Introduction to Privileged Access Management

In today’s digital landscape, where data is the lifeblood of businesses, safeguarding sensitive information has never been more critical. Cybersecurity threats lurk around every corner, and protecting your organization’s most valuable assets—its “crown jewels”—is paramount. Privileged Access Management (PAM) emerges as a stalwart guardian in this relentless battle against cyber threats.

The Essence of Privileged Access

To comprehend the significance of PAM, we must first grasp the concept of privileged access. In any IT environment, certain accounts and users possess elevated privileges, granting them access to sensitive systems, data, and configurations. These privileged accounts often hold the keys to the kingdom, making them prime targets for cybercriminals.

The Vulnerability Dilemma

Privileged accounts, if left unprotected, present a glaring vulnerability. Cyber attackers are acutely aware of this and employ various tactics, including phishing, credential theft, and malware, to compromise these accounts. Once inside, malicious actors can wreak havoc, exfiltrate sensitive data, disrupt operations, and even bring organizations to their knees.

Enter Privileged Access Management

This is where PAM takes centre stage. Privileged Access Management is a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy that encompasses tools, policies, and processes to manage, monitor, and secure privileged accounts and access.

Key Components of PAM

Access Control: PAM solutions enforce strict controls over who can access privileged accounts and what actions they can perform.

Session Monitoring: Real-time monitoring of privileged user sessions helps detect and respond to suspicious activities promptly.

Password Management: PAM ensures robust password management practices, including secure storage, rotation, and retrieval of privileged account credentials.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Layering security with MFA adds an extra shield, ensuring that only authorized personnel can access privileged accounts.

Audit and Compliance: PAM tools maintain detailed logs and reports, crucial for compliance requirements and post-incident investigations.

Automated Workflows: Streamlining processes and automating routine tasks reduce the risk of human errors and enforce consistent security practices.

The Benefits of PAM

Enhanced Security: PAM reinforces your security posture by minimizing the attack surface and thwarting unauthorized access.

Compliance Assurance: PAM helps meet regulatory requirements by maintaining an auditable trail of privileged access.

Operational Efficiency: Streamlined workflows and automated tasks reduce operational overhead and improve efficiency.

Risk Mitigation: By controlling and monitoring privileged access, organizations can proactively identify and mitigate security risks.

Data Protection: PAM safeguards your organization’s most sensitive data, preventing unauthorized exposure.

Conclusion

In an era where data breaches make headlines daily, investing in Privileged Access Management isn’t just prudent; it’s a business imperative. Protecting your crown jewels—your most valuable assets—should be at the forefront of your cybersecurity strategy.

PAM is more than just a security solution; it’s a commitment to safeguarding your organization’s integrity, reputation, and future. As the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, embracing PAM is a steadfast step toward resilience in the face of relentless cyber threats.

Secure your throne—implement Privileged Access Management today. Your kingdom’s future depends on it.

For more information on PAM and how it can benefit your organization, contact us.

Cyber security for small Businesses

Small businesses face a range of cyber security challenges, including:

Limited resources: Small businesses often have limited resources and budget, making it difficult to invest in adequate cyber security measures and hire specialized personnel.

Lack of expertise: Small business owners may not have the technical knowledge and expertise to properly secure their systems, leaving them vulnerable to cyber threats.

Human error: Employees of small businesses are often the weakest link in the security chain, making them susceptible to falling for phishing scams or using weak passwords.

Third-party risk: Small businesses often rely on third-party vendors for critical services, such as cloud storage and payment processing, which can introduce additional security risks.

Interconnected systems: Small businesses often have interconnected systems that can amplify the impact of a security breach, such as a network-wide malware attack.

To address these challenges, small businesses should take steps to enhance their cyber security posture, such as implementing robust security measures, providing employee training, and regularly reviewing their security practices. They can also seek support from government agencies, industry organizations, and cybersecurity experts to help mitigate the risks and enhance their resilience to cyber threats.

Most common social media compliance risk factors for cyber attacks?

Typical social media compliance risk factors include,

Data privacy and security breaches

Insider trading and other financial crimes

Discrimination and harassment

Misrepresentation and fraud

Marketing and advertising violations

Intellectual property infringement

Non-compliance with industry-specific regulations (e.g. HIPAA for healthcare companies)

Failure to properly disclose sponsored content or paid endorsements.

How to secure data from cyber attack

Securing data from cyber attacks requires a comprehensive approach that involves implementing various security measures and best practices. Here are some ways to secure data from cyber attacks:

Encrypt sensitive data: Encrypting sensitive data, such as financial information and personal details, makes it difficult for attackers to access and use it even if they manage to steal it.

Use strong passwords: Use strong and unique passwords for all online accounts, and enable two-factor authentication where possible.

Keep software up to date: Regularly update all software, including operating systems, browsers, and applications, to ensure that known security vulnerabilities are patched.

Limit access to sensitive data: Limit access to sensitive data to only those who need it, and implement role-based access control to restrict the actions that can be performed by users.

Regularly backup data: Regularly backup important data, such as financial records, customer databases, and critical files, to a secure location. This can help to minimize the impact of a security breach and make it easier to recover from an attack.

Educate employees: Provide regular training to employees on how to identify and respond to cyber threats, such as phishing scams, and encourage them to report any suspicious activity.

Implement a security solution: Implement a comprehensive security solution, such as a firewall, antivirus software, and intrusion detection systems, to help protect against cyber threats.

By implementing these measures, organizations can help to secure their data from cyber attacks and reduce their risk of a security breach.

Cyber security prevention check list with Essential 8 for Cyber security

Essential 8 Compliance Implementation 

• Application control  
• Patch Applications  
• Configure Microsoft office Macro Settings 
• User application hardening  
• Multi-factor Authentication 
• Daily backups for the emails & data  
• Patching Operating system  
• Restrict administrative privileges.  

Cyber Security

Cybersecurity is needed to protect sensitive information and critical systems from unauthorized access, theft, and damage, both physically and virtually. The increasing dependence on technology and the rise in cyber threats, such as hacking, phishing, and malware attacks, have made cybersecurity a crucial concern for individuals, organizations, and governments. By implementing robust security measures, one can safeguard against financial losses, protect confidential information, and maintain the integrity and availability of essential systems and networks. Australia has experienced a significant increase in the number and sophistication of cyber-attacks in recent years, including state-sponsored hacking and cybercrime. The country’s critical infrastructure, such as power and water supplies, are vulnerable to cyber-attacks, which could cause widespread disruption and potential harm to the population. Small and medium-sized businesses often lack the resources and expertise to properly secure their systems, making them vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

Australia is dealing with cyber-attacks

Australia has a rich history of addressing cyber security concerns dating back to the early 2000s. In 2009, the Australian government established the Cyber Security Operations Centre (CSOC) as part of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) to enhance the country’s ability to respond to cyber threats.

In 2013, the Australian government released its first Cyber Security Strategy, which aimed to enhance the country’s cyber security posture and improve its resilience to cyber threats. The strategy was updated in 2016 to reflect the changing threat landscape and included initiatives to improve the security of critical infrastructure, increase the number of skilled cyber security professionals, and raise public awareness about cyber security risks.

In 2018, the Australian government established the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) as a central point for the country’s cyber security efforts. The ACSC works with government agencies, industry, and the research community to enhance Australia’s cyber security posture and respond to cyber threats.

In recent years, the Australian government has also implemented various initiatives to increase the country’s cyber security capabilities, such as the Cyber Security Cooperation Program and the Cyber Security Growth Centre, which aim to support the growth of the Australian cyber security industry.

Overall, the background of Australia’s cyber security efforts reflect the country’s ongoing commitment to addressing the evolving threat of cyber attacks and enhancing its cybersecurity posture.

Why Cyber Security

There is a need for cyber security due to the increasing dependence on technology and the rise of cyber threats. Some reasons for this need include:

Protection of sensitive information: Cyber security measures help to protect sensitive information, such as personal and financial data, from unauthorized access, theft, and damage.

Safeguard against financial losses: Cyber threats can result in significant financial losses for individuals, organizations, and governments. Cyber security measures can help to prevent such losses and protect against financial crimes.

Protection of critical systems: Critical systems, such as power and water supplies, are vulnerable to cyber-attacks, which could cause widespread disruption and potential harm to the population. Cyber security measures can help to protect these systems and maintain their availability and integrity.

Compliance with regulations: Many industries, such as finance and healthcare, are subject to regulations that require them to implement robust cyber security measures to protect sensitive information.

Maintenance of trust: Cyber security measures help to maintain the trust of customers, stakeholders, and the general public by demonstrating a commitment to protecting sensitive information and critical systems. Overall, the need for cyber security is driven by the increasing reliance on technology and the need to protect sensitive information, critical systems, and financial assets from cyber threats.

Windows Virtual Desktop is a desktop and app virtualization service that runs on the cloud.

Imagine your workstation at work is been converted into a Virtual machine, uploaded into cloud and  you can access your desktop from a web browser from anywhere without using a VPN, Teamviewer or any other software.

Also since its desktop as a service you never have to worry about upgrading a hard drive, memory or CPU. Its all there if you need more storage space or more memory a simple click of a button to upgrade to whatever size you need.

Is this to good to be true?

We thought so too, so we decide to put it to the test and we are very strict testers as we run our machines there now.

Once its setup you can access it from just a web browser by using following link

This is how you login

This is how it looks

That’s it!!

My workstation, I can access from a web browser.

Lets get technical?

Here is a 9 mins video, we will let the Microsoft guy explain.

How do I get it?

By simply calling or emailing us.

We will look at your existing setup and advise which office365 licenses and server you need. Then we will design the solution according to your need.

That’s it!

Contact Us

By Robert Greene – “The 33 strategies of war”

By Michaele E. Gerber – “The E Myth”

By Robert Greene – The 40 laws of power

By Patrick Lencioni- ” The 5 Dysfunctions of a team”

By 4 authors- Kerry Patterson, Joseph grenny, Ron Mcmillan, Al Switzler “Crucial Conversations”

By Howard M, Guttman- Great Business Teams”

By David R, Hawkins – “Power Vs Force”

By Lawrence M Miller “Barbarians to Bureaucrats: Corporate life cycle strategies”

By Dale Carnegie-“How to win friends and influence people”

By Napoloian Hill- Laws of success

Have more books to add?

Provide your list to everyone to learn and share

Microsoft 365 has various plans but we think business premium offers the best value for money for all micro and small business.

• Stay up to date with the latest versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more.

• Connect with customers and coworkers using Outlook, Exchange, and Teams.

• Manage your files from anywhere with 1 TB of cloud storage on OneDrive per user.

• Defend your business against advanced cyberthreats with sophisticated phishing and ransomware protection.

• Control access to sensitive information using encryption to help keep data from being accidentally shared.

• Secure devices that connect to your data and help keep iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac devices safe and up to date.Compatible with Windows 10 Pro. Some management features are not supported in Windows Home. All languages included.

Even though there a lot more office65 offers we have shortlisted following list of key features and function that are more align with small business needs and will most likely use everyday.

Teamwork and communication– Host online meetings and video calls for up to 250 people with Microsoft Teams– Chat with your team from your desktop or on the go with Microsoft Teams– Bring together all your team’s chats, meetings, files, and apps so you can easily connect and collaborate from one place with Microsoft Teams– Create team sites to share information, content, and files throughout your intranet using SharePoint

Web and mobile versions of Office apps

– Web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote

– Always up-to-date versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote for iOS and Android on up to 5 mobile devices and 5 tablets– Real-time coauthoring so multiple users can work in the same document, simultaneously

Email and calendaring– Email hosting with 50 GB mailbox– Use your own custom domain name (for example, yourname@yourcompany.com)– Business-class email on mobile devices, tablets, desktops, and the web with Exchange– Manage your calendar, share available meeting times, schedule meetings, and get reminders– Schedule meetings and respond to invitations with ease using shared calendars– Set up new user emails, restore deleted accounts, create custom scripts, and more from anywhere

File storage and sharing– 1 TB of OneDrive storage for file storage and sharing– Work on a file and save it directly to OneDrive or SharePoint; your changes are updated across your synced devices– Share files with external contacts by providing access or guest links– Securely share documents and send emails so only those with the right permissions can access the information– Access and sync files on PC or Mac and mobile devices

Security and compliance– Protect your email against spam, malware, and known threats with Exchange Online Protection– Create password policies that require users to reset their passwords after a specified number of days.

Desktop versions of Office apps for PC and Mac–  Fully installed and always up-to-date versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote for Windows or Mac (plus Access and Publisher for PC only)– Each user can install the Office apps on up to 5 PCs or Macs

Advanced threat protection– Help protect against sophisticated threats hidden in email attachments and links, and get cutting-edge defenses against zero-day threats, ransomware, and other advanced malware attempts with  Microsoft Defender for Office 365– Remotely wipe company data from lost or stolen devices with selective wipe from Intune– Restrict the copying or saving of company information to unauthorized apps and locations with app protection for Office mobile apps– Enforce malware protection to help keep your Windows 10 devices safe from viruses, spyware, and other malicious software with Windows Defender

PC and mobile device management– Configure security features and settings on Windows 10 PCs and mobile devices running iOS or Android^® with an easy-to-use setup wizard⁵– Configure your PCs to automatically install Office and Windows 10 updates