Can Your Website Withstand The Pressure Of A Live Video Event?

Businesses have finally learnt about load testing? In 2013, companies like Calvin Klein, Coke, Axe and several others suffered a massive crash (after putting in millions to air adverts) during the Super Bowl. Yes, why should we worry about the Super Bowl? It isn’t about the sport but how companies picked themselves up and did something about their site’s awful load times.

The fact that only one site crashed last year during the game communicates a lot about how seriously companies are treating the issue, especially with something as big as a live event at stake.

Live Video Streaming Becoming an Important Part of Consumerism

Before the emergence of live video streaming, the world may have thought: what are the chances of thousands of viewers watching the same thing at the same time? It’s hard to imagine even now, when watching videos has never been easier, how video streaming live has become an important part of consumerism.

Website load testing has become an essential element, as online viewing changes from binge watching on Hulu or Netflix into watching live video events. Companies that have shifted their marketing to the online video spectrum or stream video on demand know more than ever the issues their site can (and does) face under pressure of a live event.

Live Video Events Not the Same as Online Streaming

It’s a one-shot deal when it comes to video live events. The very nature of this mode of online video viewing means interested individuals will likely tune at the same time as everyone else - which is a lot of online traffic for the host site.

The Trouble with Video Live Streaming

Take a note of this next time you stream a live rugby match between two very popular teams: is the video loading fast enough? Is the streaming clear and unhanging? For a live video stream to be successful, the hosting site doesn’t only need fast load times for the video, but the site itself should be able to stay up despite a giant wave of online traffic.

Does your website experience any video streaming issues? One way to find out is by employing live video load testers that’ll test load times of your website under stress. You can also contact Lean Security and ask about our website application testing services. 

3 Tips For Creating Better Web Browsing Experience For Your Customers

Everyone wants and expects their website to perform in a certain level. E-commerce businesses depend on more sales, bloggers are looking for better traffic, and non-profits want more participation from viewers.

All of this is only possible with good website performance. Therefore, when the site comes crashing down, everything else follows.

Creating a Better Web Browsing Experience for Consumers - An Essential Marketing Strategy?

A business’s marketing and operation strategies will only work today if websites, web and mobile applications perform at their peak effectiveness. You’d have to re-think improvement if website and applications aren’t getting the optimal level of performance needed.

While a usability test can be an effective tool to improve your website and applications, you can also do the following to improve web browsing experience for customers.   

Improve Your Search Function

Content is king for any website. This poses an issue as linking every video, blog or white paper from your website’s homepage becomes difficult (the site can get cluttered). For this to work, i.e. web browsing experience, users must find it easy to find content in the first place.

There are numerous ways to improve the search function of your website - the easiest and simplest being making the search box highly visible.   

Check out the Competition i.e. What Are They Doing?

You’ll have competitors, whether just entering a particular industry or been in the playing field for some years. Take advantage of this by evaluating their websites and applications. Ask yourself these questions:

Ø  Are they doing anything different than you? What is it?

Ø  Is their site more professional looking? How does it compare to yours?

Ø  Are they using any keywords that you aren’t?

Ø  How fast is the loading time of their website?

Think Multi-Platform – Mobile Applications and Its Design

While businesses are expanding their viewership and e-commerce prospective by introducing mobile applications, this won’t do any good if design and usability isn’t up to par as in its web counterpart.

While placing the website main subject categories – i.e. contact, home – at the top does work when viewed on a desktop, the same design shouldn’t be used in the mobile application.

Implementing a responsive web design on mobile applications is the best way to go about this.  

Since mobile is the future of e-commerce, think about developing a seamless mobile application as opposed to focusing on other marketing strategies. Lean Security can help test the new mobile application.   

3 Reasons How Managed Security Services Can Help Save Your Business

Viruses, once the bane of every IT administrator’s existence have taken a back-seat in light of the cyber and data security threats faced by businesses today. This increasing awareness of security threats in system infrastructures as well as determined and highly sophisticated cyber criminals is causing a shift in IT security systems and how they are being managed.

In order to mitigate risks, businesses are turning to professional managed security services because why not?

Protecting Businesses against Security Breaches, an Insurmountable Task

Companies are trying to keep themselves floating in the turbulent sea of security breaches and global onslaught of cyber attacks but are badly failing. Its obvious staying ahead of the curve requires more than just a sound IT infrastructure and what with 61% of Australian companies expecting a security breach, the question here is: what needs to be done?

Outsourcing your IT functions and department to a professional managed security service seems to be one answer. How would it help?

Your Company Can Make the Most of Their Security Budget

You’ll have to face huge costs by implementing your own security measures. Additionally maintenance of a rigid security posture isn’t possible with a large organization, using various devices and networks to conduct their work. While many cyber challenges do get addressed by rising security budgets, more often than not the need for extra security funding and staff retention is realized late.

Don’t forget, recruitment of new security personnel requires time and training which is why outsourcing this task to a MSSP (managed security service provider) can help decrease the large, upfront costs.

Admit It; You Simply Can’t Take Care of Everything

Even if you can take care of the company’s web application security, there’s a stark difference between doing a very good job and doing an okay one. Yes, outsourcing wasn’t considered a good word before but it is now proving to be a viable and highly effective solution to business growth and to utilize specific skill sets.  

Outsourcing your security needs to a trusted managed service provider will ensure you can concentrate on developing and expanding your business.

Increasing Threat of Evolving Security Anomalies

What you see now in the security landscape may be very different tomorrow. Since the threat environment is forever evolving and adapting to new security measures and technologies, the need to have a professional team of security experts back your business is an advantage.

 An established managed security service like Lean Security can help address every security concern, monitor and respond to the gravest of threats so that you can run your business with ease and no concern at all.

Top 4 Application Security Issues in Healthcare Industry

The healthcare industry is increasingly becoming a promising domain for applications that can help provide better services to patients, while making the job considerably easier for healthcare providers.

A large number of applications utilize Wireless Medical Sensor Networks (WMSNs) for effective communication, efficient practices and patient mobility.

While the integration of WMSNs keeps growing every day in the healthcare sector, applications still face some security issues.

Here we discuss the 4 most prominent WMSN application security issues in the healthcare industry:

#1-Monitoring Patient Vital Signs

The most common application security threats that arise in the healthcare industry have a lot to do with patient confidentiality. If there are no appropriate security protocols in place, an adversary can snoop on patient vital signs through free communication channels. Similarly, if the individuals have a powerful antenna, they can easily pick up on the messages from the network.

#2-Routing Threats

In a multi-hop environment, data packets are forwarded to the base station through multi-hop routing procedures. This comes with its own set of security threats. A malicious code may refuse to forward certain information and it may simply be lost in transit. If the attacker is overtly included in the routing path, this threat could be stronger.

#3-Location Threats

Patient mobility is supported by medical sensor networks so that the location of patients can be identified to reach them on time. Typically, location features are based around radio frequency, received signal strength indicator or ultrasound. If adversaries constantly receive radio signals and are able to identify codes, they could gain direct information that may compromise a patient’s privacy. Of course, someone who is probing information to identify patient location could have even worse intents.

#4-Activity Tracking Threats

Those with malicious intent can also break into patient records when the patient is busy exercising in a health-club. Based on the wireless medical sensor data a hacker could precisely identify the present activity on the patient. Even worse, the hacker could even send over the wrong exercise tips or advise medication that could result in injuries and bodily harm.

As medical sensors are placed on a patient’s body to send over health data like location, heart rate and health feedback to a base station, it might very well be possible for a hacker to alter information which may raise erroneous concerns about the patient’s health.

A well-planned security mechanism with appropriate security testing services in place can help keep the risks of these threats to a minimum. Drop us an email at info@leansecurity.com.au to learn more about our services.

A Guide to Establishing a Successful BYOD Policy

While the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) is a growing phenomenon among business in various industries, it certainly comes with its own risks. Allowing employees to use their own devices to perform organisational functions results in substantial benefits as workers can access information from anywhere.

This makes up for increased productivity and smooth communication as employees can speak with individuals in entirely different time zones whenever it is convenient.

 If you are struggling to establish and implement a BYOD policy that contributes to your overall success, here are a few tips that can help:

Identify Permitted Devices

While it was quite easy back in the Blackberry days, things are complicated today. There are a number of device choices that range from iOS to Android based phones.

Therefore, it is imperative to specify what you imply with the integration of a BYOD policy. Do you think you should tell employees to bring Android tabs but not iPhone?

Make sure you let employees know which devices they can bring in addition to the organisation-issued devices you continue to use.

Establish Strict Security Policies

A prominent number of smartphone users avoid keeping their devices locked. They see locks as hurdles to easy access to their device. This can particularly be problematic when you have too much of sensitive information accessible through employees’ devices.

If your employees wish to make use of their own devices with the corporate systems, make sure they accept a complicated password. The password should be lengthy and alphanumeric in nature. You simply can’t settle with a four-digit pin code.

Specify Which Apps Are Allowed And Those That Are Prohibited

This rule should apply to all devices connected to your environment, personal or corporate. Some of the most significant considerations should include replacement email applications, social media browsing apps along with VPNs.

Address questions like:

·         Should you allow users to install and download apps that come with serious security risks?

·         Do the commonly used apps have security holes in their integration?

·         What if an app enables spammers to gain access to mail through your company?

Specify Your Employee Exit Approach

Having a BYOD policy is not all about personal device use within the organization.

What happens to those devices and data within when the employees leave? How would you ensure that removal of email, access tokens, and other sensitive information?

The trouble is, ensuring this is not as simple as having the employees return the corporate issued devices. Implement an ‘exit wipe’ to the devices and make sure your rights to enforce this wipe are clearly communicated to exiting employees.

Are you looking for mobile app security testing or a penetration testing provider who can help you implement the perfect BYOD policy in your organisation? Look no further.

At Lean Security, we can provide actionable insight to implement a successful BYOD policy that actually works for you. Give us a call at +61 (0) 2 8231 6635 to learn more.