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5 Questions to Test Your Security

Is your network secure? Are your employees maintaining strong, safe security practices? Is your small business a tempting target for cybercriminals?

Through recent years, the digital threat to small businesses has increased exponentially. Likely, if you aren’t proactive about protecting your digital assets and tools – including your business’s connected devices, networks, software, websites, and more – you are at-risk for a data breach, and soon. Fortunately, there is a way to test your security: by understanding more about security hygiene.

Security hygiene, which is also called cyber hygiene, is an individual’s daily responsibility to uphold cybersecurity. While an organization should build security into the network architecture and maintain common defenses, individuals retain significant power to support or topple that security. Poor security hygiene is marked by insecure habits, such as using weak passwords, sharing login information, disabling encryption, interacting with dubious links, attachments, or webpages. Such behavior easily compromises even the strongest cyber security practices.

If you are spending a fortune on cybersecurity but are still suffering from malware and data breaches, it might be time to question your employees about cyber hygiene. The following five issues are common culprits for insecurity, and the questions associated with them should help guide you toward better, more secure practices.

1. Endpoints

How many endpoints are on your network? How many are managed, and how many are unmanaged?

You can’t secure what you don’t know. It’s possible that your employees are adding endpoints, or computers and other devices, to your network without your knowledge. These devices probably lack sufficient protection, such as anti-malware programs, firewalls, and even passwords. Every endpoint on your network should be managed, which means they should adhere to specific requirements before they are permitted network access. You should search for unmanaged endpoints on your network and institute rules regarding endpoint management.

2. Software

What software is installed on your network? How much is authorized, and how much is unauthorized?

Once again, if you don’t know about software on your network, you can’t be certain it is secure. Unauthorized versions of software are less likely to be up-to-date on patches and proper configurations, which means they probably contain vulnerabilities for cybercriminals to exploit. Vulnerability management programs can detect authorized and unauthorized software on a network – to include active content and browser extensions – so you can more adequately protect your network from attacks.

3. Compliance

Are the endpoints and software on your network compliant with industry baselines and standards?

In most industries, compliance is an expensive, stressful, and never-ending endeavor. However, compliance also serves to keep your business safe from all sorts of attacks which could cost you and your customers even more than you are spending to be compliant. Worse, most industries punish organizations that are not compliant, which means by allowing endpoints and software to fly above the rules, you are asking for fees and fines. You can perform your own thorough compliance audit to identify sources of insecurity before you are subject to penalties.

4. Vulnerabilities

How are you assessing and correcting vulnerabilities? Is it a continuous process?

Unmanaged endpoints and unauthorized software are the primary sources of vulnerabilities on your network, so identifying them and addressing them should eliminate much of your risk. However, it isn’t enough to scan your network once, resolve any issues, and move on. Not only are endpoints and software no the only weak spots cyber criminals can use to infiltrate your network, but employees can easily add more endpoints and software in the future. You need to install vulnerability scanning software to continuously look for chinks in your cyber-armor, and you should institute policies regarding appropriate security hygiene.

5. Administration

Who has administrative privileges on your network? Are there controls on administrators?

Network administrators have more power to affect your organization’s cybersecurity, so the fewer employees who have administrative privileges, the better. In truth, there are only a few good reasons that an employee should have administrative privileges, including installing software and updates or altering system settings and utilities, and both of these actions can be handled by an IT team or service provider. Even if you restrict administrative access, you should have proper auditing and change control in place to view who makes changes – and most importantly, you should have the ability to roll changes back if necessary.

Bioengineering Represents the Future of Science and Tech

Humans seem to understand most of the fundamental laws of the universe: that matter and energy can be neither created nor destroyed; that chaos always increases; and that there are several constants to be aware of, including absolute zero, the speed of light, and others. Humans are also more aware than ever of truths on Earth, and we have largely teased out answers to age-old mysteries, such as how we got here and how our bodies work. It seems there are precious few major discoveries left to make – which is why the future is not what will be discovered but the approaches we take to solve problems with our newfound knowledge.

Physics, chemistry, biology – we may continue to study these classic sciences, but true progress lies in interdisciplinary efforts, such as biomedical engineering. Bioengineers use the tools, technologies, and techniques from a range of fields to solve pressing problems, and in doing so, they exemplify the emerging era of antedisciplinary science.

The Importance of Bioengineers

Medical doctors gain most of the admiration for saving lives, but in truth, physicians would hardly be more competent than their 18th-century counterparts without bioengineers. Though knowledge of anatomy and biology has improved, the most notable change between medical practices then and now is the equipment used to diagnose and treat patients. Today, doctors are equipped with advanced machines and software to precisely identify medical issues and resolve them safely and quickly. Without those machines, medicine would rely even more heavily on guesswork, and patient outcomes would not be as clear.

Bioengineers are responsible for observing problems in the medical process, designing devices to assuage those problems, and maintaining technology as necessary. Biomedical engineering combines the knowledge and techniques of dozens of fields and applies them to unequivocally beneficial aims: saving and improving lives. For example, some of the most familiar biomedical engineering devices are as follows:

X-ray machine. Combining the fields of physics, electric engineering, photography, and anatomy, bioengineers of the early 20th century developed a machine that allows doctors to detect abnormalities in internal organs without surgery.
Computed tomography. Building on X-ray tech, bioengineers developed computed tomography (CT) scanning, which uses information from X-ray transmissions to digitally reconstruct patients in slices.
Heart-lung machine. Bioengineers created a machine that serves as temporary heart and lungs to patients who require surgery on their cardiovascular system. Though blood does not flow through the device, it is crucial for lowering mortality rates of heart disease, which already claims a sizeable portion of the population.
Pacemakers. Another heart-related breakthrough, these devices help the heart maintain a steady rhythm, keeping patients alive, and active for longer than they otherwise could.
Electrosurgical unit. Bioengineers created an electrical device that effectively replaces many traditional surgical tools. ESUs can cut, coagulate, desiccate, and fulgurate tissue, making them invaluable in various procedures, especially within small spaces like the eye.

The human body is complex, and the healthcare industry has an unending need for biomedical engineers. As a result, many online biomedical engineering degree programs are becoming available to students interested in contributing to this influential field. Because different aspects of biomedical engineering require different interdisciplinary skills, most bioengineers specialize relatively early in their careers. Some of those specializations include:

Bioinstrumentation: the development of devices to diagnose and treat disease with the application of electronics and measurement techniques
Biomaterials: cultivating living tissues and artificial materials for implantation
Clinical engineering: developing and maintaining computer databases for medical instruments and equipment records
Rehabilitation engineering: developing and fitting prostheses, environmental modifications, and assistive technology to improve patients’ quality of life
Medical imaging: applying principles of physical phenomena (like radiation) to data processing to generate an image

The Future of Bioengineering

Biomedical engineers continue to push the boundaries of medical science, developing newer and better methods for salvaging human life. While biologists focus on discovering the origins and behaviors of new diseases, bioengineers will be creating new interventions to prevent any disease’s spread. While surgeons hack and slash at patients on the operating table, bioengineers will be developing machine-learning devices that make traditional open surgery obsolete. While physicists use massive equipment to study the stars, bioengineers will be minimizing the same technologies to address life-threatening issues at a microscopic level. The future of biomedical engineers is bright because bioengineers are better than all other professionals at mixing and matching knowledge and skills from various disciplines to benefit the greater good.

Plesk or cPanel: Which is the best Control Panel for my VPS Server?

Introduction

A control panel in web hosting, is an interface provided by the hosting company that allows users to manage their web server from a single place. Control Panels are available for servers running both Windows and Linux operating system. Web-based control panels usually have a graphical interface and tool suite designed to make the process of hosting a website more manageable and simpler.

Role of Control Panel in a Virtual Server Hosting

Virtual Server Hosting also known as VPS (Virtual Private Server) is known for its flexibility and bridges the gap between Shared Hosting and Dedicated Servers. VPS hosting is an excellent solution for websites where the owner must have full control over their web server and resources. For controlling a Virtual Server Hosting account, a control panel can come in handy and make the administration easier.

What’s Included in the Functionality of Control Panel?

Server logs – It is a log file which contains the list of activities performed by the server. It is automatically created and used by the system administrator to examine page requests, traffic patterns and helps in fine tuning site administration.
Resource reports – With the control panel, a system administrator can view the availability of resources including available space, bandwidth, and used space. It is essential for businesses who are scaling and following a hyper-growth approach.
Configuring and maintaining email accounts and user accounts – A control panel aids in the management of various email accounts associated with the website.
Database management, user access, data manipulation – With a control panel like cPanel or Plesk, a system administrator can manage a database that contains website pages, images, and user information. Any changes required to the database are also managed with a control panel.
Web log analysis software – A system administrator can parse a server log file from a web server and analyze it thoroughly with the control panel. It is also known as web log analyzer and can be used to extract and analyze user data viz. a number of visits, unique visitors, rush hours, authenticated users, OS used, browsers used, robots used, HTTP errors and more.
File Management – Hosting account files and website files is managed from the control panel.

Plesk and cPanel as Control Panel Solutions

For system administrators, webmasters and IT users; the choice of operating system is a matter of preference. The same goes for control panels. The two most popular control panels, viz. cPanel and Plesk have their dedicated user base. Furthermore, both have their own set of pros and cons as well.

WHM/cPanel

cPanel is a Linux based web hosting control panel with a simple graphical interface and automation tool designed to make web hosting and web servers easier to manage. Based on a three-tier structure, cPanel is tailored to function to suit the needs of system administrators, resellers, and end-user website managers. The site management and server administration is done through a web browser.

Plesk

Plesk, also known as Parallel Plesk Panel, offers web hosting service providers and virtual server hosting users the ability to configure and maintain both Windows and Linux servers. It is a flexible, effective and secure control panel for administrators to meet a broad range of requirements.

Panel Features

Command Line Access

Command Line Access is provided in both cPanel and Plesk. However, cPanel offers both command line access and API-based access which enables interaction with third-party software. Plesk, on the other hand, provides Panel Action Log Command Access Tool.

Administration

System administrators can automate administration processes with control panels. cPanel is designed to function either as a Virtual Private Server or a Dedicated Server.

Both cPanel and Plesk support installation on CloudLinux, CentOS, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, however, only cPanel works flawlessly on Linux operating systems. Furthermore, only Plesk can be installed on Windows Server 2008 SP2, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, and Windows Server 2002.

Plesk and cPanel support MySQL, PostgreSQL, PHPMyAdmin
Email services for cPanel include IMAP, POP3, and Exim, while Plesk supports Qmail

Removing Panel

Removing a control panel is possible however, it is not recommended. It requires formatting the server and reinstalling the operating system. There are certain uninstall scripts available, for both Plesk and cPanel, but it is not advisable because users will lose all their account data. Removing cPanel will remove all user sessions, suspended info, web logs, bandwidth files, DKIM keys and Crontab.

Ease of Use

At the user level interface, cPanel aggregates functions into groups that include mail, preferences, logs, files, domains, security, databases and software services. Alternatively, Plesk is divided into functions that include statistical and resource usage, mail, users, websites and domains, statistics and applications.

Handling Support Requests

With cPanel’s interface, you can access support services from their web host by email. However, this service must be supported by your web host.

Plesk has a detailed support request form where you must fill comprehensive information about the product version, work environment, OS version and the issue.

Multi-Level Clustering

Plesk does not support multi-level clustering natively and requires Plesk Automation Services add-on to perform such tasks
Loading Speed – Plesk may cause loading to occur at a slow speed than cPanel, and can become particularly slow on Linux servers
Database Access – With Plesk, the database is accessed via Web admin. You can manage MySQL or MS SQL databases through a web browser. For cPanel, you can access PHPMyAdmin and manage MySQL databases

Comparison Chart

Parameters	cPanel	Plesk
Statistical Features
Services	Webalizer, AWStats, Analog	Webalizer, AWStats, Plesk Traffic Manager
Other Features	Graphical Analysis, Custom Reports, Logs	Real Time Bandwidth, Graphical User Breakdown, Custom Reports
DNS Features
Services	BIND	BIND
Other Features	Clustering and Hands-off automatic configuration	SOA Settings, Remote DNS, Load Balancing Support, DNS Recursion, Master/Slave Management, Automated File Matching
FTP
Services	PureFTPd and ProFTPd	ProFTPd
Other Features	Graphical File Manager, Drive Letter Access, Anonymous FTP,	Anonymous FTP, FTP Throttling, File Manager, Upload Directory
Database Support
Services	Postgre SQL, MySQL	Postgre SQL, MySQL
Admin Panels	phpMyAdmin, phpPgAdmin	phpMyAdmin, phpPgAdmin, Multi-user/Multi-DB
Mail Features
Services	Courier-IMAP, Courier-POP, Exim	Qmail
Mail List	Mailman	Mailman Aliasing, Groups, Auto-responses
Webmail	Horde, SquirrelMail	Horde IMP
Anti-Virus	ClamAV	DrWeb, Kaspersky
Anti-Spam	SpamAssassin, Spam Box, BoxTrapper	SpamAssassin
Web Features
Web Servers	Apache	Apache
Scripting	Apache, CGI-PERL, PHP, JSP, SSI	PHP, Python, SSI, CGI, Ruby, FastCGI
Development Tools	FrontPage	ColdFusion
Access	IP Deny Manager, Anti-leech, Hotlink Protector	–
Security	SSL, SuPHP, mod_security, phpSuExec	SSL, SuExec
Errors	Custom Error Pages, Last 300 Errors	–
Account
Reseller Login	Yes	Yes
Domain Owner Login	Yes	Yes
Mail User Login	Yes	Yes

Conclusion

cPanel and Plesk are two of the most popular control panels, and both have their share of pros and cons. One must consider their operating system, server configuration, security needs and access control as well as usability preferences before opting for either of them. Both control panels have robust security options and are powerful administration tools. The final choice depends on the features that most closely adapt to your working environment.

Email Is and Always Will Be Insecure

Email has been around for more than 30 years. One of the first and most useful functions of the web, email has allowed people to communicate quickly and efficiently regardless of location, time of day, and (more recently) language. Further, through the years, email has become linked with online identity, as web users employ their addresses to create accounts on websites and in stores, sign up for newsletters, marketing materials, and more.

Yet, despite email’s endurance, flexibility, and continuing value, despite that there are more than 4 billion email addresses in use today, email remains one of the most insecure practices online – and that will likely always be the case. In initial stages, developers did not integrate any privacy or security into email, and though many efforts have been made to make email more sound, major obstacles prevent total protection of data. Users can and should make moves and develop habits to keep their emails (and the rest of their devices) safe, but by and large, email will never be truly secure.

The Trouble With Email

Email’s initial developers never intended the service to become the integral web tool it is today. In fact, email was meant to be nothing more than the simplest way to send messages back and forth between different people on different devices. The messages were transferred in the open, meaning anyone with network or account access could intercept and read the transmissions. Today, that largely remains true.

A user’s email messages can be compromised in four locations: the sender’s device, the network, the server, and the recipient’s device. The first and last should be comprehensible to anyone, regardless of tech savviness; email accounts are usually always logged in, so anyone sitting at a computer or holding a phone should be able to read any email message they choose. Email services rarely encrypt saved messages, so reading emails and attachments is as easy as opening the program or navigating to the webpage. Worse, most malware programs essentially do this – rifle through accessible emails for useful data – so this insecurity is more common than many users expect.

Networks and servers can provide differing amounts of security, based on senders’ and recipients’ email providers and internet connections. An email message might travel through dozens of routers and switches on its way to a recipient, and each transfer is an opportunity for cybercrime. There is no guarantee that each connection is equally secure; in fact, institutions like the NSA almost guarantee they are full of holes. Email servers are rarely encrypted – because of the overhead costs of encryption as well as the value of saving messages in plaintext (e.g., advertising) – so hackers with admin passwords or access through security flaws can search vast swaths of emails for personal data. From sending to receiving, saving to deleting, email is unbelievably insecure.

Making Email More Secure

Relying on email requires a large amount of trust: Users must trust their email clients, their networks, their servers, and their recipients to have sufficient security to keep their messages safe. Some of that trust can be ensured when users adopt third-party email security solutions. Because it is unlikely that email providers will spare the expense to protect email as thoroughly as they should, users must take personal action to bring email security into the 21st century.

Aside from malware scanning programs, email users’ devices should be well-equipped with encryption tools. Encryption is by far the easiest and most effective way to prevent outsiders from reading messages they should not have access to. Users can employ public key cryptography, which encrypts messages and network connections, to allow private users to unlock sensitive data with secret passcodes. Within businesses, this system takes relatively little time to execute, but convincing everyone to adopt a public key encryption – everyone including clients, customers, family members, and friends – is somewhat unlikely. Thus, not all email messages can be secure at all times, even with an effective encryption system.

The Bottom Line

Email isn’t likely to disappear in the coming years, even as other digital communications appear. Unfortunately, it is equally unlikely that email will become inherently more secure. Users must take it upon themselves to protect the emails they send – or else accept the likelihood of prying eyes on their private messages.

After the Breach: How Cyber Insurance Can Help

Infographic created by: Cyber Policy

Various Payment Processes in Today’s Online Marketplace

The Internet has come a long way since its humble beginnings in the late 1990s. Nearly any kind of transaction can occur online with the proper payment type. There’s no need to mail in a payment when it can be instantly pulled from your account with the product shipped to your address in a heartbeat. Explore the various payment processes used in today’s online marketplace so that your next transaction can be as smooth as possible.

Electronic Fund Transfer

A tried-but-true process to pay for your online items is by electronic transfer. You type in your checking-account information, including the routing and account number, so that the funds are simply swapped between financial institutions. If you don’t have a credit or debit card, this transaction is a safe and simple way to keep up with the modern age. Websites use a lot of security software in order to keep your information safe from any unwanted attention.

The one downside to this payment method is that it usually takes three to five business days to clear, depending on the applicable rules from the financial institutions involved. However, most financial institutions and merchants compensate for that small inconvenience by waiving any “convenience” fees.

Credit Card

The majority of consumers have credit cards because they’re used to spread costs over a month or longer. They also have safeguards in case of fraudulent charges. In essence, the consumer doesn’t have to pay for an item that wasn’t authorized by the holder. Regardless of its size, any merchant accepting credit card payments must abide to the appropriate Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) to prevent fines from credit card companies in case of a data breach.

For these reasons, you can use credit cards online for most purchases. You have the option of saving the information on the website’s server too. This option makes your next purchase easier because typing in the information isn’t necessary. Merchants storing your credit card data must also follow PCI DSS guidelines to protect it against malicious hackers.

Debit Card

Your bank usually issues a debit card along with your checks so that you can charge items to your checking account. Use this card in the same manner as the credit card, and the funds are simply taken out of your checking account the same day.

You’ll still need to type in the number and expiration date so that the transaction can move forward. In most cases, you won’t want to save the account number on the website’s server. Because it’s directly linked to your checking account, any misappropriation of the card number might compromise your funds.

One disadvantage of using a debit card for payments is that some financial institutions may put a hold on your funds larger than the payment that you’re trying to complete. You may have run into this situation when renting a car or filling up gas. These rules vary per financial institution so contact yours to learn what rules apply to your debit card.

Electronic Alternative

Many consumers are turning to third parties to charge their online goods. PayPal, Venmo, and other companies create a middleman for transactions. These companies secure your debit or credit-card information as you charge a purchase to your third-party account. All of the transactions are protected by extra software as a result.

To boost time spent on apps, some social networks have jumped on board to allow their users to exchange payments. Snapcash allows first-time users of its Snapcash service to send up to $250 per week and receive up to $1,000 per month. Not to be left behind, Facebook allows its users to send and receive even higher amounts from the start through Facebook Messenger.

Both Snapcash and Facebook charge no fees to process payments funded with debit cards.

Smartphone or Watch

One of the newest ways to buy online items is through your smartphone or advanced watch. Program your payment information (generally a checking account or credit card) into your device, and you can quickly check out without typing in a long number. Online purchases have never been easier to buy.

Some credit card companies are going the extra mile to add extra security when linking your credit card to your smartphone. For example, Mastercard is rolling out a “selfie payment” option in which you take a selfie, instead of typing a password or entering a CVV, to verify your identity. The Mastercard selfie payment software requires users to blink before they take the picture to prevent people from just holding up a picture. So, the next time that you see somebody winking at their phones a couple of times, you know that they might be buying something online!

The Bottom Line

Virtual retailers are always updating their online shopping cart software so that your experience has no hiccups. As you work through a transaction, be sure that the website has an “https” before the URL. This designation means that the transaction is secure. Avoiding online theft is a daily battle, but most consumers will have no problems as they pick and choose favorite items to buy.

Is Shadow IT Lurking in Your Small Business?

Do you identify as being someone who doesn’t put their full trust in the company IT department? Maybe you don’t appreciate their snark when you’ve asked them for help with troubleshooting. Maybe they procrastinate on media projects and your company’s brand is suffering as a result. Whatever the reason, you’ve entertained the idea of downloading Shadow IT and uploading it on your company’s network. You’ve read that Shadow IT or Stealth IT gives users the control they’re looking for without ever having to rely on the IT department again, but is it good for business?

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How IT Teams Can Learn from Other Businesses on Conducting Meetings

Bad meetings can turn your IT team against these conversations forever. If your employees are disinterested, scrolling through their mobile phones, or show any other signs of weak engagement, then you might need to take steps to change that. Here are seven tips from other businesses on how you could turn those meetings from bad to good.

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Integrated Development Environments: What They Are, Why You Need One, and How to Choose

When you first begin programming — or start programming in a new development language — the learning curve can be steep. It can take months to learn just the basics and get comfortable, and even years to learn all of the ins and outs of a particular language.

That’s where integrated development environments come in. Unless you are comfortable working within a text editor and know how to use a command prompt window, an integrated development environment, or IDE, can be a lifesaver. An IDE puts all of the tools you need for developing and debugging software into a single application that streamlines the process.

This is different than using a text editor because it puts everything you need to create the software into a single application and workspace instead of requiring the programmer to complete each individual step required to develop the program. In short, an IDE creates a seamless and streamlined environment for a software developer, saving time and frustration.

Comparing the Processes

The main reasons that a developer might opt to work in an IDE is, again, to save time and frustration. In the typical programming environment, a developer must use an editor, compiler, and linker to create code files, compile, and link them. Even when the developer is familiar with the programming language, working in a text editor leaves no room for error. When entering the code, the editor does not take corrective actions related to spacing, etc., meaning that errors aren’t caught until the program doesn’t work.

Some errors in the source code can be spotted when the files are compiled. However, every source file must be compiled separately, and if there are any mistakes, the compiler will not complete and will deliver error messages. At that point, the developer must go back through the source code files and attempt to locate and correct the errors, which can be time-consuming and frustrating, especially when you aren’t an expert in the programming language. And still, some errors may still appear during the linking phase, leading to yet another round of corrections.

An IDE on the other hand, eliminates some of these steps. Because the IDE offers templates for common commands and formatting, some of the more common errors, such as spacing, aren’t as much of a concern. In addition, an IDE will provide a pop-up window indicating where errors are located, making it easier for you to make corrections during each phase of the project.

Another feature of IDE’s that’s appealing to many developers is the fact that there are environments designed for different purposes. Some are standard text editor-based, while others offer multiple programming languages for maximum flexibility. Web-based or cloud environments like MPLAB Xpress increase the flexibility of your projects and allow you to collaborate with others and share ideas during the development phase. In fact, cloud-based programs, with their ability to share code and templates, are fast becoming one of the most popular types of IDEs among developers.

Choosing an IDE

There are literally dozens of IDE options to choose from, and each has its own features and benefits. And if you asked a dozen different developers which IDE they prefer, you are likely to get a dozen different answers.

While trying out a free version is a good place to start getting a feel for the IDE that will work for you, there are a few things to consider:

Is the IDE compatible with your operating system and programming language?
Does the IDE work with your target environment? For example, some IDE’s cannot develop software for Mac or Android operating systems.
Are there templates for specific applications, such as microcontrollers?
What are the capabilities of the environment in terms of debugging, error detection, coding, etc.?
Do you need product compilation?
Do you need the capability to build plug-ins and extensions? Not all IDE’s offer this capability.
What are the licensing and royalty fees?

Again, there are a number of different options for IDEs, so it’s a good idea to try several to see where you are most comfortable working. However, whichever option you choose, an IDE will undoubtedly make your software development easier and more streamlined, saving your business time and money.