Series: No Tricks, Just Security: Part 1 of 4
(Next week: the “scary” AI threats that actually matter.)
10D Tech is your Oregon-based IT & cybersecurity partner (offices in Corvallis and Portland), serving Oregon & SW Washington.
Corvallis/Albany/Eugene/Bend (541) 243-4103 • Portland/Salem (503) 971-9103
October’s a good checkpoint. If a bad link or reused password could knock out your Portland, Salem, or Bend office, that’s not a tech problem … it’s a habits problem. The fix isn’t fancy tools. It’s simple routines your team repeats until they stick. As a local team, 10D Tech helps businesses throughout the Pacific Northwest turn these habits into a repeatable playbook, without adding busywork.
Want a quick outside look at your risks? Book a Free IT Checkup with 10D Tech (541) 243-4103 • (503) 971-9103
Habit 1: Make Security Part of the Conversation
- Take 90 seconds at the weekly huddle to show a real phishing example.
- Share timely scam alerts from your industry (credit unions, clinics, manufacturers in Eugene and Corvallis are frequent targets).
- Celebrate the “almost clicked but reported it” moments.
When leaders talk about security like safety or customer service, it stops feeling like extra work and starts feeling normal. For ongoing guidance, consider a managed partner to feed your team Oregon-relevant alerts and micro-trainings: Managed Cybersecurity.
Habit 2: Treat Compliance as Customer Trust
- Keep policies current and plain-language.
- Track training, MFA adoption, and patch status in one place.
- Map who touches sensitive data and how it flows.
A structured review helps you spot gaps before auditors, or attackers, do. If you haven’t had a third-party look in a while, 10D Tech IT Assessments & Strategy Consulting align policies with real-world operations across Oregon & SW Washington.
Habit 3: Build Continuity You Can Actually Use
- Backups: Run automatically, test monthly, keep at least one copy offsite/immutable.
- Ransomware playbook: Who calls whom, what to isolate first, and how comms go to staff/clients.
- Recovery drills: Restore a critical file or VM on a schedule—prove it.
Right-size your plan. If you need help tuning RTO/RPO to budget, start with 10D Tech Managed IT Services to standardize patching, backups, and monitoring.
Habit 4: Build a Culture Where People Catch Threats
- Passwords: Use a password manager.
- MFA: Turn it on anywhere it’s offered.
- Recognition: Shout out phishing catches.
- Practice: Quarterly phishing simulations with fast feedback.
Alex’s 2 p.m. “Almost Click”
Alex, who runs Tumble Weeds Are Us in Albany, got a “DocuSign” email with all the right details. Hovering showed the domain was off. Alex flagged it in the team channel; the sender was blocked and the team added “Spot the Tell” to the Friday stand-up. Small habit, big save.
Your Cyber Hygiene Checklist (Quick Pass)
- Patching auto-updates OS/apps.
- MFA on email, finance, remote access, admin tools.
- Password manager and unique passphrases.
- Backups daily and tested monthly; include offsite/immutable copies.
- Email security SPF/DKIM/DMARC; phishing sim cadence.
- Access least privilege; disable old accounts within 24 hours.
- Vendors/IoT default passwords changed; firmware updates scheduled.
- Documentation current policies; track training.
Want this checklist mapped to your stack?: 10D Tech’s Free IT Checkup benchmarks you against Oregon SMB peers. (541) 243-4103 • (503) 971-9103
The Oregon Angle: Why Local Context Matters
Credit unions around Portland see credential phishing; manufacturers along I-5 face purchase-order BEC; clinics in Eugene get fax-style phishing. Local intel shortens detection and keeps training relevant.
This Weeks Action Plan
Ready to tighten your cyber habits? Get a Free IT Checkup with 10D Tech. We’ll review your posture, highlight quick wins, and outline a simple IT plan.
Book My Free IT Checkup
Or call: (541) 243-4103 • (503) 971-9103
FAQs
Q: What’s the fastest win for an Oregon small business this month?
A: Turn on MFA for email and finance, then push automatic updates. 10D Tech Managed Cybersecurity (Managed Cybersecurity | 10D Tech) can deploy this quickly.
Q: How often should we test backups?
A: Monthly, with a documented restore of a real file/system. 10D Tech IT Assessment (IT Assessments & Strategy Consulting | 10D Tech) can set proper RTO/RPO targets.
Q: We don’t have compliance rules. Do we still need policies?
A: Yes, policies reduce mistakes, guide training, and help with insurance.
Q: Are phishing simulations worth it?
A: Yes, short, frequent simulations with instant coaching build muscle memory.
Q: Managed service or in-house?
A: Many SMBs do both. 10D Tech Managed IT Services ( Managed IT Services | 10D Tech ) standardize patching, monitoring, and recovery.
