Author Archives: Maria Koblish

Windows 7 and Server 2008 end of life rapidly approaching

As the reign of Windows 7 / Server 2008 comes to a close, many companies are ready to move to the latest operating systems.

Here are some frequently asked questions concerning the upgrade:

• What are my upgrade options?
• Is my hardware up to par for the desired upgrade?
• Is my mission-critical software compatible with the new OS?
• How do I get support if something goes wrong during the process?
• How can I upgrade my whole network with the least amount of disruption to my business processes?
• How does industry compliance come into play with our system upgrades?

Do you have these or other questions?

The IT experts at Thrive have helped many businesses with their upgrades.

Contact us today for a free consultation.

With end of life quickly approaching for Windows 7 (and Server 2008), many companies that are still using those operating systems are scrambling to get things pointed toward a modern and secure OS.

One stumbling block can be legacy applications that may or may not run on the latest platforms.

You may not have the time – or expertise – to determine what is compatible and what needs to be upgraded … or replaced altogether.

The IT experts at Thrive can handle the whole upgrade process, from examining your network to upgrading all your software – and making sure your systems, data, and people are taken care of and supported throughout.

Contact Thrive today to set up your free upgrade consultation.

As a small business owner, your time is supremely valuable.

There’s a lot to do, a lot to manage. You’re likely wearing a multitude of hats – perhaps a few too many?

For time-strapped leaders like yourself, dealing with computer issues is the last thing you need added to your daily itinerary. Don’t even mention the need to keep up with the latest cybersecurity trends and social engineering tactics, along with the requisite counter strategies.

There’s a reason why more and more small businesses are turning to managed service providers (MSPs) to ease their IT burdens. Actually, there are many. Here are three of the top reasons to choose managed services for your small business.

1. Level the playing field

Small business owners may feel they’re at a technological disadvantage when compared to larger competitors who oftentimes have bigger budgets, more advanced tech, and skilled IT staff to manage that tech. When these small business owners call upon the services of an experienced MSP like Thrive, they can immediately tap into a seasoned team of technicians. Thrive has over 50 techs that specialize in different areas, covering the complete IT services spectrum.

2. Power up with Hardware as a Service 

Worried about having to build your IT infrastructure from the ground up? Researching hardware, finding a spacious and secure area for this hardware, and tying it all together with your business systems can seem like an insurmountable task for mere mortals. With a managed service provider, you can plug into HaaS, or Hardware as a Service. An MSP like Thrive has all the infrastructure in place. Due to economy of scale, you can get get access to power and efficiency you’d be unable to achieve easily via the DIY route. Also, you’ll have trained techs managing all of this for you.

3. Get instant cybersecurity expertise

Cybersecurity professionals spend years learning about the trends and nuances of cyber crime. As a small business owner or leader immersed in your industry, do you have the time and energy to pursue a topic as immense as cybersecurity? Engaging an MSP that specializes in cybersecurity will give you the, well, security you need to help keep your data and systems safe from such threats as phishing and ransomware. Using managed services can certainly be a smart choice when it comes to cybersecurity.

Power up your IT … Choose managed services

So, you may be wondering: what’s the catch?

There is none.

“The team at Thrive has many former small business owners,” explained Brian Walker. “We know what it’s like to manage both a company’s business needs as well as its IT requirements. We want to ease the burden and possible frustrations you may have with IT so you can fully focus on your mission.

“One of the great benefits of using managed services is it typically costs less than if you did it all yourself!

“Contact Thrive today for a free IT managed services consultation.”

Windows 7 and Server 2008 End-of-Life is approaching

Don’t leave your network exposed to cyber attack!

In January 2020, Windows will stop supporting Windows 7 and Server 2008. That means they will no longer provide patches and fixes for any security holes discovered.

And that is an open invitation for hackers to find and attack vulnerabilities in your system.

The time to upgrade to Windows 10 is here. But what if you don’t have the expertise – or time – to upgrade your whole network?

That’s where Thrive comes into play. We can upgrade your systems – and keep them updated – while you focus on what you do best: your own businesses.

In fact Thrive can handle ALL your IT.

Contact Thrive for a free upgrade consultation.

Windows 7 and Server 2008 support to end in January 2020

The reign of the popular Windows 7 operating system is coming to an end.

Although a decade old (it was released in July 2009), Windows 7 remains a popular OS. This is especially true in IT environments where there are a lot of computers – and not a lot of time or expertise on the part of the staff – to get everything properly upgraded.

Also experiencing end of life is Windows Server 2008.

Now’s the time to get things going. The Windows experts at InCare can evaluate your network, perform an inventory of all your software and licenses, and provide an optimal upgrade plan to keep the process as smooth as possible.

Contact Thrive today to schedule your free Windows upgrade consultation.

U.S. Cyber Command recently issued a tweet concerning an Outlook vulnerability being exploited by cybercriminals.

CVE-2017-11774, or The Microsoft Outlook Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability, was addressed by Microsoft in October 2017, when their security update corrected how the software handles objects in memory.

It appears hackers are still abusing the Outlook bug, breaking free from the Outlook sandbox and unleashing malicious code.

Many business owners don’t have the time or manpower to research the latest cyber threats, update and patch all their software and hardware, and ensure their data is safe.

That’s why more and more businesses are entrusting the care of their IT and data to managed IT service providers.

With an MSP like Thrive in charge of your systems, there’s no need to keep up with the latest threats and tactics utilized by cybercriminals. With Thrive’s Managed IT Solutions, we’ll take care of all patching, monitoring, and disaster recovery and business continuity in worst case scenarios where there’s a data breach or infection.

Contact Thrive today for a consultation.

See the original Outlook vulnerability tweet.

Still using Windows 7 or Server 2008?

Microsoft will end Windows 7 and Server 2008 support on January 14, 2020.

There will no longer be any further updates or security patches for these operating systems released past this date.

Continuing to use these will leave your network wide open to cyber attack.

Worried about your data?

We’re here to help. Thrive can update your systems – and keep them updated – so you can keep productive and secure.

Contact us for a free consultation.

As companies get smarter about cybersecurity, hackers are looking to exploit what’s generally the weakest point: people.

Business owners are certainly wizening up about network threats. They understand that their data is under attack. They understand their data is vital to their well-being, and that losing it forever (or even temporarily) could seriously and negatively impact their processes and reputation.

More and more business owners are doing the right thing and hardening their network perimeter with the latest cyber defenses. One thing these leaders may neglect is addressing the weak link, which is their staff.

The easy way in

Why keep butting up against a brick wall?

That’s the mindset of many cybercriminals these days. As the cyber defenses arrayed against them become more formidable, they’re constantly looking for the path of least resistance. And they’re using social engineering to get in the easy way.

Social engineering, within the context of cybersecurity, is the use of deceptive tactics to manipulate people into revealing sensitive information and passwords, or performing some sort of action that facilitates the infiltration of the network.

Social engineering has proven to be the way into otherwise nigh impregnable networks.

The hallmarks of social engineering

So, what can you expect from social engineering?

Social engineering is more a planned and targeted attack, and less a mass, generic email sent out to as many inboxes as possible.

Social engineering messages typically utilize the parlance of the target’s industry, and may even appear to come from a colleague or vendor.

The message may contain logos and other elements that look genuine but are there just to help keep up the ruse. The goal, of course, is to make the victim think this is just another piece of business communication.

Social engineering messages typically contains links, downloads, and/or attachments, with an urging for the target to interact with one of these things, thereby setting the stage for the attackers to get closer to their goals.

Security is vital

Cybercrime has become rampant.

“Security needs to be a priority,” said Brian Walker. “Both the hardware/software aspect as well as the educational component of corporate network security need to be addressed and implemented.”

The paradigm of network security must now include this constant awareness of the latest threats and tactics.

“Threats are constantly evolving,” said Aaron Allen. “It can be challenging for business owners who have to keep up with their core industry to also stay up-to-date with all the security trends. Thus, a managed security provider can be a great ally.”

“Thrive offers both security products and services, as well as security education for business owners and staff,” said Walker. “We can also asses your network to test its resilience to attack, and we can conduct phishing testing to analyze how your staff is acclimating to security education.

“We’d love to help keep your staff safe from and informed about the latest security threats.

“For a free consultation, contact Thrive.“

Another ransomware strain is on the scene: MegaCortex.

Possibly named in honor of the software company in the movie The Matrix, MetaCortex, the new ransomware has unleashed its initial salvos on the international scene.

Per Sophos, MegaCortex has hit networks in the U.S., Canada, and several European countries including France and Italy. The attackers behind the ransomware are employing sophisticated methods, using a mix of both automated tasks and manual finesse to infect its victims.

“Big-game hunting” with MegaCortex

MegaCortex is following a growing trend with ransomware masterminds utilizing highly targeted and meticulously planned attacks on choice targets versus mass campaigns.

Just as big-game hunters in real life target the largest animals, big-game hunting within the context of the cybercrime world is where attackers are looking to break into the largest networks. Falling in line with this mindset, MegaCortex looks to have been designed to attack sprawling enterprise networks.

Because the attacks are more devious and deliberate than the typical mass scam emails, users must be especially wary.

An endless parade of ransomware strains

There’s no slowdown apparent in the global ransomware assault.

“Hackers have been far too successful with ransomware over the past years,” said Brian Walker. “They’re not even close to putting the brakes on the ransomware train.”

Ransomware masterminds are constantly coming up with new tactics for befuddling security professionals, business owners, and the corporate rank and file. You can expect a steady stream of ever-evolving malware and ransomware to be shot out at all corners of the world.

“User awareness is vital,” stressed Aaron Allen. “You could have the latest in security appliances and software, but nothing can prevent all incoming threats. All it takes is a user in your network to click one malicious hyperlink and you can get infected.”

Thrive provides not only a layered array of security hardware and services, but also a comprehensive suite of security tests. These include network assessments to find any potential holes in your network security, and phishing testing, which gauges your company’s susceptibility to scam emails.

We also offer user awareness training. Indeed, a well-trained staff can be the difference between a deftly parried attack and a network catastrophe.

Contact us today for a ransomware and security consultation.

The City of Baltimore is the latest high-profile city to be hit with ransomware.

On May 7, the city was hit with a sophisticated cyberattack that crippled its computer systems. Although the city remained defiant as the ransom deadline hit, refusing to pay the ransom, Baltimore Mayor Jack Young is apparently open to working with the attackers.

The attack took down email servers and the online payment systems for water bills and traffic citations. Other systems were impaired: the phone system remains operational but voicemail is down, and permits can’t be processed online but can be obtained in person or by phone. The city developed a manual workaround to resume real estate transactions.

The city has engaged cybersecurity experts and is also working closely with the FBI on the restorative and investigative processes. If the cyberattack on the City of Atlanta can be considered an accurate gauge, the cost of these efforts will certainly be much more than the initial ransom demanded.

What is ransomware?

Ransomware is a cyberattack that encrypts your computer data, essentially making your systems unusable. A ransom note is left behind by the attackers, detailing their demands. This is typically an amount in bitcoin, a hard-to-trace currency that has helped fuel the damaging, worldwide ransomware phenomenon.

The attackers promise a decryption key in exchange for the payment of the ransom.

If the ransom is not paid within the typically tight deadline, the decryption keys are “tossed away,” and the victim must deal with the loss.

Sensitive data possibly shared

One tragic byproduct of a ransomware attack is the potential for sensitive data to be shared, sold, and used by the attackers for additional profit.

A cloud security firm shared what appears to be a Twitter post with account credentials and documents stolen during the Baltimore attack. Whether they’re genuine or not, the fact remains: any network breach has the potential to make available to attackers important data and information stored in your systems.

Security and user awareness need to be a business priority

As business processes continue to get further enmeshed in IT systems, and data gets more and more valuable, businesses and organizations of all sizes and types need to move network security and user awareness to the forefront of their priorities.

There is no silver bullet when it comes to securing your IT systems and protecting your users and data. Thus, multiple security layers is preferable to relying on a single piece of hardware or software to keep current and future threats from harming you.

InCare offers a comprehensive array of managed security products and services, as well as the expertise to configure, maintain, and provide ongoing proactive monitoring of your systems. From firewalls to switches, and from business continuity to advanced protection at the DNS layer, we’ll have you covered!

For the ultimate in IT management and security, contact Thrive.