Beware the Enemy Within

If you like suspense and horror movies, you know how often the plot hinges on one of the characters realizing that the threatening call is coming from inside the house. Similarly, your IT security might depend on recognizing that a threat is coming from inside your organization.

Employees who are disgruntled or just plain careless can do enormous amounts of damage to your finances, intellectual property, and/or business operations. A recent survey by SANS Institute shows that companies are increasingly aware of these internal threats, but that they're still not prepared to detect and deflect them. As author and SANS Institute fellow Dr. Eric Cole writes, "Insiders have access to critical information, understand how the organization is structured, and can bypass security more easily than outsiders. They can therefore be in the best position to cause harm to an organization. Many organizations are still not creating and implementing insider threat programs and need to aggressively increase their focus to better protect the organization."

The survey suggests that two-thirds of organizations either don't have a plan for responding to IT security events in place at all or don't have one that can account for insider threats. Don't be in that high-risk group. Contact Xantrion for help developing an IT security event response plan that covers all your potential threats, internal as well as external. 

The iPad: Still Not Quite Enterprise-Ready

While the iPad has been a game-changer in the consumer market, uptake in the enterprise market has been a lot more lukewarm. In fact, among Xantrion's client base, the iPad hasn't made any significant inroads at all, even as vendors like Microsoft and Lenovo pick up more market share.

There are several reasons why the iPad has failed to catch on at the enterprise level, but we think the primary problem is the lack of full-featured productivity tools. Windows-based tablets come with mobile device management, IT security tools, and Microsoft Office built in. The iPad, on the other hand, requires additional apps — at an additional fee.

That said, we recognize how much users love their iPads, so we aren't going to advise you to get rid of them if your employees are using them already. Call us and we'll help you set up, manage, and secure them appropriately.  

Which Hot New Smartphone Has Your Six?

The expression "having someone's six" means having their back. That's what we rely on our smartphones for, right? So does it make a difference which of the two big sixes — the iPhone 6 or the Samsung Galaxy S6 — you choose for a mobile sidekick? The answer, according to a recent head-to-head comparison, is no.

The two phones are so similar in features and functionality that the most notable differences between them, other than operating system, are the Samsung's wireless charging and curved screen. Unless you've just got to have one of those, it all comes down to whether you prefer iOS or Android. So pick the one you like best. Xantrion can help you manage your mobile devices either way.

Don't Skimp on Employee Security Education

You wouldn't expect your employees to master new skills without training. Why would you expect them to keep your network safe without security education?

We were shocked recently to read that certain leaders in the IT security industry don't believe in cybersecurity awareness and training for the average employee. If your employees don't understand why and how to protect your infrastructure and data, you're putting the entire burden on your hardware and software — and leaving yourself open to damage from preventable missteps. As our article about cyber con artists shows, human beings can be the weak link in your security posture, but they don't have to be. 

Xantrion believes user education is a critical part of a multi-pronged approach to security that also includes hardware, software, and IT pros who know what to do with the information your security tools generate. Call us for help developing a security strategy that's strong across all those areas.