TekTrendz

06/10/2026

Here's an exhilarating topic for you: insurance. Okay, maybe not, but add the word "cyber" to the front — as in cyber insurance — and that spices it up considerably.

- What is cyber insurance, exactly?
- Do you — as an Arkansas small business — really need it?
- Could you qualify for it if you needed to?

TekTrendz answers those questions and others in our latest article — complete with a fancy-schmancy interactive quiz designed to estimate your business's chances of qualifying for cyber insurance.

Take the quiz — and see where your business stands. On cyber insurance, yes, but also on cybersecurity in general.

https://tektrendz.com/the-tektrendz-blog/would-you-qualify-cyber-insurance-guide-for-arkansas-small-businesses

05/12/2026

Maybe you heard? News broke on April 27 that hackers scammed the Pine Bluff School District in southeastern Arkansas out of a gut-wrenching $3.2 million.

Here's how it all went down, step by agonizing step:

- At a school board meeting on April 27, 2026, the superintendent of Pine Bluff Schools disclosed a cyberattack and subsequent payout dating back to December 17 of last year
- The district had received an invoice for $3.2 million from the construction firm working on its new $74 million high school
- A legitimate invoice had, indeed, been sent by the construction firm and received by Pine Bluff Schools
- However, cybercriminals had added fraudulent wire transfer instructions to an otherwise authentic invoice
- The bad actors had previously gained access to the district's system through an employee's compromised email account
- The district then wired the full amount of the invoice — presumably, to the hackers
- The director of finance for Pine Bluff Schools followed up with the construction firm after payment and learned that, while an invoice had been sent, payment was never requested via wire transfer
- District leadership contacted the FBI and its banking institution — kicking off a multi-month investigation
- Pine Bluff Schools was advised to keep the attack and payment confidential during the investigation

It's a story that's becoming all too common in Arkansas.

A few takeaways for organizations of all sizes:

- Where there are big-money invoices, there are opportunistic cybercriminals. Put strict protocols in place when handling invoices from construction partners or companies in other high-value industries.
- Train staff to be skeptical and aware when paying any invoice. No matter how authentic the invoice looks, start by assuming it's a scam.
- Recommit to basic cybersecurity safeguards like those linked below — because everything that transpired for the PBSD likely started with a simple and preventable phishing scheme through a single employee's email account.

https://tektrendz.com/the-tektrendz-blog/cybersecurity-tip-sheet-for-arkansas-small-businesses

Stay vigilant, Arkansas.

Million-dollar cyberattacks are happening right next door.

05/01/2026

Can you beat our marketer, Chris, on this IT quiz for NWA small businesses?

Truth is, there are just some IT basics every small business should know.

But how 'bout you? Do you know the basics?

Take this quick 15-question quiz — and see if you can beat the 73% made by our marketer who, frankly, is better at SEO and designing emails than IT.

(Not bad, Chris. Not real good either.)

https://tektrendz.com/the-tektrendz-blog/it-quiz-for-nwa-small-businesses

Did you beat Chris? Feel free to crow about it below. He'd love that.

04/20/2026

Delicious food and drink. Groovy music. And behaving like 10-year-olds again. The Amazeum's 2026 UnGala was a magical night, and the TekTrendz team had a ton of fun participating.

Where else, besides the Amazeum's annual FUNdraiser, can you play in water, send smoke signals, play oversized board games, learn about the forces of nature, and ride 24-volt racers — all while supporting a great venue and cause?

Thanks, Amazeum, for a highly memorable night.

03/31/2026

What a fantastic morning at Scaling With Intention! A big thanks to Diana Rogers of TAB Northwest Arkansas for staging this special event.

Rob Brothers, CEO and co-founder of TekTrendz, was interviewed about the growing, ever-evolving cyberthreats facing NWA businesses today. He shared several insights with local business leaders, including:

- Small businesses are more vulnerable, not less, to cyberattacks than enterprise businesses because they often lack adequate protections and are viewed as easy, unguarded targets by cybercriminals
- AI "cuts both ways" — giving us better, smarter tools for fighting against cyberattacks, even as it makes the attacks themselves more sophisticated, organic, and scalable
- Small businesses can take steps today, including consistently setting up multi-factor authentication and installing security patches, to better guard their businesses from devastating and costly attacks

We're already looking forward to the next event, Diana.

Thanks to everyone who made Scaling With Intention a success!

02/23/2026

A recent study identified nonprofits as one of the three most common targets for cyberattacks, including nonprofits right here in Arkansas. (Cybercriminals know no shame; they even target orgs that exist only to help others.)

How should nonprofits respond, then? How can they protect their life-giving mission from these aggressive, cold-blooded cybercriminals?

Start right here, with this cybersecurity guide prepared specifically for Arkansas's nonprofits. In it, we share some important stats, describe common attacks, and walk you through seven steps to safeguard your nonprofit.

https://tektrendz.com/the-tektrendz-blog/protecting-the-mission-a-cybersecurity-guide-for-arkansas-nonprofits

We need you, nonprofits of Arkansas. Please protect yourself.

Arkansas's nonprofits are uniquely vulnerable to costly cyberattack. This guide offers practical steps you can take to protect your mission from attack.

12/10/2025

Cyber scams turn up more often than bad fruitcake during the holidays — and that's really saying something. Indeed, 75% of U.S. consumers say they've been targeted online by at least one form of fraud tied to the holidays.

This free infographic, 𝑱𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑦, 𝑴𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑦, & 𝑪𝑦𝑏𝑒𝑟-𝑺𝑎𝑣𝑣𝑦, provides a peek at holiday-related cyber threats — and how you can protect yourself and your business. It would be a fun resource, if it wasn't so serious.

𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐜 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞:https://tektrendz.com/hubfs/cybersecurity-holiday-infographic.pdf.pdf

And beware the cyber scrooges out there trying to ruin your holiday cheer.

11/17/2025

Hot off the press! Trendz³ by TekTrendz is a new, 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 monthly newsletter designed exclusively for small businesses of Northwest Arkansas — to keep your business ahead of the curve on IT, technology, and cybersecurity.

Look, we get it. You know what's happening in IT and technology has major implications for your NWA-based business — and you're so right. But you also know you don't have time to track all the ongoings in the IT-o-sphere.

Problem solved. Each month, Trendz³ will deliver:

• Rundowns of the latest IT, technology, and cybersecurity trends impacting your business
• Resources to help you "do" IT better as a small business
• Information about IT-related events in your area
• Must-read articles/videos to keep you IT-savvy

Created and curated by IT experts.
Straight to your inbox.
Entirely for free.

Sign up today at: https://tektrendz.com/trendz3

And watch your inbox for the next issue of Trendz³!

11/04/2025

Would you believe it? There are about 3,700 ransomware attacks every day in the United States. And Arkansas-based organizations — from NWACC to Highlands Oncology Group — are too often among the targets.

This article details eight brazen ransomware attacks on organizations right here in the Natural State: https://tektrendz.com/the-tektrendz-blog/ransomware-cyberattacks-in-arkansas

Each attack is a warning that ransomware is everywhere — even right next door.

Arkansas businesses, it's time to take action!

Protect against cyberattacks.

Ransomware attacks are on the rise, and Arkansas businesses are not immune. This article details ransomware attacks on five Natural State organizations.

10/22/2025

As seen on TV! As you're watching that Seinfeld rerun for the 999th time, be on the lookout for TekTrendz's new CTV commercial. (We're feeling very "Hollywood" around the office today.)

The commercial has a simple but important message:

✅ IT issues can bring business to a standstill (or worse), but...
✅ TekTrendz keeps your IT running smoothly, so...
✅ You have more uptime, better security, and less stress

Do IT better, NWA. TekTrendz is here to help.

Now, go enjoy Seinfeld.