Open sesame! Life is not a fairy tale…your passwords need

by | Jan 11, 2023 | Uncategorized

Open sesame! Life is not a fairy tale…your passwords need to be stronger than that You will agree that having passwords to access your IT devices, networks and data is the first step to securing your business data. However, having passwords is not enough. The passwords have to be strong and difficult to detect or hack into. A lot of ‘smart’ devices today such as phones, tablets and laptops come with facial recognition and fingerprint sensors that can be used in lieu of passwords. But what happens when you don’t have biometric security measures? You need to ensure that your passwords are strong and also maintain good password hygiene. Maintaining good password hygiene involves- Not having passwords that are too simple or easy to crack. Ideally, a password should be at least 12 characters long, mixed case, alphanumeric and include symbols. Not using the same password across different sites, programs or systems. For example, having the same password for your email and laptop is a strict no-no Not sharing passwords with coworkers and never sharing passwords via emails or text Storing passwords safely and securely, and not on a piece of paper or email or in a file on the computer without encryption Changing passwords and revoking access after someone quits the organization or in case they wanted temporary access, then not changing the password or revoking access after their work is completed Multi Factor authentication: Fortifying your data even further Multi-factor authentication involves putting up multiple barriers to data access for better data security. The idea is to have another layer of security to protect your data. The...

Fix that lock…and get a spare key! Software updates, security patches

by | Jan 4, 2023 | Uncategorized

Fix that lock…and get a spare key! Software updates, security patches and data backups If the lock to your home’s main door breaks, do you fix it or just let it be? My guess is, you would get a locksmith to fix it for you at the earliest. And, what do you do if you lose the key? Use the spare key, if you have one, to get into your home, right? The situation is kind of similar when it comes to security patches and updates for your software programs. Credible software manufacturers make sure the software programs they develop offer an acceptable level of data security. However, no software is perfect and knowing this well, cybercriminals constantly work to find vulnerabilities in popular software programs that they can exploit to gain access to your data. Security patches and software updates work to prevent this by fixing or patching the vulnerabilities. So, you need to take the time to make sure that all of your software applications, including operating systems, and browsers are up-to-date. While it makes sense to start with the software programs you are using at work, do not forget your smartphone. It is important not to leave out your smartphone applications and mobile devices as well, because cybercriminals can find a way to invade your network and data from your smartphone. For example, you have your work email configured on your phone. Hacking into your phone can give them access to your work email and consequently to work data. Make sure all of your software programs, whether on computers or on mobile devices such as smartphones...

SD WAN – What’s up with that?

by | Dec 28, 2022 | Uncategorized

SD WAN – What’s up with that? So what is this SD-WAN that you have been hearing about? SD-WAN, the acronym for Software Defined Wide Area Network is a new take on the traditional Wide Area Network (WAN). A standard WAN’s goal was to connect users at a branch to a main campus or central office. A WAN is fundamentally hardware-based, using routers to connect users to a central data center. Network administrators or engineers determine how data is moved across the various communication lines. WANs no longer are effective it handling the multi-directional, low-latency demanding applications that have arisen in the workplace of today. There are multiple drivers that encourage the adoption of SD-WAN technology, but security and the rise of cloud data storage and SaaS applications are key among them. The other is cost. Traditional WANs can involve considerable CAPEX costs. They also involve more cumbersome and labor intensive administrative activity that can be streamlined by moving towards a software defined model. WANs are not “agile” and the SD-WAN model increases real-time flexibility in handling traffic. Why might you consider SD-WAN? Most likely as your organization increases its use of cloud and SaaS services. One simple example. Under a WAN model, users have to experience “backhauling” from their location to the data center or “headquarters” before they can access the cloud. This basically means taking the long route. It slows the user experience. It also doesn’t make a lot of sense because it uses a hub and spoke model. Think back to when most major US Airlines used the hub model. All of their flights routed through...

Good Fences Make for Secure Data

by | Dec 21, 2022 | Uncategorized

Good Fences Make for Secure Data Investing in firewalls, anti-malware and data encryption software Firewalls and anti-malware tools can help you by keeping unwanted actors out of your IT network. These tools work by restricting access to only pre authorized users and these are primarily defensive measures. Data encryption software, on the other hand, is more proactive and works to code your data and store it in a different form such that it makes sense to only those who are authorized to access it, using a decryption key. Proactive measures are your strongest approach to data protection. Timely security patches and updates Make sure you apply security patches and perform software updates on time. Usually software makers release product updates and security patches when they find vulnerabilities and security lapses in their software. Don’t ignore those alerts that a software upgrade is available. It may contain more than just a few new features. The timely application of these patches and updates ensures that the discovered vulnerability is not exploited by cybercriminals. Seems like a lot of work? Not if you outsource it to a trusted MSP partner. While cybersecurity is indispensable, trying to do it all in-house can be complicated and expensive. Signing a service agreement with a managed service provider (MSP) to manage your IT infrastructure is a great solution to this challenge. You can benefit from their expertise, knowledge and staff strength, without having to worry about getting it all done on...