Category: Uncategorized

There’s a new Gift Card scam going around that has already cost consumers lots of money, frustration, and headaches. Here’s how it works.

You’ll get an email from a friend or relative asking you to go buy them a gift card. The email will say that your friend or relative has been busy or sick and unable to get to the store. Once you get the card for them, they’ll ask you to take a quick photo of the gift card code on the back and send it to them. Once you do this, they can cash out the gift card and you lose your money. It happens just that quickly.

Can You Help Out a Friend?

This scam has been working well for several reasons. Usually, the email comes from someone you know, maybe a sibling, parent, or aunt. Of course, you want to help them out, right? But one thing many consumers don’t realize is just how simple it is to hijack an email account. This is easy work for any hacker worth his salt.

For some reason, people just believe that the email is legit and never take that extra step of calling their friend or relative and just asking them, “Hey, did you send me an email about buying you a gift card?” That’s all it would take to avoid being a victim here.

Instead, most people will run down to Walmart or Target, buy the gift card, take the photo of the code on the back and think they’re doing a great favor for someone.

After you send the pic of the code back to the hacker, they will move very quickly to cash out the gift card and you’ll lose all your money. Later, of course, you’ll learn that your friend did not make such a request and now you feel silly for not double checking. After all, we should we savvier than that as consumers, right?

New Apps Make Scamming Much Easier

Unfortunately, these types of scams have been working well for many years. Plus, new apps like Raise make it easy to turn unused gift card balances into money.

Though victims do sometimes reach out to local police for help, this is actually not a crime. I know that most people are stunned by that news, but it’s true. Because you were a willing participant and you initiated the action with intent, no fraud was committed. So now you’re out the cost of the gift card and there’s really nothing you can do about it.

Just In Time For the Holidays

Authorities are warning consumers that this scam will be prolific all throughout the holidays. That’s why it’s so important to spread the word. Let your friends and family know that if they get a request like this from you or anyone, be sure to stop and call the person. Ask them if they really sent the email asking for a gift card. It only takes a couple of minutes to do this and it can save you $50 or $100 bucks.

Other Scams to Watch Out for During the Holidays

Hackers infamously took over the Rio Summer Olympics a few years back using social engineering to exploit the event. Though some were shocked, social engineering has been around awhile and is used every day to trick business owners. This scam costs Americans millions of dollars each year and hackers find new ways to make their tricks even more effective.

Phishing Scams

Used more frequently than any other, phishing scams have become so widespread that it’s difficult to get accurate results of the losses incurred.

PhishMe is reporting that these scams are growing by at least 65% per year.

Kaspersky Labs claims that during the first quarter of 2018, its anti-phishing system prevented more than 107 million attempts to connect users to malicious websites.

A Barkly reports shows that 85% of companies have fallen victim to this scheme.

How It Works

Phishing scams work relatively easily. It’s not rocket science, as they say. You get a legitimate sounding email that seems to be from your bank or credit card company. These emails often use fear and urgency to make victims take action before double checking the legitimacy of the email.

Below is an example. This scammer claims to be contacting you from Apple. If you check out the “From” address, you can quickly see that it’s not a legitimate Apple email account.

Another big clue is that words are misspelled and the grammar is very poor. You can tell that this email was written by someone (probably from Eastern Europe) who has very bad English skills.

NEVER click the link in a suspicious email like this one. Once you do, the cyber thieves can download malware or ransomware to your computer. They may also redirect you to a site where they steal your banking and credit card information. At the very least, they will steal your log-in information for your Apple account and then hijack it.

Final Tips

In order for consumers to avoid being a victim during the holidays, it’s important to watch out for these types of fraudulent activities. Never click a link in a suspicious email. Instead, open a new browser page and navigate to the website the way you ordinarily would. If there’s something wrong with your Apple account, a bank account or a credit card account, you’ll have a letter in your Inbox explaining what happened and what you need to do.

By using a little common sense and double checking when something feels suspicious to you, we can all avoid being victims this holiday season.

 

The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) released a public service announcement at the end of September 2018, alerting companies about the risks of allowing RDP endpoints to be exposed online. The IC3, a division of The US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), is sending out the alarm to U.S. businesses about their concerns that millions of RDP endpoints are visible online and susceptible to manipulation.

What is RDP?

RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) is a Microsoft registered technology created in the 90s that permits a user to log into a remote computer and interact with its OS through a visual interface that gives the remote user access to its mouse and keyboard input. The remote desktop was designed for a computer technician to be able to help a customer who had limited or remote access.

RDP access is hardly ever enabled on home computers, but sometimes it is turned on for workplaces in enterprise networks or for computers situated in distant locations. RDP conveniently allows system administrators to access the computer, without physically having the computer in front of them.

Why is IC3 Concerned?

In its September press release, the FBI states that the number of computers with an RDP connection left open on the Internet has gone up dramatically since 2016. IC3 is observing numbers and trends by cyber-security firms in the past few years that are alarming.

ZDNet reported that Rapid7, a multi-product analytics and automation company, has seen nine million devices with port 3389 (RDP) opened on the Internet in early 2016, and then suddenly rose to over 11 million by the end of 2017.

Also, IC3 is seeing a steady stream of incident reports where hackers have acquired initial traction into victims’ networks through the computers with an open RDP connection.

The Rise of Ransomware Attacks

Over the past three years, a cluster of ransomware families were particularly designed to access a network by hackers who jumped in through an open RDP server.

Ransomware particularly designed to be infiltrated via RDP involves strains such as LockCrypt, Horsuke, CryptON, SynAck, Scarabey, Bit Paymer, Xpan, RSAUtil , Crysis, Samas (SamSam), Globe, DMA Locker, Apocalypse, LowLevel, Bucbi, Aura/BandarChor, Smrss32 and ACCDFISA.

How Do Companies Secure Themselves Before It’s Too Late?

IC3 has collaborated with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and published a report for companies to use to ensure RDP security.

Six Ways to Improve the Security of Network Infrastructure Devices

The National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC) has published six security measures for companies to ensure safety for their network.

• Segment and Segregate Networks and Functions

Security engineers should study the overall layout of their framework, which includes both segregation and segmentation. A successful security tool for accurate network segmentation is to stop a hacker from spreading abuses or the ability to laterally move through an internal network. If the network is inadequately segmented, intruders can easily spread their control of analytical devices as well as obtain entrance into sensitive data. A securely segregated network can restrict malicious incidences and reduce the effect that intruders can have if they gain a foothold inside the network.

• Limit Unnecessary Lateral Communications

Permitting unprotected communications between colleagues involving a workstation-to-workstation situation sets up grave weaknesses. This can permit a network hacker easy access to spread their attack to multiple systems. Once penetrated, the attacker can create backdoor manipulation throughout the network. When a hacker has backdoor access, they have an easier time of maintaining their presence inside the network and keeping users from removing the intruder.

• Harden Network Devices

A basic way to boost a company’s network infrastructure security is to protect networking devices with secure designs. The best practice for a company is to implement the recommendations that government agencies, organizations, and vendors resource. Their guidance allows a business to be safe and stay within site security policies, and industry practices.

• Secure Access to Infrastructure Devices

A company can give administrative freedom to allow specific users access to data and resources that are not broadly obtainable by the general public or all employees. Limiting these administrative privileges for infrastructure tools is vital for security because hackers will infiltrate administrative privileges that are inadequately approved.

Ways to secure access for infrastructure devices include having a multi-factor authentication process to confirm a user’s identity and closely monitor and manage the user’s access.

• Perform Out-of-Band Management

Out-of-Band (OoB) management incorporates different contact paths that remotely manage your network infrastructure devices. These devoted communication paths can differ in configuration to involve areas such as physical separation and virtual tunneling. In applying for OoB access, it will strengthen your security by restricting access and dividing user traffic from the network management traffic.

• Validate The Integrity of Hardware and Software

Products purchased and downloaded through unauthorized channels are more than likely a reproduction or inferior in their use. Several media outlets have reported the use of grey market hardware and software in the workplace. Unlawful hardware and software cause the users’ information to be at risk. Because they have not been carefully tested to meet superior standards, grey market products can present risks to the network. These risks can lead to breaches in the supply chain and allow opportunities for malicious software and hardware to be installed unbeknownst to the user. Compromised hardware and software can affect the network and give away the confidential and valuable information. Companies should regularly check the integrity of software.

 

As technology continues to become more widely used in the legal sector, it is apparent that even the most traditional offices should adapt. Technological advances, however, are occurring quickly. Not all attorneys and legal support staff are equally prepared to manage these new systems themselves. They do not, necessarily, require an entire IT department. This is where the right managed services provider (MSP) can be instrumental.

Managed service providers are companies that manage their clients’ IT infrastructure remotely. These are generally set up as a subscription per-device, per-user, or all-inclusive plan. Since providers have access to sensitive information, it is vital that the decision regarding which to choose is made carefully. Consider the following before searching for the right provider.

Why Would a Law Office Benefit from Having a Managed Services Provider?

Outsourcing IT management would reduce the stress and effort of maintaining the devices and network required to run a law office. Along with streamlining the day to day operations, a managed service provider will increase efficiency. For example, it would provide the following:

• Adaptability to technological innovations
• Access to advice, knowledge, and skills
• Better business continuity and service
• Better operations
• Improved regulatory compliance
• Increased efficiency
• Increased IT security infrastructure
• Reduced costly, technology-related risks
• Streamlined operations

Although initially, it will add to the operating expenses, with the increase in efficiency it will reduce expenses over time.

Why Should Law Offices Choose an MSP with Industry Experience?

As with any service or product, the number of years it has existed indicates how well it can be expected to perform. Therefore, a more experienced provider is likely to have been tried and tested. Mistakes have already been made and solutions discovered. They have become seasoned professionals. Seeking a managed services company that has been around for a while reduces the chances that they are still figuring things out.

Be choosy. A qualified managed services provider may be capable of handling a new business with expertise. An industry-specific provider will handle it better. The legal profession is a highly-specialized vocation. It has a precise nomenclature and failure to use the correct word or phrase could result in big trouble.

An IT with legal experience is better suited to managing the services of a law office than an IT with a more general history. Choosing a provider with legal experience ensures they are able to anticipate potential issues, as well as understand the practice’s operational needs.

Why Should You Select a Provider with an In-House Network Operations Center?

Many managed service providers decrease the cost of their overhead by outsourcing their Network Operations Center (NOC). Although this may be fine for many companies, it could present problems for a heavily-regulated business like a law office. With the strict regulatory mandates, it is necessary to ensure that not only does the service provider adhere to them, but that their third-party NOC does, as well.

What Is Meant by Quality of Service When Comparing Managed Service Providers?

Determine whether potential providers outsource or handle service aspects in-house. If they handle in-house, inquire into their staffing levels. Do they have established procedures for various tasks? Do they have enough personnel to troubleshoot problems for clients?

A high-quality managed services company should also be able to have reasonable response times. They should offer accurate estimates for how long it takes for them to fix various problems that may arise in the future.

What Is the Importance of Innovation and Scalability?

Choosing a provider that adopts the most recent technology and offers the newest services ensures the office remains contemporary. An innovative IT managed services provider is able to use the latest strategies to address daily operations, as well as any potential problems that arise. This provides an edge over other, less modern law practices.

Additionally, when comparing MSPs, it is a good idea to address scalability. Like any company, a law practice is liable to grow and change. The right service provider should be able to accommodate this expansion. They should have enough experience that they can answer how they would handle these issues based on how they have in the past.

In Conclusion

Whether it’s a new practice or a well-established partnership, most law offices could benefit from hiring a managed service provider for their Information Technology. By following these suggestions, savvy lawyers can select the right provider for their needs. Along with the many other perks, it helps ensure attorneys and office support staff have more time to focus on other, more important aspects of their jobs.

 

Facebook Was Breached

Were You Or A Facebook Friend Affected?

Facebook has confirmed that more than 50 million user accounts have been breached. They made the announcement today, Friday, September 28th.  However, their engineering team discovered the security breach back on Tuesday, September 25th, 2018. They tell us that the vulnerability has been fixed and the breach was reported to the appropriate authorities.

How Did This Happen?

Hackers stole users’ access tokens through Facebook’s “view as.” This is a feature that lets you view what your profile looks like to other Facebook users. The flaw in this feature allowed hackers to take over 50 million user accounts.

If you’re like me, you may have received notices from some of your Facebook friends this week that someone took control of their accounts.  Perhaps they were affected by this breach.

What Are Access Tokens?

These are the digital keys that keep us logged in so we don’t need to re-enter our password every time we use Facebook. With this information, hackers can take over our account.

Here’s how Facebook explains what happened:

“Attackers exploited a vulnerability in Facebook’s code that impacted ‘View As,’ a feature that lets people see what their own profile looks like to someone else. This allowed them to steal Facebook access tokens which they could then use to take over people’s accounts.”

What Now?

Facebook reset the tokens of all those affected. They also logged off 40 million additional users as a precaution. If you are one of these people, you’ll need to log back in the next time you use Facebook.

According to Facebook, their investigators are in the early stages of their investigation. They are temporarily turning off the “View As” feature while they conduct a thorough security review

What Should You Do?

If you have trouble logging back into Facebook, or you forgot your password, visit Facebook’s Help Center.

If you’re like me, you take extra precautions when you hear about breaches like this.  If you want, you can visit the “Security and Login” section in Facebook settings. It lists the places where you’re logged into Facebook with a one-click option. If you choose, you can log out of them all.

The September update of Office 365 includes some major additions and changes to tools such as Microsoft Teams, PowerPoint, and Excel, just to name a few. It is important to keep up with these developments, so here is a list of the major advancements of which you need to be aware.

Microsoft Teams: Skype, Selective Do Not Disturb, Wiki App

Many users have been looking forward to the day when Skype is integrated into Microsoft Teams, and that day has finally come. You can now use Microsoft Teams for cloud-based meetings that can have up to 250 participants, powerful messaging features, and some awesome calling features.

One of the most practical additions to Microsoft Teams is to set up a selective Do Not Disturb status so that some people can still feel free to reach you (e.g., your supervisor or manager).

It’s simple to setup: Click on your avatar, Settings, Privacy, and then select the individuals who you still want to receive notifications from.

Another one of the new updates in Microsoft Teams is the Wiki app, which can be accessed through the left-hand navigation panel using the More Apps ellipsis. This app allows you to see the wiki pages you are a part of, keep track of your own private notes, and see the notes you’ve most recently been editing.

PowerPoint: Embedded Fonts

Have you ever prepared a presentation on one computer and had it looking just perfect, only to open it up on another computer and the fonts looked totally different? There is a way to keep this from happening: embedding the fonts in the PowerPoint deck when you save it.

Go to Save As > Browse > and then go to the Tools drop-down box in the bottom corner of the dialog box. In the Tools drop-down, click on Save options. Toward the bottom of the box that pops up, you will see an option to “Embed fonts in the file.” Check that box, then click OK and save as you normally would.

This option used to be only available on Windows devices, but the new update of Office 365 also makes it available on Office for Mac for Office Insiders. To access it on a Mac, go to the PowerPoint menu and click on Preferences, then Save. The Font Embedding option will be in the dialog box that appears.

Excel: Flow Integration

Microsoft Flow has been integrated with Excel, and is accessible via an Excel add-in. This will allow you to connect your data to services like Microsoft Teams, Twitter, SharePoint, Dynamics 365, Office 365, and more. You will be able to create and trigger on-demand flows for selected rows in spreadsheets that are hosted on OneDrive for Business or in SharePoint.

With this integration that uses the ‘For a selected row trigger’ and the Flow launch panel, you can create and trigger on-demand flows for selected rows in any Excel table on spreadsheets hosted in SharePoint or OneDrive for Business.

Access: Improved Visualization Tools

Users have been requesting more visualization tools for their data contained in Access, and that is exactly what Microsoft has provided. Not only have charts been made easier and more intuitive to create, but additional chart types have also been added. For power users who developed their own Active-X solutions to the challenge of creating charts for forms and reports, their solutions will continue to work.

Power BI: Export to PDF

This is another update that came about as a result of user feedback: the ability to export Power BI reports in PDF format where they can be shared with others. This will only be available in the desktop version of Power BI for right now.

Microsoft has also added an “Ask A Question” to the Power BI Desktop which will be globally available in the client. What this means is that you can use natural language queries to explore your data and allow report users to ask their own questions.

SharePoint: More Granular Control for IT Admins

In previous releases, if a group of users was not allowed to create Office 365 groups, they would be limited to creating Classic SharePoint sites. They could not create modern SharePoint sites. The new release has changed this: the IT administrator determines who can create classic SharePoint sites, who can create modern SharePoint sites, and who can create Office 365 groups.

Security

Microsoft Cloud App Security is a powerful tool that evaluates every app used in terms of industry-specific standards, compliance, and regulatory certifications. The goal of this is to make sure that your company can make informed decisions on the type of apps that are most appropriate for not only your needs, but your security. This new release also checks for GDPR compliance and can generate a C-level report on critical findings.

Conclusion

While this isn’t an exhaustive list of all the new features and changes available in the September update of Office 365, it does present the ones that are going to have the greatest impact. However, it’s always a good idea to be cognizant of new developments even if they don’t directly impact your daily work.

After decades of avoiding the use of innovative technologies, many law firms are implementing IT into their operating procedures to streamline their services. Clients have demanded more convenient interactions with their counsel. Additionally, with extensive amounts of data, firms need to keep pace with ever-changing legal regulations. They must remain in compliance and address perceived incidents rapidly. The legal sector has responded by striving to catch up with contemporary automated methods that other fields have used for years.

As with any other endeavor, some offices have adapted more quickly than others. Presented in no particular order, here are several law firms that are leaders in their use of technology.

Akerman LLP

A subscription-based product, Akerman Data Law Center uses Thomson Reuters research and Neota Logic Software to provide automated legal advice in response to data breaches. In fact, in December of 2017, former CEO Andrew Smulian was named a Top 10 North American Innovator in Financial Times.

Jackson Lewis P.C.

Jackson Lewis P.C. has more than 200 lawyers named to the 2019 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©. It has also been named by “Working Mother Magazine” as one of the “Best Law Firms for Women.” It is no surprise that the firm uses cutting-edge technology.

Jackson Lewis has developed workthruIT ®, which is an award-winning, online tool suite and digital solution to workplace regulation challenges. It also takes security seriously. The firm works with a third-party security provider to offer services to assist small and mid-sized companies. It focuses on addressing and rectifying data breaches.

Allen & Overy

Allen & Overy partnered with two other law firms to forward open standards around smart contracts through the Accord Project. Promoting collaboration between attorneys, clients, and technology companies, Fuse (the firm’s technology hub) has supported over eight start-up businesses. In fact, with its involvement in a range of legal technological improvements, it is somewhat of an incubator for innovation.

Drinker Biddle & Reath

One of the first firms to implement technology to streamline its daily operations, Drinker Biddle & Reath introduced the role of Chief Data Scientist in 2015. Since that time, it has added the following:

• Analytics for client data and business advising
• Predictive data models
• Tritura Information Governance, its own e-discovery operations

Drinker Biddle & Reath is truly one of the legal trend-setters, leading the way.

Perkins Cole LLP

Along with serving technically astute companies, such as amazon, Avvo, and Netflix, Perkins Cole LLP uses IT to improve customer service for its legal clients. The firm developed the webinar series “Understanding the Legal Implications for Artificial Intelligence,” for algorithm training. It also partnered with Elevate to create a platform for patent prosecution management. These are just a couple of ways Perkins Cole continues to push the envelope.

Baker & Hostetler

The innovative firm of Baker & Hostetler has been on the cutting-edge of technology integration. Along with its involvement in the Accord Project, which promotes open standards around smart contracts, this firm offers webinars on the following topics:

• Artificial Intelligence: How to Leverage IT in Your Legal Department
• Blockchain and the Manufacturing Industry
• GDPR Compliance – Employees, DPI Assessments, and M&A Transactions

The firm’s clients also benefit from the Ransomware Response Team that addresses cybersecurity threats.

Crowell & Moring

A committee of 11 attorneys and 40 core members of consultants and technologists work with Crowell & Moring’s Digital Transformation group. Among other areas, the firm’s expansive approach includes the following:

• Artificial intelligence
• Cybersecurity
• Robotics

The client-facing group focuses on autonomous, automated technologies to improve security and streamline processes.

Slaughter and May

A review from Chambers, U.K. in 2012 states that, “Commentators say the firm is an ideal choice for innovative and valuable work, and it is known for its ability to devise new structures to satisfy the complex needs of its clients.”

One of the first legal investors in AI, Slaughter and May entered the market with Luminanace in 2016. Since then, it has continued in a leadership role promoting the responsible deployment of AI in business. At the same time, it has grown an impressive list of law firm clients.

Winston & Strawn LLP

Choosing to take on the bulk of its operations in-house, Winston & Strawn has been handling its own e-discovery since 2015. With increased success and confidence, the firm developed a full-service consultancy. It created a data-centric practice to work its way into the analytics space. In fact, according to The American Lawyer, 30-percent of its projects are for lawyers working outside of the Winston & Strawn law firm.

In Conclusion

Some companies create technology in an effort to keep all research and discovery in-house. Others have branched out to consult and address data breaches for attorneys around the world. From building out applications for compliance to pay equity, or developing programs for streamlined communication and data maintenance, innovative legal firms are leading the way with their successful implementation of technology.

 

In today’s world, technology can be found nearly everywhere. As more advanced technology continues to pervade society, it is increasingly important to ensure proper steps are taken to keep people safe. In fact, recent efforts have been made to improve this. For example, a bill has been introduced that will set cybersecurity standards for all devices connected by the Web.

This is particularly important as the number of these products continues to increase rapidly. Additionally, innovative yet malevolent hackers find or develop new ways to take advantage of these weaknesses. This often results in a security breach, loss of productivity, and even financial manipulation, etc.

As with many policies, including ones regulating transparency and protecting privacy, once again California leads the way. The bill easily passed through the Senate. Once it is signed by democratic Governor Jerry Brown (if, and when it is), this will be the first state to pass laws that govern the security of the “Internet of Things.”

What Is the Internet of Things?

Coined in the 1990s, the phrase “Internet of Things” (IoT) refers to the system of connections of seemingly benign items in your home or office, or on your person that use the Internet. These do not include devices like computers or smartphones, which obviously use the Internet. Instead, it is the network of devices, appliances, vehicles, and other items that have actuators, connectors, electronics, sensors, and software installed.

Examples of IoT devices include the following:

• Baby monitors
• Driverless car or truck
• Fitness bands
• Lightbulb controlled by a Smartphone app
• Motion sensor
• Smart thermostat
• Smartwatches
• Some toys
• Webcams
• Small appliances

IoT creates opportunities for the appliance or device to connect and exchange data without human interaction. This makes their use very convenient, as it allows them to have more direct interaction with the physical world.

Unfortunately, this also leaves them vulnerable to the attack of malicious hackers.

Years ago, crowd-sourcing cybersecurity firm Bugcrowd’s founder Casey Ellis warned, “It’s important for [Internet of Things] vendors who haven’t prioritized security to take this escalating series of attacks as a wake-up call. We’re entering a period where there could be a very real, calculable, and painful impact upon having insecure products.” California lawmakers are finally taking note.

How Is California Leading the Way to Better Cybersecurity?

The new California bill will require manufacturers to install “a reasonable security feature or features” into all connected devices. It also specifies that these items have passwords that can be reprogrammed by the owner to improve security. Most products are not currently equipped with these safeguards.

What Are the Three Outstanding Complaints about the Bill?

There are several aspects of the bill that naysayers take issue with. The first complaint about the bill is that it may increase the cost of products and suppress innovation more than it actually helps. Any time new standards are required, this is the first issue to be mentioned. Although this usually increases the cost initially, it typically decreases over time.

The second potential problem is that it mandates the addition of security features rather than removing a product’s vulnerabilities. This is like putting a bandage on a wound rather than ensuring the wound does not occur at all. It would be better to remove weaknesses than to try to shore them up.

The third issue is that the ambiguous wording of the bill does little to cause real change. It is said that only the most basic automated threats would be prevented. Perhaps a better solution would be to provide clear standards. Manufacturers would be able to follow these standards, as well as verify that they have been met.

How Would New Federal Regulations Be Better?

The federal government is also considering new cybersecurity regulations regarding IoT. The Internet of Things Cybersecurity Improvement Act would require any company that does business with the federal government to improve their products’ security. They would need to have changeable passwords, be patchable, and be free of known vulnerabilities.

Securing the IoT Act would mandate that the Federal Communications Commission develop standards that wireless equipment would need to meet to become certified.

Although the need for federal standards received bipartisan support, neither of these regulations is gaining steam in Congress. If the bill in California passes, it may provide the incentive to discuss this more seriously on a federal level. Once again, the west coast will lead the way.

In Conclusion

At this time, the wording for what constitutes “appropriate” security procedures is too ambiguous. For example, it does not address the various functions and nature of specific devices. Plus, there is no method for verifying whether the manufacturer took the necessary security precautions.

However, as tech-forward devices proliferate homes and businesses, it is increasingly important to improve their security. Ultimately, if manufacturers must adhere to California laws regarding cybersecurity, consumers throughout the country will benefit.

Online security is something that should get everyone’s attention. Threats exist all around us: ransomware, viruses, spyware, social engineering attacks and more. There’s so much you need to know to keep your personal and business information safe.

 

But… where do you start?

As trusted cybersecurity professionals, we want to help you get educated and stay informed. That’s why during National Cybersecurity Awareness Month our goal is to give you all the information you need to stay secure.

How can we help?

We’ll be sharing valuable and timely information on cybersecurity in blogs, in our newsletter, and on all of your favorite social media sites.

What should you do?

You can also give us a call for personalized solutions by subscribing to our exclusive mailing list.

Being cybersecurity aware means that you understand what the threats are and take precautions to prevent them.

Here are some important reminders:

• Never give out your password. Don’t share it over the phone either. You never know who’s listening.
• Don’t click on links that are sent to you via unsolicited emails or from someone you don’t know.
• Use complex passwords that are difficult to guess and use different ones for different programs and computer devices.
• Don’t reveal your personal, business or financial information in emails.
• Don’t respond to email solicitations.
• Keep software, browsers and operating systems up to date, so they stay free of vulnerabilities.
• Encrypt your files to ensure unauthorized people can’t access them.
• Be careful when using public Wi-Fi networks – don’t conduct sensitive activities like banking or shopping with credit cards on public Wi-Fi.
• Remember your physical surroundings and don’t leave your computer devices unattended in public or easy-to-access areas.
• Only use websites that begin with “https://” when visiting online shopping, banking or other sites where you will be entering your private information.
• Keep your online presence private. Don’t publish your email address online in social network sites.

What else should you watch out for?

Malicious Emails – These typically come in the form of a request from a trustworthy organization like a financial institution.

The email may urge you to act quickly, saying that your account has been compromised or a request can’t be fulfilled. The purpose of the email is to get you to provide confidential information to rob you of your money or identity credentials.

Take precautions and contact the company directly to see if the email is legitimate.

When you search for the company, don’t use any information in the message. Perform your own search online.

Ransomware – This is a type of malware that accesses your files and locks (encrypts) then demands payment to unlock them.

It’s not suggested that you pay the ransom as this is not a guarantee that you’ll get your files back.

Hopefully, you have a secure, offsite copy of all your files so you can recover your data.

Viruses – These are harmful computer programs that can be transmitted from device to device.

Viruses operate in different ways but they are all designed to create havoc, and some provide criminals access to data on infected devices.

If your computer acts irregularly, report this to your supervisor right away. This could be caused by a virus.

Spyware – Spyware downloads onto your devices without your permission when you visit an unsafe website or click on a malicious attachment.

It can make your computer do things like open advertisements or even track your online movements.

Botnets – These are networks of computers that get infected by malware. The criminals can remotely control these botnets to gain confidential or financial information or launch an attack on your network.

Spam – This is like getting junk mail but by email. These are unsolicited and unwanted.

Phishing – This is where a criminal sends an email that contains a malicious link to collect personal or financial data or to infect your computer with malware and viruses.

Spear phishing is where the criminal uses attacks against specific targets to collect information to gain access to IT systems or a list of customers.

Spam and phishing messages aren’t limited to email. They also appear on social media sites and in text messages. Think before you act and adopt the motto: “When in doubt, throw it out!”

What to do if you become a victim of cybercrime?

• Report it to the appropriate people in your organization, including your network administrator.
• If you think your financial account was compromised, contact your financial institution immediately and close your account.
• Watch for any unauthorized charges in your bank or credit card accounts.

Need more help?

We’re here for you.

These are just some of the protections and service we can offer:

• Vulnerability Scanning & Assessments
• Data Loss Prevention
• 24/7 Remote Monitoring & Mitigation For Cyber Threats
• A Managed Secure Firewall
• Multi-Factor Authentication
• A Security Operations Centers with Network and Endpoint Security Monitoring
• Log Correlation and Monitoring
• Endpoint Encryption
• Identification and Reconfiguration of Improperly Configured Security Solutions
• Secure Wireless Configurations
• Quarterly Vulnerability Remediation Efforts
• IT Security Planning and Milestones
• Strategic Planning for IT Security
• Incident Response Management
• Breach Notification Alerts
• Backup Solutions to ensure you’ll always have access to your data
• Security Awareness Training for your employees, so they don’t accidentally expose your organization to cybercrime

We hope this helps. Remember, we’ll be posting timely cybersecurity information for you in our Blogs, newsletters and more.

More than ever, it is necessary for legal professionals to remain digitally connected. As technological advances are made, attorneys and support staff should endeavor to remain up-to-date. This means staying current by investing in the newest generations of digital devices, including phones. With so many options, however, it can be difficult to select the one that is right according to personal preferences and a given situation. Even within the same brand, there is a range of models, each sporting a variety of features and selling points.

To choose which is the right one for your law practice, where the stakes are higher than for many professions, it is important to conduct a thorough investigation. Then, compare the top options. With better-than-average performance, the iPhone XR and the iPhone XS from Apple are two of the top contenders. Here are their similarities, as well as a few of the primary ways they differ.

How Do the Displays of the iPhone XR and iPhone XS Compare?

Although it is considered an entry-level device, the iPhone XR features the larger display. It is 6.1-inches, as opposed to the 5.8-inch screen for the XS. It has a “Liquid Retina LCD” screen, which offers better picture quality and colors than previous generations. With 1792 x 828 pixels and 326 “pixels per inch” (ppi), though, it is not as impressive as the XS.

The iPhone XS has 2436 x 1125 pixels and 458 ppi. Therefore, it provides a higher resolution and a more colorful display. In fact, it is the next generation of edge-to-edge “organic light-emitting diode” (OLED) phones.

Both have screens that are nearly edge-to-edge.

Which Has a Better Battery-Life and Charging Capabilities?

Both phones are able to charge wirelessly with a Qi charging pad. They are also both able to be charged to 50-percent within 30 minutes when using certain fast-charging accessories. There, the similarities between the battery capabilities of the two end.

The battery life of the iPhone XR is one of its most attractive features. It advertises 25 hours of talk-time per charge or 15 hours of Internet use. The XS, however, promises 20 hours of talk time and 12 hours of Internet use per charge. This is still a respectful amount, but it is considerably less. When the battery life is a primary consideration, the XR may be the phone of choice.

What Are the Best Aspects of the New Processors?

The iPhone XR and XS both benefit from the inclusion of Apple’s most recent processor, the A12 Bionic. They feature two high-performance CPU cores that are 15-percent faster than previous generations. They also have four low-power cores that improve the energy-efficiency by 50-percent. The four GPU cores improve the graphics performance by up to 50-percent, as well.

Although they are nearly identical in processing power, the iPhone XS has a bit of an edge. It is reported to have 4 GB of RAM compared to the XR’s 3 GB.

How Is the Memory of Each?

This is one of the primary aspects in which the iPhone XS is superior. The XR offers three different internal storage choices. They are as follows:

• 64 GB
• 128 GB
• 256 GB

The XS provides much more. It also has three choices:

• 64 GB
• 256 GB
• 512 GB

So, where the XR tops out at 256 GB, the XS’s largest storage option is 512 GB. This provides a considerable advantage for individuals, such as those in the legal field, who store large files and require a considerable amount of storage.

What Are the Improvements in Cameras and Security?

The cameras on both phones operate with Apple’s “Smart HDR” feature. This uses the A12 Bionic chip to integrate several images into one highly-detailed photograph. They both also offer “portrait mode” and “portrait lighting.”

The iPhone XR retains the single rear wide-angle camera with 12 megapixels and optical image stabilization previous models were known for.

The XS, however, doubles that. It includes a dual rear wide-angle camera system with telephoto and wide angle cameras. Each of which offers 12 megapixels and optical image stabilization. This is definitely a benefit when trying to capture the “big picture.”

In Conclusion

Finally, the appearance and construction may be the ultimate deciding factor for some lawyers. Although the color of the body can be camouflaged by use of a protective case, the XR comes in a wider range of options. It is available in black, blue, coral, red, yellow, and white where the XS comes only in silver, gold, and space gray.

If sturdiness is a primary consideration, the frame of the iPhone XR is aluminum. The XS, however, boasts a stainless-steel construction. This means that it will last as long as it needs to, or at least until the next generation is released.

 

Modern retailers are focusing on how to combine the best of both worlds: online and in-store, digital and physical. One of the major aspects of this “best of both worlds” is communication. And Microsoft offers many of the tools you need to improve the different levels of communication so you can remain both competitive and agile in the modern retail landscape.

Levels of Communication in Modern Retail

There are various levels of communication in contemporary retail:

• Consumers communicate with stores
• The head office communicates with suppliers and store managers
• Store managers communicate with suppliers, and consumers, but not so much with the head office
• The suppliers communicate with stores, but not so much with the head office
• Store managers communicate with store associates

Improved communication brings benefits in the form of productivity, innovation, and better morale. But how can communication be improved?

Microsoft’s Approach to Communication

Instead of providing a single approach to communication for all levels of a retail business, Microsoft aims to provide the right capabilities to the right people.

For example, it is natural that managers would use a different communication tool to share ideas with other managers that they would use to share policy updates with associates and staff. It is also critical that managers and associates are only provided access to the information they really need. Otherwise, they run the risk of being distracted from their job or being exposed to so much that they begin to ignore everything, including what they do need to know.

As a more real-world example, the portal (or view) that an associate would work with to access what they need is typically more action-oriented and focuses on providing them quick access to data and updates that directly pertain to them. There is usually very little time available to train associates on core products, much less get them up-to-speed on using productivity and communication tools. That means the simpler and more intuitive the associate portal is, the better. When using Microsoft tools, such an associate view is facilitated by SharePoint Online through Office 365.

Microsoft Office 365

In modern retail, it is vital that business owners, executives, managers have access to the very latest information. The challenge is making sure they still have that access while spending more time on the store floor with both customers and associates. The latest information not only includes sales numbers and the like but best practices.

Office 365, as opposed to on-premises Office installations, has proven to be a powerful tool to support these goals. Microsoft and Forrester teamed together to determine the economic impact that the Office 365 suite of tools has had on retail businesses, and their findings indicated:

• Better connections with their workforce
• Increased sales
• Floor feedback
• Improves the dissemination of best practices
• Provides anytime, anywhere access to key information
• Collaboration made much easier

These gains were achieved through the use of Office 365 features such as document sharing, email, and enterprise social media.

Enterprise Social Media: Yammer

Communication with employees in far too many retail settings remains paper-based and often tied to a bulletin board sitting in a dusty back room Even emails are often printed out and posted on a board. This method is antiquated, and doesn’t take into account the digital prowess of the new generation of retail employees. There is potential for the use of enterprise social apps to better engage employees, and facilitate the sharing of information such as ideas, campaigns, and promotions. Microsoft’s solution to enterprise social apps is Yammer and it is used by over 85% of Fortune 500 companies.

Enterprise Video Capabilities

These days, people do much of their learning, sharing, and consuming via video. This is equally as true for retail customers as it is for retail management and associates. Enterprise video tools make it easy to upload and share videos (which could be about anything from best practices to policy changes).

This type of communication is not just top-down from headquarters to store managers, but can be shared among store managers or with associates. This allows people to share new ideas, distribute common messages, and communicate their own opinions and feedback on the videos. The Microsoft Office 365 platform now provides enterprise video capabilities.

Conclusion

Many major retailers have made the switch to Office 365, including well-known names such as Pandora, Game Stop, Tesco, Godiva, Starbucks, and Red Robin. The smart use of communication tools such as OneDrive, Yammer, Skype, and SharePoint have enabled both large and small retailers to drastically improve communication at all levels of the company.

These improvements in communication do lead to better sales. Training is faster, timely information reaches the right people, and employees are no longer overloaded with information that doesn’t pertain to them. Managers can share key information with other managers far more easily, such as customer feedback about new products and services. More positive work gets done with less stress and that’s a win-win for consumers and retailers.