What to do when your Wifi won’t work

Network, Uncategorized,
30
Apr 2015

Broken-WiFi

Is your Wifi not working? No problem, simply follow our quick checklist to get your Wifi back online so you can get on with business as usual.

It can be annoying to lose your Wifi connection at home or in the office. Besides, where would one be without Wifi these days?

Not having a Wifi connection can effect a multitude of business operations such as losing access to both the internet and your internal network, email, shared peripherals (such as printers and scanners), and any other wireless  resources connected to your router.

For many, it’s no longer feasible to have ethernet cables swimming all over the place.
To help end this panic, we’ve compiled a three -step troubleshooting list to get your wireless working again.

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  • Restart your device or computer. The idea is to restart whichever device has lost its Wifi connection. It is best to do this first, as it may be an isolated issue with only the your computer, laptop, printer or smartphone. It’s also good idea to confirm this by checking to see if other devices and computers are connected and working over the wifi.
  • Restart your wireless router. If all devices connected to your Wifi router appear to be offline, then the problem is likely to be the router. You may want to observe whether your router is flashing amber or red lights, which is a sign that it has lost connectivity. Green lights are usually an indicator of a Wifi router being online, operating as usual. A simple reboot of your Wifi router by unplugging it from the power for 1 minute and plugging it back in can help it come back online. If the router continues to play up after a few minutes following a reboot, contact your ISP to check if there are problems with the internet connection. If not, the Wifi router may need to be replaced.
  • Make sure you’ve selected the correct wireless access point. Check to see which access point you’ve connected to by checking your device’s wireless settings. If you’re unsure about the wireless access point name, you can double-check it by reading the label displayed on the Wifi router or, alternatively, you can or ask your network administrator what it is. Understandingly, it’s so easy to pick the wrong wireless access point as most households and businesses have Wfi routers emitting wifi everywhere.

For more ways to troubleshoot networking problems, contact your local IT professionals.

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Windows Server 2003 End of Life Approaching

Network
13
Apr 2015

server-2003-grave800

With Windows Server 2003 end of life fast approaching, find out why it’s essential to migrate systems sooner rather than later to avoid problems.

The official date for Microsoft to end their support for Server 2003 is July 14 2015. We’ll outline here why businesses ought to update their systems in a timely manner to prevent difficulties and disruption to business operations.

End of Life Impact on Business

For businesses running Windows Server 2003, it’s important to consider the fact that Microsoft will stop releasing security updates and patches; leaving systems open to vulnerability on a network.

High priority should be given to a migration strategy ASAP to protect the IT infrastructure from any risk of attack due to, what will soon come to be, un-patched vulnerabilities.

Another significant consideration is third party vendors also ending their support of their programs running on Windows Server 2003. Resources and efforts to continue to support the soon-to-be legacy operating system will be reduced to focus on supporting newer OS builds.

Why Migrate?

Now is the time to migrate all Server 2003 machines to be sure that:

  • Any new vulnerability can be patched and updated to help lock down security.
  • All crucial applications can continue to be supported by vendors.
  • A newer operating system will also help improve performance.
  • Receiving faster response times to any given issue as well as access to quick fixes.
  • Complying with HIPAA regulations as it states under section 164.308 (a)(1)(ii)(B) that such security measures need to be in place to lower the risk of vulnerabilities to a manageable degree.
  • Complying with PCI section 6.1, which reiterates the same safety measures as HIPAA, stating for all businesses to protect their systems from vulnerabilities by applying updated patches from the vendor.

If a high majority of Servers in a data center run Server 2003 past Microsoft’s end of support period, this will infringe on both HIPPA and PCI regulations, especially for those businesses covered under it.

Windows Server 32-bit Issues

Another known problem to consider is a design flaw of the memory pool for Server 2003 32-bit systems when running newer third party applications.

Any third-party applications running on this particular version of Server 2003 are known to take up paged pool and non-paged-pool memory. The problem arises from these newer applications depleting both paged pool and non-paged pool on the already limited Server 2003 32-bit systems.

This particular problem originates in the boot.ini file which specifies a 3GB limitation option. This setting causes the memory to be first allocated to a program running within the server causing the page-pool or non-page pool memory to diminish. Many newer programs require a larger amount of memory to be “pooled” causing the server to lock-up. This usually leads to a server crash.

Final thoughts

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We suggest to plan a migration to Server 2012 R2 or Server 2008 R2 assuming your business operations really need a dedicated server. It can take some time to approve any change requests and to plan a migration within an organization, therefore it’s best to start now to ensure the least amount of disruption to business operations.

For more ways to securely migrate your old systems, contact your local IT professionals.

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Internet as a Utility: What Does This Mean For You?

Network, ,
09
Apr 2015

The internet has recently been classified as a utility by the FCC. Read our article here to find out what this means for you and your business.

As of February 26, 2015, the Federal Communications Commission ruled to classify broadband internet as a utility. This is a landmark achievement for individuals and groups supporting net neutrality or the movement to ensure the internet remains free and open to the public.

According to FCC Chairman, Tom Wheeler, the decision was needed to protect innovators and consumers preserving the internet’s role as the “core of free expression and democratic principles”. The two other commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Mignon Cyburn who voted in favor of the decision are also supporters of net neutrality. Cyburn cited the important role broadband internet plays for low-income families as their only opportunity to get access to the internet. Other notable supporters of the net neutrality include Google, Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Netflix, and President Barack Obama.

But not all the parties are happy with the ruling. Internet service providers (ISPs) such as Verizon are expected to sue the FCC and make a court appeal on its recent policy decision. Verizon claims that instead of making the internet free, it’s actually putting the network under stricter government control. Instead of price reductions to internet services, it will likely help promote the emergence of higher or new taxes since the new ruling can discourage the entry of new ISPs that would ensure strong competition.

What does this mean to personal or home broadband users?

FCC_Chairman_Tom_Wheeler

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler. Credit FastCompan.com

 

How will this new FCC ruling affect ordinary broadband users in the United States?

  • Better and wider access. Once a product or service is classified as a utility, the government is recognizing that it has become an essential part of daily living similar to water and electricity. This means having broadband internet is already a right for the public including those living in remote areas.
  • No more blocked content. Some web pages and content, even if they are lawful, are blocked due to geo-targeting or marketing only to certain locations. The new ruling prohibits unlawful blocking of content.
  • Eliminating the data capping problem. Perhaps, the most significant effect of the FCC ruling is the elimination of data capping concerns. If you are using broadband or wireless internet, you certainly have experienced slower and even hampered internet connection even if your internet provider has promised an unlimited plan or higher speeds. Have you also noticed that wired internet is faster than broadband internet? It’s not really about signal or connection but the speed throttling practices of ISPs.

How about websites and corporate users?

This is certainly good news for website owners and corporate users of broadband internet or the internet in general. The new ruling will eliminate the existing paid prioritization or pay-to-play fast scheme of ISPs. For websites and companies who need massive bandwidth and speeds like Netflix, they often need to pay more to ISPs just to ensure their viewers can experience uninterrupted media streaming.

Additionally, the FCC classification will improve internet media competition. New ventures won’t be discouraged to spend more just to gain faster speeds. This will eventually result in expanded internet use and provide further media options to the public.

It’s important to note that the FCC doesn’t plan to meddle with each ISP’s pricing scheme and engineering decisions.

For more information on how the FCC’s ruling can impact your business and operations, contact your local IT professionals.

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Does Your Office Need a Windows Server Domain Controller?

Network, ,
30
Mar 2015

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Find out if your office really needs a Windows server domain controller. Here’s what you need to know to help you decide what is best for your business.

What are domains?

To understand the need for domain controllers, let’s first look at what a domain is.

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Domains relate to any given network that hosts a large number of computers and devices. When a business uses Windows domains, this usually is to help manage a large network. For instance schools, large businesses, hospitals and government institutions will all have a domain that defines their large network.

The role of a domain controller

Now that we’ve looked at what constitutes a domain; we can relate the use of domain controllers.

  • Just as the name suggests, a domain controller is a role that network administrators assign to a server to help them manage computers and the network. The advantage of having domain controllers in a network pertains to the ease that administrators can enjoy when managing all the computers from one single point.
  • A typical domain will be made up by a large number of computers within the local network. However, it is possible for computers to join the domain via an Internet connection or through a Virtual Private Network ( VPN) connection.
  • Network administrators are then able to manage portable devices that connect to the network externally. This is useful for remote workers and people who need to work from home, as well as students who need to access study material.
  • Domain controllers are also used to authenticate user login sessions. Its role is to manage user accounts and passwords, which allows for users to log onto any computer with the same credentials within the domain.
  • Domain controllers also allow network administrators to assign and edit group policies which can be deployed out to the computers on the domain. Any policies pushed out from the Domain controller will override any individual computer policy set up by the user.
  • This allows for much more control over a network, where computers are locked down. For instance, a group policy can specify for all computers to display the same corporate wallpaper. This will add many restrictions to users on the domain from making any system changes.

When a Domain Controller is needed

There are only a couple of hard technical requirements to needing a domain controller:

  • Managing many different users for logins and various user access rights to shared resources over the network such as printers or shared drives.
  • If you have more than 25 computers accessing a resource on the network such as a shared drive or application on a server.

If a business doesn’t need to meet these requirements, and your setup is much simpler, then it’s best not to have a domain controller.  When a domain controller goes offline, this will create a period of business downtime, therefor it’s better to forgo this risk and added layer of complexity.

When a Domain Controller isn’t required

  • You have a simple home or office network.
  • All access to business email and file sharing is carried out through the cloud. For instance, the use of Gmail for email or Dropbox for file sharing.
  • Your office is phasing out Window PCs and uses Macs or other devices instead. LDAP services can still be used to authenticate Linux and Mac computers as well as other devices.
  • Looking for more flexibility in a directory that doesn’t limited a domain to a physical setup. A service known as DaaS (Directory as a Service) allows for a centralized  cloud-based directory that exists to securely authenticate users and assists with device management.
  • Access to certain folders on the network needs to be restricted to certain users, however this can be accomplished with a NAS device.

Here is a list of top selling servers on Amazon.

For more ways to simplify and secure your office networks, contact your local IT professionals.

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What is Remote Code Execution?

Network, Security, Uncategorized, ,
22
Jan 2015

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Why do hackers use remote code execution as a malicious attack on businesses? Here we’ll explain what remote code execution is and why most malware uses it.

Remote execution attacks are very real and should not be taken lightly. This is mainly due to the damage which can result in malware disabling parts of a system and disrupting business operations.

What is remote code execution?

Remote code execution can be best described as an action which involves an attacker executing code remotely using system vulnerabilities.

Such code can run from a remote server, which means that the attack can originate from anywhere around the world giving the attacker access to the PC. Once a hacker gains access to a system, they’ll be able to make changes within the target computer.

The attacker leverages the user’s admin privileges to allow them to execute code and make further changes to the computer. It’s often the case that such user privileges become elevated. Attackers usually look to gain further control on the system they already have a grip on and look to exert control onto other computers on the same network.

Examples of remote execution attack

Whether a business realizes it or not, malware threats are consistently looking for vulnerabilities and a chance to infiltrate past security. In essence, every attacker is an opportunist and they’re unlikely to hold back once they’ve spotted a loophole within a system.

Scenario 1:

Zero-day Internet Explorer Exploit CVE-2014-8967

An employee browses the Internet with the Internet Explorer browser and visits a website, which they were prompted to visit via an unsuspecting email message. Little do they know that the website exploits a bug on their browser, allowing for remote execution of code to occur. The code is set up by a criminal who has programmed it to run on the employee’s computer, and in turn, installs a Trojan virus. A Trojan allows a back door into the computer, which can be accessed at any time by the attacker. At this point, the criminal has complete access to the employee’s data files and will do as they please with it.

Scenario 2:

Windows_XP_End_of_Support

A business runs an unsupported version of Windows on a computer, which happens to be Windows XP.  An employee visits a website, however this website has been compromised, and a bug detects the user working on a computer that has Windows XP. Since this particular operating system is no longer patched by Microsoft, vulnerabilities are eminent. The bug picks up on this and begins remote code execution, set up by a criminal, to run ransom-ware on your computer. The ransom involves the criminal holding the company’s files hostage until payment is made.

How can you protect against remote code execution attacks?

For more ways to secure your systems, contact your local IT professionals.

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