Ulistic Projects Blog

Is Your Organization Protected Against These IoT Exploit Risks?

In a changing digital environment, is your business keeping up with risk management?

The modern workforce is more connected and dynamic than ever before. Digital communication continues to dominate the way businesses get work done. This digital transformation has helped professionals of all kinds make huge strides to get work done faster and from anywhere. Additionally, the Internet of Things (IOT) has made office management and operational efficiency easier than ever.

However, this transformation has come increased risk. In order to provide anywhere, anytime access to business data, organizations are using more devices and in turn, have created more access points to their company networks. Though employees may be able to work from anywhere and through office operations are streamlined, the risks to IT security have undoubtedly increased.

Increased access and IoT streamlining are amazing technological developments that organizations should definitely be taking advantage of. However, with increased access points comes increased risk of cyber attacks of all kinds. In this new age of increasing connection, organizations would be smart to get informed about IoT risks and develop proactive strategies for patching holes and addressing vulnerabilities.

Defining IoT: What is The Internet of Things?

First things first, some may be wondering: what in the world is the “Internet of Things” (IoT). Though it may sound like part of a futuristic sci-fi movie, it actually involves the process of connecting and integrating everyday objects such as tech devices on internet networks. IoT involves the various range of devices that can now be connected to a business network and integrated with other connected devices.

Computers, smartphones, tablets– these are the obvious ones that most businesses use and rely on daily. However, IoT involves a much more expansive range of devices from all corners of an organizations operations. That SmartTV or SmartBoard in your conference room? The new, digital thermostats that allow you to remotely control the office temperature? Your security cameras or digital lock system? All of these modern devices represent access points that leave you vulnerable to cyber invasion.

Securing an IoT Network: Considerations and Challenges

So, with such an expansive network of potential access, security in the IoT age must be a top priority for businesses and organizations of all kinds. Gone are the days of simple firewalls and password protocols. While these things are still critically important, IT security strategies must be much more sophisticated if they’re to stand a chance against increased cyber risk.

Without a strategic and proactive approach to IoT security, your organization can and will be left open to threats you never would have considered. For instance, consider the case of the high-profile casino whose network was hacked via a fish tank thermostat! Yes, that sort of thing is now possible and hackers are taking every opportunity to break through the weakest security areas and wreak havoc in your network.

However, there’s no denying that trying to lock down and manage a growing number of network access points is no easy task. This is especially difficult when more and more businesses are greenlighting bring-your-own-device (BYOD) models. Each of these is another access point where cybercriminals can now infiltrate your computer network.

The only way to get a handle on more proactive and all-encompassing network security is to take inventory of all the access points you need to protect. This will include the basics, like company-owned computers and phones, but should also include the wider range of devices used in your office including thermostats, security systems, employee and visitor devices, etc.

The IoT Exploits You Haven’t Considered: Securing Your Digital Headquarters from All Angles

For context, let’s break down some of the key weak spots that are often missed as business professionals attempt to secure their networks. Take a minute to think. Can you think of all the potential devices or access points that exist in relation to your company network? Our guess is that even if you can, you may be missing some. Further, even if you can think of them all, can you say for sure that each access point is completely monitored and secured?

Check out these leading IoT exploits that could be keeping your organization vulnerable:

Tablets

Tablets have revolutionized the computer in the business space. They’re portable, convenient, and can be used for a variety of purposes. Many employees bring them to meetings for taking notes. More and more, organizations are relying on tablets to help them get work done faster and more efficiently.

Tablets can be found in conference rooms, emergency rooms, and in the briefcases of remote workers. Often, tablets function as a mission control port from which audio-visual systems can be controlled or team meetings can be logged and recorded. However, though tablets have become second nature, their connection to your network make them ports for potential cyber invasion.

If your organization uses tablets, you must treat them like any other computer in the office. Their use should be subject to access control and their connection to the larger network should be secured. This means tablets should be subject to monitoring in the same way that computers and smartphones are. If a device is connected to your network, it must be considered a potential open-door for cybercriminals.

SmartTVs

Speaking of conference rooms, SmartTVs and SmartBoards are quickly replacing the AV equipment of the past. Sleek presentations can be displayed on these devices in hopes of making business meetings more interactive, integrated, and engaging. This has been a great boardroom improvement; however, the increased risk must not be ignored.

SmartTVs are connected to your company network and often have a connection to the public internet for easy searching and browsing. Even worse? SmartTVs are notorious for having less-than-ideal security protocols. This can leave a gaping hole in an organization’s network security. In fact, there have been cases of SmartTV malware hacks where the infected TV attempts to infect any connected device in its range. This can have catastrophic effects for your network.

So, be sure to include all your organization’s ‘smart’ devices in your security inventory. If you rely on a SmartTV for regular meetings or use a SmartBoard to upload company data to the network, these devices must be secured. The last thing you want is a cybercriminal listening in on company meetings or holding your network hostage thanks to an unsecured SmartTV.

Security Cameras

Organizations of all shapes and sizes rely on security monitoring to keep a constant eye on company property and office space. In the spirit of the digital transformation, most security cameras are now IP-based and are connected to company internet networks. They’re cost-effective and offer Cloud-storage and web-streaming features.  

Security cameras are supposed to help keep your organization safe, right? That’s obvious. However, these digital security cameras present a unique problem. Because the security feeds can be accessed via the web, they’re easy prey for malicious hackers. Countless stories have hit recent headlines about hacks on company webcams or security cameras that allowed remote spying.

Even worse, some hackers are attempting to infect the camera itself in hopes of getting inside the network to cause trouble. Just like with the SmartTV, security cameras can be hacked and infected with malware. The infection can spread to other connected and in-range devices. This could be devastating for your organization.

If your company relies on a digital security monitoring system, be sure to give it the top-notch security it deserves. The ease and peace of mind offered by anytime access to your security feed are tempting. However, if you’re going to take this approach, you must make sure these endpoints are secured and reserved for your eyes only.

Healthcare Devices

It must be noted that the corporate business world isn’t the only place where IoT devices are dominating. The healthcare sector is evolving, adopting more and more digitized healthcare devices than ever before.

X-ray and MRI machinery are continually becoming digitally connected. Electronic Medical Record (EMR) software is changing the way patient data is stored and shared. Heart-rate monitors and fitness trackers are personal health devices that can connect to networks wherever they go. In fact, most healthcare environments have a 10-1 ratio of IoT devices to computers – meaning that IoT attacks are much more likely in the healthcare setting.

Even worse? Many of these healthcare IoT devices run on old or outdated versions of Windows, making them more vulnerable to new and worsening cyber threats. With outdated operating systems, patches and loophole fixes are harder to implement. This means that critical healthcare devices like MRI machines can be subject to widespread attacks like the 2017 WannaCry hack.

For healthcare professionals, ensuring that devices are secure can be a huge challenge. Especially when considering the heavy weight of patient confidentiality and regulatory standards. Healthcare professionals and their IT teams must be consistent and diligent in their efforts to control access and secure IoT devices.

Unauthorized Network Bridge

Take a second to think about the day-to-day operations in your office. You likely use a printer semi-regularly and its likely set up wirelessly over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. This is a no-brainer for most modern businesses as it makes it more convenient for anyone on the team to access printing services anytime, without requiring a physical connection to the network.

However, as is the trend with IoT, often it’s the things that make life easier that also open your organization to increased risk. Printers are especially dangerous because many larger entities have a huge number of printers wirelessly connected to the broader network. This leaves a massive security hole and offers the potential for any in-range device to use the printer as an unauthorized network bridge.

So, while your company printers may seem like the last thing you need to worry about in terms of network security, think again. To patch these security holes, make sure that each printer in your office is a monitored and secured device among all other network devices.

Protection of Gas Distribution Facilities

Okay. We’ve covered business and healthcare, but what about the increasing digital transformation in the manufacturing and utility industries? Industrial IoT is continuing to drive efficiency in these sectors. Using connected devices like sensors, valves, and other control mechanisms make remote control easier and optimize production.

However, these devices are very enticing to hackers and cybercriminals. And, given the nature of the work these industries do, the potential impacts from hacks on connected devices can be devastating and even fatal. Manufacturing and utilities do not make IoT security a priority and these devices were not designed with security in mind. As such, the manufacturing devices are difficult to patch and update, meaning even greater risk for the organizations using them daily.

In order for manufacturing professionals to prevent deadly hacks or mischief, these IoT devices must be secured at all endpoints. A good rule of thumb for manufacturers is to give every device a second glance. In fast-moving industries that have been subject to wide-spread digitization, analyzing all the technology in use and making sure everything is adequately secured is critical to larger network security.

Rogue Network Stealing Credentials

Finally, the modern office is subject to one wide-reaching risk. Most organizations these days – especially those with public spaces – are equipped with multiple wireless access points for user connection. Additionally, many modern devices are designed to connect automatically to the closest and best available network. Further, when faced with choosing a network, wireless users will usually opt for the strongest looking connection.

Sophisticated cybercriminals have learned to exploit this wireless activity by creating phony wireless access points in hopes of duping users into connecting. This offers hackers the opportunity to invade connected devices and get their hands on confidential data and user credentials.

If your organization offers access to a wireless network, be wary of this potential spoofing tactic. Do whatever you can to secure your wireless network and create a guest connection for visiting users who don’t need access to your larger network. Be open and honest with your team about wireless connection protocols and train them to be vigilant when connecting to wireless networks on business devices.

Navigating the New Cyber Landscape: Security for Today’s Digital Environments

There’s no denying this is a lot of information to take in and it represents some critical security concerns for you to consider. We get it! All this information can be seriously overwhelming, especially with new devices and tech developments happening at lightning speed. However, as challenging as it may seem, it doesn’t have to be impossible or daunting.

As mentioned, the key is keeping a detailed inventory of what devices are connected to your network and maintaining a record of all access points. Additionally, your organization should have key policies and procedures in place regarding network security and access control management.

Clearly posted expectations for employees is imperative, as is ongoing training for them. Employees must be reminded often of the importance of maintaining the security of your organization. Stay on top of employee training. Make sure your team understands the significance of securing the company network at all endpoints. It’s especially important to provide training for your staff in higher positions, such as managers, supervisors … even those in the boardroom.

Make it a priority to develop a plan for staying on top of the continually evolving digital business climate. Being proactive and consistent will help ensure that your organization stays alert and up-to-date when it comes to risk management.

Finally, when in doubt, reach out to a managed IT services partner for consultation and guidance about navigating the IoT landscape and managing risks with efficiency and focus. IT security concerns can seem much less daunting with the experience and expertise of an industry professional in your corner.

Customer Data Safe Even as CareSync Shuts Down, Laying Off All Employees

It is the end of the road for a promising tech startup CareSync following the discontinuation of the company’s operations on June 21, 2018. As cybersecurity enthusiasts, what lessons can we learn from the way CareSync is handling customer data at this far end of its 7 years of service?

What happened?

It all started with the departure of CareSync founder and CEO Travis Bond that came without warning. Several rounds of layoffs followed – the company was downsizing to avert an imminent course to its deathbed, but this yielded little success.

A ray of hope

In an attempt to salvage the sinking company and restore its financial footing, the interim CEO Bob Crutchfield agreed to sell the tech firm to Shipt, a grocery delivery company. Shipt founder Bill Smith and his family would buy and fully own the company. It looked like the deal would move forward in what he (Smith) termed as a “very significant financial commitment to the company… to build this company for the long-term.”

Failed rescue mission  

This deal flopped, according to information from both CareSync and Shipt. “After 7 years of working tirelessly and closely with our stakeholders to deliver best-in-class chronic care management products and services, CareSync has discontinued its business operations and closed its facilities in Tampa and Wauchula, Florida.” This statement was posted on the CareSync.com website June 21, 2018.

Statements from CareSync revealed that its leadership had made their best efforts to find strategic partners and raise the much-needed extra capital that would help keep the tech startup on is feet. However, these attempts were ultimately unsuccessful – partly due to time constraints, according to the CEO of Shipt.

“A syndicate of investors, including the Smith Family Office, had intentions to acquire CareSync,” Smith said in a statement. “We were hopeful that our support could save the company and would ultimately lead to a successful outcome for everyone involved, including the employees.” He added this: “Unfortunately, the company ran out of time.”

CareSync chief operating officer Joy Powell confirmed this unfortunate turn of events in a final statement that accompanied the filing of a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification to the state of Florida. The contents of this notification indicated that all of the company’s 292 employees were being laid off as of Thursday, June 21.

With these announcements, the IT operations that had helped enterprise customers with the management of their medical records for seven years came to a screeching halt. CareSync, which became operational sometime in 2011 and combined technology with data and other services to improve people’s care coordination, would no longer serve these patients who had depended on them.

The Florida-based healthcare technology provider ended all business operations and closed its doors to a huge community of customers following the unsuccessful attempt at selling the company as a last-minute resort to prevent it from shutting down.

The company’s main phone line would then stop accepting calls, with a prerecorded message explaining the situation to callers. In the process, the defunct tech firm provided its former Medicare clients with an online platform to help them keep all of their medical records, appointments, and prescription schedules in a single place. Its message also indicated that the patient portal would remain operational for some time.

Not everything is lost

If CareSync’s assurance is anything to go by, the consumer data in its possession will remain safely protected within its servers and accessible to its members and customers. Apparently, the tech company had taken the necessary security measures around this data to keep it safe even as the company came to a complete shutdown and ceased all operations.

People have questions though – and justly so.

What will happen over the coming weeks or months? Who will be managing the patient portal that has remained accessible to customers and shareholders?

Will it remain secure for the long run? Does CareSync intend to invest additional resources in their cybersecurity software now that their IT solutions are no longer available? And what guarantees do the people whose data is at stake have?

Now that this closure is public knowledge, could hackers take advantage of the situation and start targeting the data stored in this patient portal?

These are all tough questions and it may be difficult to get the answers that consumers are looking for. No one wants to think that their personal information and medical history is out there in cyberspace where criminals could steal it. Unfortunately, CareSync has run out of money and may not be able to provide the excellent cyber security protection that their former customers deserve.

Conclusion

When choosing any tech solutions provider, be sure to do your homework to be certain that you are working with the right people. What is their technology like? What is their track record? What measures are they putting in place to ensure the complete safety of your data? Only after you get the right answers to these concerns should you allow yourself to settle for their service – but not a minute before.

The Cloud is a type of advanced technology that allows information or data to be stored online. In the healthcare industry, patient records and data are stored in the Cloud because it’s much more convenient; data is accessible from any device or location.

This information may include clinical information, patient diagnoses, test results, pharmacy information, patient billing, and much more. Obviously, there are a number of advantages to using the Cloud, but also many challenges. For instance, having millions of patient records in the Cloud poses a threat from hackers. They’ve become quite good at infiltrating even the best Internet security programs. It’s scary to think that cyber thieves have the healthcare information of any individual, much fewer millions of people. Therefore, issues of security are of paramount consideration when healthcare organizations consider the Cloud as a way of managing the data of their patients and clients.

Any good innovation has its pros and cons. This article will outline a few advantages and issues with using Cloud Computing in the healthcare industry.

Advantages of Cloud Computing to the Health Care Industry

Collaboration

The Cloud makes it possible for people to share information in real-time. Sometimes doctors do consultations with specialists on the phone. But imagine this, using the Cloud, a panel of neurosurgeons can have discussions in real-time from wherever they are! Information is shared instantly. Everyone can voice their opinion. Important topics can be discussed just as if the whole panel of doctors was gathered in a briefing room at a hospital. This is truly incredible when you think about it. This saves time and money, plus it allows specialists to come together and talk about important research or a specific medical case that has baffled doctors. This method is much more effective and convenient than exchanging emails or talking on the phone.

Another scenario is where a patient needs prescription drugs from a store but cannot get them without a doctor giving out the prescription. The pharmacist can dispatch patient information using cloud features and a patient can get the prescription without having to go to their doctor. This will clearly save time and money for everyone.

Speed

Most of the Cloud-based tools can be upgraded and improved quickly. It doesn’t cost a lot to do this. While the system is upgrading, there is minimum interruption; you might not even notice it. Important information such as a patient’s recent test results can be given priority to gain even faster access.

Mobility

The fact that cloud tools can be installed on any smart device ensures that anytime anywhere, a healthcare provider can dispatch information about a patient. In the future, doctors will see their patients in a virtual setting that is enabled by Cloud technology. Doctors will be able to stay in touch with their patients. All patient information can be quickly accessed, giving the patient a fast, convenient way to “see the doctor” without having to leave home.

This is possible right now with Cloud technology. Phones and tablets can be used just the same as a computer. The service care provider and staff could also work from any location since they are able to access information in the Cloud. Someday, it may not be necessary for a doctor to have an actual office to work from.

Security and Privacy

As already discussed above, patient data must always be protected by the strongest possible measures. This part of patient care is just as important as saving lives. It must be kept completely secure. The Cloud has many strategies and plans in place that ensure the security of patient data. There are standards set by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Today’s medical practices must comply with HIPAA regulations. This means that healthcare providers are using the most up-to-date security solutions to guard and protect patient data.

Affordable

Cloud computing providers undertake the task of installing software, as well as its maintenance. Outsourced IT providers typically offer plans that include all upgrades, security, and maintenance so that the healthcare institution and doctors don’t have to worry about spending extra money and time on this. Most healthcare providers simply don’t have the time, expertise, or staff to perform all these tasks on their own. They need an IT specialist who can guarantee that all the big and small issues are addressed on a regular basis. This keeps everything running like clockwork and helps to prevent data breaches.

Cyber thieves are now targeting hospitals and doctors because the data they can steal is so valuable. It can be sold on the Dark Web for a handsome profit.

Wrap Up

Healthcare services are generally geared towards improving service delivery to patients. The technology is now available to give everyone good care at an affordable price. With the Cloud, there are many benefits and a few challenges, the major one being security. However, the Cloud is affordable, fast, efficient, reliable, and secure when managed correctly and this is exactly what the healthcare industry needs today.

Should a Business Place the CFO in Charge of IT?

The work of a Chief Financial Officer in a business organization is to manage the finances, record keeping, manage financial risks, prepare financial reports, and give general financial advice. Information and Technology, on the other hand, is the department that is in charge of designing, operating, and maintaining the IT infrastructure of the organization. So where do these two critical departments intertwine in the management of the affairs of a business organization?

Why is it important to separate the two departments?

This question can only be addressed properly by having a quick overview of the functions of the IT department in an organization.

Functions of the IT Department

Some businesses have their IT department run by the CFO because they think that the IT department is more or less a wing of the finance department. This thinking may be derived from years past where companies didn’t have a large IT department and no one really understood the work that IT experts were doing.

That was way before technology took a leap to this current era where IT departments are responsible for services such as storing data, online platforms, website management, social media, and all related functions. This scenario clearly shows that the functions of IT have evolved into a massive effort to keep the company website running smoothly and protect customer and company assets. Since the website is the face of most companies now, this is a crucial aspect of doing business in a global economy.

Connection with the Outside World

Truth be told, most of what we learn and know about a given business organization is the information that can be viewed at websites and other online platforms. The profile of almost all companies is found on their web page. There you will learn things about when it was incorporated and who is in charge of various departments. The addresses of the head office and branches, if any, are there on the website, along with achievements, awards, upcoming events, press releases, and so much more.

Links are there to all social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. These assets form an organization’s direct link with their customers. For instance, if a business is portrayed in a bad light by the media, they use their social media platforms to clarify issues so that they can restore the confidence of the different stakeholders and prospective customers. When introducing new products into the market, businesses opt to use social media to launch them. These are all vital tasks that take place every day for most companies.

Storage of Company Data

Long gone are the days when data was stored in large physical files using paper copies of documents. This method came with many disadvantages. Government buildings would frequently run out of storage space. The sheer amount of paper and ink used was massive. Retrieving documents was tricky at best. If someone misfiled an important document, the staff might have to search for days to locate it. Those days are gone with online data storage. Now a company can store enormous amounts of information and retrieve the records almost instantly.

Privacy and Security

With all the good things associated with a modern IT department, certainly, there are a few challenges here and there. Now that all our data is stored online or in the Cloud, it’s available to cyber thieves. Most of them have special hacking skills that can break through the best defenses.

Security breaches can totally cripple a business and bring it to its knees. Information that healthcare organizations store is very sensitive. It can be devastating for any company to undergo a security breach, but healthcare is especially vulnerable.

The IT Department is tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that security breaches don’t happen at all and if they do occur, they are detected as soon as possible. The IT department must be vigilant in protecting a company’s data. It’s a full-time job.

Updates

Technology keeps on evolving to better serve us and this is where the IT department comes in. They consistently stay aware of security threats. They install system upgrades and train the staff on how the new upgrades are applied. They must make sure the company website works properly and all service issues are dealt with right away. If customers can’t shop or perform tasks on your website, then they’ll just go someplace else.

Should the CFO do IT work?

Given the above overview of the functions of an IT department, it is clear that the Chief Financial Officer cannot adequately deliver or even oversee most IT work. The main and only function of a CFO should be overseeing company finances. Of course, they must be consulted if the IT department needs newer equipment, hardware, or software. These expenses can be hard to budget for but they’re very crucial to maintain a thriving online presence.

Wrap Up

The financial transactions of most business organizations nowadays rest with the CFO and his department while the IT department handles servers, computers, internet security and the company’s online presence. Only IT experts are equipped to manage these tasks efficiently. The CFO should be there to facilitate financial assistance and receive reports, but not be involved directly in the IT work. Organizations should ensure that these two departments have their roles distinctly separate and well laid out.

Healthcare practitioners such as doctors and specialists rely on information systems to diagnose and intervene in a variety of clinical conditions and settings. Recently, technology has allowed corporations to integrate cloud-based innovations to bring about the needed efficiency in the development of sustainable growth among healthcare institutions.

Increasingly, users of healthcare services have showcased a trend towards the adoption of innovative solutions such as the combination of information in the management of information and the collection of patient data.

However, there are still concerns about the adoption level of cloud-based computing systems in small and medium-sized healthcare organizations. The risks associated with data loss or breach exceeds the economic capabilities of these companies. In this regard, this article outlines some of the uses of cloud-based computing tools to doctors emphasizing the economic return on investing in these types of systems.

Among the uses of cloud-based computing tools discussed herein, we discuss data storage, collaborative cloud computing, and cloud-based management systems.

Facts About Data storage

Data storage needs serve a variety of purposes for doctors and their staff. Generally, cloud storage serves the interests of doctors in the collection and preservation of patient data for follow-up and future consultation purposes.

Specifically, doctors must refer back to the data provided by patients to continue offering reliable treatment options. There’s no way they can remember every piece of information about each patient. They rely on their records to keep track of patients, their health, and they’re treatment options. This allows them to offer evidence-based treatments for ongoing patient care.

Cloud storage has become a good option for storing records like these because there are simply so many of them and the records can cover many years of patient care. Naturally, it’s important to protect this data at all costs. It contains a great deal of health information and personal information that no one would want to be released publicly.

HIPAA Regulations

The laws are changing to offer people greater protection for this type of health information. HIPAA and other regulations are meant to provide rules for how patient data is handled and stored. In order to carry out effective medical care, doctors do need the health records of their patients to be accessible at all times. Without the ease of access and availability of cloud-stored information, physicians would be less effective. Their jobs would be more time-consuming. So there must be a good balance between the doctor having good access to patient data and the patient’s information is protected from cyber theft.

How Cloud Storage Benefits Doctors

With the application of cloud-computing tools, the strategy of cloud collaboration has developed due to the benefits of storing the results of clinical records and procedures to various databases. The provision of cloud medical databases enhances the readiness of critical information essential for quality service provision.

This availability of information benefits physicians when recommending drugs that relate to other medical cases with similar diagnoses and conditions. Today’s technology has a lot to offer when it comes to researching past medical cases.

For doctors, using cloud resources for their medical practice makes the work lighter and more effective. For patients, there are better, more effective treatment options available.

Time is also a big factor in treating illnesses. The sooner a proper diagnosis can be reached, the better. Patients want to know immediately what’s wrong with them and how to get well. This has led to the application of information from cloud-based peer-to-peer databases that offer reliable case studies on interventions and best practices to enhance patient satisfaction and practitioner efficiency.

Managing Patient Data

Sound administrative practices are essential in the control of a healthcare institution. Management systems play the role of providing automated services such as billing and scheduling. The benefits of cloud-based management systems are easy to realize. One large hospital might process the medical records of thousands of patients each year. This includes their billing and payment information. Imagine trying to keep track of that much data without modern technology. Automating most tasks is the only thing that makes sense.

Specifically, healthcare organizations collect patient data relating to care demands and offer treatment at a cost. The cost of providing the service is based on the cost that doctors and hospitals incur. Therefore, cloud-based web applications for billing functions are implemented in medical institutions to impact the economic development through sustainable return on investment (ROI). Both large and small scale organizations have come to understand the need to provide sustainable care by being efficient, ethical, and consistent in managing resources when providing patient care.

Wrap Up

It is essential for healthcare institutions to make use of the benefits of integrating information technology, particularly the application of cloud-based computing tools. These systems provide access to medical research that is essential in interpreting the proper treatment and care of the patient. In addition, the cost of doing business must be manageable and the patient’s private health information must be kept secure.

In terms of reliability, time-saving benefits, proper treatment options, and best care for patients, the healthcare industry needs the convenience of Cloud-based technology.

Today’s workforce is more mobile than ever, which means they can work from virtually anywhere any time, provided they’ve got an internet connection.

1. The IBM-sponsored Ponemon Institute’s 2017 Cost of Data Breach Study puts the global average cost of a data breach at a whopping $3.6 million. That’s about $141 for every data record. Not to mention that the cost of recovering from a security breach is higher than protecting against one.
2. More than 80 percent of employees use non-approved SaaS (software-as-a-service) apps in their job, leading to hundreds of million records already compromised to date.
3. An attacker can reside within your network for up to 200+ days on average before detection.

What Microsoft is doing to combat security threats

Microsoft’s protection begins with the unique insights that the tech giant amasses through machine learning technology. Machine learning on Microsoft Security works by overlaying separate sets of company data for its Artificial Intelligence (AI) system to monitor. The system measures each dataset against the other using pattern recognition to detect any anomalous activity which it then flags in order to be addressed.

This threat intelligence gathers signals — or indicators — from a broad and in-depth array of sources to help the security graph understand the threat landscape. This means analyzing and learning from data built into products and services such as Windows, Office 365, Hotmail, and Azure from users all over the planet to detect attack trends and intercept new threats before they happen.

That’s data provided by:

• 400 billion emails monthly
• 2 billion devices monthly
• 1 billion cloud queries daily
• 2 million file samples daily

Microsoft also employs threat researchers and analytics systems across its worldwide network to provide a timely and actionable assessment of the threat landscape. This approach means that Microsoft has billions of data points that throw light on various security issues.

The company is constantly learning from every one of these interactions and creating a security graph built on its broad scale, strength of signal, visionary mindset, and vast experience as a global enterprise. Most importantly, they perform ongoing studies of the threat landscape to help understand and mitigate the impact of more sophisticated attacks.

Pillars of Microsoft Security

Microsoft’s approach to security comes down to four simple pillars: Trust, Intelligence, Partnerships, and Platform.

Trust

Microsoft believes in the need to trust that your organization, data, and people are protected from security threats.

Intelligence

This is about acting on the intelligence that Microsoft gives you from its security-related signals and insights – helping both Microsoft and its users detect threats more quickly.

Partnerships

Microsoft is fostering an ecosystem of vibrant partners whose contributions lead to the effective raising of the security bar across the industry. The tech giant believes in working with the industry as a way to take a holistic approach to technology.

Platform

Microsoft security is in-built on the company’s platforms, taking a holistic approach to security by looking at it across identity, apps, devices, and data, as well as the security infrastructure. This involves, for instance, harnessing machine learning on integrated applications such as Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) to seamlessly monitor data, detect threats, and eventually contain them before they become a problem. Since all this is done using technology rather than human input, there is little need for employee involvement or related software deployment.

A more targeted approach to threat protection

Because many of today’s organizations have multiple data centers spread across various locations or all over the globe, there are more opportunities for a security breach. This means that an integrated approach to protection would be a less efficient alternative. Microsoft, therefore, encourages the deployment of more targeted products that narrow the focus and guarantee the security of internal business processes.

A good example is the protection that Microsoft offers for emails; a major point of breach targeted by cybercriminals. Here, Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection (which works in the same way as ATP) focuses only on scanning and detecting suspicious activity within emails.

There is also the Threat Explorer in Office 365 Threat Intelligence and Exchange Online Protection that Microsoft uses along with the Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection to create a broader threat visibility. This guarantees faster detection, investigation, and response to email threats.

Conclusion

With its unique approach, Microsoft is always steps ahead of bad actors that threaten your two biggest assets – people and data. Using Microsoft Office 365 means that you’re leveraging these unique capabilities to increase your protection. The beautiful thing about having world-class security is that it ensures your employees have the peace of mind to do their best work that will yield the most productivity for your organization.

On July 4th we as Americans honor the formation of the union we call The United States of America. Whether enjoying the holiday at the beach; a backyard barbeque; watching a fireworks celebration in the city; working hard in the office or shop; or marching in a local community parade; we all celebrate the birth of our great nation together as one.

For anyone who’s not American, or new to our country, here’s what Independence Day is all about.

Independence Day is celebrated each year on July 4^th. It’s often known as “the Fourth of July.” It’s the anniversary of the publication of the declaration of independence from Great Britain in 1776.

In 1775, the people of New England began fighting the British for their independence. On July 2, 1776, the Congress secretly voted for the country’s independence from Great Britain. Two days later, on July 4, 1776, the final wording of the Declaration of Independence was approved, and the document was published.

The first public reading of the Declaration of Independence occurred on July 8, 1776. Congressional delegates began signing it on August 2, 1776. Fifty-six congressional delegates signed the document. The delegates signed by states from North to South, beginning with Josiah Bartlett of New Hampshire, and ending with George Walton of Georgia.

Some delegates refused to sign the Declaration, including John Dickinson of Pennsylvania, and James Duane, Robert Livingston, and John Jay of New York.

Some opposed the document but signed it anyway to present the appearance of a unanimous Congress. This included Carter Braxton of Virginia, Robert Morris of Pennsylvania, George Reed of Delaware, and Edward Rutledge of South Carolina. Five delegates were absent including Generals George Washington, John Sullivan, James Clinton, and Christopher Gadsden, as well as Virginia Governor Patrick Henry.

John Adams sent a description of how Independence Day would be celebrated in a letter to his wife Abigail on July 3, 1776. He described “pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations” throughout the country.

An interesting note: Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, both signers of the Declaration of Independence and presidents of the United States, died on July 4, 1826, exactly 50 years after the adoption of the Declaration.

For our Help Desk employees, Independence Day is a workday. We plan to celebrate the 4^th just like the rest of our countrymen (and women!). But we do this by being here if you have any technical issues.

Our Help Desk is your front-line support for submitting incidents and service requests.

We say that we operate 24/7/365 and we mean it – Independence Day, Memorial Day, Christmas, New Year’s Day, Easter – no matter the holiday or day of the week.

You’ll have direct access to the IT professionals who help you onsite and provide the advice, guidance, and rapid restoration of services you need to keep your business running. 

When you call, one of our agents will log your request into our IT service management system and either resolve it for your then or escalate it to the next level of support.

You have the option of reporting an incident or service request by email or by contacting us by phone. When you do, this will generate a “ticket” in our IT service management system.

Once the ticket is created, you’ll automatically receive an email receipt confirmation with your ticket or reference number. This confirmation tells you that your request has been logged at our Help Desk and that it’s been assigned to a tech specialist who knows your business and is experienced in your particular IT issue.

Here’s what we ask that you provide when submitting a request to our Help Desk:

• Your name, business name, phone number, and email address.
• A detailed description of the problem or concern.
• Whether the issue you’re experiencing affects only one user, many users, your entire office or multiple offices.
• The impact your issue has on your business, including whether any critical applications have been affected.
• Anything you or your staff have done to try to resolve the issue before contacting us.

Prioritizing Tickets

It also helps if you prioritize your need. Here’s an example of what we mean:

• Non-Urgent: Your problem is minimal and doesn’t impact your ability to work. It’s something that you could wait to be addressed within the next week. (For example, you’d like us to provide a new piece of computer equipment for you.)
• Normal: The IT issue has some impact on your day-to-day operations. However, you could wait for two days for it to be addressed. (For example, you’d like us to help you find a better way to use an application or replace it with a different one.)
• Urgent: The issue you face has a significant impact on one user’s ability to work. You need help sometime during the workday.
• Emergency: This issue has a significant team-wide impact on your staff’s ability to work. Multiple employees are affected. You need help as soon as possible, no matter if it’s after hours, over the weekend, or on a holiday (like the 4^th of July). This is for things like outages and downtime.

Please do your best not to prioritize something as “Urgent” or “Emergency” when it’s not. This helps us get to those really urgent requests much faster.

We want you to know that you and your staff can enjoy Independence Day with the peace of mind that our Help Desk is always here for you. Happy 4^th of July everyone!

Help! How Do We Migrate To Office 365?

YOUR MICROSOFT OFFICE 365 MIGRATION CHECKLIST

First, let’s talk about why you should use Microsoft Office 365.

It’s simple…

If you do, you’ll have a full-featured, cloud-based office productivity tool that can help you work more easily, productively, and collaboratively.

This allows you to please your customers and grab more market share. There’s no better solution for small and mid-sized businesses today than Microsoft Office 365.

Why?

Because instead of simply packaging the popular applications you use (like Excel, Word, PowerPoint and more) Microsoft has taken the extra step to integrate these tools, along with others. This provides your organization with the capabilities a larger-sized business enjoys.

But there’s something you should know.

Migrating to cloud computing is a multi-phased project. There are many things to consider when making a conversion to Microsoft Office 365, or any cloud-based system.

We’ve developed this Microsoft Office 365 MIGRATION CHECKLIST to help ensure the process is seamless for your business and transparent to your customers.

Of course, we think we should do this for you.

Why?

Because it’s complicated and a lot of things can go wrong unless you know exactly what you’re doing.

But, if you’re ready to try this on your own, here’s what you need to do.

INVENTORY EVERYTHING IN YOUR IT ENVIRONMENT

Start by making a detailed inventory of everything in your IT environment. This way you can make the best decisions and estimates about what it will take to migrate everything. You’ll also be able to better determine how long this might take and develop a migration timeline that you can share with your staff.

Your inventory may include things like:

• Site Collections (a group of websites that have the same owner and share administrative settings)
• List and Libraries (a special list/library for documents)
• Pages (all files that have a dependency to another file using a URL)
• Blocked File Types
• Branding
• Workflows (pre-programmed mini-applications that streamline and automate a wide variety of business processes)
• Content Types
• Site Columns (reusable column definitions or templates that you can assign to multiple lists across multiple SharePoint sites)
• Permissions
• User Alerts
• Retention Policies (A retention policy is the only feature that can both retain and delete content across Office 365.)
• Records
• Users and Groups
• Large Lists or Libraries
• Any other UI customizations (JavaScript, altered menus, etc.)
• Customized IT Solutions

What About Our Customized Solutions?  

You could run into trouble here.

Create an inventory of all your customizations. Identify what you want to migrate. This is a good time to identify what you don’t need any longer and remove it.

Make sure you have a good overview of what you have in your sites (WSP, Sandbox, etc.) And note if one depends on another.

Map things out, so you’re sure to deploy everything in the right order when it’s migrated to your destination.

Are you running any Farm Solutions? These run codes that can affect the whole farm and can’t be migrated to Office 365. Get rid of them.

Do you have any Sandbox Solutions? As with Farm Solutions, it’s recommended that you don’t include these.

Converting any Web Parts you developed for Add-Ins could be problematic.

If you’ve built Timer Jobs, there is no real solution when you migrate to the Cloud. You must find a new way to do this.

Event Receivers: You’ll need to rewrite and host them differently to get the same results.

Determine how you can deploy your declarative artifacts. You might be able to do this with an Azure Web App or PowerShell.

Stay away from customized fields. Display Templates or Office 365 column formatting might provide an option for displaying content the way you want so you don’t need to create new fields.

Item IDs in Lists and Libraries could change during the migration.

REMOVE & REORGANIZE YOUR OLD IT ENVIRONMENT ITEMS

Microsoft SharePoint helps you custom-build what you need for your unique operations. Now’s a good time to locate and reorganize what you want to keep or delete what you don’t.

• Locate and get rid of any “Orphaned Users.”
• Locate and get rid of vacant SharePoint Groups.
• Move users with specific permissions back into Groups.
• Get rid of any Custom Content Types, Site Columns, and Workflows you no longer use.
• Locate any sites that you haven’t used or modified and determine if you still need them.
• Ask all users to check-in documents they’ve checked-out, including those that have never been checked in. (Ensure you migrate the most recent versions.)
• Find any Large Site Collections and break them up into multiple Site Collections.
• Locate Large Sites and promote them into Site Collections.
• Delete any duplicate content.
• Clean-up items that have too many custom permissions.
• Get rid of versions in your history you no longer want.
• Re-order Lists and Libraries that contain too many columns.
• Rethink and re-order very Large Lists.
• Ask all users to finish up any pending workflow tasks.

III. PREPARE YOUR NEW DESTINATION

This is the time to prepare a clean slate for your new destination. A well thought out Information Architecture can make all the difference between a successful migration and one you’re not happy with. Take your time doing this as it might be the last chance you have to do this for quite a while.

• Map out the information architecture of your new destination.
• Backup all of your data.
• Test your backup restoration to make sure it works.
• Check out all databases for any corrupt data. (Delete any that you find.)
• Run a number of migration tests beforehand. (Take note of any unsupported elements.)
• Determine the overall time required to migrate all sites. (Slow migration speed can significantly impact project duration, causing delays that can disrupt your business operations.)
• Set SharePoint to import user profiles from any specific sources.
• Map a plan for the metadata on your content.
• Look at your customizations. (If required, convert them to work in the new destination.)
• Locate any deprecated native templates or features and make a plan to replace them.

IT’S NOW TIME TO COMMUNICATE EVERYTHING TO YOUR STAFF.

Change is always difficult for everyone and this includes your users. For your Office 365 Migration to be a success, you need to let them know what to expect.

• Communicate with all users before starting the migration and let them know this is a process but that you’ll keep them informed.
• Circulate the proposed timeline to ensure it won’t interfere with their business-critical efforts.
• Let them know about the IT downtime that will occur and for how long.
• Relay any possible changes in the environments (URLs, Bookmarks, Document References, Excel Macros, etc.).
• Determine where to go to get an updated status or any assistance you might need during the migration.
• Create sandbox sites for previewing.

BEGIN THE MIGRATION

At this point, the process of migrating to Office 365 shouldn’t be too difficult if you’ve followed all the steps above. Just be prepared to deal with any unforeseen complications that might not have been revealed during the testing phase.

Workflows:

• Stop running any workflows you’ll be migrating.

Migration Scenarios:

• Use a third-party tool to migrate and granularly restructure as you transition.
• Perform multi-phased, incremental migration for large sites.

AFTER MIGRATING

It’s time to take a “test drive” to make sure everything is working properly in your new environment.

• Test your Destination Environment.
• Make sure everything migrated successfully.
• Test all your workflows and check user permissions.
• Make a complete backup of your new environment.
• Remove all access to the old SharePoint environment.

ON A WEEKLY BASIS: MONITOR YOUR OFFICE 365 ENVIRONMENT

You’re not done. It’s very important that you continue to monitor the security, usage, and other elements in your new Office 365 environment to make sure it’s running at peak performance without any glitches.

• Ensure all your users are getting what they need from Office 365. Find out if they require any assistance or run into problems.
• Always monitor data security and check for any data breaches.
• Locate any broken permissions.
• Ensure all users are using the right permissions.
• Ensure user credentials remain private.
• Control sharing of monitor permissions.

As you can see, when you move your organization to Microsoft Office 365, it’s important to plan exactly what steps you want to take, when to perform them, and who’s involved. Keep the lines of communication open, and this checklist will help you as you plan and prepare for a migration to Office 365.