This blog is dedicated to WatchGuard training, coaching and mentoring which must consist of more than just technical competency, it also consists of training, coaching and mentoring the soft skills and character pieces necessary for each individual to hold themselves accountable to the highest standards of ethics and integrity, resulting in a high level of trust and a culture of ownership wherever they work, and whatever company or organization they are protecting with WatchGuard firewalls.
At Dynamic Cloud Solutions (DCS Netlink) we have built our security foundation on WatchGuard Security Services, and WatchGuard Wi-Fi is part of that security foundation.
Today, every business and organization has to have security installed in every part of their network(s) and Wi-Fi is no different. Almost every business today has some type of Wi-Fi in place in an effort to service their customers better.
However, most companies just put the Wi-Fi in and never give security a second thought.
At DCS we are experts at installing and managing Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi services that are secure, and simple. And, guess what? Wi-Fi isn't just for surfing anymore. Retail businesses and other organizations can use Wi-Fi to push data, coupons, or ads out to their customers while they are on your network.
That allows the Wi-Fi owner to know and understand their customers better thus resulting in a better customer & Internet experience for everyone! Sound cool?
To learn more about WatchGuard Wi-Fi Services read our WatchGuard July blog article below and connect with us at DCS to find out how we can help you add value and security to your Wi-Fi network. Give us a call at 877-327-6385.
[FINALLY] Next Windows Version 10 Stops Ransomware Cold - by Stu Sjourman
OK, finally there is some good news in the fight against ransomware!
(In case you did not know, I was the Editor-in-Chief for WServerNews for 15 years, and I have been following the Win OS closely since 1995. Glad to be back on my old stomping grounds for a bit here!)
Microsoft has been closely watching the onslaught of this new ransomware epidemic and added a slew of new features to the second major update of Win10 which is called "Creators Update" — Win 10 CU for short — which has been rolling out for a few weeks, consumers first.
Presenting new anti-ransomware protection features added in Win 10 CU, Robert Lefferts, Director of Program Management, Windows Enterprise and Security, said that no Windows 10 customer was affected by the recent WannaCry ransomware outbreak that took place in mid-May and no currently known ransomware strain can infect Windows 10.
From a security perspective, CU is a massive improvement.
The new security features include the following list, apart from a host of non-security related additions like a 3D version of MS Paint. :-)
Click-to-run for Adobe Flash in Edge — which prevents ransomware and other malware from landing on Windows 10 PCs via exploits kits and drive-by downloads.
Instant cloud protection via Windows Defender — According to Microsoft, starting with CU, Windows Defender AV can suspend a suspicious file from running and sync with the cloud protection service to further inspect the file.
Fast remediation mechanism at detection — Microsoft says it has made great strides to "remediate ransomware infection and limit ransomware activity from minutes to seconds, reducing its damage from hundreds of encrypted files to a few." Microsoft credits this to Windows Defender AV’s behavioral engine, who can aggregate malware behavior across processes and stages.
Improved detection for script-based attacks — Microsoft says its Antimalware Scan Interface (AMSI) was modified to intervene during the strategic execution points of JS or VBS script runtimes, two infection vectors often used by ransomware.
Wow64 compatibility scanning — In CU, Windows Defender AV added a process-scanning feature that uses the Wow64 compatibility layer, enabling it to better inspect system interactions of 32-bit applications running on 64-bit operating systems.
Process tree visualizations — feature added to Windows Defender ATP, the commercial version of Windows Defender.
Artifact searching capabilities — feature added to Windows Defender ATP.
Machine isolation and quarantine — feature added to Windows Defender ATP.
Windows Edge browser — better protection against remote code execution attacks.
Overall, your average user will probably not notice the difference
Overall, it's a good update, but it stands out for its incremental tweaks and behind-the-scenes improvements to matters such as security, updates and privacy, rather than for spectacular new features.
Obviously, you will not be able to roll this out immediately in your organization, despite the CU security improvements. Implementing CU is likely not a priority if you have just started to deploy Win10, and you might jump straight to the next major update, codenamed Redstone 3 which is due later this year.
The update is available to MSDN/TechNet subscribers running the Enterprise, Education and IoT Core edition. Organizations that have Windows via the Volume License Service Center have been able to get the update since May 1.
These Goodies Only Come in the Latest Version
Microsoft has a very good 14-page PDF with all these features detailed and illustrated. You can download that at the blog. It is obvious that they are adding all these features only to the most recent version, giving you an incentive to accelerate your wall-to-wall upgrades to the latest rev of the OS, which in this case you should be looking at seriously. https://blog.knowbe4.com/finally-next-windows-version-10-stops-ransomware-cold
The whitepaper contains excellent ammo for budget requests, but is too technical for average C-level execs since it talks about data science, machine learning, automation, behavioral analysis, and other exotic subjects like that. :-D
End of Article by Stu Sjourman (CEO KnowBe4)
More Information on KnowBe4 from DCS Netlink:
You can get a FREE Phishing test and a FREE email exposure check at KnowBe4. Two FREE tools to tell you how you measure up again the bad guys. Need more info on KnowBe4 check this out:
As a Watchguard Certified Training Partner, many times we know about new features and capabilities with the WatchGuard firewall products before the general public knows about them. Such was the case with a new module that WatchGuard released over the last couple of months in its Total Security Suite called Threat Detection and Response (TDR).
As you probably know, Ransomware is exponentially increasing in quantity and severity and has been very effective in doing its job by encrypting customer data and holding it hostage. Here is a quick WatchGuard video explaining the threat and vulnerability of Ransomware: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZbTFrmr_0E
If you are not familiar with ransomware, here is a really good video explaining what it is in English...the video features"Ransombear" as a cartoon character. This video is called "Ransombear is on the hunt": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEKAlupYgDc
Last week I saw a WatchGuard (WG) engineer demonstrate how extremely effective the WatchGuard firewall and TDR module were together in stopping Ransomware "dead in its tracks."
During this short demo, the WG engineer clicked on a real ransomware file and showed how the WG TDR not only stopped the ransomware but also showed information in a WG console which captured and explained what had just happened. There was nothing for the user to do, and you could see nothing happening. The WG TDR module simply just did its job and kept the ransomware from executing and encrypting files.
To prove that the Ransomware file was real, the WG engineer then turned off the TDR services on his Windows machine and then double-clicked the same file....and whoa la! Within a matter of a few seconds, a screen popped up letting us know that our files were now encrypted and showed us a ticking clock to let us know how much time we had remaining to pay the ransom.
Now, you can watch it too! Just visit my YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/ORqaWDvF5nQand you will get a chance to hear more about WatchGuard Threat Detection and Response, as well as watch the WG Sales Engineer, demonstrate how ransomware is stopped by the WatchGuard Threat Detection and Response Host Sensor.
Extremely effective! Up until now, I have had to explain that firewalls and anti-virus do little to nothing in protecting you against Ransomware...and could not detect, let alone, prevent a Ransomware attack. Now, we have WG Threat Detection and Response to detect and respond to threats like Ransomware. The new TDR module is available for laptops and desktops and is available as part of your Total Security Suite. TDR is very effective as endpoint protection and the best part is that TDR is effective even if you are operating on Windows or Linux and you are not physically behind a WG firewall!
If you own a WatchGuard firewall but don't know or understand how the TDR module works, give us a call at DCS Netlink -Toll-Free: 877-327-6385. Our WatchGuard certified engineers will help you determine how you can protect yourself and your network against Ransomware with the new WG TDR module.
Watch for our on-line WatchGuard Certified Training Partner seminar on the new TDR module.... Coming Soon!
