security Archives - Archsolution Limited

Information Security

Must-Have Information Security Solutions

Posted On February 28, 2025 at 12:00 am by webeditor2 / Comments Off on Must-Have Information Security Solutions

Securing your small business against information security threats is crucial, even with budget constraints. Here are affordable information security solutions, including open-source options and vendor tools suitable for small businesses:

1. Antivirus and Anti-Malware Software:

Recommended Tools: Bitdefender Total Security, Bitdefender GravityZone Security for Business, etc.
Open Source Alternative:
Free Alternative on Windows: Microsoft Defender

Why: Protects endpoints (computers, devices) from viruses, malware, and other malicious software.

2. Firewall Protection:

Recommended Tools: pfSense, Untangle NG Firewall (free version available), OPNsense.

Why: Guards your network against unauthorized access and malicious traffic. Helps in setting up VPNs, filtering content, and monitoring network activity.

3. Backup Solutions:

Recommended Tools: Veeam Backup & Replication (free for limited usage), Iperius Backup, etc.
Open Source Alternative: UrBackup

Why: Regularly backs up critical data to protect against data loss from ransomware or hardware failures.

4. Email Security:

Recommended Tools: MailScanner (open-source), SpamAssassin (open-source), MailWasher (free version available).

Why: Filters spam, phishing attempts, and malicious attachments from incoming emails.

5. Employee Training and Awareness:

Recommended Tools: Security awareness training platforms like KnowBe4, Cybrary, or use free resources like SANS Securing the Human.

Why: Educates employees about cybersecurity best practices, phishing scams, and how to recognize suspicious emails or links.

Minimum to Have Information Security Solutions

1. Password Management:

Recommended Tools: Bitwarden (open-source), LastPass (free version available), KeePass (open-source).

Why: Securely stores and manages passwords, reducing the risk of password-based attacks. 2. Patch Management:

Recommended Tools: WSUS (Windows Server Update Services) for Windows environments, ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus (free for up to 25 computers), or utilize built-in operating system update tools.

Why: Ensures operating systems and software applications are up-to-date with the latest security patches, minimizing vulnerabilities. 3. Web Browser Security:

Recommended Tools: uBlock Origin (browser extension, free), HTTPS Everywhere (browser extension, free), NoScript (browser extension, free).

Why: Enhances browser security by blocking malicious scripts, enforcing HTTPS connections, and reducing ads and tracking. 4. Network Monitoring:

Recommended Tools: Nagios Core (open-source), Zabbix (open-source), PRTG Network Monitor (free for up to 100 sensors).

Why: Monitors network traffic, devices, and services for unusual activity or potential security incidents.

Additional Tips

Implement a Written Security Policy: Define and communicate cybersecurity policies and procedures to employees.
Regularly Update and Patch Systems: Keep operating systems, software applications, and firmware updated to protect against known vulnerabilities.
Secure Wi-Fi Networks: Use strong passwords for Wi-Fi access points and consider using WPA2 or WPA3 encryption.
Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Add an extra layer of security for accessing critical systems or services.
Consider Cyber Insurance: Explore cyber insurance options to mitigate financial losses in case of a security breach.

By implementing these affordable information security solutions tailored to small businesses, you can significantly enhance your defenses against common threats like malware, phishing, and unauthorized access. Regularly review and update your security measures to adapt to evolving cybersecurity challenges and protect your business assets effectively.

Information Security

Affordable Cybersecurity Solutions for Small Businesses: Protecting Against Cyber Threats on a Budget

Posted On November 22, 2024 at 12:00 am by webeditor2 / Comments Off on Affordable Cybersecurity Solutions for Small Businesses: Protecting Against Cyber Threats on a Budget

Introduction:

In today's digital landscape, small businesses are increasingly becoming targets of cyber threats such as malware, viruses, worms, and ransomware. While the cost of high-end cybersecurity solutions like CheckPoint Firewall and Sophos Endpoints may be prohibitive for small businesses with limited budgets, there are several affordable and even open-source alternatives available. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore low-cost and open-source cybersecurity solutions that small businesses can leverage to protect themselves against cyber threats without breaking the bank.

Archsolution Limited

1. Understanding the Cyber Threat Landscape for Small Businesses:

1.1. Rising Cybersecurity Threats:

Small businesses are increasingly targeted by cybercriminals due to their perceived vulnerability and lack of robust cybersecurity measures.
Cyber threats such as phishing attacks, malware infections, and ransomware can cause significant financial losses, data breaches, and reputational damage to small businesses.

1.2. Importance of Cybersecurity for Small Businesses:

Cybersecurity is critical for small businesses to safeguard sensitive data, maintain customer trust, and ensure business continuity.
Investing in cost-effective cybersecurity solutions is essential for small businesses to mitigate risks and protect against cyber threats effectively.

2. Affordable Cybersecurity Solutions for Small Businesses:

2.1. Open-Source Firewall Solutions:

Open-source firewall solutions such as pfSense and OPNsense offer robust firewall capabilities at no cost.
These firewall platforms provide features such as network traffic monitoring, intrusion detection, and VPN support, allowing small businesses to secure their network perimeter effectively.

2.2. Endpoint Protection Software:

Instead of expensive endpoint protection suites, small businesses can opt for free or low-cost antivirus software such as Avast, AVG, or Bitdefender.
These antivirus solutions offer basic malware detection and removal capabilities, protecting endpoints from common cyber threats without the hefty price tag.

2.3 Security Awareness Training:

Educating employees about cybersecurity best practices is essential for small businesses to prevent social engineering attacks and phishing scams.
Free resources such as the Cybersecurity Awareness Training provided by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) can help small businesses train their workforce on identifying and responding to cyber threats effectively.

2.4. Open-Source Security Tools:

Small businesses can leverage open-source security tools such as Snort for network intrusion detection, Wireshark for packet analysis, and OpenVAS for vulnerability scanning.
These free security tools offer advanced capabilities for threat detection, analysis, and remediation, helping small businesses enhance their cybersecurity posture without incurring additional costs.

3. Best Practices for Implementing Affordable Cybersecurity Measures:

3.1. Conduct Risk Assessments:

Small businesses should conduct regular risk assessments to identify potential cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities.
By understanding their risk profile, small businesses can prioritize cybersecurity investments and allocate resources effectively to address the most critical areas of concern.

3.2. Implement Multi-Layered Security:

Instead of relying on a single security solution, small businesses should adopt a multi-layered approach to cybersecurity.
Combining firewall protection, endpoint security, email filtering, and security awareness training can create multiple barriers against cyber threats, reducing the likelihood of successful attacks.

3.3. Keep Software and Systems Updated:

Regularly updating software applications, operating systems, and security patches is essential for small businesses to mitigate security vulnerabilities.
By staying current with software updates and patches, small businesses can close known security loopholes and protect against emerging threats effectively.

3.4. Backup Data Regularly:

Implementing regular data backups is critical for small businesses to mitigate the impact of ransomware attacks and data breaches.
Small businesses should store backups securely and test restoration procedures periodically to ensure data integrity and availability in the event of a cyber incident.

Conclusion:

Cybersecurity is a pressing concern for small businesses facing an increasingly hostile threat landscape. While high-end cybersecurity solutions may be out of reach for small businesses with limited budgets, there are several affordable and open-source alternatives available. By leveraging cost-effective cybersecurity solutions, implementing best practices, and fostering a culture of cybersecurity awareness, small businesses can effectively protect themselves against cyber threats and safeguard their operations, customers, and reputation in today's digital world.

Productivity

IT Infrastructure Tips for Small Business #1 (Communication Tools)

Posted On March 31, 2020 at 4:25 pm by Web Admin / Comments Off on IT Infrastructure Tips for Small Business #1 (Communication Tools)

There are a number of articles being written for small businesses and will be published. During the Coronavirus crisis since 2020, there are lots of people working at home remotely. In the first article, it is going to discuss communication tools for remote work. WhatsApp / WeChat, etc. are not classified as communication tools for work and not to be discussed in this article. However, there are still lots of tools needed to be in-place like Remote Access, Sharing of document, etc. We will discuss them later in other articles with tips. There are many software able to do video conferencing with both freemium and paid software. It is important for this type of software with features below:

Screen Sharing
File Sharing
WebCam Connection
Computer Audio Connection (Mic+Speaker/ Headset)
Options for toll-free diag-in
Options for recording

We would like to introduce some of the choices as below: 1. Google Hangouts Let’s start with freemium first. This is again a free tool provided by the giant – Google. You can just type Google hangouts at google search. On the left hand side, you will see your contact list at the left hand side. Then, you can invite anyone to join the call.

2. Zoom Zoom is now the most popular conference call or even webinar services in the world. You can use Zoom free under some limitations like 40 minutes for multiple participants. However, you can also pick paid services with options to provide toll free calls across 100 countries with a lower price than WebEx.

Unfortunately, more users found that it is possible to expose the meeting to strangers without setting the security carefully. Also, Zoom had shared the meeting information with servers located in China. It is very sensitive for information leakage due to the American Chinese founder. In APR 2020 (latest update), they have fixed their security issues. 3. WebEx For me, it is still the number one in the market with its stability and security. However, it is still one of the most expensive one. For user outside UK or US, the price is extremely high for those corporations seeking with toll-free support.

Furthermore, Cisco WebEx is the pioneer for providing video conference solutions with the best security. So, it is better for businesses with higher budget. 4. Jitsi Meet This is an Open Source solution. You can use their service freely at https://meet.jit.si with starting a meeting room. Even anyone could start a meeting, but you can have your own password for the target participants to reach the unique meeting room for privacy & protection.

Also, you can have a choice to host the Jitsi at your own server and add security protection like authorized account to start a meeting. As many other open source solution, it is possible to integrate your own LDAP server for installation on-premises. We can help you or your organization to set up Jitsi-meet server with a very low charge. 5. Microsoft Teams If you are using office 365, you may have Microsoft Teams to connect to your team members or making calls. If you have Microsoft Teams available in your organization, you don’t need to shop around.

It is quite easy to manage and fully integrate with Microsoft Active Directory. For the functionalities, it is basically similar to WebEx but in a different user interface. 6. Others There are other different vendors providing similar monthly subscription plans like Zoom or Cisco including:

To conclude, it is better to have a big vendor for more resources available for the underlying infrastructure being invested by the vendor. Basically, all of these solutions could be used in PC (Windows), MAC OSX and even mobile devices. However, Jitsi Meet is an alternative for not paying any service charges to have your own solution with internal IT resources. For small team, it is possible to pick Google Hangouts – freemium version.

Productivity

Our Own Private Cloud

Posted On December 12, 2019 at 2:46 pm by Web Admin / Comments Off on Our Own Private Cloud

There are many different organizations moving their infrastructure and application to different cloud vendor. Once the platform is being built on 1 cloud vendor, it is difficult to move to another environment. In recent years, many business owners found that the cost on using cloud platform is more expensive than hosting their own infrastructure with the price increment but also the expensive database / big data storage charged by cloud vendors by the growing data volume. In order to maintain the scalability and flexibility, it is possible to host a private cloud environment free from "vendor lock-in". Moreover, it is very important to apply their own security policy easily at the private cloud and with serious security concerns on the public cloud or any other cloud services connecting to the Internet. This project is not only preparing our own private cloud environment for different applications but also a proof-of-concept for a data science consulting company. For building the platform, there are a number of physical servers leading different roles including control, compute, block storage and object storage nodes. Let’s see the architecture diagram as below.

Figure 1: Open Stack – Architecture for the Private Cloud in Archsolution Limited For hardware, they are basically listed below:

	Node	No of nodes	Configuration
1	Control	1	1Intel Xeon 2.2Ghz 10C20T, 64G Ram, 2 256G SSD
2	Compute	2	1Intel Xeon 2.2Ghz 10C20T, 256G Ram, 2 512G SSD
3	Block Storage	1	1Intel Xeon 2.2Ghz 10C20T, 32G Ram, 2 128G SSD 4* 1Tb SSD
4	Object Storage	2	1Intel Xeon 2.2Ghz 10C20T, 32G Ram, 2 128G SSD 6* 1Tb SSD

We are using our stock of Supermicro and ASRock mainboards with Team-group SSD. For system memory, we are using ECC registered memory with Mircon chipset. Also, the raid cards are all LSI (Broadcom) 9200-8i and 9200-16i with both battery module and the hardware key for the SATA SSD drives. We don’t take SAS disk drive due to the cost concerns. You can contact us to order any of these items. However, the SATA SSD is suggested to use either top-end models of Intel or Crucial for production environment. If you are going to invest SAS SSD, it is recommended to take Seagate Nytro series with many different choices for the disk size. This is the first time for all machine running on top of SSD storage. Also, this successful example is being replicated to a Data Science consulting company. We are helping them to deploy the solution at their lab and provide training to support their daily operations.

Figure 2: Open Stack architecture – for a data science consulting company The data science consulting company is aimed to build their own private cloud with open source technology for research and training purposes. There are some vital R&D projects like IoT and AI running in this platform. If it is required to have HADR, it is just needed to duplicate 1 set to another data center with the synchronization to maintain the information stored at near real-time basis. For the management of Open Stack cloud, we use chef and compass to maintain the daily operation for the private cloud. With the continuous development of Open Stack framework and improvement in different Linux distro, Open Stack is now a reliable and scalable platform without any software investment like VMWare / Citrix / Microsoft, etc. Thus, this is a promising solution for enterprise with HADR features and live deployment of VMs. All-in-all, the private cloud solution should be a good answer for the public cloud security concerns and also the flexibility & scalability within a corporate environment.