Friday Is Prime Time For Goofing Off...

... but try not to infect your employer with malware. According to this article and the referenced Kasperksy post, the average Europe and US employee spend 30% of their work hours on anything but work, often resulting in security breaches.

My favorite attack method is "Watering Hole" that aims to infect a site popular among company's employees (like a partner business or similar government agency) and then trick users into clicking malicious pop-ups. 

Are bored employees at the office (or remote) more reckless with security than those off-the-clock? I'd bet many have a false sense of cybersecurity when at work and so are less careful what they click.

At Trestle Networks, we work closely with our Managed Security and Managed WiFi (powered by Mojo Networks) customers to 24x7 monitor and protect their infrastructure against both external attacks and careless employees. Contact me to learn more and subscribe to trestleNEWS to see these daily posts.

2FA? MFA? Just Do It.

How many Gmail users have enabled two-factor authentication?

Less than 10%. A quick show of hands... Are you on the secure side of that statistic?

The overall two-factor (or multi-factor auth) adoption rate is still a paltry 28% as of November 2017, per Dark Reading. I'm a longtime Google Authenticator user, one of many slick options (including Authy and less-secure SMS). Don't keep putting it off. Enable 2FA/MFA on your personal accounts and mandate it for all business apps. And for Google G Suite, don't forget to securely store backup codes in case your phone is ever MIA...

At Trestle Networks, we work closely with our Managed Security and Managed WiFi customers to harden credentials and enforce multi-factor authentication, a PCI DSS 3.2 requirement. Contact me to learn more and subscribe to trestleNEWS to read these daily posts.

How Do You Choose An SD-WAN Platform?

Do you need a Swiss Army Knife or a specialized tool that best meets a specific need?

What's the right decision? Your choice depends on a mountain of factors, including rapidly changing requirements, existing security/routing/switching infrastructure and even the crazy whims of company execs. Believe me, it ain't an easy call.

That said, I'm becoming a fan of some specialists thriving in the Thunderdome-ish SD-WAN market, including Bigleaf Networks. Appreciating Bigleaf's tight focus on the core SD-WAN values, from real-time biz apps (VOIP, RDP, Citrix and others) protection to truly no-nonsense "plug-and-play".

Put aside all the SD-WAN hype. If your choice achieves just these two things (along with less trouble tickets from angry users), job well done. And since Bigleaf snagged millions more in funding last week, guessing they'll be around for a while...

At Trestle Networks, we understand the in's and out's of the SD-WAN revolution and guide our customers to the solution that fits their unique business needs. Contact me to learn more and subscribe to trestleNEWS to see these daily posts.

Endoscopes Aren't Just For Doctors and Plumbers...

Read all about the Ploutus.D malware that'll "jackpot" an ATM (emptying all its cash) and is now spreading from Mexico to the US. Criminal gangs, posing as ATM technicians and armed with endoscopic cameras, are accessing the ATM internals to deploy Ploutus.D, per a Secret Service warning posted by Brian Krebs over the weekend.

Like phony ATM technicians, bad actors will find the weak points in your business-critical infrastructure through phishing attempts, compromising weak login credentials and other methods. How secure are you and who's watching 24x7 for the bad guys?

At Trestle Networks, we work closely with our Managed Security and Managed WiFi customers to lockdown and 24x7 monitor their infrastructure against attacks and ensure PCI v3.2 compliance. Contact me to learn more and subscribe to trestleNEWS to see these daily posts.

The Worst of The 21st Century

Wrap up your long work week by reviewing the worst (known) data breaches of this century (so far). Bad things happen, many of which are preventable, but a common thread for many is poor incident response/handling, including not informing impacted customers in a timely manner.

When one happens to your business, how will you respond?

At Trestle Networks, we work closely with our Managed Security and Managed WiFi (powered by Mojo Networks) customers to professionally manage each incident response phase, from careful preparation to lessons learned. Contact me to learn more and subscribe to our trestleNEWS to see these daily posts.

What Will Be "Chronicled"?

Good question... Read about Alphabet's (Google's parent) new company called Chronicle. Per the Chronicle CEO's hype, it'll provide speedier tools for security teams, or, as the chronicle.security website says, "GIVE GOOD THE ADVANTAGE". I'm enough Google-jaded not to chuckle at that tagline, but what types of security-centric data patterns might it aim to identify?

At Trestle Networks, our Managed Security and Managed WiFi (powered by Mojo Networks) customers are protected by enterprise-class security (including Chronicle someday?) and 24x7 monitoring of business-critical infrastructure, essential to PCI DSS v3.2 compliance. Contact me to learn more and subscribe to trestleNEWS to see these daily posts.

How To Blow Up An iPhone 7 Battery

This story is a great analogy for how dumb actions put your business at risk.

Read all about and watch the viral video of the guy biting down (to test its authenticity??) on an iPhone 7 replacement battery, causing a fiery blast (somehow nobody was hurt).

While you can't stop every reckless move by your users (including clicks on phishing links), you can educate, regularly update endpoint and firewall protections, mandate multi-factor authentication and closely monitor your business-critical infrastructure. 

At Trestle Networks, we provide our Managed Security and Managed WiFi customers with 24x7 monitor and protection (including Mojo Networks' patented WIPS), essential to PCI v3.2 compliance. Contact me to learn more and join trestleNEWS to receive these daily posts.

A "Hey Siri" Storm?

What happens when you say it loudly in a room with an Apple HomePod and every friend and family's iPhone? Read all about the features and release date -- February 9 -- of Apple's upcoming smart speaker.

Though I haven't seen any article that addresses this basic question on multiple Siri-enabled devices (the HomePod is touch and Siri-controlled), can't imagine this wasn't dealt with in the design and testing process. But was it?

At Trestle Networks, we professionally design, deploy and 24x7-monitor highly secure networks to meet the diverse needs of our Managed Security and Managed WiFi (powered by Mojo Networks) customers. Contact me to learn more and join trestleNEWS to receive these daily posts.

A 1984-Style Shopping Experience.

Are you hesitant for Amazon to watch your every shopping move? They kinda already do it at amazon.com... 

Read all about the finally-opened, cashierless Amazon Go store in Seattle. 100+ cameras in this first store, monitoring your every merchandise touch.

But, as the article says, scaling this intensive monitoring infrastructure from what's basically a high-end convenience store to shopping requirements of a full-size Whole Foods will be a mighty challenge.

I'd still prefer self-checkout or even a sometimes judgemental Whole Foods cashier.

At Trestle Networks, our Managed Security and Managed WiFi (powered by Mojo Networks) customers are protected by enterprise-class security and 24x7 monitoring of business-critical infrastructure (excluding groceries), essential to PCI DSS v3.2 compliance. Contact me to learn more and subscribe to trestleNEWS to see these daily posts.

It's Russian Collusion.

But not the sort you're thinking of. Read this story about a Russian hacker arrested over the weekend for conspiring with gas station employees to install his malware that scammed customers of up to 7% more per fill-up, stealing several hundred million rubles (FYI: Today's exchange rate for 100,000,000 rubles is around $1,800,000).

It's increasingly difficult to protect against the inside threat of malicious employees, but proper infrastructure monitoring is critical to preventing it or at least limiting the damage. The article states that the malware and its actions were "nearly impossible to detect", but with the right tools that seems unlikely.

Be honest. How effectively are you monitoring your vital infrastructure?

At Trestle Networks, our Managed Security and Managed WiFi (powered by Mojo Networks) customers are protected by enterprise-class security and 24x7 monitoring of business-critical systems, essential to PCI DSS v3.2 compliance. Contact me to learn more and subscribe to trestleNEWS to see these daily posts.

A Heaping Plate of Malware At Jason's Deli

If you dined there between June and December 2017, keep a close eye on your credit card statements and credit reports. Thanks to a RAM-scraping malware installed on their #POS devices, at least 2 million cards at 164 restaurants were exposed.

If you're responsible for restaurant/retail #PCI compliance and day-to-day security, you're still vulnerable even if your POS system includes end-to-end encryption. RAM-scraping is proof of that. 

At Trestle Networks, we work closely with our Managed Security and Managed WiFi (powered by Mojo Networks) customers to ensure PCI DSS v3.2 compliance and protect against threats like these. Be serious. Take action. Contact me to learn more sign up for the trestleNEWS blog to see these daily posts.

Do Not Pass Go. Go Straight To Jail For Cyber Crime.

Read about the New Mexico guy who just pled guilty to launching #DDoS attacks against former employers, competitors and companies that declined to hire him.

Wonder what percentage of DDoS and other attacks are for revenge? Whatever their purpose, they can cripple your company.

How prepared are your networks and public apps? What are the weak points in your security posture?

At Trestle Networks, our Managed Security and Managed WiFi (powered by Mojo Networks) customers are protected by 24x7 monitoring, proven incident response and our skilled personnel. Contact me to learn more and visit our trestleNEWS blog to see these daily posts.

Will You Pay A Ransom?

Check out this article about an Indiana hospital that did just that after a ransomware attack. They coughed up $55,000 in bitcoin, despite having restorable backups. Why? Their data recovery would've taken weeks, a higher cost than paying the ransom.

THE LESSON: Follow better security practices in the first place, protecting your business-critical data and systems against malware and users who fall for phishing attacks.

At Trestle Networks, our Managed Security and Managed WiFi (powered by Mojo Networks) customers are protected by robust security tools, processes and skilled personnel. Contact me to learn more.

Can Google Home and Chromecast DoS Attack Your Network?

Yes. Read all about Google's Cast feature going haywire, multicasting a massive storm of MDNS packets upon device wake-up. Yikes. Google says they're working on a fix. I snarkily agree with the incident response step offered by the author: "disconnecting your Google products from the network ... seems to fix the issue." Good move :).

At Trestle Networks, we 24x7 monitor our Managed Security and Managed WiFi (powered by Mojo Networks' awesome APs) customers' infrastructure for traffic anomalies, network congestion and potential attacks (malicious or not). Contact me to learn more and visit our trestleNEWS blog to see these daily posts.

Nissan's Mind Monitoring

It's time to start designing and deploying MIPS (Mind Intrusion Prevention Systems)... Read about Nissan's B2V (Brain-to-Vehicle) system under development. Much like Microsoft's patent application for mind-based app control, it gives new, creepy meaning to "read", "write" and "execute" permissions.

In the not-to-distant future, will you let car companies and others watch your mind, in the name of safety, usability and performance? I won't be an early adopter...

At Trestle Networks, we work closely with our Managed Security and Managed WiFi (powered by Mojo Networks) customers to lockdown and 24x7 monitor business-critical systems (minds excluded), essentials for PCI compliance. Contact me to learn more and subscribe to the trestleNEWS blog to see these daily posts.

Is Your Incident Response Better Than This?

Read this CSO article on the false Hawaii ballistic missile alert's timeline, including the "routine internal test" that started it all. One shocking highlight: the HI-EMA (Hawaii Emergency Management Agency) issued Facebook and Twitter alert cancellations a full 25 agonizing minutes before radio, TV and text. It appears social media updates didn't require official authorization, while the traditional methods did. 

Screw-ups are inevitable, but when they happen, how will you respond?

At Trestle Networks, we work closely with our Managed Security and Managed WiFi (powered by Mojo Networks) customers to professionally manage each incident response phase, from careful preparation to lessons learned. Contact me to learn more and subscribe to the trestleNEWS blog to see these daily posts.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3247830/security/hitting-the-wrong-button-pushed-out-false-ballistic-missile-alert-to-hawaii.html

It's Monday. Is A Drone Watching You?

Check out this article on an Israeli university's proof-of-concept counter-surveillance system. How does it work? It's all about radio capture of drone video streams -- including encrypted ones -- and watching for visual patterns you've created. 

One sobering takeaway from this: Even encryption doesn't always mean security.  

At Trestle Networks, our Managed Security and Managed WiFi (powered by Mojo Networks) customers are protected (excluding from drones) by enterprise-class security and 24x7 monitoring of key systems, essential for PCI DSS v3.2 compliance. Contact me to learn more and subscribe to our trestleNEWS blog to see these daily posts.

Is It Time For Mind Intrusion Prevention Systems (MIPS)?

OK not yet, but read all about Microsoft's patent application for devices to control "application state using neurological data". This gives new, creepy meaning to "read", "write" and "execute" permissions. 

In the not-to-distant future, how far will you go for VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) experiences? And what will it mean for data security?

At Trestle Networks, we work closely with our Managed Security and Managed WiFi (powered by @Mojo Networks, Inc.) customers to lockdown and 24x7 monitor business-critical systems (minds excluded), essentials for PCI compliance. Contact me to learn more and sign up for trestleNEWS at www.trestlenetworks.com to receive these daily posts.

"Creepware" For Sure

Read all about an Ohio weirdo's Fruitfly malware that infected personal, government and business systems for 13 years, collecting webcam images, screenshots, files and much more. It hit Macs, Windows systems and possibly Linux ones too. A good reminder to scan your systems regularly/often (I use Avast on my Macs) and be smart about what you open/install. Oh, and keep your cameras covered and microphones disabled!

At Trestle Networks, we work closely with our Managed Security and Managed WiFi (powered by Mojo Networks) customers to lockdown and 24x7 monitor business-critical systems, essential for PCI DSS v3.2 compliance. Contact me to learn more and sign up for trestleNEWS at www.trestlenetworks.com to receive these daily posts.

WPA3 Is Coming

Don't schedule those upgrades just yet... but WPA3 is coming. The Wi-Fi Alliance announced it arrives in 2018, expedited -- I bet -- by the 2017 KRACK vulnerabilities. A big deal? Yes. It includes stronger encryption, IoT-centric remote configuration features and way, way overdue brute-force dictionary attack protections.

Speaking of dictionary attacks, key to their success is sloppy security practices. Are you still relying on just WPA2 passwords for securing your corporate and PCI environments, including at retail or restaurants? And how crackable are those passwords?

At Trestle Networks, we work closely with our Managed Security and Managed WiFi (powered by Mojo Networks) customers to harden credentials and enforce multi-factor authentication, a PCI DSS 3.2 requirement. Don't be sloppy. Contact me to learn more and sign up for trestleNEWS at www.trestlenetworks.com to receive these daily posts.