Frequently Asked Questions
Top Questions
How can I prevent ransomware?
Ransomware is a type of malware that prevents users from accessing their files until a ransom is paid. To protect your organization against ransomware attacks, we recommend using a behavior-based antivirus, having comprehensive backup & disaster recovery strategies, implementing single sign-on (SSO), conducting user security awareness training, and auditing your company’s key settings, accounts, and permission levels to ensure that only the right people have access to important systems.
What should we be doing to protect ourselves from cybersecurity threats?
First and foremost, get a free security assessment! This is the best way to find out what your key vulnerabilities are and highlight what your key focus areas should be. What you’ll likely find is that the majority of your organization’s weaknesses can be protected with the tools in Kinetix’s Security Essentials bundle. Following that, Kinetix offers Managed Security Services for organizations that would like us to take a deeper dive into their security procedures & tools.
What makes Kinetix different from other MSPs?
There are 3 main points that set Kinetix apart from other MSPs. First, we are focused on addressing the needs of startups and high-growth companies. We’ve worked with hundreds of these organizations, so whatever problem you run into - we’ve seen it before and we know how to help. Second, we believe we’re the best strategy and thought partner for startup clients. We believe the best approach to your IT is strategic & proactive, catching potential issues before they become a problem. Finally, our high net promoter score (NPS) and customer satisfaction scores (CSAT) can speak for themselves. We have an average NPS of +79 (the industry average is +39) and an average CSAT score of 93%.
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Security
What are the most common cybersecurity threats?
The most common cybersecurity threats are ransomware, phishing attacks, and targeted spearphishing. Ransomware is a type of malware that prevents users from accessing their files until a ransom is paid. Phishing attacks cast a wide net, sending mass emails to users at random in hopes of collecting personal information, such as login credentials or credit card numbers. Spearphishing is a phishing method that targets specific users within an organization and will often include personalized details, like the recipient’s name. To protect your organization against these common attacks, we recommend using a behavior-based antivirus, having comprehensive backup & disaster recovery strategies, implementing single sign-on (SSO), and conducting user security awareness training.
What's the worst that could happen if we don't protect ourselves from cybersecurity threats?
If you choose not to protect your business against cybersecurity threats and fall victim to an attack, the worst-case scenario would be suffering a severe attack and going bankrupt as a result. Small and medium-sized businesses were at especially high risk of attacks in 2020 and, with attacks costing businesses more money every year, a single one can be enough to put a company out of business. If your organization is able to survive the attack, you can still suffer other fallout, such as lawsuits from customers, intellectual property theft, or a severe downturn in your business as customers take their business elsewhere. Finally, for business owners, there is a personal risk as well if their own net worth is tied up in the organization.
We've already fallen victim to a cyber attack. Where do we go from here?
Your main focus after falling victim to a cyber-attack should be to recover! You should work with your insurance company and they will be able to direct you to all the resources to help you with this, like ransomware consultants and lawyers. Be sure to talk to your IT team too. Make sure they are aware of the attack and work on preventing any further damage. Once you’ve recovered as best as you can, it’s time to go back to the basics. Get a free security assessment to figure out what your key vulnerabilities are, then put the tools and policies in place to protect against them.
What should we be doing to protect ourselves?
First and foremost, get a free security assessment! This is the best way to find out what your key vulnerabilities are and highlight what your key focus areas should be. What you’ll likely find is that the majority of your organization’s weaknesses can be protected with the tools in Kinetix’s Security Essentials bundle. Following that, Kinetix offers Managed Security Services for organizations that would like us to take a deeper dive into their security procedures & tools.
How can I prevent ransomware?
Ransomware is a type of malware that prevents users from accessing their files until a ransom is paid. To protect your organization against ransomware attacks, we recommend using a behavior-based antivirus, having comprehensive backup & disaster recovery strategies, implementing single sign-on (SSO), conducting user security awareness training, and auditing your company’s key settings, accounts, and permission levels to ensure that only the right people have access to important systems.
Is a more expensive solution always better?
You don’t have to break the bank to protect your organization from the most common cybersecurity threats out there. It’s important to make sure you have the basic protections in place first, as 97% of cyber breaches are easily preventable with basic tools. Luckily, these tools are also the most cost-effective and all included in Kinetix’s Security Essentials bundle! If you have to carefully allocate your budget, we recommend prioritizing your most important systems & data first and only invest as much into protecting something as it’s worth to your business.
Do Macs really need antivirus?
Yes, absolutely! The idea that Macs are more secure than Windows computers is nothing more than a myth based on old data. While it is true that there are more known malware attacks on Windows computers than on Macs, this is partly a result of there being significantly more Windows machines than Macs out there. But, as Macs grow in market share, so does the amount of malware being distributed to them. Whether you have a Windows or a Mac, the biggest threat isn’t the computer itself, but instead the person using it. Social engineering and phishing attacks account for over 75% of cyber-attacks and those have an equal chance of succeeding on any operating system (even mobile). We’ve actually written an entire blog post dedicated to this topic, if you want a more in-depth explanation.
Kinetix Policies
What is the definition of a "project"?
For Kinetix clients who pay a monthly support fee, maintenance of the systems you already have in place is included as a part of that fee. Any significant changes or improvements that need to be made to a client’s IT infrastructure would fall outside of that monthly fee and be considered a “project.” Kinetix’s recommendations and the scoping & quoting of a project are included in the monthly fee, but the actual project, once approved, will be invoiced separately.
Is there a way to bill us for hours used instead of by computer/user?
At Kinetix, we don't bill by hour because we feel that’s fundamentally the wrong way to approach IT support. Charging an hourly rate, as opposed to a monthly fee, makes IT support purely reactive - paying to put out fires as they come up - which ultimately will cost more in the long term. We want to be a proactive, strategic partner to our clients, helping to solve issues before they turn into fires.
If a user has multiple computers, can we just get billed for one?
The effort, complexity, and cost of licenses required for workstation support and security are not dependent on the number of users, but rather the number of workstations we are supporting. It is for this reason that we bill per workstation for these services. However, for services without these considerations, such as cloud services, we bill per user. To ensure we’re only billing for active, in-use workstations, we provide monthly workstation reports & audits.
What makes Kinetix different from other MSPs?
There are 3 main points that set Kinetix apart from other MSPs. First, we are focused on addressing the needs of startups and high-growth companies. We’ve worked with hundreds of these organizations, so whatever problem you run into - we’ve seen it before and we know how to help. Second, we believe we’re the best strategy and thought partner for startup clients. We believe the best approach to your IT is strategic & proactive, catching potential issues before they become a problem. Finally, our high net promoter score (NPS) and customer satisfaction scores (CSAT) can speak for themselves. We have an average NPS of +79 (the industry average is +39) and an average CSAT score of 93%.
Software & Tools
Why do you recommend Egnyte over other cloud file services as it is much more expensive?
Egnyte is our leading recommendation for cloud fileshare because it was designed for businesses, not individuals. It was created with organizations and cross-team collaboration in mind. Additionally, we have found that Egnyte provides better ransomware protection than its competitors and their customer service is top-notch. (And, on top of all that, it’s actually not more expensive than its competition!)