Adam Bertram | | IT Insights | Security
How would you define a web server as being "up"? It doesn't just respond to a simple Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) echo request (ping). Even though this is a great indicator of a web server's operating system being online — and it being connected to the...
Encryption keys are considered the key to the kingdom, both from a server-, service- and user-oriented approach. One of the most popular solutions for encryption keys is GnuPG, an implementation of the OpenPGP standard for encrypting and signing data and communication....
Joe Hewitson | | Security
Communication, both within the enterprise and B2B, is the lifeline of business ops. As these communications transitioned from paper to electronic data, however, a new standard was required to ensure disparate systems could efficiently handle incoming content. Thus, EDI...
Not only is IT tasked with new technology deployments (which ultimately improve ROI), putting out fires when networks don't work properly and responding to service tickets from frustrated users, but they're often anchored to bland, run-of-the-mill workstations for most...
If you want your meetings to put everyone outside support to sleep, schedule a presentation on SSL vs. TLS. Or you can spell it out, Secure Socket Layer versus Transport Layer Security; or simply RTSNOWU, Really Technical Stuff No One Will Understand.
David Strom | | Security
Earlier this month, President Obama promulgated his Cybersecurity National Action Plan (CNAP) to try to bring alive some of the things mentioned in the Cybersecurity Act of 2015, which the U.S. Congress passed last December. It primarily encourages the private sector to...
Michael O'Dwyer | | IT Insights | Security
Often thought of as cmd.exe on steroids, Windows PowerShell is more than just a shell. Despite its name, it actually offers personalized scripting, advanced automation and productivity solutions for administrators and power users. Others are content with the standard...
Automated file transfer tools can quickly automate many common file transfer tasks by anyone on the IT team without any programming required. It also provides a single resource for central management and visibility of all...
David Lacey | | Security
In my last post I shared drivers and trends related to security and compliance, and as promised, this time I'll go deeper into HIPAA.
In this blog, part of our series on IT best practices, I’ll share how network mapping works and how it will give you a complete vantage point of your entire network.
The hotshot developer your company just lost to a competitor could also be your biggest security risk from employee data theft. You shouldn't wait until he's left carrying a 1TB flash drive full of trade secrets to worry about what else may have just walked out the door.
Picture a rural health system sending large, high-res brain scans from a stroke patient to a city hospital for analysis. Now picture a field engineer sharing 3-D AutoCAD files of a new oil field with decision-makers at corporate. Imagine an enterprise migrating stored...
Even though some IT pros would rather have a root canal procedure over a compliance audit, these regular checks are necessary for midsize businesses to ensure each important standard is upheld.
A certified information systems auditor (CISA) carries a specialty certification that indicates a mastery of IT security in the realms of governance, risk and compliance. And although it's not required, CISA certification is a big boost for the IT department in some...
Requirements for protecting data being transferred internally or externally vary, but there are commonalities across industry regulations, national and state laws, and security specs.
Life hacks have been an online sensation for years. From separating a yolk from egg whites with a plastic bottle to creating a simple iPhone speaker with just some tacks and an empty toilet paper roll, life hacks have become a way of life for many of us. It seems that...
Jeff Loeb | | IT Insights
Today marks the 16th annual System Administrator Appreciation Day, also known as SysAdmin Day. This is a day where everyone should take a moment to thank their SysAdmins (and pretty much everyone else on their IT team) for their hard work. IT pros like SysAdmins get far...
With an alarming number of security breaches and data loss this past year, maintaining compliance with industry regulations is a top concern for IT pros and senior leadership. So why are IT departments leaving compliance and security processes to chance? (Particularly...
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