Category: Disaster Preparedness

New Phishing Email Variant

Thought that I would share a recently received new phishing email variant that could easily be overlooked and possibly cause damage to your network. The email appears to have come from Dropbox as a user sharing a folder with me, but a closer look shows many obvious signs that the email is a fake.

Starting from the Top

Look closely at the From portion of the email:

The lettering is actually another language where the font makes it look like English lettering. There is also the fact that the email is form someone that I don’t do business with. Always fight the urge to look at things that are not yours.

Stick to the Subject

Now to take a look at the Subject line of the email:

This has different lettering but it is again a different language used to look like English lettering.

And now the rest…

The final thing that caught my eye was the “button” in the middle of the email:

It actually looked fuzzy. It turns out the entire body of the email is a single image that is a link to their malicious site. Clicking anywhere in the body of the email would send you on your way to infection or account compromise. Hope this little tutorial helps you detect other phishing attempts in the future.

If your company is having trouble with SPAM or phishing, then contact us for assistance.

SMB Guide to Ransomware

Ransomware has become a serious epidemic affecting businesses of all sizes, and protecting your company is more essential than ever before as the number of ransomware attacks continues to rise. A recent U.S. Government inter-agency report indicates that, on average, there have been 4,000 daily ransomware attacks since early 2016 — a 300-percent increase over the 1,000 daily ransomware attacks reported in 2015.

As ransomware spreads, it continues to evolve and get more sophisticated — and more lucrative. In fact, according to Internet Crime Complaint Center, ransomware victims paid more than $24 million to regain access to their data in 2015 alone.

What does all this mean for small to medium-sized businesses?

Download the full article here:
http://www.farmhousenetworking.com/downloads/SMB-Guide-to-Ransomware.pdf

If your company is worried about ransomware and would like to see if your business is prepared for the inevitable, then contact us for assistance.

Is Email Down Again?

While troubleshooting an email encryption issue after a WHM / cPanel web server migration, my thoughts turned to email down time and what it is worth to a small business. This is the core concept behind business continuity – “Business continuity encompasses planning and preparation to ensure that an organization can continue to operate in case of serious incidents or disasters and is able to recover to an operational state within a reasonably short period.” (Wikipedia) The best way to recover from a disaster is to have planned in advance for the eventuality and have systems in place that provide redundancy when the incident occurs. When it comes to business email continuity only one name comes to mind:

Microsoft Office 365

Guaranteed Uptime – Microsoft provides a Service Level Agreement (SLA) that financially backs their services based on a guaranteed amount of uptime per month. If service is down for more than 45 minutes (99.9% uptime) in a month then a 25% credit will be given, if service is down for more than 7 hours (99% uptime) in a month then a 50% credit will be given, and if for some reason they are down for more than 36 hours (95% uptime) in a month then a 100% credit will be given. Considering the literal billions of users of their products, having to give away credits for downtime would seriously cost Microsoft so it is in their favor to keep the services flowing.

Geographic Redundancy – Microsoft has Office 365 data copied to servers in no less than 8 datacenters around the United States including one nearby in Washington. This means that a hardware failure or lost data in one center will not effect the other 7 datacenters – email will continue to be routed through the others until services can be restored to the one. With redundancy like that there should be no worries about downtime or data loss.

Unparalleled Support – Office 365 email is running on Microsoft Exchange being administered and supported by the people who created it. There is nothing like going to the creator of something to talk to them when there is a problem. They have the breadth of experience that comes from using their own products for the past 20 years. This level of knowledge is unparalleled in the industry and it shows in the quality of service and support that is received.

If your company needs the best in class reliability and service that comes from switching to Office 365, then contact us for assistance.

CyberSecurity Month – Small Business Tips

Broadband and information technology are powerful tools for small businesses to reach new markets and increase sales and productivity. However, cybersecurity threats are real and businesses must implement the best tools and tactics to protect themselves, their customers, and their data. Visit www.fcc.gov/cyberplanner to create a free customized Cyber Security Planning guide for your small business and visit www.dhs.gov/stopthinkconnect to download resources on cyber security awareness for your business. Here are ten key cybersecurity tips to protect your small business:

1. Train employees in security principles.

Establish basic security practices and policies for employees, such as requiring strong passwords and establish appropriate Internet use guidelines, that detail penalties for violating company cybersecurity policies. Establish rules of behavior describing how to handle and protect customer information and other vital data.

2. Protect information, computers, and networks from cyber attacks.

Keep clean machines by having the latest security software, web browser, and operating system are the best defenses against viruses, malware, and other online threats. Set antivirus software to run a scan after each update. Install other key software updates as soon as they are available. (Our managed monthly service contract customers already have this taken care of.)

3. Provide firewall security for your Internet connection.

A firewall is a set of related programs that prevent outsiders from accessing data on a private network. Make sure the operating system’s firewall is enabled or install free firewall software available online. If employees work from home, ensure that their home system(s) are protected by a firewall. (We don’t recommend the free stuff as you always get what you pay for.)

4. Create a mobile device action plan.

Mobile devices can create significant security and management challenges, especially if they hold confidential information or can access the corporate network. Require users to password protect their devices, encrypt their data, and install security apps to prevent criminals from stealing information while the phone is on public networks. Be sure to set reporting procedures for lost or stolen equipment.

5. Make backup copies of important business data and information.

Regularly backup the data on all computers. Critical data includes word processing documents, electronic spreadsheets, databases, financial files, human resources files, and accounts receivable/payable files. Backup data automatically if possible, or at least weekly and store the copies either offsite or in the cloud. (We recommend backup copies in both)

6. Control physical access to your computers and create user accounts for each employee.

Prevent access or use of business computers by unauthorized individuals. Laptops can be particularly easy targets for theft or can be lost, so lock them up when unattended. Make sure a separate user account is created for each employee and require strong passwords. Administrative privileges should only be given to trusted IT staff and key personnel. (Definitely agree with the separate users and least

7. Secure your Wi-Fi networks.

If you have a Wi-Fi network for your workplace, make sure it is secure, encrypted, and hidden. To hide your Wi- Fi network, set up your wireless access point or router so it does not broadcast the network name, known as the Service Set Identifier (SSID). Password protect access to the router. (Also make sure to segregate public guest traffic from private traffic.)

8. Employ best practices on payment cards.

Work with banks or processors to ensure the most trusted and validated tools and anti-fraud services are being used. You may also have additional security obligations pursuant to agreements with your bank or processor. Isolate payment systems from other, less secure programs and don’t use the same computer to process payments and surf the Internet.

9. Limit employee access to data and information, and limit authority to install software.

Do not provide any one employee with access to all data systems. Employees should only be given access to the specific data systems that they need for their jobs, and should not be able to install any software without permission.

10. Passwords and authentication.

Require employees to use unique passwords and change passwords every three months. Consider implementing multifactor authentication that requires additional information beyond a password to gain
entry. Check with your vendors that handle sensitive data, especially financial institutions, to see if they offer multifactor authentication for your account. (Multifactor should be implemented on all web based applications from third party vendors.)

If your company is concerned about cybersecurity and wants to take the needed steps to protect yourselves, then contact us for assistance.

CyberSecurity Month – Entrepreneur Tips

Entrepreneurs face the same cybersecurity challenges and threats that larger businesses face but with limited resources, capacity, and personnel. Cybersecurity is especially important for entrepreneurs because they have the unique opportunity to integrate cybersecurity practices at the onset of their investments and business development.

DID YOU KNOW?

Approximately 77 percent of small firms believe their company is safe from a cyber attack, even though 83 percent of those firms do not have a written security policy in place.
Unlike larger firms that can absorb the cost of a cyber attack, the consequences can be catastrophic for smaller ventures and entrepreneurs.

SIMPLE TIPS

Use and regularly update anti-virus software and anti-spyware on all computers. Automate patch deployments to protect against vulnerabilities. (Our monthly maintenance takse care of this.)
Secure your Internet connection by using a firewall, password protecting your Wi-Fi network, and changing default passwords for your wireless network and router. (Most businesses who buy a router from a local office supply store don’t take the time to change the default password and don’t know these devices are rarely updated by vendors.)
Establish security policies and practices (e.g., using encryption technology) to protect sensitive data, including customer information and intellectual property.
Use strong passwords and change them regularly. (Minimum recommended password length is 10 characters with upper and lower letters, numbers and symbols. Changing passwords should be monthly or quarterly if possible.)
Protect all pages on your public-facing websites, not just the sign-up and checkout pages.
Invest in data loss prevention software and use encryption technology to protect data that is transmitted over the Internet.If your company is concerned about cybersecurity and wants to take the needed steps to protect yourselves, then contact us for assistance.

CyberSecurity Month – Entrepreneur Tips

DID YOU KNOW?

Approximately 77 percent of small firms believe their company is safe from a cyber attack, even though 83 percent of those firms do not have a written security policy in place.
Unlike larger firms that can absorb the cost of a cyber attack, the consequences can be catastrophic for smaller ventures and entrepreneurs.

SIMPLE TIPS

Use and regularly update anti-virus software and anti-spyware on all computers. Automate patch deployments to protect against vulnerabilities. (Our monthly maintenance takse care of this.)
Secure your Internet connection by using a firewall, password protecting your Wi-Fi network, and changing default passwords for your wireless network and router. (Most businesses who buy a router from a local office supply store don’t take the time to change the default password and don’t know these devices are rarely updated by vendors.)
Establish security policies and practices (e.g., using encryption technology) to protect sensitive data, including customer information and intellectual property.
Use strong passwords and change them regularly. (Minimum recommended password length is 10 characters with upper and lower letters, numbers and symbols. Changing passwords should be monthly or quarterly if possible.)
Protect all pages on your public-facing websites, not just the sign-up and checkout pages.
Invest in data loss prevention software and use encryption technology to protect data that is transmitted over the Internet.If your company is concerned about cybersecurity and wants to take the needed steps to protect yourselves, then contact us for assistance.

CrashPlan for Home is No More

Effective August 22, 2017, Code42 will no longer offer new – or renew – CrashPlan for Home subscriptions, and we will begin to sunset the product over several months. CrashPlan for Home will no longer be available for use starting October 23, 2018.

What alternatives exist?

CrashPlan itself is suggesting that customers move to Carbonite for their personal computer backups. In order to get the same great combination of onsite & offsite backup that CrashPlan users are used to, Farmhouse Networking recommends using Plus package that includes the backup to an external drive. This package is on sale for $25 off the normal yearly cost. Small businesses with only one computer will also find this package to be the most secure way of backing up their important files for the least out-of-pocket costs.

If your business has more than one computer or a server, Farmhouse Networking recommends upgrading to a full business class Backup & Disaster Recovery (BDR) solution with Datto. This provides both the speed of on-site recovery with the resilience of off-site recovery via the cloud. On-site recovery is much simpler with this BDR solution as the device becomes a copy of the main computer or server in the case of failure. This takes recovery time down to minutes instead of days.

If your company is using CrashPlan for backups and are not ready for the move, then contact us for assistance.

WannaCry Ransomware Spread Halted by Webroot

WannaCry Ransomware: Webroot protects you.

Ransomware attacks continue to spread around the world this weekend, after the initial damage inflicted on healthcare organizations in Europe on Friday.

The criminals responsible for exploiting the Eternal Blue flaw haven’t yet been identified, but up to 100 countries have hit with WannaCry ransomware, with Russia, Ukraine and Taiwan among the top targets.

The ransomware first appeared in March, and is using the NSA 0-day Eternal Blue and Double Pulsar exploits first made available earlier this year by a group called the Shadow Brokers. The initial spread of the malware was through email, including fake invoices, job offers and other lures with a .zip file that initiates the WannaCry infection. The worm-like Eternal Blue can exploit a flaw in the Server Message Block (SMB) in Microsoft Windows, which can allow remote code execution. This flaw was patched in Microsoft’s March 2017 update cycle, but many organizations had not run the patch or were using unsupported legacy technology like XP.

What’s New

Today, Microsoft has released emergency security patches to defend against the malware for unsupported versions of Windows, including XP and Server 2003.

Overnight and today, it has become clear that a kill switch was included in the code. When it detects a specific web domain exists—created earlier today—it halts the spread of malware. You can learn more at The Register.

As a Webroot customer, are you protected? YES.

Webroot SecureAnywhere does currently protect you from WannaCry ransomware.

In simple terms, although this ransomware is currently causing havoc across the globe, the ransomware itself is similar to what we have seen before. It’s the advanced delivery mechanism that has unfortunately caught many organizations off guard.

In addition to deploying Webroot SecureAnywhere as part of a strong endpoint control strategy, it is essential you continue to keep your systems up-to-date on the latest software versions, and invest in user education on the dangers of phishing, ransomware, social engineering and other common attack vectors.

If you have any questions about your Webroot deployment, reach out to our Support Team now.

And, if you are not a Webroot customer, we encourage you to trial Webroot SecureAnywhere now.

Setup Ubiquiti USG Pro DSL PPPoE Failover Connection

This article will leave out the names of the internet providers to protect against defamation of character issues, but they include a local cable internet provider and a local reseller of DSL connections who also provide T1 lines. Had a client that recently changed from using a bonded T1 line to cable internet in order to get substantially better speeds. During the winter months they experienced the issues that are typical for remote installations of cable – downtime due to issues with the vendors hardware on the poles. After consulting with them, it was decided to go with a DSL PPPoE failover connection as part of some more expansive upgrades. Here is the setup that had to take place on the provided C1100Z modem / router and the Ubiquiti USG Pro.

Setup of C1100Z Modem Router

The modem / router defaults to router mode, which puts all traffic behind a Network Address Translation (NAT) router and allows this DSL vendor their usual practice of monitoring and reselling traffic information. I chose instead to change the settings to make the device into a standard modem in “Transparent Bridge” mode. You will need to contact the DSL vendor in question to get the PPPoE username and password before performing these steps to ensure that you can setup the Ubiquiti USG Pro later. Here are the steps from their website:

1. Open a web browser and go to http://192.168.0.1.

2. Login to your modem by doing the following:

Enter the Administrator Username
Enter the Administrator Password
Select “Apply”.

3. Select “Advanced Setup”.

4.. Select “WAN Settings”.

5. Select “Transparent Bridging”.

6. Select “Tagged-201” for the transport mode.

7. Select “Apply” to save your changes.

Setup of DSL PPPoE Failover Connection on Ubiquiti USG Pro

The second part of this is to setup the failover portion of the Ubiquiti USG Pro to use the PPPoE Connection.

Login to your Ubiquiti Controller
Choose the correct site from the list at the top right
Click on the Devices icon on the left hand column
Click on the Ubiquiti USG Pro device at that site to open up its properties
Click on Configuration
Expand the WAN2 connection and add the username / password acquired from the vendor earlier along with the preferred DNS then make sure to choose the Load Balancing type as Failover then Queue Changes and Apply Changes

This will setup the DSL PPPoE failover connection to be used whenever the primary WAN1 connection goes down. If your company is currently using an unreliable internet provider and need to setup failover, then contact us for assistance.

Information Security while Traveling

The SANS Institute has been putting out the OUCH! newsletter for some time now in a project called Securing the Human. In the most recent Issue, they discuss some best practices and practical advice for traveling. Here are some highlights:

Minimize Possible Losses

Here are a few tips to protect information from the hazards of traveling and possible theft:

Remove any data that is not needed on the device
Use full disk encryption & strong passwords
Perform a complete backup before leaving
Install tracking software on the device
Update OSes and Antivirus

Lost/Stolen Devices

Although crime is more of a factor in some third world nations or those in active conflict, the human element of losing the device is 100x more likely. Keep inventory of your devices before, during and after transporting from one location to another. Do not leave your device in the hotel room, have the hotel front desk put it in their safe or locked administrative offices.

Public WiFi

If you have to connect to the internet in public spaces and/or cannot afford mobile data on your trip, then make sure to do the following:

Never use public computers for sensitive information, especially banking sites
When on public wifi, only surf to sites with HTTPS:// secure connections
Consider connecting to a VPN service to further encrypt communications

If your company is requires traveling or you are planning to remotely work while on vacation, then contact us for assistance. We would be happy to walk you through the full disk encryption process, update / secure your devices and configure a company VPN service to connect to on the go.

Category: Disaster Preparedness

Starting from the Top

Stick to the Subject

And now the rest…

Microsoft Office 365

1. Train employees in security principles.

2. Protect information, computers, and networks from cyber attacks.

3. Provide firewall security for your Internet connection.

4. Create a mobile device action plan.

5. Make backup copies of important business data and information.

6. Control physical access to your computers and create user accounts for each employee.

7. Secure your Wi-Fi networks.

8. Employ best practices on payment cards.

9. Limit employee access to data and information, and limit authority to install software.

10. Passwords and authentication.

DID YOU KNOW?

SIMPLE TIPS

DID YOU KNOW?

SIMPLE TIPS

What alternatives exist?

WannaCry Ransomware: Webroot protects you.

What’s New

As a Webroot customer, are you protected? YES.

Setup of C1100Z Modem Router

Setup of DSL PPPoE Failover Connection on Ubiquiti USG Pro

Minimize Possible Losses

Lost/Stolen Devices

Public WiFi

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