Considering Storage, IP Surveillance, Security, Wireless or Switching for your business? Thought about D-Link?

D-Link Certified Professionals

We don't just sell D-Link products, we know how to make them work within your environment!

Everyone is familiar with Cisco products, but not everyone may realize there are alternatives which can affect your bottom line drastically while providing an identical feature set and experience.

D-Link is a leader in the field and their products can often times go head-to-head with Cisco.

D-Link offers:

  • Wireless network equipment, like access points, managed wireless switches for large scale deployments, and cloud managed systems. D-Link offers a solution for your small office or your large university campus and everything in between. Need wireless roaming of VoIP systems or to connect buildings and networks together wirelessly? They’ve got that covered.
  • SAN – Network storage systems that can use your existing LAN infrastructure and compete nicely with NAS (Network Attached Storage). These work with VMWare and other virtual environments, as well as with applications like ProTools!
  • Firewalls and routers, for the small or medium business to the large enterprise.
  • Switches, from a single inexpensive switch to managed to stackable for your enterprise that can have a master replaced without taking the entire stack down. 10/100, gigabit, even 10GBE.
D-Link warranty and licensing are superior to many other providers too! You don’t get “licensed to death”.
If you are considering replacing older equipment or deploying a new site, D-Link probably has just what you need. If you are in Greenville or the Upstate of SC, please call us at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com We are a D-Link partner offering the entire line of D-Link products. We not only sell D-Link, but we also offer installation, consultation and support. We are D-Link Certified Professionals.
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Apple Mac hardware failures… (hard drive, power supply, video card) Why so high?

Here’s a question for you all…

Why is the apparent rate of hardware failure higher with Apple Mac products than with Microsoft Windows based products?

Homeland Secure IT’s typical client is a Windows based small or medium business, and a little less than 5% of those businesses and individuals have Apple Mac products that we support as well. A larger number have iPads and iPhones, but I won’t touch on those in this blog, I’ll focus on the Apple Mac desktops and notebooks.

So far this year, we have seen a higher rate of component failure in Mac products than we have in all the hundreds of PCs and Servers we support that are from various manufacturers such as Dell, HP, Lenovo, Toshiba, NexLink, etc.

We have had a slew of Macs with total hard drive failures.  Western Digital (WD) seems to comprise the majority of those drives as I recall.  Not just one model in particular, but notebooks and desktops.

We also have had Mac power supply and video card issues.

All these problems totally cripple the computer in all but a few cases, and labor is much more intensive on many of these products than they are on a typical Windows based PC.

For instance, you should try removing the power supply from a big G5 Mac. This is not a 15 minute procedure like it is on those Windows based computers. And have you priced one of these power supplies? We can get some outstanding power supplies for a typical PC for less than 60 dollars. Not the case with the Apple power supply at all.

A hard drive replacement in an HP desktop is physically accomplished in 10 minutes, and to reload Windows 7, patch it all up with updates, apply all support software like Adobe and Java products will take another 30-40 minutes.

On an Apple iMac 20″ with the black plastic back, you have to pull the front screen cover off with appropriate suction cups, take the LCD panel out, transfer mounting components and temp sensors to the new drive, load the OS and updates… We’re talking about nearly twice as long, and those who rush this job or attempt it at home end up scratching the screen covers, breaking LCD panels or damaging cables that go to them.

But I digress…  Let’s get back to the original question. Why are Apple Mac products failing at a higher rate than inexpensive Windows based PCs?  If only 5% of our business is comprised of Apple products, why are those 5% of machines exceeding the failure rate of the less expensive Windows alternative machines?

Scouring the forums and blogs results in finding people with the same experiences…

This has me curious enough to track it carefully going forward, so maybe I will post a follow-up, but until then, I would love to hear your input.

If you happen to be in the Greenville or Upstate SC area and require Apple Mac service, please give us a call at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com. We are less expensive than many alternatives and provide fast and reliable service!

 

Atlanta Georgia to get centralized monitoring of public and private surveillance cameras

Privacy advocates are fired up over the multi-million dollar video integration center planned for Atlanta Georgia.

This system will monitor up to 500 cameras simultaneously, some owned by the city and some private, at a centralized data center. At that center, software will be in place that can identify “suspicious” behavior and allow monitoring employees to deploy emergency personnel rapidly. Another feature of the software is that it is able to pinpoint where gunshots originate from.

What do you think about this type of network? It is used elsewhere with great success, and recently an art thief in San Francisco was caught thanks to a similar setup.

If your business has an IP surveillance system, would you be willing to offer your feed to a government agency for this type of centralized monitoring endeavor?

The Phone Cops are watching you… No wait, you are watching the cops on your phone… Sorry.

WCSO Washington County (AR) Sheriff's Office mobile app

WCSO Mobile App

My brother, Rick Hoyt, is employed by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in Arkansas and he brought it to my attention that their department is the first in the nation to produce an iPhone app…

This thing is so cool that I loaded it on my iPad so I could see what was going on where I used to live!

It will allow you to check the Detention Center intake report, see the Most Wanted, a list of deadbeat dads/moms and more.

The company that made it is Mobile Patrol, LLC of Revolution Technologies, LLC from Rogers Arkansas and I imagine they are going to be swamped with calls from other law enforcement departments wanting their own apps such as this.

How cool is to to able to see the incarcerated individuals right on your phone? Not so cool if it is someone you know, and even less cool, if someone is seeing you there, but hey, none-the-less, it is good for some entertainment.

Click the graphic to check out the app on iTunes, or just click here.  Now they just need to produce a twin app to work with Android.

Secure IT Alert: CERT Issues Security Recommendations to Prevent Cyber Intrusions

Secure IT Alert Header

Homeland Secure IT Alert

Homeland Secure IT Alert for Wednesday, July 21st, 2011

The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team has issued their recommendations for protection against network intrusions.  I have included the entire document below, but the most current version of the document can be found here.  Please keep in mind that these recommendations are not related to any one platform. These are “Best Practices” regardless of whether your business uses Microsoft, Linux or Mac OS X or whether your organization relies upon cloud computing instead of localized servers.

National Cyber Alert System
Technical Cyber Security Alert TA11-200Aarchive

Security Recommendations to Prevent Cyber Intrusions

Original release date: July 19, 2011
Last revised: —
Source: US-CERT

Overview

US-CERT is providing this Technical Security Alert in response to recent, well-publicized intrusions into several government and private sector computer networks. Network administrators and technical managers should not only follow the recommended security controls information systems outlined in NIST 800-53 but also consider the following measures. These measures include both tactical and strategic mitigations and are intended to enhance existing security programs.

Recommendations

  • Deploy a Host Intrusion Detection System (HIDS) to help block and identify common attacks.
  • Use an application proxy in front of web servers to filter out malicious requests.
  • Ensure that the “allow URL_fopen” is disabled on the web server to help limit PHP vulnerabilities from remote file inclusion attacks.
  • Limit the use of dynamic SQL code by using prepared statements, queries with parameters, or stored procedures whenever possible. Information on SQL injections is available at http://www.us-cert.gov/reading_room/sql200901.pdf.
  • Follow the best practices for secure coding and input validation; use the secure coding guidelines available at:https://www.owasp.org/index.php/Top_10_2010 and https://buildsecurityin.us-cert.gov/bsi/articles/knowledge/coding/305-BSI.html.
  • Review US-CERT documentation regarding distributed denial-of-service attacks: http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/tips/ST04-015.html andhttp://www.us-cert.gov/reading_room/DNS-recursion033006.pdf.
  • Disable active scripting support in email attachments unless required to perform daily duties.
  • Consider adding the following measures to your password and account protection plan.
    • Use a two factor authentication method for accessing privileged root level accounts.
    • Use minimum password length of 15 characters for administrator accounts.
    • Require the use of alphanumeric passwords and symbols.
    • Enable password history limits to prevent the reuse of previous passwords.
    • Prevent the use of personal information as password such as phone numbers and dates of birth.
    • Require recurring password changes every 60-90 days.
    • Deploy NTLMv2 as the minimum authentication method and disable the use of LAN Managed passwords.
    • Use minimum password length of 8 characters for standard users.
    • Disable local machine credential caching if not required through the use of Group Policy Object (GPO). For more information on this topic see Microsoft Support articles 306992 and 555631.
    • Deploy a secure password storage policy that provides password encryption.
  • If an administrator account is compromised, change the password immediately to prevent continued exploitation. Changes to administrator account passwords should only be made from systems that are verified to be clean and free from malware.
  • Implement guidance and policy to restrict the use of personal equipment for processing or accessing official data or systems (e.g., working from home or using a personal device while at the office).
  • Develop policies to carefully limit the use of all removable media devices, except where there is a documented valid business case for its use. These business cases should be approved by the organization with guidelines for there use.
  • Implement guidance and policies to limit the use of social networking services at work, such as personal email, instant messaging, Facebook, Twitter, etc., except where there is a valid approved business case for its use.
  • Adhere to network security best practices. See http://www.cert.org/governance/ for more information.
  • Implement recurrent training to educate users about the dangers involved in opening unsolicited emails and clicking on links or attachments from unknown sources. Refer to NIST SP 800-50 for additional guidance.
  • Require users to complete the agency’s “acceptable use policy” training course (to include social engineering sites and non-work related uses) on a recurring basis.
  • Ensure that all systems have up-to-date patches from reliable sources. Remember to scan or hash validate for viruses or modifications as part of the update process.

Feedback can be directed to US-CERT.


Produced 2011 by US-CERT, a government organization. Terms of use


Revision HistoryJuly 19, 2011: Initial release

Last updated July 20, 2011

Should your Greenville or Upstate SC based business or organization require assistance with this, please contact us at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com. We offer firewalls and security appliances from our partners such as Cisco, WatchGuard, SonicWALL, and more!

Homeland Secure IT Alert Footer

Homeland Secure IT Alert

Computer theft can be reduced dramatically with simple & inexpensive devices #SRMC

Kensington Security Lock

Kensington Security Lock

Last week I wrote about hard drive encryption which could protect your data in the event your notebook, desktop or even a server were to be stolen…  Odd that I mentioned one particular organization, Spartanburg Regional Medical Center, which had suffered two computer losses as of the date of that posting, because yesterday found SRMC back in the news with the report of a third lost computer…

This time, someone walked away with a desktop computer from a patient room. While the organization insists that the unit contained medical information, I personally have my doubts. It was a full desktop computer, valued at 2000 dollars (We sell typical business computers with a full 3 year warranty for $749 each) according to the police report. The point of contact indicated that this desktop was used to communicate with a remote server, where the real work took place.  But, being in this business, you know that people save data to the local machine instead of the remote server, a LOT.  And if nothing was taking place locally, why didn’t they just have a less expensive thin client instead of a full-blown desktop?

 

So how can you secure a piece of equipment from theft?

 

In reality, you cannot entirely prevent something from being stolen. If someone is intent on taking an item, they are going to find a way to do it, but computer theft can be reduced dramatically with simple & inexpensive devices. Most modern office equipment has a special slot called a “Kensington Security Slot” (also known as the “K-Slot”) that can be used to tether the device to a stationary object.

Kensington Lock In UseA quick look at my desk is a great example of what can be secured. My desktop computer, both monitors, an external hard drive and even my Cisco IP Phone are all equipped with the familiar Kensington slot. I looked further and found servers, desktops, a printer, monitors, an LCD projector, a netbook computer, firewalls, routers and switches with the same lock slot.

K-Slot

K-Slot on Desktop

There is a Kensington Slot device to suit every application.  Let’s say you have a mobile cart with a desktop computer, monitor, keyboard and mouse.  You can put together a Kensington security solution that will secure to the cart, with bolts/screws, then lock into the desktop tower and the monitor, along with a clamp that holds the keyboard and mouse cables. Preventing even a mouse from being stolen easily.

If you would like to discuss how your equipment can be physically secured at your Greenville or Upstate, SC  location, please call us at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com – A small investment now, can prevent large losses later.

If you represent SRMC or another Upstate health-care provider, we need to talk. As a favor to the medical community, and everyone served by them, Homeland Secure IT is willing to provide Kensington Security products at a steeply reduced price from retail. Call me today and let’s discuss what we can do to get those computers locked down!

 

 

Did you secure your Wi-Fi acess point yet?

Last week I was discussing RIAA letters to people who had supposedly downloaded music illegally and it turned out it was neighbors using their wifi connection.

I wonder if anyone was paying attention?  If you did not secure your wireless access point after that, then maybe THIS will encourage you to do so…

A dispute with neighbors turned ugly back in 2009, and one man used the wireless access point of one neighbor to make it appear as if they were downloading child porn and more. The article says the man hacked into the access point, but chances are good, at least at first, he did not have to do any “hacking” at all.

Read more here:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/web/07/13/wifi.hacking.neighbor.sentenced.wired/index.html?hpt=te_bn15

Secure those APs kiddies! If you are running a business, you should be even more concerned.  Want to add a little extra protection? Remove the broadcast of SSID, sure it will not matter to someone who is intent on getting in, but it does at least make it a little less visible to the casual observer.

Should you require help in the Greenville / Upstate SC area, please call us at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com

Sensitive data on your computers? Get it encrypted… NOW!

Security PadlockThe Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System notebook that was stolen from an employee’s car this year has caused concern for many individuals who’s records were contained on that device. (Story Here)

What can you do to protect your data from prying eyes in the event your notebook or even a desktop computer is stolen?  Easy, you can utilize disk or file encryption…  In many cases, it is available to you absolutely free of charge.

One form of encryption that you may already have, if you are using Windows Vista or 7 Ultimate or Enterprise (or Server 2008 or Server 2008 R2) is to use BitLocker drive encryption. This is built into those operating system versions and gives you the choice of three different authentication mechanisms, including a mode that requires a USB key to be in place before the data can be accessed.

Some people have opted for TrueCrypt, an open source encryption package that works with Microsoft Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP, as well as Mac OS X and Linux.  It has the capability to create a virtual encrypted disk that resides inside a file on the hard drive, which it mounts as a normal system disk, or to encrypt an entire partition or hard drive, including the Windows boot partition.

There are countless methods to protect your data, from the two listed above, to a plethora of commercial products in software and even hardware form. Some would argue that a “free” tool such as TrueCrypt could not be as robust as XYZ commercial offering, and while that argument has some validity, one thing is for certain; A system protected with *any* type of encryption is 100% more secure than an unprotected system.

Should you wish to talk to someone about options available to you or your business, please call us and arrange for a free, no obligation consultation here in the Greenville / Upstate, SC area.  864.990.4748 or info@homelandsecureit.com

Happy birthday to our son, Brett! #sweet16

I just wanted to give everyone fair warning… If you will be driving in the Easley/Greenville, SC area, please keep your eyes open for a bright yellow Jeep Wrangler….

Our son, Brett, turned 16 today and as so many do, took his driving test and somehow managed to pass it. He said they told him he had a perfect score, which kind of worries me. Maybe they were so afraid they just passed him so they would never have to ride with him again…

If you see the yellow Wrangler in your path, it is advised to get off the road immediately and seek shelter.

I will attempt to post a schedule of where he will be, so you can plan accordingly.

Seriously though – Happy Birthday Brett…   😎

 

IP Surveillance System Adoption Destined to Overcome Standard / Analog CCTV in 2012

D-Link Sales SpecialistAcording to the IMS, by 2012 more network cameras will be sold in the Americas than analog cameras… And the growth rate continues to climb dramatically after that….

This should come as no surprise to anyone who is familiar with the two technologies.

IP Surveillance Systems offer a multitude of advantages over analog, including return on investment, ease of deployment, enhanced feature set and an owner experience and satisfaction.

Homeland Secure IT is happy to be a partner with D-Link, a world leader in IP Surveillance. Though we offer many others brands, a growing number of businesses and organizations are turning to D-Link’s products. If you would like more information about what IP Surveillance can do to give you peace of mind and security, call us at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com

We are always happy to give a demonstration in the Greenville / Upstate area, at your office or ours. We can even meet for coffee and demonstrate the remote viewing and management capabilities using an Android, iPad or notebook computer.

Stop wondering what is happening at your business when you are away. Be notified of movement in sensitive areas on your smartphone.

Put an end to the unasked or unanswered questions about personnel attendance or actions.

Watch that blind spot in your store where product has vanished in the past.

Who’s using all the office supplies? You’ll know.

Watch the parking lot, know what is going on outside your walls.

All that and more is possible!