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June 25, 2022 In IT Security Services, Managed IT Services By admin

How Two-Factor And Two-Step Authentication Can Improve Your Security

Data breaches are becoming more prevalent these days. In order to keep your business safe from data breaches, you need to step up your security measures. One of the best ways to strengthen your security is by implementing a two-factor or a two-step authentication process. These authentication methods may sound the same, but they are actually two different processes. Read on to learn more about the difference between two-factor authentication and two-step authentication.

According to the Allianz Risk Barometer, businesses are more worried about cybersecurity threats compared to other business disruptions like supply chain issues, natural disasters, or even the COVID-19 pandemic. This is why business owners are ramping up data security measures. One way they do this is by implementing two-factor and two-step authentication. Many businesses use the two terms interchangeably, but these processes are quite different.

Two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a security measure used to ensure that people trying to access a system are who they say they are. 2FA requires users to provide two pieces of information before being granted access.

When you try to log in to a system that uses 2FA, you’ll be asked to provide not only your password but also another piece of information or form of identification. This second factor can be something you know, like a PIN or a security question, or something you have, like a physical token or key fob. If you have the correct password and the second piece of information, then you’ll be granted access to the system. Because of the additional authentication information required, hackers would have great difficulty breaking into a network using a 2FA system.

Two-step authentication

Two-step authentication (2SA) is an extra layer of security that can be added to your online accounts. 2SA requires you to enter both your password and a code that is sent to your phone or email before you can log in.

Adding 2SA to your online accounts can help protect your information from being hacked. Even if a hacker knows your username and password, they will still need the code that is sent to your phone or email before they can log in to your account.

There are a few different ways to set up 2SA. Some websites, like Google and Facebook, offer 2SA as an additional security measure that is especially useful when you or someone else is trying to log in using a new or different device. Others, like Dropbox and Twitter, require you to set up your authentication profile in the settings page before you can use their app. A 2SA setup is typically quick and easy, and only requires you to have your phone or email immediately accessible when you log in.

Which one is better?

Relying on a single-factor authentication process is no longer sufficient in ensuring the safety of your network. Securing the authentication process and making it difficult for cybercriminals to access your network should be on top of your priorities. Deciding whether to use two-step or two-factor authentication largely depends on your business’s specific security requirements. To take the stress out of choosing which between the two methods better suits your needs, call us today for expert cybersecurity advice.

June 20, 2022 In Managed IT Services By admin

Microsoft Help Files Are Being Used To Distribute This Spyware

Diana Lopera is a researcher for Trustwave Cybersecurity and has stumbled across something that’s one part interesting and one part disturbing.

Apparently, a group of hackers are trying a new approach to distribute their malicious code which is leveraging Microsoft’s HTML help files.

Yes, you read that correctly. It’s an innovative technique that’s not only proving to be surprisingly effective, it is also proving to be notoriously difficult to detect. Even worse is that it’s not even a terribly sophisticated attack.

Here’s an overview of how it works:

Naturally, it begins with an email. The email contains a generic subject line and an attachment, often entitled “Reques.doc” or similar.

This file is not a doc, but an .iso file. A disk image. The image contains a pair of files. One of them is a Microsoft Compiled HTML Help file (CHM) and the other is an executable.

By exploiting the capabilities of the help file, the executable can install its malicious payload. In this case it is a malware strain called Vidar.

Vidar then establishes a link to its command-and-control server via Mastodon, which is a multi-platform open-source social networking system. Once that connection has been established, Vidar goes to work harvesting user data from the infected system and exfiltrating it to the command-and-control server.

In at least one confirmed instance, Vidar was also spotted downloading and executing additional malware payloads.

Sophisticated or not, this new campaign has proved to be highly effective. Given that Vidar can serve as how other malware payloads wind up on an infected machine, this should be regarded as a serious threat. Those “other payloads” could be anything from ransomware which will lock all the files on your network, to malicious code that has been optimized to steal banking information and everything in between.

Be sure your employees, friends, and family are aware and on their guard. This is a nasty piece of code.

June 20, 2022 In Uncategorized By admin

Ever Wonder If Your Apps Are Spying On You? Now You Can Find Out

It’s no secret that some applications are a little too interested in us and what we’re doing.

We’ve all had this experience. You might be talking to a friend about a new product that you’d like to try. Or perhaps you’ve discussed somewhere you’d like to visit.

Then the next time you go online you see adverts for the exact things you were talking about.

It’s more than a coincidence, surely???

Until recently, we haven’t had a lot of control over what information our apps are gathering about us.

Android and iOS first stepped up to give us more power over our online privacy. We were given the ability to control which apps could access our data, and sensitive things like our camera and microphone.

But while it’s easy to think of this only being an issue with phones… laptops have the same problems.

So here’s some great news. Microsoft’s testing a new feature in Windows 11 to put the power back in our hands.

It’s currently testing a new feature – called Privacy Auditing – which allows you to see which applications have been accessing sensitive hardware, like your webcam and microphone.

You’ll also be able to see if your screenshots, messages, and even your contacts and location data have been accessed. And there’s a log of which apps accessed this info, and when.

When launched, the feature will be available in your Privacy & Security menu, under App Permissions.

There you’ll be able to see a full list of what’s been accessed, by which app, and when. It should become your first port of call if you suspect any suspicious activity is taking place on your device.

When the feature is released, it will be a great tool to check periodically to help you avoid malicious activity and to make sure your sensitive data remains in the right hands.

In the meantime, if you’d like someone to look over the data permissions on your business’s devices, get in touch.

June 16, 2022 In Managed IT Services By admin

Upgrade Your Business With Unified Communications

As a business owner, you’re always looking for ways to make your company more efficient and profitable. One way to do this is to implement unified communications (UC). In this blog post, we’ll discuss how UC can help upgrade your business’s information system and other advantages of adopting a UC platform.

What is unified communications?

UC is a term used to describe the integration of different communication tools into a single platform. This includes just about every medium of communication, such as voice communication in all its forms — voicemail, phone calls, and voice memos — as well as multimedia services like video chat and web conferencing. Real-time communication, like call screening and call conferencing, can also be integrated. Even data services and transactions like eCommerce and online banking can be added to a UC system.

How can small businesses benefit from UC?

The most significant business benefit of UC is that it can help improve communication and collaboration between employees. This is because UC provides a single and flexible infrastructure in which you can streamline and enhance business communications and easily manage all the components.

Here are other benefits of having a UC system:

Hypermobility
UC enables you to access your files via a wide array of mobile devices like laptops, smartphones, and tablets. This makes it easier to create an office environment and assist customers wherever you or your team might be. This opens up a world of opportunity for real-time collaboration and remote work.
Improved productivity
UC lets you enjoy productivity-enhancing communication features like call information and call routing. These capabilities enable users to work more efficiently and better tend to customers’ needs. For instance, web and video conferencing calls not only allow for real-time interactions but also for better collaboration. Delayed response times and gaps between dispersed teams are also minimized.
Real-time updates
With UC’s real-time presence updates feature, users can share their location and contact information — provided that you authorize the use of this capability. This allows team members to easily get in touch with the right person when they need to.
Single point of contact
Clearly defined points of contact ensure that stakeholders can reach you by email, phone, SMS, etc., whether they are reaching out to you via a softphone, an IP phone, email, or instant messaging.
Reduced costs
UC lowers phone bills since it uses the internet to make calls. It also limits the need for expensive on-site hardware, as one UC server keeps everyone connected using the aforementioned communication features. What’s more, it eliminates travel costs, because it allows you to join meetings without leaving your office or home.Even better, you can potentially save thousands of dollars on office overheads by allowing employees to work from home since they’ll remain connected through their softphones even when they’re not in the office.

It’s only a matter of time before UC becomes the norm for business communications. Give us a call if you’re interested in learning more about how UC or VoIP can transform your business. We’ll answer your questions and help you devise an integration strategy that fits your business needs.

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