Tag: Information Security

Tower MSA Partners Receives 2022 SOC 2 Type II Attestation

May 3, 2022

logo for AICPA. which conducts the SOC 2 Type II Audit

Independent Audit Verifies Tower MSA Partners’ Internal Controls and Processes

Delray Beach, FL – Tower MSA Partners, a Medicare Secondary Payer compliance services company, today announced that it has completed its annual SOC 2 Type II audit, performed by KirkpatrickPrice. This attestation provides evidence that Tower has a strong commitment to security and to delivering high-quality services to its clients by demonstrating that they have the necessary internal controls and processes in place.

A SOC 2 audit provides an independent, third-party validation that a service organization’s information security practices meet industry standards stipulated by the AICPA. During the audit, a service organization’s non-financial reporting controls as they relate to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of a system are reviewed, examined and reported on. The SOC 2 report delivered by KirkpatrickPrice verifies the suitability of the design and operating effectiveness of Tower MSA Partners’s controls to consistently meet the standards for these criteria throughout the full audit period.

“The SOC 2 audit is based on the Trust Services Criteria,” said Joseph Kirkpatrick, President of KirkpatrickPrice. “Tower delivers trust-based services to their clients, and by communicating the results of this audit, their clients can be assured of their reliance on Tower’s controls.”

“It’s an honor to again earn an unqualified 2022 SOC 2 Type II outcome” said Wilson. “It’s an attestation that Tower’s systems, policies and procedures meet the trust services criteria of security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.”

What does this mean for you?

  1. Peace of mind.
    If you partner with Tower, you can be assured that

    • Our human processes and our highly automated system– have been validated by third-party auditors after a stringent analysis.
    • Your data is transferred safely, used appropriately, stored securely, and is accessible for the required amount of time.
    • You can partner with a best-in-class MSP services provider and superior technology.
  2. Cybersecurity assurance. Auditors recognized Tower’s commitment to keep up with cyber threats, patching, monitoring methods and cybersecurity technology. They saw that we monitor all internal systems for patching cadence and antivirus/antimalware activity, we regularly train staff on how to avoid the latest scams, and we execute multi-factor authentication and password changes to prevent breaches. In addition, we partner with reliable and well-respected cloud storage, monitoring, and security companies.

While the complete report is confidential and proprietary, a redacted synopsis of the report, SOC 3, can be downloaded here. I’m happy to answer questions and discuss the value of partnering with Tower for your MSP compliance and MSA needs. Please contact me at Rita.Wilson@TowerMSA.com to arrange for a conversation.

Cyber Concerns Rise in the Wake of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

March 11, 2022

threatening hooded figure with the word cyber security superimposed to illustrate post on best practices for cybersecurity

Cybercriminals love pandemics, natural disasters, and wars. Global distractions are good for their business.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine elevates cyber security risks, which were already on the minds of global business leaders. So far, the incursion has delivered new distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks and a novel malware, Hermetic Wiper.

While most attacks have targeted Ukraine’s government, infrastructure, and financial services, US companies need to be on guard against spillover and direct attacks. The US/British-owned insurance broker AON was attacked on February 25. Although no direct connection has been reported, this was one day after the invasion.

But business leaders around the world did not need a war to stir their anxieties about cyber-attacks. The Allianz Risk Barometer, which surveys over 2,650 risk management experts around the world, identified cyber risk as the number-one threat to global businesses for 2022.

That means companies worry more about potential data breaches, ransomware attacks, and major IT outages than supply chain disruptions, COVID-19, or natural disasters. The second highest-rated concern was a business interruption, which can result from a catastrophic cyber-attack.

Not being able to provide products and services on time or–at all–is a frightening prospect. Business interruptions can have long-lasting, and for some companies, fatal impacts.

Tower’s commitment to business continuity relies on our powerful cybersecurity system and exacting protocols. These include the installation of anti-malicious software and its updates, the use of multi-factor authentication (MFA), VPNs, and real-time, 24/7 monitoring to detect and mitigate cyber intrusions. In addition, our employees receive extensive cybersecurity training and understand how to do their part to prevent breaches. We invest considerable time, thought, effort, and money to secure our data and our clients’ data.

Because data transfer presents a vulnerability, we also have a Vendor Risk Assessment Process for all third parties that can access Tower’s data, networks, and servers. In a digital age, companies need to be as concerned about their partners’ cybersecurity practices as they are about their own.

Hopefully, the war in Ukraine will not provoke massive cyber-attacks, but now is the time to secure your perimeters. To help you tell if your organization is as cyber secure as it can be, here’s a checklist gleaned from our partner, Palo Alto Networks, and the Shields Up site from the US government’s Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

  • Implement multi-factor authentication on your accounts.
  • Lockdown your network. Disable all applications, ports, and protocols that are not essential to operations.
  • Ensure software is up to date
  • Reinforce employee training, especially regarding clicking on strange emails. According to CISA, 90% of ransomware attacks come through phishing
  • Renew your plan for managing an attack.
    • Walkthrough scenarios in table-top exercises.
    • Test back-up and recovery plans and continuity of operations in case a network is disabled.
    • Make sure the emergency contact information for your people and partners is updated and available.
    • Revisit your crisis communications plan.

Most cyber threats can be managed, but we must be proactive. If your IT professionals have been requesting funds to strengthen cyber security, take this time to analyze the proposed solutions. Invest while you can.

Our CEO Rita Wilson has a strong technology background and a keen interest in these issues. If you have questions or just want to discuss your cyber security concerns, contact her at rita.wilson@towermsa.com

Meantime, shields up!