The Intersection of Healthcare and Innovation Health Information Technology (Health IT) is pivotal at the junction of healthcare and technology, involving a broad spectrum of digital solutions to manage patient data. This field is at the forefront of innovating for a safer, more efficient tomorrow. By enhancing the efficiency of healthcare providers, boosting the accuracy of diagnoses and treatments, and ensuring superior patient outcomes, Health IT revolutionizes data handling in healthcare. Understanding Health Information TechnologyHealth IT utilizes electronic systems to manage a vast array of health information, including electronic health records (EHRs), electronic medical records (EMRs), personal health records (PHRs), and electronic prescribing (e-prescribing). Its primary aim is to refine clinical workflows, reduce data handling errors, and foster a seamless exchange of patient information across various healthcare settings. Core Components of Health IT Electronic Health Records (EHRs): Serving as digital versions of traditional paper charts, EHRs provide real-time, patient-centered records that securely make critical medical histories and treatment data available to authorized care teams, thereby supporting informed healthcare decisions.HealthIT.gov shares there are many benefits to EHR including Benefits of Health IT. Telemedicine: Extending healthcare reach through telecommunications, Think Anew ensures that these technologies provide reliable, secure communication—crucial for effective telemedicine practices. This technology is particularly crucial for consistent medical service provision in remote areas. Health Information Exchange (HIE): HIE enhances the ability of healthcare professionals and patients to access and securely share essential medical information electronically, significantly improving the quality, safety, and cost-efficiency of patient care. How ProCern Enhances Healthcare through Health IT Collaborations with Industry Leaders: While ProCern does not directly offer EHR solutions, it collaborates with top-tier EHR providers to seamlessly integrate these systems into healthcare practices. This partnership ensures that providers have access to advanced technologies necessary for effective patient data management and regulatory compliance. Advancements in Telecommunications: With an eye on the evolving needs of healthcare, ProCern delivers sophisticated telecommunication solutions that enable providers to conduct remote consultations and follow-ups, thereby expanding access to care and bridging the gap in healthcare availability. Commitment to Data Security and Compliance: In response to increasing cyber threats, ProCern prioritizes the protection of patient data with robust cybersecurity measures. Adhering to stringent HIPAA regulations and privacy standards, the company ensures the integrity and security of sensitive patient information. Dedicated 24/7/365 Support and Training: Recognizing the importance of support, ProCern provides round-the-clock technical assistance and comprehensive training to healthcare providers. This ensures that healthcare teams are well-prepared to utilize Health IT tools effectively, reducing downtime and enhancing overall care delivery. Transforming Healthcare with TechnologyHealth IT is not merely about adopting new technologies; it’s about fundamentally transforming healthcare delivery. At the forefront of this transformation, ProCern offers innovative solutions that streamline operations, safeguard patient data, and improve patient care. As the healthcare sector evolves, we are committed to delivering superior Health IT services that address the challenges of today and pave the way for a healthier tomorrow.
What are MFA, 2FA, and why do we need them? “Something you know, something you have, something you are.” This is stated by Multi-Factor Authentication enthusiasts all over the web. They are ways of identifying yourself for the purpose of gaining access to a system. Examples of these would be your username/password combination, a OTP (One Time Password) sent be SMS or authenticator app, and biometrics. 2FA is of course a subset of MFA. It uses two factors to authenticate your logon. AND NO, USERNAME + PASSWORD ARE NOT TWO FACTORS. Compared to single factor authentication, MFA ensures that your accounts are much better protected. “99.9% less likely to be compromised” is found on Microsoft based on their records of 99.9% of compromised accounts not using MFA. This was stated by Alex Weinert, Director of Identity Security at Microsoft at a recent cyber security conference. Perhaps even more disturbing is that there is ONLY AN 11% MFA ADOPTION RATE AMONG ENTERPRISE CLOUD USERS. It’s not like we keep important data in our business emails. We also don’t use these same emails as recovery addresses for other business related online accounts. Joking aside, we are almost asking for security breaches. Related: What’s in a Name? Importance of Good Password Habits Why aren’t you using Multi-factor Authentication? We live in times where ransomware, social engineering, and other cyber attacks are on the rise. By not utilizing multi-factor authentication, you are doing the equivalent of using 1-2-3-4-5 as your combination on your luggage. Something almost as bad is re-using the same couple of passwords everywhere. Your password expired? Just update it from SecurePW1! to SecurePW2@ and it will meet complexity requirements and be super secure, right? The practical issue with using very complicated passwords is that they are very difficult to remember by design. This is where a password manager is very helpful. You don’t want to be the person with a bunch of sticky notes on your monitor with login credentials written on them. Combined with a complicated password, using MFA will make it much harder for bad actors to impersonate you. Most online services these days give the option of enabling multi-factor authentication. Examples are business apps like Office 365, Google Apps/Gmail, your work’s VPN application, and even personal apps like your bank, Amazon, or Facebook offer this. Your password manager is also a very good candidate to enable MFA. How can you get started? First, you need another factor for authentication. Hardware devices such as RSA SecureID or Yubico’s YubiKey are good choices if you really want to take things seriously. You can also just use an app. Popular apps such as Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, Authy, and Lastpass Authenticator are all good examples. Next, head over to your favorite application and log in. Usually in the same place in the settings area where you would change a password, there should be an option to enable 2FA/MFA/2-step verification/etc. While you’re at it, you should probably change your password if it isn’t complex or you haven’t done so in a while. Just follow the instructions to enable MFA. This will vary slightly depending on application. In general, you’ll select your authenticator app or hardware key when prompted. If using an authenticator app, you will need to scan a QR code to add that account. Once you complete the setup, enjoy knowing that your security posture has been greatly improved. Need help enabling MFA on your business applications such as Microsoft 365 or your VPN client? Contact us today. Our friendly ProCern engineers are here to help!
What VPN services are a Good Fit for you? I am certain that many people are familiar with the concept of a VPN or virtual private network. They are used to gain access to a corporate network while traveling or at home. I would assert though that few are familiar with the growing market of personal VPN providers who target non-commercial entities and individuals. According to Grand View Research: The global virtual private network market size was estimated at USD 41.33 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 151.92 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 17.7% from 2023 to 2030. This emerging market has many players. Understanding which to use can be quite confusing to someone who is not well informed on the topic. We will explore the concepts of how they differ from the often-provided corporate VPN’s. As well as discuss how to use them to protect your private information aside from how the company protects itself. Corporate vs. Personal VPN Most business travelers do utilize corporate VPN connections to gain access to company files and services. When the traffic is not destined to the business networks, the traffic is not tunneled back to the home office. This configuration is called split tunneling. It is a very common configuration. Network engineers configure this so that users will not saturate the VPN concentrators with YouTube, Netflix and other non-business-related traffic. Additionally, as business travelers it is incumbent on us to use company assets such as bandwidth in a manner which is in line with our companies’ policies. How do the personal VPN services work? Most if not all personal VPNs use a client-based software to encapsulate and encrypt the traffic. This makes it very hard to unscramble if someone is capturing data from an open network. The other mechanism used is to proxy the traffic to a third party where it is then sent to the eventual destination. The proxy or redirect mechanism ensures that the transmitted information doesn’t contain the public IP of the coffee shop or public network but the source IP address of the proxy service. This is important when connecting to financial institutions that monitor the public IP address that you normally connect from. If for some reason another person attempts to connect to your bank account through the bank’s web portal, the bank would notice that it is not the normal public IP address that you would typically connect from and disallow the login attempt. Who are they for? Firstly, who should use a personal VPN? The answer is anyone who regularly uses free and open Wi-Fi at public places. Anytime you connect to the coffee shop Wi-Fi or to a hotels guest network connection, you are often at risk of someone intercepting the unencrypted traffic you are sending and receiving. This vulnerability has existed for many years and is called a, “man in the middle attack”. This sort of intrusion used to be carried out by very skilled hackers but these days the attack is very well documented. Toolkits to exploit these common scenarios are being used by very unskilled characters. Personal VPNs circumvent the vulnerabilities of open networks by using encapsulation and traffic proxying so that the connection is more secure and free from prying eyes. Good rules to live by regarding when you should use a VPN include: Are you logging in to a private or personal account of any kind? Are you transmitting information that is proprietary? Is there personal or customer information being transmitted? Is banking or financial information being received? If any of these conditions exist, I would recommend using a personal VPN to protect yourself. The many protective and anonymizing mechanisms that the VPNs employ would allow you to safely transmit and receive any data without the risk of intrusion. This article from PCMag.com gives a great overview of how VPNs work and how each VPN company compared to the others. How can ProCern help? At ProCern, our expertise and offerings focus on corporate VPNs and other firewall services. We find it equally important that our clients and partners understand the risks involved when not utilizing some protective measures when they connect to open public Wi-Fi systems. We have all heard of the unlucky Hollywood stars who have had their personal accounts targeted or hacked at great expense to themselves. Reputations are very important in business and in private life. Remember that the weakest link is not the traffic we monitor, it is the traffic we do not.
Shielding Your Healthcare Facility from Ransomware Menaces In today’s cyber landscape, ransomware poses a severe threat, particularly to healthcare providers. Nursing facilities, given their nature, are prime targets. These attacks not only compromise sensitive patient data but can also endanger the well-being of patients. This blog delves into how ransomware has previously infiltrated nursing facilities helping readers to better understand how to shield against ransomware. Understanding Ransomware Ransomware is malicious software that encrypts data until a ransom is paid. For healthcare facilities, it’s catastrophic: Patient Safety: Attacks disrupt medical systems, jeopardizing patient care. Data Compromise: Patient privacy is at risk with stolen or compromised data. Financial Consequences: Ransom payments and recovery efforts can be costly. Ransomware often infiltrates nursing facilities through: Phishing Emails: Staff may inadvertently click on a malicious link in an email. Credential Theft: Employees enter credentials into malicious sites that appear genuine. Unsecured Devices: Personal devices or equipment lacking adequate security can be easy entry points. 1. Regular Backups: Data’s Safety Net Ensuring data can be recovered is vital: Frequent Backups: Automate backups of vital data, including patient records. Test Restores: Periodically validate the integrity of backup data. 2. Network Segmentation: Divide and Conquer Isolate critical systems to limit ransomware movement: Identify Critical Systems: Isolate crucial systems dedicated to patient care. Access Control: Authorize access only to essential personnel. Monitoring and Alerts: Employ monitoring to detect unusual activity. 3. Security Patch Management: Stay Updated Outdated software invites ransomware. Effective patch management is crucial: Routine Updates: Keep systems and software up-to-date to fix vulnerabilities. Automated Patching: Automate patching for timely updates. Vulnerability Scanning: Regular scans to identify and fix weaknesses. 4. INCIDENT RESPONSE PLAN: READY, SET, RESPOND Prepare for ransomware incidents: Plan Development: Outline steps for incident response, contacts, and system isolation. Employee Training: Educate staff on roles during a ransomware incident and prompt reporting. Testing and Drills: Simulate ransomware incidents to validate your response plan. In conclusion, ransomware presents a palpable danger to healthcare, especially nursing facilities. By grasping its infiltration methods and fortifying defenses through data backups, network segmentation, security patching, and an all-encompassing incident response strategy, you enhance protection. Always prioritize patient data safety. Stay vigilant, secure, and resilient against the looming menaces of ransomware. The welfare of your residents and patients as well as the reputation of your organization hinge on it.
A Brief History of Workplace Changes How many changes or transformations has IT undergone in the past decade? Evolution of the World Wide Web – from JavaScript to Squarespace. Virtualization brings on consolidation. AI and machine learning. Big Data becoming bigger and faster. Centralized model vs decentralized model vs Cloud model. Cloud, cloud, cloud. Microsoft’s Workplace Change Business has been historically transacted in the traditional sense, on premises offices, on premises staff, and on premises infrastructure (both hardware and software). Sure, there have always been the need for remote users, but always the outlier. Business has strived for collaboration. This was typically done again through on premises means: a conference room, a white board, face to face communication, and that old dinosaur, the printer. In 2017, Microsoft launched an initiative to achieve a mission of empowering every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. To accomplish this mission, they decided they would need to transform the way they do IT. Microsoft had operated like a traditional IT shop, highly reactive to circumstances and more focused on the technology and the experience. The team transformed to be “vision-led” focused on building and deploying the right solutions to meet the needs of people, not just deploying the latest technology. “That transformation culminated with our transition to becoming Microsoft Digital Employee Experience. At the core of that transformation is an obsession with the needs of our employees that transcends tools and infrastructure and extends to the entirety of their daily experience, from the day they’re hired to their eventual retirement. We steward their digital experience through every dimension of their employment, ensuring they have the devices, applications, services, and infrastructure needed to be productive on the job no matter where they are or what they do.” (Microsoft, 2022) From that experience, Microsoft introduced The Modern Workplace in 2018. Virtualizing the workplace utilizing Microsoft 365, and other online work platforms that provide all the applications, storage, and communication solutions a team needs to get their work done from wherever they have an internet connection. Then, not a foreign concept but definitely not mainstream. Enter the pandemic. Now, a very mainstream concept, in fact, most every organization on the planet is already there or trying to figure out how to get there. The pandemic was a massive shove for the technology world, a shock to the system which required immediate access for teams to get their work done from wherever they have an internet connection – the very definition of Microsoft’s Modern Workplace. One great example of this shove was Microsoft Teams – the ability to have a meeting and collaborate from anywhere with a connection. Many a business were able to get through the pandemic with the help of Microsoft Teams. What is The Modern Workplace? As previously stated, the Microsoft Modern Workplace is made up of online platforms which provide applications, storage, and communications to provide the employees they need to be successful. These tools reside within Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Azure. For this blog, we are focusing on Microsoft 365. Microsoft 365 can be broken down into two segments: Communication and Collaboration; and Productivity and Automation. Communication and Collaboration products are best known by their common names: Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) and Teams. Productivity and Automation products are best known by the Power Suite (Power Apps, Power Automate, and PowerBI). Both groups riding atop Office 365 Groups, Microsoft Graph, and Security and Compliance. Microsoft Modern Workplace Licensing Navigating Microsoft licensing can be a very daunting task. Organizations are often unsure of where to begin when going through the licensing options. Achieving the Modern Workplace comes in many different shapes and sizes, and most of the time there are different licensing options for each. Most case studies referenced by Microsoft share the same beginning steps. 1. Establish anywhere working and collaboration and 2. Microsoft Teams. Step 1 is usually Office/Microsoft 365 and Step 2 is self-explanatory, Microsoft Teams. Now the trick is figuring those out: Microsoft 365 Business Premium For SMBs 1-300 employees Apps Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote OneDrive (1 TB storage per user) Teams Services Exchange Online SharePoint Online Additional Intune Microsoft Defender Azure Information Protection Azure AD Premium P1 Azure Virtual Desktop Office 365 E3 Unlimited number of employees Apps Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote OneDrive (1 TB storage per user) Teams Services Exchange Online SharePoint Online Office 365 E5 Everything included with Office 365 E3 plus: Microsoft Teams Phone System Power BI Pro Cloud 365 App Security Audio Conferencing Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 2 Advanced compliance Microsoft 365 E3 Unlimited number of employees Apps Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote OneDrive (1 TB storage per user) Teams Services Exchange Online SharePoint Online Additional Intune Microsoft Defender Azure Information Protection Azure AD Premium P1 Azure Virtual Desktop Power Apps for 365 OneDrive for Work Endpoint Configuration Manager Many more Microsoft 365 E5 Everything included with Microsoft 365 E3 plus: Microsoft Teams Phone System Power BI Pro Cloud 365 App Security Audio Conferencing Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 2 Advanced compliance Obviously, these are some summary explanations of common license packages. But it does show how complex the choosing the right licenses can be? I definitely recommend having an expert, a Microsoft Partner, such as ProCern to assist in your version of the Microsoft Modern Workplace.
Never take email security for granted. Healthcare organizations use emails daily in the workplace. With so much information going around your email hub, it would be a shame to have people outside your professional and social circle get into your protected information. Unfortunately, that may be the case. If a scammer somehow gets in your head and convinces you to click that forbidden link, it could, more or less, open a gap in your network–a gap big enough for them to invade. ProCern ensures you another layer of encryption to secure your emails further. Still, greed is the fatal weapon of hackers and nosy competitors. However, basic email security practices can go a long way in protecting your information from thousands of threats. Basic Email Security Practices Use a strong email password. Many people use “123456” as their email password. Either that or they go full-send with “123456789”. Robbers don’t spend their time smashing in your door. They spend most of their efforts picking the lock. Your password serves the same purpose. The easier your password is, the more likely they will breach your account. ProCern requires strong passwords for your work email account. Use multi-factor authentication Multi-factor authentication is another shield to your account–a second lock on the door. ProCern has multi-factor authentication in place for your organization. What does this mean? Suppose a hacker manages to guess your “123456” password. In that case, they’d be stopped by your multi-factor authentication–meaning there’s still a code they must enter before they get a sneak peek of your emails. Usually, these codes are sent to you by SMS, email, voice calls, or time-based one-time password (TOTP) apps. Look out for “Phishing Emails” Inspired by great outdoor activity, “phishing emails” is one of the many ways hackers steal your account information. Like in fishing, you are baited by emails requiring you to “log in” to your account. But, realistically, you’re putting your email, password, and potentially other sensitive information into their systems. The most common phishing emails claim that they’re from the service providers you use—such as your bank, Amazon or PayPal. Suppose you don’t pay attention to the email address, tone of voice, and even the email’s grammar. In that case, you’re bound to lose business email security. Another type to look out for is from c-level users of your organization. Hackers will pose as these c-level people, attempting to retrieve financial information or gift cards. Don’t fall victim to these scams. Don’t open attachments from unknown sources. We cannot stress this topic enough. If you are not expecting an email from the sender with the attachment, send the email to your trash bin and empty the trash bin. If you know the sender, sometimes sending a separate email or calling them to verify that they sent the attachment can clarify. Never access emails from public WiFi. Accessing emails from public WiFi is like yelling your Facebook password at a mall. As you may be aware by now, public WiFis are never safe. You might as well have invited the hacker straight into your network. These cybercriminals only need basic software to know what information is passing through that network. To avoid this from happening, encourage your peers and fellow employees to use mobile internet or secured private WiFi connections whenever they’re outside the office. Mobile internet may not be as fast, but it’s safer than public WiFi services. Change your password as often as possible. You might be used to not changing passwords because it’s inconvenient to remember the changes. Still, the professional side of the world isn’t forgiving at all. One of the most simple email security practices is regularly changing your passwords. Password leaks and data breaches happen yearly. However, cybercriminals tend to sit it out for a while before attacking again. So treat your password as your first line of defense, and change it every six months to further refine your shield. Log out of your email account when you’re finished. When you finish your tasks using your account, log out of your account, especially if using a shared device. Forgetting to log out of a shared or unfamiliar device is like giving the keys to your car away.
Recovery Question Attacks Is that a thing? Yes, it’s a thing. Recovery question attacks are a terrible extension of the downgrade class of attacks. When signing up for websites, they require you to create multiple “recovery questions” and/or answers. You can’t complete the initial account setup without agreeing to use and populate the answers to those questions. These recovery questions often include questions such as “Mother’s Maiden Name,” “Father’s Middle Name,” “Favorite Teacher,” “First Car,” and so on. You’re probably wondering what the problem is with this method. There are several problems. Some recovery questions can be guessed on the first try 20% of the time 40% of people were unable to recall their own recovery answers successfully 6% of answers could be found in a person’s social media profile It is essential to point out that Google, Microsoft, and other vendors who understand how lousy recovery questions are for authentication no longer use them. If your MFA solution allows less secure alternative authentication methods, your authentication is only as strong as the weakest method. Related: What’s in a Name? Importance of Good Password Habits The solution is never to use them if you can avoid them. If recovery questions are required, never answer them correctly. Instead, makeup something similar to a long password, using combinations of letters, symbols, and numbers. Make it unique for each recovery answer, never repeating an answer or using an existing password (of any account), and store it in a password manager or a “representative” form elsewhere. Sometimes you can’t avoid using the recovery answers method. Still, you can make it difficult for anyone else to figure out, providing an additional layer of protection on your online accounts. Source: (KnowBe4) 12+ Ways to Hack Multi-Factor Authentication by Roger Grimes
Recognizing, Defending, and Staying Informed about Voice Phishing In this dynamic digital age, technology evolves at a rapid pace, bringing along with it ever-evolving tactics employed by cybercriminals. One threat in this landscape is vishing – short for voice phishing. In this blog post, we’ll explore vishing attacks, understanding what they are, how they target healthcare facilities, and most importantly, how you can protect your organization. What is Vishing? Vishing, or voice phishing, is a form of social engineering in which cybercriminals impersonate legitimate entities over phone calls to manipulate individuals into divulging confidential information or taking harmful actions. Attackers often pose as trusted parties, such as colleagues, IT support, or even law enforcement, to establish a sense of credibility and urgency. Types of Vishing 1. AI-based Vishing:AI-based vishing involves the use of artificial intelligence to create highly convincing voice recordings or even interactive conversations. Attackers use AI to mimic human speech patterns and inflections, making these vishing attempts difficult to detect as automated. 2. Robocall:A robocall is an automated phone call that delivers a pre-recorded message to the recipient. These calls can impersonate legitimate organizations or entities, enticing individuals to reveal personal information or take specific actions. 3. VoIP Vishing:VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) vishing involves using internet-based calling services to execute phishing attempts. Attackers exploit these services to imitate genuine calls from banks, government agencies, or other trusted organizations. 4. Caller ID Spoofing:Caller ID spoofing involves altering the information displayed on the recipient’s caller ID to mask the true origin of the call. Attackers use this technique to display a familiar number, such as a bank’s customer service line, or even a local area phone number, to gain the target’s trust. 5. Tech Support Call:In a tech support vishing scam, the attacker poses as a tech support representative from a reputable company, claiming that the target’s device has an issue or security threat. 6. Voice Mail Scam:In a voice mail scam, the attacker leaves a seemingly urgent or important voice mail message prompting the target to call back a specified number. 7. Client Call:A client call vishing attack involves impersonating a client or customer to deceive employees within an organization. Common Vishing Scenarios in Healthcare Healthcare facilities are particularly vulnerable to vishing attacks due to the sensitive nature of patient data and the urgency that often surrounds medical matters. Here are some common vishing scenarios to be aware of: IT Support Scams:Attackers pretend to be IT personnel and claim there is a critical issue with the facility’s systems, urging staff to provide login credentials or download malicious software. Patient Information Requests:Impersonating regulatory agencies or insurance providers, Vishers may request sensitive patient information, often under the guise of a compliance audit or insurance verification. Staff or Physician Impersonation:Criminals might pose as colleagues or physicians, seeking access to patient records or prescription information. Training your Staff to Recognize Vishing Attempts The effectiveness of vishing attacks often hinges on employees’ lack of awareness. To protect your facility, consider following staff training initiatives: Raise Awareness:Educate your staff about the existence of vishing threats and the potential consequences. Make sure they understand that legitimate organizations typically don’t request sensitive information over the phone. Caller Verification:Encourage employees to verify the identity of callers by asking for their full name, department, and a callback number. Independent verification is crucial. Avoid Rushed Decisions:Train staff to resist pressure tactics and to take the time to think critically before sharing any sensitive information. Implementing Secure Call Handling Procedures Establishing secure call handling procedures is essential to mitigate vishing risks. Consider the following: Verification Protocols:Create a protocol for verifying the legitimacy of callers who request sensitive information or actions. Authorization Levels:Limit access to sensitive information and actions based on employees’ roles and responsibilities. Record Keeping:Maintain records of all calls, especially those involving sensitive matters. This can be helpful for later verification. Vishing threats in healthcare are very real and they are evolving. By understanding what Vishing is, and knowing common Vishing scenarios, you’re already ahead in the game. It is a great idea to implement secure call handling procedures and train your staff to recognize Vishing attempts. After all, protecting sensitive patient information and maintaining organization operations are top priorities. Stay informed, vigilant, and safe!
Safeguard Yourself and Your Patients’ Information In today’s digital age, where technology has revolutionized the healthcare industry, healthcare professionals must prioritize online safety and security. ProCern is here to provide you with essential tips and best practices to protect your sensitive data and maintain a secure online presence. So, let’s dive into internet safety and discover how to safeguard yourself and your patients’ information. 1. Protecting Patient Privacy: As a healthcare professional, safeguarding patient privacy is paramount. Adhere to HIPAA regulations and take the following steps to maintain patient confidentiality: Ensure your devices, such as laptops and smartphones, are encrypted and password protected. Use secure communication channels, such as encrypted email or secure messaging platforms, when exchanging patient information. Avoid discussing patient details in public spaces or over unsecured Wi-Fi networks. 2. Secure Password Practices: Strong passwords act as the first line of defense against unauthorized access. Implement these practices to fortify your online accounts: Create unique, complex passwords for each account and consider using a reputable password manager to store them securely. Opt for longer passwords with a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever available to provide an extra layer of security. 3. Beware of Phishing Attacks: Phishing attacks continue to be a significant threat. Stay vigilant and educate yourself on how to recognize and avoid them: Be wary of unsolicited emails, messages, or calls requesting sensitive information. Verify the sender’s identity before sharing any personal or confidential data. Avoid clicking on suspicious links or opening attachments from unknown sources. Instead, hover over links to verify their destination before clicking. Report any suspicious emails or phishing attempts to your IT department or security team. 4. Keep Software Updated: Regularly updating your software is crucial for maintaining a secure digital environment. Follow these steps: Keep your operating system, antivirus software, web browsers, and applications updated with the latest security patches. Enable automatic updates whenever possible to ensure you have the latest protection against vulnerabilities. 5. Educate and Train Staff: Incorporate regular training and education sessions to empower your healthcare staff to make informed decisions regarding online security. Topics to cover may include: Recognizing phishing attempts and other social engineering tactics. Best practices for secure data sharing and communication. Strategies for maintaining strong passwords and implementing MFA. Internet safety is an ongoing responsibility for healthcare professionals who handle sensitive patient information. By implementing the above tips and staying informed about the latest online threats, you can help protect yourself, your patients, and your organization from cyber risks. We are committed to supporting your journey towards a secure digital landscape at ProCern. Don’t hesitate to contact our dedicated team for expert guidance and customized solutions tailored to the healthcare industry. Let’s prioritize online security and ensure a safe digital environment for healthcare professionals and patients. Together, we can embrace the benefits of technology while maintaining the highest standards of privacy and data protection. Stay safe, stay secure! Are you looking for Managed IT Services for your long-term care facility or organization? Contact ProCern today!
Have you ever received an email from your boss asking for a quick favor? Maybe it’s an urgent request for confidential information or a sudden need for gift cards. Before you jump into action, take a moment to look closer. Phishing emails impersonating your boss are becoming increasingly common, and cybercriminals are getting crafty with their latest tricks. The Face of Phishing These scammers are spoofing emails addresses to make it look like the message is coming from someone important–like your CEO or a trusted partner from another company you work with or have worked with. The name might display correctly, but if you check the email address, it’s more than likely an “off” email address, like a random Gmail account or a slightly misspelled company domain. Another common scam circulating is an email that appears to share a document with you. It might say something like, “John Doe has shared a document with you. Click to see.” The link, however, directs you to a phishing or pharming site designed to steal your login credentials. They’re Getting Smarter, But Mistakes Still Happen In the past, fishing, emails were often riddled with spelling mistakes and poor grammar, making them easier to spot. While many scammers have improved their tactics–sometimes even using AI tools to polish their messages–errors still slipped through. Spelling mistakes, awkward, phrasing, or unusual sentence structures can be red flags. However, even if the email looks polished, there’s another telltale sign: the tone and style of writing. You know how your boss or colleagues typically communicate. If an email’s tone seems off–maybe it’s unusually formal, overly friendly, or just doesn’t “sound” like them–that’s a warning sign. Trust your instincts if something feels out of place. Why This Works How to Spot the Fakes Reporting Suspicious Emails Safely If you suspect an email is a phishing attempt, it’s crucial to report it to your IT department safely: This will automatically report the email to Microsoft and your organization’s security team, helping to protect others from the same threat. Stay One Step Ahead Cyber threats are constantly evolving, but staying informed is your best defense. Always take a moment to scrutinize unexpected emails, especially those asking for sensitive actions. Remember, even if an email looks polished, inconsistencies in tone, unusual requests, or spelling and grammar errors are warning signs.Stay safe and stay savvy!
What is Linux? Strictly speaking, Linux is the kernel, or core of Linux distributions. I like to think of the Linux kernel like the base plate for Legos. It’s where all other pieces attach to. A distribution, or “distro” for short, is a complete operating system including a kernel, packages, package managers, and everything else needed. In other words, distros are pre-assembled building block sets depending on user preference and needs. Red Hat, SUSE, and Ubuntu are examples of some of the more popular distros. There are too many others to list here, but here are some resources to give you an idea. Resource One Resource Two Linux Use Cases As a long time Linux user, I can understand why it didn’t take off as a general purpose operating system like MS Windows. There are just too many choices, differences between those choices, and perceived lack of standardization. There’s also the reputation of being difficult to use. Why then would anyone want to use Linux, instead of Microsoft Windows or Mac OS X for example? Like the number of distros, the number of Linux use cases is also very extensive, so I’ll cover just a few popular ones. IoT Open source software is typically free, though some commercially backed distros such as RHEL do charge subscription fees. Linux runs on many different types of hardware such as IoT devices, personal computers, networking equipment, load balancers, supercomputers, and just about anything it seems. It can run on very low end or less common hardware. This makes it perfect for IoT devices, where processing power may be limited, and cost needs to be kept down. Related: Linux Logical Volume Manager Overview “The Cloud” It also powers very high end hardware, including much of what powers “the cloud.” Servers powering the internet need a reliable operating system that can run continuously without downtime, while maintaining a high level of security. There are far fewer circumstances in which Linux based OSes require a reboot. Though I wouldn’t recommend it for most use cases, it is certainly possible for Linux devices to run continuously for YEARS without a reboot. It is also much easier to avoid viruses and malware. This is great for web servers, databases, load balancers, routers, switches, firewalls, storage servers, virtual machine hypervisors, and many other pieces of critical IT infrastructure. Containers The trend to “containerize” everything has taken the world by storm. Though MS Windows containers are now an option, until recently Linux was your only option. It is a much more mature platform for containers. There is much better documentation and support for containers on Linux. It is much lighter weight which allows for much denser deployments, as well as portability. One example of a popular container OS is Alpine Linux . ” It is built around musl libc and busybox. This makes it smaller and more resource efficient than traditional GNU/Linux distributions. A container requires no more than 8 MB and a minimal installation to disk requires around 130 MB of storage. Not only do you get a fully-fledged Linux environment but a large selection of packages from the repository.” AI AI, machine learning, and deep learning are also getting a lot of attention these days. Linux offers a number of advantages in this space, including better integration with containers. There are many examples and lots of documentation to help someone building an AI project on Ubuntu for example. Want to train your model in the cloud, but deploy at the edge to a low powered IoT device and/or container? You will likely have a much easier time, along with better and more predictable results on Linux. If you are considering an IoT or AI project, and/or the infrastructure required to support it, ProCern has the expertise. Schedule an assessment today, we’d love to help!
Deciding on the Best Solution For Your Infrastructure When making the decision on what is the best solution for your infrastructure, there are a few popular options available. Options include Converged, Hyperconverged, and Disaggregated Hyperconverged. Depending on the size and complexity of your environment, this will impact which infrastructure you may choose. Choosing between the different available architectures means having a complex understanding of both the current deployments in your data center and the scaling factors impacting your organization specifically. Converged Infrastructure IT Sprawl is still a very real issue for data centers. It leads to increased costs, reduced efficiency, and less flexibility. A converged infrastructure (CI) helps with this by creating a virtualized resource hub. It increases overall efficiencies across the data center using a single integrated IT management system. A converged infrastructure (CI) aims to optimize by grouping multiple components into a single system. Servers, networks, and storage are placed on a single rack. Replacing the old silos of hardware, convergence allows IT to become more efficient by sharing resources and simplifying system management. This efficiency helps keep costs down and systems running smoothly. On the flip side, it is expensive and not the most flexible in scaling. While converged infrastructure is effective in small-scale environments, most mid-market and enterprise organizations are limited by this architecture. Its hardware is proprietary in nature and it ineffectively distributes resources at scale. Hyperconverged Infrastructure Hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) was designed to fix the scalability issue, and it certainly improved things. Designed as a building-block approach, HCI allows IT departments to add in the nodes (i.e., servers, storage, or computing) as needed. It continues to simplify management by placing all controls under a single user interface. Hyperconverged infrastructure, by leveraging commodity products across the board, significantly disrupted the financial dynamics. It was radically less expensive, at least initially than converged infrastructure while still providing most of the benefits. Most organizations today use either a traditional CI or HCI Deployment. There are benefits and advantages to both. While HCI has many benefits, there are some significant disadvantages. For quickly growing businesses that need an easy-to-manage architecture that embeds as many elements of modern-day computing – like disaster recovery, security, and cloud, this may not be the best solution. Hyperconverged solutions have use cases where they do not fit. This has caused problems for customers who disrupted operations by not realizing the impact some workloads would have. While more scalable than CI, HCI still requires the interdependent growth of storage and servers. That’s a challenge with the types of workloads companies use today. It’s hard to argue with the manageability and scalability advantages of traditional HCI platforms. IDC predicts that the HCI market revenue will grow at a CAGR of 25.2% to crest $11.4 billion in 2022. As HCI has matured, enterprises have been looking to use it to host a broader set of workloads. There are still workloads whose performance, availability, and/or capacity demands encourage the use of an architecture that allows IT managers to scale compute and storage resources independently. A storage solution that is better for workloads whose growth is very dynamic and unpredictable. Disaggregated HyperConverged (dHCI) Enter in the latest solution, Disaggregated Hyperconverged infrastructure. Disaggregated hyperconverged infrastructure (dHCI) combines the simplicity of CI and the speed of HCI to create a more resilient, evolved data center architecture. There are numerous benefits to dHCI. The biggest value proposition most attractive to users today is disaster recovery as a service or DRaaS. While not every workflow can run on a hyperconverged infrastructure, they can on a dHCI. That’s part of what makes it appealing. It doesn’t come with the restrictions of its predecessors. Ultimately, disaggregated HCI leverages similar components to converged infrastructure but leverages modern infrastructure automation techniques to enable automated, wizard-based deployment and simple, unified management at similar costs to HCI. With dHCI, IT teams are able to focus on support and service delivery while Artificial Intelligence (AI) takes care of infrastructure management. The rise in size and complexity of data centers means that such an intelligent solution will help firms get maximum Returns on Investment (RoI) in IT equipment. dHCI is in demand for IT managers who want the simplicity of HCI and the flexibility of converged. dHCI is simple to deploy, manage, scale and support. It is software-defined so compute and storage are condensed and managed through vCenter with full-stack intelligence from storage to VMs and policy-based automation for virtual environments are integrated throughout. Want to learn more about these infrastructure solutions and discover which one is a good fit for your organization, request a consultation today with ProCern.