What is Cloud App Security an Do You Need It?

Security,
10
May 2016

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Cloud computing is becoming more common in every business’ operations. Some benefits are set to be enhanced with Microsoft’s Cloud App Security.

Mindful that businesses want to maintain the protection and visibility of their data, Microsoft has designed Cloud App Security to provide this level of control. With more and more businesses moving to the cloud, it could prove to be a very clever move by Microsoft.

To help you understand the benefits of Cloud App Security, I’m going to take you through the basics of this exciting new service.

Employees and Cloud Apps

Employees – just like consumers – absolutely love cloud apps due to their ease of use, but what employees aren’t aware of is the security risk; with employees using, on average, around 17 cloud apps, this opens up a significant number of routes into your network.

These cloud apps are referred to as ‘shadow IT’ as they’re not software/hardware which your businesses IT team will be supporting. Or will have even acknowledged as accessing the network.

91% of companies allow their employees to have access to the organizations cloud, so, as you can gather, the impact of all these routes into your business could cause major issues if security processes are not adhered to.

Employees are human and humans make mistakes, so preparing for this is essential!

The Workings of Cloud App Security

Cloud-Security

Microsoft is keen to clarify that Cloud App Security isn’t about breaching employees’ data usage or habits, but more that it gives businesses a better understanding of how much data is leaving their network and the ramifications of this.

There are three main elements which make up Cloud App Security:

  • Data Control ­– This component allows IT teams to use routines and protocols to control how much data is shared and lost through the network. The policies employed here can either be default, pre-set controls or custom made ones.
  • App Discovery – Using a risk assessment scoring method, Cloud App Security identifies individual cloud apps on the network and evaluates their risk.
  • Threat Protection – By analyzing user behavior and any data anomalies, Cloud App Security delivers threat protection for your various cloud apps.

Cloud App Security operates through two simple steps:

  1. Uploads Network Logs for Analysis – This function allows businesses to take snapshots of network logs of any device on the network and then upload them for analysis. This provides clear and instant visibility.
  2. Connects Sanctioned Apps – Cloud App Security allows you to approve access to apps with just one click. This allows the service to then scan the cloud for app specific data usage.

Do You Need Cloud App Security?

Cloud App Security is an intriguing service and one which should help businesses sleep a little easier at night. There’s a level of cloud app visibility which is currently out of reach for most businesses, but Microsoft, among other cloud app security service provides, makes this readily available.

Cloud computing is a relatively new technology, so this means it can be easily exploited. Cloud App Security, therefore, helps you stay ahead of any potential exploits by providing readily available visibility and analysis of outgoing data through cloud apps.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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6 Reasons Your Business Needs Cloud Computing

Cloud, Internet
03
May 2016

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You’ve probably heard a lot about cloud computing over the last couple of years, but what is it? And, more importantly, how can it benefit your business?

We don’t want to bog you down in lengthy technical details, so we’ll just fill you in on the basics of cloud computing. In a nutshell, cloud computing dispenses with the traditional local servers and, instead, uses a network of remote servers – which are based online – to process, manage and store your data.

So, the basic premise seems fairly simple, but, apart from saving you a few square feet in your premises, what are the real reasons your business needs cloud computing?

  1. Hassle Free Updates

Cloud networks are setup by suppliers and then rented out to clients, so the maintenance due on your end is virtually zero. And this can be a real time saver; you only have to look at the number of security updates which arrive almost daily and require significant time to be approved and installed.

  1. Enhanced Accessibility

One of the jewels in cloud computing’s crown is the level of accessibility to resources it offers. As long as employees have an internet connection then they can access your cloud. This is a fantastic feature of cloud computing as it allows employees to work from home or on the move. And it’s this flexibility which offers employers the chance to reduce office size and overhead.

  1. Cost Savings

Cloud data storage costs are relatively low when compared to the hugely expensive hardware required for onsite storage. Hardware costs are not the only savings you will benefit from. With all your servers located offsite, you’ll quickly discover that the need for in-house IT expertise has reduced. Although I’m not suggesting you completely get rid of your IT support, you will find that it’s less stretched and cuts can be made.

  1. More Eco Friendly

Businesses are looking for more and more ways to reduce their carbon footprint and cloud computing helps you to help the environment. Physical servers have a ravenous desire for electricity, so it’s a constant drain on energy resources as well as your utilities bills. With cloud storage, however, the servers only respond to demand, so there’s less energy usage and less cost.

  1. Better Collaboration

Document control is a tough task when several people are working on the same file and having to email it back and forth. Not only is this a time consuming procedure, but human error is always hovering around the periphery e.g. one user may fail to send the most up to date document back. With cloud computing, though, every employee is able to access the same file from one central location. This ensures that everyone is, literally, working on the same page.

  1. Reduced Data Loss

The funds and technical know-how required to avoid or repair data disasters are often stumbling blocks for small business thanks to costs. The beauty of cloud computing, though, is that the cloud networks suppliers are highly experienced in data recovery. And the added bonus is that the cost of this expertise is spread across a huge database of clients, so costs remain low.

Final Thoughts

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Cloud computing is helping to make everyone’s lives easier, so it’s crucial that your business starts investigating it as a viable network option. Anything that enhances your businesses productivity and competitiveness with cost savings should never be ignored.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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Multifactor Authentication and Why You Need It

Security,
26
Apr 2016

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Many businesses are struggling to combat the increasing sophistication of hackers. However, the key to data security may lie in multifactor authentication.

When firms such as Apple are struggling to reduce the threat of hacks which spell disaster for their employees, it underlines the ease in which hackers can gain access to sensitive data. One way that you can put obstacles in the way of potential hackers is to implement multifactor authentication (MFA) into your business.

You may be wondering what MFA is, so let’s take a look!

The Basics of Multifactor Authentication

Whilst MFA may sound both a bit of a mouthful and incredibly technical, the truth is that it’s a simple concept. Whereas you may currently require your employees to log on to your system with a password, MFA takes it a little bit further.

What MFA demands is that at least two user credentials need to be combined to provide access. The credentials employed in MFA tend to center around the following categories:

  • Password – Yes, that’s right, the good old fashioned login/password combination still has a place in the 21st century!
  • Authentication Token – A small device which users carry such as a swipe card. Using this device will allow users to access your system.
  • Biometric Authentication – This is where things start to get really futuristic as it relates to forms of genetic verification e.g. retina scans and fingerprint recognition.

What’s Wrong with Just Passwords?

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Passwords have been in use with computers for as long as we can remember; we suspect that they will also continue to be here for some time. However, on their own, they represent a security risk.

The main problem with a reliance on passwords is that they have to be stored somewhere on a database. Immediately, this presents the threat of all your passwords being compromised if a hacker manages to access the database. And, as mentioned at the start of this article hackers are becoming very sophisticated.

It’s relatively simple for hackers to run software which attempts 1 billion passwords per second, so this demonstrates just how feeble a password on its own is. Therefore, integrating MFA is crucial for establishing a strong set of defenses against potential security attacks.

Benefits of Multifactor Authentication

multifactor

Let’s take a look through the benefits that MFA can bring to your business:

  • Physical credentials can’t be compromised by social engineering. Sure, it’s possible to get a password to someone’s bank account over the phone with a bit of trickery, but how are you going to talk someone out of their swipe card?
  • Hackers are instantly repelled by MFA as their time is better spent on less complex systems to break into.
  • MFA can be very cost effective if all it requires is for an employee to be sent an SMS message with a code.
  • There’s an increase in awareness of security breaches e.g. if an employee receives an SMS message advising that a login attempt has been made, but they haven’t tried to login, then they can alert your IT department.

Considering Multifactor Authentication?

If you’re trying to make your mind up on MFA then let us confirm the answer for you: it’s essential for your most important data and emails! Anything which creates a headache for hackers is an excellent deterrent and MFA achieves this effectively.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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Email Phishing Scam Steals Snapchat Employees Data

Security, ,
19
Apr 2016

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Phishing scams are well known within technology circles, but this doesn’t mean those in the tech industry are immune as Snapchat discovered in February.

Snapchat, for those of you who are not aware, is a social media app which allows users to send each other photos and videos with a limited viewing time. Once that time is up then the media disappears forever. It’s proved to be phenomenally successful and the company is estimated to be worth $20 billion.

However, even with the funds available to invest in state of the art cyber security, they still found themselves falling foul of a good old fashioned phishing scam. We are going to show you what happened in order to equip you with the knowledge needed to avoid a similar occurrence.

How Was Snapchat Hacked?

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The hack at Snapchat used a relatively simple phishing scam to gain access to sensitive employee data. The payroll department at Snapchat received an email which claimed to be from the company’s CEO requesting payroll information on employees. Unfortunately for the payroll department, this email was not genuine. It was a scam.

Not realizing the fraudulent nature of the email, an employee duly forwarded the required information to the hacker. The nature of the data disclosed has not been confirmed by Snapchat, but it’s suspected that it would include the following:

  • Bank details
  • Social security numbers
  • Salary information
  • Personal ID and addresses

Why Do People Still Fall for Phishing Scams?

Computer-Hacker

It may seem strange that such a master of modern technology can fall victim to such a simple phishing scam, but it’s by no means unthinkable. These scams have evolved over time to become more sophisticated and it’s often their simplicity which makes them so deceptive.

In the case of the email sent to Snapchat purporting to be from their CEO, it’s more than likely that it genuinely appeared to have been sent by the CEO. With even the most basic software, it’s possible to fake outgoing email addresses and, if I wanted, it wouldn’t be difficult for me to send an email apparently from bill.gates@microsoft.com

And although this particular Snapchat employee was left thinking “I should have known better”, they most likely thought they were being a helpful employee and were keen to impress their CEO. However, it’s this type of tempting payoff which makes phishing scams so hard to resist.

The Aftermath of the Scam

To Snapchat’s credit, they responded fairly quickly and within four hours they had managed to confirm this was an isolated attack. A report was filed with the FBI and employees affected by the scam were offered two years’ worth of identity theft insurance and monitoring. More importantly, Snapchat underlined their determination to increase the intensity of their security training within the next few weeks.

Snapchat’s case highlights just how vulnerable even multibillion dollar corporations can be when confronted with even the simplest hacks. The importance of good quality security training which focuses on even the most intricate details of phishing scams is paramount to ensure yours and your customer’s data.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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Samsung Deliver a Huge 16TB Solid State Drive

hardware,
12
Apr 2016

Samsung-PM1633A

You can never have enough storage on your PCs, so that’s why Samsung has now released a 16TB solid state drive (SSD) which is being called the biggest ever.

Samsung has decided that it’s time to solve all your storage issues with an integral SSD rather than investing in finicky cloud storage systems. The SSD – entitled PM1633a – has the business sector in its sights and is an impressive sign of intent by Samsung.

The PM1633a has such high density storage that it’s currently unparalleled in the PC market. It’s an exciting opportunity for businesses to get involved with premium storage, so it’s time you found out a little more.

What is the PM1633a?

SSDs are a relatively new form of storage system which has evolved from the traditional hard disk drive (HDD). The main benefit of SSDs over their HDD counterparts is the all important factor of speed. Whereas a HDD relies of mechanical parts to operate (hence all the whirring sounds), an SSD operates via flash memory, so is much faster and quieter.

Despite this edge in terms of speed, SSDs have traditionally been unable to match the huge amounts of storage real estate that HDDs have been capable of. However, Samsung’s PM1633a potentially signals the beginning of an era of dominance for SSDs by racing past HDDs.

The All Important Specs

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The largest SSD storage capabilities currently available are around 8 – 10TB in size, but, in order to make a huge statement, Samsung has gone for 16TB with the PM1633a. This is close to double anything else currently available in the SSD market, but how has Samsung managed this?

In order to achieve such high storage, Samsung has really had to re-design the wheel. In the case of the PM1633a, Samsung has integrated their new 256GB V-NAND flash which has been stacked up in 48 layers. For comparison, Samsung’s previous foray into high storage SSDs was comprised of only 36 layers.

These figures are very impressive, but what exactly does it mean in terms of performance?

What Will The PM1633a Do For You?

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Samsung’s new SSD will, rather obviously, provide huge amounts of storage for your business, but its magnificent benefits do not stop there. It will also provide the following:

  • A staggering 2 million input/output operations per second (IOPS). This is in stark contrast to the current average of 90,000 IOPS in SSDs. The higher the IOPS, the quicker you can save and access large files without your system grinding to a halt.
  • There is a high level of data protection on offer with the added bonus of a data restoration tool to protect against temporary blackouts and power issues.
  • The ability to write a total of 15.36TB of data every single day, so this is very attractive to businesses which process large amounts of data.

Is Samsung onto a Winner?

Samsung has predicted that there will be a huge demand for ultra-high storage and, when you take a look at the PM1633a’s specs, it’s difficult to argue against this.

The crucial difference with the PM1633a is not that it’s merely a behemoth of storage, it also promises to enhance your business operations by making PCs more productive. The smart money, therefore, is currently on Samsung to deliver a market leader in SSDs.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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