Manufacturing employee using cloud-based tablet on the floor of the plant

A recent article in Forbes Magazine highlighted how technology is impacting the manufacturing industry. Among the other points it raised, it noted that surveys had found that:

• 55% of manufacturers are using the cloud platforms and technologies to better manage their supply chains.
• 48% are using cloud platforms and technologies to more efficiently manage their new product introductions.
• 64% use the same tablets as consumers use on the plant floor to improve connectivity and communications.
• 40% are building “smart” products right now, or plan to do so within 5 years.

From the survey results, based on the responses of almost 200 manufacturing companies ranging from food and beverage to automotive, it is obvious that the age of “connected” manufacturing, and IT management is here. This connectivity gives them a here-to-fore unavailable agility that enables them to work better with both suppliers and customers. On one hand, this affects management of the supply chain, and on the other, both innovation of new products and quality of existing ones. Interestingly, although we hear so much about the contraction/consolidation of manufacturing in this country, 90% have reported that they have actually grown over the past five year. The Cloud has also allowed more than 10% of the respondents to become actively engaging in “re-shoring”, the reversal of off-shoring…in other words, bringing their manufacturing, in full or in part, back to the United States.

Almost 3/4s of the companies state that use of the “Cloud” is giving them superior insight into their overall businesses and a full 90% say that they now have better access to company data. They are also reporting better communication with suppliers and customers, as well as with transportation vendors. By the end of the coming year, four in ten expect to be using big data analytics, or be well along in the planning stages of doing so.

The majority has stated that use of the “Cloud” improves their ability to deal with fluctuating customer demands and the consequential fluctuating supply chain needs. This allows them to become more customer-centric, something required by the upswing in customer-driven commerce.

Over the next five years, approximately two out of three of these manufacturing companies are looking at cloud-based technologies to: 1) increase connectivity with their supply chains, 2) improve their quality assurance programs, and 3) build upon their communications capabilities between plant and enterprise.

All-in-all, it is safe to say that the age of “connected manufacturing” though IT management has arrived.

DynaSis is an Atlanta based managed IT service provider and has worked with a variety local manufacturers since its inception in 1992. DynaSis world-class data center provides safe, reliable and economical cloud computing service to its clients. www.DynaSis.com. 678.218.1769.

Did you ever wonder how safe it was for you to be sending passwords or secret codes via airwaves through WiFi or Bluetooth? It can be a problem in that these transmissions can be susceptible to hacking and, once intercepted, the codes are susceptible to having the encryptions decoded. Well, a team of researchers…consisting of electrical engineers and computer scientists…at the University of Washington, believe they have come up with a solution with what they are calling “on-body transmission.”

Your cellphone fingerprint sensors and touchpads on many computer devices generate low-frequency transmissions that they have harnessed to send secure passwords through the human body.

“Fingerprint sensors have so far been used as an input device. What is cool is that we’ve shown for the first time that fingerprint sensors can be re-purposed to send out information that is confined to the body,” said one of the lead scientists, Shyam Gollakota of the U of W.

First results show a much more secure way to transmit authentication data to any number of devices, as long as the transmitting device, such as your smartphone, and the receiving device, such a medical equipment, are both touching your body at the same time. Your smartphone confirms your identity when you type in your password and transmits this to the other (in this case medical) device. This is accomplished by leveraging the signals that the smartphone is already generating.

The sensors in most up-to-date smartphones receive data about your fingers. The researchers came up with a way to instead use this data as output that ties in with data in your password. When used in a smartphone, this authenticating data actually travels securely through your body to the device seeking to confirm your identity. Among other uses, medical devices are high on the list. For example, this technology can be used to confirm identities before sending or receiving data from insulin pumps or glucose monitors.

As a managed IT service provider, we are always interested in new technologies, particularly those that involve security, often before the practical ways in which we will eventually use them for IT security are developed. It’s just one way we stay ahead of the pack. It’s early, but we believe that this may lead to a major shift in any number of security protocols. As for accuracy, the U of W researchers have tested the technology using a wide variety of devices, on people of various ages, weights and heights, and while sitting, standing, moving and even sleeping. They even tested it on various parts of the body – head, hands, feet, etc. The technology worked in all tested situations. Again, this process is still in its infancy, but the early results are very promising.

If you are keeping up–to-date with the latest on ransomware attacks making the news these days, you may be aware of a newly discovered insidious piece of malware called Satana. Satana appears to be an offshoot, or third cousin, of another ransomware Trojan named Petya, that has kept IT security professionals on their toes in their ongoing battle to stay one-step ahead of the cyber criminal.

Here is what makes Satana more difficult to deal with than the older Petya: In order to do its evil deeds, Petya needed help from a second Trojan called Mischa, which then attacked the computer’s master file table and encrypted files that it was able to access through that table. Satana is much more self-sufficient and is perfectly capable of encrypting files on your computer without any help. More than that, instead of attacking the master file table, it attacks the Windows Master Boot Record, which not only corrupts rebooting, but also inserts code directly into the booting process. Users have no way of knowing that by simply rebooting their devices, they are unleashing this malware throughout their computers, infecting the devices and encrypting file after file.

The first clue comes as a ransom demand that starts:

“You had bad luck.” It then goes on to let you know that your files have been encrypted and that to free up these files you have to send them an email, with your personal code, that they so thoughtfully provide. Of course, the instructions continue on, explaining that you will also have to pay the “ransom” of one half a bitcoin ($340). And all this appears on your screen in bright red text on a jet-black background. The whole thing looks like pure evil, which, of course, it is. Some very smart people spent a lot of time and effort figuring out how to steal your money.

The amount of the ransom can vary greatly. This is very smart. The amounts they charge (steal) are usually small enough that it makes more sense for you to pay the ransom than try and fight them. A larger company may be asked for several thousand dollars while a small one, as in this instance, just a few hundred. Smart and effective.

On the other hand, while the $340 (or more) may not concern you that much, there may be considerable downtime that can have a very adverse effect on your business.

Kaspersky Lab, a consumer-oriented developer of anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-spam and personal firewall products with more than 400,000,000 customers world-wide, has called Satana the “ransomware from hell.”

As for “good news”, Satana is still new and not yet widespread, and weaknesses and errors in its code have been discovered, so IT security researchers and managed IT service providers are working on methodology to severely limit its effects. It is still unknown how the virus will morph and what long-range problems it may cause.

The good news, for the time being, is that Satana is currently in its infancy stages; it is not widespread, and researchers have uncovered errors and weaknesses in its code. On the flip side, it appears that Satana is positioned to evolve over time, and with its comprehensive method of attack, it has the potential to become the next major threat in the ransomware world.

As always, follow the basic rules of cyber security:

·    Make sure your data is backed up regularly

·    Do not open email attachments unless you know who they are from

·    Have your IT service provider install both Crypto-Prevent and Crypto-Containment software. Crypto-Prevent keeps known viruses out. Crypto-Containment is a newer development. If a system does become infected, Crypto-Containment identifies it quickly and immediately locks down the infected files, preventing further spread of the infection. These files can then be deleted and replaced from the backup.

DynaSis is a managed IT service provider, serving the small to mid-sized business community for a quarter century. We have been at the forefront of cyber-security for many years and have been instrumental is developing methodology for fighting all forms of malware that is now used across the country.

Being unable to receive technical support when they need it is not only frustrating to your employees, it hurts your business. Your sales people can’t sell, your customer service team cannot provide the assistance your customers need, and the security of your I.T. infrastructure may be at risk.

Your onsite IT administrator can be pulled in a variety of directions including addressing mundane, routine computer and network issues instead of focusing on the bigger picture. The answer: you may be better off using a managed IT service provider to take over you IT Helpdesk chores. Here are some of the reasons:

Benefits of an Outsourced IT Helpdesk Team

1: It can save you money. Lost sales, disgruntled customers/clients…these cost you money, as do unhappy employees. This is particularly true if your client base covers more than a single time zone so that you have people working outside of the typical 9 to 6 time frame.

2: Increased productivity: a good managed IT service provider will have well-trained helpdesk personnel who can quickly resolve the vast majority of issues. They should also have the resources to escalate problems they cannot complete within a short period of time.

3: Fixed monthly fees. A managed IT helpdesk provider can also save you money on fees. Instead of paying for an in-house support team, or bringing in an expensive “break and fix” repair company for each problem, you effectively share this expense with a number of other companies who are using the same service.

4: Frees your IT executive or administrator to focus at improving your IT processes and high level support while the helpdesk team can put out the day-to-day “fires.”

5: Easy contact – single point of contact – always there. No one is always in the office. Your IT admin takes days off, even weeks, has business away from the office, and has days he comes in late or leaves early. Conversely, your outsourced IT helpdesk team is always there, 24 x 7, and can be found at the other end of the line by calling the same phone number anytime.

6: Wider range of expertise. The Information Technology field is so wide-ranging, complex and diverse today that no one person, or small team of people, can possibly have the answers to all the situations that arise. A good IT provider will not only have the helpdesk team, but also a cadre of highly trained IT executives who can provide technical support and advice in a broad range of situations.

Technology today is always changing and always challenging. Choosing the right helpdesk service can make your workplace a more enjoyable place to be, taking the burden off your IT admin, and reducing stress for all your employees.

DynaSis has been providing helpdesk support to Atlanta’s small to midsized business community for a quarter century. The company’s team of 55 professionals, including more than 30 engineers, also provides full design and installation service, along with remote 24 x 7 monitoring and managing of IT infrastructure. DynaSis provides full cloud service, along with traditional onsite solutions, and hybrid systems to match any business’s needs.

Current VoIP systems offer a lot. They speed up communications; they reduce downtime; they are easily scalable; they reduce costs. But we find that not everyone uses all the features these modern systems provide. Unlike older telephone systems, there are a number of built-in, easy-to-use features, so neglecting to use them is, simply put, a mistake. One of these is music/message on hold. Proper use of this feature can be a big determining factor in whether your prospect/customer hangs on during a long hold, or hangs up and calls the next company on his list.

But there is more to it than that: you are given the opportunity to do several things. First, put the caller in a good mood by using the right upbeat music. Second, make a generic pitch as to why your company is a leader in your field. Next, promote specific products or services being offered, especially sales and promotions. Finally, tips (including tech tips) on best ways to use your products.

Whether the message is attempting to influence a purchase, or just entertain the person on hold, your primary end result is to keep them on the line.

Let’s talk about music.

Yes, everyone’s taste is different but common sense will lead you to the right decision. If you are dealing with a younger audience, you probably don’t want Tony Bennett (if you don’t know who Tony Bennett is, then you are part of that audience, yourself!) If your customers are baby boomers, then The Weeknd is likely a poor choice (no, that’s not a typo.) In general, keep it middle of the road, current, and uplifting. You are not trying to make a social point, be politically incorrect, or be cool. One other point: if your callers tend to call in frequently, and if they are generally put on hold, consider changing your music regularly. (You can upload multiple tracks and set schedules.)

Sales & Marketing

As long as you make the message entertaining, why not use this time to promote your company and/or a specific product or service. If you run radio or TV ads, pick up where they left off. Just try and make the message a little different so you aren’t faced with a subconscious: I’ve heard this already…I’m just going to tune out.

Your VoIP system probably has the ability to store multiple messages that can be scheduled, (like the music) to keep it interesting. Another trick is to string multiple messages together, then set them on a loop so that people are likely to hear different messages each time they call. And remember, a little humor is a good thing.

If you have interesting statistics that either highlight the benefits of your products/services, or how well your company is performing, you can add these.

You can also set the system to play different on hold messages for different incoming lines. For example, you may not want the same message playing on the Sales line as on the Customer Service line.

Learn More

If you want to learn more about all a VoIP business telephone system can do for your business, download our White Paper: "Your Telephone System as a Business Building Asset"

………

The point is, as part of your VoIP telephone system, you have an opportunity to enhance your prospect’s/customer’s experience with you, and that is always a good thing. If you think your company may be ready for a telephon system upgrade, give us a call. 678.218.1769

Yes, this is the age of IT Jargon. It seems that even things we have done for an entire lifetime now have new terminology. We used to “turn off” an electrical device. Now we “power down.” LOL used to mean lots of luck. Now it stand for laughing out loud. So here are some of the more commonly used technology terms that you should know:

Malware

Malware is a term used to identify software that is intended to damage or disable computers and computer systems. This include viruses, which is software designed to keep replicating until it has infected and/or destroyed a network. But viruses are not the only type of malware; any software intended to do harm is malware.

Ransomware

A type of malware that will lock down (encrypt) all or part of a data base until a ransom fee is paid and the “key” to unlocking the system is provided.

Intrusion Protection

Currently the most effective means of protecting a system from malware, it sits inside the firewall and identifies suspicious files before they can cause infection, then shuts it down before it can cause damage. Essentially, it stops the intrusion before it happens.

Crypto Containment

Software that identifies the first instance of encrypted files and quarantines them to prevent the spread of the malware. This keeps the network up and running and makes recovery of encrypted files much quicker.

Social Engineering

Simply put, social engineering is the tricking of people to give up sensitive information using any number of schemes. For cyber thieves, if they can trick you into giving them the information they are looking for, they don’t need to create complicated software programs.

Phishing

A common form of social engineering these days is phishing…they put out the bait and try and hook you. Common occurrences, often called "spear phishing" because they target people and companies directly, include fake emails from banks, insurance companies or the IRS. Just so you know, none of these institutions will ask for sensitive information via an email. Another good piece of advice: if you don't know the sender, don't open it. And more: if you DO know the sender and they are asking for personal information, assume the sender has been hacked and this email is a phishing attack. Just delete it and advise the real owner of the account. He/she may want to alert others on his/her contact list.

Anti-Virus

This software scans your hard drives to find and stop well-known viruses. The key word here is “well-known”.  Sometimes people believe that anti-virus protection is total and complete. It is not. It is only part of the solution. If a virus hits a computer before that virus is identified and added to the anti-virus protection, the software will not stop it. This is known as a…

Zero Day Attack

The most dangerous time to be attacked by malware is before it has been unearthed by cyber security experts. As we said above, anti-virus protection will not work. This is called a Zero Day Attack. This is where Crypto Containment (see above) and Redundant Data (see below) become invaluable.

Patch

As the name implies, this is a fix for vulnerabilities or “holes” a software company discovers within its code. This is important because the bad guys are always out there looking to exploits these gaps, always finding new ones, so be sure to download the updates you receive for your software.

Redundant Data

The reality is that no matter how much protection you have, there is still a chance an attack can get through. Top managed service provider

s have seen as much as an 80% drop in successful attacks over the past year, but some really smart criminals never stop trying to find a way in. When that happens, Redundant Data, another term for backed up data, is vitally important.

While there is no longer any question about the need for I.T. in business today, in many companies there is still the perception that information technology is more of a cost center than a valuable business asset. CFO magazine, in a recent survey, reported that almost 50% of CFOs felt that there was a misalignment between what the business needed from I.T. and what I.T. was providing.

This highlights the importance of CIOs, or whichever company executive is responsible for the company’s I.T. performance, CFOs and other top executives working together, often with the company’s managed IT service provider, to ensure that I.T. is providing the services the company needs. I.T. done right can be a powerful business tool that can help virtually any business thrive and prosper, but if not handled correctly, can just waste time, money, effort and become a true drag on business growth.

In fact, we believe that a business’s I.T. needs to be run like a business itself.

Here are some things you can do to make sure your I.T. is functioning at a high level, not just in terms of stability, but in terms of fulfilling your company’s needs:

1: The employees of your company are I.T. “users”, but they are also the “customers” of the I.T. department. Whether your I.T. is handled in-house, out-sourced through an IT service provider, or co-sourced (a third party augmenting the in-house team), the users should be treated as valued customers and their needs met.

2: On the other hand, there needs to be ongoing employee IT training for several reasons, including: not wasting the time of the I.T. department, not putting company data and infrastructure at risk, as well as enabling each employee to get the most out of all that I.T. offers. At too many companies, employees continue to use outdated methodology with which they are comfortable, when a few minutes, or hours, of getting comfortable with new technologies will make them more productive and more valuable to the entity paying their salaries.

3: Where feasible, actually create a system of charging each department for the IT services it uses in order to give each department head an understanding of the cost vs value relationship.

4: Take a good look at strategic co-sourcing or out-sourcing certain I.T. functions. As smaller businesses grow, this can provide your company with the ability to expand I.T. functions without the need for additional full-time employees. A good I.T. partner will have team members trained in many vital technology areas, a knowledge base that would be hard for your company to achieve on its own.

5: Finally, never stop analyzing and measuring performance with your goal being continual improvement.

Well-conceived, developed and managed IT can cut costs, increase productivity, decrease risk and drive growth, all leading to improved profitability. But to do this, IT and the rest of management must work together to determine the services each of the other departments needs…again, treating these company employees like customers. A company with a positive I.T. culture will constantly be looking for new projects that can help drive the business forward. It is this attitude that takes I.T. from “expense” to powerful business building “asset”.

DynaSis is an Atlanta IT services and cloud computing provider for small and midsized businesses. All of our solutions focus on helping companies achieve the three fundamental IT necessities of the modern business—availability, security and mobility. We specialize in on-demand and on-premises managed IT services, managed cloud infrastructure, desktops and backups, and professional hardware and equipment installation. For more information about DynaSis’ IT support and services, visit www.dynasis.com.

It has been said that email is a cyber-criminal’s best friend. Email has become a very popular tool for hackers to go after their victims. If you think the day of the Nigerian Prince who is desperately seeking your help and willing to pay you $5,600,000 just for allowing you to use your bank account to transfer his family’s immense fortune into the USA, as long as you send him $5,000 to initiate the transaction, are over, you are sadly mistaken. It just morphs into a slightly different scheme. Earlier this week I received an email from James Comey, Director of the FBI, advising me that the $10.3 million dollars due me and that had been held up by international exchange problems was now being released. All he needed was my banking information, including my ID and password. It came from the email address FBIDirectorCmey@usa.com. And, yes, Comey was spelled Cmey.

While this was an attempt to attack me personally, it is an example (ok, a poor one from the hacker’s point of view) of one of so many attempts that are made every day.

A less defendable technique is the email coming from your very own bank…or your company’s bank…asking for verification of information for your own “protection.” Except that it’s a perfect copy of your bank’s email form but it’s not from them. Unfortunately, very smart people are still falling for this every day, including employees holding sensitive information at companies of all sizes.

Another target has become the business traveler. Spoofers set up travel sites dedicated to the business traveler, whose defenses may be somewhat diminished simply because travel tires you out and when you’re tired, you make mistakes. Say you are in Cincinnati and need to book a car in Omaha. You mean to visit Expedia.com but instead, type “expedia” into your browser, hit return, and Google rewards you with a whole list of choices. You click on rentalcars.expdia.com and reserve your car, giving your company’s credit card number, expiration date, and security code and, voila!, just like that, the cyber-criminal has all your credit card information. He spends the next five minutes racking up thousands of dollars on your card, which no one will discover until the bill reaches your accounting office and someone reviews it and discovers what has happened. This may be weeks after the event. They do the same thing with banking information, personal information, health care information, etc.

This can become particularly problematic when using cell phones. Many people are diligent about email security when setting up controls on their laptops and tablets, but smartphones are harder to protect, partially because the size of the content you are trying to read can be so small.

But one of the biggest problems is simply the fact that as soon as you protect yourself against one threat, another pops up in its place. One email security expert likened it to a game of Whack-a-Mole.

In a short article like this, we can only touch the surface of the problem, but if you would like to learn more, including what you can do to protect your company, check out our white paper on Email Security.

By The DynaSis Team

In late 2013, Internet security firm Fireeye discovered that a string of sophisticated, seemingly unrelated malware attacks had all been built on a common infrastructure of malicious services and applications. After further research, Fireeye concluded that multiple criminal entities and operations were working together, pooling and sharing resources and logistics to make it easier and more efficient to develop and launch highly sophisticated but distinctly separate attacks. A few months later, security firm McAfee announced that 20 to 30 cybercrime groups—all in the former Soviet Union — had reached "nation-state level" capability.

At the time, DynaSis reported on this trend, urging business owners to increase their security efforts. Knowing that strong cyber security is beyond the technical capability of virtually all small and midsized businesses (SMBs) we recommended that SMBs work with security-focused IT consultants or IT services firms to achieve better protection.

Fast forward to 2016, and the situation has only gotten worse. In fact, the continued evolution of the Deep Web, (also called the Dark Web)—a “hidden” Internet where illegal activities flourish—is accelerating the threat.  According to an Infosec Institute report, security firm TrendMicro’s analysis of the Deep Web identified major cybercriminal ecosystems operating in Germany, Russia, Japan, China, the United States, Canada and Brazil.

News headlines about Russian and Chinese cybercrime organizations are fairly common. However, the media report less frequently about the U.S. cybercrime ecosystem, which Tom Kellermann, chief cybersecurity officer at Trend Micro, characterized as, “A gun show for everyone as long as they can participate and are willing to pay.” These cybercrime groups, Kellerman noted, “primarily cater to customers within the region…most of the offerings (stolen accounts, products and services, and fake documents) are U.S. based.”

We hope that anyone reading recognizes that the threat of becoming a victim has reached epic proportions. In fact, no prudent managed IT services or IT support provider—even those that emphasize security—guarantees to completely prevent all threats from reaching corporate systems. Rather, the focus is on monitoring, detection and swift elimination.

Here at DynaSis, we have always followed security news, and we continue to enhance our own security offerings to incorporate the most modern, successful approaches. It’s a scary world out there, and it only takes one breach to bring an organization to its knees. To learn more, we invite you to download our white paper, Cyber-Security 2016, or browse our blogs and white papers at “The Latest.”

DynaSis has been Atlanta’s premier IT support services provider for more than 23 years. As an IT company working with small to midsized businesses (10 to 150+ users), DynaSis has developed a unique 12-layer approach to network threat protection, ransomware prevention and crypto virus threat elimination. The DynaSis Business Cloud functions through a highly secure environment with full real-time data backup. Please contact us at 678.218.1769 or visit our website at www.DynaSis.com.

By the DynaSis Team

Every day, small and midsized business (SMB) owners are bombarded with seemingly conflicting messages regarding how IT solutions can help them best run their businesses. With so many options to consider regarding corporate security, productivity and cost efficiency, it is not surprising that some of them stick their heads in the sand and do nothing.

Unfortunately, with SMBs becoming favorite targets for cyber attackers, and with corporate competition increasingly fierce, that is the worst possible way to operate. Here’s one example:

A business owner has been operating with a “break-fix” mentality, which means he or she only makes technology purchases when something breaks. This is a reactive operating strategy, but many business owners take this path because they believe they cannot find the time or budget to manage their technology proactively.

This approach has always been financially inefficient and detrimental to productivity, and DynaSis has long recommended that business leaders team with a knowledgeable, trustworthy IT consulting partner, such as a managed services provider or an IT services firm, to help them create and implement a technology roadmap that includes staged upgrades and improvements.

Today, however, the break-fix approach has become more than inefficient. Outdated, network-connected equipment, such as networked printers, likely has no built-in security protections. Such machines are more likely to be operating with open Internet connections, and hackers know that. Furthermore, competitiveness in today’s market relies on providing workers with modern technology. Organizations that persist with the break-fix model invariably fall behind.

In other words, making smart, planned technology improvements helps organizations foster productivity, security, cost efficiency and competitiveness—not to mention employee satisfaction. The question then becomes: how does the business owner know which improvements are smart?

To help our readers, we have prepared a chart of technology Do’s and Don’ts, in terms of best practices. The list only scratches the surface, but it’s a good place to start.

These are just a few of many examples where smart technology choices are beneficial to your company, its personnel and its bottom line. If your technology environment is inadequate or outdated, your employees cannot achieve their missions, and customers may perceive your physical space—and your firm—as dated. Similarly, if your approach is too lenient, you could be throwing away money, productivity and security. A knowledgeable, expert IT support company can help you evaluate your options, minimize your risk and keep your equipment operating in peak condition.

Selection of an IT outsourcing company is a very important business decision. For almost a quarter century, Atlanta’s small to mid-sized businesses have relied on DynaSis’ for managed IT services, internet security, and 24 x 7 x 365 helpdesk support. Today, with cybercrime becoming an ever-increasing threat, DynaSis has become an industry leader in network protection and ransomware prevention. Please take a tour through our website at www.DynaSis.com or speak with a technical expert at 678.218.1769.