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March 2, 2016 In IT Security Services By admin

Key Role of Firewalls In Network Security : How It Works?

Firewalls & network security services are known to all those who use the internet and stands important as a protective shield to your network. Today, internet is a basic necessity of computer (or any digital media) users. However, it also invites invader’s attack on the network security which can lead to build up a malicious traffic on your system by encouraging unauthorized access to and from a network.

How does a firewall network security plan works:

A firewall is responsible for bringing in only safe and relevant traffic to your private network or computer system. It keeps a check on any unauthorized access to your computer and automatically refuses and decrypt’s unwanted information through the network.

It uses one or a combination of the following three methods to monitor traffic flowing in and out of the network.

Packet Filtering

This is the earliest and very basic type of firewall protection that inspects packets of information and flags inappropriate content or suspicious files. It uses a pre-defined set of rules to detect the packet’s source and destination address, protocol, and destination port number.Although the transport layer is used to obtain the source and destination port numbers, the packet filter firewalls mainly work on the first three layers of the OSI reference model.

Stateful Inspection

Introduced in 1994, the Stateful Packet Inspection provided additional information about the origin of a packet – whether it is a part of an existing connection or not. This eventually led to speeding up of packet processing. Stateful firewalls,without further analysis, allow packets that are part of an existing connection and evaluate others according to the rules set for new connections.

Application Filtering

With the increasing web server attacks, application-layer firewalls emerged in 1999 to protect servers as well as the applications. This enabled the firewalls to filter packets on any OSI layer up to the application layer. The advantage of application layer filtering is that it lets you block specific content like malware or certain websites and recognize when certain protocols such as HTTP, FTP & DNS are being misused.

Proxy Service

It acts as an intermediary between systems. The proxy firewall prevents establishing direct connections between both the sides; they are forced to conduct a session through the proxy, which can block or allow traffic according to the pre-defined set of rules.

Firewalls are an inseparable part of the packages provided by managed IT support services providers (MSSPs). Net Activity, Inc. a leading provider of internet security services, Cleveland includes firewall security as a service with management of threats from the network operational center.

Contact us on (216) 503-5150 ext 206 or write to us at https://www.netactivity.us/contact-us/.

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February 24, 2016 In IT Security Services By admin

5 Ways Businesses Benefit from Managed IT Network Security Services

Information Technology (IT) has gained immense strength in the past few decades and almost all businesses, irrespective of their sizes, succumb to avail the services of managed IT security service providers (MSSPs). MSSPs are responsible for maintaining an organization’s security needs.

Specifically talking about the state of Ohio, where businesses take large leaps every second, it is really not expected of them to ignore the importance of IT security services. Those who can afford set up in-house departments to organize and optimize security across the board. While the small and mid-sized businesses linger upon the thought until it’s too late. Net Activity, Inc. is a provider of network security services in Ohio who excels in providing compatible IT solutions at competitive prices. Using centralized tools that become too expensive for small businesses to acquire, Net Activity, Inc. can centrally monitor security, do backups, updates, real time monitor VPN tunnels and more.

Having understood the primary motto of businesses hiring professionals to manage a range of IT services, let us look deeper into what more benefits you infer in the long run.

Risk Delegation : Companies offering internet security services ensure that your business is safe from virus and malware infection, spyware infection and hacker attacks. They have managed intrusion, detection and prevention systems for timely network checks.

24X7X365 hours Surveillance : The highly skilled security experts at MSSPs manage & secure your IT systems completely even when you are not working.

Controlled budget : With MSSPs, you do not have to worry about recurring costs or burden yourself with the cost of frequent technology breakdowns. Interestingly, they cost measurably less than investing in personnel, software & hardware.

Enhanced Network Performance : These security providers remain updated with the latest regulatory compliances and optimize internal security management to ensure uninterrupted network performance.

Comprehensive Knowledge : The MSSPs are teamed up with specialized professionals who are well-versed with the technical aspects of cyber security. They continually update themselves with new threats and potential functional vulnerabilities as they arise to ensure proactive solutions.

About us: Net Activity, Inc. is committed to offering managed IT network security services in Cleveland & Akron ensuring a safe and uninterrupted workflow to businesses at reduced costs.

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February 9, 2016 In VOIP Services By admin

Industry Reports Rapid Increase in the Adoption of Hosted VoIP Among Small to Mid-sized Companies

Advancements in Technology & Cost Reduction Is Driving Demand for Popular Business Communications System

Hosted Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is experiencing tremendous adoption by small to mid-sized businesses.  A number of distinct benefits such as superior quality of service, reduction of cost, flexibility, built in business continuity and advanced applications are driving the demand for hosted VoIP technology.

Unlike a traditional phone system, hosted VoIP requires no on-site PBX hardware.  Instead the technology uses VoIP service to place and receive calls using the Internet. This service is frequently hosted remotely by a 3rd party VoIP provider.  As a result, an end user’s communication via VoIP service is handled by redundant enterprise servers offsite.  In addition to the profound upfront cost savings this presents, hosted VoIP technology enables one’s phone system to be completely scalable and flexible.  An organization can add or remove phones on a hosted system any time.

Hosted VoIP serves the needs of entrepreneurs and enterprises alike, by delivering powerful features such as improved call quality, valuable disaster recovery tools, and applications designed specifically for telecommuters and remote workers.  Included in the system are advanced features such as unified messaging, automatic call distribution, auto attendant, call recording, call flow reporting as well as traditional PBX features.

The U.S. business hosted IP voice services market is expected to grow from 828,350 seats in 2008 to 4,910,499 seats in 2013, a CAGR of 42.8%, according to Interactive Data Corporation (IDC), a market research firm specifically focused on the IT segment.  “The SMB marketplace has started to really embrace hosted VoIP because it dramatically increases their profitability and gives them a competitive advantage.” “For many customers off premise communications technology is preferable.  In a hosted environment, companies can take advantage of flexible technology knowing that if a disaster occurs, whether a power outage or natural disaster, the system will remain up without interruption.”

“Hosted VoIP is quickly becoming more than an acronym, it’s raising the bar for Unified Communications providers, while giving businesses the edge they need to compete in today’s marketplace.”

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February 9, 2016 In IT Security Services By admin

Cyber Security Brings Peace of Mind to Business Owners and Their IT Networks

Region’s Leader in Unified Communications Educates Customers on the
Evolution of Malicious Threats

Net Activity, Inc., a leading provider of unified communications, announced today that the company has launched an awareness campaign on recent advancements in cyber security. As technology has become even more central to business operations, hackers have grown in proficiency and are posing several new threats to business owners. Net Activity, is actively engaged in alerting customers of these new methods by which hackers are attacking businesses.

Cyber-attacks, such as malware, have become one of the biggest threats on an organization’s network because of the speed by which these attacks evolve. Cyber security has become one of the fastest changing technologies in response, and is constantly vying to remain a step ahead of the threats that face most organizations. While business owners were previously able to avoid most threats by purchasing a strong firewall, hackers have continued to evolve their methods and simply put, a firewall doesn’t offer any sufficient level of protection anymore. As technology continues to move forward, the threats facing organizations have become much more sophisticated, brazen and bold.

One such common tactic used by hackers is the coordination of simultaneous attacks to overwhelm any server, LAN (local area network), or other critical endpoint on the network. Essentially, this overwhelms the endpoint and creates openings for hackers to attack the network during the overload period. Every endpoint is vulnerable to these types of attacks, and hackers can circumvent firewalls through any mobile device or tablet, unless the organization has a Unified Threat Management System that automatically evolves with and is designed to thwart these types of attacks.

“Hackers have a malicious goal of accessing and misusing proprietary company data for financial gain,” stated Harry Bhatia, President/CEO of Net Activity. “One of the best practices that we recommend is triple layered infrastructure protection,” added Bhatia. “This means establishing a layer of security at the edge of the network, another security layer at the desktop and a final layer of security at the LAN. This exponentially reduces the risks facing any enterprise because of the redundant nature of multiple levels of protection. This simple step can save companies thousands of dollars and unnecessary downtime.”

Another challenge facing organizations, as it relates to cyber security, is when employees access unauthorized sites and are phished for login credentials, making the network instantly vulnerable. “Through our guidance and technology we help our customers control access to certain web sites and automatically prevent employees from interacting with sites that pose security risks to the network,” commented Mr.Bhatia. “The technology is configured to automatically detect malicious sites and shutdown the threat before any interaction begins.”

Net Activity has established a cyber-security division and is helping companies understand and implement a Unified Threat Management System. During the company’s initial stages of customer outreach, they’ve found that most customers are completely exposed to threats. “The question business owners must ask themselves is if they truly believe that a static solution can combat a dynamic problem?” said Bhatia. “In other words, if your firewall hasn’t evolved in the past several years, how can you expect it to keep pace with the evolution of hackers? And more importantly, where do you think that leaves your company data and customers’ sensitive information?”

ABOUT NET ACTIVITY, INC.

Net Activity, Inc. is a business-oriented computer & telephone communication company. It is our mission to make our clients business more efficient using our technology services.Our Services include: Computer Services, Support, Disaster Recovery Services, Firewall Security Services, New Installs /Upgrades, VOIP Services, and Cloud Services.With locations in Cleveland & Columbus we support clients nationwide. We are looking forward to support you with your business needs.

For more information on Net Activity, Inc. call (216) 503-5150 ext 206 or visit www.NetActivity.us .

 

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January 25, 2016 In Cloud Computing By admin

Got Cloud Voice? Don’t Let Your Competitor Beat You to It

 

Explains the Power of Productivity and Profitability from Cloud Voice

It’s no secret that the business world isn’t what it used to be. Simply put, the old age of operating within the normal hours of 8-5pm is an outdated paradigm. The traditional workforce is no longer the norm and remote work forces continue to grow in number because of the drastic reduction in overhead and increases in employee satisfaction. While this level of flexibility was unavailable in years prior, expanded capacities offered by the latest in technology have made this new working environment possible. This new environment is also enabling businesses to keep their customers happier than ever before. Companies leveraging the latest technologies, like cloud voice, are able to keep their customers happy 24/7, which is leaving their competition in the dust. The business leaders who have shifted their mindsets in order to take advantage of these new opportunities are being rewarded handsomely.

One problem that virtually every company faces is the need for quick responses. This is especially true of inbound customer calls. In the past, when a customer would call-in and seek immediate support, companies would typically juggle the phone call between departments, until the customer was frustrated and then eventually transfer the call out to a manager’s cell phone, where they would usually have to leave a voice mail and wait for a call back. As you can expect, it didn’t take businesses long to realize that this way of conducting business was completely unacceptable and damaging relationships.

Companies have solved this problem with Cloud Voice phone systems. Since these systems operate “in the cloud” they are no longer tied to a single physical location and can accommodate the flexible workforce better than ever before. Best of all, the corporate experience is maintained all the way through and calls are handled with more elegance and professionalism than ever before. From the customer’s perspective, it’s as if these two were sitting right next to each other, collaborating on the issue at hand and resolving it as quickly as possible. The bottom line here is that when customers feel important and valued, they will continue to do business with any company. This is a rarity in today’s marketplace and technology is transcending these limitations better than ever before and this is making it much tougher for outdated companies to compete.

Also, today’s leading companies utilize cloud voice in order to assign “Find Me Anywhere” numbers to staff, which are essentially single numbers that will call the office phone, then cycle to their cell phone, then cycle to other staff members, so that customers can reach the exact department they need, without being stuck on-hold for long periods of time. These numbers can also be configured to all ring simultaneously, so anyone that can solve that exact customer problem can handle it immediately. Reduced wait times and instant connections with the right person are huge advantages for today’s organizations over their competitors. Imagine if your customers never had to wait on-hold again and that they got their problems resolved in only one-step. This is another way in which Cloud Voice is creating competitive advantages.

A superior customer experience is only one reason why more organizations are embracing this technology at an increasing rate. A significant reason that companies are utilizing this technology is because there is no risk. Innovative programs allow customer to get this type of technology in the hands of business owners without making them invest in equipment which has required large, up-front, capital outlays in the past. Business owners can get access to all equipment and services without any substantial expense as cloud voice can now be acquired on a month-to-month agreement, which incentives performance and satisfaction across the board.

 

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January 25, 2016 In IT Security Services By admin

Only 10% of Hospitals & Clinics Keep Their Patients’ Data Safe

 

Startling Findings and Educates Healthcare Providers on Solutions

This is a startling fact that has many people questioning the data security practices of hospitals and clinics everywhere. According to privacy researchers at the Ponemon Institute, “Recent numbers show 90% of health care organizations have exposed their patients’ data — or had it stolen — in 2012 and 2013.” The implications of this research are far-reaching and unsettling for most consumers. However, unified communications and IT security providers, like Net Activity, have devised many solutions to help curtail this epidemic.

Most attacks are the caused by hackers who want to acquire medical records due to their extreme value. The information in medical records (name, birth date, addresses, phone numbers, medical history and social security numbers), can be easily used for identity theft, fraudulent medical billing or acquiring prescriptions to resell on the street. Hackers can use the medical information to accomplish just about anything once acquired. This flaw in IT security is not a series of isolated incidents but an incredibly widespread problem now affecting millions of people across the nation.

In August, Community Health Systems reported that Chinese hackers had allegedly stolen a staggering 4.5 million patient records in what could be the largest breach of patient data to date. The company is treating the breach as a violation of HIPPA, even though the hackers didn’t gain access to medical records (only names, addresses, birth dates, phone numbers, and Social Security numbers were stolen). The breach happened between April and June this year, and was discovered in July. According to cyber-security firm Mandiant, which helped investigate the breach, the group responsible for the attack is known as “APT 18,” and may have links to the Chinese government.

The majority of hospitals and health organizations are using outdated technology on a single network making the job of hacking into networks even easier for criminals. IT security is often a large oversight for healthcare organizations because their objective is to save lives. Unfortunately, lack of internal IT expertise and outdated technology plagues the healthcare industry making it an easy target.

The challenge here is that doctors are inherently more interested in saving lives, instead of upgrading their IT security. This a great thing for society and we believe that’s exactly what doctors should be focused on! The only thing is that IT security must be addressed too. Over the years, we’ve learned exactly what it takes to protect health organizations and we love being a part of the solution to this problem. It’s unfortunate when something like this happens but it brings much needed education to the issues at hand. It is Managed IT Service Provider’s duty to educate  the small businesses and provide doctors with the technology tools they need to do their jobs, protect their  patients and spend their time focused on saving lives, instead of firewalls.

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