Entries by Garin Livingstone

Studies suggest cyber-security overconfidence in small/medium businesses

October 25, 2012 in /by

In a recent survey by Symantec and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), most small and medium-sized businesses participating felt they were safe from cyber threats, although just 17% of the 1,015 companies had a formal plan for cyber security.  Other contradictory items: Although 77% recognized that strong cyber security was important for their brand, […]

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM)

October 25, 2012 in /by

According to the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), October is the month to promote Cyber Security Awareness, which “…encourages people to do their part to make their online lives safe and secure.”   The NCSA’s philosophy is that safe browsing is a shared responsibility: “Everyone has a role in securing their part of cyber space, […]

Cybercrime targets smaller organizations

September 20, 2012 in /by

A recent Data Breach Investigation Report (DBIR) from Verizon notes that 98% of data breaches stemmed from external sources using hacking techniques (81%) and malware (69%).  About 79% of the data breaches were directed at “targets of opportunity”, typically smaller organizations that are vulnerable through an “exploitable weakness”; most attacks were performed using relatively unsophisticated […]

Migrating Postini users to Google Apps for Business; also, an alternative

September 1, 2012 in , /by

As mentioned in our August 2012 Bryley Tips and Information, Google has moved Google Message Security (GMS)/Postini into Google Apps for Business and will migrate all GMS/Postini customers to Google Apps for Business by the end of 2013.   Google will migrate GMS/Postini users gradually, focusing initially on its large, direct-billed customers and eventually tackling those […]

Windows Server options

August 27, 2012 in , /by

Microsoft Windows Server 2012 will be released September 4th.  Microsoft streamlined server-edition options to four and discontinued Home Server, Small Business Server, and Enterprise Edition.   Windows Server 2012 editions: Foundation – Up to 15 users; OEM-only, so purchased with hardware Essentials – Up to 25 users with cloud-enablement features Standard – Unlimited users; includes two […]

Protect your mobile device – Part 3: Enforcement, Tools, and First Steps

August 27, 2012 in , , /by

We have explored the importance of setting policies and training users on mobile device security and management; now, we wrap-up with how to enforce these policies, recommended tools, and first steps to mobile device security.   Enforcement   Enforcement is usually assisted through a Mobile Device Management (MDM) tool; typically a software-based application that requires […]

Google moves Postini spam-filtering into Google Apps

August 22, 2012 in /by

Google purchased Postini in 2007 to provide spam-filtering and related security and compliance services to Google enterprise-services clients; they initially branded Postini under Google Messaging, but have now integrated Postini into Google Apps for Business.  They will retire the Postini brand name in 2013.   Users of Google Message Security (spam filtering) will be transitioned […]

Microsoft Streamlines Windows Server Options, Kills Versions for Home and Small Business

August 9, 2012 in , , /by

Microsoft has revealed that the Windows Server 2012 options will be drastically streamlined from the myriad choices of its predecessor. In the paring down, though, Microsoft is killing off Windows Small Business Server, and Windows Home Server–the two most popular versions for small and medium businesses (SMBs). On the one hand, the news is quite welcome. Variety […]