Do firewall appliances expire like a carton of milk?

Something that many people don’t know is that there are actually expiration dates on hardware and software.

Let’s say you buy a Cisco ASA 5505 security appliance (firewall) for your business, and you keep it up to date. When do you expect to replace it? Chances are, you feel that the firewall should be left in place until it dies of old age or fails due to some other event like a power surge or lightning strike, etc.

That is exactly what an attacker hopes for, that you will “set it and forget it”. See, each security product receives many updates over the course of its life. The manufacturer finds security holes and produces patches to those vulnerabilities that must be installed, just like on your Microsoft Windows or Apple Mac OS. If you do not apply those patches, you run the risk of a security breach due to an attacker exploiting a known “hole” in a device.

So back to this “expiration date”. Each product actually has an “end of life”, and that is the date that the manufacturer will no longer support it. That comes in many flavors. It may be an end of sales cycle, or a complete end of support. Products that reach the end of life and are no longer updated are the prime targets of attackers.

Manufacturers have to leave behind old hardware because of changes in the firmware technology which could require additional processor or RAM capabilities, far beyond what your 5 year old firewall may have.

If you have an older piece of hardware, you may want to see if it is at its end of life, and at the very least ensure that the latest patches / updates from the manufacturer are installed.

Should you require assistance with this in Greenville or Upstate SC, please call us! We support all common brands of security firewall appliances and we are partners and dealers for Cisco, WatchGuard, SonicWALL and more!

864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com

Those affected by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami today are in our prayers…

Totally off the IT theme here or even Greenville / Upstate related stuff, I just wanted to say that our heart goes out to those affected by today’s earthquake and tsunami disaster.

The actual events and resulting damage are horrible of course, but honestly, it will be weeks before the long term effects are known. Water supplies destroyed, sewage systems, communications, power, food supplies, in addition to the highway and shipping  infrastructure and the insurmountable monetary issues.

We will be making what small contributions we can to assist the affected areas, but more so, these families and businesses will be in our prayers.

Patch your Mac, patch your Windows, patch your Microsoft Groove too… #patches

 

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Homeland Secure IT Alert

Homeland Secure IT Alert for Thursday, March 10, 2011

It has been patch city this past week…

Let’s start off with the Mac stuff for a change…   Apple Mac OS X 10.5.x (Leopard) and 10.6.x (Snow Leopard) are the subject of two Apple security advisories which warn of 16 vulnerabilities in OS X’s Java components. Apple simply states the worst case scenario, that by luring a person using a vulnerable computer to a website containing a malicious Java applet, an attacker can exploit some of these Java flaws to either execute code or even elevate privileges on your OS X computer. In MOST cases an attacker would gain privileges given to the currently logged on user, which doesn’t include root/administrator access in OS X. Still, the threat is real enough that you should not hesitate to update as quickly as possible…..

You can let the OS X automatic Software Update utility install the updates for you, or download direct from: Java for OS X 10.5 Update 9 [dmg file] and Java for OS X 10.6 Update 4 [dmg file]

Don’t worry Microsoft Windows users, there’s something for you too! Sure don’t want you feeling left out.

Patch Tuesday addressed code execution and “insecure library loading” vulnerabilities on ALL CURRENT versions of the Windows operating system.The critical update is MS11-015 an important update is available that addresses Remote Desktop: MS11-017 It is recommended that you apply these patches ASAP…

Groovy!  Okay, not so groovy…   If you are using Microsoft Groove 2007, there is a service update available for you that you should deploy. Not deploying said patch could expose you to nastiness if you are enticed to open a malicious document. Don’t know what Groove is? Don’t worry, many people don’t. Microsoft Groove 2007 (now called Microsoft SharePoint Workspace) is a document collaboration system that allows you to share a workspace with a team of online and offline members. When you make changes to documents, the changes synchronize over the shared workspace. Groove ships with Microsoft Office 2007 Enterprise and Ultimate editions. Install the update

As always, it is best to insure your anti-virus is current…  Trend Micro is our favorite!

If you require assistance in the Greenville / Upstate area with your computer or network security, please call us at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com

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Homeland Secure IT Alert

Who is your Greenville / Upstate BUSINESS computer dealer?

If you are in the market for a new business computer, where do you go in the Greenville / Upstate area?

Do you go to a “big box store”? A warehouse? An office supply?

You should be aware that the “business computer” you purchase from some dealers may actually be a computer designed for home use, and not actually a business environment.

Here are a few differences between a home computer and a business computer:

  • Home computers generally are designed for faster graphics (aka games) and not processes, such as multi-tasking with business applications, where you have QuickBooks, Microsoft Office and other business applications open simultaneously.
  • Home computers are likely to have small power supplies, or power supplies that claim higher wattage output, when in reality, that is maximum power output, not average power output.
  • Home computers may have inferior cooling systems, such as fans with bushings instead of ball bearings, possibly causing damage to the computer itself if failure should occur.
  • Home computers do not have the hard drives designed for long duty cycles (being left on long periods of time), and tend to fail much quicker than their business spec counterparts.
  • Home computers generally have Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium loaded by default and cannot join a corporate domain without an upgrade to Windows 7 Professional or Windows 7 Ultimate.
  • Home computers have cases and motherboards that may not lend themselves to expansion (IE, adding drives, or additional cards).
  • Home computers in most cases do not have long warranties (Our business class computers are sold with a 3 year warranty!).
  • Support for your home computer is rarely easy to obtain. You may have to call a call center, stay on hold, then speak to someone who may not speak your language as their own primary language. Returns and replacement parts are hard to obtain sometimes. Our business computers are supported by *US* as well as the manufacturer who is reachable, speaks English, and will ship parts next business day at no additional charge.

Before you purchase your next business computer in Greenville / Upstate SC, consider comparing specifications with a computer designed from the ground up for use in a business! Will it cost more? Absolutely. Is it worth it? Absolutely!

Call us at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com for more information.  We are partners with the best computer manufacturers in the world: Seneca Data / Nexlink, HP, Dell, Lenovo, Toshiba, and more!  Not only are we a computer dealer, we also service / repair business computers.

 

 

Ditch the WiFi and go with 3g or 4g broadband connectivity for your mobile devices

Those of you who are using a notebook computer or mobile device such as an iPad, iPhone, Android or Android tablet and connecting to those public free wifi access hotspots may want to just ditch the WiFi after what I heard about today…

In spite of what I said about safe browsing from public wi-fi hotspots using a VPN a while back, it sounds like a “proof of concept” is about to be published which states that the mere action of connecting to a public WiFi hotspot, then establishing the VPN can potentially give away the VPN credentials. This could potentially happen whether it is an open (unsecured) access point, or a rogue (man-in-the-middle) AP.

If this is true, which we should know in a few weeks, then it sounds to me like ditching WiFi all together is not a bad idea if your data is valuable. 3g and 4g connectivity through your wireless provider may well be the best bet.

Obviously, this is not platform specific (Mac would be just as vulnerable as a Windows PC), and it is not a bug in the operating systems or VPN software.

I will be posting more information should it be proven to be a legitimate threat. Until then, stay safe….

 

Mozilla Firefox 3.6.15 released – Fixes Java Bug introduced in 3.6.14 last week…

About a week ago (03-02-2011), Mozilla released Firefox update 3.6.14 designed to patch a number of security issues, then they turned around and released Mozilla Firefox 3.6.15 designed to correct a Java bug that presumably introduced in the 3.6.14 update.

The Java applet loading bug does not appear to create new security vulnerabilities, so you should be secure if you updated to 3.6.14, but I do not believe I would hesitate to update to the latest, just in case. Just to be clear, this does affect both Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac users.

This information comes courtesy of the WatchGuard security forum…  Here’s a quote from that posting about upgraded to Firefox 4 BETA:

On the subject of Firefox, if you’re an adventurous user who likes to adopt the latest and greatest as early as possibly, you might want to give Firefox 4 BETA a whirl. I’ve downloaded it myself, and it seems to have sped up my browsing experience a bit. Mozilla also ensures that the latest BETA contain the same security fixes as 3.6.15. – Corey Nachreiner, CISSP

Homeland Secure IT is your Greenville / Upstate, SC WatchGuard Partner, offering sales, service & support! Please call 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com if you require assistance with network or computer service or security…

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“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” Opening Night Performance at Warehouse Theatre, Greenville, SC

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Opening Night of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

directed by Jayce Tromsness and presented by The Warehouse Theatre

As Reviewed by Pamela M. Hoyt

Last night was one of those evenings that leaves a Mom smiling!  Allow me to explain… John, myself, and our daughter, Megan, were very excited about attending the opening night of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at The Warehouse Theatre.  My son, Brett, had other plans which fell through at the last minute, and I was able to get him a ticket Friday morning so he could be with us as well.  Hence, as every Mom loves, our family was together for a night out and what a great entertaining night it was!

I was dumbfounded by the great lengths that The Warehouse Theatre actors went to set the stage and introduce this production into the Greenville community weeks before the opening.  They used Social Media – which I Loved – with a facebook fan page and created such intrigue with the troupe of actors that were coming from afar to present this production.  A few weeks ago I remember a strange person “friend requesting” me on facebook which got my attention.  I researched the origin of the information, and knowing the storyline of Midsummer, I chuckled in amazement!   They continued this media hit by posting Youtube videos by the great Russell Tripp that exemplified their travels across the U.S. to get to Greenville and followed with an interview by Kimberly Kelly.  The communities excitement was building over the international theatrical troupe that The Warehouse Theatre hired to perform this Shakespeare work… and WE had tickets!

We arrived early so that the four of us could sit together in our usual claimed seats on the back row. Brett, the 15 year old son, was interested when four very attractive young ladies chose to sit in front of us!  I watched as all of them chatted curiously over Paul Savas and Shannon Robert’s display of slight panic as to the whereabouts of the cast!  “Do you think the play will start on time?”  one girl asked.  After a period, I leaned over and informed my son that this was all a part of the setting for the play.  “Oh!” he commented and his face lit up like he knew something that the rest of the room had no clue about.  He actually stopped texting and put his phone away for the entire production!  Ironically, Megan and Brett’s high school drama department is also performing the same play and Megan attended their opening the night before. I knew she was curious to see how the play compared to her friend’s production.

The Warehouse Theatre did not let us down once again!  It is believed that “Midsummer Night’s Dream” was first performed between 1595 and 1596.  Amazing to see a Romantic Comedy from an era so long ago can keep an audience laughing with such light humor and yet on edge waiting on the next scene even today.  To read a description of the play is more confusing than enjoying Midsummer as the dreams unfold.  Basically, the play is based around three couples and the complexities that love evokes as three separate dreams intertwine.  The cast does a marvelous job of engaging the audience and carrying them through this twisted script that young and old can follow along with intrigue whether you are well versed on Shakespeare’s writing or did not pay much attention at all when you had to read this in school.

The troupe of seven actors appeared to constantly have fun with this play and they carried this through from the minute we stepped foot through the door at the Warehouse.  Their fun and light heartedness  was contagious throughout the audience yet they displayed such professional acting that we all wanted to be a part of.  Hint:  Stay away from the front rows if you do not want to have a speaking part! Even the young child, Mae Evelene Tromsness, that played the Changeling Child seemed to enjoy her role throughout the evening.  Each character of Shakespeare’s drama was portrayed with a modern edge and flavor that we all could relate and empathize.  The lighting and setting was kept very simple yet engaging for the audiences enjoyment.

Of course I was anxious to hear my children’s reaction to Midsummer over pizza after the play.  Brett stated that he “Really enjoyed it!”  And Megan just laughed when I asked her how it compared to Thursday nights’ performance at her school.  “My friends are not quite as professional!”  I must throw in that Megan made sure to state that this was her favorite Warehouse Production… second only to Rocky Horror!  Thank you Paul Savas and the Warehouse staff for bringing this fantastic troupe of actors together.  Bravo to the Teatro Moltoimpassionata  for making their journey to Greenville so we might fall in love with the cast of such a top notch production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

To buy tickets or for more information about Greenville’s Warehouse Theatre, visit www.WarehouseTheatre.com – The opening night was sold out, so you may want to hurry and get your tickets so you don’t miss this great performance.

 

 

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What is the best boardroom or conference room video display system?

I was at a meeting today in a nicely laid out conference room, and it made me think about how various businesses use video displays.

High tech boardroom video display

Beautiful boardrooms have beautiful displays!

Here are a few options for typical boardrooms:

  • Whiteboard, permanent screen or wall  for display with a projector on the table, and cables running everywhere (currently how I do it at our office)
  • Exposed retractable / drop-down screen mounted on wall with projector hung from ceiling mount and wiring nicely tucked out of sight (How it is done where I was today)
  • Hidden retractable / drop-down  screen mounted in ceiling with a hidden projector that drops with the touch of a button
  • LCD or Plasma monitor mounted to the wall, cables hidden, electronics in a cabinet
  • LCD or Plasma monitor on a kiosk or mobile rack that is self-contained
  • LCD or Plasma monitor that retracts into in a credenza type cabinet with all electronics hidden in cabinet

Of course there are lots of other options, but you get the picture.

Since my business is supposed to be “high tech”, does it make sense for me to be using a mobile projector which is pulled out of the bag and put on the table with unsightly cables running everywhere for people to trip over? No it doesn’t. And I am going to do something about that. Coming soon will be option 3 above, a hidden screen and hidden projector.

But what is right for your business? Have you seen the options that are available to you?

Homeland Secure IT is a dealer for Da-Lite and can help you in planning and deploying the perfect solution to your wants and needs! Give us a call for a free consultation here in Greenville / Upstate SC… 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com

Secure IT Alert: Microsoft Patches Coming along with Mozilla Firefox Update for Windows, Mac & Linux

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Homeland Secure IT Alert

Homeland Secure IT Alert for Thursday, March 3, 2011


Microsoft issued the Advance Notification for March 2011 and today… The full version of the Microsoft Security Bulletin Advance Notification for March 2011 can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms11-mar.mspx.

The advanced notification will be replaced with the March bulletin summary on March 8, 2011.

On the Critical list are updates for remote code execution that affects: XP SP3, XP Professional x64 SP2, Vista SP1 & SP2, Vista x64 SP1 & SP2, Windows 7 for 32/64bit & SP1, Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64 & SP1.

So basically, a little something for all current Microsoft Windows systems. Watch for these updates on “Patch Tuesday”…

Before our Linux and Macintosh friends begin gloating, there may be something for them too if they are using Mozilla Firefox as their browser.

Mozilla released a Firefox update this week that addressed 11 vulnerabilities which could have allowed an attacker to execute code and install software without user interaction beyond the scope of browsing.

If you are using Firefox, be sure to update to 3.6.14 to insure your security.

Should you require assistance with these or any other computer security or service issues in Greenville / Upstate SC, please call us at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com

 

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Homeland Secure IT Alert

Are you a hoarder? Sometimes it’s not a bad thing!

I believe when it comes to data, MORE IS BETTER! Yeah, so call me a hoarder, it’s okay. I have plenty of room and hard drives are cheap!

Case in point…  Yesterday I received a call from the IT administrator for a corporation based out of MA about a router that was down. When I arrived, I found an old Cisco 2500 router that would not boot up. Sure, you can replace a nonoperational router, but what about that configuration? You see, when an IT service dude or dudette walks into a business in this kind of mess and no records are available, you are left with a bunch of question marks…

What is the WAN IP? What is the WAN gateway? What’s the netmask? What’s the LAN information? Are there VPNs? Where do they point to? What about access in from the outside world to internal resources, what goes where?

You can get some of this information by calling the internet service provider, you can get some by checking a desktop for where it might already be pointing for it’s gateway, but some of it is a certain blank without having notes.

One thing better in this situation is having a backup of the running configuration from the router.  Guess what? The IT administrator at the main office has the foresight to save a copy 4 or 5 years ago, and he was able to provide that information to me, allowing for a very rapid replacement of the equipment and a reconfig!

The moral of this story is – hang on to those old emails, keep those old configs, even if they are 4 years old.

Hard drives to store data on are inexpensive, the cost to recreate the data is NOT when you consider the downtime, the service charges for a technician to sit on hold to find out simple information, etc.

Homeland Secure IT provides computer, server & network sales, service & support to Greenville / Upstate SC businesses and individuals. Call 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com for more information.