Not long ago, our Xiologix CTO was working with a new manufacturing client. They initially worked with a different partner and brought us in to work with them on their security posture because the other partner left them still needing more in the manner of configuration, support, and they found some serious deficiencies in their deployment. Happy to work with the client, we got their environment cleaned up, and it laid the foundation for more success that layered on after that. Read More
Image Source: http://docs.apwg.org/reports/apwg_trends_report_q4_2017.pdf
According to Phishme research, 91% of attack-related data breaches begin with a spear phishing email. Most of us have heard about phishing and know to stay away from unsafe sites but did you know that 80% of people polled by APWG believe that the HTTPS notation along with the padlock in the URL address means that the site is legitimate and/or safe to visit?
HTTPS (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure) means that the communication between your browser and the website is encrypted. It does not imply that the site you are visiting is safe. If even one of your users believe HTTPS to mean that the site is safe to visit, your organization is susceptible to a data breach.
To mitigate this risk, we recommend multiple layers of protection including:
- FortiMail which recently received Top AAA Rating in SE Labs Email Security Test demonstrating 100 percent detection of phishing attacks with zero false positives.
- End-user testing and training which can start with a live phishing test, a custom phishing test template, a custom landing page, and a full report to give you a starting place in knowing your vulnerabilities.
Contact Xiologix to learn more.
While internet usage in the home continues to grow, so does our need to learn, exercise and share internet safety. From posting on social media to using the latest internet-connected toy, it is imperative that everyone from children through older adults learn to use the internet and internet-connected items safely.
Here are a few tips to get those conversations started based on StaySafeOnline recommendations:
Keep a Clean Machine: Those pesky “updates” on our cell phones, PCs and other Internet-connected devices, are designed in part to help keep your devices free of viruses, malware, and other online threats. Don’t ignore them – many times they include patches to recently discovered vulnerabilities.
Lock Down Your Login: One does not need to look hard to find recent examples of large-scale password exposures. Improve account security by enabling robust authentication tools such as bio-metrics or one-time access codes. Let’s Talk About Passwords.
Read Between the Lines: Would you put up a sign on your front door saying, “Nobody is Home?” Of course not but that could be how a bad actor reads your real-time check-in or vacation photo. If you want to share your adventures, lock down who can see your posts or consider posting once you have returned.
Share with Care: Think carefully about what you are saying about yourself or others before you post. Choices can hurt feelings, betray trust or even come back to bite you in the future.
Back it up: Having a recent copy of your important files and photos can spare you from the ill-effects of device failure and #ransomware.
Protect Personal Information: Personal information is an asset that can be sold for money. Information such as your locations and purchasing habits and even search history is deemed valuable by an array of retailers. Did you know that Medical Records are more valuable on the black market than your credit card numbers?
Be Aware of Incognito Mode: Browsing Incognito can be a great way to ensure that your cookies and site data are not saved. However, parents beware, browsing incognito can allow your home users to visit sites without you being able to track their activity by looking at the browser history.
Avoid Falling for Tricks: From Phishing to Spoofing, bad actors can be very creative in tricking unsuspecting internet users to click on malware. Knowledge is power so keep yourself and your household familiar with how to recognize potential fraudulent attempts to get you to click. Be wary of communications asking you to click or enter private information. When in doubt, contact the organization directly by phone to confirm that the communication is legitimate and to report it if it is not.
Secure Your WiFi Router: Change your WiFi router’s default name in a way that does not let people identify that it’s yours. No using “WoodwardHomeWiFi”. Set a very strong passphrase for your WIFi network. Have fun with it keeping it positive and easy to remember and consider throwing in some numbers to substitute as letters such as “IL0V3THEB3ACH”.
Follow Xiologix for more #cybersecurity information as we participate in the 15th Annual National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and work year-round to help businesses of all sizes protect their digital infrastructure and data. #cyberaware
The digital business model requires organizations to adopt a new approach to securing data and networks. At the same time, technology and networks are evolving, making security more complex.
One of the biggest challenges is the sheer number of security products and vendors inside an organization. According to our technology partner Fortinet, Some larger financial enterprises; for example, use products from as many as 40 or more vendors to secure their networks.
All these products — firewalls, intrusion protection systems, antivirus tools and so on — have their own management systems and generate their own alerts. Since they don’t typically integrate, these disparate products complicate security efforts even further.
The number of alerts generated by separate systems can overwhelm even the most robust security teams, with many alerts going uninvestigated. Read More
Uila (pronounced wee-la) with its application-centric infrastructure monitoring and analytics identifies performance bottlenecks for business-critical services and plans workload migration strategies for private and hybrid cloud environments. Uila provides service dependency mapping, full stack correlation with one-click root cause analysis and patented deep packet inspection technology that understands over 3,000 application protocols for transactional meta data analysis. Businesses use Uila to align themselves with their IT operations team and cut time to resolution from days to minutes, keep their application at peak performance at all time and ensure end-user satisfaction to the fullest. Read More
Senior Systems Engineer, James Pethigal, completed the 8-day Wilderness First Responder certification course in Southern California this past week. As traditional first responder training typically takes place in domestic and urban settings, the wilderness training teaches participants effective methods when dealing with medical emergencies when 911 is not a viable option. Read More
vExpert 2018!
We are proud to announce that Xiologix CTO, Christopher Kusek, has earned his vExpert designation for 2018. Having recently co-authored his latest book: vSphere High Performance Cookbook, Christopher continues to be a very active member of and contributor to the vCommunity.
Read the formal award announcement.
Congratulations Christopher!
Senior Systems Engineer, Abe Covello, completed the Companion Rescue course up at Mt. Hood which included structured rescue scenarios in:
- Companion rescue
- Scene assessment
- Beacon use
- Probing
- Recovery of victims not wearing beacons
- Common mistakes in avalanche rescue
- Single and multiple beacon search techniques
- First aid and emergency response in avalanche rescues
This is another example of how Xiologix employees care. We are proud of our employees’ continued involvement in their local communities.
E-Rate Survey
Extreme Networks conducted a survey of K-12 IT Managers and Educators seeking to learn about their knowledge and use of E-rate. Not surprisingly, the survey found that lack of awareness is the biggest reason that school districts did not take advantage of the E-rate program. Take a look at Extreme Network’s Infographic detailing how E-Rate is being used. Questions? Learn more about how Xiologix can help you to make the most of your E-rate dollars! Read More
