August 2023 News & Updates

CTC NEWS, Industry News, Monthly Newsletters, Tech news
We will be closed on Monday, 4 September 2023 to enjoy the Labor Day holiday with friends, family and loved ones and will reopen during normal business hours on Tuesday, 5 September 2023.  Emergency support will be available for our commercial and MyIT clients.  If you need emergency support on Monday, simply include the word 'emergency' in the subject of your email to help@ctc.co or by noting it in your voicemail at 770.386.8900. Updates to Policies and Procedures - We've made some slight changes to our Policies and Procedures and posted them here. Upcoming End of Life for Windows Server 2012 - In October 2023, Microsoft will be ending support for it's Windows Server 2012 operating system, meaning anyone currently using Windows Server 2012 will need to make plans to…
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June 2023 News & Updates

CTC NEWS, Industry News, Monthly Newsletters, Tech news
Updates to Policies and Procedures - We've made some slight changes to our Policies and Procedures and posted them here. Upcoming End of Life for Windows Server 2012 - In October 2023, Microsoft will be ending support for it's Windows Server 2012 operating system, meaning anyone currently using Windows Server 2012 will need to make plans to replace it before October. Changes to the MyIT Program - We are in the process of making some changes to the MyIT Program that we're pretty excited about. The biggest and most visible change for most MyIT Customers will likely be related to communications. There will be some changes to the monthly report as well as some reminders about systems that may need extra attention. More on this to come but we're excited…
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May 2023 News & Updates

CTC NEWS, Industry News, Monthly Newsletters, Tech news
We're currently interviewing for a Tier 1 Support Tech to join our team. If you'd like more information on joining our team, use our online application available here. Updates to Policies and Procedures - We've made some slight changes to our Policies and Procedures and posted them here. Upcoming End of Life for Windows Server 2012 - In October 2023, Microsoft will be ending support for it's Windows Server 2012 operating system, meaning anyone currently using Windows Server 2012 will need to make plans to replace it before October. Changes to the MyIT Program - We are in the process of making some changes to the MyIT Program that we're pretty excited about. The biggest and most visible change for most MyIT Customers will likely be related to communications. There…
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October 2022 News & Updates

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Accepting Applications - We are looking to add a new member to the team and are accepting applications for a Tier 2 Support Position. If you know someone that's got a passion for good customer service, a solid technical pedigree and is looking to work with some of the greatest customers on the planet, definitely send them to our online application here.Multiple zero day vulnerabilities have been addressed by Microsoft this month including (at least) two in Microsoft Exchange that have been actively exploited. Microsoft released updates to fix 84 security vulnerabilities this month including 20 remote code execution vulnerabilities and 13 (including some of the RCE) that it has rated as Critical. Worth noting is that this does not include the 12 patched on 3 October and fixes for…
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December 2021 News & Updates

CTC NEWS, Industry News, Tech news
The holiday season is also prime season for other criminal activity like porch pirating, charity and phishing scams. If you'll be having packages delivered when you aren't home, it may be worth asking a trusted neighbor to watch for delivery (and then grab the package), getting a temporary mailbox (PO Box, UPS Store, etc.) or investing in one of the doorbell cameras to safeguard the delivery (or provide proof that it was stolen). If you're looking to give to charity, checking with a local Church or other charitable organization in your community may be a better option than replying to an email solicitation for donation or giving to a random but well-intentioned-looking stranger asking for a donation at a stoplight. Details on the Log4Shell Vulnerability - Log4Shell is a vulnerability…
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When is the last time that you’ve actually tested your backup?

CTC NEWS
Many people have backups setup, but when was the last time that yours was tested? When's the last time that you've actually tried to restore something from your backup? Ransomware has been a go-to for criminals because they know that, in many cases, their victims a) depend heavily on their data and b) do not have usable backups. These criminals are able to break into the systems, encrypt the data and then extort basically whatever they want (typically, large sums of money) from the victim in exchange for their data back. Having known good backups is an easy way take away that leverage. One of the many things that sets the MyIT Program apart is the fact that we test your backups every month to make sure that it's not…
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Enhanced Patch Management Reboot Prompt

CTC NEWS, Tech news
Your computer may need to be rebooted for some important updates to be installed. Failing to restart and / or install these updates can leave your computer and the network of devices that it's connected to open and vulnerable to attacks like ransomware, viruses, data theft and more. Our Enhanced Patch Management system can install updates for more than 300 programs and applications and, if there is a need to restart, will prompt you to restart now (with a 5 minute countdown timer) and give you the option to postpone the restart for 4 or 6 hours or the next time that you log out. The default is to "Restart Now" with a 5 minute countdown timer. If no action is taken, the computer will restart and the updates will…
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But the HIPAA Security Rule doesn’t explicitly say anything about patches and updates!?!?

But the HIPAA Security Rule doesn’t explicitly say anything about patches and updates!?!?

Industry News, Tech news
Technology is a requirement for business and is deeply embedded in modern healthcare. Although no specifics for patch management is available in the HIPAA Security Rule, healthcare providers who fall victim to threats like phishing, malware, ransomware or other cyber criminals may be subject to significant fines if they do not have a documented patch management program in place. Most of the software that powers the technology used in healthcare contains "bugs" that can negatively affect how the software works and create risks to the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the data. These "bugs" are regularly fixed with updates and patches by the manufacturers, but it's generally the users responsibility to test, approve and install these updates and patches. While the HIPAA Security Rule doesn't explicitly detail a patch management…
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November 2020 News & Updates

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Executive Summary We will be closed Thursday, 26 November 2020 and Friday, 27 November 2020 to celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends. We are currently beta testing our device to tether your office network to your mobile phone / hotspot to provide emergency / backup Internet access to your office network. We hope to have a production version available mid December.Microsoft patched 112 vulnerabilities this month, tipping the 100 vulnerabilities in a month scale again. One update, rated as Important by Microsoft, is being chained with a Google Chrome vulnerability and exploited in the wild. Microsoft patched 112 vulnerabilities this month, 17 were classified [by Microsoft] as CRITICAL, 93 rated important and 2 rated moderate. One vulnerability patched this month , CVE-2020-17087, is rated by Microsoft as important but is…
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June 2020 News & Updates

June 2020 News & Updates

Industry News, Monthly Newsletters, Tech news
Executive Summary Criminals continue to take advantage of remote workers connecting to work resources via home networks with (often) lax security controls. In many cases, these unprotected home networks that are connected via VPN connections back to the office are giving attackers an opportunity to completely bypass the corporate firewall.Based on number of bugs patched, June 2020 marks Microsoft's largest Patch Tuesday to date with 129 (or 130, depending on who you ask) bugs patched, with 115 in March 2020 and 113 in April 2020 pulling a close second and third.Adobe released significant security updates for Flash Player and Framemaker that could allow an attacker remote access to vulnerable systems.Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 are now six months out of support from Microsoft, meaning they are no longer being…
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