LazoTEK Computer Solutions

Security Audit and Enforcement

2012-05-10T09:52:00.007-06:00

Continuous monitoring and proactive effort from the IT team are necessary to protect the end points of a network from viruses, spyware, and a range of other malicious threats to an organization’s data and important information. Business continuity requires strict enforcement of security standards and policies, and by following some of the common best practices, the IT department can stay on top of the problems before they get out of hand.

Embed Security Audit and Enforcement on Your Site: Copy and Paste the Code Below

Audit and Enforcement Challenges
Modern businesses are obligated to protect both confidentiality and availability of important data. This means that it must be easily accessible for business purposes, but it should also be securely hidden away from prying eyes. Maintaining this kind of balance can create a number of challenges for the IT department, and the team must be ready to deal with each of them.
The first challenge is to make sure that every device used throughout the organization is completely up to date. Each device must be set to receive and install the necessary patches, have its firewall settings configured properly, and cleared of any unwanted or risky applications and programs. Then, as the IT environment evolves with the business, it can be a challenge to maintain the same level of enforcement, and through it all you will need to gather enough information to show that you are meeting business and regulatory needs. It won’t always be easy, but there are some things you can do to improve the process.

Layers of Security
It is possible to automate some of the procedures for enforcing security configuration settings. By creating these layers of security and customizing the policies to automatically apply to the different classes of IT systems throughout the organization, it is possible to protect your network and company from a range of possible threats. Layers of security can make it harder for viruses or intruders to make problems. These layers could include:

Browser Security Policies – A number of different browsers could be used throughout the company, which means each one needs personal attention. Since a company probably can’t make everyone use a single browser, you may need to take care of the browser security setting at the browser level.
Anti-Virus Policies – Constant updates to the virus definitions files are necessary to protect the network from the most recent threats. It is also important for the IT team to set a regular scan schedule, which can be done before, during, or after normal work hours.
Quarantine Policies – If any device is compromised and a risk is identified, it must be removed from the network to avoid further contamination. The problem can then be resolved without further disruption of normal work.
Disallowed Programs – Many people in a company may try to do their own thing and may install unauthorized programs or applications. These risky apps must be removed from the system quickly, and standards should be set to define what is allowable and what isn’t.

Immediate Remediation
A full assessment of the current security environment must be followed by quick remediation to correct the problem, whether this involves patching the applicathttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifions or security software, reconfiguring the device setting, and blocking or removihttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifng certain applications. Security policies should include these types of actions as a part of the process so the IT team can react immediately to correct any problems and make sure those security barriers always remain in place.

Bio: Angela Luke
Angela works with Dell KACE. She is interested in all things related to software installation as well as automated software deployment. Outside of work she enjoys reading, hiking and writing about technology.

Do You Leave Your PC Running All Night? Put it to Sleep and Save Cash

2012-04-19T21:16:00.000-06:00

By Rick Broida, PCWorld Apr 11, 2012 12:08 PM

When it's time to turn in for the night, what do you do with your PC? Turn it off? Leave it running? Put it in standby (a.k.a. sleep) mode?

There are different schools of thought on which is best. For example, some feel that the startup and shutdown processes create extra wear and tear, and therefore opt to leave their machines running 24/7.

According to Iolo Labs, which recently completed some studies on the subject, sleep mode wins the day (make that night). Their findings:

1. When you put your PC to sleep at night instead of leaving it running, you save $2 per month.

2. When you put your PC to sleep at night instead of turning it off, you save at least 25 minutes per month (in startup and shutdown time, I'm guessing), while spending only an extra five cents monthly.

I'm waiting to hear back from an Iolo rep on whether hibernate mode was considered in this study, as that would save you some startup/shutdown time and save you money as well.

(When your computer is in standby, it continues to draw a bit of power. In hibernate, however, it's effectively off.)

In any case, I think there's something to be said for pocketing an extra $24 annually just by putting your PC to sleep at night. And as someone who has long been annoyed by annoyingly long boot times, there's much to be said for resuming your work session almost immediately, right where you left off.

What are your thoughts on the whole off/on/standby debate? If you have a strong preference for one of these options, tell me why. And if you disagree with Iolo's conclusion, let's hear about that as well.

Partners | LazoTEK Partners | Computer Solutions

2010-05-31T19:26:00.001-06:00

Partners | LazoTEK Partners | Computer Solutions

Computer Running Slow - Free Customer Support Day! By Trend Micro

2010-05-28T14:46:00.002-06:00

Coming June 15, 2010:
Free Customer Support Day
Is your PC running much slower than it used to? Need help setting up your home network security and password? Trend Micro now makes it even easier for individuals and families to have many of their computing questions answered.

Key Benefits:
•Direct access to a designated technical expert
•Resolves support issues faster with priority handling, saving you time
•Highly-responsive, personalized service
•Alerts you to new threats before problems occur
FREE GIVEAWAY: Trend Micro is hosting a “Free Customer Support Day” on June 15. You’ll have a chance to register online and receive a voucher* for a free premium PC Checkup and Diagnostic Service - let us fix your computer issues!

*You do not need to be a current Trend Micro customer. This voucher only applies for 24 consecutive hours and is redeemable any day within 90 days from June 15. Offer limited to the first 1,000 registrants. Only one voucher per person. Offer available only to customers located in North America only. Please note that you must provide a promotional code to the technical expert when redeeming this voucher.

Trend Micro eMail ID is a browser plug-in that helps you identify legitimate email messages in your inbox.

2010-05-26T23:42:00.000-06:00

TrendMicro eMail ID adds Truemark® icons to your email inbox and open messages to indicate legitimate messages from hundreds of major companies. It operates in a similar fashion across all webmail clients and Outlook Express, so you don’t have to learn a different interface as you check your email in different clients.