Balancing productivity, security and compliance is crucial for any business. Each of these elements must work in harmony for optimal success. Business owners need to identify how each applies to their specific needs. On one side, the push for higher productivity is constant, while on the other, security and compliance are equally critical.
How can your business balance the goals of productivity, security and governance?
Productivity can be measured in various ways, such as producing 500 units one week and 800 the next. This increase signifies higher productivity. For service providers, productivity is defined by the number of customers served. Nowadays, productivity often involves giving employees the flexibility to work from anywhere, which can expose your network to potential security threats. So, how do you maintain this balance? Experts recommend a strategic blend of management, resources, and strategy.
The drive for productivity has led to a demand for device compatibility, new workforce benefits, advanced technology, and vendor access to network information. These demands create new IT challenges, making it essential to balance productivity, security, and compliance. This balance can be particularly challenging for small businesses, but here’s how you can achieve it:
Stop burdening users with constant authentication requests. Instead, implement background checks like device recognition, recent number porting or geographical login patterns. These measures help achieve a balance between productivity and security. Governance rules should be more stringent for administrators who can change system configurations or finance staff who handle sensitive data, compared to employees with less critical roles.
Adopt the least-privilege rule: grant employees access only to the network resources necessary for their tasks. This minimises security risks while maintaining productivity. For instance, encrypt data uploaded to the cloud and block downloads on bring-your-own-device (BYOD) setups.
Users dislike obstacles like complex passwords and hardware tokens, which can hinder productivity. Utilise technologies that streamline user experience while ensuring security. Features like single sign-on, adaptive authentication (which remembers devices and login patterns), or passwordless options can enhance productivity without compromising security.
Finding the right balance between productivity, security and compliance involves identifying what works best for your employees and business. For more information on achieving this balance, contact us. We are your IT partner and managed services experts. Together, we’ll enhance your team’s productivity while safeguarding your business and ensuring compliance with current standards.
At Dasuni, we are here to help you – get in touch today and subscribe to our newsletter.
On Friday, July 19th, businesses worldwide faced a major IT outage, disrupting financial services, doctors’ offices and TV broadcasters. Air travel was significantly impacted, with flights grounded, services delayed and airports issuing advice to passengers.
The outage originated from a significant disruption at cybersecurity giant CrowdStrike following a recent tech update.
CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz stated the company is “actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts,” clarifying that Mac and Linux hosts were unaffected.
He assured that: This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed.
Additionally, Microsoft cloud services were restored after an outage, although many users continued to report issues. CrowdStrike shares closed down 11% following the events.
This incident raises serious questions for CrowdStrike, a leading provider of security software to large companies, including Microsoft. There may be increased scrutiny from Microsoft users regarding measures to prevent such significant outages in the future.
The situation also highlights concerns for anyone dependent on IT products from the powerful tech oligopoly. Over-reliance on a single system creates vulnerability to a “single point of failure” underscoring the need for redundancy and backup systems to ensure resilience in critical digital infrastructure.
Thankfully, emergency services, hospitals, air traffic control, utilities and government departments remained largely unaffected, which is reassuring. However, for other sectors, the global disruption caused by routine IT maintenance raises profound questions about the reliability of the software underpinning the modern world.
At Dasuni, we understand the importance of a comprehensive disaster recovery plan. Our effective disaster recovery and business continuity solutions are designed to prevent and mitigate the impact of such disruptions. We implement redundancy, regular backups and rapid recovery protocols to ensure your business remains resilient and operational, no matter what.
If you’re worried about your business being affected by such IT disruptions, contact Dasuni. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest cybersecurity insights and updates.
In an interconnected world where data flows seamlessly across networks and devices, cybersecurity is still important. As threats change, organisations must keep their digital assets safe. Let’s explore the challenges, innovations and strategies that define our digital environment.
The shift to remote work has accelerated the adoption of digital collaboration tools and increased the attack surface for cyber threats. Businesses must address remote working cybersecurity risks by implementing robust security measures, including secure VPNs, endpoint protection and employee training.
As the Internet of Things (IoT) continues to evolve, so do the security challenges. Organisations need to secure connected devices, monitor network traffic and ensure that IoT endpoints are not vulnerable to exploitation.
Ransomware attacks have become more sophisticated and targeted. Organisations must invest in robust backup solutions, educate employees about phishing and implement incident response plans to mitigate the impact of ransomware incidents.
The adoption of cloud services has surged, but it also brings cloud security threats. Businesses should focus on securing cloud environments, managing access controls and ensuring data encryption to protect sensitive information.
Social engineering attacks, such as phishing and pretexting, are becoming smarter. Cybercriminals exploit human psychology to gain unauthorised access. Regular security awareness training is crucial to prevent falling victim to these tactics.
Data privacy regulations continue to evolve globally. Organisations must prioritise data protection, comply with privacy laws (such as GDPR and CCPA) and implement robust data handling practices.
MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide multiple forms of identification. Businesses should encourage MFA adoption to prevent unauthorised access to critical systems.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming cybersecurity. AI-driven threat detection, behavioural analysis, and anomaly detection help organisations stay ahead of cyber threats.
Securing the supply chain is essential to prevent attacks on third-party vendors. Businesses should assess vendor security practices, conduct due diligence and monitor supply chain risks.
With the proliferation of mobile devices, mobile cybersecurity becomes critical. Organisations should secure mobile endpoints, enforce strong authentication and protect against mobile malware.
At Dasuni, we specialise in risk assessment, threat mitigation and security monitoring. Our team of experts helps businesses like yours stay ahead of cyberthreats and safeguard your digital assets.
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest cybersecurity insights and updates! Get in touch with us today to enhance your business security posture.
Speaking at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centred Artificial Intelligence, Jaime Teevan, Microsoft’s chief research scientist, addressed these issues, emphasising Recall’s local operation and data privacy protocols. Teevan assured that Recall operates entirely locally on devices powered by Snapdragon X processors, with no data stored in the cloud.
Recall, designed to enhance user productivity, functions by recording and making past activities searchable. For instance, it can retrieve details from past interactions or projects, leveraging Microsoft’s AI capabilities without uploading data externally.
During a recent test at the Build 2024 developer conference, Windows Latest discovered that Recall captures screenshots every five seconds. Despite Microsoft allowing users to exclude certain apps and websites from Recall’s recordings, concerns persist about its potential to capture sensitive information, including passwords, due to its text extraction from images.
According to Kevin Beaumont, a former Microsoft employee, Windows 11 utilises Azure AI locally to perform OCR (optical character recognition) on screenshots, storing the extracted text in a local SQLite database. This database, potentially accessible with appropriate permissions, raises concerns about data security and unauthorised access.
Jaime Teevan reiterated Microsoft’s stance on data security, emphasising that Recall’s local storage ensures user privacy. However, questions remain regarding the robustness of these security measures, particularly in protecting sensitive information.
In conclusion, while Recall offers innovative capabilities for users, including local data handling and AI-driven productivity enhancements, its implementation raises valid privacy concerns. The discussion surrounding Recall underscores the ongoing debate about balancing technological advancements with data privacy safeguards.
The recent cyberattack on Live Nation, the owner of Ticketmaster, has exposed the personal details of up to 560 million customers, marking one of the largest data breaches in history. This incident has sent shockwaves through the digital world, highlighting the vulnerability of even the most robust online platforms. The hacker group ShinyHunters, claiming responsibility for the breach, has accessed sensitive information, including names, addresses, phone numbers, and partial credit card details of Ticketmaster users globally. This breach has not only compromised personal data but also raised serious concerns about cybersecurity practices and the measures organisations must take to protect their users.
On 27 May, Live Nation reported that a criminal actor had offered what they claimed to be user data for sale on the dark web. The company is currently investigating the incident, but the exact number of affected customers has yet to be confirmed. Initially disclosed by the hackers themselves, the breach was advertised on Wednesday evening, prompting Ticketmaster to inform its shareholders later that week. Despite the significant number of potentially impacted individuals, the sensitivity and scope of the stolen data remain uncertain.
The breach has drawn responses from various entities. The Australian government is collaborating with Ticketmaster to address the issue, while the FBI has also offered assistance. However, an FBI spokesperson declined to comment further to the BBC. In its filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Live Nation stated it is working to “mitigate risk” for its customers and has started notifying users about the unauthorised access.
Researchers suggest this breach is part of a larger hacking campaign involving the cloud service provider Snowflake, which many large firms use for data storage. Snowflake has alerted its customers to increased cyber threats targeting their accounts. Furthermore, on the heels of the Ticketmaster breach, Santander confirmed that data from an estimated 30 million customers was stolen and is being sold by the same hackers. These incidents are likely interconnected, with more breaches possibly emerging.
If you think you might be affected by this breach, it’s crucial to remain vigilant. Be on the lookout for phishing attempts, such as emails, messages, and phone calls that exploit the stolen data to gather more information. Suspicious signs include:
In light of this breach, experts recommend monitoring your financial accounts for suspicious activity and changing passwords for Ticketmaster and other sites using the same password.
If you have been impacted by this breach or suspect you may have been targeted, Dasuni can help. Our team specialises in data breach response and cybersecurity measures to protect your personal information and prevent further attacks. We offer expert guidance and comprehensive solutions to safeguard your data and strengthen your defences against cyber threats.
At Dasuni, we are here to help you scan any vulnerabilities – get in touch today and subscribe to our newsletter.
Understanding the differences between patch management and vulnerability management is important in order to ensure your business is protected against any cyberthreat. Remember, both approaches are essential for robust cybersecurity.
This article outlines two key areas to focus on:
Patch management involves applying software updates (patches) to fix specific flaws or bugs in your system.
By promptly patching vulnerabilities, you reduce the risk of successful cyberattacks.
Permanently fixes vulnerabilities: patching addresses known vulnerabilities, making them demonstrably fixed for standard compliance.
Legal compliance: helps meet legal requirements and industry standards.
Risk mitigation: reduces the risk of successful cyberattacks.
Complexity: modern device firmware comprises numerous components with their own dependencies.
Non-exploitable vulnerabilities: not all vulnerabilities are exploitable, leading to wasted efforts.
Rapidly evolving threat scenario: new vulnerabilities emerge faster than patches can be developed.
Operational impact: applying critical patches can disrupt device operation.
Patch effectiveness: patches may fail due to sophisticated attacks or new vulnerabilities.
Isolation partitions critical code (privileged mode) from less critical components (unprivileged mode).
Field-proven legacy code: trusted primary firmware runs without modification.
Reduced attack surface: secondary firmware (umode) handles non-critical tasks.
Continuous operation: devices can run 24/7 without full firmware updates.
Insider protection: isolation limits the impact of breaches.
Design complexity: implementing effective partitioning requires careful design.
Resource allocation: balancing resources between privileged and unprivileged modes.
Security expertise: ensuring proper isolation demands skilled security professionals.
Vulnerability scanning plays a crucial role in identifying weaknesses in computer systems, networks and communication equipment. It not only predicts the effectiveness of security measures but also helps discover unmanaged devices for Configuration Management Database updates and efficient patch management.
At Dasuni, we are here to help you scan any vulnerabilities – get in touch today and subscribe to our newsletter.
In the aftermath of a significant data breach, protecting financial assets is paramount for businesses.
This article outlines five key areas to focus on:
By prioritising these measures, organisations can minimise the impact of a data breach and maintain the trust of their stakeholders.
Time is of the essence in the wake of a data breach. Businesses must have a well-defined incident response plan in place to swiftly identify, contain and mitigate the breach’s impact.
Encrypting sensitive data is crucial to prevent unauthorised access and safeguard financial information from falling into the wrong hands.
Proactive monitoring and threat detection are essential for identifying and stopping potential security threats before they escalate into major breaches.
Compliance with industry regulations and data protection laws is crucial, especially in the aftermath of a data breach.
Human error is often a leading cause of data breaches. Educating employees about cybersecurity best practices and raising awareness about the importance of data protection can help prevent future breaches.
At Dasuni, we are here to help you build a well-defined incident response process – get in touch today and subscribe to our newsletter.
Two major data breaches have made headlines, affecting millions of individuals worldwide. We’ll summarise the key information and provide tips on how to stay safe following these attacks.
Dell Data Breach: A Hacker’s Playground
The Dell data breach is one of the largest in history, with 49 million users impacted. According to reports, a hacker managed to gain unauthorised access to an online portal containing customer information related to purchases on Dell’s site. While financial information was not accessed, the exposed information includes names, physical addresses and hardware and order information. What’s more concerning is that this data has already been posted on the dark web.
FBCS Data Breach: A 12-Day Window of Opportunity
The FBCS data breach is equally concerning, with approximately 1.9 million individuals impacted. According to a data breach notification, hackers gained unauthorised access to FBCS’s network for 12 days, allowing them to view or acquire sensitive personal information. This included full names, birthdates, Social Security numbers, account information, driving licence numbers or ID card numbers.
The Future of Data Breaches: What Can We Expect?
As data breaches continue to make headlines, it’s essential to stay informed and proactive about our online security. With the increasing sophistication of cyberattacks, we can expect even more complex and targeted attacks in the future, especially as AI becomes even more utilised by threat actors. Hackers will take advantage of AI machine learning algorithms to identify and exploit vulnerabilities, making it crucial for organisations to develop robust AI-driven defence strategies to stay ahead of these new threats.
What You Can Do: Staying Safe in the Face of Cyberattacks
To minimise the impact of these breaches:
By taking these steps, you can reduce the risk of falling victim to phishing, fraud and social engineering attacks.
Ensure the digital security of your organisation with Dasuni’s expert monitoring and proactive services. Just as you safeguard your physical assets by locking doors and windows, trust Dasuni to strengthen your online defences, providing an added layer of protection against data breaches and cyber threats.
Get in touch today and subscribe to our newsletter.
Our lives are becoming increasingly dependent on our gadgets. They are our gateways to the world, our workstations, and our personal assistants. However, with this convenience comes a responsibility – the responsibility of maintaining good device hygiene. This is especially crucial if you use your devices for work. Here’s why.
Imagine this scenario: you’re working from home and your child wants to play a game on your laptop. You might think there’s no harm in it, but think again. When your children use your work devices, they might unintentionally download malicious software or click on phishing links, compromising your work data and network.
Moreover, children might not understand the importance of privacy and could accidentally share sensitive information online. Therefore, it’s essential to keep your work and personal devices separate and not let your children use your work devices.
Let’s take TikTok as an example. It’s a popular app among youngsters and it’s likely installed on many employees’ personal phones. However, TikTok has been under review for its data privacy practices. If an employee uses a work phone to access TikTok, it could potentially expose sensitive company information.
Companies can mitigate this risk by implementing policies that block certain apps, like TikTok, from being installed on work devices. This not only protects the company’s data but also helps employees maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Maintaining good device hygiene is not just about keeping your devices physically clean; it’s also about keeping them digitally clean. Regularly updating your software, using strong, unique passwords and being mindful of the apps you download are all part of good device hygiene.
It’s crucial to remember that our devices are extensions of our personal and professional lives. By practising good device hygiene, we can protect ourselves and our companies from cyber threats.
Remember, cybersecurity starts with you.
In today’s competitive job market, attracting and retaining top talent is crucial for business success. However, the traditional HR process can be time-consuming and tedious. Here’s where Artificial Intelligence steps in.
Here are 3 ways AI can automate your HR processes, freeing up your valuable time to focus on strategic initiatives:
Sifting through hundreds of resumes can be overwhelming. AI-powered solutions can automate this process by scanning resumes for keywords, skills and experience based on your job description. This allows you to quickly identify the most qualified candidates without spending hours manually reviewing applications.
New employee onboarding can be a complex process with a lot of paperwork. AI chatbots can automate much of this by providing new hires with instant access to company information, benefits enrolment forms and FAQ’s. Chatbots can also personalise the onboarding experience and guide new employees through the process at their own pace.
AI excels at analysing data to identify patterns and trends. With AI-powered HR analytics tools, you can gain valuable insights into your workforce, such as employee engagement, retention rates and skill gaps. This data can then be used to inform strategic HR decisions, such as creating targeted training programs or improving your employee benefits package.
Implementing AI in your HR processes can seem daunting. Contact Dasuni today to learn more about how AI can streamline your HR processes and help you build a stronger, more engaged workforce.
Nowadays, businesses rely heavily on various devices, from desktops and laptops to mobile phones and IoT equipment – all considered endpoints. Managing these endpoints effectively is crucial for smooth operations but complexities often arise, leading to frustration and potential problems.
By streamlining this aspect of your IT infrastructure, you can achieve a multitude of benefits for your business, including:
1. Cost Reduction
2. Enhanced Security
3. Elevated User Experience
If you’re tired of struggling to keep up with endless patching, provisioning and configuration tasks… we’re here for you!
We offer a comprehensive suite of solutions to seamlessly simplify your endpoint operations. Our expert team will help you:
Contact Dasuni today and discover how we can help you streamline your operations and achieve your business goals.
Big changes are coming to how we connect! The traditional phone lines you’re used to are being retired. This means a shift to newer technologies by December 2025. Read on to learn more about the PSTN and ISDN switch-off and what you need to do to prepare.
– Timeline: The process began in 2020 with a stop-sell of new connections in September 2023. Existing users can continue using their services until the complete switch-off in December 2025.
– Impact: Businesses especially need to plan for a smooth transition by upgrading their phone systems to be compatible with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. Assessing their internet connection stability to ensure it can support VoIP calls.
Dasuni provides a smooth transition to the new era of communication. We offer expert assistance in upgrading your phone systems and ensuring a seamless switch to the latest technologies.
Get in touch today: UK 020 7183 0902 / US +1(602) 786 6783
