Entries by Michael Kennedy

Data Privacy Isn’t a Luxury; It’s a Necessity

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Let’s Get Real About Data Privacy As a Gen Xer, I remember growing up in a time when your privacy was your business. People didn’t know where you were unless you told them, and “data sharing” meant borrowing a library book. Fast-forward to today, where every app on your phone wants to know what you’re […]

The Alliance of Channel Women: Empowering Women In Tech

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*This blog post is a guest contribution by Ostra’s founder Michael Kennedy, originally published on the Alliance of Channel Women (ACW) blog. As someone who’s worked in IT and cybersecurity circles for 20+ years, I know the gender gap persists in all areas of tech — especially cybersecurity. Why is that, exactly? No, I don’t […]

Let’s Get Real: Transparency in the Cybersecurity Community 

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Over the past couple of years I have spoken with a lot of MSPs at various industry events about trust and transparency—or, frankly, the lack of it—within the cybersecurity community. Lately I’ve been talking about transparency even more, especially surrounding the recent website launch of a cause that I’m super excited about: the Truth In […]

Why IT Leaders Should Care About Mental Health Awareness

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Why is it important for IT leaders to create an environment where it’s OK to talk about mental health?   During Mental Health Awareness Month, I wanted to talk about this topic because it’s incredibly important to me. Mental health touches every aspect of our lives and impacts everyone around us. In the IT and cyber […]

Embracing New Leadership with Andrew Tewksbury

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A Message from Our Founder I am thrilled to share some exciting news with our partners, clients and supporters. Today marks a significant milestone in our journey as we welcome Andrew Tewksbury as our new Chief Executive Officer—leading us into a new era of success. Andrew’s arrival represents more than just a change in leadership; […]

Prioritize Data Privacy: Don’t Get Burned!

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Prioritize Data Privacy to Protect Your Company, Employees and Clients.   Maybe you can relate to a metaphorical question I often ask myself: Are there any fires I need to put out today? Or, when faced with smaller sparks of chaos on the horizon: What can I do NOW to prevent a wildfire later? In […]

Well-Informed and Well-Balanced: The Link Between Cybersecurity Awareness and Mental Health

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When it comes to mental health, the fall and winter months can be especially challenging for many people—including those of us who work in the high-intensity world of cybersecurity.   Recently, I shared some perspectives on mental health within the cybersecurity industry at Hacks and Hops 2023, an information security event series hosted by FRSecure. This […]

The Ostra Journey: Reflecting on 5 Amazing Years

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Five years ago, the decision to start Ostra Cybersecurity was not an easy one. Leaving a successful, well-paying IT job with Fortune-5 company perks so that I could help small businesses become more secure was definitely a mission-motivated move, but that was not my only reason for wanting to make a change. I was looking […]

Protecting What We Value: Why Data Privacy Is Worth the Effort

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For anyone who participates in today’s digital economy, sharing information across multiple devices, apps, websites and software programs has become standard business practice and part of our daily routines. Many assume it is safe to repeatedly upload documents to file-sharing sites, collect details about customers via email, utilize customer service chats, process credit card payments […]

Awareness Leads to Action: Why Data Privacy Matters

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To anyone who is familiar with Ostra’s history as well as our team culture, it is no surprise that we are passionate about data privacy. Ostra is a proud 2022 Data Privacy Week Champion because we were founded on the belief that all businesses and individuals have a fundamental right to data privacy and security. January […]

What is Layered Cybersecurity?

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What is layered cybersecurity, and why is it essential to protecting small businesses and medium-sized companies from cyber threats? In this short video, Ostra leaders answer these questions. Hear from Joe Johnson (President), Michael Kennedy (Founder) and Paul Dobbins (Chief Growth Officer) as they explain the features and benefits of a comprehensive, multi-layered approach to […]

Cybersecurity – a loaded concept

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Working in the technology space for many years, I have noticed that cybersecurity is a loaded concept. Similar to other words—such as history or intelligence—there can be multiple ways of describing it, depending on your angle. The multi-faceted nature of cybersecurity is one reason why small- and medium-sized businesses sometimes find it frustrating to evaluate […]

The Ransomware Attack that Sparked Ostra Cybersecurity

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With cyber-attacks and security breaches on the rise, the need for better cybersecurity solutions and reputable data protection services is no longer something to “think about for the future.” While large companies spend millions of dollars protecting their digital assets, small and mid-sized companies struggle to find solutions that work and are both affordable and […]

Michael Kennedy: Ostra Cybersecurity’s Origin Story [Video]

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In today’s constantly changing landscape of digital threats, having multi-layered cybersecurity protection is essential to fully protecting both data and customers. Yet, too many small businesses struggle with obtaining the vital cybersecurity resources they need. Michael Kennedy, founder of Ostra Cybersecurity, understands this reality better than most as a leading industry advocate for data privacy. […]

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