DHS Issues Cybersecurity Warning Due to Conflict in Ukraine–Tech Tip For March 8, 2022

DHS Issues Cybersecurity Warning Due to Conflict in Ukraine – Tech Tip For March 8, 2022

As Russian military forces escalate attacks in Ukraine, The Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has issued a “Shields Up” Event

According to CISA “While there are no specific or credible cyber threats to the U.S. homeland at this time, Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine, which has involved cyber-attacks on the Ukrainian government and critical infrastructure organizations, may impact organizations both within and beyond the region. Every organization—large and small—must be prepared to respond to disruptive cyber activity.

As the nation’s cyber defense agency, CISA stands ready to help organizations prepare for, respond to, and mitigate the impact of cyber-attacks. “When cyber incidents are reported quickly, we can use this information to render assistance and as a warning to prevent other organizations and entities from falling victim to a similar attack. “ You can read more here: Shields Up | CISA

Many of TechWise Group’s clients have reached out to us regarding their concerns and have asked for guidance. As always the best protection against cyber threats remains the same. This month, in our tech tips, we will review the top recommendations for protecting your organization.

CA first step in protecting your organization is reducing the potential for a cyber intrusion in the first place. To do this, we always recommend the following:

1. Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) for access to your systems. Microsoft 365 includes this feature, and it can be extended to protect other aspects of your organization’s infrastructure as well.
2. Ensure that all systems, including servers, firewalls, and desktops/laptops are up to date and fully patched. The best way to accomplish this is to have an endpoint management solution in place.
3. Limit access to systems based on role and need.
4. Remove any unused accounts.
5. Invest in frequent training sessions for employees on cyber security so that they can recognize potential threats.

If you are concerned about your organization’s cybersecurity preparedness, please contact us

Important Microsoft Announcements:

• Microsoft will be rolling out price increases for seat based CSP licensing (Microsoft 365, Office 365) starting in January 2022. In addition, they will be introducing annual and potentially 3-year licensing agreements. The pricing changes will substantially increase the price for month to month CSP agreements. Please contact us at  gettechwise@techwisegroup.com to understand how you can minimize the impact of the upcoming price increases.
• Microsoft will begin the rollout of Windows 11 through Windows Update as an update to Windows 10 machines starting on October 5, 2021. This update can be postponed. If you need assistance with controlling the rollout of Windows 11 to your organization, please contact TechWise Group or your IT department.
• Starting November 1, 2021, the following versions of Outlook for Windows, as part of Office and Microsoft 365 Apps, will not be able to connect with Office 365 and Microsoft 365 services: