Join us for an insightful session as we delve into the world of Microsoft Surface devices and their transformative impact on Federal agencies and government sectors. This webinar is designed to help you understand how Surface devices are revolutionizing the government workplace, bringing about a new era of efficiency, productivity, and security. 

Throughout this webinar, we’ll explore the diverse range of Surface devices and their unique capabilities. Whether it’s the Surface Pro’s portability, the Surface Laptop’s power, or the Surface Hub’s collaboration potential, we’ll highlight how these tools are tailored to meet the challenging demands of the public sector. 

In addition to this, our experts will discuss the security features of Surface devices, detailing how they align with the strict security standards required by federal agencies. We’ll also explore how Surface devices integrate with other Microsoft services, creating a comprehensive and efficient digital workspace. 

Whether you’re an IT decision-maker in a federal agency, a government official looking to modernize your technology, or someone simply interested in the intersection of technology and government, this webinar is for you. Join us as we journey through the world of Surface devices, discovering how they’re shaping the future of federal and government technology. 

Click below to view the full webinar.

Let’s set up some time to discuss this new device option for you and your team – I think you’ll love it as much as we do. Contact Heather Moore at (919) 460-1313, ext. 308 or email heather@cadinc.com. 

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Join us for a captivating session as we explore the transformative potential of Microsoft’s Surface Hub 2S for Federal agencies and government sectors. This webinar is specially designed to showcase how Surface Hub 2S is reshaping the collaboration landscape in government operations, offering a new wave of efficiency, interactivity, and secure collaboration.

In this webinar, we will delve into the unique capabilities of the Surface Hub 2S. From its cutting-edge touchscreen technology to its seamless integration with Microsoft 365, we will demonstrate how this device is ideally suited to meet the distinct needs of the public sector.

Moreover, we will also focus on the advanced security features of the Surface Hub 2S, emphasizing how it complies with the stringent security requirements of federal agencies. We’ll discuss how Surface Hub 2S integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft services, building a comprehensive, efficient, and secure digital workspace.

This webinar is ideal for IT decision-makers in federal agencies, government officials interested in technology modernization, or anyone curious about the convergence of technology and government. Come join us as we explore the Surface Hub 2S and its potential to transform collaboration in the federal and government sectors.

Click below to view the full webinar.

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Let’s set up some time to discuss this new device option for you and your team – I think you’ll love it as much as we do. Contact Heather Moore at (919) 460-1313, ext. 308 or email heather@cadinc.com. 

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This is an important time for government, and being able to step up efficiently and effectively is critical. Do you have the tools you need?

With so much shifting in government right now, I thought it might be helpful for you to see how others are working through this transformation with support from The Surface Portfolio. I’ve pulled together some stories from customers all over the world, stories that include some of the same challenges you might be managing right now.

Digital transformation and Surface improve productivity

Attract and retain top talent. Microsoft Surface devices are proven to boost employee satisfaction and help retain top talent.

Diverse selection of devices for every role. All Surface devices are connected through a core set of experiences that are intentionally differentiated to support a range of roles.

Government specific warranty. Through our partnership with ITG, Federal agencies get the timely support they need backed by a warranty they can trust.

72% of people who use Surface at work want to use it all the time.*

Surface has the highest PSAT of any iPad, Chromebook, or Windows 10 device.**

75% Agree that Microsoft 365-powered Surface devices have helped improve employee satisfaction and retention.*

Support you can trust

Modern, simplified  management

Save time and money with streamlined device management that gives users the freedom—and IT the control—they each need.

Zero-touch deployment

Reduce IT complexity and eliminate time-consuming re-imaging by shipping and deploying straight
to employees. 

Secure from deployment to decommission

Keep data secure from a Surface device’s first deployment to its last, no matter how many times and under what circumstances it changes hands with tools like Surface Data Eraser.

Let’s set up some time to discuss this new device option for you and your team – I think you’ll love it as much as we do. Contact Heather Moore at (919) 460-1313, ext. 308 or email heather@cadinc.com. 

The post Meet the new Microsoft Surface Suite appeared first on Carolina Advanced Digital, Inc..

Bring Remote Teams Together

Remote teamwork has never been easier with the light-weight, mobile Surface Hub 2S. Collaborate via Microsoft Teams, and stay engaged during meetings with a 4K+ quality screen and camera, along with enhanced speakers and mics.

Take brainstorming to the next level with Microsoft Whiteboard, a persistent digital canvas. Surface helps you stay connected with your team, even when you’re apart.

The hybrid workplace is putting new demands on your teams and technology. Give everyone an equal opportunity to create and collaborate in real time—no matter where they’re working.

The latest Surface Hub 2S enhancements offer in-office and remote team members a more inclusive way to meet and co-create.

Offer a dynamic view of in-room interactions with AI-powered Surface Hub 2 Smart Camera1 that adjusts the video feed, re-framing the view when a presenter interacts with content on the display, more people come in, or when someone leaves.

Windows keeps operations safe and secured, and the Microsoft Teams Rooms Management suite of tools offers options for centrally and remotely managing Surface Hub devices.

Show remote attendees in a people-first video gallery, while interacting with content or conducting a collaborative whiteboard session with Surface Hub 2S and Microsoft Teams Rooms.

Support you can trust

Work without worries, knowing you can receive quick and reliable support through Microsoft’s service partnership with ITG. Choose 3-year, 4-year, or 5-year onsite warranties w/Keep Your Hard Drive, receive support by the next business day, and remain in full compliance with regulations.

Let’s set up some time to discuss this new device option for you and your team – I think you’ll love it as much as we do. Contact Heather Moore at (919) 460-1313, ext. 308 or email heather@cadinc.com.

The post Meet the new Microsoft Surface Hub 2S for Federal appeared first on Carolina Advanced Digital, Inc..

Keep connections highly secure
Stay connected with modern USB-A and USB-C® ports for better connectivity. Work more securely, authenticating to your network with the FIPS 201 and TAA–compliant Griffin Mobile Card Reader. The Griffin Mobile Smart Card Reader for Surface not only gives you a means for more secure authentication but allows you to connect additional peripheral devices.

Whether you need to physically disable cameras or just want to better secure all aspects of your corporate endpoints, Surface Enterprise Management Mode (SEMM) provides a scalable deployable utility to meet this need. Administrators can selectively choose to enable or disable hardware-based components, in addition to boot options, on a per-device basis—all secured via PKI.

On the go, all day
A familiar form factor ensures you’ll continue to get the most out of your Surface Pro accessories across generations. Protect your Surface Pro 7+ with the Kensington BlackBelt 2 Smart Card Reader Case, the ultimate rugged case, or the Griffin Survivor Security Case w/Smart Card Reader, which has a rigid polycarbonate shell and kickstand-compatible backing. Your device and your data are well protected with Surface because both cases provide FIPS 201 and TAA compliance with MIL-STD-810G drop protection.

• Flexibility employees need Surface Pro 7+ for Business transforms from laptop to tablet to digital canvas with the innovative, adjustable kickstand.
• LTE Advanced1 Keep your team connected, and enable secure and consistent connections with both eSIM and nano SIM options.
• Consistent high performance Power professional grade software with11th Gen Intel® Core™ processors and up to32GB RAM and 1TB of storage.
• USB-C® and USB-A ports Stay connected to existing investments including display, docking stations, and more.

View the Surface Pro 7+ Fact Sheet here to get all the details about this powerful machine.

Let’s set up some time to discuss this new device option for you and your team – I think you’ll love it as much as we do. Contact Heather Moore at (919) 460-1313, ext. 308 or email heather@cadinc.com. 

The post Meet the Microsoft Surface Products for Federal appeared first on Carolina Advanced Digital, Inc..

Flashback to the height of the pandemic in early 2020. Organizations, whether prepared or not, were quickly forced to switch their operations from in-person to remote. While digital transformation has long been a buzzword in our society the past five years, the pandemic was a reality check for many who believed they were digitally inclined.

Though this reality check is responsible for more than a years’ worth of headaches and fifty-hour workweeks (maybe more) for IT teams across the world, some see this event as a good thing. Why? Take Microsoft’s CEO who stated that after a few months into the pandemic, the company saw two years of digital transformation in as little as two months as its customers began adopting cloud solutions. That’s remarkable, especially given the environment companies were forced to operate in.

Unfortunately, after adoption, companies haven’t found the cloud experience to be as smooth sailing as expected. In fact, many organizations are already struggling with security concerns after migrating to the cloud. There are two main reasons why organizations are having a hard time securing their cloud environment – misconfiguration and limited visibility. Cloud misconfigurations are risky because they can jeopardize the security of data stored in the cloud and allow hackers to leverage software vulnerabilities to access other parts of the system. And given these can be difficult to spot, it may be likely that an organization has limited visibility into its network challenges. In this instance, as in many others, organizations can be blind to digital threats, allowing hackers to move around unnoticed.

Garter predicts the worldwide end-user spending on public cloud services to grow 18.4 percent in 2021 to total $304.9 billion. With the increase in cloud adoption and security challenges, it’s important that organizations are equipped to update their security programs for new risk factors that may have previously been out of scope. Here’s a look at how to operate a sound public cloud security strategy:

• Understand your shared responsibility model: When collaborating with a cloud service provider, you’re responsible for upholding a shared security implementation. It’s your job to make sure you know what stays with you and what will be handled by your provider. Responsibility models vary depending on the services models — SaaS, PaaS, or IaaS.
• Control user access: The public cloud offers resource sharing and scalability that otherwise isn’t possible for a single organization. However, with that each organization must implement tight controls of user access through architectures such as zero trust or point solutions like workload microsegmentation and CASB. Only give users (which may include non-human entities) access to systems and data required to do their job.
• Maintain visibility of cloud services: Back to our previous point on visibility – it’s important that your organization knows the ins and outs of its hardware and software. Some organizations have adopted a multi-cloud strategy, using more than one cloud service from different providers, which can create blind spots that leave security lacking. Also, recent surveys show more than 80% of current security tools for visibility don’t translate to the cloud.

The pandemic aside, the public cloud is more important to businesses in today’s environment as we work towards business resiliency and truly digital workplaces. If you’re interested in discussing your options for a cloud security solution, contact us today.

The post How to Prepare for Cloud Security (Post-COVID) appeared first on Carolina Advanced Digital, Inc..

This begs the question, has the public become numb to large breaches? Our answer is yes. This is bad for many reasons, but one in particular we would like to discuss is breach fatigue. If consumers believe that data breaches are the norm, they are less motivated to do anything to protect themselves. Take passwords for example. If a consumer’s account is breached and they don’t take steps to improve their security, including changing their password, a hacker can potentially breach other accounts or leave the consumer prone to identify theft, financial loss or damaged credit. Pro tip: This is another reason why we recommend using different passwords for every account, coupled with strong multi-factor authentication.

To play devil’s advocate here, it’s true that some consumers can feel helpless in this situation, especially when the breached vendor provides a service or product that can’t easily be replaced. T-Mobile is a perfect example of this type of service. While some customers will take immediate actions, like switching service providers, others may be less inclined to go through the trouble of switching providers.

To prevent breach fatigue from becoming more popular and to better secure personal data, it’s important that citizens and companies, both big and small, beef up their cybersecurity. Here are a few actions enterprise organizations can take to secure their network from a large scale cyberattack.

• Know what types of personal information you have and scale accordingly. Depending on what type of company you are and the types of services you provide, you may collect and store more personal data than another company. For this reason, it’s important that the organization be aware of the types of data being collected and how and where it’s being stored and transmitted. Regardless of the size or nature of your business, you should take inventory of all endpoints, mobile devices, applications, media storage, on-prem and cloud storage (including SaaS applications) that can access or store sensitive information. In the event that sensitive data falls into the wrong hands, this will help you identify where the vulnerability exists.

In terms of scaling and retention, keep only what you need. If you don’t have a legitimate need for data being collected, wave goodbye and keep trucking. Storing this information, or keeping it longer than necessary, increases the chance that it could be stolen or used for fraudulent activity. If your organization doesn’t already have a data retention policy, consider putting one in place. In an ideal world, all data would be classified and tagged appropriately with full lifecycles managed by policy.

• Keep track of who has access to sensitive information. For starters, which of your employees have access? Do they need or require access given their role? This is becoming increasingly important, as the industry moves towards zero trust architectures to meet best practices and various federal government contracting requirements (like DFARS and CMMC). Strong identity and authentication practices should be a standard practice at every organization. Not only for humans, but non-person entities (NPEs) like service accounts should also be tightly managed and monitored.

Data encryption also helps protect data from theft. Organizations deal with large volumes of data each day, most of which is seen as a business-critical asset. The challenge with encryption (as always) is key management, but there are many great tools out there for this problem, most of which integrate directly with on-board hardware based TPM chips as well as integrated (and free) full disk encryption (FDE) tools such as Microsoft’s BitLocker.

• Protect it everywhere! In our current electronic-obsessed world, traditional perimeter-based security is old- fashioned. Say goodbye to the “castle and moat” model and hello to a distributed workforce and distributed cloud-based resources, a combination that demands a new access model. Whether you’re looking for a full zero trust strategy or starting out with point solutions like privileged access management (PAM), secure remote access, or secure access service edge (SASE), look for tools and applications that support the work from anywhere (WFA) model.

And for those uber-sensitive endpoints floating around the world, there are even micro-gateway products that can help protect endpoints from network reconnaissance and attacks.

The post Game Face On: Getting Serious About Data Breaches appeared first on Carolina Advanced Digital, Inc..

What’s even more mind blowing than this? The latest report was issued two years after these issues first became known. An earlier report released in 2018 by the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs found systemic failures by the same eight federal agencies in compliance with cybersecurity standards. The authors of the latest report wrote that, “inspectors identified many of the same issues that have plagued Federal agencies for more than a decade.”

The Department of State, having received a grade D, was found to operate without required authorizations, ran software no longer supported and failed to install timely security patches. Similarly, the other seven departments addressed in the report left PII vulnerable to potential hackers. Meeting basic cybersecurity standards in an ongoing challenge our nation is facing. With an increase in state-sponsored attacks, it’s important that both federal and enterprise organizations tighten up their cybersecurity programs to prevent sensitive data from falling into the wrong hands.

Here are some tips and tools for federal government agencies looking to beef up their cybersecurity program and ensure their organization doesn’t fall victim to hackers:

• Companies that handle PII are responsible for ensuring data confidentiality and properly securing data from breaches, leaks or tampering. There are a wide range of privacy regulations that govern how to collect, store and use PII. As such, organizations can be penalized for non-compliance and even risk losing customers for lack of trust. To protect PII, agencies should be considering Zero Trust architecture and begin the move to granular control over who’s accessing specific data and applications, how they’re accessing it, and from what. Implementing the least-privilege model limits who has access to certain data and allows you to assign access levels to sensitive data.
• Patching is key to heightened network performance. Patches are necessary to correct vulnerabilities in the software, and doing so in a timely manner is critical. This ensures assets are not susceptible to lurking individuals and keeps systems running smoothly –not to mention patch management is necessary in adhering to compliance standards. If a critical system can’t be properly patched, it should be isolated from the Internet and remainder of the network to prevent malware that exploits known vulnerabilities.
• Maintaining a list of hardware and software used on agency networks is important for asset management and decision-making. Keeping a checklist makes this task much easier and ensures that all network hardware and software is up to date at any given time, limiting potential vulnerabilities. Asset management ranges from manual to automated and should incorporate vulnerability scanning and management as well as documentation of inter-dependencies to help with resiliency initiatives. As always, having visibility is the first critical step in securing any asset. Today’s tools in endpoint profiling, NAC, and newer Zero Trust and SASE solutions can also play an important role in discovering what’s on the network, both in devices as well as applications.
• An asset management checklist (manual or from a vulnerability scanning tool) can also help companies identify legacy systems. One key indicator that hardware or software has become legacy is the absence of current support, patches, updates or maintenance. The decision to replace legacy systems comes down to business needs and requirements, but ultimately, it can lower costs, improve reliability and performance, provide greater agility and flexibility in meeting business requirements, and introduce digital capabilities.

Let’s get fresh! If your system is legacy, contact us today to discuss your options.

The post Four Tools & Tips to Properly Secure Your Network appeared first on Carolina Advanced Digital, Inc..

Before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s back track for a second. Back in May, the first directive issued required all critical pipeline owners and operators to report confirmed and potential incidents, designate a 24/7 cybersecurity coordinator and reassess current practices to ensure all risks are addressed. If you recall part 1 of our Colonial Pipeline blog series, we provided a few tips for companies to strengthen their cyber defenses, calling attention to the importance of having visibility into your organization’s network environment and prioritizing basic security hygiene. This still rings true with the second directive. Preparation, planning and continuous maintenance are key to pipeline operators success during these challenging times.

Now back to the second directive. Another continuing theme here is the push for improved private sector cybersecurity oversight. Mayorkas stated that public-private partnerships are crucial to security and noted that the DHS plans to continue to work closely with and support private sector partners. This will be important moving forward as we look to increase cyber resiliency and better secure our nation’s critical infrastructure.

As the fight to safeguard against ransomware continues, the second directive requires TSA-designated critical pipelines to adhere to the following requirements: implement specific mitigation measures to protect against ransomware attacks and other known threats to information technology and operational technology systems; develop and implement a cybersecurity contingency and recovery plan; and conduct a cybersecurity architecture design review.

There’s no doubt that the stakes are high. In fact, on the same day the second directives were announced, the FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released details of a spearfishing campaign dating back to 2011 and 2013 that targeted oil and natural gas pipeline companies. This goes to show the depth, breadth and longevity of these attacks, and they’re only getting more complex. As such, stakeholders must assess current organizational conditions, identify gaps and how to fill them and set goals or plans to keep network security on-par with requirements and standards. By adhering to and properly implementing the new requirement, pipeline operators will experience improved ROI, organizational performance, and most importantly, better protect our nation’s citizens, infrastructure and data.  

Accountability is a valuable lesson for companies across all industries, especially when it comes to cybersecurity. Looking forward, we can expect security requirements for other critical infrastructure to undergo a series of changes, whether under the Biden Administration’s National Security Memorandum or other government-run initiatives.

The post The Price is Right- Part 2: A New Wave of Cybersecurity Requirements appeared first on Carolina Advanced Digital, Inc..

Before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s take a moment to commend IT departments for everything they’ve had to endure in the past year and a half. From finding secure distance learning solutions (often while lacking an adequate budget and staff, might we add), managing day-to-day operations and defending networks from an influx of phishing and ransomware attacks and data leaks, they’ve been through a lot. Unfortunately, they won’t find solace just yet. With the return of students on campus, they may experience some level of normalcy, but they’ll find unique benefits and security challenges associated with the new hybrid learning environment.

If you’ve been a participant of remote working or learning, like the majority of the world, you’ve likely experienced the good and the bad aspects. The benefits of hybrid learning are tenfold – not only does it allow institutions to bolster educational offerings, but it also enables flexibility and expands the reach of who can access learning.

From a security perspective, however, IT departments are expected to provide users with the tools to safeguard against online attacks and keep their data secure. Naturally, many users feel less confident about using ed-tech and navigating this territory given the past year has been filled with cyber attacks against higher education institutions.  2020 was a record-breaking year for cyber attacks on schools with nearly 40% of incidents including data breaches and leaks, according to a GovTech report. 

Alongside comfort with technology and training, IT departments are faced with technical challenges when it comes to securing the hybrid learning environment. With an influx of IoT devices, there is a greater chance of exposure to potential vulnerabilities. Flawed by design, these devices serve as an easy vector for attackers who are looking to gain access to a network. This poses extreme challenges to endpoint security as well as identity and access management.

The good news is that many higher education institutions are well on their way to embracing hybrid. It’s time to go all in on digital. Here are a few ways your higher education institution can combat the security challenges associated with remote learning:

• Start by upgrading to meet network demands. This may include beefing up your university or institution’s wireless network by upgrading switches or adding APs. This maximizes scalability and reduces wiring to optimize your network and create intelligent learning spaces. A properly-designed WiFi infrastructure ensures not only coverage but sufficient RF quality and roaming to support students running latency-sensitive apps such as all those new Zoom-based classes.
• Alongside content filtering, which can block potential threats coming through over social media and other web apps, bolstered firewalls and smart bandwidth management make successful hybrid learning possible. Integrated security solutions with application-based content filtering can give you control and reporting capabilities to better manage your network and remove bottlenecks.
• Increase security with device profiling, automated segmentation and security. Colleges and universities can drastically increase security with tools to automate the discovery and classification of devices. Access policies can then be implemented for proper segmentation and rights.

Carolina Advanced Digital has been providing enterprise class network and security infrastructure to higher education clients for more than 30 years. We’ve successfully remediated network and wireless issues related to remote learning and on-campus zoom use across several schools. Contact us today to learn more about our solutions for education.

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