MSPNetworks Blog

For the small business, technology is an issue; and reasonably so. For something that holds so much importance for an organization, there are bound to be problems attached. These problems can disrupt efficient workflows and ruin some situations. In this week’s blog, we will take a look at four things you can do to cut down on your technology troubles. 

Update Your Software

One of the simplest yet most effective ways to minimize technology problems is by keeping your software up to date. Software updates often come with bug fixes, security patches, and performance enhancements. By regularly updating your operating system, applications, and antivirus software, you can ensure that your devices are equipped with the latest features and protection, reducing the likelihood of encountering technical issues.

Secure Data Backup

Data loss can be a nightmare, especially when it comes to important files, photos, or documents. To prevent the devastating consequences of data loss, it is crucial to establish a robust backup system. At MSPNetworks, our BDR service not only provides you with network attached storage that is updated as data is added and changed, it also pushes that backup to the cloud so if something were to happen to your hardware, your data is safe. 

Practice Safe Browsing Habits

The internet is full of potential threats, including malware, phishing, and malicious websites. To cut down on technology problems, it is important to adopt safe browsing habits. This includes being cautious of suspicious emails, avoiding clicking on unknown links, and refraining from downloading files from untrusted sources. Additionally, installing a reliable antivirus software and keeping it regularly updated can provide an additional layer of protection against online threats.

Seek Assistance from the Experts

Sometimes, technology problems can be extraordinarily complex. They are often well beyond our expertise. In such cases, seeking professional assistance can be a wise decision. Enlisting the help of IT professionals can actually save your business time and money rather than wrestling with an issue and sustaining your organization’s downtime. 

Our team of IT experts can provide the proactive management and comprehensive IT support your business needs to ensure that your information systems stay up and run optimally. Give us a call at (516) 403-9001 to talk to one of our knowledgeable consultants.

Even the solutions designed to keep businesses and organizations safe are vulnerable to the threat of a cyberattack, as when it all boils down, these tools are still software solutions, no matter how secure they might be. The company in question today—Barracuda—is a huge name in the cybersecurity industry, and it has become the victim of a zero-day exploit. Let’s go over how you can prevent your business from experiencing the same thing.

A Vulnerability Was Discovered in Barracuda’s Email Gateway Security

A vulnerability was discovered in Barracuda’s mail Gateway Security application only after it was exploited. This is the part of the email security system that scans email attachments, so it’s an important one. The breach was discovered on May 19th, and patches were swiftly deployed to resolve the vulnerability.

The official statement from the company is as follows:

“Barracuda recently became aware of a security incident impacting our Email Security Gateway appliance (ESG). The incident resulted from a previously unknown vulnerability in our ESG. A security patch to address the vulnerability was applied to all ESG appliances worldwide on Saturday, May 20, 2023. Based on our investigation to date, we've identified unauthorized access affecting a small subset of appliances. As a mitigating measure, all appliances received a second patch on May 21, 2023, addressing the indicators of potential compromise identified to date. We have reached out to the specific customers whose appliances are believed to be impacted at this time. If a customer has not received notice from us via the ESG user interface, we have no reason to believe their environment has been impacted at this time and there are no actions for the customer to take. We thank you for your understanding and support as we work through this issue and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience it may cause.”

Explaining Zero-Day Exploits

Zero-day exploits are those that were previously unknown to security researchers, only having been discovered after they are actively being targeted by a threat. The severity of these exploits can vary, but they are extremely difficult to detect, as they often go undiscovered and undetected for quite a long time. After all, you can’t protect against something that you don’t know exists. Eventually, these vulnerabilities can become serious problems and logistical nightmares for security companies and businesses alike.

What Can Be Done to Stop Them

The worst part of dealing with a zero-day vulnerability is not knowing if one exists, as well as not knowing how long they have existed for. In the case of this exploit, it doesn’t appear to be too long, but any vulnerability in Barracuda’s ESG system is going to cause quite a stir. Businesses use a lot of software throughout the course of their operations, and the same issue could happen for any application on your network. You need to have a strategy in place to handle potential threats as they arise or become known, and it starts with making sure that patches are tested and deployed as soon as they are available.

MSPNetworks can help your business deploy patches and updates in a quick and efficient manner using our remote patch deployment solutions. We can keep your software secure and safe from all threats, and if zero-day exploits do arise, we’ll do what we can to deploy fixes and assess damages. To learn more, call us at (516) 403-9001 today.

It’s easy to use the terms “patches” and “updates” as if they mean the same thing, and they are often used interchangeably within the same context. However, understanding the difference between the two can make a world of difference in terms of how you approach implementing each of them. We’re here to clear things up a bit and help you better understand the patches and updates you deploy on a month-to-month basis.

What is the Big Difference?

Patches and updates are critical to ensuring that your devices and mission-critical software are kept secure from potential threats. Over time, vulnerabilities or operational issues which impact security could arise, and software developers rise to the occasion to resolve them by issuing these patches and updates. The big difference between the two is scope and scale.

Patches are generally used for quick fixes to specific problems which need attention. You can think of it like patching a rip or tear in a piece of clothing. You get a piece of fabric, throw it over the problem, and sew it on for a fix.

Updates, on the other hand, are more structural in nature, and they are generally larger in scope. They might address multiple problems at once. It’s like changing the fabric of your shirt entirely rather than just patching the hole.

Why Should You Care?

In short, the biggest reason why you should care about the difference between patches and updates is that it could very well impact your ability to do your job correctly.

Let’s say you implement a new update. Yes, it solves several problems with the security infrastructure of your software or applications, but it could very well introduce new bugs or operational issues that either affect the way your team gets work done or your ability to perform specific tasks. Imagine if someone updated your operating system overnight and, all of a sudden, the user interface changes, or a critical task you need to perform no longer works the way you expect it to. You have to take the time to adjust to the update or review documentation to ensure that it’s not going to disrupt your operations too profoundly.

Make Patches and Updates Easy to Apply

We know that applying patches and updates can be a bit disruptive to your day-to-day duties and responsibilities. Furthermore, you don’t want to be applying patches and updates on a whim; you need to approach these carefully to ensure they have minimal negative impacts on your business’ operations. This is why MSPNetworks offers remote patching and security update services. We can apply any patches or updates your systems need without the need for an on-site visit. With our management tools, you can rest assured that someone is keeping an eye out for your systems.

To learn more, reach out to MSPNetworks at (516) 403-9001.

We live in a world of the “as a service” business model, where services are rendered on a per-month or per-billing cycle service model rather than the traditional “buy now, replace later” one. What they don’t tell you, however, is that when you use Software as a Service (SaaS) for multiple purposes, things can get messy pretty quickly. How do you manage all of your software solutions without breaking the bank (and your brain)?

A SaaS management platform can be a great way to ensure that you are getting maximum value from your SaaS applications, as well as optimize aspects of your operations that you may not have considered. Here are four benefits that your organization can stand to take advantage of through the use of a SaaS management platform.

Analytics and Usage Statistics

Have you ever wondered how your employees use the solutions you provide them? A good SaaS management solution will give you the ability to see at a glance which applications your employees use the most and how they use them. Doing so can help you make educated decisions about your technology moving forward and whether or not you actually need certain solutions.

License Management and Renewal

The more software your organization uses, the greater the chance that something can go wrong with the licensing. If the license expires, the application might suddenly be unavailable for use, leading employees to find their own solutions. SaaS management allows your organization to get a bird’s eye view of your entire software infrastructure to manage and renew licenses as needed.

Enhanced Security and Compliance

It doesn’t matter how little or how much you use SaaS applications. Chances are, at some point, these applications are going to store your organization’s data in some capacity, a practice which can create problems if you do not know what information they are storing and where. If your business is using a SaaS management platform that gives you the opportunity to outline each and every software used for your business, it becomes much easier to shore up weak points in its infrastructure.

Tighter Control over SaaS Applications

SaaS gives you a centralized method of managing your software, a concept that can help to cut down on shadow IT (the practice of employees purchasing or making use of unapproved solutions). If employees have a pool of applications that they can pick and choose from at a whim, they will be less likely to go out of their way to find their own solution that suits their needs.

MSPNetworks can help your business get started with SaaS management by offering a comprehensive network audit. This will help you determine the best path forward for your software management needs. To learn more, reach out to us at (516) 403-9001.

Software runs our lives. It certainly runs your business. What if I told you that this essential cog in your business’ operations can also be the thing that is most susceptible to being exposed by outside attackers? It’s true, software can be the very door that hackers and scammers need to get into your network and run amok. Let’s take a look at the unsung service that is patch management and why it is so important. 

For the first years of managed IT services, patch management was more of a value proposition than it was a crucial part of the offering. Today, the script has officially flipped and it is no longer perfunctory, but crucial. This is because threats have changed. In fact, they’ve changed for both the business and its IT service provider. 

MSPs and IT departments use software known as Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) tools to cover all the ends of a business’ IT infrastructure and network. As the core software that allows IT experts to keep a watchful eye over their domain, IT providers were horrified to learn that hackers with a keen eye for opportunity, hacked into unpatched RMM software and were able to not only able to access that company’s information, but other companies that were being managed by the platform. These hackers exploited these vulnerabilities and injected malware into all managed systems. We don’t have to tell you, that’s not a good look for any service provider. 

That’s just an anecdote, sure, but it goes to show what can happen if your software isn’t patched and updated properly. 

Challenges of Patch Management in 2021

Managing software updates isn't a very easy process anyway, but with all that has happened recently, patch management has become extremely difficult. With growing complexities of remote workers, cloud platforms, the immense amount of software that an organization uses, and the rapid-fire updates being developed, it isn’t as simple as signing in and updating eight files once a month. You really have to stay on top of it to ensure that your network and infrastructure are properly protected. 

A big challenge for IT teams concerning patch management is actually downtime. When software is patched, systems typically need to reboot. This can be a real hindrance to productivity if it is done while someone is working. Most IT administrators won’t make people restart in the middle of the workday, but then they have to remember to reboot these machines when they are not in use. Forgetting is just like not patching the system in the first place, so coordinating patches and reboots at a time when people aren’t working is its own challenge. 

It’s a fact that most vulnerabilities that are exploited are over six months old. This tells you that somewhere along the way that either patches and updates were overlooked, or they weren’t properly coordinated in the first place. Combine all that wrangling with the fact that sometimes patches simply don’t “play nice” with corresponding systems and cause more headaches and hand wringing and you have a complicated and often frustrating task list that is just a fraction of the IT admins’ responsibilities. 

Some MSP Patch Management Tips

Of course, the best way to get comprehensive patches and updates is to outsource your patch management to a managed IT services provider like MSPNetworks. Any business can save time and money by relying on our certified technicians to ensure that your systems are up-to-date and patched correctly. Furthermore, we won’t cause any downtime as we will schedule patches for times when traffic is low or non-existent. 

If you insist on doing your own software maintenance, a couple of tips that you should adhere to include:

The first thing you should consider is to understand all the software your company is using officially and ensure that you are up to date with all the relevant patches. Missing software updates, while probably not the end of the world for an individual, is a horrible practice for any business. 

You’ll also want to schedule maintenance on some machines as soon as possible after official software updates are released and if there are no problems, schedule maintenance on all other machines the following week. The test group will go a long way toward exposing any possible hiccups you may be facing. 

Software is extremely important to your business, and your business is extremely important to your employees and customers. In order to keep it that way, you will need to ensure that your software systems are patched and updated regularly. To talk to one of our It professionals about patch management, co-managed IT services, or comprehensive managed IT services, give us a call today at (516) 403-9001.

Every time something goes terribly wrong, and you are left assessing the damage of some seemingly unfortunate situation, you typically find that by taking a bit of time preparing for the worst would have kept you from the disaster you are just now dealing with. Those small acts are what we want to talk a little bit about today, because they can save your business.

The Word is Proactive

The saying is, “kicking myself”. It is used after something terrible happens and you are going over the steps you didn’t take that would have kept that terrible thing from happening. There is a word for this type of step, and the word is proactive. To be proactive, you first have to be aware.

Awareness is a big deal in any situation, but in risk assessment, it is crucial. The larger the perceived risk, the more aware you need to be about it. In the case of your business’ IT, there are a lot of (very quickly) moving parts, and any of them can cause your business to stop rolling along like the well-oiled machine it is. It would be a shame if that one iffy component fails leaving you paying your staff to sit around and twiddle their thumbs. This is why you need to be proactive.

Proactive IT Maintenance

The idea of proactive IT maintenance is now decades old. Essentially, when one of your business’ core computing apparatuses is compromised it can really hamstring your business’ ability to create revenue. In fact, downtime is one of the most expensive parts of dealing with technology malfunctions. With proactive maintenance, you can begin to see your hardware functioning better, your network clear from threats, and your business’ productivity grow.

How does MSPNetworks’s proactive maintenance accomplish this? Simple, using state-of-the-art monitoring and management software, our experienced technicians use its dynamic automated tools to check every critical piece of technology for inefficiencies. If we come across hardware that isn’t working up to expectations, we’ll do our best to sort the problem out so that your IT doesn’t cause any downtime.

Patch Management

Aside from downtime, software vulnerabilities can cause a lot of headaches for any business. If the software you depend on hasn’t been updated with the latest threat definitions and software patches, there could be trouble. As a part of our proactive maintenance platform, we make sure that the tools you use to be productive are updated, eliminating vulnerabilities and providing effective productivity, management, and collaboration tools to your business.

If you are interested in learning more about our proactive IT maintenance and what type of monetary and productivity benefits a comprehensive IT service can provide, call MSPNetworks today at (516) 403-9001.