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Cloud Sto-RAGE Against Data Pillage Digital extortion, a novel idea for some but existential in the binary world of internet since 1989 as a crypto virus ransom ware - a malware that attacks your system and demands ransom in return for the pillaged data. And these vector attacks seem to have grown in last 5 years. Only recently, we received a call from a local business who fell victim to a new breed of these ransom wares - CryptoLocker. With a user easily scammed by a spam email, the vector was allowed access into the machine, initiating a malicious program that ended up encrypting all the critical business data and files. And This Won’t Be the Last Time You Hear About Them In June 2013, McAfee reported alarming numbers of these ransom ware samples as the figure crossed 250,000 in only the first annual quarter — doubling that from the past year. And we are only talking about “reported cases” from just ONE security suite. In August 2014, UPS reported that over fifty-one franchised store locations fell victim to such malware attacks - one of the largest logistics companies had their IT defenses breached. And It Transcends Platform Boundaries CryptoLocker has managed to transcend every platform. So where the previous versions of malware were only confined to the
boundaries of a Window based PC; Apple users now also found their files being encrypted with ransom demands constantly flashing on their screens. What’s the Solution? Obviously you can’t lose your data and neither can you trust these scammers with the ransom payment, for they are the evil grinning bunch - there are no guarantees that you won’t be asked for another ransom payment. Wait for help? Sadly, CryptoLocker sets a payment deadline. Prevention is the only solution here (at least for now). But how do we avoid it? Raging Against the Data Pillage Cloud Storage! Yes, you can take measures to avoid spam emails but so could the other renowned business organizations, yet they were victimized. There is always a loophole somewhere in there. As such, your best bet is to create a backup of your data through cloud storage. Why not creating it on an external hard drive?
Firstly, because an external hard drive won’t be accessible to every user in case of data recovery and, you never know, you may have left your hard drive plugged in while the ransom ware was having a feast. Cloud storage not only provides automated data back up, but it also the convenience of accessibility from multiple locations, all the while staying secured. And Cloud Storage is Far More Reliable Where your local IT defense may not be up to standards; cloud storage services are far more reliable in terms of security and offered solutions. So, even if a CryptoLocker do manage to get access to your machine You can ignore all those ransom calls, delete the entire operating
system, re-install it and have your files back through cloud data backup. Plus with cloud backup services, you can store multiple versions of your files. Data Wins You Wars You may have started on the equal footing or your business competitor may have a head-start; it’s ultimately the amassed data and how you use it that will eventually win you the race. As such the importance of data for a business can never be overly stressed and the significance of protecting the data should never be undermined. Buckle up! it’s time to rage against these ransom wares - it’s time to integrate cloud storage within your business model! TekOne Technologies, based in Stevenage, is a leading provider of affordable technology solutions for businesses. You can contact them at 01438 771000.
Barley Print invests £10,000 in latest ink management system Barley Print has taken delivery of a high-tech computer controlled ink management system that will increase efficiency and reduce wastage at its production plant in Hertfordshire. The family firm, based in Cuffley, has invested £10,000 in a Digital Ink Preset System (DIPS) to replace its traditional open fountain ink trains in order to provide more precise density control at all press speeds. The DIPS provides a convenient means of setting ink fountains, acting as a communicator between pre-press workstations and litho presses. It calculates ink coverage from pre-press data,
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converting it into ink preset data and passing it to the press remote control console. The information enables precise ink fountain presetting of the press, significantly reducing makeready times. Adjustments can still be made on the press and revised settings can be saved and recalled to enable exact colour management for reprinted work. Glen Middleton, production director at Barley Print, said:
“The DIPS system has enabled us to reduce set-up times by more than 50% and significantly reduce paper wastage used during the set-up process. “The other advantages included improved ink density, which helps enhance imagery, and increased print accuracy throughout the run. Together, this produces consistent quality results without the fluctuations that are characteristic of open ink fountains.
“The digital system also means ink is not contaminated with paper dust and grit, resulting in immediate cost savings in ink, paper and maintenance.” This latest investment by Barley Print follows the arrival earlier this year of a new state-of-the-art Heidelberg XL105-5XL printing press, which has increased print capacity by up to 50%.