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The Benefits of Penetration Testing

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Penetration testing goes beyond basic security defense and mimics the attack of a hacker or malware.When you set up your security strategy and execute its steps, your approach likely includes a variety of ways to keep intruders out, including firewalls, and training to prevent a misstep that invites them in with tactics like phishing. Once you’ve fully implemented your security measures, you need another step: penetration testing.

What is penetration testing? Penetration testing uses a mock offensive approach against your defenses to see if they hold. For comparison’s sake, imagine you have locks, a home security system, ample lighting, and cameras set up around your house. In order to see how effective those tools are, you invite an experienced, reformed breaking-and-entering expert to get into your home by whatever means necessary. Detecting the weak points in your home security is a lot like penetration testing in an enterprise’s security strategy.

The benefits of testing: There are several ways penetration testing helps tighten up your security:

  • You’ll get insight into where you should invest more resources in your security strategy. You may be pushing too much into a firewall, when end point security actually needs more attention.
  • You’ll learn more about your infrastructure and how each component interacts with the others. Penetration testing makes your inner workings more transparent and can help reveal misconceptions.
  • When you’re about to deploy a new system, you can use penetration testing to work out any security bugs before you go live.
  • Your security monitoring and team response can be objectively evaluated for their effectiveness.
  • There’s an opportunity to address any vulnerabilities in your security strategy at a relaxed pace, rather than in the panicked state that ensues after a breach.

If you have cloud and other third-party providers, it’s important to include them in your penetration testing. Given that a provider is storing or has access to critical data, penetration testing can help you see if that provider is meeting your standards for security.

Internal versus external testing: In many cases, companies use internal penetration testing to determine the effectiveness of their security, but there’s good reason to hire a third-party tester. While your internal testing team may know the system inside and out and be able to carefully detect and address threats, it’s still a good idea to use a third-party tester.

An outsider may detect vulnerabilities that someone who’s intimately familiar with the systems could miss. In addition, their familiarity with commonly overlooked weak spots they’ve identified across their work with many enterprises may help them quickly evaluate your system for those same vulnerabilities.

Penetration testing is just one aspect of a complete security solution. Contact us at TeleConsult to discuss your organization’s security and a range of solutions to help protect your data, network infrastructure and applications.

Maintaining Security in the BYOD Environment

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How to increase security while maintaining workflow.In today’s constant connectivity landscape of smartphones and tablets, most companies have opened the door to bring your own device (BYOD) policies. However, BYOD poses some security concerns, which need to be addressed in a comprehensive security strategy.

Employees today want flexibility in how they bring value to their employer. Technological advancements have helped them achieve this, to the extent that they are beginning to desire more options, such as remote working opportunities, flexible hours, and new possibilities for how they complete their work. How can organizations maintain a high level of security while also providing a flexible work environment?

Target Rich (for Hackers) Environment

In the BYOD environment, hackers have more options as well. They’re exploiting weaknesses that have become readily apparent in far too many organizations. There is no shortage of stories about systems that have been left completely open to attack, stolen data, and tarnished reputations.

For organizations that have not put a security plan together, it’s not a question of if they’ll be hit by a cyberattack, but when.

Taking Precautions

Employees should be educated about the essential elements of security where device protection is concerned. They need to know that clicking on something suspicious in an email is more than likely a phishing ploy by a cybercriminal who has laid a trap that can open up an entire system to vulnerability.

Employees are generally the biggest risk to a system, but the system itself must also have the tools to combat security risks. This includes tools that provide visibility into applications, which can monitor activity and flag anomalies.

Some companies operate under the false impression that because they have their own Security Operations Center, they’re covered. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. They’re still not able to have complete visibility into all BYOD devices.

By partnering with the right vendor, you can bring a better security strategy to your organization. Rather than create a workflow bottleneck and cause communication roadblocks, partnering with the right vendor can improve your processes while giving you the assurance you need that you’ll be safe from attack.

At TeleConsult, our cybersecurity solutions are constantly monitored and improved to keep up with evolving and complex cybercriminal advancements, which have created an industry unto themselves. Contact us today to talk about how we can customize solutions for you.

Don’t Leave Your Healthcare Data Open for Attack

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Having the right vendor behind you can save your healthcare data and your reputation.If you think hackers are only interested in heavyweights like Target and eBay, think again. Healthcare data is a prime target for cybercriminals looking to access information. One of the threats facing the healthcare industry (and others) is ransomware, which to many is ranked among the greatest threats out there. It’s estimated that there are around 4,000 ransomware attacks daily, and the reason so many are directed at healthcare facilities is because of the way they handle their files — just about everything a hacker wants can be found, which makes this industry a target for ransom.

Generally, hackers demand Bitcoin as payment as it can’t be traced. And providers are paying up, because if they don’t their medical data is lost to them, leaving them helpless and, in some cases, without the means to effectively treat their patients.

The Internet of Things (IoT) isn’t helping, either. In fact, many hackers find their way into a system through devices, such as radiological equipment, that are connected to the system via the internet. Hackers can go directly after the device infrastructure and get what they need to render the provider helpless.

Making Protection Count

So, how can you protect your system and your patients’ data? If you don’t have the processing power for a next generation firewall, you might be leaving yourself open to attack. Processing power is also what’s needed for today’s advanced security strategies, so you could be stuck with yesteryear’s strategies if you don’t find a way to upgrade.

Utilizing a regional security hub is one way to beef up your firewall for added protection. The perk is that you can maintain your existing appliances. However, this solution usually involves cloud-based firewall solutions.

It’s not likely that the use of IoT will decrease as we continue to technologically evolve. However, we can take a look at how we digitize and make sure we’re doing it safely, and that it only occurs if it benefits the patient and our ability to maintain the proper security protocols.

At TeleConsult, we are the cybersecurity experts that can protect your company network. We’re helping scale back the billions of dollars in remediation costs that too many organizations are paying today. It doesn’t matter the type or size of network you have or how you’re connected to everything around you — we can find the solutions that will offer the ultimate protection. Contact us today to learn more.

Identifying Security Risks in a Next Generation Firewall

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Running tests on a next generation firewall often reveals weak links in enterprise security.When security specialists run tests on a network protected by a next-generation firewall, they often discover weaknesses that all but invite hackers into the network to do a little digging. These tests are conducted using a sort of hacker’s playbook that contains a variety of known methods that hackers use to access a network and the vulnerable data traveling through it.

In many cases, enterprises using next-generation firewall tools are not getting the full benefit of the firewall because of configurations that are not up-to-date for the current network or because of legacy security approaches.

The benefits that a next-generation firewall offers are due to its ability to prevent a breach at the application and user level, rather than through ports and protocols. In general, these types of policies should be easier to administer, but mistakes still abound. Errors often occur when the security team employs auto-migration tools when they migrate an existing firewall policy. A breach test can help identify these problems and ensure that any potential weakness in security is addressed.

Many users also run into problems when they simply implement the firewall with vendor-supplied defaults. Like any other tool, the updated features are only helpful if you utilize them. In some situations, those features that make it “next generation” are never turned on.

Another common problem occurs when the security team doesn’t decrypt encrypted traffic, such as TLS, SSL, and SSH, because it can act as a blind spot. IT team members won’t spot the malware hidden in the traffic. While a next-generation firewall can prevent and detect this type of problem, the feature often isn’t utilized.

There is growing momentum to address these kinds of problems, whether it’s voluntary or not. For instance, to rank well in Google’s search engines, companies must comply with Google’s HTTPS encryption requirements.

Another growing area of concern surrounding firewall preparedness is the Internet of Things (IoT). Enterprises are launching fleets of devices that gather and transmit data via sensors, but security teams may not be taking the necessary precautions to protect their networks. These devices are exchanging heavy loads of data with the cloud, with many touch points along the way. In addition, the risk of loss or theft with these devices means that there needs to be a policy established in key areas, such as the length of the hibernation timer on a device.

Simply deploying a next-generation firewall won’t make your enterprise breach-proof. To learn more about security testing and the options available for security services, contact us at TeleConsult. We look forward to discussing network security with you.

Improving Your Cybersecurity in 2018

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Partner with a trusted and secure cloud provider for better cybersecurity practices.Despite initial reluctance on the part of some telecom vendors, cloud computing is now key for improving business for many companies. When you adopt a cloud-based solution, you’re bringing on board more safety assurances, because you’re not relying on on-premise servers that either break down or are easily accessed by cybercriminals. In fact, cybersecurity is one of the main reasons more organizations are moving to the cloud.

If storing data in the cloud has not been something that’s crossed your mind, consider these two benefits, particularly in light of how pervasive cyberattacks are today:

1.     Security
There is still the potential for a hacker to break into your database. However, cloud-based data is far more secure than data on your local server.

2.     Quick Access to Data
With the cloud, your data and cloud-based applications are available to you as long as you have a connection. This gives you greater mobility to do what you need to do when you’re not in the office.

Controlling Access to Data

One of the biggest considerations to make where cybersecurity is concerned is who has access to what. Some organizations will completely avoid putting highly sensitive information in the cloud, but regardless of what you’re putting on it, be sure to control access so that employees who don’t need to see specific data do not have clearance to access it.

When you control access to data, you’re closing windows of opportunity to cybercriminals who target systems that aren’t tightly locked down. Keep in mind that when your employees have access to documents from anywhere at any time, so do the hackers, which is why “access only” limits must be set.

Encryption Is Your Friend

When you look at cloud-based solutions, disregard those that don’t offer encryption services. Furthermore, those that do offer encryption services should go above and beyond encrypting files that are going between your systems’ computers and the cloud. For example, a robust encryption service also includes an added layer of protection, which protects data that is “resting.”

Practice Better Passwords

Yes, this is still part of the conversation with cybersecurity because so many people continue to use weak passwords. Nearly half of all users will keep the same passwords for five years or longer, while nearly a quarter have been found to keep theirs for a decade. Make it a rule that nobody with access to your system can use a password with birthdates or names of pets or one that is less than 12 characters long, or use the same password for more than one account.

At TeleConsult, we work with more than 100 IT, telecom, and cloud vendors to provide the best telecom services. We offer customer support 24/7/365, so our clients are never without the assistance they need. Contact us to learn more.

Opening a Dialogue about Data Protection and Security: What SMBs Should Know

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Data ProtectionMany small and medium businesses (SMBs) are vulnerable to security threats. Whether they’re aware of the risks and know that they need improvements or they’re operating in blissful ignorance of the costs of a cybercrime, discussing security and data protection upgrades can be challenging. Many of these companies consider themselves a low priority target for attackers, or simply feel that their current antivirus is adequate protection against an attack. These businesses typically focus more thought on daily operations than on whether or not they are at risk for a data breach.

However, companies of all sizes must protect themselves against malware attacks, injections, and similar hacking techniques to avoid extreme losses. For SMBs, this discussion is vital, because a major breach can cause insolvency. In fact, Experian estimates that as much as 60% of SMBs go out of business within six months of a cyberattack. By understanding what to discuss with their service provider, SMBs can develop stronger protections against catastrophic events.

Operating and Mission Critical Systems

First, identify the primary operating system (OS) and version of it that is running. Many older OS versions, such as Windows XP, no longer offer support for the latest protocols. Patches that were put in place four years ago won’t cut it today, so companies that are operating on systems that are no longer supported should upgrade immediately.

Software that is critical to daily business operations should also be considered. Web services, communications, and planning systems should undergo examination concerning the type of securities in place.

Current Authentication Practices

Another area that SMBs should discuss involves internal policies. When considering how to heighten data protection, companies should examine current password policies and physical restrictions. Often, weak passwords open up a variety of cybersecurity concerns. A qualified service provider will ascertain whether or not an SMB is using the best password development system for strength, duration (if needed), and confidentiality. A recent study by Verizon determined that in 2015, stolen credentials accounted for more than 30 percent of attacks.

Password policy best practices include:

  • Using at least 8-12 characters
  • Never writing passwords down anywhere
  • Creating passwords that are complex (have upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols), but are also easy to remember.

Password encryption services are also an effective tool. The idea is to fortify the weakest link in business data protection, which is most often the human factor.

Know the Risks

A cyberattack has the power to cause serious repercussions for SMBs that aren’t prepared. Whether it comes in the form of denial of service (DoS) attacks, malware infiltrations, language injections, brute force attacks, package transmissions that are susceptible to man-in-the-middle attacks, or some other malicious trespass, SMBs can’t afford to ignore data protection and cybersecurity concerns.

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TeleConsult Solutions LLC
PO Box 18686
Phoenix, AZ 85005-8686

Email Christine Guidi

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