Integrating Low-Code and No-Code
platforms with Legacy Systems

If you are using a Low-code or No-code platform, you may have faced difficulty accessing data from legacy systems like old databases and software modules. Such a challenge can stall your entire progress.
We at Metaorange Digital have brought you a few approaches to help integrate your low-code and no-code platforms with legacy systems.

Introduction to Low-Code and No-Code Platforms

Low Code and No Code systems are software development platforms that use libraries to create systems without the need for coding or minimal coding. These libraries are popular, but a growing challenge for them is to integrate with legacy systems that cannot be modernized for several reasons.

The popularity of low-code/no-code platforms is on the rise, driven by their numerous advantages. With the current market estimated to be worth $22.5 billion and growing worldwide, this trend shows no sign of slowing down. Some of the key growth drivers include freelancers, small-scale developers, small business owners, citizen developers, and students.

Popular applications like WordPress, Zapier, Airtable, Webflow, etc., enable even non-technical staff, entrepreneurs, and business professionals to create stunning websites, software, and other systems. Low-code and No-code platforms also help companies develop faster software, resulting in fewer errors.

The global market for low code(and no code) market is currently valued at $22.5 Billion as of late 2022. By 2024, the market is estimated to grow to the size of $32 Billion. Therefore, the need to address the incompatibility between these and the old systems becomes paramount.

Building from scratch vs. modernizing with Low-Code and No-Code solutions

Building new systems and integrating with legacy systems are valid approaches, but sometimes, when legacy systems are gigantic, building new systems becomes costly. Even for a small system, the cost may reach up to $70,000. However, old systems only get eliminated after a considerable time. Integrating low-code and no-code platforms with legacy systems is, therefore, a ubiquitous challenge. To help you, we have compiled a few approaches that can solve your codeless development journey.

Integrating Low-Code and No-Code

Here are a few tried and tested strategies to help you integrate these systems with any legacy system you need.

Application-Program Interface

APIs are one of the most common ways to integrate low-code/no-code platforms with legacy systems. These are the software intermediaries that help two systems exchange information with each other. This allows the low code/no code platform to communicate with the legacy system and exchange data.

A few common examples of APIs are Twitter bots and Crypto.com widgets for WordPress.

Data integration

You can use data integration tools to extract data from the legacy system and import it into the low code/no code platform. This allows the low code/no code platform to access and use the legacy data.

Middleware

Middleware is software that acts as a connection between two systems. They relay information both ways and help ensure proper functioning. Middleware can bridge the low code/no code platform and the legacy system. It can handle the data and API communication between the two systems and translate between different data formats.

Custom Code:

In some cases, custom code may need to be written to integrate the low code/no code platform with the legacy system. This application may be necessary if the legacy system does not have APIs or the data formats are incompatible.

Custom CSS that is being used in WordPress is a typical example

Please Note

It’s essential to carefully consider the approach that will work best for a particular organization based on the specific legacy systems and data involved, as well as the goals and constraints of the integration project.

An experienced development team and thorough testing can help ensure a successful integration. Metaorange Digital can help you integrate legacy systems with your no-code or low-code platform. This method can help you develop with expert assistance.

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3 Essential Points to be Taken Care of

These next-generation systems have several benefits, such as low development time and greater collaboration. However, there are also a few points to consider when integrating low-code or no-code platforms with legacy systems. Addressing these topics ensure that your systems do not encounter any significant problems in the future.

Security

Security should be a top priority when integrating low-code/no-code platforms with legacy systems. Ensure that proper security measures, such as encryption and authentication, are in place to protect sensitive data. T-Mobile was hacked, and hackers stole 37 Million account data in an API breach.

User experience

It’s essential to ensure that the user experience is consistent and seamless across the Low-code and No-code platforms and the legacy system. This factor can help reduce confusion and improve adoption among users.

Maintenance

Integrating the low code/no code platform and the legacy system will require ongoing maintenance and support. This may include updating APIs or data integration tools, fixing bugs, or handling compatibility issues. Plan for adequate resources and budget to ensure the integration is maintained and runs smoothly over time.

Metaorange Digital can help you ensure smooth integration with legacy systems and also ensure that your developed systems perform as expected.

Conclusion

Legacy systems were not meant to work with no code platforms. However, with technological developments and the rising need for accurate, fast, and low-cost development, no-code and low-code systems have gained popularity. However, they need to communicate with legacy systems more readily. For bridging these systems, there are several approaches, such as APIs, Middleware, and Custom Coding.

These approaches can solve your issues, but maintaining and securing them are further challenges. Metaorange Digital helps you tackle these challenges with ease and enables you to develop no-code and low-code solutions swiftly, securely, and reliably.

Learn More – Cloud Transformation Services of MetaOrange Digital

Ensuring Data Loss Prevention in
Cybersecurity

Global Cybersecurity spending could reach $460 Billion by 2025, indicating the preciousness of data. With increasing threats and constant breaches occurring worldwide, data loss prevention becomes key in ensuring business continuity.

We have created a comprehensive guide to Data Loss Prevention, including examples, prevention strategies, and unsolved challenges that will get you all the information you need to secure your data.

Why is Data Loss Prevention important?

People often refer to data as the new oil, indicating its significance in this digital era. Data can provide valuable insights, validate assumptions, and test theories. Further, with AI/ML technology advancement, data has become far more essential for modern-day businesses.

Data Loss Prevention is a core aspect of cybersecurity. Further, the average cost of a data breach, according to IBM, is around $4 Millions.

Finally, Data Loss Prevention(DLP) is critical in ensuring business continuity and maintaining stakeholder trust.

DLP exercises are important because they help maintain system integrity, prevent unauthorized access, secure sensitive information, and have several other benefits.

In this article, we shall explore the importance of data loss prevention strategies from a cybersecurity-intensive view and overview a few case studies along with their challenges.

Threats to Data

1. Software Bugs

Detecting software bugs can be very difficult, yet they can cause data breaches without anyone knowing how the breach occurred. A buffer overflow vulnerability was discovered in the Linux Grub2 Secure Boot hole bug ten years after its creation.

2. Ransomware Attacks

Hackers use ransomware as a financially motivated attack to prevent people from accessing their data. The WannaCry ransomware attack, which caused an estimated $4 billion in damages, is a well-known example.

3. SQL Injection

Cyber attackers exploit weaknesses in SQL databases through automated SQL injections, which can cause serious threats. Although people commonly encounter SQL injection attacks, they still pose a significant concern.

4. Spyware

Spyware attacks attempt to steal your passwords, identify sensitive information in your systems, etc. They do not steal data but facilitate others in doing so. The cyber arms company NSO Group used the well-known spyware, Pegasus, to target politicians worldwide.

5. Phishing

Cybercriminals use phishing to create fake websites that act as the original website and steal sensitive passwords and credentials. Deepfake technology has further facilitated these attacks by increasing the accuracy with which original websites are cloned.

6. Lost Access Credentials

Not every time is there an external threat to data loss. Lost passwords also account for significant financial losses. Lost Bitcoins account for over 25% of total Bitcoins ever minted and could easily be worth more than $150 Billion.

7. Denial of Service

Denial of Service occurs when a valid user cannot access the network or server because someone else is sending fake traffic to overwhelm the network’s capabilities. In 2020, Google suffered a Digital Denial of  Service attack, which posed itself as McAfee security. The attack was carried out by APT31, a Chinese attacker group.

8. Third-Party Vendor Breaches

Third-party data breaches are also a significant cybersecurity issue. Target, a well-known retail chain, faced a data breach and an $18.5 Million direct loss due to a breach caused by one of its Vendor’s stolen credentials.

Data Loss Prevention Strategies

Data loss is increasingly getting difficult to prevent. Cloud data management is yet another significant risk. However, with Metaorange Digital and our certified AWS and Azure experts, you can be sure that your data remains safe with 24×7 Managed IT support.

Schedule a 15-min discovery call to know more.

Data can be safely guarded using several strategies. Some of them are listed below.

1. Classifying Sensitive Data

Sensitive data must be secured over several locations and have multi-factor authentication to access it. Further, there should be multi-signature authentication so that no one can abuse their authority and get unrestricted access to sensitive data. A multi-cloud approach helps in easily managing sensitive data stored at multiple locations in one console.

2. Encrypting data at rest and in transit

Encryption standards have also evolved with evolving threats. AES, Triple DES, RSA, and SHA are popular and powerful encryption methods. Encryption ensures that even if your data is stolen, the attacker will not be able to use that data or even discover what it contains. Both transit and static data must be encrypted.

3. Access controls and authentication

Multi-layer access and multi-factor authentication are critical in ensuring that any malicious entity does not access data. Further, several authentication technology advancements have been made, including voice, facial recognition, etc. However, deep fake technology presents a constant threat, which can be eliminated by using multi-factor authentication.

4. Network segmentation

Network segmentation is a protocol that divides networks into multiple shards that act as individual networks in themselves. Organizations often use segmentation to have better-secured networks. By doing this, a company’s internal networks will not be exposed to other people who are visitors, third-party vendors, or even in shared offices.

5. Regular backups and disaster recovery plans

Backups are the iron shield solution for securing data. But the effectiveness of backups also depends on the type of data. Sensitive personal information, once leaked, can cause major damage despite a backup being at the place.

Finally, disaster recovery plans help ensure that even if your data is lost, stolen, corrupted, or leaked, it can not hamper your daily business. Despite all losses, your business survival depends on disaster recovery plans.

Challenges in Implementing DLP

DLP execution is easy, but there are also a few challenges involved.

1. False Positives

False positives are when there is no data breach, but the systems detect a breach and launch a full-scale response. Each time a countermeasure is launched, it costs money. Therefore false breaches sometimes prove to be more expensive than the actual data loss. They can be reduced by using ML and training on a set of past data.

2. Overhead in managing DLP systems

These are the additional resources, costs, and time needed for the management, upkeep, and maintenance of DLP systems. These costs can discourage businesses from adopting a well-built data loss prevention plan. Optimization is the key to ensuring that additional costs remain low.

Metaorange can help you with DLP optimization for your cybersecurity needs which you can check with just a 15-min discovery call.

3. Integration with existing security infrastructure

A data loss prevention plan should not hamper existing processes and infrastructure, or else it would be counterproductive. Seamless integration is the key to ensuring smooth operations with enhanced protection.

Conclusion

Data Loss Prevention is a comprehensive exercise with multiple aspects, strategies, and challenges. However, they are necessary for ensuring a more secure and better-performing business. Further, with emerging security risks, businesses must act proactively to ensure that their data remains safe.

All businesses, whether big or small, need expert guidance and alternative approaches along with their standard plans to ensure multi-layer security.

 

Learn More: Cloud Transformation Services Of Metaorange Digital

Understanding Incident
Response Process in Cybersecurity

An incident response process is another important component of a clear strategy for dealing with security breaches. An incident response plan is a document that outlines the procedures and actions that an organization will take in the event of a security incident. It serves as a roadmap for detecting and responding to security incidents, minimizing their impact and reducing recovery time.

An incident response plan, similar to SIMP, guides how to handle security incidents with clear roles, reporting procedures, containment steps, and communication protocols for stakeholders.

Having both an incident response plan and Security Incident Management Plan helps organizations manage incidents and minimize impact while providing a framework for ongoing improvement to remain resilient against evolving threats.

What is an Incident Response Process?

An incident response process, also known as a Security Incident Management Plan (SIMP), is a predefined procedure that outlines the steps an organization should take in the event of a security breach. The SIMP plays a critical role in minimizing the impact of a security breach, locating and repairing the damage caused, and quickly restoring normal business capability.

In essence, the SIMP provides a roadmap for detecting, containing, and resolving security incidents. It establishes clear roles and responsibilities for the incident response team members, sets out procedures for reporting incidents, and defines the steps for containing and eradicating threats. The SIMP also includes a plan for communicating with stakeholders, such as customers and partners, to ensure transparency and build trust.

By having a SIMP in place, organizations can respond quickly and effectively to security incidents, minimizing the potential damage and disruption caused by such events. The SIMP also provides a framework for ongoing monitoring and improvement of security measures, ensuring that the organization remains vigilant and prepared in the face of evolving threats.

FR Secure claims that only 45% of organizations in their survey acknowledge that they have an incident response plan in place.

Why is an Incident Response Process Important?

Cost: According to IBM, it takes, on average, 197 days to identify a breach and about 69 days to contain one effectively. The gap between detection and containment can cause up to $4 million, as per the same report. Small and medium businesses working with lean teams and tight budgets will surely perish with such large bills. Even large businesses will find it difficult to deal with such losses.

Preparation for the Unexpected: A security breach often happens at the most vulnerable times. Without proper planning, organizations may struggle to respond effectively and lose critical assets. However, data shows that most security attacks are executed just before long holidays like Christmas when the least or no staff is available to counter these attacks.

Along with a proper incident response process, there is a need for a team that can manage your security 24×7. Metaorange Digital helps you maintain your security and provide close 24×7 managed IT support in a complete package.

Minimizes Impact: Minimizing damage is critical in containing the damage. You should back up essential and sensitive data at multiple locations. Critical functions, processes, and workflows should be properly planned so that there is less reliance on single elements.

Compliance: The National Institute of Standards and Technology and many other regulatory organizations demand compliance with cybersecurity breaches, including incident reporting and response plans. IRP documents are critical components of such compliance.

Components of an Incident Response Plan

Preparation

The preparation phase involves creating an incident response team, defining roles and responsibilities, and preparing communication and reporting templates. A basic document created at this stage can be further modified to suit the customized needs of the organization. Several security guidelines exist from NIST, ISO, CIS, and many other organizations.

Identification

Confirming a breach is also very essential. Launching a full response during false flags can cost in terms of money, effort, and system resources. Proper monitoring systems, networks, and applications for signs of a breach are deployed and help determine the incident’s significance.

Containment

Networks, systems, endpoint devices, and other IoT(if present) must be isolated so that the hacker does not gain entire system access. It is unconventional, but in the case of an on-premise system, physical separation or air-gapping can also be used to disconnect systems physically in case the attacker is potent.

Reporting

Reporting the incident to law authorities and others like insurance providers, regulators, and stakeholders is equally necessary. This helps you deny any liability in case of further damage. Reporting is also mandatory many times and is specified in insurance and regulatory documents. Further, reporting has to be done by a senior authority like the CIO or even the CEO. Identifying and delegating responsibility is also a critical component in creating an incident response plan.

Analysis

Gathering information and analyzing it to identify all the weak points in the security perimeter is crucial in preventing further attacks. For example, endpoint security software always relies on a database of known malware, virus, and spyware which helps them focus more on newly evolving threats. Further, old data can also predict security incident patterns when analyzed with machine learning.

Eradication

This is the most complex and the most unpredictable step of the entire incident response plan. Every threat is different from the other. Similarly, every organization has different types of approaches to dealing with cybersecurity threats. Before creating any response plan, it becomes necessary to leave some space for unconventional scenarios.

Recovery

The recovery phase involves restoring normal business operations and conducting a post-incident review to identify areas for improvement.

Post-Incident Review

The post-incident review phase involves evaluating the incident response plan, documenting lessons learned, and updating the plan to improve future incident response efforts.

Real-Life Case Studies

Cloudflare 2022 DDoS Attack: Cloud-based cyber attacks are becoming common. Cloudflare published an incident report where a “crypto launchpad” was targeted with a record 15 million requests per second. The network used at least 6000 unique bots from several countries, including Russia, Indonesia, India, Colombia, and the USA.

Cloudflare contained the breach gradually. To counter the attack, a prior response protocol helped counter the attack. The response was coded as an algorithm in the response plan, making the request response time longer every time there were more data requests from the botnets.

Equifax Data Breach: In 2017, Equifax suffered a data breach that affected 147 million customers. The breach resulted from a vulnerability in Equifax’s web application software that allowed hackers to access sensitive customer information. Equifax’s incident response plan helped them to contain the breach and prevent further damage quickly, but the company still faced significant financial and reputational damage.

Conclusion

An incident response plan is a predefined procedure that outlines the steps an organization should take in the event of a security breach. It minimizes the impact of a breach, locates and repairs damage, and quickly restores normal business operations.

The plan includes preparation, identification, containment, reporting, analysis, eradication, recovery, and post-incident review phases. Having an incident response plan is important as it saves costs and helps prepare for unexpected breaches, minimizes impact, meets compliance requirements, and has been proven effective in real-life cases like Cloudflare’s 2022 DDoS attack and Equifax’s data breach in 2017.

 

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What is Zero Trust Cybersecurity?

The Zero Trust cybersecurity protocol considers each device connected to a network a threat until it is verified. Every device’s credential is verified, and only then is network access provided. Zero Trust cybersecurity becomes essential in an environment where a single deceitful device could cause significant disruptions. From an insider’s perspective, we have provided a detailed guide on Zero Trust Cybersecurity, including critical information on advantages, errorless implementation, and staying ahead of next-gen changes in cybersecurity.

Understanding Trustless Cybersecurity

The primary philosophy behind trustless cybersecurity is “Guilty until proven innocent.” It uses a protocol where every device connected to a network must establish its credentials before it gains access to network resources. It supposes that every device connected to the network is potentially harmful.

In modern cybersecurity scenarios where even stakeholders are turning malicious, Zero Trust Cybersecurity aims to eliminate all points of unverified access.

For example, in the case of the Target data breach in 2013, where the personal data of 40 million customers were compromised, a vendor’s access was used to carry out the attack. Multi-layer authentication, an aspect of Zero Trust Cybersecurity, would have prevented such unauthorized access.

Core Principles of Zero Trust Cybersecurity

A zero-trust architecture is based on three well-established principles:

● Continual Validation

Every user is continually validated by a background check once every defined interval. Some checks also map user activity with past data to detect changes in behavior.

Suppose a user logs in from New York and breaks the session. The same user also logged in from Singapore 15 minutes later. Such activity is bound to be malicious.

● Reduced Attack Surface

Even if the attack takes place, a zero-trust model minimizes the affected zone after an attack. Once a deceitful actor gets inside, its access is limited as small as possible.

An example is Spam Emails that cross the spam filter and are scanned so that users are prevented from downloading files from them.

● Individual Context-based Access

Each login gets limited access based on their role. A person in an executive role should not have access to files which are means for senior managers.

An example is WordPress’s user tiering. A subscriber can only view the website. A contributor can view and write but cannot edit. An editor can only edit limited portions of the website. Finally, an administrator has full access.

Evolving Threats

The Europol report states that criminals could use newly evolving threats such as deep fake technology to create an exact clone of original credentials, including facial recognition and voice recognition, and commit CEO fraud. CEO fraud involves generating a video image of a CEO using deep fake technology to request money or investments.

Cloud-based cyber attacks are becoming common. Cloudflare published an incident report where a “crypto launchpad” was targeted with a record 15 million requests per second.

Another interesting case is of IoT device compromise. These devices run on rudimentary forms of operating systems and often lack security. But they also require email ID-based logins. Hackers can easily access these passwords entered on IoT devices, steal sensitive information like bank passwords, exploit password reset mechanisms, steal personal files, etc.

Finally, focussing on emerging technology, there is a risk from 5G networks as well. 5G networks use slicing to create multiple networks inside the physical network. These increase the surface for attacks. Several IoT devices and other unsecured endpoints can be exploited, resulting in the compounding of losses.

The Need for a Proactive Approach

Zero Trust Cybersecurity is a proactive approach because it does not rely on traditional methods, which are triggered only during or after an incident. Rather it takes a multi-layer constant verification approach toward identifying stakeholders before granting them access to system resources. Moreover, even if an attacker gains access to the system, it limits their access to contain the damage.

Advantages of a Zero Trust Cybersecurity

There are several advantages of using a Zero Trust Cybersecurity Model in a modern landscape where threats constantly evolve. Some key advantages are:

1. Minimizing Attack Surface

As discussed above, even if a malicious actor gains access to system resources, their activity is limited continuously depending upon their caused damage.

2. Secure Remote Workforce

Security for a remote workforce becomes a tough challenge because each connection type is different, and login locations are spread worldwide. Even if unauthorized password sharing occurs, the Zero Trust model can detect this and restrict access.

3. Continuous Verification

Each stakeholder is continually verified based on their past activities to ensure that people are acting in good faith. Further, if an unusual activity takes place, it can be authenticated simultaneously.

4. Simplify IT Bills and Management

A zero-trust model is based on automated evaluation and therefore frees up the need for additional staff or resources. Not every login has to be multi-layer authenticated. Only suspicious activity needs verification. Therefore, it results in much fewer system resources to operate as compared to traditional methods.

Implementing Zero Trust Cybersecurity

The following are the brief points of implementing Zero Trust Cybersecurity.

  1. Preparation
  2. Assess the current security landscape
  3. Identify and prioritize critical assets and data
  4. Determine the scope and scope of the Zero Trust implementation
  1. Identity and Access Management
  2. Establish a robust authentication and authorization process
  3. Implement multi-factor verification
  4. Standardize user identities

III. Network Segmentation

  1. Create secure zones and micro-segments
  2. Control access based on identity and role
  3. Establish strong network perimeter controls
  1. Endpoint Security
  2. Ensure all devices are secure and up-to-date
  3. Implement device management and control policies
  4. Monitor and detect malicious activity
  1. Continuous Monitoring and Assessment
  2. Use automated tools to monitor and detect anomalies
  3. Conduct regular risk assessments and audits
  4. Continuously adapt and update security controls
  1. Awareness and Training
  2. Educate users on Zero Trust security principles
  3. Provide regular security awareness training
  4. Encourage secure behavior and practices

VII. Maintenance and Updates

  1. Regularly review and update security controls
  2. Stay informed on the latest threats and trends
  3. Maintain a continuous improvement mindset.

How to stay ahead of the curve?

Staying updated with the latest information is highly essential in a landscape where threats are based on advanced technologies themselves. To secure your systems with the highest level of security, schedule a free consultation with Metaorange Digital. A 15-min discovery call can help you understand how we optimize your security and increase its efficiency to the maximum.

Also, stay updated with the latest blogs to discover more information about Cybersecurity, Cloud, DevOps, and many more cutting-edge technologies.

Conclusion

Zero Trust cybersecurity is an approach where each access to the system resources is authenticated and continually monitored. Usage patterns are analyzed to identify suspicious behavior and simultaneously authenticated. Any unauthorized access is restricted based on perceived threat levels.

The model has several benefits for companies working with a remote workforce. Continuous and automated verification helps reduce the workload of humans and save resources and, therefore, can reduce bills.

Overall the zero-trust cybersecurity model is a solid defense against modern-day cybersecurity threats.

 

Learn More: Cloud Transformation Services Of Metaorange Digital

8 Top Cybersecurity Monitoring Tools

Cybersecurity threats are also evolving with advances in technology. As technology advances, so do the methods and techniques used by cybercriminals to breach security systems and steal sensitive information. This constant evolution means that organizations must remain vigilant and proactive in their approach to cybersecurity. Failure to do so can result in devastating consequences such as data breaches, financial losses, and reputational damage. To effectively combat these evolving cybersecurity threats, organizations must invest in advanced cybersecurity monitoring tools and technologies such as intrusion detection and prevention systems, firewalls, and security information and event management systems. They must also train their employees on best practices for cybersecurity and implement strict security protocols to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access.

These threats have become increasingly complex. The rapidly evolving digital landscape makes this imperative for businesses to take proactive measures to protect their assets and ensure their data remains secure. Below is a list of top Cybersecurity Tools to help your business proactively avoid advanced threats like AI-enabled attacks, deep fake phishing, etc. We have selected the tools based on their effectiveness, ease of implementation, and integration with existing systems.

1. Encryption – Crucial Component of Cybersecurity Monitorning Tools

Encryption ensures that data is safe even if an attacker manages to access system resources. The target data breach of 2013 would not have resulted in a loss of $18.5 million for the company.

Top encryption tools like McAfee are popular among business users. McAfee provides full disk encryption for desktops, laptops, and servers. The algorithm uses Advanced Encryption Standard(AES) with 256-bit keys. McAfee AES is certified by US Federal Information Processing Standard. There is also ready integration of multi-layer authentication.

2. Intrusion Detection – Helps identify Potential Information Security Breaches

These cybersecurity monitoring tools identify network traffic to alert you in real time about unusual activities. This helps you identify potential threats and deploy suitable countermeasures. Two types of intrusion detection systems exist: host-based and network-based. Host-based intrusion detection systems guard the specific endpoint where they are installed. Network-based intrusion detection systems scan the entire interconnected architecture using cybersecurity monitoring tools.

Symantec delivers a very good quality intrusion detection system. Introduced in 2003, Symantec Endpoint Intrusion Detection system detected 12.5 billion attacks in 2020.

3. Virtual Private Network – Ensuring Cybersecurity monitoring tools for Users

Virtual Private Networks reroute your connection to the internet via several intermediaries. These systems throw off any tracking requests that originate between you and your target website. The VPN provider’s server reroutes the data and assigns you another IP address, which is unknown to others.

NordLayer Specialist business VPNs are one of the most efficient available VPNs for businesses. It sets up a site-to-site private network between you and your target. The VPN service has dedicated servers that offer uninterrupted access to you at any time. Its servers are evenly spread worldwide and located in 33 countries.

4. Network Access Control – Improve Information Security Posture

Network Access Control is a security solution that restricts network access based on dynamic authentication, compliance, and user information.

Cisco provides industry-leading network access control through Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) Solution. Cisco users typically experience a 50% reduction in network access incidents after deployment.

5.  Security Information and Event Management – Real-time insights into Potential Cybersecurity monitoring Threats

Security Information and Event Management(SIEM) is a data aggregation tool that collects, analyzes, and reports all security incidents related to that system or network. There are several benefits of using SIEM, such as:

  • Event Correlation and Analysis
  • Log Management
  • Compliance and Reporting
  • Trend Analysis
  • Advanced real-time threat recognition
  • AI-driven automation
  • User monitoring

IBM’s QRadar is one of the industry leaders in Security Information and Event Management tools. It gives contextual insights and provides a single unified workflow management.

6. DDoS Mitigation – Detect and Block malicious traffic

DDoS mitigation protects against DDoS attacks. These attacks send large amounts of traffic to the designated website server, which is often higher than its capacity to handle. As a result, the website crashes while the attacker carries out their activities. Such attacks can have serious consequences for organizations, including financial losses, reputational damage, and loss of customer trust. In addition, DDoS attacks can be used as a diversionary tactic to distract security teams while other cyber attacks are carried out, such as stealing sensitive data or deploying malware. Therefore, organizations need to implement robust cybersecurity measures to detect and prevent DDoS attacks, such as intrusion detection and prevention systems, firewalls, and DDoS mitigation services. Such attacks are known as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, which are designed to overwhelm a network or server with traffic, rendering it inaccessible to legitimate users. DDoS attacks are a common cybersecurity threat faced by organizations of all sizes and types.

The largest known DDoS attack was executed with a record 340 Million packets per second on an Azure user. It was mitigated by Microsoft.

Cloudflare is also a leading expert in DDoS solutions and provides cutting-edge solutions.

7. Vulnerability Scanner – Identify potential Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities

A vulnerability scanner identifies known vulnerabilities in a computer system, networks, and applications. They assess the networks using a database of information and report vulnerabilities if any. Finally, security patches are applied to the vulnerability, and the information is updated on the website.

Microsoft Defender is perhaps the most effective vulnerability scanner. It offers built-in tools for Windows, MAC, Linux, Android systems, and network devices.

8. Firewall – Controls Network Traffic based on Predefined Information Security Policies

Firewalls monitor security, both incoming and outgoing, using programmed security rules. They provide a barrier between your business system and the internet. They are employed to secure systems of all scales, be it a personal computer or an on-premise business mainframe.

Firewalls come in several types, such as:

  • Unified Threat Management Firewalls (combines multiple security apparatus in one console)
  • Next-Gen Firewalls (combines traditional firewalls with IDS, NAC, etc.)
  • Software Firewalls(installed on personal computers)
  • Cloud-based Firewalls (scalable and flexible firewalls based on the cloud)

Trust Radius lists Cisco ASA as one of the best Enterprise-grade firewalls. The firewall integrates easily with your system.

Conclusion

Managing such a huge array of cybersecurity monitoring tools can be challenging, especially for teams having few members. However, there is a better alternative to hiring new members who need additional training. It is always better to outsource the task to a reliable and experienced cybersecurity service provider. Metaorange Digital, with its certified and experienced cybersecurity experts, can handle your network security using the latest cybersecurity tools in addition to providing responsive 24×7 managed IT support. By outsourcing your cybersecurity needs to Metaorange Digital, you can focus on your core business activities while ensuring that your network remains secure against all potential threats. Our optimization protocols can help you extract the most out of your budget, allowing you to invest in other critical areas of your business.

Schedule a free 15-min discovery call now!

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All About Cybersecurity Frameworks

Cybersecurity Frameworks, a set of guidelines and best practices, are instrumental in managing an organization’s IT security architecture. Based on prior experience, one can either generalize or custom-build cybersecurity frameworks.

Cybersecurity frameworks provide organizations with a systematic approach to managing and reducing cybersecurity risk. They help organizations identify, assess, and manage cybersecurity risks while enabling continuous monitoring and improvement of cybersecurity practices. Some of the popular cybersecurity frameworks include NIST Cybersecurity Framework, CIS Controls, ISO/IEC 27001, and COBIT.

Here is an overview of some general cybersecurity frameworks, as well as a guide on how organizations can design their framework based on prior collective experience.

Understanding Cybersecurity Frameworks

An organization’s security architecture is comprehensively guided by cybersecurity frameworks and they delineate a set of best practices to be followed in specific circumstances. Additionally, these documents carry response strategies for significant incidents like breaches, system failures, and compromises.

A framework is important because it helps standardize service delivery across various companies over time and familiarizes terminologies, procedures, and protocols within an organization or across the industry.

Further, for government agencies and regulatory bodies, cybersecurity frameworks help to set up regulatory guidelines.

Why are Cybersecurity Frameworks Necessary?

Newly emerging cyber threats, such as deep fake technology, pose a growing concern. Deep fakes use artificial intelligence to mimic real-life credentials, such as facial recognition or voice recognition. Europol reported that cybercriminals could use deep fakes to generate videos of CEOs asking for money or investments in CEO fraud schemes.

Cloud-based cyber attacks are becoming increasingly prevalent. Cloudflare highlighted an attack on a “crypto launchpad” in 2022 using 5000 botnets and a record-breaking 15 million requests per second.

Another growing threat is the compromise of IoT devices. Hackers can exploit vulnerabilities in these devices because they are often built with rudimentary operating systems and lack security features. They also often require email-based logins, making it easy for hackers to steal sensitive information, such as bank passwords, exploit password reset mechanisms, and access personal files.

Finally, the new generation of digital technology, such as 5G networks, brings new security risks. 5G networks use slicing to create multiple networks within the physical network, increasing the attack surface. This could result in the exploitation of unsecured endpoints and IoT devices, leading to significant losses.

General Cybersecurity Frameworks

1. NIST

The National Institute of Standards and Technology, a federal agency of the US Department of Commerce, designed the NIST Cybersecurity Framework. The framework has five pillars, namely,

  • Identify systems, people, assets, data, and capabilities
  • Protect critical services and channels
  • Develop strategies to identify cybersecurity incidents.
  • Develop methods to deal with detected cybersecurity threats
  • Recover and restore capabilities affected after an incident

Several governments worldwide actively use the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, even though adoption is voluntary. It is one of the most widely adopted cybersecurity frameworks in the world.

2. CIS

The Center for Internet Security designed the CIS Cybersecurity Framework, which had 20 actionable points. These points can be classified into three groups,

  • Identifying the security environments
  • Protect assets with foundational controls.
  • Develop a security culture with organizational control.
3. ISO/IEC

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) designed the ISO/IEC framework to provide security to sensitive information and critical assets.

Customized Cybersecurity Frameworks

Every organization faces a unique set of challenges in cybersecurity. Generalized frameworks provide a baseline and would work most of the time but would not address unique situations and challenges. A customized framework would adequately address the organization’s risk profile, business objectives, market positioning, and technology landscape in which the organization operates.

Therefore, a repository of guidelines is needed before starting any work.

A customized repository can be first created based on past challenges and needs. If a business is new, it can learn about similar challenges through diligent research.

How to Design a Custom Cybersecurity Framework?

Based on the general cybersecurity frameworks discussed above, you can first prepare a skeleton framework and then customize it according to organization-specific requirements. Finally, it has to be regularly updated with the latest evolving threats and security incidents faced by similar organizations.

Steps to Build up a custom framework

  1. Assess the organization’s current security needs. Doing a SWOT analysis would be a great start. Internal Strengths and Weaknesses, as well as external ideas and Opportunities to develop capabilities, would be very helpful. Finally, identify Threats that have the most significance based on public and organization-specific data.
  2. Identify critical assets and information which can impair operations in case they are affected.
  3. Determine the risk profile of the organization. For example, a high-risk organization would be a Financial Lending service since they operate on borrowed money and would require to undergo severe investigation before they can claim insurance. Similarly, a relatively low-risk organization would be an online news agency because the website data is backed up almost daily.
  4. Develop a risk management protocol. The assets which are critical need to be backed up over several locations with servers spread in distant geographies. Further, sensitive information like customer data would have to be encrypted several times to ensure that any attempt at data breach yields no result for the attacker.
  5. Defining the framework’s architecture and dependencies. These are the tools that are used to counter an attack and restore system functionality. These are the tools like data repositories, CRM backups, data delivery systems, alternate servers, multi-cloud services, etc.
  6. Implementing the framework is the most essential part of the entire exercise. Implementation should not impair current workflows or should require major adjustments. Finally, cross-checking the implementation with simulated attacks is critical in ensuring security. Several security gaps are identified only in a real-world environment.
  7. Continuously Monitor and Improvise the framework based on the latest data, security methodologies, critical information, and incident reports. Several magazines and blogs continually post the latest security developments, strategies, and frameworks.

Can we help?

It becomes challenging, if not difficult, for several companies which have smaller teams to carry out the entire Cybersecurity Framework creation exercise. Further, there is always a need for external expertise to provide an alternative view of existing problems.

Metaorange Digital can help you design cybersecurity frameworks with the latest security components, tools, and innovative strategies. A 15-minute discovery call can help you identify hidden weaknesses in your systems and eliminate them permanently.

Conclusion

Cybersecurity frameworks act as a knowledge repository to deal with the problems of the future. They can help you secure critical assets, deploy suitable countermeasures, and restore system capabilities at the earliest.

General frameworks can act as guidance for creating custom-made cybersecurity frameworks which are best capable of dealing with organization-specific threats. Further, a cybersecurity framework is only as effective as its implementation.

Finally, a security framework must be constantly evolving to counter new evolving threats in the business landscape.

 

Learn More: Cloud Transformation Services Of Metaorange Digital

How to assess your Cybersecurity Vulnerability Assessment?

The increased reliance on digital technology results in an increased dependence on cybersecurity Vulnerability Assessment. This increased reliance also results in increased cybersecurity threats. IBM estimates the average cost of a data breach at $3.8 Million in 2022. Not all businesses can afford to pay such a huge amount.

We have compiled some well-tested procedures that can help you strengthen your cybersecurity and ride the digital wave.

Understanding the New Age Threats of Cybersecurity 

The new age of cyber threats is not limited to data breaches and ransomware attacks. They have become much more advanced with AI-based security analysis, crypto-jacking, facial recognition, and voice cloning via deep fake, IoT compromise, and cloud-based DDoS attacks.

Cloudflare recently stopped a DDoS attack that used a network of 5000 bots. The attack took place on a crypto platform. Further, large volume DDoS attacks increased by 81% in 2022 as compared to 2021.

Surprisingly, Deepfake Technology, which was once used for fun, has now enabled phishing attacks. Rick McRoy detected a deep fake-based voice call that caused a CEO to transfer a sum amount of $35 Million.

Further, AI-powered cyberattacks also pose a serious security risk. Existing cybersecurity tools are not enough to counter this cyber weaponry.

In the wake of such incidents, the need for advanced cybersecurity tools is growing important.

However, for a business operating with a limited team, identifying vulnerabilities, managing threat perceptions, and provisioning proper resources within a budget are increasingly becoming increasingly challenging.

Vulnerability Assessment Checkpoints 

Metaorange Digital provides top-notch cybersecurity solutions to protect clients against cyber threats. Our team of certified experts leverages resource optimization strategies and helps implement automated tools and security protocols to enhance the effectiveness of security measures. With a focus on maximizing your budget, we work tirelessly to ensure that your business is secure against emerging threats at all times.

All the cybersecurity Vulnerability Assessment threats discussed above can be countered with proper planning and strategies. Here are some examples that can help you understand it better.

Identifying Critical Assets and Sensitive Data of Cybersecurity

Critical assets like CRM, Invoicing software, Financial Data, Client Information, etc., must be backed up in a multi-cloud environment. Multicloud and multi-location storage can help reduce vulnerabilities. Further, a greater budget can be allocated for safeguarding more sensitive resources.

Assessing Network Vulnerabilities

A thorough assessment of network security to identify weak points is necessary. The effectiveness of existing security protocols is also gauged. Further, a proper plan is outlined to counter any security breaches and restore system functionality.

Evaluating Endpoint and Device Security

Network endpoints are the most vulnerable points for breaches and exploits. Layman users often use laptops, mobiles, and other devices without any security software. Such users unintentionally become carriers for different types of viruses, malware, and spyware.

Businesses based on the B2C model must provide tools and resources for securing endpoints.

Sayfol School in Malaysia had a huge threat from about 2000 endpoint devices spread across the campus. USB drives and student laptops were major risk factors. To combat this situation, Sayfol’s IT team used an endpoint protection solution that did the following:

  • Peripheral Control
  • Content Filtering
  • Scanning Internet connections
  • Detection and removal of known threats
  • Maintenance via a Central Security policy

Assessing User Awareness and Training for IT security

User awareness and training are perhaps the greatest security factors in any organization. According to IBM, human error accounts for over 95% of security incidents. With the average cost of cybersecurity incidents being $4 Million, it becomes increasingly necessary to have competent staff. Training, demonstrations, workshops, etc., can help prepare staff to deal quickly with incidents and restore systems.

Reviewing Third-Party and External Security Risks

Third parties also provide a significant threat to your security. In 2013, Target, one of the biggest retailers in the USA, suffered a data breach that was caused by a failure in due diligence from a third-party vendor. Hackers could access vendors’ credentials and steal the personal data of 40 Million customers.

To avoid such incidents, businesses can arrange awareness meetings with stakeholders, suppliers, and even their staff to discuss protocols and demonstrate best practices.

Implementing and Testing Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Plans

Disaster Recovery plans are critical because they help your business get back online after security incidents. Loss of data also means loss of trust. Further, they also handicap your relations with existing clients and customers.

However, these plans are only effective as long as they are tested and implemented. According to a Spiceworks study, about 95% of companies have disaster recovery plans, but about 25% of them never test their strategies.

Untested strategies often prove disastrous in the most critical times.

Staying Up-to-Date with Cybersecurity Best Practices

Keeping up with trends through online publications, blogs, workshops, and seminars is essential. Not all of them would be equally beneficial, but a few of them will benefit you beyond expectations.

Metaorange blogs help you stay abreast with the latest trends, ideas, and best practices for helping you run your business smoothly. Further, each of our blogs extracts the best information from the internet and only shows you highly relevant information.

Conclusion

Cybersecurity vulnerability Assessment threats have evolved. Tools and security infrastructure of the past are barely enough to secure systems from new-generation threats like AI-based cyber attacks, crypto-jacking, facial and voice cloning via deep fake, IoT compromise, and cloud-based DDoS attacks.

However, there are multiple methods of security in these systems such as endpoint security, securing third-party contact points, backing up critical assets, disaster recovery plans, and a lot more.

Rather than relying on a few in-house security personnel to perform multiple jobs, you can get on a short 15-min call with Metaorange Digital. It will help you understand our methodologies close. Our cybersecurity experts have the required knowledge, experience, and tools to counter any modern-day threat while ensuring seamless business continuity.

 

Learn More: Cloud Transformation Services Of Metaorange Digital

10 Things to Note before
Choosing Managed IT
Support

IT Managed support is one of the most rapidly growing services in the tech industry and is expected to reach about $400 Billion market size by 2028. It brings expert advice, relieves employee pressure, and guards your infrastructure throughout the year. Overall it helps with complete tech support that helps your business function seamlessly.

However, an inefficient company can disrupt your current workflow and harm you in ways that take millions of dollars to rectify. We have curated a list of 10 critical factors you must note before outsourcing activities to managed IT service providers.

Important Factors to choose Managed IT Support

1. 24×7 Monitoring Ability

Round-the-clock monitoring is very critical for tech businesses. Several hackers choose holidays for their attacks. Those without 24×7 monitoring would only detect the loss of data or impaired systems during the next business day.

In the USA, the FBI has repeatedly issued warnings on the eve of several holidays.

2. Understand your Business Needs

Overoptimization is equally as harmful as under optimization. Overoptimization in certain sectors causes budget shortages for others and leaves critical factors at risk.

In 2012, Knights Capital Group lost $450 million in just 45 minutes due to an overoptimized algorithm in its trading software.

3. Company and Employee Credentials

Verifying employee credentials is far more essential than it appears. Hackers and scammers have often carried out attacks using weak credentials. Make sure that the company you choose for Managed IT security takes serious steps to ensure that they only let credible people access your data.

Equifax lost the data of millions of people when anonymous hackers attacked it. The main reason behind the attack was due to weak employee credentials that Equifax had been using for a long time.

4. Past Client Testimonials

Several companies often hide their client testimony in an attempt to cover their past poor performance. If the client list is publicly available(it is available in most cases), you should also contact previous clients and ask them about their experience with the managed IT support service provider.

5. Disaster Recovery Strategy

Managed IT services must keep a disaster recovery plan in case something goes wrong and the systems are unable to recover by themselves. Disaster recovery plans should be properly checked before deploying any system online.

6. Data Management and Security

Data security is critically important. Loss of sensitive data like personal information, social security numbers, and credit card numbers can wreak havoc for thousands if not millions.

In May 2019, “First American Financial Corp” lost data of more than 885 Million credit card data points. The error was caused due to unauthorized access to a data page which should have been locked by passwords or multi-layered authentication.

7. Pricing and Contract

Several companies use hidden pricing to lure customers and make them dependent. After that, they charge the customer heavily. Vendor Lock-ins are among the most common issues in IT, Software, and Cloud businesses. Most lock-ins occur when customers identify hidden pricing terms which were seen during the contract signing.

8. Legal Liabilities

Your company can face serious legal liabilities due to the mistake of others. Target lost the credit card data of 40 million users and the personal information of 110 million users. They were forced to pay a settlement of $28.5 million in total.

9. Ability to Scale and Handle Unexpected Traffic

Without scaling on demand, a company might not be able to accommodate new customers, and also the systems might crash due to overload. This will result in a loss of opportunity to acquire new customers and existing ones due to poor performance.

Further, they save your systems from DDoS attacks. Cloudflare saved a crypto launchpad from a massive DDoS attack that sent 15.3 Million requests per second.

10. Services on Demand

Services are required on demand to handle unexpected situations. They are also needed while demonstrating your capabilities to a new client. Failure to deliver services quickly might result in an opportunity loss to acquire new clients and expand to new areas.

Conclusion

Managed IT solutions can help you expand your business several folds within a very short period. They bring expert advice, mitigate risks, evaluate and formulate disaster recovery strategies, and many more things. However, it is critical that you properly evaluate your options before you make a decision.

Metaorange Digital is an experienced expert in managed IT support. In addition to all the factors that are listed above, we also have agility, integrity, and innovation built into our core principles. We can integrate your current systems seamlessly into your designs and your visions.

 

LEARN MORE: 24/7 Managed Support Services Of Metaorange Digital

Pros And Cons Of Cloud-Based
Security Solutions

The advent of cloud computing has revolutionized how companies and individuals use the Internet, save data, and use the software. Cloud-Based Security solutions has become an essential component in the cloud computing ecosystem, enabling companies to protect their data and systems from a wide range of cyber threats. Indeed, the pattern shows no signs of abating. More than 90% of firms are now using cloud computing in some form.

Computer, network, and, more generally, data security have a growing subfield in cloud computing security, often known as cloud-based security. It, too, protects separate groups within a population by encrypting data in a structured hierarchy. There are significant risks and impediments to using cloud services, even though there are solid reasons for their use.

Here is an outline of cloud-based security solutions’ good and bad. Keep reading to learn more!

Pros of Cloud-Based Security Solutions

Rapid to Use

Cloud computing allows for more rapid and accurate data and application recoveries, reducing downtime and maximizing efficiency. This recovery plan is the most efficient because it involves spending very little time resting.

Easily Accessible

Access your information whenever and from anywhere you choose thanks to this system’s transparency. Maintaining your application’s availability at all times thanks to a Web cloud architecture improves its usefulness and capacity for facilitating business.

This takes into account the most fundamental forms of cooperation and sharing amongst customers in various geographical areas.

Zero material needs

The cloud encourages everything, hence eliminating the need for a central storage facility. Regardless, you should give some thought to a backup plan in case of a disaster that might significantly reduce your company’s efficiency.

Easy to Implement

Cloud bolstering enables a business to keep up with similar applications and trade forms without having to deal with specialist back-end components. Web-based management enables the fast and efficient setup of cloud infrastructure.

Flexible

Cloud-based businesses have a lower per-head cost since their advancement costs are lower, freeing up more money and workforce for trade system improvements. Flexibility for development. The cloud’s scalability allows businesses to add or remove resources in response to fluctuating demand. As businesses expand, their infrastructure will advance to accommodate the company’s new needs.

Unlimited Storage Capacity

In the cloud, you can buy as much space as you need without breaking the bank, unlike when you purchase new storage gear and software every few years.

Adding and removing files requires you to know the service provider’s guidelines.

The system can automatically back up and restore files and data

A cloud backup service can replicate and securely store a company’s data and programs in an offsite location. Business owners choose to back up their data to the cloud in case of a catastrophic occurrence or technical malfunction.

Users can also do this on internal company servers. However, cloud service providers do this automatically and constantly, so consumers don’t have to worry about it.

Cons of Cloud-Based Security Solutions

Bandwidth Issues

Bandwidth problems might arise if many servers and storage devices are crammed into a relatively small data center.

Cannot be Used Excessively

Not stuffed to the gills with unnecessary features or hardware, as cloud servers have neither of these in plenty. Since development might fail spectacularly, it’s best to avoid being burned by investing in an abundant strategy. Even though this might be an extra burden, it is often defended regardless of the expense.

Data transmission capacity concerns

For best results, customers should think ahead and not cram many servers and capacity devices into a few server farms.

More command Needed

When you move your business to the cloud, you also transfer all of your data and information. Internal IT departments won’t have the luxury of figuring things out on their own. However, Stratosphere Systems provides a 24/7/365 live helpdesk to resolve any issues immediately.

Abolish Redundancy

A server located in the cloud is both necessary and supported. Avoid having your fingers burnt by stocking up on extras if an idea fails. There will be some additional cost, but it will usually be worthwhile.

Troublesome to keep tabs on

Cloud computing management presents several information systems management challenges, such as those related to ethics (security, availability, confidentiality, and privacy), law and jurisdiction, data lock-in, a shortage of standard service level agreements (SLAs), technological bottlenecks associated with customization, and so on.

Final Takeaway!

It is vital to remember where the benefits and drawbacks of cloud-based security solutions come from when you analyze them. Every gift may be traced back to the cloud service providers. The inverse is valid for the drawbacks.

Cloud service providers have little say over the frequency or duration of Internet outages. Your digital security practices are primarily beyond their sphere of influence. Concerning the aforementioned issue of service providers going out of business, it is advisable to go with well-established organizations offering robust cloud-based security solutions.

 

Learn more: Cloud Transformation Services Of Metaorange Digital

Trends in Cybersecurity Awareness
that Businesses Need to Look Out
for in 2023

Businesses must keep an eye on evolving cybersecurity awareness trends to protect themselves against cyber threats in 2023 and beyond, as new technologies emerge and old threats like data breaches, ransomware, and hackers become more common in the headlines.

Let’s Get Ahead to Learn Trends Dominating the Cybersecurity Awareness World in 2023!

The prevalence of vehicle Hacking is Growing

Automated cars today facilitate communication in crucial areas, but their Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity make them vulnerable to cyberattacks. More autonomous vehicles in 2023 may use additional microphones for eavesdropping and vehicle control. Autonomous cars require robust cybersecurity awareness measures due to their complex procedures.

Possibilities of AI

The use of artificial intelligence and machine learning has made significant advancements in cybersecurity awareness possible, and every industry now uses AI. AI has greatly aided the rise of automated security systems, NLP, facial recognition, and autonomous danger identification.

It also creates sophisticated viruses and assaults that can circumvent current data protection. AI-powered threat detection systems may predict new assaults, and administrators can receive rapid alerts about data breaches.

Internet of Things over a 5G Network

5G networks will usher in a new era of IoT connectivity. This interconnectedness between devices makes them vulnerable to outside interference, threats, or undetected software flaws. Google has revealed critical flaws in its Chrome web browser, which is the most widely used.

5G architecture is a new technology that requires substantial research to fix security holes and prevent hacking. Unknown network attacks may occur at any point in the 5G network. Manufacturers can prevent 5G data breaches with extra precautions in developing their hardware and software.

Automatization and Integration

The exponential growth of data requires automated systems to enable more complex data management. As the burden on experts and engineers to provide rapid and effective answers rises in today’s complex workplace, automation has become more useful than ever.

Incorporating security metrics into the agile development process may produce more robust and trustworthy software. Protecting larger, more sophisticated web applications is far more challenging, which is why automation and cyber security should be central considerations in the software development process.

Increased SAAS-Based Services

The importance of solid security measures increases as more people and businesses turn to cloud computing and software solutions. Cloud-based security services can easily be scaled up or down in response to fluctuating demand, and they can save money compared to on-premise options.

These methods are also effective when dealing with remote or dispersed teams, wherein different portions of a firm may be located in various regions.

SECaaS solutions make available technologies such as data protection, identity management, online application firewalls, and mobile device security. They also provide management services, letting customers have someone else keep an eye on their cloud security systems. This helps keep organizations current on the newest security developments and protects them from risks like malware and ransomware.

Strengthening Safety for Remote Workers

Cyber security must develop to keep up as the world continues to adopt remote and hybrid work patterns. Organizations must protect their systems and equip their staff to deal with cyber risks in light of their growing reliance on technology and access to sensitive data.

Businesses should consider implementing security methods like Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) since they demand extra authentication stages to establish the user’s identity before giving access to systems or data. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) can thwart hackers’ attempts to access your account using stolen information when used in conjunction with a strong password.

Companies should also think about instituting measures to ensure the safety of employees’ electronic equipment. For example, provide your staff with reliable anti-virus software and VPNs that encrypt all traffic. Employers should make employees aware of the risks associated with utilizing public networks and the need for having strong passwords that are different for each account.

Final Takeaway!

These advancements in cybersecurity Awareness are expected to make businesses warier about beefing up their security measures in 2023.

This year, businesses are expected to spend a record on protecting their assets. Given the critical nature of infrastructure security in modern companies, investing in their cybersecurity education will now position them as leaders in the field tomorrow. Experts in cyber security command some of the highest salaries in the information technology sector.

 

LEARN MORE: Cloud Transformation Services Of Metaorange Digital

7 Benefits of 24/7 Managed IT Support

Managed IT support, including 24/7 Managed IT Support, can not only help you manage your IT infrastructure better but also brings some of the best industry experts at much more affordable prices.

What is Managed IT Support?

Managed IT support refers to a service that helps you outsource the upkeep and maintenance of your IT infrastructure, software, network systems, etc., to dedicated professionals. These experts manage your systems, troubleshoot, and resolve errors at a fraction of the earlier cost.

Why do organizations need Managed IT Support?

There can be a lot of reasons for organizations to need external support to manage their IT infrastructure. Here are a few reasons:

Limited Internal Personnel: It often forces companies either hire additional talent or sacrifice the opportunity. Hiring talent for activities for the short term is often expensive. Further, all personnel is not available round the clock.

Freelance IT consultants can charge as much as $70 per hour, depending on experience.

Complex IT Environment: Organizations with complex roles might need an equally complex IT environment. Such environments are best run by professionals.

Need for Proactive Maintenance: Proactive maintenance costs much less than maintenance performed after an incident. Using internal professionals for such activities often disturbs their original work.

Compliance: Though senior in-house professionals are equipped to deal with regulatory compliances, they cannot be bothered with repetitive and mundane tasks at all times.

Cost: Since Managed IT support providers have several clients, they immensely benefit from the economies of scale. This reduces their bills and therefore your expenditure.

Now that you have a brief idea of the need for externally managed IT support, including 24/7 Managed IT Support, let us explore how companies benefit from such activity.

Why 24/7 IT support is a necessity?

After the pandemic and the proliferation of remote work, companies hire team members from several parts of the world. In several companies, professionals use company resources every hour of the day.

Further, problems do not arise on notice. For systems like stock exchanges, social media platforms, and several B2C businesses, running 24/7 is a basic necessity. In such situations, the need for 24/7 Managed IT support becomes critically important.

Even for businesses that do not need 24×7 uptime, any issue after business hours will probably be detected on the next business day. Any hacker can gain undue access to sensitive data in that period.

Several hackers choose holidays for their attacks. In the USA, the FBI has several times issued warnings on the eve of holidays. Therefore, having 24/7 Managed IT Support can help businesses mitigate potential threats and ensure the security of their data and systems at all times.

There are also several other advantages associated with 24×7 Managed IT Support.

Advantages of 24/7 Managed IT Support.

As discussed above, several companies need their systems to run 24/7 without any failure. Any downtime is detrimental to them.

Other significant advantages include the following:

1. Personnel on Demand

Managed IT solutions can bring expert personnel on demand. They employ several experienced professionals on a freelance or per-project basis. Further, even in worst-case scenarios, they have a few professionals who can be brought on short notice.

Metaorange Digital has a team of several certified DevOps professionals, Cloud experts, developers, and software engineers who can respond quickly in any scenario.

2. Dedicated Expertise

Often for remote teams and startups, the lack of expertise provides the greatest hindrance to growth. Companies often spend thousands of dollars trying to guess solutions for problems that rarely need an hour to solve.

For example, in a project due to uncompressed JavaScript and CSS, the CMS showed more than 4000 errors. The problem persisted for months. Finally, all it took to solve the case was one compression tool that was added as a WordPress plugin to the website.

3. Proactive and Quick Resolution of Issues

Proactive maintenance is much cheaper than maintenance after a certain incident. Further, they also save work from disruption.

On Aug 9, 2022, Google Search and Maps went down for about an hour due to a misplanned update.

Such errors might be manageable for Google, but small businesses do not have such a luxury. The inability to service such malfunction during an important event would lead to a reputation and business loss.

4. Low Cost

Due to economies of scale, it is often more expensive to hire a single full-time professional than to use the services of a Managed IT support provider. Further, no individual would work 24×7, no matter which salary you pay.

In the USA, the top reason for outsourcing is cost reduction. Hiring a professional incurs additional costs like health insurance, paid leaves, etc. On the other hand, outsourcing to companies like Metaorange Digital with teams in India and Australia often results in high-quality service at a fraction of hiring costs.

5. Zero Compliance Liability

Compliance is expensive throughout the world but is also a mundane task. Companies often hire novices for such roles, which leads to huge expenditures in terms of fines paid. Further, in countries like Australia, employers are liable for employee mistakes.

Hiring experienced companies like Metaorange helps ensure regulatory compliance without lags or errors.

6. On-the-Job Employee Training

Working with experienced professionals can also help your employees earn valuable skills and lessons that would otherwise have cost you a lot of money. Edume estimates that the cost of imparting basic IT support skills to employees is around $1,250. When your professionals work with certified experts from Metaorange Digital, this cost can become virtually zero.

7. Agility

IT companies are responsible for planning the best hardware and software upgrades and helping manage systems through constant updates. They help with security patches, provide guidelines on best practices, and also help make systems far more reliant. Thereby making agile workflows.

At Metaorange Digital, agility is built at the core of our philosophy, which provides you with a seamless experience irrespective of the type and nature of workloads.

Conclusion

Managed IT support from Metaorange Digital provides organizations with various benefits, including proactive maintenance, cost savings, scalability, expertise, and compliance. 24×7 managed IT support, in particular, offers the added advantage of round-the-clock availability of IT support, which can help organizations to minimize downtime, improve system availability, increase security, and provide better customer service.

 

Learn More : 24/7 Managed Support Services Of Metaorange Digital

 

Uninterrupted IT support can Overcome
Business IT Challenges

Many businesses would want to make the brave leap to 24/7 Manage Support but need help addressing IT challenges. Although being accessible outside of traditional business hours is a significant perk of maintaining a 24/7 presence, there are many more to consider, such as uninterrupted IT support. In this way, you can capitalize on the times when most people are online and ready to contact businesses whose wares they are interested in acquiring.

When faced with complex IT problems, outsourcing to a new group of experts is often the best course of action. With IT-managed services, you may expand your in-house IT team with a group of professionals who have worked with many organizations like yours.

Here in this blog, let’s examine some of the most pressing problems that crop up while opting for 24/7 Manage support.

Challenges Overcome By Outsourcing Uninterrupted IT Support

Overcome Healthy Work-Life Balance

Consider the impact of 24/7 operation on personal and staff lives but remember that being open around the clock does not necessarily require nonstop work.

To overcome IT challenges and avoid overworking someone, setting up shift patterns that reflect your extended business hours is a good idea. This ensures uninterrupted IT support for your customers and clients.

Altering the work schedules of current employees and hiring temporary help can significantly reduce stress. Instead of spending time and money training new employees in-house, you can save both by outsourcing to a third-party provider of specialized workers.

Aid in Staff Development

Expanding your workforce to support extended business hours typically requires investing time and money into training new employees.

Consider outsourcing to save on training costs and gain access to specialized workers.

Aid in Remote Accessibility

Companies adapting to remote work due to COVID-19 need help to find continuous business solutions while adhering to health measures.

Transitioning from an on-site to a remote work business model requires more than just giving employees smartphones. Possible technological hurdles associated with remote access include reworking the corporate intranet, deciding whether cloud services are preferable, and picking a model for employees to use their own devices or those given by the organization.

Business leaders risk making mistakes and losing valuable time when they try to solve problems and restructure collaboration internally. Most outsourcing firms provide tailored 24/7 management support services for evaluating and deploying cloud-based IT.

Combat Cybersecurity

The war to protect sensitive data is ongoing. Constantly checking for security holes and weak points in your defences is essential. With the rise of cybercrime, organizations can’t afford to let their guard down for even a moment.

Uninterrupted 24/7 IT support can monitor your cloud data safety, firewall setup, and identity and access control systems, detecting and responding to security threats promptly. This can help prevent major security breaches, minimize downtime, and safeguard your organization’s reputation.

Aid in Easy Mobility

Supporting a mobile workforce presents challenges for provisioning, maintenance, and security, whether employees work from home, airports, or coffee shops and use company-issued or personal devices.

You can guarantee the safety and productivity of the mobile workspace with the help of mobility services, which create corporate “bring your device policies” and administer company apps on mobile devices.

Aid in Disaster recovery and data backups

While vital, these duties are the monotonous type of routine work that nobody in your company looks forward to doing. Backups and disaster recovery plans are often overlooked because of this lack of time, only to be found wanting when it’s too late. Managed disaster recovery provides you with a reliable plan and the assistance you require in the event of a catastrophe. Additionally, the migration to cloud computing has become an increasingly popular option for companies looking to reduce their IT load. However, managing cloud infrastructure can be challenging, and teams may need help to provide adequate assistance in these novel settings. With the help of uninterrupted IT support, including 24/7 cloud professionals provided by managed services, you can be sure that your whole cloud infrastructure is operating at full performance.

Solve 24/7 Inquiry desk

Users have inquiries, but it can be challenging for organizations to keep specialists on staff to respond adequately. Help desks, either physical or digital, are available as part of managed services to answer any inquiries.

Despite the irony, outsourcing your vendor management to a managed services provider is the best option. By outsourcing vendor management to your managed service provider, you may relieve your personnel of the stress of dealing with several vendors.

Bottom Line! 

Contracting with outside parties is a must while working around the clock. It safeguards your and your business, work-life balance without compromising earnings, creating logistical headaches, disturbing internal communication, or jeopardizing employees’ health and safety during peak sales and customer communication periods.

 

LEARN MORE: 24/7 Manage support Services of Metaorange Digital

Strategies for Scaling Up 24/7 Manage
Support Services

Managing support around the clock is a fascinating problem to address. It usually indicates growth or the addition of more substantial clients. You might think it’s impossible to scale your workforce to give support around the clock. But actually, it’s not. Managing support requires careful planning and coordination to ensure that your team is providing effective and efficient assistance to your clients. This can involve implementing tools and technologies to streamline your support processes, as well as hiring and training additional staff to manage support. Managing support can be a complex task, but with the right strategies in place, it can help you build stronger relationships with your customers and support the continued growth of your business.

A 24/7 support model may seem daunting at first, but it can be easily implemented with the help of a step-by-step approach. Because of this, we have compiled this detailed blog describing the strategies that can upgrade your 24/7 management support Services for the good.

Top Strategies to Enhance 24/7 manage support Services

Provide customers with solutions that are smart and affordable

Each of the first two choices is fraught with significant risks. Fortunately, there’s a third possibility. Along with a reasonable pace of recruiting, this approach employs real-time automation with bots, methods to promote client self-service, and a focus on customers.

However, this strategy for extending customer assistance is challenging to implement successfully since it necessitates a high-quality toolkit, careful testing, and extensive collaboration across departments.

Implementing automation is a smart move

Today’s scalable customer service is built based on automation. Try to find methods to use customer care chatbots to automate replies to frequently asked queries and to direct consumers to the appropriate team for further assistance.

Chatbots may appear impersonal at first, but they may significantly enhance a stellar customer service department by freeing up human agents to focus on situations that demand a human touch.

Offer Self Service Options to Customers

Provide easy access to self-service options so clients can discover solutions to their problems quickly. It’s crucial to offer other methods of contact for clients who would rather not speak with a human being directly, such as a frequently asked questions (FAQ) website or help center.

Once compiled, however, these solutions and resources may be recommended to customers seeking help; for instance, Articles in Messenger urging users to look for answers before the Support staff responds. Both my team and our clients have significantly benefited from this strategy.

This type of connection may save an enormous amount of time by providing fast access to the data your team needs for their engagements with clients. They may now access your knowledge base searches without leaving the current window or tab.

Prioritize the Right Customers

As your business and product offerings expand, there will be a greater variety of questions and problems from customers. Because of this, fine-tuning your approach to prioritizing such talks is crucial. Some systems support several shared inboxes, allowing for efficient team and customer segmentation.

They make it simple for your group to assign high-priority talks to specific group members and send less urgent ones to other groups.

Understand Client Needs

Several one-of-a-kind challenges arise with scaling a team to this site, such as budget, location, language, and local client needs. Consider business objectives, consumer demands, and development goals when choosing an approach.

Focus on company expansion and long-term goals after understanding consumer needs and focus areas. Apply the information in those blueprints to develop a method for providing continuous service to your clientele. In this article, we will discuss three potential approaches.

Recruit Members To Work Nearby

Companies may prefer in-house strategies due to a lack of remote work experience, complex offerings, or reactive expansion. Your team members may leave for better working conditions or pay, both inside and outside the company.

Pager tools can help firms avoid full-time hiring by announcing new workloads. Compensation may include on-call stipends and hourly overtime pay for ticket handling.

Choose Between Outsourcing And Partnering

Hiring externally can lower costs, boost productivity, and address language and geographic needs. Outsourcing might be an effective alternative when it would be challenging to fill a position via an internal recruitment strategy.

The complexity of these methods might vary depending on your business’s specifics and your client’s requirements. Services range from triage to comprehensive support, including escalation, collaboration, and customer service.

However, a partnership approach may help you save on infrastructure, staffing, and training. Although these cost-cutting measures have apparent benefits, they should not be prioritized over the satisfaction of your customers.

Ending Up!

Do not forget that if your company is expanding, your customer service department will need to grow as well. It is up to you to decide how you want to handle the 24/7 management support.

To automate processes, encourage self-service, and manage subsets, you’ll need the right technologies.

 

LEARN MORE: 24/7 Manage Support Services of Metaorange Digital