October 2017 - DNA IT Solutions

Monthly Archives: October 2017

News

The country shut down for a day – did your business?

Posted on by Sean Lucas
stormy day DNA IT Solutions
27
Oct

The recent stormy weather caused all sorts of mayhem throughout the country with power and water supplies affected and most people staying indoors.  Thankfully that weather has passed but who knows when the next storm could arrive.

Once the warnings came through on Sunday night for Hurricane Ophelia many businesses started to make plans for closing their office the next day.  Following expert advice, responsible companies knew they would be putting their staff at risk by asking them to come to the office that day.

Many businesses are still playing catch up from the loss of that day and with a bank holiday weekend ahead every day counts when you are trying to complete work assignments.

Work from Home

How you would have liked for your team to continue working for that day – from the safety of their homes?  Even if you could have had a fraction of the work completed off site, it may have made the difference in not missing a deadline or completing a project.   This is not a pipe dream, or indeed something only for large organisations.  It takes planning and thought but it can become a reality for any business.

What Technology?

Let’s look at just a few examples of the kind of technology that is available to organisations today.  For meetings you could use something like Webex, a Cisco product that allows participants to dial into a central point and share screens to discuss files or watch a presentation.  Just like being in the boardroom, both voice and video can be used and the sessions are recorded for later discussion.

Accessing shared files when out of the office can be done using a platform such as Autotask file sync and share. This allows team members to collaborate and access documents wherever they are, even if they are out of the office.  It’s a very secure platform and used by many organisations worldwide.

With the latest technologies in cloud computing it is becoming easier to share and access software and documents.  Having the ability to log into software from home and have the same capabilities as when in the office is of great benefit.

Security is always an issue that is top of the agenda when it comes to working online.  That’s why it is so important to have the correct levels in place to allow for exchange of data.  Encryption, protection of each device, protecting against attack and appropriate levels of security access are all important elements of cyber security.  All of which can be advised by your managed IT service provider.

Not just for stormy days

Once you have the systems in place it allows staff members to work remotely at any stage.  This is not just for the rare stormy or snow bound days.  The flexibility of being able to work from home on occasion is a great perk you can offer staff members and in some cases it can even prevent the loss of staff due to commuting time.

To find out more about the kinds of systems you can put in place for remote working in a safe environment you can speak to one of our expert team at DNA IT Solutions.

News

10 Tell Tale Signs of Phishing from Sophos

Posted on by Sean Lucas
10 tell tale signs of phishing sophos DNA IT
23
Oct

Sophos likes to make security simple for business.  They have provided the top 10  “tells” you can look for to help suss out potential scams.

  1. It just doesn’t look right. Is there something a little off with a particular email message? Does it seem too good to be true? Trust your instincts.
  2. Generic salutations. Instead of directly addressing you, phishing emails often use generic names like “Dear Customer.” This use of impersonal salutations saves the cybercriminals time.
  3. Links to official looking sites asking you to enter sensitive data. These spoofed sites are often very convincing, so be aware of what personal information or confidential data you’re being asked to reveal.
  4. Unexpected emails that use specific information about you. Information like job title, previous employment, or personal interests can be gleaned from social networking sites like LinkedIn and is used to make a phishing email convincing.
  5. Unnerving wording. Thieves often use unnerving wording (such as saying your account has been breached) to trick you into moving fast without thinking and in doing so, revealing information you ordinarily would not.
  6. Poor grammar or spelling. This is often a dead giveaway. Unusual syntax is also a sign that something is wrong.
  7. Sense of urgency. “If you don’t respond within 48 hours, your account will be closed.” By creating a sense of urgency, the thieves hope you’ll make a mistake.
  8. “You’ve won the grand prize!” These phishing emails are common, but easy to spot. A similar, trickier variation asks you to complete a survey (thus giving up your personal information) in return for a prize.
  9. “Verify your account.” These messages spoof real emails asking you to verify your account. Always look for signs of phishing, and always question why you’re being asked to verify – there’s a good chance it’s a scam.
  10. Cybersquatting. Often, cybercriminals will purchase and “squat” on website names that are similar to official websites in the hopes that users go to the wrong site e.g. www.google.com vs. www.g00gle.com . Always take a moment to check out the URL before entering your personal information.

For more tips and tools to stop phishing, visit the Sophos website

If you want to discuss your business IT Security you can speak to an expert at DNA IT Solutions.  We partner with Sophos to provide end to send IT Security and support.

News

How to make the most of cloud technology for your business

Posted on by Sean Lucas
Cloud Technology for business DNA IT
16
Oct

Cloud technology is not the future, it is the present.

This, a once intimidating and confusing technology, is now the norm and is something we use every day, often without realising it. This all begs the question; how can I find a way to make cloud computing help my business?
Cloud computing is the storing of files (of any sort) on the internet, rather than saving them locally on your hard drive. The benefits of this are numerous and can be utilised to make real improvements in how your business operates.

Cloud technology can make your business:

More secure – By storing files in the cloud, you will be making an important step in protecting the most valuable aspects of your business from the physical failure of your personal machines. For example, if you were to suffer an office fire or flood that destroyed your computer system, all of your data would be safe and retrievable from another device because it is not stored physically in your office but in a cloud system that stores a backup off-site.

More collaborative – Public cloud services allow multiple people to collaborate on the same document simultaneously, meaning that the days of emailing documents and presentations around the office for improvements and changes are gone, speeding up the process of collaboration and ensuring everyone always has the most up-to-date version of the document. This will make your business more time effective, less prone to human error, and will improve how well your team members are able to collaborate with one another.

More flexible and scaleable – Adding extra team members, sites, and storage options to cloud solutions is a painless and instant process, meaning that you can keep up with your thriving business and scale your IT network to suit in a quick, and cost-effective manner.

Does this sound like something your business could benefit from? DNA IT Solutions is a market leader in the provision of, and transition to, cloud solutions for businesses of any size. Contact us today and we will create a bespoke package that suits your business needs.

News

What is the Modern Enterprise?

Posted on by Sean Lucas
The Modern Enterprise DNA IT
09
Oct

DNA IT Solutions are more than a company that just fix computer problems.  We are a Managed Service Provider with a range of services suitable for modern business today.

We work with you, as part of your team to ensure your IT systems are suitable for your business and that they allow you to grow and function at the optimum level.

The modern enterprise looks a lot different from the office of yesterday.  With all the new functionalities come a need for many new types of service, all of which we provide.

Here are a few:

Help desk:  A team available to you whenever you need and always ready to help.  Somebody to identify what the issues are and either fix them remotely or send a technician on site should it be necessary.

Software as a service: Making sure you have the right software and maintaining it to the latest version.  Ensuring updates are done correctly with as little downtime as possible.

Printer management: Monitoring the printing activities and ensuring any maintenance or repairs are carried out quickly and efficiently.  Providing a more cost effective service by incorporating it into the overall service.

Storage and backup:  Storing business data in a secure location and ensuring that backups are done regularly and with the minimum of downtime.  Taking care that your information is easily accessible only by authorised people.

Disaster recovery: Should the unexpected happen, having a plan in place to get you back up and running is crucial.  Having the right procedures in place will mean getting back to business within hours not days and with as little loss as possible.

Customer web application: Offering you a client server software application which can be run in a web browser to make business processes run smoothly.  Applications designed for clients to suit their needs.

Surveillance:  Monitoring what is going on in your business 24 hours a day even when you are not there.  Protecting you and ensuring you have full knowledge of business activities even when working remotely.

Email management: Providing you with an email system that is not only fit for purpose but one that will be robust and not result in excess downtime.  Email is an important part of any business and a reliable system is crucial.

Telepresence: Not every worker is at the office from nine to five every day.  Systems are needed that are flexible for remote workers meaning that everybody is connected with a quality communication service.

Voice Networking: Having systems that allow communication at a low cost will be a great benefit to your business.  It’s important that the quality of connections are reliable also.

Monitoring:  It is important to react to issues, however, it is always better to be proactive to try and avoid the problems from happening in the first instance.  With remote monitoring, problems will be detected and resolved quickly.

IT  Security: Having the correct security level for all aspects of your business is vital.  Protecting data and protecting your business from attack is more difficult than ever and that is why expert help and top quality products are needed.

IT Department: Having an expert team to hand with a variety of skill sets is a huge advantage.  This allows smaller businesses to have access to a level of product normally only the largest of enterprises can access.

Professional Services: Having access to a team of industry experts will allow you to tap into a well of knowledge that can advise on IT strategies.  Important for your present business but also important when planning for future growth.

Vendor Management:  Having one contact for all relevant vendors will save time and hassle.  Having your expert team sourcing the best services and managing them effectively for you could end up more cost effective.

Infrastructure, servers & storage: Having the right solution for you for the time you are operating in but also having the flexibility to stretch and reduce when necessary will make financial sense.  Transitioning to the cloud or creating a hybrid solution or not moving at all, your IT expert team can guide your decision.

These are some of the services a Managed Service Provider like DNA IT Solutions can offer a business.  It’s a holistic approach that makes financial sense and gives peace of mind.  With clear monthly fees and a flexible can do attitude we are ready to show you what we can do for your business.

News

October is National Cyber Security Month

Posted on by Sean Lucas
Cyber Security Month DNA IT
04
Oct

One of the key concerns for our clients is keeping their business data secure.

Hackers, ransomware, viruses are all words that strike fear due to the threat of untold damage and the negative repercussions that can follow.

European Cyber Security Month (ECSM) is an EU awareness campaign that promotes cyber security among citizens and organisations about the importance of information security and highlighting the simple steps that can be taken to protect their data, whether personal, financial or professional. The main goal being to raise awareness, change behaviour and provide resources to all about how to protect themselves online.

DNA IT Solutions offer a suite of products that can help protect our clients.  We work with world class companies such as Sophos, Watchguard, Fusemail, McAfee and many others to provide layers of security.  However, sometimes it’s an unwitting action from an internal user that causes mayhem.  So we also recommend that users get cyber security smart with some simple tips that may save a company from disaster.

Be aware of online scams

Don’t respond to unsolicited requests for information and certainly be sure of links before you click.  If you are not expecting that email from a contact, if the tone is not right then pick up the phone and call them to see if they sent it to you.  Sometimes you will be targeted by phone for information before being interacted with you online, so verify callers before you give information.  Beware of that ‘super prize win’ because if it looks too good to be true, it usually is.

Be password clever

It’s good practice to have a different password for each account and remember to change your password often.  When it comes to deciding on a password, keep personal information such as your name or pets name out of your password.  Longer passwords are stronger passwords so use a mix of letters, symbols and numbers.  Don’t share your passwords with others and beware of shoulder surfing to steal passwords.

Straightforward advice

Be careful what you browse on a shared device or when you are using an unfamiliar network.  Be careful of what you plug into your computer, ask yourself how reliable it is.  On your own device, keep software up to date for the latest security patches to stay safe.  Remember to back up your valuable information so in the event of a disaster you can get back up and running quickly.

By following this simple advice, you can help in the cyber security fight.  It’s important to ensure you have the right protection that is appropriate to your business and that’s where DNA IT Solutions can help.  We have an expert team that can give you access to the best technology available now.  For more information, get in touch with us today.

News

Cloud Security with Sophos & Microsoft Azure

Posted on by Sean Lucas
cloud security DNA IT
03
Oct

With more and more businesses moving applications and workloads to the cloud there can be some confusion about securing them adequately. DNA IT Solutions work with both Microsoft Azure cloud and Sophos security solutions to help provide the optimum solution for organisations.

Security in the Public Cloud

Microsoft Azure is public cloud and Microsoft works hard to protect the cloud infrastructure. They regularly monitor network traffic and will respond to security issues so you can have confidence in selecting this option. Azure manages security of the cloud but the security of your information in the cloud is up to you.

This is where Sophos can help.

Sophos provide solutions to help you properly secure your cloud environment. Sophos XG Firewall is available in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace. You can deploy XG Firewall on Azure to help provide the protection your data needs as it moves through Azure. Sophos XG Firewall gives you additional layers of security from the Azure Virtual Network through the application layer in a single modular solution. XG Firewall is available as a pre-configured, virtual machine in the Azure Marketplace. You can select XG Firewall, apply Azure Resource Manager templates, and easily deploy to your environment.

Defending Against Hacks and Attacks

Cybercrime is on the rise, Sophos and Microsoft Azure provide services that can help you meet your security, privacy and compliance requirements. The important thing to remember is that when you run your applications and workloads in the cloud you are also responsible for ensuring protection for those applications and workloads.
As with any infrastructure, whether on-premise or in the cloud, security should be a core functional requirement. Security policies and controls must be implemented to protect mission-critical information from accidental or deliberate theft, leakage, integrity compromise, and deletion.

Here are some questions to consider as a starting point:

• How is your data routed, and what kind of protection do you have for that routing?
• How is performance affected by implementing a security solution?
• Where does your data reside? Is it encypted? Who has access to it?
• What type of protection do you need? Web-layer, network-layer, both? More?
• Do you have protection in place for known threats? What about threat protection to identify and block unknown (zero-day) threats?
• Do you understand how your users behave in your cloud infrastructure? How do you identify and separate out risky users?
• What type of policy and rules are you using? Is there overlap or ineffective rules? How do you identify more effective ways to manage your security?
• Sophos has a network of partners capable of helping you think through security concerns in order to develop and implement controls and protections that are right for Sophos XG Firewall

Sophos XG Firewall on Azure combines mutiple security tools into one solution and is designed to prevent sophisticated attacks and advanced threats in the cloud while providing secure remote access to the Azure cloud for trusted users.

Sophos XG Firewall complements the infrastructure protection provided by Azure with many advanced management features and deployment capabilities including:

• Global deployment options, with the ability to establish separate XG Firewall instances in multiple countries.
• Sophos Firewall Manager software, which provides fast setup and a single console for the complete central management of the firewall.
• Built-in reports that tell you what’s happening with your users and your network.
• User Threat Quotient reports that show you which of your users are putting your Azure-based systems at risk.
• Pre-defined policy templates that let you quickly protect applications like Microsoft Exchange or SharePoint.
• Patented Layer-8 identity control, which enables user-level controls over applications, bandwidth and other network resources regardless of IP address, location, network or device.

Conclusion

Sophos XG Firewall is a “next-generation” firewall you can select and launch from within the Microsoft Azure Marketplace. XG Firewall deploys as an all-in-one solution that combines advanced networking, protections such as Intrusion Prevention (IPS) and Web Application Firewalling (WAF), as well as user and application controls. XG Firewall is designed to help you protect your Azure-based workloads against advanced threats.

For more information on this you can check out the Sophos website or speak with one of our experts that will explain how Sophos and Microsoft Azure may be the option for your business.