Posts

5 Reasons a Crypto Virus May Ruin Your Week

/in ,

Most businesses run some form of malware protection on their servers, desktops, and laptops. And yet, crypto viruses like cryptowall and cryptolocker still hit these “protected” networks.

Here are 5 reasons your virus protection may fail when it comes to crypto viruses:

1) Limited Virus Profiles

Most anti-virus systems run locally on each device. They compare file changes with patterns related to known viruses as a means of identifying malware. The pattern, or definition, database, however is typically only a few GB in size. With this limitation, it is impossible to detect the many variant forms for viruses.

2) Periodic Virus Updates

Most locally installed anti-virus systems update periodically by connecting to a local distribution server or the anti-virus software vendor’s servers.  Because updates are not real-time, there can be a gap of hours or even days between when your system is unable to detect new viruses or variants.

3) Behavior Analysis

Chances are good that your anti-virus software has some intelligence or heuristics that identify behaviors as likely malware. Chances are equally good that this analysis is triggered by file actions. Few anti-virus solutions monitor systems for virus-like behavior (such as an application rapidly opening and closing files) that are not triggered by user action.

4) Quarantine instead of Rollback

Most anti-virus solutions quarantine files that have known viruses or are likely to be infected. With crypto viruses, however, quarantining the file with the virus does nothing to protect or recover the files that have already been encrypted.

5) Device-Specific

Most anti-virus solutions focus on PC and MAC platforms. But what happens when a virus is saved on a mobile device syncing with your server?

Fortunately, you do have options. Cloud based anti-virus solutions can overcome all five of these limitations. We offer a cloud-based solution that:

  • Has a virus definition database over 2 TB (2,000 GB) in size
  • Updates instantly and continuously when devices are connected to the Internet
  • Analyzes behavior of the system and processes, not just those triggered by human action
  • Will rollback suspicious activity, undoing damage before it can spread
  • Has available protection across MAC, PC, Android, and iOS platforms from a single web-based console.

Here’s your Challenge

As a cloud-based solution with a minimal local footprint, we can install our service without interfering with your current anti-virus software.

Let us install a 30 free, no-obligation trial and see for yourself if your current anti-virus solution is giving you the protection you want or need.

To learn more about your options, or to request a trial, contact us today.

 

 

 

A New Approach to Protection

/in ,

Security Key
One of the challenges in today’s world is that malware can come from anywhere.  Traditionally, viruses and other malware travelled by disk or thumb drive.  As our desktop protections improved, malware appeared in infected files attached to emails, or spam.  Today, malware is more likely to come from a web site you visit — even legitimate sites have been hacked — than anywhere else.

Additionally, malware targets every platform.  Once thought immune to viruses, MACs face some of the same risks as PCs.  Our smartphones and tablets, running iOS and Android, are also under attack with malware built specifically for those platforms and the information they often hold and access.

The problem with protecting all devices, is that we have historically needed a solution for each platform.  For those with laptops, smartphones, and/or tablets, as many as three solutions may be needed — each with purchase and subscription costs as well as administrative time and costs.  Additionally, historical malware protection focuses on infected files and malicious code on each device … even though the web is the greatest source of danger.

Looking forward, we need a better way!

Instead of working to protect devices and data, let’s focus on protecting the users.  Let’s offer protection through a single system across all devices.  Let’s offer protection that not only looks for traditional viruses and malware, but prevents malicious code and activities from hacked web sites.  Let’s deploy a solution that works with they way our users work — on smartphones and tablets, as well as PCs and MACs.  And, let’s do this without breaking the bank.

Does such a solution exist?

YES!  And, we are launching it soon.  Fill in the form, below, for pre-launch information and pricing.

MAC Users: Hold Off on Mountain Lion

/in

It seems that Apple may be taking lessons from Microsoft and releasing Operating Systems before they are ready.  A few quick searches show that Mountain Lion, the most recent version of OS X, has many weird issues.

More importantly, both Lion and Mountain Lion are having trouble with connecting to IMAP email services, including Google Apps.  Again, looking around the web, upgrading to Mountain Lion may break your Gmail/Google Apps connection.

If you have upgraded and are having trouble, feel free to contact us under your support contract.  We also welcome inquiries from companies interested in Google Apps support services.

 

Friday Thought: Building a Cloud File Service

/in

For many of the companies, non-profits, school systems, and local governments we work with, the desire to use the cloud is expanding beyond email and calendar.  These organizations are looking to move some or all of their file services into the cloud as well.

Motivation:

While the initial motivation is often to improve access to and sharing of information on projects, or in general, the planning process often reveals a greater value proposition. These secondary benefits derive from giving users direct access to data, and include, but are not limited to:

  • Reduced need for SSL VPN services and/or remote access, desktop, or virtual desktop solutions, resulting in lower hardware, software, networking, and support costs.
  • Reduced need for site-to-site links, enabling organizations to replace expensive point-to-point WAN links and MPLS networks with much less costly direct Internet access links.
  • Improved access to information from tablets and smart phones.
  • Reduced backup/restore costs, as physical infrastructure and in-house administration is replaced by cloud-to-cloud data protection services.

In short, cloud file services provide better user access to information, a simpler IT infrastructure, and lower costs.

Ecosystem

Many services exist to provide cloud-based file services and organizations are best off if they  review their needs before making a selection.  Beyond methods of accessing the service, be sure to review your permissions/security requirements with the features and function of the service.

Building a file service also means having the necessary components to ensure a robust ecosystem.

  • Affordable storage purchased as used or in flexible blocks
  • Drive letter access (DLA) or Network Place access from Windows desktops
  • Drive type access from Mac desktops, if needed
  • Access from mobile devices, including smart phones and tablets
  • Ability to integrate user identity with your LDAP, Active Directory, or SSO service
  • Availability of cloud-to-cloud backup/restore services
  • Encryption of data at rest and in transit
  • Ability to set permissions in accordance with your business needs, policies, and procedures

Execution

Moving to a cloud file service starts with understanding your requirements and the impact of the change on your computing environment and your end users.  Which aspects of the ecosystem do you need/want?  How will the change effect the user experience?  How will a new file service fit in with your other cloud solutions?  With an understanding of requirements, you can better match your needs to the available solutions and map out a migration that minimizes risk and enhances the benefits of the move.

 

The Impact of This Week’s Malware News

/in

For the first time, MAC users are struggling with a serious, wide-spread, malware outbreak for Mac OS.  As reported by ZDnet, Apple is struggling to define its role as customer unaccustomed to these types of problems search for answers and help.

Also, this week, Microsoft announced that 1 in 14 Internet downloads is Windows malware.  According to ZDnet, Microsoft shared the data, gathered from anonymous security reports, to tout the security features of IE9.

Both of these events give us serious pause, as they should for you.

In today’s world, the best place for your computer to catch a virus or other malware is from web site visits and downloads.  At the same time, many webmasters are unaware that hackers have compromised their sites.

Desktop and email spam and virus protection are no longer sufficient.  Web security and active web filtering are an essential security component.  If you don’t have a web security solution in place, your are neglecting one of the largest risks to your network, systems, and data.

Fortunately, you have more web security options than you may think.  Web security no longer means committing to hardware, software, and firewall upgrades.  Cloud-based web security services offer greater protection at a lower cost, and require less administrator time.

Want to know more?  Contact us and we will schedule a call.