the available tools.