Tag Archives: web-use reporting

Are you leaving your small business Web-use security door open?

There is so much to be concerned with when running a small business. Economic uncertainty, the cost of health insurance benefits, regulatory burdens, keeping mission-critical operations running–all add up to a stressful experience. Now security concerns include more than just locking the doors; it means everything digital too. And the risks? With ransomware, phishing, insider threats, unsanctioned cloud apps, BYOD . . . lets just say, the Internet usage risks are probably even higher than the front door being left open . . . wide open.

Many small and midsized businesses (SMBs) are without full-time IT departments or even full-time IT personnel, making them a prime target for breaches. But SMBs tend to think they don’t have the resources to handle this type of security, whether it be the financial consideration, personnel needed, or when hardware is preferred, limited space constraints. Since hackers know this, SMBs have to be proactive when it comes to Web-use security–nowadays, even more so than corporations.

The connection between the human and the Internet is a weak link, making it one of the leading access points into a system for a hacker. Whether it’s from the employee clicking a Web link in an e-mail, clicking a malicious ad, or sharing company information with a cloud service, make sure to protect the business by managing that employee-Internet connection. Find a solution that allows you to easily and proactively monitor and secure your employees’ Web activity. Your business is unique–finding a way to solve these issues and concerns will take a unique solution.

A few tips for your Web-use security solution search:

  1. Find a vendor who will spend the time with you. The cyber world has its own language. It’s important to have a human being on the other end of the phone during the sales process, in customer service, and when you need technical support . . . yup, they still have human beings in technical support . . . go figure! Get with a company who wants to talk to you!
  2. Of course, it doesn’t help if that vendor doesn’t have what you need so make sure you list the top security priorities for your business. Do you want to filter access to certain Web sites or categories such as social media, or do you want to limit time that an employee may spend on one site? Are you are more concerned with your guest Wi-Fi and BYOD or throttling bandwidth use? Don’t get sold on something that doesn’t meet at least your primary concerns. One solution does not always fit all . . . in today’s cybersecurity world you need to focus on your specific business concerns. Just because an expensive, large scale, all-in-one network security solution or firewall has a Web-use add-on tool does not mean it will give you the pertinent, granular detail and control that you need to protect your mission-critical operations.
  3. Ask questions. The vendor should understand that you excel at what you do, not what they do. Don’t be intimidated by the security subject. Even those of us in this business spend a lot of time keeping up with the fast pace of cybersecurity. No question is unnecessary. If you think about it, then it is important to you and should be to the vendor too. Refer to Tip #1!
  4. Last tip for today . . . solutions come in many shapes and sizes. Don’t settle for something that doesn’t fit your business. Your business is special and unique. Your solution should fit and work in your environment without you constantly having to justify it and make it fit in.

Wavecrest can, and wants to, help you!

Wavecrest provides Filtering and User Behavior Reporting solutions that fit your business! Find out more about our Cyfin and CyBlock deployments today. As a customer-centric company, Wavecrest focuses on the needs of each customer. Let us help secure your business with a solution that fits every business size, type, and configuration.

About Wavecrest

Trusted for over 25 years, Wavecrest Computing, headquartered in historic downtown Melbourne, FL, has provided commercial business and government clients with reliable, accurate Web-use management and User Behavior Analytic products since 1996. Managed Service Providers, IT specialists, HR professionals, and business managers trust Wavecrest’s Cyfin and CyBlock products to manage employee Internet usage — managing and reporting on cloud services, reducing liability risks, improving productivity, saving bandwidth, and controlling costs. Wavecrest has commercial and government clients worldwide. For more information on the company, products, and partners, visit https://www.wavecrest.net.

Take the mystery out of employee Web use and gain pertinent insight into your business.

Employee Web usage management and reporting

We are all seeing how business operations are continuously becoming more digitally driven. Many operations that were done on a desktop are now cloud- or app-driven. The connection to the Internet is a constant, and since your employees need that access to be productive, managing that connection should be a priority. Small businesses are finding that this access not only centralizes their operations and data but also can save them money. But they are finding that the amount of data being produced makes it impossible to find the relevant information needed. Looking at the employee-Internet relationship should be on the top of your checklist.

There are things that a Web-use management solution should provide, such as allowing a business to easily filter and control access, use white and black lists, and set time limits. But one of the biggest benefits that many times can be overlooked is the ability to access easy-to-use smart analytics and reporting tools. A filtering solution is great, but if it lacks a way to collect and correlate useful, pertinent data, then all that it is doing is restricting employees, causing frustration and potentially reducing productivity. With detailed reporting and analytics, managers can open up the usefulness of the Internet while knowing they still have the control to keep the business running smoothly and safely.

Look for the Web-use management solution that provides:

  • Drill-Down, Interactive, Forensic-Level Detail – A complete view of every link a user clicks, the exact search terms entered by a user, their search time, and more.
  • Ad Hoc and Scheduled Reporting – The information you need . . .  right when you need it.
  • Smart Reporting – Intelligent, timely, and cogent reporting on all aspects of employee Web usage.
  • Hits Versus Visits – Clear, uncluttered detail based on user clicks versus unsolicited traffic.
  • Manager Access – IT-controlled access for managers and HR allowing them reporting access without the need for IT assistance.

Analytics and reporting tools allow you to take the large amount of Web-use data your employees are producing and make sense of it. This data should tell you who, where, and when about the Web usage. Allowing you to see anomalies, activity peaks, bandwidth usage, and more, this visibility helps you plan and secure your network, data, and employees.

Don’t feel like you’re in need of tarot cards or tea leaves to know what is happening within your business.

CyBlock Web-Use Management Suite makes more sense of all your Web-use data with CyBlock’s comprehensive monitoring and reporting features. CyBlock is available in Cloud and VM deployments to fit any business size or industry.

Cyfin® provides advanced employee Web-use analysis and reporting for a wide variety of gateway devices and log file formats. Comprehensive yet easy to use, its customizable reporting and machine-learning analytics supply audience-specific Web-use information with reliable metrics, easy-to-read reporting dashboards, manager-ready detailed audit reports, and Smart Engine analytics. Cyfin is available in various deployment options: Cyfin VM, Cyfin Cloum and Cyfin Forensic.

About Wavecrest

Wavecrest has over 25 years of proven history of providing reliable, accurate Web-use management and Advanced Log File Analyzer products across various industries. Managed Service Providers, IT specialists, HR professionals, Forensics Investigators, and business managers trust Wavecrest’s Cyfin and CyBlock products to manage the human factor in business Internet usage — managing cloud services, reducing liability risks, improving productivity, saving bandwidth, and controlling costs. Trusted by large government and commercial organizations. For more information on the company, products, and partners, visit https://www.wavecrest.net.

Really? Is it really time to think about holiday shopping? Already?!

Manage Holiday Web Usage with CyBlock

Yes–now is the time. The holidays are right around the corner and definitely require attention now so your business can prepare for the increase in Web usage and the associated risks. There are many reasons for your business to pay close attention to Internet activity at this time of year (and all year). But there is one primary focus that could easily help with all the cyber risks to your business–managing the natural human vulnerability that cyber thieves take advantage of.

Did you know that most breaches are initially caused by employee error? “Ninety-two percent of all incidents are, and 84 percent of all data breaches were, unintentional or inadvertent in nature,” states an article from iapp.org. No matter what kind of data loss or breach it is, human error likely played a very important role.

Shopping season can bring out even more human vulnerabilities than usual. Malicious Web sites can look real and carry what looks like legitimate product offerings, advertising can be more enticing with hard-to-resist discounts, and e-mails can come from legitimate e-mail addresses hacked by these talented criminals. Humans’ emotional nature can make it hard to resist when we are all looking for that special or hard-to-get gift. It is important to make sure your business–and your employees–are protected by an easy-to-setup solution that is comprehensive and proactive.

This is easier than you think. Access to a comprehensive Web management solution will allow you to manage usage in a way that suits your unique business philosophy. This includes whether you want to allow or restrict access to certain Web sites at a particular time of day, monitor usage with reporting features by analyzing trends and tracking usage, or just meet compliance and regulation requirements.

This time of year, it is important to spend some extra time paying attention to your organization’s Web use. But Web-use management should be part of your business process and security all year round. Find a solution that is flexible enough to grow or change with you throughout the year, and for this time of year … let them shop … and know you are still being proactive and secure.

Cyfin® provides advanced User Behavior Analytics and Reporting for a wide variety of gateway devices and log file formats. Comprehensive yet easy to use, its customized reporting capabilities supply audience-specific information with reliable metrics, easy-to-read reporting dashboards, manager-ready detailed audit reports, and Smart Engine analytics. Cyfin is available in various deployment options: Cyfin Virtual Appliance and Cyfin Forensic.

CyBlock® Employee Web Filtering and Monitoring Solutions provide advanced Web filtering, threat protection, comprehensive employee reporting, Smart Engine analytics, easy-to-use admin and manager portals, and more. Customers can easily configure CyBlock to monitor and manage compliance with their usage policies. CyBlock is available in various deployment options: CyBlock Virtual Appliance, CyBlock Cloud, and CyBlock Hybrid.

Wavecrest has over 25 years of proven history of providing reliable, accurate Web-use management and Advanced Log File Analyzer products across various industries. IT specialists, business managers, HR professionals, Managed Service Providers, and Forensics Investigators trust Wavecrest’s Cyfin and CyBlock products to easily decipher and manage, and report on, real employee Web activity, manage cloud services, reduce liability risks, improve productivity, save bandwidth, and control costs. Trusted by small, medium, and large government and commercial organizations worldwide. For more information on the company, products, and partners, visit Wavecrest.

Employee Internet activity–get the right information to the right people in the right format.

We always think of a business’ audience as outside of the business, as in a sales or technical support relationship with a prospect or customer. But we all have an audience within the business that needs to be serviced, provided assistance, and kept happy. From an IT standpoint, these internal customers can be HR, operations, financial, legal, C-Suite, and more . . . literally everyone within the company. This is why it is important that IT be provided and supported with comprehensive, easy-to-manage tools that proactively help supply internal customers with the relevant, detailed, easy-to-consume information they need. Their focus should be on how to efficiently get the right information to the right people in the right format–especially when it is critical information like Internet usage.

Internet usage is a leading concern for companies due to risks from employee misuse, unsanctioned cloud applications, phishing e-mails, and more. Pepper Hamilton LLP, Attorneys at Law note, “Companies often are surprised to learn that their biggest security threats come from their own employees. These risks range from the use of weak passwords to clicking on corrupt internet links to theft of sensitive data.” IT needs to not only maintain the system to keep the business’ digital environment running and secure but they also need to supply critical employee Web-use information to others within their organization. These internal customers are not prepared to dig through and interpret large amounts of technical data. They require the information be easily supplied to them for when, where, and how they need to use it. So what does “the right information to the right people in the right format” really mean?

What is the right information?

When it comes to Web-use risks, the human factor, that is, the employee, must be the focus. Without knowing the human behavior in the organization it is impossible to define what is normal and flag anomalies that may indicate unintentional mistakes or malicious acts, identify workforce productivity changes, or determine whether an employee is in compliance with corporate policy, and more. If there is reporting on Web traffic in the organization, it may still be inadequate in showing the relevant human behavior in the workplace. It is important to reduce the “noise” that happens in data when supplying information to the internal customers. The right information means clear, pertinent, easy-to-consume information for, more than likely, a nontechnical audience.

Who are the right people?

It would likely be easier to just say everyone. Most employees use some form of the Internet for work functions. If they don’t, they still likely have access to the Internet through company Wi-Fi or during their break. Even then, the business is responsible for the Web use occurring on their network at any time. Knowing this, it is understandable that many people in your organization want easy access to employees’ Web activity information. Managers may want to address productivity issues, HR personnel may want to investigate a Web-use liability issue, and IT staff themselves will want to watch network performance and security. Getting the relevant information to a specific audience in the company is important and increases overall efficiency and productivity. The right people means that the information supplied to that user is specific to their responsibility. Extraneous information not only makes the recipient’s process of deciphering the data more difficult and time-consuming, but it is also a data security issue by sharing unrelated company data with others, even within the company.

Which is the right format?

When you view something and it just has so much information or is just difficult to read, do you actually retain or even understand the information? With mission-critical operations looming, IT no longer has time to spend on walking a recipient through report information. Requested Web-use information should be in an easy-to-read and actionable format. Having reporting dashboards can provide important benefits especially when they can be customized to offer different types of analyses for different users and therefore serve different purposes. Customizable charts and interactive, drill-down reporting features with specifically relevant information increases understanding and ends up supporting clear business decision-making. So, the right format is about allowing for flexibility for each recipient to view information in a number of different formats.

So then . . . what is needed to get the right information to the right people in the right format and how can Wavecrest help?

Smart Engine analytics! Without the Smart Engine and its analytics, the reporting components could not provide the adequate information that your company needs to manage employee Web use. The Smart Engine makes technical data usable and manager-ready. Smart Engine analytics provide pertinent, detailed analysis, permitting the review or investigation of trends, policy violation, Internet misuse, security issues, and ultimately, human behavior occurring in the workplace.

With its precise, industry-leading algorithms, the Wavecrest Smart Engine is used by charts and reports to present accurate and up-to-date Web-use data. It performs functions such as determining visits and time online from Web traffic, and categorizing URLs into logical groups based on content. The Smart Engine is the key to providing understandable, easy-to-consume, manager-ready information–more precisely, the right information for right people in the right format.

Time is precious, especially in business. Getting the right information to the right people in the right format should be easy–especially when it is critical information like Internet usage. Let us help.

About Wavecrest

Wavecrest has over 25 years of proven history of providing reliable, accurate Web-use management, User Behavior Analytics, and Advanced Log File Analyzer products across various industries. Managed Service Providers, IT specialists, HR professionals, Forensics Investigators, and business managers trust Wavecrest’s Cyfin and CyBlock products to manage the human factor in business Internet usage — comprehensive filtering and Web-use reporting, managing cloud services, reducing liability risks, improving productivity, saving bandwidth, and controlling costs. Trusted by small, medium, and large government and commercial organizations. For more information on the company, products, and partners, visit Wavecrest.

Remote Working & Managing Internet Use

Specifically built to serve remote and roaming users, CyBlock Cloud will follow your users to wherever they are working.
Specifically built to serve remote and roaming users, CyBlock Cloud will follow your users to wherever they are working.

We all hope this coronavirus doesn’t last long. That’s clear. But because of this, companies seem to be realizing that social distancing is a good idea, and they can have people working remotely in a positive way. Amazon, Google, Facebook, Microsoft – the list keeps growing. They are taking this head-on and moving their employees off-site, potentially protecting their entire workforce from an onsite health crisis.

How does remote working fit into work overall? The numbers that come out of all this should be interesting, especially the numbers for the companies that finally realize they can operate this way and not lose any control over Internet security, productivity, liability, and more. Buzzfeed reports in its March 4th article*, “some in the industry are looking at the outbreak as a test case for the long-gestating but never-arriving moment when working remotely will broadly replace working in person.”

Many businesses have traveling workers. Salespeople, Technical Support staff, and others, but now we are looking at the driving force being something out of our control. The businesses that have made this decision are supporting a healthy workforce as a whole. Businesses that do choose to do this also know that they are still responsible for employees’ online activity. So how does a company support its business when its workforce is scattered everywhere?

The answer is a comprehensive Internet use management solution with an easy, flexible cloud deployment that travels with your employees. So, for example, the employee goes home with a company laptop, the company Internet use would be managed by the cloud solution.

What should you look for when looking at Internet-use cloud solutions?

  • Should deploy in minutes with simple, intuitive steps.
  • Follows users with perimeter-less coverage.
  • Is an easily scalable, highly elastic, and adaptable solution.
  • Always-on filtering with User/Group filter policies. 
  • Provides fast, efficient, manager-ready reporting.
  • Has no hardware installation and no maintenance.

CyBlock Cloud can provide all this and more. Specifically built to serve remote and roaming users, CyBlock Cloud will follow your users to wherever they are working.

Now is the best time to be prepared. Our Sales Team and Technical Staff are ready to help you get setup and going. We are all in this together! Contact us today at info@wavecrest.net.

About Us

CyBlock® Employee Web Filtering and Monitoring Solutions provide advanced Web filtering, threat protection, comprehensive employee reporting, Smart Engine with machine-learning analytics, easy-to-use admin and manager portals, and more. Customers can easily configure CyBlock to monitor and manage compliance with their usage policies. CyBlock is available in various deployment options: CyBlock Virtual Appliance, CyBlock Appliance, CyBlock Mini Appliance, CyBlock Cloud, and CyBlock Hybrid.

Cyfin® provides advanced employee Web-use analysis and reporting for a wide variety of gateway devices and log file formats. Comprehensive yet easy to use, its customizable reporting and machine-learning analytics supply audience-specific Web-use information with reliable metrics, easy-to-read reporting dashboards, manager-ready detailed audit reports, and Smart Engine analytics. Cyfin is available in various deployment options: Cyfin Virtual Appliance and Cyfin Forensic.

Wavecrest® has over 20 years of proven history of providing reliable, accurate Web-use management, filtering, reporting, and analytics products across various industries. IT specialists, business managers, HR professionals, Managed Service Providers, and Forensics Investigators trust Wavecrest’s Cyfin and CyBlock products to easily decipher and manage real employee Web activity, manage cloud services, reduce liability risks, improve productivity, save bandwidth, and control costs. Trusted by large government and commercial organizations such as US-CERT Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Justice, USPS Office of Inspector General, National Grid, Johns Hopkins, and a growing list of global enterprises and government agencies. We are a proud long-term GSA contract holder. For more information on the company, products, and partners, visit Wavecrest.

*The Coronavirus Is Forcing Techies To Work From Home. Some May Never Go Back The Office, buzzfeed.com, March 2020.

Small can still be powerful!

CyBlock Mini Appliance – Compact yet Robust!

Don’t be fooled by the name–CyBlock Mini Appliance is powerful, comprehensive, and worth every inch of its compactness. Built for managing your business’ employee Internet access in the most convenient, budget-friendly way possible!

Maintaining visibility throughout your workforce is key to running a secure business today. Don’t settle on just any Web-use management solution that really doesn’t meet your needs. If you need coverage for a remote office, have limited space either in your server room or in your office, or are struggling with how to keep your business Internet access secure with a limited IT budget, Wavecrest has more choices than ever. No matter what business size or industry type, CyBlock Mini Appliance is likely to be just what you have been looking for.

The powerful Mini Appliance provides the comprehensive Web-use management capabilities of CyBlock, including URL filtering, comprehensive detailed reporting, secure guest Wi-Fi services with captive portal, advanced threat protection, bandwidth management, cloud services management, as well as coverage for non-HTTP activity, e.g., P2P, torrents, IM, and e-mail. Get all of this in one compact and economical package. The general size of a Wi-Fi hub, the Mini allows you to put it in the corner, on your desk, or in that tiny space you have left in your packed server room!

As a cost-effective choice for any business type or size, the robust, yet compact Mini Appliance provides the leading-edge, comprehensive Web-use filtering, reporting, and security capabilities of CyBlock. Designed to fit every business environment, the Mini Appliance can be paired with CyBlock Appliance or deployed on its own, depending on the required Web-use needs.

For more information on CyBlock Mini Appliance or any of our other products, please contact us today!

About Wavecrest ComputingFor over 20 years Wavecrest Computing, headquartered in historic downtown Melbourne, FL, has been providing commercial business and government clients with reliable, accurate Web-use management, monitoring, and analytics products. Managed Service Providers, IT specialists, HR professionals, and business managers trust Wavecrest’s Cyfin and CyBlock products to monitor and manage employee Internet usage — managing cloud services, reducing liability risks, improving productivity, saving bandwidth, and controlling costs. Wavecrest has clients worldwide, including General Electric, Lockheed Martin, Florida Department of Health, Siemens, Department of Homeland Security, and a growing list of global enterprises and government agencies. We are a proud long-term GSA contract holder. For more information on the company, products, and partners, visit https://www.wavecrest.net.

Wavecrest Computing Announces a New Product Release With Advanced Custom Reports

Wavecrest announces a new release that includes advanced customization of report templates for both Cyfin VM and CyBlock VM.

Wavecrest, a global leader in employee Web-use management, filtering, monitoring, and analytics solutions, today announced a new release for its Cyfin VM and CyBlock VM product deployments.

This release includes an exciting enhancement to customizable report capabilities. Product administrators can build more comprehensive tailored reports for any Web-use circumstance that is requested, with the focused information the requestor required, in an easy-to-read format. This report enhancement also allows IT, managers, HR, C-Suite, and others, to not only have portal access to the predefined reports, but also the saved custom reports. 

“Company stakeholders need employee Internet-use reports for running the business including driving productivity, evaluating security, and investigating legal liability issues,” notes Dennis McCabe, CEO of Wavecrest. “With the flexibility of Custom Reports, managers from any area within the company can easily decipher and evaluate the information they need, presented in the order and format they require. This not only allows for increased company collaboration but also provides immediate ROI with truly useful, actionable information on real Web browsing activity for every team within the business. Our goal at Wavecrest is always simple and intuitive navigation while providing significant increases in features and capabilities.”

Custom Report features are available in Cyfin Virtual Appliance, and CyBlock Virtual Appliance deployments.

For more information, visit https://www.wavecrest.net.

About Wavecrest
Wavecrest has over 20 years of proven history of providing reliable, accurate employee Web-use management, filtering, and reporting products across all business types and sizes. Managed Service Providers, IT specialists, HR professionals, Forensics Investigators, and business managers trust Wavecrest’s Cyfin and CyBlock products to manage the human factor in business Internet usage — managing cloud services, reducing liability risks, improving productivity, saving bandwidth, and controlling costs. Trusted by large government and commercial organizations such as US-CERT Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Justice, USPS Office of Inspector General, National Grid, Johns Hopkins, and a growing list of global enterprises and government agencies. Proud GSA contract holder since 2000. For more information on the company, products, and partners, please visit https://www.wavecrest.net.

Show cyber threats who is boss in 2018.

Last year went by so fast. In between everyone’s normal busy schedule, most of us had to deal with natural disasters of some kind. For us at Wavecrest, it was Hurricane Irma as well as an above average rainy season. For others, it was Harvey and Maria, as well as fires, flooding,  earthquakes, remnants of storms causing wind damage–the list last year seems to be endless.

2017 also brought on some notable cyber events with the Equifax breach as one of the top incidents. 2017 was definitely a year for the books. You may have also noticed a shift in the business digital threat protection messaging. We at Wavecrest noticed . . . because it shifted to what we have always focused on. People.

People are a big part of the cyber threats that take place in businesses. No matter how automated things are, there is always the aspect of human interaction–human vulnerability. Humans inherently have vulnerabilities. It’s not a fault of one individual over another; it’s not about how good your employees are. There is a point where a business owner, manager, or decision-maker has to come to terms with managing Web use for the sake of the business over “my employees wouldn’t do that” or “I trust everyone working for me.” It may be true that you have the most trustworthy employees, but mistakes happen . . . even to the best of us. Cyber criminals focus on the easiest route first to gain access to your systems. Many times this is the employee, or human, vulnerability.

So . . . the new year is here. What can be done to improve managing employee Web use? The key is to make sure you pay attention to the human endpoint because it is not always about a failure in the actual technology. The firewall is great but if you have a weakness with an authorized user, the hacker will get past the firewall. Defend the human endpoint.

Consider these as a starting point and build on each or all!

  • MONITOR YOUR EMPLOYEES’ WEB USE! Sorry. It had to be said. If you do not know what is happening, you will not be able to know why, when, or where it happened. And you will not be able to make an informed decision on how to stop it from happening again. Remember that many times the human error that allowed for a breach may have been habitual or reactive so the employee’s memory of how it happened may not be very clear. Make sure to have visibility into the actual Web activity.
  • Analytics. Really another part of monitoring but noted separately due its importance and the flexibility of what you should be able to view and analyze. Find a Web activity solution that allows you to see relevant, drill-down data when you need it. Trends, customizable charts, by user or group, and real-time information on activity and bandwidth use are all things you should be able to analyze easily. All will allow you to expose abnormalities in user activity, identify potential insider threat behavior, flag possible legal liability issues, assess trends for data breach exposure, and observe patterns for lost productivity.
    • Hits versus Visits. This one deserves a sub-bullet. Make sure the Web-use management solution you choose has clearly defined Hits vs. Visits. Hits consist of unsolicited traffic, such as ads, and are not a reliable tracking metric on its own. Visits give you uncluttered, relevant Web activity detail based on user clicks and are a critical component to understanding human behavior. The last thing you want to do is try and sift through a bunch of data that is not even really relevant to the employee’s actual Web activity.

  • Filter. Yup . . . another suggestion that has the “but my employees are awesome” stigma to it. BUT let me just remind you that this is something that will provide another layer of security from phishing, malicious Web links, and data loss. I got your synapses firing now, don’t I! Filtering allows you to block or restrict URL link clicks that an employee may not be aware are malicious. Hackers have become increasingly precise in how things look. Very convincing e-mails and Web links are not rare anymore; they are commonplace. It is not really all about making sure your employee isn’t streaming YouTube all day. Although that should be managed as well, it should all be under your control. Allow it, don’t allow it, throttle it, or open it all up. The solution you choose should allow you to do it all, in your own customizable way.

The point is that the human endpoint is still a leading way threats get into your network. It may be through phishing, a malicious ad, or use of a unsanctioned cloud application, or it may even be a human error such as the delay of updating software. Whatever the issue, you have to be as proactive as possible to protect your network. Educate your employees continuously, have a comprehensive Web activity solution in place, make sure your Acceptable Use Policy is current, make sure patch management is an active process, and hug your IT people regularly because they are usually some of the busiest and stressed people in your organization.

Here is to showing the cyber criminals who is boss in 2018! Happy New Year!

About Wavecrest

Wavecrest has over 20 years of proven history of providing reliable, accurate Web-use management and Advanced Log File Analyzer products across various industries. Managed Service Providers, IT specialists, HR professionals, Forensics Investigators, and business managers trust Wavecrest’s Cyfin and CyBlock products to manage the human factor in business Internet usage — managing cloud services, reducing liability risks, improving productivity, saving bandwidth, and controlling costs. Trusted by large government and commercial organizations such as US-CERT Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Justice, USPS Office of Inspector General, National Grid, Johns Hopkins, and a growing list of global enterprises and government agencies. We are a proud long-term GSA contract holder. For more information on the company, products, and partners, visit https://www.wavecrest.net.

It is holiday shopping time again! Cyber Monday is now more like Cyber Month!

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, we all know what is coming–Cyber Monday–the big day (now it is more like a month!) for personal employee Web use! More than ever before, businesses are open to employee use of the company Internet for personal use such as snagging some holiday deals. But what does this really mean for daily business operations? That depends.

There are definitely cyber risks associated with the season of shopping–malicious ads, phishing e-mails with malicious Web links, and slow bandwidth, to name a few. Paying attention to your employees’ Web usage is crucial. It is up to you whether you allow shopping on your network. If you do, there are steps you should take to manage this naturally vulnerable human endpoint.

  • Filter
    • Filtering allows you to reduce risks from malicious URLs in ads, phishing, etc. . . . employees are your weakest link. Train them continuously but also make sure there is a Web filtering solution in place to allow you to manage the Web use the way you see fit.
  • Manage Bandwidth Usage
    • This time of year employees may be doing things such as watching a video review of the latest in tech toys for their kids. Make sure your mission-critical operations are not affected. Configuring bandwidth limits by user-defined thresholds and setting trigger alerts will help you make sure you don’t have unnecessary bandwidth hogs slowing your business down.
  • Monitor Web use
    • Visibility means everything. With the right monitoring solution, you can easily analyze employee Web-usage trends, make sure your Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) is being followed, and get actionable, relevant detail when you need it.

These are only a few of the things that you can do to help reduce the risks associated with employee Web use all year long. Remember that human vulnerabilities are a leading cause of most network breaches. Focus on the human endpoint. Take the time to keep training employees, enforcing your AUP, monitoring, analyzing, and filtering.

At this time of year, you can feel good about allowing your employees some freedom to research or snag some holiday gift deals. Have a comprehensive employee Web filtering and monitoring solution in place, and enjoy your holidays even more knowing you are proactively managing employee Web activity!

About Wavecrest

Wavecrest has over 20 years of proven history of providing reliable, accurate Web-use management and Advanced Log File Analyzer products across various industries. Managed Service Providers, IT specialists, HR professionals, Forensics Investigators, and business managers trust Wavecrest’s Cyfin and CyBlock products to manage the human factor in business Internet usage — managing cloud services, reducing liability risks, improving productivity, saving bandwidth, and controlling costs. Trusted by large government and commercial organizations such as US-CERT Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Justice, USPS Office of Inspector General, National Grid, Johns Hopkins, and a growing list of global enterprises and government agencies. We are a proud long-term GSA contract holder. For more information on the company, products, and partners, visit https://www.wavecrest.net.

Employees are like Hacker Candy

Employees are still the central part of all our businesses. Even with all the technology, we still have people to run the operations. The human component of our business is the goal for most hackers. It is easier to find the human weakness than it is to find a network flaw. This human point of infiltration still needs attention, even when you feel your business is secure.

Hackers are smart and agile. It’s a full-time job for them. They don’t get called into meetings, get distracted by co-workers, or have to worry about receiving their W-2 in time for their tax advisors. Their focus is to get into your network using those distractions against your employees. Your employees are busy and focused on what they have to get done, many juggling multiple responsibilities. Hackers like these employees; it’s like candy to them.

Is there any one solution that will remove all risks? No. But there are ways you can help your employees protect themselves and your network. Ransomware, insider threats, phishing–there are so many threats that can halt operations that are critical to your business success. Be aware, prepare.

A combination of defenses helps you reduce the risks we all face in business today. Don’t assume one will solve everything. Develop multiple layers of proactive security. This can include anything from making sure your Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) is current or having consistent employee training, to firewall and virus protection, to Web-use comprehensive monitoring and filtering solutions.

It is also important to have a recorded and tested recovery plan in place. Make the assumption that a breach will happen. This way you are prepared. Most importantly, maintain current backups. Make sure that the backups are not accessible through your network!

The “one” solution to protect your business just doesn’t exist. Maintain a combination of defenses and solutions to cover as many risks as possible. Being proactive will pay off in the long run.

Trusted for over 20 years, Wavecrest Computing, headquartered in historic downtown Melbourne, FL, has provided commercial business and government clients with reliable, accurate Web-use management and Cloud Access Security Broker products since 1996. Managed Service Providers, IT specialists, HR professionals, and business managers trust Wavecrest’s Cyfin and CyBlock products to manage employee Internet usage — managing cloud services, reducing liability risks, improving productivity, saving bandwidth, and controlling costs. Wavecrest has clients worldwide, including General Electric, Lockheed Martin, Florida Department of Health, Siemens, Department of Homeland Security, and a growing list of global enterprises and government agencies. We are a proud long-term GSA contract holder. For more information on the company, products, and partners, visit https://www.wavecrest.net.