Cybersecurity Spring Cleaning

Cybersecurity Spring Cleaning Spring is the perfect time to clean out your business, get rid of clutter and start fresh. One important aspect of this is to make sure your technology passwords and accounts are secure. Business owners may overlook this step in their cybersecurity spring cleaning, but it’s essential to ensure the safety of their sensitive information. 5 Key reasons why small business owners should prioritize spring cleaning their technology passwords and accounts. 1. Security Breaches are on the Rise As technology becomes more advanced, so do the methods used by hackers to breach security systems. Small businesses are at risk of cyber-attacks. Weak passwords and outdated security measures can make them vulnerable. Updating passwords and securing accounts can help protect against potential security breaches. 2. Protect Confidential Information Your business has a lot of confidential information, such as customer data and financial records. If this information falls into the wrong hands, it can be damaging to the business, and to its reputation. By ensuring that passwords and accounts are secure, small business owners can prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information. 3. Compliance with Regulatory Requirements Many industries have specific regulatory requirements for data protection and security, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). Regularly updating passwords helps small businesses remain compliant with these regulations and avoid potential penalties or legal issues. 4. Improve Productivity Outdated and forgotten passwords can cause significant delays and reduce productivity if access is difficult to obtain. Employees may spend hours trying to reset passwords or access accounts. By ensuring that passwords are up-to-date and easily accessible, small business owners can improve their team’s productivity. 5. Password Management Efficiency Over time, businesses may accumulate numerous accounts and passwords, making it challenging to manage and remember them all. By spring cleaning passwords, businesses can streamline their password management practices, making it easier to keep track of and maintain secure access to various accounts. We know that keeping our accounts clean is important, but how should you go about spring-cleaning your technology passwords and accounts? 1. Start With a Security Audit You should perform a security audit to identify potential vulnerabilities in your accounts and technology. This can include reviewing access logs, checking security settings, and updating software and firmware to the latest versions. 2. Review Your Existing Passwords Use strong, unique passwords. It’s essential to use strong passwords that are difficult to guess. This means using a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Additionally, each account should have a unique password to prevent a breach of one account leading to access to all accounts. 3. Add an Additional Layer of Security Two-factor authentication provides an extra layer of security to accounts by requiring a second form of verification before allowing access. This can include a code sent to a mobile device or biometric authentication like fingerprint or facial recognition. 4. Schedule Ongoing Maintenance Update passwords regularly. It’s a good practice to update passwords every few months to ensure their effectiveness. This can prevent unauthorized access by someone who may have gained access to an old password. 5. Password Managers A password manager is a tool that can help to manage and secure passwords. These tools can create and store complex passwords, so users don’t have to remember them. Some password managers even offer features like alerts when a password has been breached, so you can update the password immediately. 6. Protection Against Insider Threats Spring cleaning passwords should also include reviewing and revoking access to accounts and systems for former employees or individuals who no longer require access. This helps prevent unauthorized individuals from accessing sensitive information and protects against potential insider threats. 7. Business Continuity Planning Asses the organization’s incident response plan, including processes for detecting, responding to, and recovering from security incidents. Review business continuity and disaster recovery plans to ensure systems can be restored and operations can resume in the event of a disruption or incident. Don’t have a plan in place? Time to make one! 8. Don’t Forget Physical Security This aspect of an audit focuses on physical security controls, such as access controls, video surveillance, and environmental safeguards (e.g., temperature control, fire suppression) within data centers, server rooms, or other critical IT infrastructure locations. 9. Conduct Regular Cybersecurity Training Cybersecurity training for employees at your organization can play a vital role in keeping your business safe from cyber threats. Training employees on how to recognize phishing emails, suspicious links, and other common cyber threats significantly reduces the chances of successful cyber attacks. This proactive approach minimizes potential breaches. Cybersecurity Spring Cleaning Conclusion You should start spring cleaning your technology passwords and accounts to ensure the safety of your business’s sensitive information. If you’re already a client, let’s get this on the calendar today, and if you’d like to learn more, contact us for a free consultation.

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3CX Security Alert – Seek Remediation

News / Pennyrile Technologies

If your business uses 3CX for VoIP phone service, you should immediately check to see if you’ve been affected by their desktop application being compromised. Confirmed by 3CX yesterday, the Windows desktop application versions 18.12.407 & 18.12.416 and Mac application versions 18.11.1213, 18.12.402, 18.12.407 & 18.12.416 are affected. A digitally signed and trojanized version of the 3CX V desktop client is reportedly being used to target the company’s customers in an ongoing supply chain attack. The full scale of the attack is currently unknown. “The malicious activity includes beaconing to actor-controlled infrastructure, deployment of second-stage payloads, and, in a small number of cases, hands-on-keyboard activity,” CrowdStrike’s threat intel team said. This appears to have been a targeted attack from an advanced persistent threat, perhaps even state sponsored, that ran a complex supply chain attack and picked who would be downloading the next stages of their malware. The vast majority of systems, although they had the files dormant, were in fact never infected claims 3CX. The company said it’s engaging the services of Google-owned Mandiant to review the incident. In the interim, it’s urging its customers of self-hosted and on-premise versions of the software to update to version 18.12.422. 3CX has evolved from its roots as a PBX phone system to a complete communications platform. They operate in over 190 countries, with 600,000+ installations, and over million users. 3CX Remediation If your business has any of the affected versions installed, we recommend the following steps: Uninstall the 3CX desktop application from all PCs and MACs. Reset 3cx credentials for all users. Begin using the PWA web based application instead. Affected user accounts should have their login passwords reset. Enable Multi Factor Authentication where able. Any site where credential harvesting could have occurred from Chrome/Edge, etc should have the password reset. Invalidate any persistence tokens for sites like Microsoft 365, Google, etc. Invest in EDR (Endpoint Detection & Response) if you haven’t already. 3CX Security Alert Conclusion If you need assistance remediating this 3CX security alert, contact Pennyrile Technologies. We can assist with 3CX removal and securing your network. For additional information, you can follow the 3CX thread here.

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Does Your Business Need Backup or Failover Internet?

Informative / Pennyrile Technologies

Most businesses in today’s advanced world breathe and live on the internet. Ranging from doing minute tasks to the most tiresome, the empires of various business people thrive with a secure and fast internet connection. But why is it so important to have a backup/failover Internet? Companies going head-to-head in various niches depend on digital efficiency in bringing in most of their income and staying on top. The competitive nature of these big businesses is a force to be reckoned with. Hence, having a failover Internet line could save you money, build loyal customers since you’re always quick and on time with their demands, and eliminate downtime for complete productivity. But can you imagine what happens when a big-shot company loses its connection for even an hour? You lose the trust of customers who expects quick results from you, and failure to provide this simple yet agonizing function could lead to abnormal losses. We’re talking in the thousands or even millions of dollars. So if you’re wondering about the importance of a backup/failover internet connection and pondering if you need such a thing, then the answer is a big yes! You can easily avoid this obstacle by simply having a secondary connection, also known as backup/failover internet. Start protecting your business today and always stay on top of the game. This article covers everything you need to know and understand about backup/failover internet for your growing business. Let’s get started! What Is Backup Internet? The perfect solution for an internet outage is to have a backup Internet line. Businesses thrive on continuity, and the Internet plays a significant part in making this possible. In simple words, backup internet is a safety net if you’re met with an internet outage on your main connection. Even if you could find the perfect service provider for your company that provides almost 100% uptime, there will always be instances when the connection goes down for a period of time due to some unforeseen event. Your company could cause the issue by accidentally disconnecting the connection or by an unexpected error on your service provider’s part due to natural disasters like tornadoes, which are risks you shouldn’t be taking. Outages pose an extreme threat to your thriving businesses. Depending on what is causing the issue, it could take minutes to hours, or even days to get it back up, resulting in downtime costing you thousands of dollars and even millions. In the meantime, productivity goes down the drain, and wasting even minutes is crucial when playing at a high-level competitive stage. In the worst-case scenario, your competition could be getting your customers. You can prevent this by having a secondary connection or backup Internet line if your company relies on the internet. The failover or backup Internet line would kick in as soon as your main line goes down during an outage. The failover Internet gets connected as soon as your primary connection cuts off, ensuring you don’t lose productivity, time, and money. It’s important to understand how beneficial it can be for your business to have a second connection it can rely on during a time of need. Cost Of Downtime What is downtime? Downtime is when you cannot work as a company due to malfunctioning machines, technical failures, or in this case, an outage of the Internet. You lose time, reputation, productivity, and money, among many other things, as a company during downtime. Nowadays, every company and business is linked to the Internet in some form or another. If your business falls into this category, the cost of downtime is not to be taken lightly. Since you need the Internet to interact with customers, utilize email, and any web-based applications, it’s important to ensure downtime doesn’t affect your business and staff. There are also cases where your company’s phones are connected to the internet, so having an outage can lead to phone service downtime since your customers would not be able to reach you which can lead to losses. Here are some of the general costs of downtime: Hidden costs – These are the extra expenses caused by the outage, including paying the repair man his rate and completing orders set by the customers, among other things. Some more hidden costs include building bills like (security, AC, lights, etc.) during a loss. Loss of sales – An outage can impact your company’s ability to make sales, causing losses of potential and current customers. Owing money – An hour of downtime could lead to various unhappy customers and situations where they would want to be compensated for their time and money wastage by the company. A damaged reputation – Reputation is a long work in progress and can easily be destroyed in as short as an hour or two. Always being prepared to save the company’s reputation is critical to success. Productivity of stuff – You’re paying your staff to be productive, but since they need the internet connection and you happen to have an outage, you will still end up paying them for hours spent in the office doing nothing. Some of the world’s biggest companies, like Amazon, sometimes face outages. However, for a billion-dollar company to dish out a few million dollars lost in hours is less harsh than for small companies. Start-ups and small companies usually have more to lose than big ones since you spend more than you earn, your start-up reputation is on the line, customer trust is still in progress, and you might risk tragic losses with all the additional costs. Having a safety net to rely on by paying a few additional costs for a secondary Internet will save you more money than you would spend in case of downtime. Besides, an outage is a frequent phenomenon that occurs to the best of businesses, and you can’t just risk the company you’ve worked so hard for to face such a scenario. Things That May Cause Downtime/Internet Service To Fail While a variety of situations can end

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Guide to Cell Phone Boosters

Informative / Pennyrile Technologies

Cell Phone Booster For Your Business Connectivity should be one of your top priorities if you own a business. Your enterprise depends on your employees and consumers; therefore, you must always have an open communication channel with them. You should be able to interact with them on a personal level in addition to having advertising, a website, and certain promotional events as per your business requirements. One key factor for an open line of communication is data or cellular service. If you have a network that keeps signaling out when you need it most and dropping calls, your customers will likely lose faith in your company standards. That’s something you want to avoid at all costs. Here is where you should take advantage of the technological breakthroughs of the 21st century and purchase a cell phone booster for your business. Doing this allows you to keep an keep a line available for all your business needs and guarantee constant, smooth connectivity. Read on for a comprehensive look into cell phone boosters also known as cellular repeaters and why you need them. What is a Cell phone booster? Simply put, a cell phone booster helps improve the cellular signal inside a specific area. You do this to broaden your network’s coverage area and strengthen its performance. It is a tool that can provide constant, stable connectivity whenever possible. However, the device does not always ensure connectivity, especially when there is no existing signal at all. The booster can only function if there is at least one bar of network signal. It cannot provide data network services like a WiFi modem, only boost existing signals. A primary source of grid connection (like a Verizon or AT&T cellular tower) will provide the signal to the electronic gadget, which will then amplify and broadcast it within a predetermined area. It also goes by signal extender, cellular signal repeater, and cell signal booster. What A Cell Booster Does As was already said, a cell phone booster can improve data connectivity in a specific area and aid in maintaining reliable network coverage. The device will expand its range by connecting to an external cellular network. It also can direct the amplified data in the desired direction. All cellular devices can and will immediately pick up on the enhanced signal when this is done, maintaining connectivity. The booster may also function in reverse, allowing it to receive signals from cellular nodes and transmit them to the nearest cell tower. This function can aid in faster and more efficient transactions of data. If you cannot instantly connect to the electronic world, it can be frustrating for you and your staff. Dropped or missed calls could cause you to lose money. The booster will ensure that 99.9% of the time, you can complete your assignment on schedule. Why A Business May Need A Cell Booster You must be thinking about purchasing a network booster for numerous reasons. If you’re having problems with dropped cellular calls or lack of cellular coverage in your office or warehouse your, buying an amplifier to increase productivity at work can help. Here is a list of items you can look into. 1) Location of your business or building Consider obtaining a booster if your business location is very remote and has poor cell reception. This can also mean businesses in urban areas, which are located in spaces that make it challenging to have connectivity all the time. Another excellent factor to consider when choosing a booster is the size of the business. The system can supply a cell phone boost to a vast workplace with excellent coverage over a large office, space, or region. Additionally, suppose your business is located in a remote area where the network tends to fluctuate. In that case, you should consider purchasing a cell phone booster to strengthen and enhance your signal so that business operations are not affected. 2) If your signal is weak or keeps fluctuating Poor network access is bad for business; therefore, a cell booster is an excellent fix. A cell phone booster can help your situation and allow you to always maintain your standard, regardless of whether you live in a rural area or have another reason your network may not be operating at total capacity. Consider installing a cell signal repeater if the closest cell tower to your location is relatively far away or for building exteriors that may deflect the signal. An amplifier will be an excellent option if you’ve had external interference that disrupt your signal. 3) Business expectations Most companies rely heavily on high-speed data services and require assistance in most aspects of work. Both large corporations and independent small enterprises need connectivity in their daily operations. Therefore, it is crucial always to have a clear, steady signal. You should install an amplifier to reduce the likelihood of losing services so that you can take advantage of business opportunities. This is especially true if your business is customer-focused and strongly depends on client engagement. Types of Cell Phone Boosters After reviewing what mobile phone boosters are and how they function, let’s take a closer look at the available types so that you may choose the amplifier that best suits your needs. In the market, there are two different sorts of boosters. These boosters have diverse applications; thus, one cannot be utilized in place of the other because they are both used in distinct settings. 1) Vehicle Signal Boosters These amplifiers are explicitly made for vehicular use. Metal can cause interruptions in 4G, LTE, or 5G signals, thus making the network fluctuate. The amplifier comes in handy to ensure your cell service is uninterrupted at all times. Although using cell phones while driving is not the best idea, you still need to receive all your alerts so you can respond to them appropriately. A booster in a car will ensure that your connectivity is at its best even when you’re in difficult areas. 2) In-Building Signal Boosters A vehicle signal

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Ubiquiti Installer & Support

Guides / Pennyrile Technologies

A poor Wi-Fi connection and slow network has become a problem for many businesses. If your business is experiencing this or you are looking to upgrade or setup a new network, a Ubiquiti UniFi network can help solve the problem. Nowadays, our networks tend to depend a lot on Wi-Fi connections and gigabit connections. It is more convenient as it provides faster speed than most mobile networks. But when it is slow, it can get on your nerves. But with a Ubiquiti network, this won’t be a problem. This is why your home or business needs Ubiquiti UniFi hardware installed. And our Ubiquiti installers are here to offer you our services and support. What Is Ubiquiti? Ubiquiti Inc is an American tech company based in New York. It was founded in 2003 in San Jose, California. Ubiquiti is a specialist in wireless connections and networking products for multiple different environments, from home to small and medium business and enterprise. Whether it is your home or office building, you will find Ubiquiti services in many of them. Their initial product was the mini PCI radio card and other wireless products. They have since expanded to many other product lines. Some of them include EdgeMax, UniFi, airMAX, etc. We will discuss this further below. What is UniFi? UniFi is a product line from Ubiquiti that focuses on networking tools. They have several product ranges and models, including switches, wireless access points, routers, security cameras, etc. UniFi is one of the most common systems found in many homes and offices. This is because they are reasonably priced. It offers a middle ground where people can still afford good quality networking tools from a renowned manufacturer. UniFi wireless networks have a pretty long range. From an apartment building to a thousand-seater stadium, their range is quite vast. Moreover, you can choose the devices that you need to build your UniFi connection. It doesn’t mean you can have a connection only when you are utilizing Unifi products. For instance, UniFi’s access points are enough to get you up and running. Of course, having all the pieces will benefit your greatly. But you can make do with a starter pack. UniFi OS Consoles We cannot talk about UniFi without including UniFi OS consoles. It is the software that runs the operating system for all UniFi devices. Examples of UniFi OS consoles are the Cloud Keys, Dream Machine Pro, etc. UniFi consoles are helpful if you don’t want to use a self-hosted controller. These consoles include the Cloud Keys. We can still find the first generation of Cloud Keys on the market. But for better accessibility, our Ubiquiti installers recommend the second generation. The first generation of Cloud Keys faced several issues, like database corruption if there was a sudden power outage. This issue is resolved in the second-generation Cloud Keys. They have an inbuilt battery that shuts down smoothly when there is no power. It also has a hard drive with storage of 1 TB, expandable up to 5 TB. We can integrate this with UniFi Protect. This feature is helpful for cameras. Other consoles include: Dream Machine Dream Machine Pro Dream Machine SE Dream Router We always recommend using UniFi OS consoles to run your Unifi hardware. They are designed to optimize memory and CPU usage. At the same time, these consoles are fully secure and help tighten your privacy. UniFi Switches UniFi switches come in layer 2 and layer 3 models with gigabit ethernet and 10 gigabit ethernet models too. There is also PoE availability that allow us to build scalable networks. They perform really well and are pretty cheap and sturdily built. You can get UniFi switches with different Ethernet ports. This includes 8, 16, 24, and 48 PoE and non PoE ports. You can also use a UniFi controller software to configure the PoE at a passive 24V. UniFi switches are an update to the much older EdgeSwitches. However, UniFi switches lack some of the advanced features we find on EdgeSwitches. UniFi switches also operate at layer 2 and some at layer 3. This means the layer 2 switches cannot be used as a router, but they can handle VLANs effectively. The first generation of UniFi switches are quite old. But they are still robust layer 2 switches. There are plenty of models, which include 8-port models to the US-48-500W, which can be rack mounted by a Ubiquiti installer. Here are some of the more popular first-generation models: Switch 8 Switch 16 PoE Switch 24 Switch 24 PoE Switch 48 Switch 48 PoE Switch XG 16 Other than that, they have the second-generation models. These models are far better than the first-generation models. They are more compact and lightweight with lower fan noise. The second-generation models also come with a touchscreen display. This screen displays information like the network, stats, etc. And they lack a console port, so you have to manage them over Ethernet in-band. Some of the more popular second-generation models include: Switch Flex Mini Switch Flex Switch Lite 8 PoE Switch Lite 16 PoE Switch 48 PoE Switch Industrial Furthermore, these models begin with the name “USW.” For instance, the USW-16-PoE. The first generation begins with the name “US,” like the US-8. UniFi Routers There are two different generations of UniFi Routers and a few models to choose from. UniFi networks are modular. So you can add and remove hardware accordingly. A UniFi router is not entirely necessary to run an UniFi network. But having a full UniFi stack has many benefits. UniFi routers offer standard routing, a Virtual Private Network, etc. But more complicated networking setups can be a problem for a UniFi router. Here is a list of UniFi routers. UniFi Security Gateway UniFi Security Gateway XG 8 UniFi Dream Router UniFi Dream Machine UniFi Dream Wall Cloud Key Gen 2 UniFi Next-Generation Gateway Pro UniFi Wireless Access Points There are several access points to choose from. UniFi offers up to 6 models. But the essential

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6 Common MacBook Repairs

Informative / Pennyrile Technologies

The fascination with MacBooks among students and people all around the world is not without cause. Apple launched its first MacBook in 2006 and it has been quite the ride ever since. With each MacBook enhanced and better than the last, the competition has increased between Macs and the Windows PC. But why are Macs and Apple so popular? While the pleasing design of the Mac undoubtedly plays a significant role in attracting its customers, they bring a whole different game to the world of laptops and make people’s lives easier. Compared to their competition, the brilliant user interface, increased security, and various high-quality aspects like typing experience, video, audio, etc., put the icing on the cake. The Mac’s durability is unmatched, but when things go wrong they can sometimes be difficult to repair. We’ve listed some of the most common MacBook repairs and how you can quickly go about them. Let’s get started! MacBook Repair For Cover Screen Replacement If your MacBook’s screen suddenly stops working, do not panic. The LED screens on the Mac are not made to last forever, as with all devices, so there are a variety of ways they can get damaged. So many things could go wrong, like dropping it from a questionable height and resulting in a cracked screen. You might find yourself with a faulty screen due to years of usage (yes, like all laptops), or your butterfingers got the best of you and dropped some water on it. There are also some infamous connectivity issues between the circuit board and your screen. These are just some of the various ways you can damage your MacBook screen and may need professional help. We’re here to tell you that it can be fixed and cover screen replacement on a MacBook is one of the most common issues Mac owners share. While it is financially better for some people to buy a newer one, replacing screens is preferable for many. Hence, professionals work on cover screen replacement using various high-end tools plus a lot of work experience dealing with the issue. So make sure to take it to a legit repair store instead of trying to fix it on your own. You can get it repaired or replaced by reaching out to your nearest computer store that handles MacBooks, or type in “nearest Apple repair store” on the Google search box and get in touch with technicians of Apple near you. Macbook Keyboard Replacement The keys on the keyboard of a MacBook can either get damaged by years of usage, resulting in overheating issues or by various contaminants like accidental spillage of water, dust collection, etc. Not only are contaminants the primary villains of this problem, but you might also have a hand in this. While keyboards on the MacBook are not as delicate, the issue can be caused by placing a lot of pressure against the keys. In some cases, a single key may need to be repaired, while in others, the entire keyboard may need to be replaced. Luckily, you can replace the keyboard instead of buying a new MacBook. You can also take the route of buying a USB keyboard instead of replacing the original MacBook keyboard, which will definitely cost you less. But taking it everywhere with you can be troublesome and replacement is the key if you like to travel light! Also, there are many DIY fixes you can do with a simple search on google of “how to fix MacBook Keyboard.” The results are more often than not helpful, and they are often related to software issues. However, if all fails, you can easily replace your keyboard without breaking the bank. The cost of performing a keyboard replacement will vary according to the store, but make sure you’re going to the right technicians. An Apple professional will take extreme care and work with on your MacBook repair. MacBook RAM Replacement/Upgrade Ram replacement and upgrades are a common problem among old MacBook users, regardless of model and all other laptops. Various issues with MacBooks in the past have been due to faulty RAM, and a replacement may become necessary for the end user. If you’re starting to see your MacBook become slower by the day, it may be time to upgrade the RAM on it. Not only this, but if you’ve come across your Mac with a blue screen when switching it on or ending up with a dark black screen even though your fan is running or the LED lights seem to be turned on, it might be because of your RAM. These are just some of the primary issues faced when dealing with faulty RAM, among various problems that affect the functionality of your Mac. Since RAM is a vital component in running laptops, replacing it is easier than you think in some models. Generally, MacBooks are pre-installed with 2 or more Ram sticks, and you can upgrade to more or larger sizes. Hence, it is possible to get out of this sticky situation yourself by finding out which of the RAM sticks is faulty and removing it. If it is not severe, there are many ways you can fix it, including simply taking it out and putting it back might fix your issue. However, if you’ve tried everything but the problem continues, you should get it replaced. Replacing or upgrading the Ram on your MacBook can be done quickly at most Apple, PC, or MacBook repair stores. MacBook Hard Drive Replacement Or Upgrade While the newer models of MacBook powered by the M1 and M2 chip come with a newly launched SSD, the older versions still run with an HDD, and having issues with it and or needing to replace or upgrade the hard drive is a pretty common issue. Considering the HDD does a lot of work in preserving and writing your data, problems eventually come about over the years. A faulty hard drive can lead to a series of problems that can be

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Best Practices For Microsoft 365 Security

Guides / Pennyrile Technologies

Microsoft 365 security practices are often overlooked when managing an organization. In this guide we will look over and recommend several Microsoft security recommendations and how to implement them. What is Microsoft 365? Microsoft 365 is a productivity suite for home, business, and enterprise users. It comes highly recommended by countless businesses and is s also one of the most popular software suites in the world, with an active user base of more than 340 million users. Microsoft 365 has evolved over the years and securing your organization’s tenant can be daunting. Here are some Microsoft 365 security practices we recommend implementing. Use Multi-factor Authentication Protocols The most critical security factor for any software or application is the password. Despite its importance, most people tend to choose weak passwords that are easy to remember. While this is quite convenient for you, the user, it is very inconvenient for your computer’s security. Easy passwords can be uncovered by hackers or cyber criminals who are always trying to steal your data. What’s more, some people even use the same password over and over again for multiple devices, software, and websites. In that case, a hacker would simply have to figure out the universal password to gain access to all your devices. Seeing how easy it is to steal and misuse passwords, it would be a good idea to set up an extra layer of security for all your sign-ins. Luckily for you, you can use multi-factor authentication or MFA to increase your Microsoft 365 security. How Does Multi-factor Authentication Work? If you’re a Windows user, chances are you use the same password for everything. That’s because most of us don’t want to create and memorize multiple passwords when we can just use one. And most importantly, most people don’t even know how to add security layers without simply using a secondary password. MFA adds an extra step during sign-up procedures, requiring you to use your primary password and then a secondary verification method. Rather than using an additional password that you can memorize, the process takes a more instinctive path. There are two ways to go about this. Typically, MFA sends a verification code to your smartphone via SMS, which you must confirm by typing it into your computer. This code changes with each sign-in and never repeats itself, no matter how many tries. You On the other hand, you can also use a more secure method and verify using an authenticator app on your phone from Microsoft, Google, or Duo to name a few. How Does Multi-factor Authentication Help? Multi-factor authentication is extremely beneficial to those users who have a habit of keeping weak passwords. That’s because the process makes you use both your password and an extra verification method. Suppose a hacker has gained access to your password and is now planning to use it to log into all your accounts. In this scenario, the hacker might get through the first sign-up stage but won’t get through the second. That’s because the MFA protocol automatically sends a sign-up prompt to your phone that the hacker will not have access to. Since the hacker doesn’t have access to your phone or your fingerprints, he won’t be able to get far. So, by removing dependency on a single test, the MFA protocol boosts security and ensures that only you can sign into your accounts. Safeguard Your Admin Account The very first account you create for Microsoft 365 automatically becomes your global administrator account. Being a global admin means having full control of all other accounts and settings. As you can imagine, this is a juicy opportunity for hackers to attack because securing this one account will give them access to everything. It is in your best interest to always safeguard the global admin account. Create Other Accounts The simplest measure to overcome this issue is to create different accounts for your use. After all, you don’t need to use the admin account every day. You can easily do your work via a secondary account instead and only use the admin account to change your settings. Alternatively, you could also create a separate admin account that can function on an emergency basis. If something happens to your original admin account, for example, it got hacked, you can always switch to the secondary admin account. Don’t forget to use MFA on your admin accounts either! Use Preset Security Policies Your Microsoft 365 subscription will typically come with security policies that the software itself has preset. These include useful settings for anti-malware, anti-phishing, and anti-spamg protection. Although 365 has a set of default built-in preferences, we recommend switching it over to something more particular. It’s important to know that security presets are not the same as default settings. They are both different from each other and cannot be used as the same thing. Microsoft 365 typically lets you set a default setting first and then any added preset security policy you desire. What’s Included In Preset Microsoft 365 Security Policies? You can choose several types of preset security policies, each with its own distinct features. The type of profile you select will determine how strict or lenient your security is. Choosing policies will make 365 focus on the theme or subject matter and change its settings to suit the requirements. Some policies include anti-phishing, anti-spam, impersonation protection, spoof settings, etc. Finally, policy settings will determine if you use the setting for a single user, group, or multiple domains. Standard Protection – This is the protection level recommended for most businesses and enterprises. This profile is most suitable for anti-malware, anti-phishing, and other similar settings. Strict Protection – This profile includes everything you can find in standard protection and some added benefits. It uses the same base settings as the previous profile but adds strict measures and a more accurate authentication process. It is the perfect option for businesses that must meet tough security regulations. Most businesses use strict protection to safeguard their valued clients

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Password Managers and Why You Should Be Using One

Uncategorized / Pennyrile Technologies

Creating passwords is inevitable since we need to create an account with every app and website we access online. All the websites require you to have an account to use their services. Since you create different accounts on different websites, it can take time to remember all of them and it’s impossible for you to access a website without the login credentials. To avoid such situations, you can use the help of password managers. Password managers can be apps, desktop programs, or online vaults. A password manager is important as it helps keep your passwords safe, in an encrypted vault. And it’s not just passwords that are kept safe in password managers; there are some situations where you can store your banking details, documents, and personal IDs. Data stored in these vaults is typically sensitive information that you would not share with anyone. Password managers help to keep the passwords safe in their encrypted vaults where only you can gain access. The only thing you have to remember is the password for your password manager. It is called the master password. If you unlock your password manager with the master password, you can gain access to all the other saved passwords. Each password has military-grade encryption, which is visible only to the user and the people with whom they share different information. The best thing about password managers is that you do not have to memorize all your passwords, like in the old days. The other function of a password manager is to generate secure passwords for its users. Sometimes you create so many accounts on different websites that you need help to come up with a new password. When this happens, you can your password manager’s help and generate a new and strong password. How Do Password Managers Work? Password managers use a military-grade level coding system to store data so only the authorized users can open it. There are various types of password managers that you can use differently. The functioning of a password manager depends on the type you are using. They promise both security and convenience. There is only one requirement to using them – you should remember the one master password to unlock the vault. Password managers work in such a way that they help generate unique passwords for different accounts as well. Though its primary function is to manage and keep your passwords safe, it is also the best way to generate secure passwords for your new accounts quickly and securely. During the early Internet days, it was much easier to remember our passwords because of the limited number of online accounts. However, as time has passed and the use of websites and the Internet has increased, so has our need to remember even more passwords. Password managers are now necessary because of the number of the sheer number of accounts we use daily. It is easy to understand how a password manager works. All you have to do is install the software and enable it on your browser, and every time you create an account or share personal information, the manager extension will ask you for permission to save them. If you want to avoid forgetting your password, just save it in your password manager. Create a master password for the password manager to have access to all the saved passwords. When you sign in to a site, you can use the master password. There is no need for you to try and remember all the other saved passwords. Ensure that you create a long and strong master password so that it remains secure. Many of the password managers will allow you to activate two-factor authentication for even more security. The Zero Knowledge Security Model While companies develop password managers to help secure your passwords and information, some people might be suspicious about the companies’ access to said passwords and information. To ensure your information is safe, they all use a security model called Zero Knowledge. This model ensures the company that developed your password manager does not have access to your passwords. They cannot unlock your password manager and pry on your passwords. There are also significantly fewer chances of getting hacked by cybercriminals as the hacker would have to go through the encrypted user data, the extension’s password, and the security key. These are the three layers of defense against hackers used in a password manager. So even if the company gets hacked, your data will not be compromised. Using a password manager is the best way to ensure your data is protected at all costs. Advanced Encryption Standard Most companies use AES encryption to develop their password manager software. The same encryption is used in other things like firewalls and VPNs. The commonly-used version is the 256-Bit AES, which is a military-grade level coding system that encrypts and decrypts data. It is accessible only to parties that have authorization to the password manager. 256-Bit is the encryption key, a random string of 1s and 0s. There are more than two combinations of this key in most password managers. It gets harder for hackers to intrude into our password managers when there are more 256-Bit key combinations. Some companies also use a less-secure AES 128-Bit, but you can usually find these password managers for free. They do not come with frequent updates, unlike the AES 256-bit password managers. What Are The Different Types Of Password Managers? Password managers help protect your online accounts from getting hacked by generating strong and unique passwords. After you create your passwords, you can save them in the password manager for future use. Once you unlock the password manager using the master password, you don’t need to use other passwords for your other accounts. Different password managers have different features, but their primary job is protecting your passwords. If you are looking to use a password manager, you will need to know the different types to understand which one to choose. There are many factors

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What is DMARC?

Uncategorized / Pennyrile Technologies

Have you ever opened an email that looked normal but contained malware inside? You might want to check out DMARC, the email authentication protocol that helps keep your inbox risk-free. We’ve all heard about super hackers gaining access to corporate networks and stealing valuable data. And, of course, we’re all aware of online heists that take place with the help of ransomware. These kinds of tactics have become infamous, and we’ve learned to overcome them. After all, we pay massive amounts for cybersecurity, so the chances of hackers penetrating our systems should be nil. Cyber-attacks are a prominent element in the industry, which is why we’ve learned the tell-tale signs of one. Or at least, that’s what our software is here for. But what if criminals were to use something so simple and seemingly innocent that it slips right past our radars? What if they use a simple, generic-looking email to trick us? Well, that’s where DMARC comes into play. DMARC Explained If we’re talking about full forms, DMARC stands for domain-based message authentication, reporting, and conformance. Overall, it is an authentication protocol that protects you from spam, spoof, and phishing-related emails. As you can tell by the lengthy name, the first part of the protocol involves domain authentication. This authentication process figures out and confirms where an incoming email came from. The protocol then checks the source’s background and verifies its reliability. The incoming mail is simply rejected if the protocol can’t recognize the source. DMARC is a useful tool that protects your business and employees from email-related attacks. It provides an extra layer of security that can even prevent scams. It works by allowing companies or entities to set their own policy that determines whether or not a certain mail will go through or be ignored by the server if it fails authentication. With DMARC, you can set your own email authentication process. By setting a custom standard of protocols, you can effectively filter out authentic emails from those which are spam or suspicious. What’s more, you can even set a particular course of action that will take place in case the incoming email does not match the standard you have set. For example, you can set the verification process so that only emails from a particular server are allowed into your network. Anything else will automatically be deemed unsafe by the network and thrown in the trash. Well, that’s DMARC in a nutshell. However, if you really want to know the core details of DMARC, how it functions, and its uses, we’ll have to dive much deeper into that. Starting with why we need it in the first place. Why Do We Use DMARC? To understand how using DMARC can benefit you, you must understand how fishing and spoofing work. These are techniques used by scammers looking to dupe you and your company out of thousands and sometimes even millions of dollars. And the worst part is that these scammers target the one aspect that we would rarely suspect. Everyone is familiar with how malware and hacker attacks work. The most dangerous attacks are often made by penetrating your firewall, allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to your company’s private network. From there, these hackers can steal important company data and leak that information for a price. All without a single trace. But today, we won’t be talking about complicated hacker attacks requiring massive skill. Instead, we’ll talk about simple, clever methods that even an amateur scammer can use to dupe you out of millions. Unlike hackers, who manipulate a company’s network, spoofing and phishing attacks often work by manipulating you or your employees via a harmless email. That’s why it’s even more shocking when such an attack occurs. The game isn’t about dealing with or bypassing your robust cybersecurity software but rather, tricking human beings into carrying out their dirty work. And nobody played the game better than Nigerian-born scammer Ramon Abbas, a.k.a; Hushpuppi. How Did Hushpuppi Scam Companies? If you work in an international conglomerate or an elite financial institution, you’re probably aware of how much money is exchanged daily. Corporations make massive transactions daily, often transferring and receiving millions in payments. Employees working in such companies typically follow the instructions of official company emails. If the mail tells them to make a certain payment to a certain account, it is the employee’s job to make the transaction. But what if someone figures out a way to impersonate your company and send you an official-looking email filled with fraudulent instructions? You might think you’ll detect its deceitful quality; however, that’s easier said than done. Employees must deal with massive workloads daily, leaving little time to double-check emails. Besides, it’s your natural instinct to trust any email from your company, so long as nothing seems off at first glance, you wouldn’t stop questioning anything before instinctively following the instructions mentioned. What’s more, scammers will use email addresses that look similar to your company’s address, at least at first glance. So being aware of fraud is beyond your capabilities in most cases. Well, that’s what scammers like Hushpuppi would rely on during their spoofing attacks. All it took was one official-looking email, directing an employee to make a hefty transition to a particular account number, and voila, the heist was successful. And the worst part is the victim wouldn’t even realize that he was duped. Could DMARC Have Stopped Hushpuppi Scams? Throughout his entire career, the Nigerian scammer used business emails to dupe companies out of hundreds of millions. All this by using a simple bait and hook spoofing technique that fooled countless gullible employees from various companies. It raises the question, could Hushpuppi have scammed those companies if there was a proper DMARC structure in place? Probably not. Situations like these are precisely what DMARC authentication protocols are for. With DMARC, scammers won’t be facing busy, overworked employees who don’t have the instinct to suspect company mail. Instead, they will be facing a computerized protocol

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Do You Need Cybersecurity Insurance?

Informative / Pennyrile Technologies

Cybersecurity insurance is an industry that has seen steady growth over the last few years. Studies show that around 50% of all businesses have an active cybersecurity policy, which is a big boost from 2 years ago when that number was 34%. It’s clear to us now that cybersecurity has become a permanent factor in today’s vulnerable market. But although the rise has been steady, plenty of businesses still don’t know what they’re dealing with regarding cybersecurity insurance. Besides, this isn’t something only corporations need, but small businesses too, and there’s a lot to cover in that department. So naturally, the level of awareness regarding this type of insurance is still moderate. It gives rise to some important questions, what exactly is cybersecurity insurance, and do we really need it? What Is Cybersecurity Insurance? Cybersecurity insurance is a type of contract that businesses or entities can purchase to mitigate the financial risk of maintaining an online business. These insurance policies cover cybersecurity threats and function as a repair aid in post-attack scenarios. What this insurance does, is take care of some of the costs involved in case of a cyber-attack. The most basic of these policies will help cover elements like investigation costs or help by bringing in damage control experts. All this comes for a nominal fee the company must pay monthly or quarterly. We live in a digital world where more and more real-life applications are forming their online counterpart, and it’s no different with cybersecurity. It’s like hiring a security team to patrol your office building, except it happens online. Now, imagine there was a security breach in your company, which involved some burglars breaking in and stealing important company information. Such kind of incidents could cost you a lot in the long run. Naturally, as the company owner, you’ll want to investigate who committed the breach and possibly recover your company data. Such an investigation will cost you a massive amount. You’ll have to hire a special investigation team filled with experts who can assess the situation, detect, and fix any weaknesses in your security system, and look for a trail that leads to stolen company property. Doing all of this will add to your data breach cost. The Cost Of Data Breaches Companies incur a lot of expenses because of cybersecurity breaches, with recovery costs often ranging in the millions. And it only gets worse when it comes to cases of ransomware, with recovery expenses stretching even further. Research indicates that the average cost of a cybersecurity breach in 2021 was around $4.24 million in 2021. This year, that figure has spiked up to $4.35 million. That’s 12.7% in two years if we measure statistics from 2020. As cyber-attacks get more and more brazen, it is common for companies to chalk up millions after a breach. Even with the best cybersecurity software guarding your company’s data, there are still chances of breaches. Given the current situation, it’s a wise thing for companies to procure a good cybersecurity insurance plan. Cybersecurity insurance has helped companies reduce the cost of recovery by a significant margin. No longer will you stand alone when dealing with the aftermath of a damaging breach. Now, the insurer will also bear the cost of recovery, which is a sigh of relief for businesses and enterprises. How Does Cybersecurity Insurance Help? The world is filled with hackers looking to steal company data and exploit it for their own benefit. Companies often hold important electronic data which have been paid for or are owned by investors. So naturally, losing such data can result in the company losing the trust of its shareholders. Not to mention, it also results in the loss of customers and hampers the company’s ability to secure future revenue. A good cybersecurity insurance policy can help with the recovery process and reduce some of the negative impacts of data theft. This is especially important in the case of a ransomware attack, from which companies stand to lose tens of millions. That’s why a good cybersecurity insurance policy covers both first-party and third-party losses. First-party coverage helps the company recover from any losses that it suffers directly. Meanwhile, third-party insurance covers any losses suffered by investors, shareholders, and partner companies and takes care of lawsuit expenses. Most insurance policies for cybersecurity cover any cost related to legal assistance, investigation costs, refunds for customers, and overall crisis management. This makes having a cybersecurity insurance policy an absolute must in 2022. A Brief History Of Cybersecurity Insurance Cyber threats became increasingly prominent as businesses started relying on electronic data and cloud-based storage. Companies usually hold sensitive and valuable data, which becomes easy targets for hackers. All this culminated in the rise of cybersecurity and, eventually, cybersecurity insurance. The first cybersecurity insurance examples popped up in the 90s, during the infamous dot-com bubble. Although it hadn’t reached its current form yet, it was still available in a limited capacity. These policies initially covered data processing errors or technical glitches in online media. At this time, there was no coverage for the company itself, and it usually had exemptions for penalties, regulatory errors, or antics from disgruntled employees. Initial Rise As the internet became increasingly complex, new threats started appearing on the horizon. Soon, companies faced data theft, information breaches, unauthorized access from hackers, virus attacks, etc. This made insurers boost their services to include more coverage for such instances during the 2000s. Despite this rise in online security threats, plenty of companies weren’t too quick to jump onto the cybersecurity bandwagon. For some companies, cybersecurity insurance was more of a response to a recent attack rather than an official preventive measure. This initial carelessness led to several breaches, either due to virus-related incidents or employees going rogue. However, some companies still did not maintain reliability in insurance policies. Things got more serious when California passed the Security Breach and Information Act in 2003. According to the law, any business based in California was now

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