Ulistic Projects Blog

July 31, 2019

Why Every Business Needs Cybersecurity

Why Every Business Should Invest in Cybersecurity

Cyber security is essential to businesses of all sizes. Learn how to keep your business up to date and protected from the most common digital threats.

Cybersecurity is no longer a concern exclusive to large corporations. Since the infamous attacks on Equifax, Target, and Apple, cybercriminals have started to shift their focus towards smaller businesses. Without proper security protocols, small businesses are sitting ducks even for novice hackers.

In recent years, the cost of data theft targeting small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) has risen significantly. The Ponemon Institute reports a 17% increase in the average cost of theft and damages, and a 26% increase in the average cost of disruption to operations. The threat has prompted many SMBs to invest more heavily in third-party data security services.

Cybersecurity in a Continuously Evolving Digital Space

Ever-evolving technology makes the world more connected, but also makes data more vulnerable to attackers. Gone are the days when an antivirus, firewall, and email filter were enough to earn a passing cybersecurity grade. As criminals refine and improve their methods of attack, businesses and IT professionals must step up their defenses.

The most recent trend in cyberattacks is a shift towards SMBs, many of which lack the breadth and depth of data security that larger corporations are likely to have. Illicit tactics such as email phishing, direct hacking, and installing ransomware can spell big trouble for SMBs. If your data is compromised, the results can extend to your customers and other members of your supply chain.

Consequences of a Data Breach

The fallout from a data breach depends on the scale of the attack and the value of the data stolen. Hackers may be able to seize control of accounts, drain funds, freeze assets, and access sensitive customer information. If you operate in the healthcare or financial sectors, you may be liable to pay reparations in addition to suffering the cost of stolen capital and the inability to continue operations. The cost of a large-scale data breach can devastate even the wealthiest of corporations, and will most certainly overwhelm a small business.

How to Improve Cybersecurity

A common misconception is that only large corporations can afford effective cybersecurity. In most cases, implementing cybersecurity isn’t merely a matter of money, but of proper training and awareness. A Ponemon Institute study linked 54 percent of data breaches to employee or contractor negligence. This includes email phishing, which is often the first step attackers use to conduct large scale theft of usernames, passwords, and other sensitive data.

Educating and training your employees on cybersecurity minimizes the risk of data theft at the point of contact. Your business should have protocols to identify signs of phishing, choose secure passwords, and grant or deny access to information. You can also inform your customers about how to keep their information secure. Taking this two-pronged approach shows customers how committed you are to keeping their data safe.

Being proactive and spreading the word on cybersecurity threats will help you protect your business from hackers. Whether you’re a multinational corporation or a two-person mom-and-pop shop, your customers rely on you to safeguard their data. Implementing the latest security practices lets them know that you value their trust.

July 31, 2019

Everything You Need to Know About the Dark Web

What Is the Dark Web and How Can You Stay Off It?

Ever heard of the dark web? It’s definitely not a place you want your company’s information to be. Learn everything you need to know about the dark web here.

Most people have heard about the dark web in one form or another. It’s a place where criminal activity happens — from the purchase of illegal drugs to the hiring of assassins.

Of course, there is a legal side to the dark web as well; though, most people don’t know about. In fact, the origin story of the dark web is entirely legitimate and is even linked to the government.

Still, as a business owner or CEO, your relationship with the dark web (should you unfortunately have one) will not likely be good. It’s a bad sign if any of your information is found there. That’s why it’s important to know about what exactly the dark web is: Where it came from, what’s on it, and what you should do to stay as far away from it as possible.

What Is the Dark Web?

The dark web is essentially one “section” of the Internet. Specifically, it’s a section that isn’t included in mainstream search engines like Google. So, when you search a normal search inquiry, such as, “Where’s the best hamburger joint in downtown Pittsburgh?” you don’t get results from the dark web.

Instead, this section includes all sorts of illicit goings-on. Mostly, it’s a marketplace for things you shouldn’t be buying because they’re illegal to sell and/or buy. For instance, you can buy lifelong access to Netflix for a small price (six bucks). You can hire someone to hack into someone else’s computer for you and download their data or track their keystrokes. You can purchase credit card credentials. You can obtain prepaid debit card numbers and security codes.

How Does One Access the Dark Web?

We’ll reiterate again that the dark web is not a place you want to find yourself (or your information). However, for the sake of knowledge, we’ll explain that in order to access the dark web, you must download what’s called the Tor browser.

Tor stands for The Onion Router. This is basically the software that makes the dark web operate in the dark.

Where Did the Dark Web Originate?

The dark web began in the late 1990s as a way for the United States Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) to better hide their online communications. At this time, The Onion Router or Tor was brand-new.

Soon after its initial creation in 2004, the dark web’s Tor software was released for public use. Since that time, it has ceased to be solely a government resource and has turned into the “back alley” of the Internet.

How Can the Dark Web Affect Business Owners?

The dark web is a potential danger to all businesses of all sizes and in all industries. In fact, it can be a potential danger to individuals as well. But let’s talk about your business and the dark web.

Basically, it has been found that 60% of the web listings on the dark web could harm a business. That’s because, these listings offer individuals searching the dark web ways to obtain things like the following:

Customer data
Tips for hacking computers
Tips for hacking networks
Malware
Financial data
Phishing advice
Operational data
Intellectual trade secrets
Tutorials for cyber crime
Remote access Trojans (RATs)
Espionage services
Credentials access

How Can You Keep Your Business Safe From the Dark Web?

The best way to keep your business safe from the dark web is to have the proper cybersecurity measures in place. This means hiring a cybersecurity team or a managed service provider (MSP) to handle your company’s cybersecurity. Even if you’re a small business, hiring an MSP to have on retainer is a good idea.

They will make sure that you have firewalls and other detectors of malware in place for adequate security. It’s also essential to back up your data and to make everyone who works for or with your company aware of how to avoid phishing attempts.

Lastly, your cybersecurity team should be monitoring the dark web to make sure that none of your information lands there. This goes for personal information for you and your employees, as well as overall company information. Taking these measures is the only surefire way to ensure that your company does not end up on the wrong end of the dark web.

July 31, 2019

2019 Cybersecurity Trends: Preparation for a Cyberattack

How familiar are you with all of the types of cyber attacks your company can become a victim of?

The list of companies who have faced a cyber attack recently is long and growing longer. Equifax, British Airways, Cathay Pacific to name just a few. In 2018 alone, the Ponemon Institute measured the costs of these data breaches at $3.86 million per incident globally. Recently, a cybersecurity trends discussion for 2019 with Check Point stated that it would be another year of hard-hitting cybersecurity attacks and breaches.

Security companies such as Check Point, a multinational provider of combined hardware and software products for security, is based in Israel. And they are searching for new ways to better secure IT. Their global chief of threat detection, Orli Gan, states that the solution will come from manufacturers, law enforcement and government, not from companies like Check Point. The cybersecurity company predicts that every company will become a victim of a cyber attack in 2019.

Gan stated to Verdict: “You can just choose whatever name you want, any company in the world and they either were, or are, or will be hit by a cyber attack.”

Fastest Growing Crime is Cyber Crime

When comparing cybercrime in 2019 to the popular heist film series Ocean’s 11, Gan stated that cybercrime is far more lucrative and less risky way to make money than a heist. Cyber attacks come in two formats:

Attacks that are to make money
Attacks to make a point (hacktivism)

When the cyber attacks are instigated by nation-states, they are morally ambiguous. It’s hard to know who is the good guy or bad guy.

Cyber Attacks by Nation-States

September 2018 – Check Point discovered an Iranian state-sponsored mobile surveillance operation against Iran’s own citizens called “Domestic Kitten.” Iran claimed that the attack was begun in 2016 and was using decoy content to get people to download mobile apps with embedded spyware. Those apps then collected sensitive information about targeted citizens including Kurdish, Turkish and ISIS supporters.
Lazarus, North Korean cyber hackers, are also politically motivated. In September 2018, a report showed that its worldwide attacks on U.S. and South Korean websites including Sony looked to be funded by the Kim Jong-Un regime.
2016 Election hacking in the U.S. from Russia caused concerns for democracy in several countries.
In October 2018, the UK government reported that Russian military intelligence was the actor behind a string of cyberattacks.

As a result, cybercrime experts advised to strengthen cybersecurity capabilities instead of using political sanctions. Despite warnings, it looks as if Russia will attempt cyberattacks in 2019 and 2020 elections.

Cryptomining Overtaking Ransomware

Routine, day-to-day cyber attacks are designed to earn money for the cyber criminals. This is becoming more used than ransomware which was bigger in 2017. One virus, WannaCry ransomware virus, infected computers in businesses, hospitals and schools in 150 countries.

“We see a quite steady decline in 2018 in the use of ransomware. It’s definitely not gone but it’s slightly more targeted these days towards companies that are more likely to pay significant amounts of money for the data they stand to lose,” Gan reported.

Instead, cryptomining is on the rise into 2019. This malware allows cyber criminals to hijack the victim’s central processing unit (CPU) to mine crypto currency, using up to as much as 65 percent of the CPU’s power. This type of attack was the leading attack in 2018, with 42 percent of global organisations hit between January and September, over double the 20.5 percent hit in the second half of 2017. The opposite of a ransomware attack, cryptomining is a stealth crime as it’s perceived by victims. Criminals like it more than ransomware, because it’s easy to begin, hard to trace, and has a long-term earning potential.

Crypto Currency Monero

The top three most common malwares seen in 2018 were crypto miners mining the Monero currency, says Check Point. Monero is preferred over Bitcoin because unlike the more well-known cryptocurrency, Monero is effectively untraceable and can use typical computer hardware very effectively for mining, while Bitcoin requires custom-made and optimised chips.

The cryptocurrency Monero has privacy features that cloak its transactions. When someone sends you Monero, you can’t tell who sent it. If you send Monero the recipient will not know who it is from. Bitcoin isn’t anonymous; people can trace every Bitcoin block, address and transaction. Bitcoin is not truly anonymous, so people can search for and trace every Bitcoin block, transaction and address.

Phishing in 2019

Phishing, one of the most common online fraud tactics, can easily get ahold of private information including credit card details, usernames, and passwords through email. In the third quarter of 2018, RSA detected 38,196 fraud attacks worldwide including phishing scams. Even with an awareness of phishing, many people still fall for these fraudulent attacks to get personal information. These crimes increase during the holiday season when many people are online shopping, especially Black Friday (Friday after American Thanksgiving) and Cyber Monday (Monday after American Thanksgiving). Without the proper malware attachments, these phishing emails often slip through other cyber defences. In fact, cyber security company Agari found that 54 percent of email phishing attacks use a well-known brand’s name to deceive recipients including Amazon, Microsoft, and Bank of America.

How Can an Organisation Protect Itself?

If you own or work for a company looking to protect itself, there isn’t a single approach that will guarantee success.

“You have to understand the complexity of the problem, you have to address the different angles in different capacities, and you always have to have multiple advisories and engines that combined can give you that accuracy that you require from a product that you’re actually going to use. Accuracy is number one in order to be practical because when you’re not, the reality is that people in the organisation will start getting angry – ‘I needed that email but it was blocked by your security system,” according to Gan.

Can We Win the War Against Cyber Crime?

With the rapid development of technology, that question is difficult to answer. Check Point is skeptical that cyber security can eradicate cyber crime. Gan states that the solution should be a three-part defence that involves government regulation, law enforcement, and manufacturers. We must regulate manufacturers of electronic devices to require them to use operators that comply with security requirements. And law enforcement has to hunt down and punish cyber criminals.

July 31, 2019

URGENT/11 Zero-Day Vulnerabilities Impacting 2 Billion Devices

Check Your IoT: URGENT/11 Zero-Day Vulnerabilities Impacting 2 Billion Devices

It was only a matter of time before connected devices become a target. The current vulnerability allows remote attackers to gain full control over IoT devices.

Security professionals have known that connected devices are a risk, but the latest news around the URGENT/11 vulnerabilities may surprise even the most hardened security professional. Over 2 billion connected devices are thought to be vulnerable, including a range of printers, VOIP phones, routers, medical equipment, firewalls, elevators and industrial controls. Any connected device that is running the VxWorks operating system created by Wind River has the potential to be affected, allowing users to remotely gain control over the device.

URGENT/11 Vulnerabilities

Dubbed “URGENT/11”, these security risks include six critical vulnerabilities connected with VxWorks 6.5 or higher that includes the IPnet stack. There are a few versions of the OS that may not be affected, according to security research firm Armis, such as their VxWorks Cert Edition and VxWorks 653. Whether devices are within the network perimeter or on the edge, they can still be leveraged for remote access directly into networks. The vast range of manufacturers of the devices at risk means the level of security at the device level is likely to vary dramatically between product types. Fortunately, Wind River Systems provided critical patches during a recent July 19 release, but that may not be enough to reduce the risk for organizations utilizing these connected devices.

What is VxWorks?

“VxWorks is the most widely used operating system you may never have heard of,” said Ben Seri, vice president of research at Armis. “A wide variety of industries rely on VxWorks to run their critical devices in their daily operations—from healthcare to manufacturing and even security businesses”. As an RTOS, or real-time operating system, VxWorks has generally been considered to be a stable solution for IoT and other interconnected devices with only 13 vulnerabilities reported in over 32 years of operation for the platform. Since it is only older versions of the RTOS that are vulnerable to attack, it’s thought that newer devices should be relatively safe and many affected devices are already reaching end-of-life. These devices are generally ones where chipsets only need to manage a few basic pieces of information, such as input/output operations, where little data processing is required.

How to Protect Your Business

While officials at VxWorks and Armis note that there are no indications that the URGENT/11 vulnerabilities have been exploited, the extreme disruption that could be caused within an organization is reason enough to warrant a proactive effort to protect your organization. Here are the recommended steps from Wind River security professionals and engineers:

Apply the recent patch immediately
Deploy specific firewall signatures/rules that will help mitigate the danger if patches cannot be applied immediately

You can view the full URGENT/11 whitepaper with a breakdown of the vulnerabilities and suggestions for remediation online. Experts note that the level of disruption could be significant, perhaps even rivaling the EternalBlue 2017 vulnerability or the WannaCry ransomware attack. In each of these instances, it was challenging for many small businesses to determine the best steps to move forward and protect their organization.

Partnering with an IT services firm helps ensure that your business is alert to this type of critical attack vector. Staying vigilant for vulnerabilities and quickly applying patches may mean the difference between a few hours of work patching devices or servers and months of remediation as you attempt to recover from a major attack.

July 30, 2019July 25, 2019

Free On Demand Excel Training: Tips & Techniques For Managing Workbooks

Organization Shouldn’t Be Complicated

Out of all of Microsoft’s Office programs, Excel is one of the most universally used. What started out as a fairly basic spreadsheet program has evolved into a must-have business tool. However, the more you use Excel, the more data your workbooks will accumulate.

Keeping these workbooks organized and easy to navigate can be a challenge. We can help with that. Check out our short Excel: Tips and Techniques for Managing Workbooks training video, available to you free and on-demand.

Simply Click Here.

Watch at your leisure, and say goodbye to your Excel frustrations.

July 30, 2019

Capital One Data Breach Affects More Than 100 Million Customers

Capital One Data Breach Affects More Than 100 Million Customers and Small Businesses in The U.S. & 6 Million in Canada

On July 29, 2019, Capital One reported that their customers’ confidential information was compromised. This includes the Social Security and bank account numbers of more than 100 million people and small businesses in the U.S., along with 6 million in Canada.

The McLean, Virginia-based bank discovered the vulnerability in its system July 19 and immediately sought help from law enforcement to catch the perpetrator. They waited until July 29 to inform customers.

How Did The Hacker Get Into Capital One’s System?

According to court documents in the Capital One case, the hacker obtained this information by finding a misconfigured firewall on Capital One’s Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud server.

Amazon said that AWS wasn’t compromised in any way. They say that the hacker gained access through a misconfiguration on the cloud server’s application, not through a vulnerability in its infrastructure.

Capital One says that they immediately fixed the configuration vulnerability that the individual exploited and promptly began working with federal law enforcement.

Who Breached Capital One’s Data?

Paige A. Thompson, a former software engineer in Seattle, is accused of stealing data from Capital One credit card applications.

Thompson was a systems engineer and an employee at Amazon Web Services from 2015 to 2016. In a statement, Amazon said that she left the company three years before the hack took place.

The FBI arrested Thompson on Monday, July 29 for the theft, which occurred between March 12 and July 17. Thompson made her initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Seattle and has been detained pending an August 1 hearing. Computer fraud and abuse are punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

What Information Was Compromised?

Thompson stole information including credit scores and balances plus the Social Security numbers of about 140,000 customers and 80,000 linked bank account numbers of their secured credit card customers. For Capital One’s Canadian credit card customers, approximately 1 million Social Insurance Numbers were compromised.

The largest category of information obtained was that of consumers and small businesses when they applied for one of Capital One’s credit card products from 2005 through early 2019.

Capital One said, some of this information included names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth and self-reported income.

Other data obtained included credit scores, limits, balances and transaction data from a total of 23 days during 2016, 2017 and 2018.

This is one of the top 10 largest data breaches ever, according to USA TODAY research.

What Is Capital One Saying About The Breach?

They will offer free credit monitoring services to those affected. Capital One said it was “unlikely that the information was used for fraud or disseminated by this individual” but committed to investigating the hack fully.

They’ve set up a consumer website about the breach at www.capitalone.com/facts2019 that you should refer to if you’re worried that your information was compromised.

Capital One expects that this hack will cost them approximately $100 million to $150 million in 2019.

What Should Capital One Customers Do?

If you’re a Capital One customer, you should check your account online. You should also freeze your credit through each of the three main credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.

It’s important to remain vigilant. Businesses should sign up for Dark Web Scanning to detect whether your confidential business information is there for cybercriminals to use.

Prevention is always the best remedy. Ask your IT provider to ensure your that your firewall is properly configured and to continuously remotely monitor your network for intrusions.

July 30, 2019

Companies Held Responsible for Tech Security

Major Fines for IT Data Breaches

Outdated machines, software or employee practices can lead to major security problems. These big companies faced painful fines for their IT mistakes.

As companies increase their online activity, data collection and eCommerce, the stakes will continue to rise. Companies that are lax, poorly prepared or sloppy are facing disastrous tech breaches. Equifax, Uber, TJX and Visa are just a few of the companies that have had to face hefty payouts for data breaches. The public relies on companies to act professionally and secure their information. Many companies that face a security breach or lost data will not be able to stay in business.

With a security breach, the customer’s trust is lost. Not only will the reputation harm business, but fixing the issue will cost more than preventing it. Fines and payouts will also add to that cost. And, the more consumers affected by a major problem in the company’s security, the more painful the clean up. You can’t afford to slack when it comes to IT security.

Equifax Data Breach Settlement of $700 Million

The infamous Equifax data breach of 2017 has lead to 147 million affected customers. The settlement announced by the credit reporting company included $175 million to 48 states, $300 million towards free credit monitoring services for the impacted customers and $100 million to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for civil penalties.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Joe Simons said, “Equifax failed to take basic steps that may have prevented the breach that affected approximately 147 million consumers. This settlement requires that the company take steps to improve its data security going forward, and will ensure that consumers harmed by this breach can receive help protecting themselves from identity theft and fraud.”

Facebook Faces $5 Billion in Fines for Privacy Violations

The FTC smacked Facebook with a $5 billion fine for the Cambridge Analytica incident. This privacy violations fine was in response to personal data taken from over 87 million Facebook users to create more persuasive and personalized ads.

Uber Faces $148 Million in Fines for Covering Up Hacked Accounts

In 2016, Uber had over 57 million user accounts compromised–and then tried to cover it up by paying the perpetrator $100k. This lead to the largest data-breach payout at the time of $148 million because they broke data breach violation laws.

Anthem Faces $131 Million for Data Breach of Customers

When the US health insurer Anthem was hacked in 2015, over 79 million customers had their names, birthdates, social security numbers and medical IDs compromised. The company paid out $115 million in a class-action lawsuit in 2017 regarding the breach. The US Department of Health and Human Services fined them an additional $16 million for HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) violations.

TJX and Visa Pay Out $40.9 for Data Breach

When over 96 million credit and debit accounts were hacked in a widely-publicized data breach that lasted from 2003 to 2007, TJX promised pay outs. This came under the terms that 80% of card issuers agreed to the recovery offer and promised not to take further legal action. TJX agreed to fund the settlement as a resolution to those U.S. Visa holders with cards from taking further legal action. This amount was not part of the $256 million the company said it had budgeted to deal with the breach.

Texas Cancer Center Fined $4.3 Million for Unencrypted Equipment

Between 2012-2013, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center lost one unencrypted laptop when it was stolen from an employee’s house and two unencrypted USBs that contained sensitive patient data. The health information of over 33,500 individuals was compromised and the center faced a $4.3 million fine for HIPAA violations.

FMCNA Fined $3.5 Million for Five Data Breaches

In 2012, Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA) was fined $3.5 million for HIPAA violations after five separate breaches in different company locations. The Office for Civil Rights noted that FMCNA could have avoided this with a thorough risk analysis to find the potential risks and vulnerabilities. Many of their breach problems included lacking security policies and failing to encrypt sensitive health data.

A good company will take proactive IT security measures with a great tech team. By outsourcing IT security through a managed IT service company, you can get the best security without hiring a team full-time. Your IT team will provide an audit of your company to help you find the places where your security, devices or practices might be a threat to your company. Ensure you are using the right equipment and your employees are trained to meet compliance standards, privacy laws, customer expectations and more so your company can succeed.

July 30, 2019

New Phishing Threat Presents Security Challenge

Phishing Attacks Target OAuth Credentials to Gain System Access

Discover how an increasingly popular authentication process, OAuth, can be exploited by hackers and wreak havoc on applications and access sensitive data.

What Is OAuth?

OAuth is a widely used framework that allows applications to share access to assets. It lets unrelated services and servers to allow authentication without sharing the initial single login credential. It’s often referred to as secure third-party user agent delegated authentication.

OAuth lets you access a resource — secure password-protected sections of a website, for example. Once the access is granted it remains in place until revoked, even if passwords or reset or 2-factor authentication changes.

It’s the technology that allows you to log in to a website or an app using Facebook or Google credentials. Instead of creating and using a password for, say, ESPN.com, you can log in using your Facebook account. Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Amazon are among those that use OAuth to allow access to other platforms as well as their own.

OAuth does not share password data across sites, but it does share the authorization tokens to confirm your identity.

What Is the Oauth Phishing Attack?

The OAuth tactic is unlike those used in traditional phishing attacks. By targeting the authorization tokens, hackers can essentially act as a compromised account holder throughout any platform on which the hacked person uses OAuth.

A hacker can create a simple app that is loaded into an email message. When users click on the phishing email, they can inadvertently allow access via the OAuth protocol.

“These techniques have been observed in sophisticated attacks in the past¹ but are becoming easier to execute and are gaining in popularity,” notes a recent article.

What Can Attackers Do if a Phishing Attack Is Successful?

A successful phish attack lets a hacker do any number of things, depending on the resource to which access was granted. For example, if access is granted to your Microsoft Office or Office 365 account, a hacker could:

Search your mailboxes
Read your email messages
Download messages and any attachments
Search for keywords in your email and extract that data
Send messages on behalf of your account … to anyone
Access your contacts
Search shared drives like OneDrive and Sharepoint, read documents and download and extract files
Create malicious Outlook rules
Inject disruptive macros into stored Word documents
Create and install filtering and forwarding rules

Data accessed, reviewed and stolen can have severe consequences, as could macros and rules that make it difficult or impossible to use these common office productivity apps.

What Can Be Done to Defend Against a Phishing Attack?

More platforms are using OAuth to make it easier for customers or users to access information. That proliferation of uses means more opportunities for hackers. It’s likely that the number of OAuth phishing attacks is likely to grow.

The best defense against OAuth and other phishing attacks is awareness. Employees and other users need to be aware of the risks and potential outcomes of a phishing attack.

That means training and simulations that help users look for telltale signs of a phishing attack, such as poor grammar and spelling and the use of an unusual email address. Explaining how OAuth phishing attacks work also helps to raise awareness and let users take a skeptical approach to providing those credentials if something doesn’t feel right.

Your organization should also make it easier for employees to submit any suspect email messages that they believe are a phishing attempt.

Some other recommendations are:

Limit the number of third-party apps that can 3^rd party apps that your network accepts
Disable any third-party apps across the organization that are unnecessary
To identify rare or suspicious instances, search for and monitor all consented applications

To reduce the likelihood and impact of an OAuth phishing attack, be sure to work with your managed IT services provider to ensure that training, anti-phishing solutions and monitoring are in place for your entire network.

July 30, 2019

Clearing Up The Cloud – Have You Harnessed Its Strategic Advantages?

The cloud may still feel like a new technology – but in reality, it’s been around for more than 10 years now.

Does that make you feel old?

Let’s be clear about something – the cloud is here to stay. In recent years you may have still heard the occasional “industry insider” suggest that the world may be moving too quickly to an untested and unsure platform in cloud computing, but no more. The cloud is now an integral part of daily life for private consumer and business users alike.

What Is The Cloud?

The cloud is a network of technologies that allows access to computing resources, such as storage, processing power, and more. That’s where the data is – in these data centers all around the world. Which data center your data is in depends on what cloud service provider you’re working with.

The Cloud’s Many Layers

Public Cloud

Ideal for small businesses that may have trouble budgeting for any other type of cloud deployment, a public cloud is simple and cost-effective. Your data is stored in a “communal” data center, which, while not offering the best possible security or compliance guarantees, is often sufficient enough for organizations that aren’t required to maintain regulated compliance.

Private Cloud

A secure, dedicated environment to ensure maximum performance, security, and functionality for your business applications and employees. This is usually deployed for complaint-driven businesses such as healthcare and finance.

A Hybrid Cloud

This is like a dedicated cloud computing resource on Office 365 and Azure Stack with an extension to on-premise resources for maximum performance, control, security, and functionality. This is for businesses that require maximum control and scalability.

Instead of entrusting your legacy solutions to a public or private cloud, many businesses are opting for a hybrid cloud. They use a mix of on-premise, private and third-party public cloud services because this provides an infrastructure where one or many touchpoints exist between the environments.

Using a hybrid cloud gives you the freedom to choose which applications and resources you want to keep in the data center and which ones you want to store in the Cloud.

The Cloud Isn’t As New As You Might Think…

Would you say the cloud is “new”?

To some, this may seem like a question with an obvious answer, but it’s not that simple.

The way in which we think about technology can lead to something feeling new for a lot longer than would make sense otherwise.

After all, the cloud is more than a decade old, but a lot of people still think of it as a new technology.

For context, it was 2006 when Google and Amazon began using the term “cloud computing” – not necessarily the beginning of the cloud, but as good a point to choose as any.

In that year, the now woefully dated Crash won Best Picture at the Oscars. The Tesla Roadster was still two years from hitting the streets. Netflix was more than a year away from launching its now prolific streaming services.

Does that put it in perspective?

How Is The Cloud-Delivered?

SaaS (Software as a Service)

Software as a Service (SaaS) applications are being adopted at a much faster pace today than in the past. These are productivity applications like Microsoft Office 365, cloud-based practice management solutions, accounting programs, and more.

Your SaaS provider helps you identify and select line of business applications that will run well in the cloud. They can migrate your data and integrate it with software platforms in your current premise or cloud technology stack, or help you implement new ones.

PaaS (Platform as a Service)
This is whole cloth delivery of web applications that are based in the cloud, all via a comprehensive platform. The idea is that, in accessing this platform, you can utilize, develop and even deliver applications based on resources that you don’t need to maintain on-site.

IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service)
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) delivers IT infrastructure on an outsourced basis and provides hardware, storage, servers, data center space, and software if needed. It’s used on-demand, rather than requiring you to purchase their own equipment. That means you don’t have to expend the capital to invest in new hardware.

Why Should You Use With The Cloud?
For the same reasons that thousands of other businesses around the world have already adopted cloud computing:

Computing Power: The cloud has the ability to activate tens of thousands of CPUs. This unparalleled power can quickly perform deep analytics of your data, and process nearly any ad-hoc queries that you require.
Reliable Costs: The cloud services subscription model offers the strategic advantage of low-cost, low-risk opt-in combined with a simple, predictable monthly fee.
Easy Scalability: Cloud services have the unique strategic characteristic of being able to stretch or shrink to suit your current level of demand. This is especially useful for businesses of scale or companies that go through seasons of activity.
Real-Time Collaboration: With cloud technology, your staff doesn’t have to wait for each other to be done with their part of the document or project in order to tackle their own aspect. They can all work on the same project at the same time to maximize productivity.
Remote Work Capability: This cloud feature allows you and your employees to work remotely as need be, which will give your business members the flexibility they desire to have a more balanced home/work life.

You Need To Keep An Eye On Your Cloud

As beneficial as the cloud can be, it’s important to note that it can also pose risks if it isn’t managed properly. It all comes down to the classic binary relationship between convenience and security.

The cloud gives you unparalleled access to your data from anywhere with an Internet connection. That means that external parties (including cybercriminals) can have undue access to your data as well if you don’t take the necessary steps to secure your environment.

That’s why you need to monitor your cloud. No matter who you entrust your data to, you should ensure that you or someone in your organization is given appropriate visibility over your cloud environment. That way, you can guarantee that security and compliance standards are being maintained.

If you don’t have the resources to manage this type of ongoing monitoring, then it would be wise to work with the right third party IT services company. Doing so will allow you to outsource the migration, management, and monitoring of your cloud. You’ll get the best of both world – security and convenience.

July 26, 2019July 24, 2019

8 Essential Reasons to Outsource Your IT Services

8 Essential Reasons to Outsource Your IT Services

Technology moves fast and furiously. In this modern world, you need IT services for your business to run as smoothly as possible. The last thing any well-run company wants is for their IT issues to trip up working conditions so your employees are frustrated, and not being as productive as they should be. Ideally having the right technology in place can help your business to be more profitable in the long run. The question then becomes, is it better to have your IT department in-house or outsource those services? There are actually many terrific benefits to outsourcing your IT services to the right qualified professionals.

Here are 8 essential reasons to leave it to the pros at a managed IT service company for all your technology needs.

Reason #8: Increased Productivity

When companies have their IT services in-house, this can take up time and reduce productivity among the staff. It’s been shown that Managed Service Providers (MSP) who have all the right credentials can implement IT solutions for you in a much faster way. The speed and efficiency an outsourced IT company can give you will allow your business to operate at full capacity much faster in the long run. Less IT distractions equal a better working environment for your staff.

Reason #7: Focus on Core Operations

If you and your employees have to worry about IT glitches and struggles, it’s going to carry over into your daily working environment. That takes away the focus on your core operations. Your managers and employees have limited time to do their job. There are only so many work hours in a day. They can do their jobs better without having to get sidelined by IT problems they shouldn’t have to deal with.

Reason #6: Smaller Business Can Compete

Smaller companies sometimes can’t afford the kind of IT services that larger, more established companies use. By having an MSP who can give you the kind of technological advance that larger companies can afford, will make it easier to compete with the “big guys” on a global scale.

Reason #5: Risks and Threats Are Handled

Most outsourced IT companies are available for risks and threats 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It’s something they monitor all the time. They will be able to handle and manage these threats for you seamlessly to keep your company operationally rock solid.

Reason #4: More Security

Security and compliance issues are less of a problem with experienced IT professionals. Hardware crashes, viruses, data corruption, and backup failures are less of an issue when outsourced IT people are constantly looking out for your company’s security.

Reason #3: Implement New Technology Faster

When you outsource your IT and need updates to be made to your technology, the professionals are going to be able to put that new technology in place much faster. They can also do these updates in off-hours that won’t interfere with your working day.

Reason #2: More Experienced IT Professionals

A company that focuses solely on IT is going to have all the right credentials and certifications in place that will allow you to have the most experienced professionals in your back pocket. A highly qualified MSP also has the most up-to-date training and ongoing education of everything involved in the technology sphere.

Reason #1: Less Expensive IT Costs

This is by far the most important reason in the minds of most companies, the bottom line. By not having your IT department in-house, you are going to be saving serious monetary resources. It’s just less expensive to outsource your IT costs with an MSP that works efficiently and allows you to pay only for the services your company needs from them.