Author: Shane

Email-Based Malware: New Botnet For Intruders In Dallas

There is a new notorious botnet campaign activity that is spreading malware through phishing emails. This is a dangerous malware that will seize your computer’s control to send spam emails with the intention of defrauding unsuspecting victims. The Botnet is being used to deliver ransomware via malspam campaigns. The spam sent by this Botnet often appears to entice users into opening a zip file attachment to get access to a computer network. We provide an insight into the Botnet and why you should be concerned with its spread.

What Is a Botnet?

Cyber attackers have the upper hand in delivering malware when they get access to your computer’s network. A botnet is a connection of internet-connected devices compromised by a cyber-terrorist. The Botnet creates leeway for attackers and cyber-criminal groups to break into targeted systems. The attackers take advantage of a botnet’s collective computing power to send large volumes of spam or spy on organizations.

Botnets have been responsible for hacking, spamming and malware, and thus remain favorite tools for cybercriminals. Their efficiency in delivering a DDoS attack on a large scale makes them the most dangerous threat to your business. Cybercriminals use these tools to send millions of spam emails, pull websites down for ransom, or harm victims financially.

In most cases, these botnets are created by malicious actors who infect connected devices with malware and use a control server or command to manage them. Once a malicious actor has compromised a device on a network, he puts all the vulnerable devices on that network to be infected. Whenever there is a botnet attack, the consequences can be devastating. For example, a botnet can shut down a portion of the internet or systems such as Twitter.

How Botnet Operates

Botnets will take advantage of unsecured internet of things devices to install malware that will attack the DYN servers. The Botnet will target different organizations with different motives seeking to hack into your financial department. If your protective measures such as the email filter or firewall fail to block the Botnet’s malicious email attachment, then a user has to recognize the threat and avoid it.

One of the latest botnets that are rapidly spreading email-based malware is the Phorpiex Botnet. The Botnet can spew spam at high volume in delivering malware via phishing emails. For example, an email can be sent to your computer with subject lines based around bank details and invoices, then ask the user to enable content to see the document. Once you fall prey and enable content, you allow malicious macros and URLs to attack your system.

This Botnet has been spreading via email phishing campaign targeting businesses with destructive cyber-attacks. The malware has the potential of being used as the basis for future intrusions by other hackers. If you have machines that fall victim to the Botnet, the malware will provide a backdoor that allows cyber-attackers to steal valuable information from the business. The Botnet will also allow attackers to access the system and spread additional malware, opening the door for other attackers to strike.

Why It Is Difficult to Stop the Botnet

There is a greater challenge in shutting down the Botnet since people are continuously purchasing insecure devices. Also, the widespread availability of these botnets and the difficulty of tracing them down makes it extremely difficult to stop them. The Phorpiex is a prolific botnet where malicious emails come from different sources from infected machines around the world. However, you can conduct a managed IT service to help in preventing the Botnet from infecting your business and threatening important client data.

How to Protect Botnet

The best way of protecting against botnet malware is to be aware of documents from untrusted or unknown sources. Educating your employees to be vigilant is a possible way of protecting yourself against the Botnet since users are the weakest link in your organization’s security posture. The malware and phishing email attacks will always look to breach defenses and cause damage. Therefore, look towards being proactive in detecting and responding to any unusual behavior quickly and in a scalable manner.

Secondly, you can protect against the Botnet by allowing the security team visibility into user behavior to monitor and detect any abnormal behavior. This is an advanced malware that will require being proactive and taking steps to remediate the attack before harming your business. For example, you can disable macros on your system since they make it easy to be attacked.

Another recommendation is to ensure the operating system and software in your organization are patched and up to date. Updating your software can help stop the malware from attacking since most cyber-attacks use the already available vulnerabilities to patch.

If you are interested in different ways of dealing with this Botnet, getting a Managed Detection and Response service can help you stay ahead of your attackers. The experience of MDRs and their dedication to protecting your organization will help deal with the attacks. The MDR will observe and block any activity emanating from the Phorpiex Botnet before it has touched a traditional endpoint.

In essence, you have an opportunity to block this threat from affecting your organization through the use of monitoring, detection, and response services. The MRDs can monitor and help detect the threats before it manifests, such as the Phorpiex Botnet and respond appropriately. If you are focused on a defense-in-depth approach to cybersecurity, then detecting and blocking the threat before it reaches user endpoint can be the best way of protecting yourself from the Botnet.

Bottom Line

Recently, there has been an increase in exploits spreading the Phorpiex Botnet to IoT devices that is difficult to control. The Phorpiex Botnet is a prolific malware showing no signs of slowing down as cyber terrorists launch campaigns against businesses and financial institutions. This new Botnet can deliver ransomware in high volumes through phishing emails with threats leveraging techniques to achieve access to a business’s network.

The Botnet sends out spam email messages with malicious zip files targeting users of a network or machine. If you fall into the trap and opens any of the malicious attachments, you expose yourself to the risk of attack. The ransomware will start encrypting files on an affected endpoint and steal your valuable data. You can prevent and limit the effects of any ransomware infection in your organization by following practices around backing up endpoints.

For cybersecurity protection you can count on, click here to get in touch with us or call us at (469) 635-5500.

As the modern model of IT support, managed services continue to grow in popularity. Why? Because they give businesses the opportunity to outsource each and every IT need that they may have.

Doesn’t that sound like a good deal to you?

Maybe – perhaps you’re still unsure about what managed services specifically include. After all, the term itself seems a little general.

Why Should Your Dallas IT Services Be Managed?

This is one of the most common questions we get asked.

It’s a good question. “Managed services” is a common term that’s used a lot but isn’t strictly intuitive to those outside the IT industry.

So, let’s clear it up – managed IT services take care of everything IT-related for your organization, proactively preventing problems instead of fixing them after the fact. Simple as that. You should have Dallas IT services that provide this service for you.

The type of outsourced IT support you’re likely most familiar with can be referred to as “hourly IT support”. This type of support fixes IT problems after they occur, and charges by the hour.

Managed IT Services are generally considered to be a more effective model. In practice, instead of waiting for something to go wrong and stepping in to correct it, an IT company that provides Managed IT Services takes on all the responsibilities of a traditional in-house IT department. This means working to prevent issues from happening in the first place.

What Should Your Fully Managed Dallas IT Services Include?

• Support Services
  These are the traditional Help Desk features, such as a helpline, ticketed support, or even an online support portal. Support services get offered in tiered models, typically provided in blocks of hours or unlimited time frames. Layered models regularly get offered in bundled, On-Demand or On-Site, support packages.
• Cloud Services
  Moving to the cloud is as necessary as it is challenging. With an IT company’s assistance, your team can harness the strategic advantages offered by the cloud — efficiency, agility, and scalability — without taking on any risks that come with a poorly planned and executed migration. Your Dallas IT services can manage cloud infrastructure by standardizing interactions between cloud environments. It also allows greater control over specific services to outsource while achieving interoperable cloud infrastructure management between consumers and service providers.
• Modern Phone Systems
  Traditional phone systems are a thing of the past. Landlines are expensive, rigid and inconvenient, which is why many businesses opt to modernize their services by merging them into a unified system. Modern communications solutions use cloud technology to make calls instead of a traditional phone line, granting you greater connectivity, more features, and reduced costs. This service covers the merging of data, voice, and video on the same IP Network. Along with that comes a managed contact center. The center will combine two sections into one. On one side there are the traditional call center features. On the opposite side, is the intelligent IP call routing, integrating email, phone, web, IM, and fax.
• Networks & Infrastructure
  It doesn’t matter how new and expensive your desktop computers are if they’re not connected to anything. Especially given the prevalence of cloud computing in today’s business world. Whereas at one point, locally-stored data on desktop computers that weren’t connected to a network were “good enough”, these days it’s more likely than not that you’re storing data in the cloud. That means a functional network is a must. Networks and Infrastructure management includes IP Virtual Private Networks widely used for secure, high performance, cost-effective networking. When handled it eliminates the cost of maintaining a data center via a Service Level Agreement (SLA), as Wide Area Network (WAN) and Local Area Network (LAN) services do.
  
• Security Services
  Perhaps more than any other IT service that you could have managed, security is likely the most valuable. Unlike printers or communications, security requires ongoing monitoring and maintenance, all of which can best be delivered as a managed function. Managed Security Services are network security services that get outsourced to a service provider. The “defense-in-depth” functions include 24/7 monitoring and management of firewalls and intrusion detection systems. Your IT company will also respond to emergencies, performs security assessments and security audits, oversees patch management and upgrades.

Are Dallas IT Services The Right Choice For You?

Which type of service is right for you depends on what you need out of your technology in terms of uptime and efficiency, what your technology budget looks like, and how technology issues could potentially impact things like security and compliance.

Before you think about going through the stress of trying to find a computer technician or even a computer engineer to support your network and technology infrastructure, speak with a local managed IT services company.

Ask some questions about the services they offer, what their prices are and other concerns you may have. When you find the right Dallas IT services– a reliable partner who will work with you – you’ll see the benefits first hand.

Contact our experts at Data Magic to start fully managing your IT services, call (469) 635-5500 or click here to speak with our representatives. 

Is Your Dallas IT Director Overworked Due To Layoffs?

It’s no secret: the coronavirus pandemic has brought about many changes to the way we live, work, and connect. Many organizations were required to shut down in response to social distancing requirements, or if possible, embrace remote work to continue operations safely.

Naturally, returning to some sense of normalcy means struggling to stay afloat for many organizations. In turn, layoffs are often done as a way to cut costs in an economic downturn.

But what happens when layoffs take place throughout the technology department?

Unfortunately, many organizations decide to get rid of some, if not all, of their technology department as a way to minimize expenses and remain afloat – leaving the IT director to handle the ongoing management of information technology systems on their own. This is a decision made alongside many others:

• Reprioritizing current and planned projects
• Implementing hiring freezes
• Focusing on collecting outstanding payments

Ultimately, it’s a tough decision for many organizations, and if possible, it’s always best to look for other ways to stay afloat before laying off staff members. For instance, organizations can cut costs by transitioning some or all of their staff to remote work in situations wherein this is an option. This reduces costs through:

• Switching on-premises technology to cloud-based technology – meaning there’s no upfront costs, expensive upgrades, and costly troubleshooting fees to worry about. Instead, you pay a monthly fee for what you use, and everything is managed for you.
• Eliminating the need for a large office space – meaning you’re able to either downsize or get rid of that space altogether. This frees up cash flow because you no longer need to worry about a large mortgage, heating and cooling costs, and upkeep.

If this isn’t possible and cutting costs through layoffs is necessary, what can IT directors do to manage their workload?

Managing A Heavier Workload With Less Staff Can Quickly Become Overwhelming

First and foremost, information technology shouldn’t be overlooked during this difficult time. After all, information technology has likely played an integral role throughout the pandemic – allowing organizations to embrace remote work through:

• The ability to access important files, applications, and systems from home with remote access solutions
• The ability to collaborate face-to-face on a virtual level via video conferencing solutions and VoIP business phones
• The ability to maintain security against threats on home computers with enterprise-grade security solutions and virtual private networks

We understand the need to cut costs, but IT directors will be left with an overwhelming workload in the aftermath of technology personnel layoffs. They’ll be focused on stabilizing the business and preparing for greater resiliency from a technology perspective – a huge task for any single person to take on.

Are You an IT Director in Need of Assistance in the Aftermath of Technology Personnel Layoffs?

Data Magic Computer Solutions can assist you with stabilizing the business in a post-coronavirus world, as well as preparing for greater resiliency, so you’re ready to face any sort of disruption in the future. We’ll augment your efforts – working alongside you to manage your workload. Our team can help you with:

• Handling the day-to-day, routine tasks like maintenance, monitoring, data backups, and other time-consuming work so you can focus on more strategic initiatives
• Handling the strategic initiatives like embracing the cloud for remote work or ensuring business intelligence with real-time access to data while you handle day-to-day tasks

You can keep managing the areas you excel at and have time for while we offload the rest – giving you the ability to handle the heavier workload that comes along with technology personnel layoffs. Our team is available at a flat-rate monthly fee that gives you all of the support and services you need, as well as:

• Access to the skill-sets and expertise of an entire team of technology professionals.
• Access to discounted rates on tools and technologies due to our range of partnerships.
• Access to greater availability in the event you need assistance after-hours.

For more information on how Data Magic can best serve you, click here to get in touch with our representatives or call us at (469) 635-5500.

Which IT Department Should CFOs Hire In Response To COVID-19: Internal Or Outsourced?

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to change the way we live, work, and connect, it’s an important time to consider what’s next. In truth, the event we’re living through is unprecedented with school closures, large-scale lockdowns, and businesses being forced to shut down or embrace remote work.

It’s an uncertain time, especially for CFOs in charge of handling the finances amongst the fear, panic, and economic changes happening right now and into the future. Naturally, the CFO plays an integral role right now – determining what’s necessary to keep their organization afloat, despite the majority of businesses facing difficulties associated with:

• Less cash-flow available
• Supply chain disruptions
• Decreased revenue
• And much more

So what do CFOs need to know about hiring internally vs. outsourcing when it comes to managing their information technology? Well, for many, the most important thing to keep in mind is that information technology shouldn’t be overlooked during this difficult time. Information technology has played a crucial role in many organizations tackling the challenges associated with remote work.

How Information Technology is Keeping Many Organizations Afloat

Many organizations have embraced remote work in response to social distancing and shelter-in-place orders. Naturally, information technology has played a crucial role – allowing them to:

• Access files, applications, and systems from the comfort of their own homes
• Collaborate with colleagues, partners, and customers via video conferencing solutions
• Stay secure against the influx of phishing attacks related to the pandemic
• Maintain communications with cloud-based phone systems that keep staff connected

Although information technology has played a critical role in maintaining the safety and survival of many organizations across the nation, CFOs must not overlook the fact that information technology should also play a role in the next two steps they need to take:

• Stabilizing the business in anticipation for the end of lockdowns
• Preparing the business for greater resiliency before another disruption occurs

Hiring an Internal IT Department or Outsourcing to an MSP

As the duration of the coronavirus pandemic remains unclear, it’s time for CFOs to optimize cash reserves as much as possible. Although information technology is incredibly valuable right now, who should manage that information technology? Financially, what makes the most sense: hiring an internal IT department or outsourcing to an MSP?

Although there are many qualified, talented technology professionals out there for hire, the following costs will be required:

• Training and certifications
• Vacation time
• Salary
• Benefits
• Sick days
• Workstations and other necessary equipment

An MSP, on the other hand, is available at a flat-rate monthly fee – delivering all of the services and support you need without the additional expenses. This means you gain the following benefits:

• More training and certifications as they keep their team up-to-date on the latest skills, education, and knowledge at their own expense
• Greater availability for support as they’re available around-the-clock with a team of experts who have varying skill-sets
• Lower, more predictable costs that can be accurately budgeted for every month while preventing downtime with proactive measures

So what makes the most sense financially? The MSP tends to be more affordable – giving you more cash-flow available as well. There are no upfront costs associated with setting up a workstation for them or providing any necessary training or certifications.

How An MSP Helps CFOs Stabilize The Business And Prepare

As we mentioned above, the CFOs’ primary goal right now is ensuring the safety and survival of the organization. But afterward, they must focus their efforts on stabilizing the business in anticipation of the end of lockdowns and preparing the business for greater resiliency before another disruption occurs. An MSP can assist with both of these steps – as outlined below:

• An MSP assists with stabilizing the business as they turn the ad-hoc remote work approach into an organized, cohesive strategy that incorporates the right tools and technologies, such as:
  • Microsoft Office 365 for any time, anywhere access to word processing, spreadsheets, calendars, contacts, email, and video conferencing
  • VoIP business phones that ensure communications as employees can access their work lines, along with transferring and extensions, from home
  • Virtual private network (VPN) technology that provides a secure, encrypted tunnel for employees accessing the network
  • Cloud-based line of business applications to ensure ERP systems, accounting programs, CRM solutions, and more are still accessible
• An MSP assists with preparing for greater resiliency as they can assist with reforming and reimagine business processes and procedures from a technological standpoint:
  • Automating time-consuming, routine tasks to minimize the reliance on human resources as much as possible
  • Safeguarding internet connectivity now and into the future with backup lines, redundancy, and alternative connectivity protocols
  • Ensuring business intelligence with real-time insight into data for the ability to make well-informed decisions

For more information on how an MSP can serve the needs of your business, click here to get in touch with one of our representatives or call (469) 635-5500 today!

The Difficulty of Switching It Companies

As many parts of the country start to open up from coronavirus lockdowns, we’re receiving a TON of calls from business executives asking about how to switch IT companies. Why? Typically, when we speak with them, we discover that they’ve been struggling with their current IT company during the pandemic. In some cases, they’re not responding quickly enough when their remote workers have challenges. In other cases, they’re not securing their remote workers against cyberthreats.

In all cases, the abrupt switch to remote work made one thing clear: their current IT company wasn’t up-to-par in terms of service quality. Technology plays a critical role in virtually all businesses nowadays. Every company is a technology company to some degree. They all depend on technology to make, market, or sell their products and services. So how hard is it to switch IT companies?

Today, we’re going to answer that question honestly and openly for you. The truth is, switching IT companies is a MASSIVE project. It’s a big deal, and that can’t be overlooked. Your IT company will have administrative access to everything on the network, and of course, all of that documentation will need to be transferred over.

How Can You Strategically Switch IT Companies?

Our biggest recommendation is to switch IT companies in a strategic manner. Here’s how to do that:

1. Don’t cancel your current IT agreement until you’ve selected a new IT company, and they’re ready to get started.
2. Make sure you have administrative access to everything on your network: logins, passwords, etc. If you don’t already, it’s a good thing you’re switching IT companies.
3. Conduct an extensive security assessment to find any existing vulnerabilities and backdoors that need to be resolved.
4. Give the notice to cancel with your current IT company as soon as the new IT company is in place and an agreement is signed.
5. Speak with your staff about the change, including any contact information for support, policies, and procedures, and more.

Although we’ve seen some hostile circumstances arise over the past few years, the majority of the time, switching IT companies is quite simple and straightforward. If you undergo the process with Data Magic, the process can be a breeze.

For more information as to how Data Magic can assist your business, click here to get in touch with our representatives or call (469) 635-5500 today! 

Introducing The New Director Of Sales

On a recent episode of All In, Shane Kimbrel introduced the latest addition to the Data Magic Team – Director of Sales, Gary Sullivan.

The Data Magic team is excited to announce their newest member – Gary Sullivan, who joined us in March as Director of Sales. Shane and Gary recently appeared on BizTV’s “All In” to talk about the work Gary is doing for Data Magic.

Check out the full episode here:

“We’re truly looking to build the foundation,” says Gary. “I want to bring the company into the channel; I want to bring the company into growth and account management and get some salespeople on board.”

Before joining Data Magic, Gary worked on the carrier side, gaining extensive experience working with vendors. Over the past few years, he has become more familiar with the channel, and the type of work Data Magic does.

“There’s a whole different world to this technology,” says Gary. “I appreciate having the opportunity to come on board with Shane and do this full time.”

Gary brings a depth of knowledge and range of interpersonal skills to the CSP team that will no doubt add to our success in the industry. We’re proud to have such a well-rounded team at Data Magic, including team members like Gary.

Like this article? Check out the following blogs to learn more:

How Partnering with an IT Company Can Help You Support a Remote Workforce

How to Embrace a Remote Workforce During Coronavirus Outbreak

 

A Wave of Permanent Business Closures is on the Horizon

A future economic downturn is inevitable at this point, and CFOs NEED to find effective ways to position their organizations for growth and success…

Every executive knows that economic downturns can be challenging to navigate, especially CFOs who are tasked with navigating the ups and downs, and overall, making difficult financial decisions. The coronavirus pandemic unfolded incredibly fast – leaving many organizations struggling to get a grasp on the new reality.

You’re working hard to find and budget for tools to work remotely.

You’re assessing the inevitable impact on the supply chain.

You’re adjusting to less cash-flow due to fewer people interested in purchasing.

But here’s the thing:

You have no clue when, or even if, things will go back to normal. Forecasting seems near impossible with such uncertainty about the future, right? We get that. But similar to any crisis, the ability to act swiftly will be key to positioning yourself for growth and success coming out of the pandemic, despite an economic downturn.

Creating a strategy

You need a plan that incorporates the right technology to cut costs, keep your people, and above all, position yourself for growth and success.

But before we look at your options for positioning your organization for growth and success, let’s review what other CFOs are doing in response to the coronavirus pandemic. PCW surveyed a group of CFOs to discover more about how they’re handling the situation at hand:

• Nearly 1 in 3 are expecting layoffs in the next month
• 72% feel that COVID-19 has the potential to impact operations significantly
• 58% are considering pushing back or canceling planned investments
• 68% say remote work will make their company better in the long-run

CFOs cutting costs

The consensus is clear: CFOs are looking to cut costs, but they’re overwhelmed and uncertain about how and where.

Does this sound familiar?

CFOs are looking to cut costs; there’s no doubt about that. But when it comes to the “how” and “where” of cutting costs, there’s uncertainty…

Some are expecting layoffs, others are canceling planned investments, but ultimately, a clear strategy is necessary, and it’s important to consider the role people play in any given organization. There’s a range of factors impacting short-term cash-flow, but the long-term value of an organization lies in its human capital.

We mentioned above that organizations need a strategy that incorporates the right technology to cut costs, keep their people, and above all, position themselves for growth and success. But where do you get that strategy?

You can count on us for the strategy you need

You need a technology partner that’s been around and helped organizations leverage the right technology during economic downturns before. We’re willing to bet you can weather this storm with the proper guidance on your side. Here’s what you can expect from us:

1. You meet with our information technology experts, at no-cost with no-obligations, to discuss your challenges and goals.
2. You get a customized technology strategy to cut costs and come out from the pandemic stronger than ever.
3. You receive ongoing support to make that technology strategy work for you with adjustments as needed along the way.

We’ve already helped many businesses stay afloat with various tools, processes, and procedures put in place:

• Affordable remote work technologies, including VPNs, VoIP systems, cloud-based productivity suites, and more.
• Automation of manual, time-consuming tasks to lessen the need for human resources, and in turn, keep cash-flow available.
• Data analytics to assist with making smarter, more informed decisions through access to real-time information.

You have options. Failure isn’t one of them.

Surviving the Covid-19 fallout

A wave of permanent business closures is on the horizon.

However, you’re going to get through this with the right tools, processes, and procedures – and we’re going to help you get there. If you’re ready to replace uncertainty and doubt, position yourself for growth and success, and come out of the coronavirus pandemic stronger than ever, you need to get in touch with us.

If you don’t put a strategy in place, you will continue to reduce your staff (your most valuable asset), watch your cash-flow drop, and struggle through the uncertainty. It’s time to recession-proof your technology (the foundation of your business), gain a competitive edge, and feel confident in your place in the market.

You know what’s at stake. Book a no-cost, no-obligation meeting with us to get your customized technology strategy now.