JUNE OPERATIONS REPORT ON BUSINESS INTERRUPTIONS

In June, we deployed resources to three of our customers experiencing business interruptions. Seven additional customers placed us on standby after potential disruptions to critical business operations. Our teams faced a few planned interruptions, some weather related events, and even a bat infestation. There’s never a dull moment when it comes to supporting our customers and delivering on our promise. It truly isn’t a question of IF, but WHEN. – Agility CIO, Operations We also supported 12 ongoing customer recoveries and facilitated 30 customer test exercises throughout the month.

Our Team Performed Three Physical Recoveries

1. Training Class Needs Laptops

   When this state government organization has a new training class, they need temporary laptops. They use our QuickShip technology service to smoothly run training operations without the cost of owning, maintaining, and replacing extra IT equipment. When they called us in June, we immediately shipped them 15 laptops with their computer image already loaded. Because we do not charge our customers a usage fee for our technology hardware, they paid only the shipping costs.

2. Retailer Loses Power

   This national retailer received notice about 3 days in advance of some nearby utility work that would cause a 7-day outage to their location in Torrance, CA. The store could not afford to close and did not want to force hourly wage workers to forgo a week’s paycheck. They called our operations team to request an on-site generator to power the store and remain open with no disruption. Our team deployed a 300kW generator the evening prior to the planned outage, ensured proper connection, and scheduled multiple fuel drops throughout the event.

3. Insurance Firm Confronts Internet Loss

   Our Fort Worth customer was in the process of moving offices when they learned they could not have internet service in the new building for two weeks. As with many commercial construction projects, there are inevitable delays. The firm needed connectivity to perform all of their critical business functions, especially their core service: verifying insurance coverage for commercial entities doing business together. A two-week interruption would have been catastrophic to their bottom line and their customers’ business processes. Their operations manager called our hotline and explained their needs. Our operations team shipped a switch and two LTE Cradlepoint devices the same day. They used the devices until their local internet was connected, saving their reputation and revenue.

We Saw These Other Unexpected Events

1. Colony of Bats Makes New Home in Insurance Agency

   This local affiliate of an independent insurance agency recently discovered a bat infestation in their offices. Because bats create waste that causes contamination and disease, local authorities condemned the building until remediation could take place.

2. Rain Floods Credit Union

   This regional credit union in southwestern Texas near the Rio Grande River Valley operates 13 branch offices and serves more than 45,000 members. Following the largest rainstorm in the area in 15 years, their Mission, Texas location was forced to close its doors.
   
   The water damage to this location caused our customer to close and redirect members to an alternate branch nearby.

3. Water Shut Off at Insurance Firm

   This Toronto non-profit covers dental providers with insurance and investment services. A massive water main break nearby left them with no water service, forcing them to consider shuttering the office of over 70 employees. Without water, no bathroom facilities would function properly.

4. Online Retailer Loses Power

   This customer learned a critical lesson about the importance of planning during a power outage at their Seattle, Washington location. A local distribution facility for this global online retailer experienced multiple rolling brown and blackouts forcing them to halt operations. This facility housed large refrigeration units to allow for fresh food delivery in local markets. Unfortunately, this location wasn’t covered under our services and they had not submitted their specifications for temporary generator power. Luckily local power was restored in time to prevent any loss of inventory, but on-site leadership made sure to request coverage by us and completed their generator requirements worksheet for the next time temporary power is needed.

Additional Notable Alerts

• Large Investment Firm – Warrendale, PA – Alert for replacement technology due to water damage caused by power fluctuations
• National Retailer – Wilkes-Barre, PA – Alert for temporary power due to nearby tornado damage
• Regional Credit Union – Perry Point, MD – Alert for mobile bank branch recovery due to a vehicle vs. building accident

Ongoing Business Recoveries from Prior Months

We also supported 12 other ongoing recoveries during the month of June including the following:

• Regional Bank – Billings, MT – ReadyFinancial mobile bank branch to a building fire
• Regional Credit Union – Dudley, MA – Planned relocation due to branch renovation
• Regional Bank – Elberton, GA – Planned relocation due to branch renovation
• Medical Equipment Supplier – Jacksonville, FL – Site-to-site VPN Cradlepoint device due to ISP outage
• Global Logistics Firm – Atlanta, GA – Communications recovery due to an office relocation
• Global Online Retailer – Seattle, WA – Temporary restrooms due to increased staffing
• Private Country Club – Clifton, NJ – Planned relocation due to facility renovation
• Local Credit Union – Gadsden, AL – Planned recovery due to new employee training
• Regional Credit Union – St. Petersburg, FL – Planned recovery due to new branch construction
• Regional Bank – Houston, TX – Planned long-term relocation due to closure of an existing location
• Small Municipality – Cavendish, VT – Office space recovery due to a building fire at a garage facility
• Small Municipality – Lafayette, OR – ReadySuite mobile recovery due to a building fire at one of their utility plant locations

In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity threats, proactive measures are essential for protecting sensitive financial data.

For one forward-thinking credit union, partnering with Agility Recovery to conduct a ransomware impact analysis (RIA) uncovered critical vulnerabilities in their hybrid work model and led to a comprehensive security overhaul. This success story highlights the steps taken and the positive outcomes achieved, showcasing the value of a robust RIA in safeguarding operations and ensuring business continuity.

The Challenge: Unseen Vulnerabilities in Home Offices

With the rise of hybrid work environments, the credit union, like many organizations, faced new cybersecurity challenges. While their main office was fortified with strong security measures, the home offices of their hybrid employees posed a significant, yet overlooked, vulnerability. Despite using virtual private networks (VPNs) and antivirus software, the RIA conducted by Agility Recovery revealed that many home office setups lacked comprehensive protection against sophisticated ransomware attacks.

The RIA Process: Identifying Critical Gaps

Agility Recovery’s RIA involved a thorough assessment of the credit union’s entire IT infrastructure, focusing on both the central office and remote work environments. Key findings included:

1. Inadequate Endpoint Security: Many hybrid employees were using personal devices without proper endpoint security, making them susceptible to malware and ransomware attacks.
2. Weak Network Security: Home Wi-Fi networks often lacked strong encryption and were vulnerable to breaches.
3. Outdated Software and Systems: Several remote workstations were running outdated software, increasing the risk of exploitation by cybercriminals.
4. Lack of Awareness and Training: Employees were not fully aware of best practices for cybersecurity in a home office setting, leading to risky behaviors.

The Solution: Implementing Comprehensive Protections

Armed with the insights from the RIA, the credit union collaborated with Agility Recovery to implement a multi-faceted security enhancement plan. This included:

1. Enhanced Endpoint Protection: Deploying enterprise-grade endpoint security solutions on all devices used for work, ensuring robust protection against malware and ransomware.
2. Securing Home Networks: Providing employees with guidelines and tools to secure their home Wi-Fi networks, including router configuration tips and recommendations for strong passwords and encryption settings.
3. Regular Software Updates: Establishing a policy for regular updates and patches to all systems and applications, ensuring that vulnerabilities were promptly addressed.
4. Cybersecurity Training: Conducting comprehensive training sessions to educate employees about the importance of cybersecurity, safe browsing practices, and how to recognize phishing attempts and other cyber threats.
5. Secure Backup Power & Connectivity: With more employees working engaging in remote work, the credit union enhanced their remote resilience with portable backup power and connectivity units. This solution would not only protect employees from cyber threats when they worked from home or another location, it would also ensure that regional power outages would not impact employees’ productivity at home.

The Results: A More Resilient and Secure Hybrid Workforce

The impact of these measures was immediate and profound. The credit union reported several key outcomes:

1. Reduced Vulnerabilities: The implementation of endpoint protection and secure home networks significantly reduced the vulnerabilities in their hybrid work model.
2. Increased Awareness: Employees became more vigilant and knowledgeable about cybersecurity best practices, leading to safer behaviors both at work and at home.
3. Enhanced Incident Response: With a stronger security posture, the credit union was better prepared to detect and respond to potential ransomware attacks, minimizing the risk of significant disruptions.
4. Improved Confidence: The credit union’s leadership and IT teams expressed increased confidence in their ability to maintain business continuity and protect sensitive data, even in a hybrid work environment.

Get Started: Proactive Measures for Long-Term Success

This success story illustrates the critical importance of conducting a ransomware impact analysis, especially in today’s hybrid work environment. By partnering with Agility Recovery, the credit union was able to identify and address significant vulnerabilities, ensuring that their employees’ home offices were as secure as their central office. The proactive steps taken not only enhanced their overall security posture but also reinforced their commitment to protecting their members’ financial information.

Talk to an Agility expert today about how your business can use RIA insights and tools to safeguard operations and protect critical systems from of emerging cyber threats.