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Month: March 2020

The Risks of Rushing Remote Desktop Solutions: A COVID-19 Case Study

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The Scenario in Brief:

Our client performs medical billing services for their clients across the country and had recently acquired a new customer in New York. Each time they intake a new customer our team is engaged to set up secure remote access to that customer’s site.

Given the sensitivity of the data being accessed it was necessary to provide an extremely secure solution, compliant with HIPAA regulations. In this case we deployed remote access utilizing the SolarWinds Remote Monitoring & Management (RMM) platform, with the included Take Control software. This solution provides an encrypted connection protected by multiple factors of authentication to gain access.

As soon as this monitoring software was installed it began reporting attacks from a host of different public IP addresses from multiple countries. We know from experience that when this activity is seen, typically someone has forwarded Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)  port through the firewall, for simple (albeit insecure) remote access. One of the greatest dangers of utilizing this antiquated remote access methodology, is that it has become a go-to method for bad actors to infiltrate and launch ransomware attacks against the target.

This particular chiropractic customer had recently employed an acquaintance to implement this solution. Given that the state of New York was recently shutdown, they had little time to act or properly plan for this sudden change. Unfortunately, the party was either not thinking through the cybersecurity ramifications or perhaps was unaware that ransomware is often spread through open RDP ports.

The Solution:

Our team quickly consulted with the parties involved, and offered options, including alternative remote solutions that were flexible enough to fit their workflow of iPad’s and Windows devices. We also suggested engaging with a local IT company if that was their preference. The client was relieved to know that this attack was caught in time (even if it was outside of the scope of our initial intent) and the opportunity was given to avoid business disaster. This would have conceivably shut down their business in the short-term in the middle of an already difficult situation.

We are thankful we can help this business stay in business through an already difficult time.

The Lesson:

We know that everybody is scrambling to setup remote access but you could make a bad situation worse if it is not accomplished in a secure method. Contact your trusted IT provider, or find a firm that can help you. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.

PCS During the Coronavirus Outbreak

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March 17, 2020. Palitto Consulting Services wanted to make a statement about the Coronavirus situation. As we all know, many institutions and businesses closed in recent days. Life will change for some weeks, if not longer.

The impact this historic situation will have on businesses is significant. Our group of professionals is prepared to serve your business in any way possible in the weeks ahead.

In an email to our entire team over the weekend, Bryon Palitto stated, in part: “We care! The 5-way win demands that we each take responsibility for making sure every entity in every transaction that we are a part of is cared for.  Our core ideology is as important as ever in light of the current situation with COVID-19… We care about our customers and want to assist them all during this challenging time. They need their technology now as much or more than ever. We want to serve them to the best of our ability – safely! ”

Our team is ready to help. As an IT company, each of our team members are equipped to be productive from the office, from home, from virtually anywhere. We see it as our responsibility to help keep your systems up and running. We realize that this situation may cause some to want to use more advanced technology. We can help. We also realize that all this must be done while keeping a big focus on security.

On that note, we must all remain on high alert when it comes to security. Cybercriminals will try to take advantage of a bad situation and make it worse. A case in point is that Bloomberg is reporting that “The U.S. Health and Human Services Department suffered a cyber-attack on its computer system, part of what people familiar with the incident called a campaign of disruption and disinformation that was aimed at undermining the response to the coronavirus pandemic and may have been the work of a foreign actor” (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-16/u-s-health-agency-suffers-cyber-attack-during-covid-19-response). We cannot stress enough that we all must remain vigilant.

Some of our clients are no longer permitting vendors to access their facilities. We understand these decisions and will pursue more remote opportunities to support your business. Also, after hours’ on-location work may be possible, too.

It is not our role to comment on the specifics of the COVID-19 Outbreak. There are many helpful resources that are being updated. CDC is a good place to start: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

We care about our customers and their families. We care about our team members, partners, vendors and their families. We also care about our community. We will be praying for you and we have faith we will get through this. In the meantime, we are committed to helping in any way we can.

Please let us know how we can help.

7 Technology Areas to Consider in Remote-Work Business Continuity Scenarios

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Planning ahead is good business. Contingency planning is about being a responsible business manager and looking at the best ways to utilize available strategies to keep operations running smoothly in all conditions, including weather-related disruptions and societal issues and concerns.

Are you ready in the event of unforeseen operational disruptions? Take time to review or create your business continuity plan. Though there are many areas to a comprehensive plan, the focus of this article will be on today’s technology that allows for remote-work possibilities. A good plan means you and your employees will be able to telecommute without missing a beat. Here are seven elements a good strategy should include.

1. Remote-Work VPN and Data Access

To keep operations running smoothly, your employees will need access to data. However, you want to protect information. You need a balance. When creating a policy for remote work, include representatives from your IT department or reach out to us. Build a policy of information access and protection into your business continuity plan from the start.

2. Redundant Internet Connections

The internet is important to all areas of business, so having a backup plan is important in case your primary internet service fails. There are multiple benefits.

  • Operational continuity
  • Reduced data loss
  • Guaranteed internet access

For successful telecommuting, whether as a situational reaction or a general policy, companies need redundant internet connections.

3. Power Protection

Successful operations depend on steady supplies of power as well as internet access. All employees, whether working remotely or in the physical office, need adequate power protection for their devices. Work with team managers and your IT resources to develop a policy for choosing, distributing, and using quality power protectors, generators and/or other uninterruptible power supplies.

4. The Right Devices

Computers and other technological devices are excellent tools for getting modern work done, but you need to choose the best appliances for your situation and needs. Can your team members take their work devices off site and continue to work? Work with team managers, HR, and IT to choose the right set of technological tools for your company and employees.

5. Phone Capabilities

Depending upon your employees’ roles, you may need varying equipment.

  • Dedicated telephone landline
  • Landline telephone
  • Telephone headsets
  • Video conferencing
  • Webcams

Can you forward your incoming business phone number to individual cell phones? Can your team members call from their cell phones but with your company’s caller ID? It is important to have equipment and policies in place before an emergency or sudden situation causes an operational disruption.

6. Team Collaboration Tools

Thanks to technological advancements, there are many effective collaboration tools for remote workers. Frankly, they are great for interoffice communication as well.

  • Teams
  • Slack
  • Zoom
  • InVision

There are numerous other applications geared to specialized areas, depending upon your needs. With these platforms, you can keep daily operations running smoothly from your sofa.

7. Cloud Tools

Using the cloud to collect, store, and share data amongst your telecommuting employees can enhance your workflow. There are numerous tools to maximize the cloud’s possibilities for your business.

  • Flowdock
  • Yammer
  • Convo
  • Hackpad
  • MindMeister

If the cloud is used well with the best combination of tools, you can easily run a virtual office with remote workers.

Be Prepared

Be ready for unexpected interruptions. Palitto Consulting Services can help you build a solid business continuity plan. Whether you want a plan that can be adapted quickly in response to unexpected interruptions or want general flexibility in your company’s concept of the workplace, Palitto Consulting Services can help you create a powerful network to keep your operations flowing. Reach out today if you want to continue the discussion.