Bill Miller

#385 IT Nation Secure 2024: 🔒 The Future of Cybersecurity with Dor Eisner https://linktr.ee/joeypinz www.joeypinz.com https://lnkd.in/exUUgTsN 🔒 The Future of Cybersecurity with Dor Eisner 🔒 I recently had the pleasure of hosting Dor Eisner, a former commander in Israeli intelligence and a leading cybersecurity expert, on the Joey Pinz Disciple Conversations podcast. 🎙️ In our conversation, Dor shared invaluable insights into the evolving landscape of cybersecurity, highlighting the pivotal role of Managed Service Providers (MSPs) in safeguarding small businesses. We discussed the transformative impact of AI on cybersecurity and the importance of unified detection response platforms in managing multi-layered threats efficiently. Top Highlights: 1. Dor's transition from Israeli intelligence to becoming a cybersecurity leader. 2. The necessity of unified detection response platforms for MSPs to enhance security measures. 3. Strategic partnerships with US insurance carriers providing 390% coverage for clients, ensuring comprehensive protection. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of cybersecurity and the innovative solutions that are shaping the industry. 🚀 Check out the full episode to gain deeper insights and learn how we can collectively strengthen our defenses against cyber threats. #CyberSecurity #MSP #AI #SmallBusiness #TechInnovation #JoeyPinzConversations #Podcast #CyberThreats #UnifiedDetection #Insurance Feel free to reach out with your thoughts and join the conversation!

2

For just 15 minutes a day, you too can save a change control… insert “In the arms of an angle” song by Sarah McLachlan. Pictures of neglected change controls looking sad and hoping to be adopted begin to carousel in the background…. ◾ In all seriousness let me ask some questions. 🔷 Should MSPs have a change control process? 🔷 Should they have one for making changes to their clients? 🔷 How would you implement a change control process? These are all great questions we should have answers to for our clients but as a small to medium sized MSP where would you start, how would you do it? I'll share my opinions, but I really want to hear from you and how you do it because this is a hugely neglected topic that should be discussed. First, don't try to build the perfect change control process, because it doesn't exist so don't let that discourage you from building one. Start simple, and then improve the system over time. Second, separation of duties and approvals should be defined. The person making the change should not be the person approving the change. Even in a very small company that can still be accomplished. As you grow a CAB (Change Approval Board) is a solid evolution. Third, risk should be looked at for each change request. What impact could it have to the company like opening ports, new software that must now be patched, a new team member getting additional access or permission. The approval process should have some way to look at this. It doesn't have to be an exhaustive examination for everything, but everything should be looked at. Having categorizations like low medium and high as a requirement when submitting the change request can help you get insight on how your staff sees risk. Sometimes this can help with teachable moments when someone thinks a change is something simple and low risk when its anything but. Forth, you need a system to track your changes. Most PSA's have a way you can do this but, in a pinch, SharePoint, Excel, Sheets can be used. Ideally when you improve the process specific software that is designed for change control can be leveraged, but you don't have start with those. Fifth, the process should have a listed way to revers the changes should the need arise. Many times, this is overlooked, what happens if your change causes a mushroom cloud. How do you back to known good state? This is a critical detail that should always be included. Sixth, a close the loop process that indicates the change was made successfully and all the required changes were completed. This requires a plan for the implementation and holds the team accountable to completely implementing the change. Seventh, the process must be part of your documentation and culture. Get your team onboard understanding why this is so critical and encourage everyone to hold each other accountable. In our CAB meetings included in the photo Adam Evans, CISSP runs ours and they last between 15 - 30 minutes a week. #cabmeetings #MSP

11

4 Comments

My checklist for choosing a Voice Over Internet Protocols (VoIP) Service #36 When considering the adoption of Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services for business communication, it's crucial to make an informed choice that aligns with your professional needs and operational demands. VoIP technology has revolutionized how businesses communicate, offering more flexibility, scalability, and features than traditional telephony systems. To ensure you select the best VoIP service for your business, here's a 10-point checklist to guide your decision: 🌐 Network Reliability and Quality Ensure the provider offers high-quality audio with minimal latency and downtime. The backbone of your communication relies on stable internet connectivity. 🔒 Security Measures Look for robust security features such as end-to-end encryption, secure voice mail, and protection against fraud and phishing attempts. 💼 Scalability Choose a service that can easily scale up or down based on your business needs without significant costs or technical challenges. 📱 Mobile Integration Opt for providers that offer seamless integration with mobile devices, allowing employees to use their business numbers from anywhere. 🔄 Compatibility and Integration The VoIP service should be compatible with your existing hardware and software, and integrate smoothly with CRM systems, email, and other business tools. 🎛️ Feature Set Evaluate the range of features offered, such as call forwarding, voicemail-to-email, auto-attendant, and conference calling capabilities. 📞 Customer Support Look for providers with a strong track record of customer support, offering 24/7 assistance and resources for troubleshooting. 💲 Pricing and Plans Compare pricing plans to find one that offers the best value for your business size and call volume, including any setup fees or additional costs for extra features. 🌎 International Calling If your business requires international calling, check for services that offer affordable rates and reliable connections to other countries. 🚀 Reputation and Reviews Research the provider's reputation and read customer reviews to gauge reliability, customer service, and user satisfaction. Selecting the right VoIP service is a strategic decision that can significantly impact your business operations and communication efficiency. By considering these essential points, you can find a VoIP provider that meets your business requirements, supports your growth, and enhances your professional communications. Please contact [email protected] for information about our fractional services or visit www.searchmarkets.services #searchmarkets

1

Three Things to Consider Before Upgrading Your Worship Space with a Video Wall https://lnkd.in/ea2uBPZe #AD

1

Highlights include a twinBASIC-built utility to strip the Mark of the Web (MOTW) from files and an upcoming feature to check packages for updates. #msaccess #vba #softwaredevelopment

6

Here are 5 things we’d NEVER do! 1. Reuse passwords or use one-word passwords. If you do this, you are asking for trouble. They are so easy to crack, you don’t stand a chance. 2. Use public WiFi. You might as well just write your login information on a Post-it note and hand it over to the hackers. 3. Click links in e-mails. If your bank e-mails you, just go log in. If there is a promotion for a store, just go to that store’s website and search for it. 4. Skip two-factor or multi-factor authentication. It’s an extra step that can be the difference between someone getting into your account or not. 5. Save passwords to my Google account. If someone hacks your Google account, they have your passwords for everything. It’s easy, but easy is dangerous, so use a secure password manager. Follow along for more tips, and of course, if you need help now, book a 10-Minute Discovery Call with our team to get started – https://lnkd.in/dyu3_Ng5

1

Last week, I spoke to an IT leader who said he went through a vendor selection process for a major project a couple of years ago and choose a vendor after evaluating 5 vendors. About a year into the contract, he got a call from a new rep at one of the losing vendors… he said the rep was so aggressive, tried to bully him into taking a meeting even though he told him “I evaluated your solution and picked the other vendor. I’m a year into a 3 year agreement.” New rep wouldn’t take no for an answer and insisted he missed something and would be sorry for not re-evaluating. Even if the IT leader is able to get this guy to leave him alone… it’s annoying to get these calls and emails over and over since the vendors now have your contact info in their CRM and they are bound to hire a hot a new rep that wants to prove he can revive a dead “lead”. Dude. There is never an excuse for this kind of behavior. Aggressive selling is gross. But the system is designed to annoy customers. The company doesn’t give a (as my mom would say) "rat's a$$" if they waste your time and headspace… they’ll gladly keep you in a sales funnel until someone “catches you at the right timing”. It won’t end. 👆This is reason enough to work with a technology advisor over the DIY talk to 5 vendor sales reps approach of sourcing any technology. We literally buffer you from these reps and keep your info out of their CRMs. Working with a technology advisor: -doesn’t mean that you can’t do your own research. -doesn’t mean that you can't talk to the vendors -doesn’t mean that I’ll be reselling their services to you. I’m not a reseller, your contract is still with the vendor. Plus, the way we are paid aligns with your long term success. Quite the opposite of vendor sales reps with quotas, targets, and the need to move on to the next new customer. Questions on this? Just ask. Transparency is kind of my thing. If you’re an IT leader with the “joyous, pressure-less” 🙄 task of upgrading technology or fixing a company problem through technology, do yourself a favor and call/text or DM me on LinkedIn. I’ll be your buffer and help you accomplish your goal with invaluable information, expert guidance, and decision making confidence. I’ll do this at no cost to you and you’ll save yourself time and frustration. If I’m not your cup of tea, reach out to a technology advisor from the Technology Advisor Alliance to find someone that you vibe with.

126

25 Comments

Hmmm... why? Why would "hackers" want that information? It doesn't seem particularly "commercially" viable information. And if one person is in custody... how'd that happen? I guess we will eventually find out when the Justice Department inevitably announces what I imagine will be the unsealing of a grand jury indictment... but this sounds like espionage to me, not "hacking." Just a guess. Seems like rather obscure data to grab so that they can try and send me texts of "Hey I'm at the mall, are you here?" And then send me risque photos... BTW - if you don't get those, they're hilarious. The practice is called "pig butchering" or "pig slaughters." Unfortunately, many rubes fall for it and wind up getting taken for incredible sums of money... hence the pejorative phrase "pig butchering." The con goes on until the person is drained of all their cash. Now you may think, "Nah, it never could happen to me. I'm not a rube." Ok, maybe. But Heartland Tri-State Bank actually FAILED and the FDIC had to take it over because, the CEO of that bank, Shan Hanes, stole nearly 50 MILLION DOLLARS (yes, you read that right), to give to his online fling in the middle of a pig butchering scam. Yeah you read that right again. He was stealing money from the bank he ran to buy crypto to give to his fling... he got 48 million almost before the Federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City figured out what was going on, and the FBI showed up and arrested Hanes because the bank suddenly couldn't meet its depositor margin requirements for liquidity. That embezzlement/fraud caused the bank to fail, the FRB Kansas City had to take the bank over, and the FDIC had to pay out to make depositors whole. Depositors didn't lose any money... but this was crazy. Now interesting fact about this bank... it got "robbed" twice in its entire existence... Once on July 14, in 1932 by BONNIE AND CLYDE. They stole a whopping 853 dollars. One dollar, covered in blood, was recovered by police after a gun battle. (A great film on Netflix if you're interested is Woody Harrelson and Kevin Costner called "The Highway Men," about the bounty hunters Frank Hamer and Maney Gaut, who were hired to hunt down and kill Bonnie and Clyde. It's a drama, not a documentary, but a decent flick.) The second time by the CEO, Shan Hanes, between March and July of last year. (March 3 through July 7th - he wired out nearly 48 million dollars in funds before the FRB in Kansas City finally figured out what was going on and moved in to shut everything down, and the FBI arrests Hanes.) How about them apples...? All through texting fraud. So I SUPPOSE this could be hackers... but it sounds like espionage. Crazy huh?

2

Censorship is the Tool Used When The Lie Loses Its Power Summary —— Have liberals and conservatives equally suffered ‘legally protected interest’ and been afforded equal-protection? As an outfall or reaction to inconvenient truths — ersatz ‘truth agendas’ seek control via algos, bots, fact-checkers, self-censorship, fusion centers, internet-observatories, deplatforming, cancellation, trolls, hate-policing and truth-policing. Joint Activity outsources #censorship to third parties or private corporations working together in #corporatecomplicity with government entities or officials in performing public functions —— thereby subject to claims under civil-rights laws. ‘Machtgelüst’, a lust for power, has been institutionalized, for centuries, as colonial-calls to ‘truth and ‘safety. Living in the ‘bell-curve media bubble’ is not a solution. Subscribing to WSJ, NYT, or HBR will not inform us of the next ‘Black Swan’. Most of the U.S. media was controlled by 50 corporations in 1983. Recognize that establishment now controls 100% left-leaning press and a vast majority, 90% or more of the right-leaning press. As much as I liked Bill Clinton, as a result of administrative policies of the period — 5 corporations now control U.S. media. Much of media #spin reads like parody today. Machtgelüst ‘hunger to overpower’ consumes a media controlled by the corporate-establishment. Fourth Estate, mainstream press and non-alternative news media is complicit, today, in #jointactivity #PublicPrivatePartnerships effectively outsourcing ‘Machtgelüst censorship. ‘“Orwellian 'Ministry of Truth'" within the present administration "targeted suppression of conservative ideas…Government jointly participated” with the social-media companies to such an extent that [they] have become “pervasively entwined” in the private companies’ workings to such an extent as to blur the line between public and private action. Therefore, Plaintiffs are likely to succeed on the merits that the government Defendants are responsible for the private social media companies’ decisions to censor #protectedcontent on social media platforms.”” — U.S. District Court Judge Terry Doughty Supreme Court: Blocking People on Facebook Can Violate Constitutional Rights? [National Review] The Supreme Court addressed two cases on the question of when the First Amendment is violated by public officials compelling censorship via third parties: https://lnkd.in/gCEquCAM Joint-activity :: https://lnkd.in/gH9Kbf9X Fifth Estate :: https://lnkd.in/gJifQTib

1

🌐 Why IP Geolocation Isn't Cutting It 🚫 Using IP addresses to figure out someone's location seems smart, but it's not always accurate. This weekend I had a run in with this firsthand trying to watch the MN Wild game on our new ISP I was told it wasn't available in our area. Apparently I was trying to watch from Madison, Wisconsin. Here's why: 👉 Inaccuracy: Sometimes the IP location can be way off, pointing to a place miles away from where someone actually is. This can happen because people's IP addresses change, or they use tricks to hide their real location. 👉 VPNs & Proxies: A lot of people use VPNs and proxies to keep their online activity private. These tools can make it look like they're in a completely different place. 👉 Shared IPs: Many people can use the same IP address, like in coffee shops or airports. This makes it hard to pinpoint the right location. 👉 Border Mix-ups: Sometimes, the lines between regions and internet systems don't match up, especially near borders. This adds to the confusion. 👉 Privacy Worries: With more focus on privacy, people are getting better at hiding their real location, making IP tracking even less reliable. In short, IP geolocation isn't always dependable. It's useful to mix it with other data for accurate insights. As tech evolves, we hope for better solutions! 📈🔐 #Geolocation #IPtracking #DigitalBusiness #PrivacyMatters

10

3 Comments

The Colonial Pipeline attack back in 2021 is what prompted me to drive straight to the dealership and trade in my gasoline-powered car for an electric one. I still remember waiting hours at a gas station for fuel and rationing my driving as much as possible. I can only imagine what CEO Joseph Blount and his team were going through. MIT Sloan Executive Education conducted 37 in-depth interviews with chief executives of large #enterprises across the globe. Nine of them had led their company through a serious #cyberattack, which allowed #MIT to compare their battle-tested retrospectives. My biggest takeaway from this piece is how CEOs created a #cyber resilience #learning forum, which helped #teams build shared understanding and a more integrated, end-to-end perspective on #business #resilience. The forum sits outside of the formal risk process and works to build #trust. Bravo. https://lnkd.in/eqDBsDCM

6

I use a custom domain for my personal email. I do this so my own control of the domain is sufficient to ensure my email always exists instead of needing to ever worry about my email provider going under or deciding to charge an unreasonable fee. I use multiple addresses, creating more anytime I happen to need one. Today I went to install Microsoft Office on my mother-in-law's computer. I have a key I purchased for it. In order to ensure I can easily help her reinstall Office if it is ever needed, I want to use a new Microsoft account. You need to use a Microsoft account to install Office these days. You seemingly can't just use the key by itself. She had Office installed before but for some reason it vanished. I'm sure I purchased Office for her when I setup the machine as it has a 'OfficeSetup.exe" still on the machine. I used a GitHub gist to extract the key from the existing Office install despite it being broken and non-functional. I attempted to reinstall using this and it didn't seem to work. I went to create a new Microsoft account for her under my domain. Microsoft wouldn't allow it. "This looks like a school or company email address. Use gmail or yahoo or MSN or some shitty free email system". No thanks Microsoft. I had no choice though. So I had created yet another gmail for her. She already has one I created for her before, but I don't know what I set the recovery email for it to and she lost the password to it. So I created yet another gmail account. So I created a new gmail for her, and then a Microsoft account linked to it. I entered in the new key I purchased. I downloaded the new installer from setup.office.com. I attempted to run it. "You can't install this 64-bit version as a 32-bit office is already installed." First off. What? I never installed a 32-bit Office. I would never do that. So I go to Programs & Features, find Office, and use Change to attempt to repair it. That worked. It repaired. I was able to open it. It shows now though as unlicensed. I selected to enter a key and entered the old Office key I'm sure is legit. No go. Won't accept it. I entered the new key and it worked. Huh? I'm only left with more questions at the end: 1. I already have Microsoft accounts on that same domain. Why won't it let me make more? 2. Is there some magical way I can make more Microsoft accounts on that domain? 3. Why didn't the old key work? 4. Why did Office suddenly vanish off the system? I believe what happened is she accepted an update to Windows 11 and that broke it. 5. Why was I able to use the key in the repaired Office but I don't see any way to install a new Office similarly with no Microsoft account? 6. Why was a "32-bit Office" installed? 7. When I "repaired it", did it now keep "32-bit Office"?

1