Kraft – Page 2 – Ulistic Projects Blog

October 3, 2022October 7, 2022

Communication Security in the Digital Age

Key Points:

Cyberattacks are becoming increasingly common, so protecting your business is essential.
Employees must be trained on good communication security practices to avoid falling victim to cyberattacks.
Communication security can be boosted by encrypting data, utilizing a secure network connection, and keeping devices up-to-date.

In today’s business world, data breaches and cyber attacks are becoming more and more common. As a result, it’s more important than ever to ensure that your communication channels are secure. What does that mean, exactly? Is it worth the effort? Let’s take a closer look.

What Is Communication Security?

Communication security, also known as ComSec, refers to the measures taken to protect electronic communications from being intercepted and read by unauthorized users. ComSec includes hardware and software solutions, such as firewalls, encryption, and access control measures.

The Importance of Communication Security

When it comes to communication security, it’s essential to understand that there are a variety of ways in which your communications can be intercepted and read by others. Electronic interception of communications is relatively standard. For example, someone else on the network can intercept and read your communications if you’re using a public Wi-Fi network. This is why it’s essential to use a private, secure network whenever possible.

Data breaches and cyberattacks have become common occurrences in today’s digital world. As our lives move increasingly online, we leave behind a digital footprint with every mouse click. This digital footprint is a treasure trove of information for cybercriminals, who can use it to commit identity theft, financial fraud, and other crimes. While there is no foolproof way to prevent a data breach or cyberattack, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk.

How to Boost Communication Security in Your Business

Business communications have come a long way, from emails to instant messaging and video conferencing. As our methods of communication evolve, so do how cybercriminals can exploit them. While you may think your communication methods are secure, there’s always room for improvement when it comes to security.

There are several steps you can take to boost your communication security. Here are a few of the most important:

Utilize a Secure Network Connection

One key way to boost your communication security is to make sure you are always using a secure network connection. This means avoiding public Wi-Fi hotspots and ensuring your home or office network is password-protected. If you must use public Wi-Fi, be sure to only connect to encrypted websites (look for https:// in the URL) and avoid entering sensitive information such as passwords or credit card numbers.

Keep Your Devices Updated

It’s also essential to ensure that all your communication devices are up-to-date with the latest security patches. This includes ensuring that your computer’s operating system and installed applications are up-to-date. Many devices will update automatically, but it’s always a good idea to double-check and make sure everything is updated manually.

Use Encryption Software

One of the best ways to boost communication security is to encrypt all of your data. This means that if anyone intercepts your communication, they would not be able to read it without the proper decryption key.

Check Links Before Clicking

One of the most common ways hackers gain access to our devices and data is through phishing emails. These emails appear to be from a legitimate source but contain links that lead to malicious websites. Before clicking on any links, hover over them with your mouse to see where they are taking you. If the URL looks suspicious, do not click on it.

Inspect Email Addresses

Another way to spot phishing emails is to look closely at the sender’s email address. Frequently, phishing emails will come from addresses very similar to legitimate addresses but with a few small changes. For example, a phishing email from Amazon might come from an address like “amaxon.com” or “a-mazon.com.” Always inspect email addresses carefully before opening any attachments or clicking any links.

Implement Access Control Measures

Access control measures help to ensure that only authorized users can access your communications. For example, you might require employees to use two-factor authentication when logging into company email accounts. This means that they would also need to enter a code sent to their mobile device in addition to a password. This makes it much more difficult for hackers to access your data.

Use a Virtual Private Network

A virtual private network (VPN) is a great way to boost your communication security. VPNs encrypt all your traffic, making it much more difficult for anyone to intercept and read your data.

Train Your Employees on Good Security Practices

Finally, one of the most important things you can do is train your employees on good security practices. Ensure they know how to spot phishing emails, create strong passwords, and not fall victim to other common security threats. The better educated your employees are about communication security, the less likely it is that your business will be compromised by a cyberattack.

Benefits of Good Communication Security Practices

By following the tips above, you can help to ensure that your communication is secure. This is important for both individuals and businesses. Businesses that implement good communication security practices can enjoy many benefits, including:

Reducing the likelihood of data breaches
Protecting sensitive information
Preventing loss of customer trust
Ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations
Saving money on costly security breaches

Businesses and individuals who take steps to secure their communications can also enjoy peace of mind knowing that their data is safe from prying eyes. Communication security is more important than ever in today’s increasingly connected world.

Final Thoughts

Communication security should be a top priority for any business or organization in today’s digital age. By taking steps like encrypting data, utilizing a secure network connection, keeping devices up-to-date, and training employees on good security practices, you can help ensure that your business is protected from cyberattacks. As the world becomes more connected, it’s important to remember that communication security is everyone’s responsibility.

September 29, 2022October 7, 2022

7 New and Notable Microsoft Teams Features You Need to Know

Seven New and Notable Microsoft Teams Features You Need to Know

Critical Points In This Article

Microsoft continuously rolls out new features for Teams users. Here are seven of the most recent and notable improvements.
Improved search capabilities regarding Chat messages.
The addition of a soft focus filter for Teams Meetings.
Greater Teams and Outlook integration.
Pre-assignment of attendees in Breakout Rooms.
Improvements to Polls, including ranked choice answering and reusing poll questions.
Elimination of the default Wiki Tab.
Shared audio on smartphone Teams Meetings

Microsoft Teams is not only one of the most robust and secure software applications on the market, but users also enjoy the continuous release of new features. Teams auto-update every two weeks, providing users with new productivity-enhancing and security features to help them make the most of the application. Because of the frequency of the updates, it can be hard to keep up with all the changes Teams undergo in a given year. But to help you make the most of Microsoft Teams, here’s a look at some of the most notable changes in 2022.

Improved Search for Chat Messages

One long sought-after improvement is the ability to navigate directly to a Chat message that appears in your Search results. Previously, when you’d search for a message using a person’s name, you’d be taken to a single message without being able to see the full conversation. This approach made it hard for users to find attachments or aspects of the conversation they were looking for.

By the beginning of 2022, Teams had already made notable improvements to their search function. They’d redesigned their interface so you can find all of the references to your search term in Teams on the All tab. If you’re looking specifically for messages, you can search within the Messages tab, which speeds up finding the chat you’re looking for. But now, by honing in on Chats you’ve had with a specific user, you can more easily find the information you’re looking for.

Soft Focus Filter in Teams Meetings

Teams now offer users a Soft Focus feature you can use in Teams Meetings. This feature uses AI to soften your appearance in video meetings, subtly reducing the amount of detail transmitted. As a result, you may appear more hale and hearty, which can help you make a better impression in meetings or when presenting. You can control the extent to which you use this feature in Audio and Video Settings.

Greater Teams and Outlook Integration

Now, in Outlook, you can leverage Teams content more easily. If you open a message and scroll over the new Teams icon that appears at the top right of the message, you’ll see you can share the email to Teams, schedule a meeting in Teams with those who’ve received the message you’re looking at and chat with message recipients more easily.

You can also send Forms more easily to Teams users and through Outlook. In the Send and collect responses option in Forms, you’ll find an option to send a preformatted message with a link to your Form to the Channel you type in. You’ll see a similar preformatted message for Outlook recipients, and when you select the mail client, you’ll be able to email the form link to any email address you want.

Pre-assign Attendees in Breakout Rooms

When you create a meeting and assign it to a Channel, you can now assign attendees to a Breakout Room before the meeting. Many of us have been in meetings where we have to way a few minutes as the Organizer scrambles to assign each attendee to a Breakout Room for the meeting to continue. This feature eliminates that delay allowing you to run a seamless meeting.

Once you’ve created a meeting and assigned it to a channel, simply head to the meeting on your calendar, open it, and click Edit. You’ll see a Breakout Rooms tab, which, when selected, will allow you to create the number of breakout rooms you need and then assign attendees automatically or manually to those rooms.

Poll Improvements

You can now add a Polls tab to your meeting, allowing you to incorporate polling more easily. There’s also a new option that allows you to create Polls where participants can rank the different options in your Poll. If you’re looking to get feedback on, say, new designs or projects, this feature can really come in handy in helping you gauge your audience’s thinking.

You can now also reuse the Poll questions you’ve created easily. In the Polls tab, you’ll find a My recent tabs option. Selecting it will show you questions you’ve already used on the right-hand side. Click on the question(s) you want to use, select Save as a draft, and you’ll see they’ve been added to the new Poll you’re creating.

Elimination of the Default Wiki Tab

If you’re a commercial teams customer, Teams will no longer add a default Wiki tab when you create a new Channel. You can add a Wiki if you want, and any Wikis that have already been created will remain intact. However, new Channels will no longer automatically include this tab.

Before this change, some users stumbled across a hidden danger. These Wikis were stored in a SharePoint library. Removing the Wiki tab from the Channel would permanently delete the SharePoint file and all of the Wiki content with no chance of recovery. To avoid this, knowledgeable IT administrators and MSP staff might spend extra time deleting the Wiki tabs in Teams provisioning solutions. However, by eliminating the default addition of a Wiki to each Channel, time can be saved, and this potential mishap can be avoided entirely.

Shared Audio on Smartphone Teams Meetings

You can easily share audio if you’re on a Teams meeting on iOS or Android. Simply enable the new Share Audio feature, and you can now share audio with participants, such as through a video or music app, when you’re using the Share Screen function. This function works for iOS 13 or later and Android 10 or later.

September 26, 2022October 7, 2022

Why You Should Backup Microsoft 365

Key Points:

Microsoft 365 is one of the most popular business solutions for collaboration in the cloud.
Businesses of all sizes and types are experiencing an increased risk of cyber attacks.
Microsoft 365 has several built-in security features, but data backup is vital and should be a habit.

As businesses embrace a hybrid and remote workforce, more and more organizations are choosing Microsoft 365. Formerly known as Office 365, Microsoft 365 is a great software suite that offers many benefits for businesses and has become the leading solution for collaboration in the cloud.

Organizations choose Microsoft 365 for various reasons, such as cost, available tools, or because the subscription-based software enables users to add Microsoft’s core applications to their subscription plan. In addition, Microsoft 365 continues to offer advancements and enhancements that firmly establish its position as the leading software solution for many businesses.

One of the primary reasons many organizations choose Microsoft 365 is because it is one of the most secure productivity tools available. In addition, Microsoft 365 is hosted in the cloud, on a remote server, and developed by one of the biggest names in tech.

Storing data in the cloud is convenient because it makes data universally accessible to everyone in your organization, regardless of their physical location. Your team can use Microsoft 365 to access data anytime connected to the internet. But storing data in the cloud also increases the risk of data loss, which has become a severe issue in recent years.

No matter how good a product or service is, there are always drawbacks, and Microsoft 365 is no exception. For example, Microsoft 365 has a host of built-in security measures but doesn’t include a native option to create Microsoft 365 backup and store data on the cloud.

Microsoft 365 Risks

All software, even Microsoft 365, comes with certain risks. Typically, it’s your responsibility if an issue causes you to lose valuable business data. While software developers, such as Microsoft, strive to eliminate any potential problems before they occur, you must ensure your data is protected with an accessible backup.

According to Microsoft’s Services Agreement, the company and its distributors make no warranty concerning the use of their services. The agreement goes on to say that the use of the service is at your own risk and that because of the nature of computer and telecommunications systems, there is no guarantee that services will be uninterrupted, timely, and secure or that errors and content loss won’t occur.

In addition, the Services Agreement states:

“We strive to keep the Services up and running; however, all online services suffer occasional disruptions and outages, and Microsoft is not liable for any disruption or loss you may suffer as a result. In the event of an outage, you may not be able to retrieve Your Content or Data that you’ve stored. We recommend that you regularly backup Your Content and Data that you store on the Services or store using Third-Party Apps and Services.”

What Are the Risks?

Microsoft 365 is known for being a highly secure app. This reputation for security is because the app has several built-in security features that help keep your data as secure as possible. For instance, apps like OneDrive and SharePoint have a data retention period. Typically set by default to 90 days, the data retention period ensures that if you accidentally delete a file or data, it can still be accessed for a period of time afterward.

But what if you don’t discover the error within the retention period? How would you recover your critical data without an accessible backup? Losing accidentally deleted data is one of the potential risks of Microsoft 365. Other risks may also include the following:

Cyberattacks

Cyberattacks are a growing threat that all organizations face, regardless of size or industry. While Microsoft is one of the biggest names in the tech industry, that doesn’t mean they are immune to cyberattacks.

Known for being proactive when it pertains to cyber security, Microsoft’s Security Response Center is the company’s front line of defense. Staffed by leading cyber security experts, the Security Response Center works to defend consumers and internet users at large from cyber threats.

Microsoft’s security response team has responded to several recent threats, including some tied to malicious actors either sponsored or protected by foreign governments. In 2020, the U.S. government imposed sanctions against Russia because of the country’s connection to the SolarWinds hack.

The U.S. has recently found that China has also been involved in cyber warfare attacks. Microsoft and the U.S. believe China is either behind or supporting the cybercriminals responsible for attacking vulnerable Microsoft Exchange servers. Security experts and government officials believe that attacks from malicious nation-states will continue to grow and that no organization is immune from these attacks.

In all of these cases, Microsoft’s security response team has responded quickly to stop the attack and remediate the compromised accounts. But unfortunately, even Microsoft’s cyber security experts fear that the risk will continue to grow as attacks become more sophisticated.

Internal Breaches

Whether intentional or accidental, internal data breaches occur. Often a data breach results from a simple mistake. The mistake may result from a lack of training or simply a lack of attention at the wrong moment. For instance, an employee may inadvertently click on a malicious link because they thought it was legitimate.

In other cases, a disgruntled former employee could make intentional changes to your data and systems if their access permissions have not been removed. In either case, whether deliberate or accidental, without having an accessible backup, your organization could experience severe problems from this activity.

Always Back Up Your Data

Microsoft 365 has many security features to protect your system and data. While these features are an excellent first line of defense against attacks and loss, you are solely responsible for your data. With the threat of cyber attacks growing exponentially, it pays to have an up-to-date backup of your business data. For example, suppose you have an issue recovering your data due to intentional or accidental actions. In that case, having your Microsoft 365 data in an accessible backup can ensure that your organization can recover quickly and get back to business.

September 8, 2022October 7, 2022

10 Best Practices for Working Remotely

Key Points:

Working remotely is not going anywhere and will become increasingly popular as time goes on.
It is important to know the potential security risks when working remotely and take steps to mitigate those risks.
Maintaining a secure remote working environment begins with the right tools and processes.

The way we work has changed dramatically in the last decade. With the advent of technology, there is no longer a need to be tethered to a physical office space to be productive. Instead, more and more people are finding that they can work remotely, either from home or in various locations. Working remotely has many advantages, including increased flexibility and freedom, but some challenges come with it.

Cybercriminals are always looking for new ways to exploit vulnerabilities, and remote workers can be an easy target. Maintaining a secure remote work environment is vital to protecting your company’s data and keeping your confidential information safe. Before maintaining a secure remote working environment, it is important to understand the potential risks.

Here are 5 of the most common security risks for remote workers:

1. Unsecured Networks

One of the most common risks for remote workers is using unsecured networks. When you connect to an unsecured network, you are giving hackers an easy way to access your data. To mitigate this risk, only connect to networks you trust and ensure your device is up-to-date with the latest security patches.

2. Malware and Phishing Attacks

Another common risk for remote workers is malware or phishing attacks. These attacks can happen when you click on a malicious link or attachment or visit an infected website.

To protect yourself from these attacks, be careful about the links and attachments you click on and only visit websites you trust. If you think you may have been infected, run a virus scan on your device as soon as possible.

3. Unencrypted Devices and Data

If your device is lost or stolen, it’s important to ensure your data is encrypted. Otherwise, anyone who gets their hands on your device can access your data.

4. Weak Passwords

One of the most common security risks is weak passwords. Hackers can easily guess weak passwords, so choosing strong, unique passwords for all your accounts is important.

To create strong passwords, use a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid using easily guessed words like your name or birthdate. Never reuse passwords across different accounts.

5. Lack of Security Awareness

Even if you have all of the right security measures in place, they won’t do you good if you don’t know how to use them. That’s why it’s important to have security awareness training for all remote workers.

10 Best Practices for Working Remotely

Now that you know about some of the most common security risks for remote workers let’s look at 10 best practices for maintaining a secure environment.

1. Keep Your Software Up to Date

It’s important to keep all of the software on your device up-to-date, including your operating system, web browser, and any applications you use. Software updates often include security patches that can help protect you from newly discovered threats.

2. Use Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication is an extra layer of security that requires you to confirm your identity with two different factors: your password and a code sent to your mobile phone.

3. Implement BYOD Policies

If your company allows employees to bring their own devices (BYOD), it’s important to have policies to secure them. Make sure employees understand the security risks and know how to protect their data.

4. Use a VPN

One of the best ways to protect your data when working remotely is to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). A VPN encrypts your data and routes it through a secure tunnel, making it much more difficult for hackers to intercept.

5. Educate Your Employees

As we mentioned before, security awareness training is critical for all employees, especially those who work remotely. Employees should know how to identify security risks and what to do if they suspect their device has been compromised.

6. Migrate to the Cloud

There are many benefits to migrating to the cloud, including increased security. When you store data in the cloud, it’s stored on secure, regularly backed-up servers. You can still access your data from another device if your device is lost or stolen.

7. Use Security Tools

There are a variety of security tools available that can help you protect your data. Some common tools include firewalls, anti-virus software, and intrusion detection systems.

8. Monitor Your Network

If you have a remote network, it’s important to monitor it for suspicious activity. There are a variety of tools available that can help you do this, including network intrusion detection systems and log monitoring tools.

9. Restrict Access to Data

You should only give employees the access they need to do their jobs. For example, if employees don’t need access to certain sensitive data, they shouldn’t have it. This will help reduce the risk of data breaches.

10. Regularly Back Up Your Data

It’s important to regularly back up your data in case of a security breach. You can do this in various ways, including storing data in the cloud or on an external hard drive.

Wrapping Up

Digital transformation has changed how we work, and remote work is here to stay. Given the rise in remote work, it’s important to be aware of the security risks and take steps to protect your data. Remember, security risks can come from anywhere, not just external hackers. Disgruntled employees, for example, could wreak havoc on your company’s systems if they decided to take advantage of their access privileges. So it’s important to have policies and procedures to mitigate employee risks working remotely.