Page 8 - Skype Buzz Q3 2016

8 SkypeBuzz by Telecom Reseller
3rd Quarter 2016
DAVID BERGQUIST CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
ransomware “macros” in a Word document and your business may be in jeopardy.
RECOGNIZING RANSOMWARE
“Locky” ransomware is a new variant ( rst appearing in February of 2016) most commonly distributed via e-mail. It will o en contain a subject line similar to “ATTN: J-98223146” and
a message similar to “Please see the attached invoice” with a Word document attachment containing malicious macros. “Locky” will scan all local drives and unmapped network shares for les, encrypt them, and rename them making it very di cult to recover from. e following screen capture provides an example of such a message:
Other known types of Ransomware include CryptoLocker, CryptoWall, and TorrentLocker. ese types of ransomware are commonly distributed via e-mail with attachments or links to web sites that end up infecting your computer, encrypting les, and suggesting the user pay a ransom to unencrypt those les. Some types of ransomware can prevent you from using your computer in normal fashion, stopping access to web browsers or even preventing you from using Windows.
HOW CAN I SPECIFICALLY PROTECT MY LYNC / SKYPE FOR BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT?
When your environment is infected with ransomware your network le shares can be held for ransom, preventing access to computers and even services and applications on such computers. Here are some things to think about to ensure your Lync / Skype for Business environments are secure from Ransomware:
1. Backups – If compromised by ransomware, access to PC’s and/or servers could be a ected in addition to access to certain services and/or applications:
● Either by means of existing back up technology, or by running back-up scripts on each of the Lync / Skype for Business servers, ensure you have weekly or even daily backups of your environment
● You may be able to recover your compromised entity / data from a backup allowing you rid yourself of the issue
2. File Share Permissions – If compromised by ransomware, les and folders located on a share
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interactions,” said Avi Margolin, CEO of
Numonix.
“Congratulations to Numonix for being
honored with a Communications Solutions Product of the Year Award,” said Rich Tehrani, CEO, TMC. “Numonix’s RECITE is truly an innovative product and is one of the best solutions brought to market in the past 12 months that facilitates business- transforming voice, data and video communications.”
Numonix, a Microsoft Silver Communications partner and preferred recording solution provider for recording on-premise and hybrid deployments of Skype for Business, also works closely with Microsoft to maintain interaction recording compliance for Skype for Business users migrating to O ce 365.
Robust, Flexible and Scalable Recording Solution for the O365 Hybrid Cloud
RECITE for Microsoft O365 enables cloud-based interaction recording, storage, management and retrieval of recordings via its hybrid cloud integration and Web-based portal without installing any software into the enterprise’s network. RECITE records all modalities, including Voice, Video, Chat and
Caption Xxxxxx
can be encrypted and / or inaccessible until you pay a ransom. Microso Lync 2013 and Skype
for Business Server 2015 clients and servers both require the use of a “File Share” to obtain, store, and replicate data amongst other servers within the topology, in order to provide full functionality on a regular basis.
● In regards to “Sharing”, ensure that “Everyone” does not have “Full Control” of the Lync / SFB le share:
● Lync / Skype for Business can function without “Everyone” added once deployed.
● “Everyone” can be added during the initial installation allowing successful deployment and publication of the topology
● However, once the topology is published, this can be removed as Lync / Skype for Business will add its own required groups and permissions to the le share upon successful completion of the topology being published
● Lync / Skype for Business will apply the following groups and permissions to the le share upon successful publication of the topology:
● RTCHSUniversalServices – Allow Change / Read
● RTCComponentUniversalServices - Allow Change / Read
● RTCUniversalServerAdmins - Allow Change / Read
● RTCUniversalCon gReplicator – Allow Change / Read
● At a minimum, you could con gure
Desktop Screen. Since all recording is done on the server, no client-side resources are needed for voice, video or chat recordings.
RECITE bene ts include:
● Seamless recording. All Microsoft O365 interactions are recorded to the cloud, including Voice, Video, Chat and Desktop Screen.
● Regulatory compliance. RECITE is a SOX, HIPAA, PCI, Dodd-Frank, and MIFID-2 compliant recording solution.
● Secure Recordings. All recorded interactions are encrypted end-to-end from capture to storage.
● Centralized Administration. Web-based access and administration provides easy and secure access to recordings.
● Real-time Active Directory Monitoring. Administrators are enabled to provision and decommission users in real-time without having to manage multiple platforms.
● Quality Management. RECITE includes built-in contact center features, including Live Monitoring, Agent Scoring and Reporting at no additional charge.
● Flexibility. RECITE features RECAP (API) for system management, user
Caption Xxxxxx
“Everyone” to have “Read Only” access; however, the groups outlined above are all that’s required to function properly once deployed
● In regards to “security” on the Lync \ Skype for Business le share, “Everyone” should not have “Full Control”:
You can get away with “Read” permissions for ‘Everyone” at a minimum, however “System”, “Local admins”, and the “Lync / SFB admins” should have rights allowing the permissions to
provisioning and targeting. RECITE also features advanced capabilities, including Duplicate Media Streaming for third-party integrations such as Analytics
● Proactive Monitoring. Proactive and continuous monitoring ensures uninterrupted service.
● Comprehensive Activity Logs. User Activity Logs help organizations meet stringent internal and external compliance requirements and provide an Audit
Trail to assist in both compliance and troubleshooting.
● Compatibility With Leading Voice and UC Platforms. RECITE is compatible with leading voice and UC platforms, including Allworx, Avaya, Broadsoft, Cisco, Mitel, ShoreTel, Switchvox and Toshiba.
● Choice of Endpoint. RECITE supports all endpoints, including Skype for Business and Microsoft Lync® clients, Polycom telephones and other third-party telephones, including those that support BToE.
Now available from Numonix’s global dealer network, RECITE scales from ve to thousands of users.
More at www.NumonixRecording.com and www.tmcnet.com. ■
be create during topology publication as well as allowing these groups access to the required data on the share as needed
● Allowing “Everyone” “Full Control” to
the shares could be dangerous in ransomware situations as the infection can spread quickly to le shares whether they are drive mapped or not:
Not to mention, this allows anyone to be able to access the share once they have access to the environment
3. Updates - Ensuring your clients and servers are current with the latest updates can protect against old and new vulnerabilities such as ransomware:
● Ensure that all critical security operating systems are up to date to minimize vulnerabilities ● Ensure virus scanner, spyware, malware, and
threat detection utilities running on clients and servers are up to date
● Invoke daily updating, automatic scanning, and reporting, and of virus scanner, spyware, malware, and threat detection utilities:
Being aware of a possible threat may help deter it from spreading allowing you to isolate the problem to a single PC, Server, or location before it has a chance to spread through the entire organization
● Updates, scans, and reporting of malicious code and so ware can be impended via group policies or through the product itself ensure all subscribers are up to date and safe
4. O ce Products - Guard against opening emails (Outlook), Word documents (or any O ce program) that contain macros. In Word / Excel/ Outlook, go to: File, Options, Trust Center, Trust Center Settings, Macro Settings and “Disable
all Macros without noti cation”. You could also con gure this via Group Policy or during the install of the product(s). Macros can be controlled as shown here:
5. Awareness - Make users aware. Some things you can do make users aware are as follows:
● Send out companywide emails from IT warning of these types of threats so that the
general populous is aware
● Print out and distribute yers and post them
in popular areas such as near drinking fountains, restrooms, kitchens, and common areas
● Distribute the warning during mandatory company meetings or team meetings so users know how to recognize and deal with these types of threats. ■
Technosoft Launches
New Uni ed
Communications
Solutions Lab in
Bellevue, Washington
BELLEVUE, WA – Technoso Corporation, a leading provider of cutting-edge IT and BPM services, has announced the opening of the “UCPE Lab”, Uni ed Communications Product Engineering lab based in Bellevue, Washington. Located at 1951 152nd PL NE, the UCPE Lab
is a development and testing facility that was strategically developed in close proximity to Microso , its co-engineering partner. Technoso ’s vision is to achieve a 360 Relationship with “Skype for Business” product engineering group as well as with “Skype for Business” Partners and Customers.
“Microso is a market leading innovator in the fast-growing Uni ed Communications (UC) category and they understand better than most the critical importance of extending ‘Skype for Business’ platform to increase market share,”
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