Monthly Archives: July 2016

Always question the “all-in-one solution” solution.

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Surveys and statistics still tell us that one of the most important things a business can do is see what is going on within their business. In the past, a business owner or manager could visually see productivity, equipment misuse, or when they were vandalized. Now we rely on digital devices and clouds to handle so much of how our business is run that it is impossible to rely on hands-on owners or managers to see any issues.

When you did your security research, you were most likely reminded that one device or solution will not solve everything. The main takeaway from those reminders–be leery of the product that says it will. Most businesses, big or small, need layers of solutions to truly protect their assets. The problem that is now arising is that big box companies are selling what they like to call an all-in-one solution. This is a fallacy. One solution is not going to cover all your threats from outside or inside the company. They may offer some version of a lot of different things, but we all know that businesses have focused goals. For many of the larger companies, it is to sell large hardware packages such as a firewall that comes with add-ons.

Okay, so we should all know . . . you need a firewall! But when they tell you to give up your focused URL filtering reports because they have one built-in, think twice before you sign on thinking you are getting the same capabilities. They do not specialize in these included or add-on features. The feature they provide will give you a minimal amount of dry, flat, and unresponsive tools. Yes, you have their firewall and that is a good thing, but question whether you can really use what they provide for the security beyond firewall functionality. Today, security is not just about the firewall.

Things to always check for when reviewing included or add-on solutions:

  • Drill-down, forensic-level reporting detail.
  • Interactive features by user, group, category, etc.
  • Manager portal to get managers the information then need without having to schedule time for IT.
  • Comprehensive and current URL categories, including designated cloud services.

Do not believe you have to settle for what is included in your all-in-one package. Wavecrest Computing’s advanced employee Web-use monitoring & analytics solution, Cyfin, will provide clear, detailed, and interactive reporting with automatic log file analysis and detection to work with virtually any gateway device and log file format including Palo Alto, Check Point, Forcepoint (Websense), SonicWALL, WatchGuard, and more.

About Wavecrest Computing

Celebrating 20 years in business, 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.

CyBlock/Cyfin Release 9.2.4 Now Available

In Release 9.2.4, we are excited to announce the integration of CyBlock Cloud with ConnectWise PSA software providing MSPs with the ability to manage their cloud customers from within ConnectWise. MSPs can easily integrate with ConnectWise and get access to their CyBlock Cloud portal.

For CyBlock Appliance customers, managing your direct HTTPS traffic has been improved allowing you to secure your guest Wi-Fi network. You can now enforce blocking policies on both direct HTTPS traffic as well as direct HTTP traffic.

Two other enhancements help you manage your Dashboard database size and your disk space. The Storage Limit feature for Dashboard databases purges past data beyond a time period that you set. The Log File Removal feature allows you to remove log files that are no longer necessary. Log files can be deleted manually or scheduled for daily deletion.

Another enhancement is the consolidation of the Logon Accounts screens providing a more streamlined way to manage logon accounts and easier navigation of the screens. These and other enhancements are highlighted below.

  • ConnectWise Integration (CyBlock Cloud)
    • To use this feature, MSP Partners will need to create an integrator logon in ConnectWise and then configure ConnectWise in CyBlock Cloud. You will be able to access Wavecrest vendor information as well as a menu link to your CyBlock Cloud MSP Partner Portal in ConnectWise.
    • MSPs can then integrate their customers and will see a license configuration in ConnectWise for each of their customers.
  • Managing Direct Traffic (CyBlock Appliance)
    • CyBlock Appliance now monitors and filters direct HTTPS traffic along with direct HTTP traffic. Read the product documentation for information on setting up the DNS server.
    • The Web Redirects page has been renamed “Direct Traffic” and allows you to enable policy enforcement on direct HTTP/HTTPS traffic, exclude network source IP addresses from redirection, and exclude destination IP addresses/domains from filtering.
  • Dashboard Data Storage Limit (CyBlock Appliance, CyBlock Software, Cyfin)
    • The Storage Limit feature allows you to manage the size of your Dashboard database and keep it at optimum performance by purging past data.
    • After upgrading the product, the storage limit is set to 3 months, and any data older than this will be deleted at the default scheduled time.
      NOTE:  If you wish to retain more than 3 months of data, change this option on the Data Management – Report Database – Configuration – Settings screen after upgrading. Other options available are 6 months and 1 year.
  • Log File Removal (CyBlock Appliance, CyBlock Software)
    • The new Data Management – Log Data Source – Delete screen helps you manage disk space by removing log files that are no longer required.
    • You can select the time period for the log files you want to retain. You can also select to either delete log files manually at the current time or schedule a daily deletion to occur.
  • Logon Accounts Consolidated
    • In the User Management – Logon Accounts menu, the menu items Add, Modify (if applicable), and Delete have been consolidated for easier navigation of the screens. These functions can now be performed from the User Management – Logon Accounts screen.
    • Your list of accounts is displayed where you may add, view, edit, and delete a logon account as well as change the account password as applicable.
    • You can hover over an account to display available icons for changing the account password, and editing (if applicable) and deleting the account.
  • Live Chat
    • In product evaluations, assistance is available where you can talk to Sales or Technical Support over live chat. This feature is another way in which you can ask questions about our products. Just click Chat With Us at the bottom of the window.
    • Live chat is also available on our Web site, blog, and knowledge base. Chat online with Sales or Technical Support in real time.

There are also corrections in this release. To see the full release notes for your product, visit our Web site or knowledge base. You can upgrade to the latest release by going to the Help – Check for Updates screen in your product.

For additional assistance, please feel free to contact us.