It’s Time To Break Up With Break/Fix

by Felicien | Jun 22, 2017 | Education

Understand the GDPR Compliance Requirements

by Felicien | Jun 22, 2017 | Education

GDPR regulations for Europe go into effect very soon, but is your organization ready for the rigor required by these standards?

Recent cyber attacks have technology leaders throughout the world reviewing their security requirements, but the European Union is already a step ahead. Their upcoming GDPR, or General Data Protection Requirement, defines data security and risk requirements for organizations doing business in the EU. Businesses with customer interactions in the EU are scrambling to ensure that they meet or exceed the stringent data protection requirements before the Spring 2018 deadline for compliance, especially since non-compliance brings stiff fines and penalties to your business. The GDPR seeks to hand control of their data back to individuals, requiring organizations to be more proactive in proving that they have total control over the consumer data in their safekeeping. Understanding the key GDPR compliance requirements for your business is a critical step to continuing to do business in Europe, but business owners may be confused about which regulations apply in their specific instance.
More About GDPR
In April 2016, the European Parliament made a landmark decision that will have a far-reaching impact on how organizations store and manage customer data throughout the world. The GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) regulates how companies protect the personal data of European citizens. Lack of compliance by Spring 2018 can have a serious impact on your bottom line, with stiff fines and penalties imposed by the EU. The regulation aims to provide a more uniform and consistent approach to the storage and security of data across nations in the European Union through required consent, data breach notifications, anonymization of data, safe data transfers and additional regulatory agencies. Since the regulation targets all organizations that do business in the European Union and includes a variety of requirements including the hiring of a specific data protection officer who is expected to be fully independent both of upper management and IT.
Steep Non-Compliance Penalties
While organizations in the U.S. are used to the potential of opting out of specific legal requirements, the GDPR guidelines are required or a business faces the consequences of their actions. The fines are significant — up to 4 percent of a company’s global annual turnover or up to 20 million Euros. The recent malware attacks on large organizations have left whole industries feeling vulnerable to attack, making it even more important that the GDPR requirements be followed precisely. With a recent cybersecurity report from Cisco, average organizations today are facing tens of thousands of security events each week, with large and vicious attacks potentially reaching around the world in only a few hours. There are a variety of activities that could be considered non-compliant, including breaches of the data protection principles, customer or employee rights, conditions for consent and even international data transfers.
Compliance Oversight
Penalties can be imposed by data protection authorities, who have the power to physically obtain access to your company’s premises to carry out audits. Organizations of all sizes will be required to provide information upon request. Part of what the audits are looking for is a clear trail of freely-given consent, such as a written statement from an individual stating their agreement to the processing of their personal information. Individuals are able to easily withdraw their consent, and the burden of proof rests with the organization to prove that consent has been provided. This more aggressive approach to customer data is likely to cause challenges for businesses in the U.S. that are used to relatively freewheeling marketing practices.
Data Breach Response
There are expanded rules around the reporting of data breaches, requiring that all incursions be reported within a maximum of 72 hours. Employees must be trained in responding to a serious data breach, with the designation of specific responsibilities and roles within the organization. Fortunately, GDPR allows encryption as an appropriate way to achieve the goal of compliance. This relatively inexpensive option is very powerful and widely available and may allow your organization to skip notification to data subjects if it is determined that the personal data is unintelligible. Having clear policies and tested procedures in place is critical to ensuring that your organization can quickly react in the event of a data breach.
Required Documentation
Part of ensuring that you have full compliance from all individuals with the data your organization gathers is to tightly document approvals. Personal information that is shared across international lines is subject to additional audits. With the updated ruleset, organizations carry the entire burden of proving how personal data is processed and stored, and that it is documented as being fully compliant with GDPR requirements. Since consent can be quickly and easily withdrawn, organizations are looking for ways to ensure a clear path to legitimizing processing activity. One portion of these regulations that organizations will not be pleased with is the absolute right to prevent direct marketing. Businesses have long relied on direct marketing to communicate directly to individuals with only a passing familiarity with the business, but these more stringent rules require that individuals who have opted-out of marketing be aggressively added to an in-house suppression list or risk non-compliance fines.
Mixed Reactions
While the stringent new regulations may seem overwhelming to a business, there are some definite benefits to this direction. The EU has effectively consolidated the processing rules of each member-nation to form one set of standards, reducing variation. Additionally, having only one organization in charge of audits and compliance with the NDPA is considered to be a positive move. On the negative side, businesses are picking up more responsibility and may need to invest in organizational and technical measures that may require the redesign of systems and processes — and will almost certainly require additional staff to assure full compliance with requirements.
Understanding the new GDPR compliance requirements for your business can be challenging. Fortunately, at {company} in {city}, we have been studying the effects of these new regulations. We stand ready to help with execution — contact us today via email to {email}, or call {phone}.

What Companies Need to Know About Technology Management  

by Felicien | Jun 22, 2017 | Education

Technology Management has become an important aspect of doing business today.
Here are a few details about what it entails, and why a business may need it.  

Technology management is a term that is used to refer to a group of services offered to a business that may not have its own IT department. The process can include project management, technology planning, database services, disaster recovery, security, document services, document formatting, e-billing, mailing, mass printing, and much more. Here is some more information I have prepared on this topic. It should help you gain a better understanding of technology management.
Why Do You Need Technolgy Management Services?
The break and fix approach may seem like a good way to save money, but it is going to cost you. Such neglect will eventually lead to a major tech disaster in the future. Such disasters could take the form of tech failure or even a major security breach. Such breaches can lead to class action suits if critical information is lost.
However, having to hire an in-house team may not work either. The inflated costs on the payroll are not worth it for most business owners. When you outsource technology management, the IT infrastructure will receive the care of experts. Best of all, it does not cost an arm and a leg. Additionally, your business will get the full benefit of an experienced team of experts instead of just a few IT experts working in-house. Some of the benefits are:

Proactive Management.

With technology management, you do not wait for technology to fail before fixing it. A technology management company will review your equipment often and make upgrades as they may be deemed necessary. Such a company will also ensure that you work with only the best antivirus and malware protection.

Better Network Administration.

A good technology management company does not just hire fresh college graduates. People that work for such companies usually have years of experience under their belts. They know how to tweak each system to fit into a unique business environment. That way, a company is able to maximize its output. The result is that you will be getting more value for the salaries you pay your employees.

Automated Monitoring.

A good company will have hundreds of system monitors that will allow them to take proactive measures to deal with any problem. That way, a company does not have to deal with an aftermath of a disaster.

Technology Consultancy.

All companies have technology needs that continue to grow as the company grows. However, it is not always easy to know what you need unless you have an expert as part of your staff. A technology management company will give you the advice that you need to choose the right technology. That way, you will always have an edge over your competition in terms of technology utilization.

Real Time User Support.

When you hire a technology management firm, it will not be much different to hiring in-house staff in regards to response time. Most of them can have an engineer at your office in minutes when you need a technical expert to solve an issue. Such an expert will give all the options you have and make a recommendation on which you should choose.
Some of the Cloud Service solutions you can expect.
Most business today use cloud services. A technology management can help you with these services if you use the cloud:

Spam Protection.

A major downside of the cloud is spam. It takes up valuable space in the cloud. A good tech management company will provide you with solutions that prevent unwanted messages from ever reaching the inbox.

Data Backups.

Data backup is another important service that you will get as part of the cloud-based solutions. By offering cloud-based backups, you will get the peace of mind that you need to run your business. You will no longer have to worry about losing backup tapes or the tapes were stolen.
What Types of Companies Need Technology Management?
All businesses, no matter how big or small, need some IT support to operate efficiently in the modern world. Such support can be useful in helping them to avert major disasters to their business operations.
However, different industries will have differing needs. Thus, not everyone wants the same kind of IT support. There is no one-size-fits-all that can work for all businesses. Some of the businesses that may need Technology management are:

The Financial Sector.

A good tech management firm will provide you with a clear understanding of the current state of your systems. They will identify the vulnerabilities, risks, and prioritize the issues that are discovered. Additionally, they can also help you identify what has been changed since the last audit took place.

Manufacturing.

Most people think of the manufacturing sector as the huge processing plants and large warehouses. However, these companies have office buildings that allow them to process the paperwork. If the back office operations are not efficient, an office could lose a lot of money. A technology management firm will help you keep an eye on the IT systems to ensure that they are always working well. That way, a company can focus on its core duty of manufacturing.

Professional Service Industry.

Downtime is more than just annoying to customers. It can have a huge impact on the profitability of a company. Instead of waiting for equipment to break down, the company will often conduct assessments at regular intervals to prevent downtime. Less downtime will mean that employees have more time to work on their projects. Additionally, it will help to keep your customers happy.

Non-Profits Operations.

Cyber security must be the priority of every business. There is a lot of malware being created all the time. A breach to a company’s network can have a crippling effect on its finances. The effects can be worse for non-profits since they rely on donors. If donors feel that you are not taking care of their money, they will simply move on. A good technology management company will help to ward off any criminals that may want to reap where they never sowed

The Pros and Cons of Cloud Computing

by Felicien | Jun 22, 2017 | Education

Cloud Computing holds many promises for big and small businesses.
Here are the advantages and disadvantages of adopting cloud computing.

Today, the internet is one of the biggest drivers of growth for most businesses. It allows them to advertise their services for a fraction of the price of TV ads, send emails, respond to customers, and much more. With the cloud, small or big companies are able to centralize data, which opens the doors for opportunity.
Cloud computing has become an essential part of most businesses. No matter the kind of business you have, a certain cloud type can work for you. There are public, private, and hybrid clouds today. However, although it has its pros, there are some cons as well. That is what I will be discussing in this post.
The Pros:

Lower Costs for Businesses.

For a medium-sized or small business, the cloud can save a lot of money. It means that the company does not have to purchase any local servers that can eat away into the profitability of the business. Things such as maintenance can have a huge cost implication for any business. The cloud can save many dollars for such companies.

Better Reliability.

With a cloud computing option, a dedicated group of experts handles all the maintenance. For a small company, that may not be affordable. The reason for this is that it can afford to handle may be one or two IT experts on its payroll. The result is that the performance of an in-house system can be lackluster. However, cloud-computing companies have the resources and personnel needed to ensure that the system has an uptime of at least 99%.

Easier Management.

Cloud computing simplifies IT management within the organization. The small IT department that the company can afford to hire will only concentrate on managing the end user experience. Since most of the other work such as software maintenance is done off site, you are guaranteed of flawless management of your IT infrastructure at all times.

Accessibility.

When your business is based on the cloud, it means you can access services from anywhere around the world. It is especially important for a company that is trying to spread its influence globally. That would not be possible for a company that has local servers at its physical location. Trying to connect to them from halfway around the world may prove quite challenging.

Reduced Cost of software.

By using the cloud, a business is able to eliminate the high cost of purchasing the software. Some of the software needed to run the daily activities of a business can be quite costly. Additionally, the cost of upgrading to better versions of the software can be quite high if they have to be incurred by a single business. However, when a company uses the cloud, such costs are shared amongst the users. Thus, they only pay a fraction of what they would pay if all the software were bought in-house.

Almost Unlimited Storage Space.

Without the cloud, you will have to buy the physical infrastructure that works best for your company. However, you never know when you may need to expand the business’s storage capacity. For instance, if the business experiences some unexpected good fortune, you do not have to worry about running out of IT capacity. The cloud allows you to scale your storage as your needs increase effortlessly.

Environmentally friendly.

Since a business does not have to buy any physical servers, it reduces its energy consumption, which allows it to reduce its carbon footprint. For a company which wants to enhance environmental friendliness, the cloud might be the best solution for it.
Cons of Cloud Computing:

It is Reliant on Internet Connectivity.

Running your business on the cloud is great as long as you have an internet connection. When your cloud-computing provider loses internet connectivity, the entire business grinds to a stop. Even the best types of cloud computing providers sometimes experience downtimes. During that time, no transactions can take place if your business is highly reliant on the cloud.

You Will Have to Seal With Recurring costs.

Cloud computing has little initial capital investment. However, an in-house server may actually make sense over time. Although you will have to incur a huge, initial cost plus IT maintenance, cloud computing will also see you stuck with a recurring monthly cost. You will have to pay this amount every month or every year if you want access to our data. The choice will depend on these factors. Weigh the costs carefully to ensure the cloud will actually help you to save money.

There are issues of Security.

The cloud is not for every business. Some data is too sensitive to be placed on a cloud. Companies that have stringent regulatory requirements may be opening themselves up to lawsuits by trusting the cloud. When you place the company’s data on a cloud, you trust a third party to keep it safe.
Such a third party may not feel obligated to provide you with the robust data security that you need for your special situation. When you use the cloud, you are subject to standard data protection measures that they offer all their clients. In such a case, it may be quite difficult for you to determine if third parties are accessing your data.

Limited Control.

When a company stores data on the cloud, they have very limited control over it. A customer can only control and manage the front end of applications. The cloud service provider is responsible for managing all other backend activities such as firmware updates and serves shell access. Additionally, you never get to see the backend of the operation and what risks your data could be exposed to.

Inflexible Contracts.

Most cloud providers have inflexible contracts. This can be a major challenge for a business, which is still growing and whose are still changing.
Should you decide to use the cloud, you will need to know that it has its pros and cons. Conduct enough research before you decide to settle on any option. It could help you to save a lot of money over time.

Windows 10 Finally Creates a Solution for Ransomware

by Felicien | Jun 21, 2017 | Education

Windows recently revealed that their latest version of Widows 10 is immune to ransomware.
They also made updates to earlier versions of their OS to protect them.

When the WannaCry Ransomware hit a while back, Microsoft took an unusual step of patching all its old operating system. Even the ones it had stopped supporting for various reasons. This step was taken as a way to limit any potential impact that the ransomware may have on infrastructures such as hospitals and schools.
However, one of the operating systems that did not require a patch was Windows 10. Now the company has revealed how their latest OS has been designed to resist ransomware. While such inventiveness is always a race between hackers and OS creators, it is always nice to know how they work. That way, future developers can always get some insight on how future attacks can be prevented. Here is a short summary I have created about the Windows 10 capabilities.
The Windows 10 Creators Update Protection.
The Creators Update or version 1703 of Windows 10 comes with specific protection to fend off malware. For instance, it has a behavior that will allow it to suspend suspicious files. These files are then run through a “controlled detonation chamber” service that checks malware. The Windows Defender comes with an Antimalware Scan Interface technology in the latest version. This allows it to detect JavaScript or Visual Basic script that is executing or downloading ransomware.
Improvements to the Edge Browsers.
Additionally, Windows says that its Edge browser has a high degree of protection. It opens pages in ‘container sandboxes’ that protects them from malicious programs. Any downloads through the browser are run through a reputation checking service. Additionally, users are provided with the option of choosing whether they want to run Flash-based content. Microsoft views this as a great way to protect computers against ransomware.
Not only does Windows Edge protect from malicious ransomware, but it also works very well against malicious sites and phishing attempts. With more companies relying on the web to conduct business transactions, being protected from phishing is an awesome move by Microsoft.
Flash Control.
The purpose of flash control is to stop ransomware infections that occur immediately a user visits a site using Adobe software. The result is that ransomware can exploit weaknesses in Adobe software to the detriment of the user.
Device Guard.
To enjoy most of the protection that Microsoft offers, users have to upgrade to Windows 10. It is all part of their upselling strategy. Another feature that Windows has included in their latest version of their OS is device Guard. The device guard lets organization whitelist the software that can run on their devices. The whitelist applies to plug-ins and add-ins as well.
The Device Guard technology uses hardware virtualization of the CPU to protect the computer from bad system files and drivers as well. However, to utilize this feature, you will need to have a CPU with virtualization capabilities. In short, this technology may not work on older computers with older CPUs.
Advanced Threat Protection.
Another feature that Microsoft touted in their new version of Windows 10 is a post-bleach analysis service of Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection. This will allow Windows 10 to better analyze any ransomware that attacks a computer. The Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection is sold separately for businesses. It is not the same as having Windows Defender antivirus.
Cloud-Based Protection.
The Windows 10 OS comes with an inbuilt antivirus that can block Ransomware automatically. However, one unique attribute about it is its ability to use machine learning. Thus, it is able to block even never-before-seen malware.
Thus, any suspicious files, whether new or unknown will be kept safely away from your device. Other advanced technologies that are used with cloud-based technology are deep neural networks, fuzzy matching, and other advanced technologies.
In this version of Windows 10, the anti-virus can suspend suspicious files from running and sync with other technologies on the cloud to inspect the file. Within seconds, the AV will be able to determine if the file is dangerous or not. The information is then stored to help others in the future. Thus, the ability of Windows 10 to defend against malware only grows as more attacks are directed to it.
What the Researchers Think.
When the version 1511 of Windows 10 was released, various organizations conducted studies on it to see if it was possible to use hacking code on it. The researchers said that the Version 1511 was the last potentially vulnerable version of Windows 10 for the use of leaked code in hacking. However, they did say there were still some potential workarounds to protect it. However, they also noted that there were no workarounds for protecting older versions of Windows.
What will This Mean for the User Experience?
The average user of a PC will probably not notice much difference. These are behind the scenes tweaks to the security rather than updates to the interface. If you are a business owner, it means you will not have to hold a session with your staff to make them understand how to use the new version of Windows.
If you have just begun using Windows 10 in your organization, the latest version of updates may not be much of a priority. You may want to wait for the next major rollout of Windows, which has been dubbed Redstone 3. That one is slated to take place sometime later this year. Any organization that uses Windows via the Volume License Service Center has been able to receive this update since May 1.
Windows Avails these Features Only in Its Latest Updates.
Windows has prepared a very thorough PDF to explain its protection from ransomware. In it, it is quite clear that most of the features can only be accessed in its latest version.
You are only as Strong as Your Weakest Links
If you want to stay safe in your organization, you will need to stay safe at all levels of the network. You will need to conduct end-user security training for instance. That way, your employees do not unwittingly open the door wide open for the bad guys to begin playing around with your security.

Security Risks of Using Public Wi-Fi

by Felicien | Jun 21, 2017 | Education

Public Wi-Fi can be quite dangerous.
Here is a detailed list of the most common risks of using it and how to mitigate them.

June is the Official National Candy Month. Thus, it is only fitting that we spend some time talking about the sweet things in life. For instance, we are going to talk about how you can sweeten the Wi-Fi experience within your business premises for customers and members of staff. Most companies imagine that things such as public Wi-Fi are a background consideration. However, with the internet playing an increasing role in the success or failure of businesses, it is important to ensure its security. Here are a few things about the security of public Wi-Fi and possible solutions that I have prepared.
Some of the Risk You Face When Using Public Wi-Fi.
On public Wi-Fi, there are numerous methods, which people with malicious intentions can use to get to you. Here are some of the most common:
· MITM interceptions.
The ‘Man IN The Middle’ attacks are a common form of attacks on people on public Wi-Fi. These attacks when an adversary captures the data you are sending. Most hackers who use this method exploit flaws in apps or websites to view information going through them. The information could include passwords, financial data, and other data that could be used for identity theft.
There are many different types of MITM attacks. However, the most common are those that occur over unencrypted Wi-Fi networks. Even when you are accessing a secure website, security is not guaranteed if the network is not encrypted.
· Fake Hotspots.
Criminal create fake wireless networks all the time to steal from people. When you connect to such a network, you give criminals an opportunity to monitor all your data.
· Wireless “sniffing.”
This is a practice where your data is observed, intercepted, and interpreted. It helps experts to diagnose any problems on the network. In the wrong hands, it can be used to monitor and collect data from unsuspecting victims.
1. Check the Terms and Conditions.
In your desire to get some free internet, it can be quite tempting to click through any terms and conditions that pop up on your screen. However, you should be careful about what you sign up for in public. A huge amount of free public Wi-Fi also takes something from you. These firms will give you some bandwidth as long as you agree to give them your email address and a phone number for instance.
The terms and conditions include details on how the company will make use of the data they collect from you. If you can bear to wait for just a few minutes, it can be quite beneficial to read what you are giving up. It is one of those times when having an alternative email can prove useful.
2. Stick to Advertised Wi-Fi Networks.
Just because you see free Wi-Fi pop up on your screen does not mean you must connect to it. Hackers are known to set up free Wi-Fi that they use to mine data from unsuspecting individuals. If you see open Wi-Fi that is not advertised publicly, you will have to think twice about using it.
3. Only Visit Secure Sites on Wi-Fi.
The green padlock at the top left corner of your browser shows you that you are connecting to a secure site. This sign is even more important when you are relying on free Wi-Fi. Think hard before doing anything important when on free Wi-Fi. For instance, avoid making any credit card transactions on public Wi-Fi.
Additionally, it is best to use a mobile browser rather than an app when on public Wi-Fi. Mobile browsers are better at checking the security of sites than apps. Some apps could be accepting fake security credentials without you knowing about it.
For apps, you are at the mercy of developers when it comes to app security. You should only use apps from trusted companies when using public Wi-Fi. Such companies spend millions every year to ensure that their apps are secure. However, even then you are not guaranteed of being secure.
4. Make Use of VPN.
A VPN connection is something that you must have if you are using any device that you also use for your business when on public Wi-Fi. That way, even when a hacker manages to gain access to your connection, they will only receive encrypted data. Since most hackers are in search of easy targets, they will discard encrypted data rather than try to decrypt it.
5. Switch Off Sharing.
When your device is connected to the Internet in a public area, you will not want to share anything. You can turn off sharing in the Control Panel depending on the OS you use. You may also opt to have your OS do it for you by choosing “Public” the first time you connect to a public network.
6. Switch Off Wi-Fi Capabilities in Public.
Even when you are not actively connected to any Wi-Fi network, your computer hardware can still transmit data to any network that is in range. There are measures in place to keep such networks from getting in touch with you. However, hackers can be quite smart, and they can get into your laptop. Besides that, switching off Wi-Fi settings allows you to extend the battery life of your device.
7. Have some Great Protection.
Even when you take all the above measures, you will run into issues sometimes. It is a fact of the modern world in which we live in today. That is why you must purchase the best Wi-Fi security solutions for your devices at all times. Such programs will constantly check for malware and scan any new files that you download. When purchasing security software for your business machines, you should not spare any expenses. Cheap could come to haunt you in a big way eventually.
Other Useful Tips.
Avoid downloading anything when using public Wi-Fi. Additionally, always ensure that the OS and all other software are always up to date. Although your device automatically manages your connection when you are on public Wi-Fi, it is always best to double check.
When you are done with a Wi-Fi, always forget the network. That way, you can reduce the security risk to your device. Additionally, make simple choices like using different passwords for each app.