Category: Featured Articles
How Do You Know If The Cloud is Right for Your Company?
Cloud computing is a disruptive trend that has been gaining traction for some time. However, it appears that many businesses are still unsure about how cloud computing can help them with their business initiatives. Although it may appear to be a complicated concept, cloud computing simply means that your data is stored offsite in someone else’s data center.
Why Shift to the Cloud?
Cloud computing is a trend that has been gaining traction for some time. However, we find that many businesses ask why they should migrate to the Cloud.
Companies choose to migrate to the cloud for a variety of reasons. The advantages of flexibility, scalability, cost savings, and so on are weighed against concerns about availability. Companies may also choose to deploy a variety of use cases, such as backup, disaster recovery, test/dev, and so on.
Moving to the cloud through JENLOR has advantages for businesses of all sizes. For small and medium-sized businesses that cannot afford capital-intensive infrastructure, the cloud is more cost-effective, easier to deploy, and manage. Making the investment does not necessitate large sums of money or extensive planning. For businesses with strict deadlines, this means that projects can get off to a faster start.
Benefits of Using JENLOR to Shift to the Cloud
Security: Security concerns were perhaps the weakest link in the early days of cloud adoption. However, more people are now realizing that these fears are unfounded.
Customer Satisfaction: Customer satisfaction is critical in any business. You wouldn’t be able to run a business without it. In a competitive market, customer satisfaction can go a long way because customers can easily switch back and forth.
Customer satisfaction appears to be playing a much larger role in the cloud than in the past. Many times, the cloud allows businesses to not only share their product, but also to improve its efficiency and make their customers’ lives easier.
Happier Employees: Last but not least, happier workers. Employees who are happier produce better results across the board. By creating an environment conducive to happier employees, you can expect happier customers, which leads to increased business growth. There are other factors that can influence this, but in general, happier employees are not only more productive, but they also stay with the company longer, which means you have a higher retention rate and the benefits that come with employees who stay with the company.
With the cloud, you can give employees remote access, which gives them more flexibility and can be a major factor in an employee’s happiness. It will also provide increased levels of security, which will benefit the company in a variety of ways.
Contact JENLOR today to learn more about how the cloud can benefit your business or to discuss your specific needs.
HTML Smuggling
A new attack technique known as ‘HTML smuggling’ spreads malware via email and is increasingly targeting all organizations.
What Is HTML Smuggling and How Does It Work?
HTML smuggling makes use of JavaScript and HTML5 features to distribute malware such as viruses and ransomware, banking trojans such as Mekotio and Trickbot, remote access trojans such as AsyncRAT/NJRAT, and other malicious payloads. One method of attack could be to send an HTML file attachment containing an encoded malicious script. When an unsuspecting user opens the HTML file in their browser, the malicious script is decoded, and the malicious payload is assembled on the user’s device. This allows the attacker to build the malware locally, behind the firewall, rather than requiring the malicious executable to traverse a network.
Staying Safe From HTML Smuggling Attacks
To successfully defend against HTML smuggling, a layered security approach is required. Microsoft advises stopping the attack chain before it starts. Begin by contacting an IT provider who can assist you in remaining secure.
JENLOR recommends the following measures to protect against HTML smuggling and other attacks that are likely to slip through perimeter defenses:
- Limit an attacker’s ability to move laterally by segmenting networks.
- Utilize services such as Microsoft Windows Attack Surface Reduction, which protects machines at the operating system level from malicious scripts and the spawning of invisible child processes.
- Ensure that firewall rules are configured to block traffic from known malicious domains and IP addresses.
JENLOR can help organizations concerned about HTML smuggling by providing security awareness training as well as email security with targeted threat protection, attachment protection, and URL protection.
What is VMware Cloud Hosting?
What Exactly Is VMware Cloud Services?
Private VMware Cloud services enable you to integrate, manage, and secure applications running on cloud resources. These services are applicable to any VMware cloud service and can assist you in centralizing the management and maintenance of hybrid or multi-cloud environments.
Public VMware Cloud allows you to use a single operational model to control how resources are used and where workloads are deployed. As a result, you can standardize security, reduce management complexity, and increase ROI.
JENLOR makes use of VMware Cloud services in both public and private clouds. It is not necessary to re-architect applications or convert data when integrating these services. This can aid in the simplification of app modernization while also ensuring high performance.
VMware Cloud Hosting by JENLOR
You can use JENLOR as your VMware cloud hosting provider. There’s no need to start from scratch. Furthermore, you can keep what is already serving your company’s data needs by having us migrate it to VMware cloud hosting. A single cloud contains everything you need to manage your IT environment. This enables you to keep your business running while setting up your new cloud with the same ease as a public cloud. Best of all, you get the same low cost as a public cloud while essentially operating through a truly hybrid cloud solution with VMware hosting.
JENLOR provides the following VMware facts:
- It has a unified cloud platform that uses cutting-edge technology and a super low-latency cloud network.
- For the ultimate in security, it runs on a stack that includes the best firewall in the world.
- Is PCI-DSS, HIPAA, and SSAE 16/SOC compliant in order to meet industry and government regulations.
Contact us today to learn more about the collaboration between VMware Cloud Hosting and JENLOR!
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)
EDR (endpoint detection and response) is an endpoint security system that detects, investigates, and responds to cyber attacks.
By capturing granular endpoint activity and monitoring for signals of malicious behavior, EDR systems provide better insight into what’s going on on endpoints. If the EDR technology identifies any of these harmful signals, it will give security analysts the knowledge they need to perform reactive and preventive threat investigations, reducing the effect of an attack.
An EDR security system’s primary functions are to:
- Endpoint activity data that potentially indicate a danger should be monitored and collected.
- Analyze the data to find trends in the threats.
- Detect risks and automatically respond to eliminate or contain them, as well as inform security professionals.
- To investigate risks and look for suspicious activity, forensics and analytical techniques are used.
What Should You Look for in an EDR System?
Now that we understand why EDR is a must-have for today’s security stacks, the issue becomes: how do you locate the correct EDR solution for your business?
- Response Capabilities
- Isolation and Containment
- Visibility and Compatibility
JENLOR Can Help
If you have concerns regarding EDR tools, require staff training, or need assistance choosing, testing, and installing these tools in your environment, the security experts at JENLOR can assist you. Contact us today!
What Should You Look for in a Regulatory-Compliant Cloud Provider?
There are numerous factors to consider when selecting a cloud provider for your business. Understanding what to look for can be difficult, but taking the time to properly vet a provider is critical, especially when industry regulatory requirements are involved. Cloud providers come in all shapes and sizes; let’s unpack the most important factors to consider when selecting a vendor for your organization.
Experience – How long has the provider been operating in this space? How experienced are they at building solutions for organizations like yours? You should entrust your data to a company with a proven track record. JENLOR has been working with cloud technology, security, and cross-platform integrations for more than 13 years and has been designing and deploying computing environments for almost a quarter century. This deep well of expertise allows us to work hand-in-hand with you in your company’s growing IT journey.
Support – Another factor that must be carefully considered is support. Will you be able to get help quickly and easily if you require it? In some cases, the only way to get help is through a chat service or a call center. These solutions – while sometimes effective – can leave you feeling like a low-priority when you and your company need help the most. In other cases, you may have access to a dedicated resource, but there is a good chance that time and access will be limited. Before selecting a cloud provider, inquire about the level and type of support you will receive. JENLOR prides itself on providing live, 24/7 support to our clients.
Compliance with the Cloud – Next, select a cloud architecture platform that can assist you in meeting compliance standards specific to your industry and organization. Whether you are required to comply with GDPR, SOC 2, PCI DSS, HIPAA, or another framework, make sure you understand what it will take to achieve compliance once your applications and data are housed in a public cloud infrastructure. Make sure you understand your responsibilities and which aspects of compliance the provider will assist you in checking off.
All of the factors mentioned above should be taken into account when selecting a compliant cloud provider, and JENLOR is here to assist you in finding the solutions that are best for your company. When it comes to compliance, you can’t afford to take any chances – contact JENLOR today to chat with an IT Partner that can help you ensure you ace your next audit!
Understanding Cloud Backups
Data loss or corruption is a constant threat to businesses. Organizations of all sizes deal with massive amounts of data these days, so a well thought out and well executed data security strategy has become more important than ever. Because of the cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and on-demand scalability that cloud-based platforms provide, an increasing number of organizations are opting for them instead of constructing a physical DR (disaster recovery) site. Cloud backup, when properly planned and executed, can become an invaluable component of your disaster recovery process.
What Exactly Is a “Cloud”?
The cloud (also known as “cloud computing”) refers to the pay-as-you-go delivery of computing resources and services over the internet. The “cloud” is essentially a shared pool of various resources and services used for storing, managing, and processing data that is accessible via the internet. Cloud computing allows you to avoid many of the unnecessary costs of building and maintaining on-premises IT infrastructure.
Cloud Backup vs. Cloud Storage
Cloud storage and cloud backup are frequently confused, with the terms (mistakenly) used interchangeably.
Cloud storage is often created in addition to primary physical storage and is primarily used for “live” company data. In contrast, the process of backing up specific data and storing it in a cloud storage system (usually owned/maintained by an online backup provider) is known as cloud backup.
You can synchronize data at the production site and in the cloud with cloud backup, which means that any changes to the original data will be reflected in its cloud version. Cloud backup is also used to store full copies of the data that you are safeguarding. The cloud backup service continuously scans your virtual infrastructure for changes and updates the cloud environment as needed.
The cloud backup service is primarily used to ensure data recovery in the event of a disaster recovery event. A cloud storage system acts as a remote site for storing data that can be shared by many users and accessed at any time via the Internet. Cloud backups can be stored in cloud storage systems.
Conclusion
Utilizing an effective cloud-based backup solution ensures that your data is always protected, that it can be accessed from anywhere at any time, and that it can be recovered quickly in the event of a disaster. Do you need assistance with cloud backup? Contact JENLOR right away.
Video Conferencing Security Best Practices for Your Organization
Video Conferencing Security for Your Organization
As we rely more on these tools, video conferencing security for your organization is becoming more of a concern. You’ve probably seen, heard about, or even been the victim of a “Zoombombing” attack. One thing we can be sure of is that malicious actors will try to exploit any software flaws in your video conferencing solution.
It’s critical to work with a safe and dependable video conferencing platform. To protect your business, your employees, and the clients you serve, follow these best practices for secure video conferencing.
Apply Unique Meeting Instructions
It may be simple to use the same meeting ID for every meeting, but it increases the risk of your video calls being hacked. A good practice for video conferencing security for your organization is that every video conference call should have its own meeting ID to keep your session safe. Bonus tip: don’t share the meeting ID on social media or in a public forum. Instead, only send it to people who are supposed to be at the meeting.
Turn On The Waiting Room and Verify Attendees
Beyond enforcing meeting starting rights, using a waiting room option enables meeting coordinators to hold participants until they are granted access. This will ensure that no unwanted visitors show up.
End-To-End Encryption
Selecting a provider that enables end-to-end video and audio encryption is a vital for video conferencing security for organization. Encryption is a method of scrambling a signal while it is in transit across the internet or at rest. The security key to unlock the data and view it is only available to the participating end-users. End-to-end encryption (E2EE) video conferencing solutions cover the entire service, from front-facing meeting rooms to underlying infrastructures and even the equipment you employ, such as web cameras and microphones.
The Chatroom Feature Should Be Used With Caution.
A chat room is now included in almost all video conferencing platforms. Make sure your staff are aware of the chat guidelines, such as never exchanging files or clicking links posted in chat rooms by other users, especially if this is a public event. You might even be able to turn off the chat option until the video conference is over and you’re ready to take questions. It’s almost like people talking softly in the back of the room during a lecture if you detect discussions going on during a video conference. It can be disruptive and provide a security concern, so keep it under strict supervision.
Get Video Conferencing Security
Moving forward with videoconferencing requires the appropriate technologies, security, and expectations. All aspects of videoconferencing are familiar to our team of cybersecurity experts. Both you and your staff will benefit from our implementation, guidance, and support for video conferencing security for your organization. Send us an email or call us at (412) 220-9330 to get in contact with our staff today.
Top 4 Cybersecurity Tips
Top 4 Cybersecurity Tips in Pittsburgh PA
The importance of cybersecurity has never been greater than it is now. As we spend more time online, we create and share more personal information. Private and financial information could be jeopardized if this data falls into the wrong hands and is crucial for both organizations and people.
Be Cautious of Links
Hackers frequently utilize links in emails to lure people into giving up their personal information. Banking statements, trip reservations, password recovery emails, and other documents are common examples.
If a user clicks on one of these links, they will be directed to a false website that looks strikingly similar to the real one. They will be asked to login or enter personal information on the website. Once a hacker has this information, they gain access to the account of the user.
As a result, it’s extremely important to keep an eye on the links in your emails. Don’t click on anything that appears suspicious. In many cases, visiting a provider’s website directly rather than via an emailed link is the better option.
Use Modern Endpoint Security Software & Firewalls
To combat malicious attacks, anti-virus (AV) protection software has traditionally been the most widely used approach, but in this day and age it’s only one part of the solution. Managed Detection & Response (MDR) tools have also become indispensable tools in helping to prevent malware, ransomware and other harmful applications from entering your device and corrupting your data.
When it comes to protecting your data from hostile attacks, using a firewall is also essential. A firewall protects your device by filtering out hackers, malware, and other dangerous behavior that occurs over the Internet and deciding what traffic is allowed to enter. Windows Firewall and Mac Firewall are the firewalls that come with Windows and Mac OS X, respectively, but having an enterprise-grade firewall solution at your organization’s perimeter is an absolute MUST as well.
Use Two-Factor or Multi-Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication, often known as multi-factor authentication, is a service that adds additional layers of security to the traditional password-based method of online identity. You would ordinarily input a username and password without two-factor authentication. However, if you use two-factor authentication, you will be asked to provide an extra authentication method such as a Personal Identification Code, another password, or even your fingerprint. After entering your login and password, you’ll be required to input additional authentication methods with multi-factor authentication.
Backup Your Data Regularly
Regularly backing up your data is an often-overlooked aspect of personal online security. The 3-2-1 backup guideline is followed by the top IT and security executives. In essence, you’ll retain three copies of your data on two separate types of media (local and external hard drives), as well as one duplicate off-site (cloud storage).
If you’ve been infected with ransomware or malware, the only tried and true method to get your data back is to wipe your systems and restore from a recent backup.
If You Haven’t Taken Steps to Secure Your Data, Your Data Isn’t Safe
“It won’t happen to me,” or “I don’t frequent unsafe websites,” are some of the most dangerous assumptions you can make. Real peace of mind comes with having taken steps to be proactive in your approach.
Simple cyber security guidelines like these can help you avoid a disaster, but they just scratch the surface of how you can educate and safeguard your team. Contact us today to learn more about how our bespoke solutions can help you safeguard your users.
Host Isolation for Smarter Defense
Will you be prepared for the next attack?
Cyber-attacks have become the new standard. It’s no longer a question of “if,” but “when” an attack will occur. Your ability to respond swiftly to a breach can make or break your business and customer relationships.
Leveraging security tools that can isolate hosts automatically when needed can be a valuable piece of a comprehensive security strategy. This allows responders to plan and conduct repair and recovery measures, while greatly reducing or completely halting malware spread within your network. When an issue occurs outside of normal business hours—a common attack window for hackers and criminal actors—this is an exceptionally useful weapon.
What Is Host Isolation?
Automated host isolation allows us to isolate servers, workstations and other devices from your network, preventing them from communicating with other systems until they are released. Since doing this prohibits lateral movement across other hosts, isolating a systems can be useful for responding to malicious activity or deterring possible assaults.
This is just one of many security tools in our toolkit. If you’re ready to begin taking meaningful steps to improve your organization’s security posture, contact JENLOR today!
Why Are More Industries Switching From SMS 2FA to Push?
A quick app notification for login requests, or authorization “push” asks the user to confirm an action, such as a two-factor authentication login, a money transfer, or a purchase. Unauthorized queries can be denied in real time by the user. We give your application a web callback with a variety of information you can use as part of your overall fraud detection and product security efforts as soon as they respond to their device.
Unlike SMS, push authentication requests between modern MFA services and each trusted device are digitally signed and fully encrypted, offering significant security advantages over SMS-based verification.
Benefits of Push
Secure Password Replacement
When push authentication is used instead of a password, this less secure authentication mechanism is eliminated. As a result, users are not vulnerable to phishing, man-in-the-middle, or brute-force assaults. Furthermore, undesirable password behaviors such as writing passwords down, repeating passwords, or using simple or common passwords are eliminated.
Low-Cost
Push authentication utilizes consumers’ existing smartphones, meaning a low-cost security option that doesn’t require any hardware management. Users can download and install the software on their smartphones with minimal IT engagement in most cases, further reducing deployment costs.
Is Push Notification Authentication a Good Option for You?
Centrally managed 2FA with push authentication is quickly gaining traction as a simple-to-use and safe alternative to standard passwords. Is this technology a good fit for your company? Contact JENLOR today to find out.