WyzGuys Tech Talk

Trend Micro has a nifty series of 9 – 5 minute videos that show just how dangerous the world could become with everything becoming network connected and moving to “the Cloud” (the Internet).  Check it out here.  With names like Switched Off, Stay Calm, We Didn’t See It Coming, it makes for interesting viewing.  Trend Micro is releasing one episode a week during Cyber Security Awareness Month and into November.

Go check it out.  This is very, very possible.

The weakest link in your security program is always going to be your employees.  Most people are too trusting, too gullible, and too uninformed when it comes to computer and network security.  A hacker does not need great skill or fancy software tools if a simple social engineering exploit such as a phone call will get them the user credentials of one of your employees.

The best solution, and possibly the only solution, is to provide training to your employees so ...

Many, if not most, small businesses keep customer information on their computers or servers.  When you collect and store customer information there is an expectation that the information will remain secure.  In some cases there are legal liabilities to the small business if client information is released.  Credit card information is regulated under PCI-DSS, and releasing this information is a $25,000 fine PER CARD NUMBER.  This can be double in the case of willful negligence.  There are other regulatory requirements ...

Engaging a computer security professional to complete a network security assessment can be the start to developing a cyber-security plan that will help you reduce and eliminate the threats and vulnerabilities that could impact your business.

The important areas to consider are:

• Prevention – the best defense is to keep the bad guys off your network in the first place.  Typical defenses include a hardware firewall, UTM (Unified Threat Management), or Intrusion Detection device, couple with a solid Internet Security software product ...

Thugs with the Nazi Park Service are pulling guns on seniors and foreign tourists at Yellowstone.

Thugs at the Nazi Park Service are telling businesses that rent canoes or provide boat trips on the St Croix that they can’t run their business during the fake government shut down.

Government WEB SITES are down (whaaaa????), evidently because the government workers who provided the electricity for them by running inside giant hamster wheels or riding stationary bikes attached to generators have been furloughed.

Congress ...

So you think your computer or network security has been breached.  What next?

Your computer support staff may have brought this to your attention already, but if not you need to make them aware as quickly as possible.  Avoid the obvious urge to wipe the hard drives and start over!  You need to preserve the compromised computers or servers for a forensic analysis.  This is work that is best performed by a qualified computer security or forensics professional.

Signs that you may ...

Because it is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, it is a great time to take a look at how you monitor cyber threats in your business operations.  Some of the things to be on guard for are:

• SPAM – not the tasty meat product manufactured in Austin Minnesota, but the rubbish the comes into your email inbox.  Did you know that SPAM is one of the top two methods used by cyber-criminals to get around your firewall and defeat your computer ...

The month of October is the tenth anniversary of National Cyber Security Awareness Month.  (NCSAM)  This is a great time to take a look at your business practices regarding computer security, network security, web site security, and data protection.  A great place to start is the StaySafeOnline.org website provided by the National Cyber Security Alliance. 

On this web site you can find tips on how to:

• Assess your risks
• Monitor threats
• Report cyber attacks
• Implement a security plan ...