February 2016 Newsletter

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What's New

Late last year, we notified clients that Intel Security had plans to decommission McAfee SaaS Email Protection (formerly MX Logic). We’re now happy to announce that, after careful evaluation, we’re moving to Proofpoint as our email security tool of choice. Proofpoint offers the best combination of features and advanced technologies to identify more threats and stop them before they enter your organization. With Proofpoint, clients continue to enjoy spam/virus protection and email continuity, and can now upgrade to include encryption and archiving services. Contact us for details.

Worried About Your Network's Security? 

You should be, unless somebody's keeping a vigilant eye on it for you...

Not too long ago, in a place not so far away...when ancient hordes attacked your city, a single breach in the wall could mean certain death – or at least the end of life as you know it.

Yet times change…or do they?

Attacks by today’s cybercriminals on your network, while perhaps not physically life-threatening, can inflict severe damage to the life and health of your business.

FACT: The odds of a successful cyber-attack against your business today are one in five. And, at a typical cost of $300,000 or more, a full 60% of smaller businesses that suffer a breach shut their doors for good within six months, according to the National Cyber Security Alliance.

So, who’s “guarding the gate” at your company’s network?

The problem with keeping your network safe today is that these attacks don’t just happen randomly – they are constant and unrelenting. Ever more sophisticated “robot” software is making it easier than ever for attackers to stalk the Internet, probing for vulnerabilities 24/7.

Here are just a few of the ways these vigilantes can penetrate your network’s defenses:

An SQL Injection can destroy your database, steal e-mail addresses, usernames and passwords, gain access to sensitive client management and billing data, deface your web site and defraud your business. It’s also now the most frequent mode of attack.

Open Ports – An open port is basically a channel for Internet data to connect with devices on your network. A firewall normally filters data, but hacker “web-bots” constantly probe for vulnerabilities. When they find an open port, and if they have installed malicious code inside your system, they are then able to control your devices.

In a DDoS attack, a network of computers attacks a single server with a surge of traffic, forcing it to crash. They most often target political organizations and banks; however, small businesses are also at risk. To avoid getting shut down, you need a defense plan in place and around-the-clock monitoring.

Malware and Viruses – Unfortunately, anti-malware and antivirus software programs in reality often fall short of claims, leaving many SMB networks highly vulnerable. The problem is twofold: First, they only detect a breach after the malware or virus has infected your system. Second, detection solutions often lag behind the latest threats by days or even weeks, leaving a big window for them to inflict heavy damage.

Targeted E-mails – Cybercriminals seem to get better each day at creating enticing e-mails that innocent readers will click on without a moment’s thought. If that reader happens to be on your network, you now have yet another hidden attacker to deal with.

“Drive-By Downloads” are a client-side intrusion where a person in your network innocently picks up a nasty bug…

Credit Card Theft – How would you feel if one of your customers’ credit cards got hacked due to a flaw in your security? Now imagine how you would feel if that incident turned into a lawsuit… Yet that is exactly what can happen if your DLP (Data Loss Prevention) system isn’t up to snuff. As you’ve no doubt seen in the news, credit card data theft is now epidemic. To keep customer data safe and maintain PCI compliance, it’s absolutely crucial to make sure your DLP is on duty 100% of the time.

As cybercriminals (and foreign government agents) hone their evil craft, we must now be on guard, as our businesses grow ever more web-dependent. Yet how do you find the time to keep up with it all, much less make sure your network is safe?

Lucky for you, there’s a silver dagger…

Contact us and receive a FREE “Network Health Scan” for a personalized report of recommended improvements to keep your network safe. Claim yours now www.dpsolutions.com/network-health-scan.

Guest Article

How a Twist of Humor Took The "Sting" Out of a Situation

Robert Stevenson

A couple of years ago I had the opportunity to address the Drug & Alcohol Testing Industry Association. It was one of the most memorable programs I have done in my career; the people attending the conference provide drug & alcohol testing for any company, organization, state or federal agency.

During my interviewing process with them, one of the questions I asked was … “What makes your job difficult?” Several people responded: “Having to deal with all the stupid excuses people give for testing positive for drugs.” That response really intrigued me, so I dug deeper in my questioning to get actual examples of their excuses; I will get to the excuses in a moment.

To help make their jobs easier, I suggested a different approach. I proposed they print up a little one-page list of excuses that will not be accepted for testing positive for drugs and hand that to them before being tested. That way, if they do test positive for having drugs or alcohol in their system, there is no need to waste everyone’s time using any of the excuses listed.

Below are the actual excuses given (with NO embellishment) and the form I suggested they print up.

Excuses That Don’t Work for Testing Positive for Drugs

You Will Need To Try Something Different – These Aren’t Acceptable

More Originality Will be Required

• I was at a party and everyone was smoking pot around me, so it’s second-hand smoke.
• Someone must have put something in my drink; I swear I would never use drugs.
• I take my friend’s pain meds when I have a migraine.
• I used to smoke pot years ago when I was fat. I hear it stays in your system for a long time.
• It was the cookies I ate at a party. I think it was medical marijuana.
• I ate a bunch of poppy seed muffins.
• I kissed a girl who had just used cocaine.
• I take supplements from the health food store.
• I buy hemp oil and make salad dressing with it.
• I have to light my wife’s joints for her because she uses medical marijuana and she is too sick to do it herself.

So now, when someone tests positive, they no longer have to deal with these 10 silly excuses … hopefully saving them a little time and frustration. And they did it by adding a little twist of humor in the process.

As a leader, try taking a look at things you have to do, like: evaluations, reviews, critiques, changing policies, implementing new software, meeting deadlines, revamping procedures, enforcing guidelines, delegating responsibilities, giving feedback, or complying with government regulations … and see if you can find a different approach that might make it be accepted more favorably.

Originality and humor can help take the “sting” out of any situation, so anytime you can add a little of it, to help take the drudgery or negativity out of an issue, mandate, or task… I recommend you go for it.