Protecting Your Virtual Businesses: Better to Be Safe Than Sorry!

In today’s world, each and every enterprise is choosing to adapt the latest technology and use highly technical devices that are incorporated with the Internet. As it speeds up the operations within a company, it also makes security very crucial.

When a business starts using web applications and cloud, besides being fast and efficient, it also becomes vulnerable to various kinds of threats including virus attacks, mischievous hackers, immoral use of the web by external or internal invaders, bandwidth theft etc.

If no steps are taken to ensure the security of these applications and cloud storage then a company can end up losing thousands to millions of dollars if the system gets infected or the invaded. Hence, relevant steps must be taken in order to keep the company’s valuable data and information safe from such breaches.

This is exactly where Managed Security Services Providers come in handy. Companies that choose to acquire the services of a managed security services provider never get victimized by security threats and issues since a company is continuously keeping an eye on their operations.

These services are reasonably priced and a reliable managed security services provider offers quality services to its clients. There can be diverse standards on which the enterprise’s security mechanism must be outsourced. With managed security services, customary and habitual scanning of the web and internet applications is vital and so is the detection of incoming or potential threats and loopholes in the security system.

The security services providers scan the entire system on a regular basis to make sure that the data and operations on the system are safe and secure. They also backup all the important data and information so that it can be used in case of an accident. Managed security services eliminate all the loopholes that are to be normally found in the cloud and web applications and provide ease, convenience and a whole lot of other positives, through their unique cloud computing security architectures.

Businesses can now transition very easily to cloud computing with the added guarantee that Managed Security Services Providers will be there to protect their integrity against all security challenges that might come their way.

At Lean Security, our experienced security consultants carry out high level security assessment of our clients’ web applications and highlight all the security issues and provide our customers with pertinent guidance and support to ensure that their data is secure.

Potential Threats to Web Applications

One might wonder as to what potential threats are their web applications servers vulnerable to. Well, if we talk about threats, they are too many! Each and every device that is connected to the internet receives a unique IP address. This IP address comprises of two components, namely a host component and a network component.

Hackers usually launch programs in order to ping all the host addresses within a particular network and then log the results. Being armed with several devices, hackers launch several scans to find out what operating system or applications are being used on the system or the device. When operating systems and web applications are vulnerable and not secure, hackers exploit them.

But how does that affect your business?

Let’s look at some of the most common Web application security threats.

1. VANDALISM OF CONTENT THROUGH ALTERATION

When a hacker gains access to an enterprise’s system, all the data is at his sole mercy. If you exclusively rely upon your web applications to produce revenue or to attract customers to the business, damaged or distorted content could cause severe and irreparable damage to your connection with your clients and prospects.

2. DATA AND INFORMATION THEFT

Another probable threat is data and information theft. If your web applications have e-mail addresses, account numbers, or other extremely sensitive information, a hacker may end up stealing it in order to exploit it for his own benefit.

3. ILLEGAL ACCESS TO WEB APPLICATIONS

Sometimes a hacker uses your system for his or her own purposes merely denying you the ability to efficiently and effectively use your system. The fallout ranges from a minor inconvenience to a major catastrophe.

4. REFUTATION OF SERVICE

Some hackers also end up launching denial of service attacks. The denial of service attacks basically devastate the connection and refute access to you and your customers. This fallout can range from little inconveniences to big problems to major catastrophes.

5. PROLIFERATION OF WORMS, VIRUSES, AND OTHER MALWARE

Occasionally hackers may access your web applications to use them as a springboard for launching viruses, worms and other kinds of malware. This is basically done on your system in order to cover the tracks of a hacker.

At Lean Security, our experienced security consultants carry out high level security assessment of our clients’ web applications and highlight all the security issues and provide our customers with pertinent guidance and support to ensure that their data is secure.

Controlling Security Risks in Cloud

The world is observing a definite trend Shift as businesses have started moving over to cloud with their data as well as their services. The cloud-computing sector is observing an explosive growth as numerous cloud computing service providers are springing up. As it happened with most technologies in the past, opinions got divided on merit. While most of the analysts deem cloud computing a revolutionary change, a few of them are worried about the control of security risks in cloud.

The probable result of cloud computing growth is certainly not as black and white as some people prefer to see it. Today, cloud is the internet, and Internet is practically everywhere. Therefore, service providers are able to perform business internationally with little technological effort. May be cloud computing is not the ultimate solution for each and every company that is out there.

According to an open source software evangelist Richard Stallman, cloud services are a trap. He suggests that companies and individuals should not end up putting their trust in these services since they have access to all of their important and valuable data and information. Although these points are valid, they are quite extreme as most cloud service providing companies offer managed security options by availing which enterprises can keep their data and information safe even when they are on the cloud.

Smaller organizations and enterprises that do business around the world can benefit immensely from services that are provided by the cloud. The only thing that they should be careful about is that they should only go for a cloud services provider who is reliable and has a good reputation in the market. Since acquiring cloud services from an unreliable service provider or managed security services provider can prove to be harmful for the enterprise.

It is advised that enterprises and institutions should adopt a habit of getting a risk assessment performed before a resolution is made on the addition of sensitive data or information on the cloud. a variety of security controls can be employed in order to lessen the potential risks and to ensure safety. Security is not essentially solely depending on a single control, it is basically the overall functionality of each and every security control that’s implemented.

To put an end to your cloud security woes, we offer managed cloud security services at Lean Security. Avail them today and let your business grow and flourish!

Why Online Businesses Should Go For Managed and Secure Cloud Hosting Services?

Considered to be the hottest debate today in the information technology community, cloud computing is subjected to some criticism as well as a lot of fame. Those in support of the technology, suggest that the scalability, flexibility, and economics of the cloud; make cloud based website management, a practical and logical choice, while its opponents point out the concerns related to privacy and security, which are reasons strong enough, to not move businesses to the cloud.

We believe, from the perspective of a company that focuses on providing secure cloud based security servicesas well as a number of other information technology solutions to customers for their online businesses; that it is quite possible to get the best of both worlds.

Since security is the biggest argument that is based against cloud computing, a safe and secure website application hosting through cloud is possible; especially for small to mid range businesses. In fact, cloud computing is actually more secure than locally managed systems. Why?

Provides Multifactor Authentication

A number of cloud hosting and computing vendors in Australia offer a multi-factor authentication feature as part of their service now. This feature actually provides a higher level of security as compared to the more traditional username and password authentication feature.

The way this feature works is by combining something you know, example a password with a hard token; with something you have. Lastly, a biometric identification may or may not be needed to complete the authentication procedure.

Unfortunate though, most small and mid range businesses don’t possess the resources with which they can implement such an effective authentication capability on their own, which is why managed web application service providers offer this feature to them.

Provides Security Patching

Majority of the software products that come into use every day by online businesses require a lot of diligence and attention when applying and testing security patches comes into the equation.

Once again, most companies simply don’t have enough resources with which they can adequately and properly hope to perform such a complex and time consuming task of making sure that the security patches are up and working the way they are supposed to, which puts a significant risk to their network systems.

Provides Physical Security

Reputable website hosting service providers that also provide cloud hosting and various other security based services in Australia, conduct their hosting in facilities which possess much stronger physical security, a feature that small and midsized companies can’t provide for.

Offers Security Certifications

There are many businesses that require proper security certification to be able to sell their services and products, but getting the certifications, proves to be highly expensive for small and mid range businesses to achieve; therefore such service providers can also give access to certified facilities and systems which makes it very easy for you to do your business.

Even if no certification is needed to run your business, this surety is an added benefit.

What are you waiting for? Contact Lean Security today and ask about our cloud based security services and solutions.

The Evolution of E-Commerce amidst Rising Security Concerns

The many competitive advantages of ecommerce cannot be taken lightly. Offering online business and consumers alike a far improved productivity, significant reduction in costs, access and entry into a global business market, ability to provide a much improved customer service and streamlining business processes; are all reasons for brick and mortar businesses to open up their virtual shop.

Online shopping is a phenomenon that is growing rapidly, providing untold convenience and easy access to businesses and consumers alike; but the taint of unsafe credit card security and online fraud is steadily and adversely affecting their bottom line.

How can online business save their legitimate customers and themselves from this concern?

The Common Issues Experienced In Running an Online Business

One of the most common concerns that online retailers and merchants face is that they don’t know how to differentiate their legitimate customers from fraudulent users and hackers in real time. This concern follows with, not possessing an adequate security system that can help in detecting and minimizing online payment fraud, and lastly, not having an effective program that prevents unauthorized access to the data stored in a company’s network.

Potential Risks as an Online Business Operator

While there are many risks involved with the running of an online business, 3 major and potentially serious risks can sum up the entirety of this issue. These are:

Security Risk

Such risks are the cause of attacks from hackers and viruses and the severe of the damage incurred from the attack varies based on the type of attack such as; data loss, denial of service, stolen information etc.

Such attacks can bring a severe disruption to your business operations, which will automatically result in a drastic loss of customer confidence and your sales revenue.

Payment Risk

This issue normally occurs when the identity of the customer cannot be established or verified at the time of transactions taking place over the web. As a result, payment disputes significantly increase from genuine customers.

Although more commonly associated with customers paying over the internet via a credit card, other reasons may be; ordered goods not reaching the customer, a disagreement over the conversion rate, and finally, the goods and services being of the same quality as the customer’s expectations.

Fulfillment Risk

This term means delivering goods safely to the customer and can be either a digital product or a physical one. The risks that are related with the delivery in goods and services are; defective goods, a significant delay in delivery, and the goods delivered not matching with the description given etc.

Digital goods fulfillment is prone to risks as well. Performed through an electronic medium, it’s very much vulnerable to hijacking, mass duplication of copy-righted content and illegal manipulation and handling of information content.

How Can Online Business Operators Minimize These Risks?

As much as ecommerce helps online businesses, in order to save yourself and your customers from all these risks and more, business owners can adopt and implement a number of network security services and solutions that will help immensely.

Cloud Guardian, a managed web-hosting service provider has on offer cloud based security services which significantly improve efficiency of the business owner when it comes to quick and easy management of the services offered by the site. Moreover, the web application penetration service detects suspicious activity and deals with it before any damage is done.

Want to know more about our services? Visit our website today!