Article and photos by Jessica McCafferty
For seven decades the Currier family has been in the security business. Starting out as Adirondack Security Systems in the 1960s, the company offered alarm, fire and hood suppression security systems. At the end of that decade a key piece of legislation changed the communications business. Known as the Carterfone decision, it allowed third party devices to be connected to AT&T’s phone lines which spurred innovations in telecommunications devices and laid the groundwork for many of the cyber systems of today.
Now known as Twinstate Technologies, the company is operated by the second and third generations of the Currier family who pride themselves in being up to date on all the latest technology. Founders Chuck and Dulcie Currier’s daughters Dawn Juneau and Devi Momot, along with their children Ryan, Alissa and Ashton, continue to keep the company at the forefront of industry advancement. The family feels an obligation to retain the legacy and efforts of their founders by offering solutions for their clients and meaningful employment opportunities for community members. The company serves over 1,000 clients throughout New York, Vermont and New Hampshire.
SB recently had the chance to sit with Momot and discuss advancements in technology
“There is a misconception that Artificial Intelligence is new, when in fact it was in its infancy in the 1960s. As with any budding brain, it could only be influenced by the knowledge it had access to,” she explained. “We didn’t have the internet back then and a lot of those developments were in closed system environments. The scale of machines at that time could cover entire floors in buildings. Today the computing power to run the space shuttle can be contained in the palm of your hand.”
In today’s society it is virtually impossible to have a business that is not, in some way, touched by technology. Even businesses that do not have an online presence for advertising or interacting with clients still have bank accounts, and banks are online. There is just no avoiding it.
Cyber Security companies like Twinstate Technologies are helping businesses navigate and protect themselves in the ever-changing cyber world. Over the last five years you’ve heard more about cyberattacks and ransomware — companies locked out of systems or their valuable client data stolen. In May of 2021 the cyberattack on Colonial Pipeline caught everyone’s attention and sent a ripple of fear through the nation. It is a reality in a world now so connected to have both the benefits and risks increase.
The US government has taken steps to protect the nation by founding the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency which is making great strides in awareness and prevention. The agency’s site, www.CISA.gov offers the latest news, tools and resources to both businesses and the public to help them protect themselves against criminal acts. They also advocate for protections to be created during a product’s development. CISA’s Director Jen Easterly is quoted as saying, “We need security to be built into the creation of new technology—as a foundational imperative —rather than bolted on at the end, requiring continuous security updates for consumers.”
For technology without built in security there is Extended Detection and Response or XDR technology which has simplified threat detection by gathering data from multiple sources, i.e. devices, networks and the cloud, making it easier to spot complex threats. There is also a growing trend in businesses relying on Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) such as Twinstate for their cyber needs, much as one would hire a CPA for financial management.
Some major improvements, made to keep up with the evolving cyber threats, use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning. ” They have become key for quickly spotting and responding to cyber threats.” offered Momot. “We advise moving to Zero Trust security that assumes no device is trusted by default, requiring users to prove they are safe to gain access.” Similar to people passing through checkpoints showing their credentials, systems like this will become imperative in the prevention of unauthorized access and damage from those breeches.
Another wonderful resource available to the public is the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3.gov) providing both public safety and industry alerts. Started in 2000, the site has handled a full spectrum of cybercrime complaints — Hacking, Theft of Trade Secrets, Online Extortion, Identity Theft, and Elder Fraud — are just a few of a growing list of Internet facilitated crimes. IC3 has a “Protect One Another” philosophy, reporting what happened to protect others. There is always a first time and anyone can become a victim of a cybercrime. It is important to report right away regardless of the impact on one’s ego. The faster a vulnerability is exposed, the faster it is corrected, which is of great benefit to all.
User training is imperative as many breaches are caused by user error or unauthorized devices on a network. Having one’s staff able to identify and report possible threats like emails that appear to come from a member of upper management within the company insisting accounting immediately pay a large “past due” invoice is critical. It’s important for everyone to remain vigilant.
Twinstate offers clients various service levels. ”For those who have tech savvy interested employees on their team, we support them and help increase their skills.” Momot noted. Some smaller companies will have Twinstate act as their IT department, adapting systems to meet the companies needs and, once set up, maintaining those systems through support staff. “Our clients rely on us to stay current, alert and keep them protected to save their business,” stated Momot.
When asked what improvements she hoped to see in the cyber world in the next five years, Momot emphasized better protection for children using “in game” chat rooms and for older, less tech savvy members of the community, better fraud detection, and education.
Remember that forewarned is forearmed and educational tools and support organizations are out there for businesses of all sizes. Whether you have in house services or hire out, there is one thing we can all agree on ”Safety First” and that’s something the Twinstate family lives by.
Twinstate Technologies
291 Rand Hill Road
Morrisonville, NY 12962
518 563-7100
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