Carolina Business Equipment educates customers on ransomware

Leader in Managed Technology Services Helps Businesses Fight Malware

Carolina Business Equipment, Inc., a leading managed technology services provider, announced today that they have launched a ransomware awareness campaign. The purpose of the campaign is to quickly educate business owners in understanding one of the latest threats now facing small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs). Ransomware is a specific variation of malware, that is growing in popularity amongst hackers and Carolina Business Equipment is doing its best to alert business owners of this new tactic. Carolina Business Equipment’s existing customers are very well protected against this type of threat but many business owners may be unaware of the potential destruction this has on an organization.

While business owners have always understood the need to protect their businesses from malware, short for “malicious software”, ransomware is a new tactic that hackers are using to attack businesses in an especially wicked way. Essentially, an employee will receive an email with a deceptive link, labeled “See Resume Here” or “Download Report Now”, and then upon clicking the link, a ransomware application will be installed immediately on the computer. Then, the software can remain hidden for several days, until it is activated. At that moment, the ransomware application will hijack critical files, remove them from the network, encrypt them so no other computers can access them and then hackers will send an email demanding payment for the release of the missing files. The biggest problem with this type of cyber attack is that it leaves absolutely no leverage to the business owner. Even if they pay the “ransom”, hackers don’t necessarily unlock the files every time. “This is a huge problem that could have drastic impact on an organization and the craziest thing we notice is that there is such a simple solution,” stated John Eckstrom, President/CEO at Carolina Business Equipment.

“These types of attacks happen far too often, and we take great pride in protecting our customers from threats like this,” added Eckstrom. “The first line of defense for these kinds of attacks is a technically educated staff. While the majority of these threats come in the form of suspicious email links, an educated staff can avoid these catastrophes simply through awareness. That’s one of the reasons why we issued this press release,” commented Eckstrom. “For business owners that see the value of peace of mind, we devise comprehensive solutions that thwart these types of attacks from every angle. We take a global approach that includes a combination of anti-virus software, anti-malware software, strong firewalls, employee education, data backup, and network redundancy. What we’ve noticed over the years is that every network has different exposure points and our job is to come in as a technology advisor and to proactively prevent not only ransomware attacks, but the myriad of others attacks that a business owner may face for years to come.”

Carolina Business Equipment’s mission is to leave business owners in a more empowered position by serving as an educator of emergent technologies. “Our biggest aim with this campaign is to usher in a sense of urgency amongst business owners so they take action now, instead of waiting to be in a difficult, immutable situation later,” closed Eckstrom.

ABOUT CAROLINA BUSINESS EQUIPMENT

Carolina Business Equipment, Inc. (CBE) has been providing business solutions to South Carolina since 1975. CBE was founded in Columbia, SC by two service technicians with a dedication to outstanding customer service, a commitment that has extended through time as we have grown and added new locations and products. Whether you need print solutions, managed print services, or IT solutions, our goal remains the same: to provide you with stellar service and the modern, comprehensive products and services that your organization needs.

Over the years, we have expanded to serve most of South Carolina. We now have showrooms, offices, and warehouses in Columbia, Charleston, Hartsville and Florence South Carolina and in Rockingham North Carolina. CBE also maintains a national network of authorized dealers that allows us to assist customers across the United States. As the only independent authorized Sharp Service Training Center in South Carolina, we have the technical backing to ensure that we are up-to-date on the latest industry knowledge and techniques.

CBE provides cutting-edge solutions while remaining true to our core values: fairness, reliability and a commitment to serving our customers. We pride ourselves on helping our clients reduce their operating costs. Our customers have the security of knowing they are backed by our experienced staff and an extensive inventory of top-rated equipment and supplies.