In the mainframe era, computer systems were housed in a specialized room and closely tended by IT professionals — a tightly controlled setting known as a “glass house.” Today, IT equipment is often housed in any available space and managed as time permits or issues as arise. Few organizations have the IT operational rigor of [...]
Just how frequently are cyberattacks happening? According to a new Osterman Research study, U.S.-based organizations experienced an average of 1.8 very serious security events in 2017, more than twice the global average (0.8 percent). These are events that disrupted normal operations or completely shut down an organization’s IT infrastructure for at least one day. Just [...]
Although Wi-Fi is now integral to the operations of many businesses, it is inherently less secure than wired networks. The WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 2) security protocol helps protect Wi-Fi communications by encrypting data traveling over the network. However, a vulnerability discovered in October 2017 has spurred the development of a new protocol that provides [...]
It’s no secret that today’s hackers take a more sophisticated approach to cybercrime than the stereotypical 20-year-old living in his parents’ basement. Hackers do a lot of research to learn about their targets and find vulnerabilities. They develop advanced solutions and look for help on the dark web. They’re master impersonators and manipulators. Most importantly, [...]
The clock is ticking on Windows 7 machines. Microsoft will continue to provide security updates for most Windows 7 PCs through January 14, 2020, but that’s less than a year and a half away. And Microsoft has already discontinued support for machines with older Intel processors. Streaming single instructions multiple data extensions 2 (SSE2), which [...]
Years ago, most people had a home computer, which was usually a desktop. At their place of employment, there may have been a desktop if the job required the use of such. As technological advances continued, we turned towards all-in-ones, laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc. Now, we have multiple devices for both recreational use and our [...]
Traditionally, there was a clear, static network perimeter. Organizations implemented security strategies that focused on blocking threats at that perimeter. Then came the cloud. Then came mobile. Then came the remote workforce. As a result, users are accessing IT resources on virtually any device from any location, whether they’re working from home, the airport, a [...]
The current, constantly changing cybersecurity threat climate has turned security personnel into walking stress balls. Every time they see a new headline about a new breach involving a major retailer, financial institution, social media platform or healthcare organization, they wonder if their defenses are strong enough. They wonder if their organization will be next. When [...]
Many companies are compelled to provide some level of network access to vendors and partners in order to do business effectively. Unfortunately, there is mounting evidence that these third- and fourth-party connections create substantial cybersecurity risks. In many cases, partners and vendors with privileged access to confidential and sensitive data represent a greater threat to [...]
We are familiar with the malicious activity that exists in the cyber world; however while many of us hear about security breaches and cyberattacks, most of us do not know the “what” behind the end result. Below are eight of the common security risks that exist: Bot: Bot is a program that is remotely triggered [...]
