Kevin Williams

All posts by Kevin Williams

Kevin Williams is a journalist based in Ohio. Williams has written for a variety of publications including the Washington Post, New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, National Geographic and others. He first wrote about the online world in its nascent stages for the now defunct “Online Access” Magazine in the mid-90s.

Don’t give hackers a happy holiday season!

Don’t give hackers a happy holiday season!

Many people worldwide are beginning to prepare for the rush of shopping, festive gatherings, and visiting in-laws as the holidays ramp up. Previously, SmarterMSP has written about the cybersecurity dangers that holiday weekends pose, and the end-of-year holiday season is...

/ November 3, 2021
2022 should see more spending on security

2022 should see more spending on security

The annual State of IT report released by Spiceworks Ziff Davis, a global marketplace that connects technology buyers and sellers with the most actionable and precise intent data, shows that managed services spending is projected to increase in 2022. One specific...

/ October 27, 2021 / 2 Comments
MSPs should revisit best practices to meet guest network needs

MSPs should revisit best practices to meet guest network needs

People expect and demand connectivity everywhere. Free Wi-Fi was once the domain of coffee shops and libraries, but now businesses ranging from rustic campgrounds to hospital waiting rooms must have Wi-Fi on a guest network to keep their customers happy....

/ October 21, 2021
Increase in cyber resiliency is a trend for MSPs to follow

Increase in cyber resiliency is a trend for MSPs to follow

You can fortify your client’s network by installing firewalls, restricting lateral movements, putting MFA and VPNs in place, and implementing training. But sometimes, all the protections in the world aren’t good enough if someone makes a mistake and opens a...

/ October 13, 2021
Mobile malware poses risks and opportunities for MSPs

Mobile malware poses risks and opportunities for MSPs

With the pandemic scrambling workforces, reliance on mobile devices for routine work has increased. This is creating some cybersecurity concerns and statistics illustrating the hold that mobile devices have on workplaces are startling. For example, in the United Kingdom, 60 percent of...

/ October 6, 2021
Cybersecurity chain of command crucial to deterring a breach

Cybersecurity chain of command crucial to deterring a breach

Who’s on first? What’s on second? I don’t know who’s on third? That’s an old comedic bit from the classic comedy duo Abbott and Costello. Anyone under age 50 probably isn’t familiar with them. But if you are, that classic...

/ September 29, 2021
Cybersecurity implications of PIPL

Cybersecurity implications of PIPL

Idyllic fields of corn and soybeans spread out in all directions from a small midwestern manufacturing campus. Tucked within a town of around 20,000 people, the facility seems worlds away. But a recent data breach on the company’s servers illustrates...

/ September 22, 2021
MSPs need to keep an eye on “soft targets”

MSPs need to keep an eye on “soft targets”

I talk to MSP owners weekly about cybersecurity trends in the industry and which trends are the most troubling. By far, what I hear about most in 2021 is ransomware. And the statistics bear out the fear of ransomware hitting...

/ September 15, 2021 / 3 Comments
Cybersecurity dangers when a business closes

Cybersecurity dangers when a business closes

Most MSPs are banking on their clients staying in business and hoping for a long, fruitful partnership based on delivered value and shared needs. But businesses do fail, and lurking within the ruins of a wrecked business are cybersecurity dangers...

/ September 8, 2021 / 1 Comment
The cybersecurity dangers of isolation

The cybersecurity dangers of isolation

One of the biggest cybersecurity dangers of the past year hasn’t been necessarily lurking in a bad attachment. It’s another type of attachment that is causing problems: the lack of attachment. “Before the pandemic, I’d have lunch once a month...

/ September 1, 2021 / 1 Comment