In this entirely interconnected world, keeping your premises secure is becoming more challenging….
Remote access to CCTV cameras has been a godsend for operational managers and business owners, to ensure sites remain secure, especially over the last couple of years while access to sites has been limited.
However, every device accessing the internet provides a route for hackers to access your business network and CCTV is no different. In fact, we’ve seen numerous attacks on Mobile and M2M data SIM connections, infecting devices with malware, used to relay CCTV camera footage.
Thankfully, those attacks were thwarted before any data could be accessed, ensuring our customers’ business critical information remained confidential. But we want to make sure as many people hear this warning as possible.
What is malware?
Malware (short for malicious software) is a bit of a catch-all term for small files that run code to infect machines, scrape information, infect other connected devices, and act as a backdoor into a business’ entire network.
Malware typically originates from pop-ups on computers, either asking to download a file that seems legitimate, or in emails asking reader to click a link – both are typical attack vectors used for phishing attacks, ransomware, trojan horses and similar viruses.
This may seem like fearmongering, but we promise you it isn’t: Any device used within your business’ operation that connects to the public internet is vulnerable.
And the effects can be widespread, and go unnoticed for long periods of time…
How are businesses affected by malware?
Data usage
In turn, this increases costs on metered data connections, especially when SIMs go over their allotted data allowance, prompting additional costs on much larger per-MB pricing.
Data breach
The right password and username could enable hackers to take over social media accounts, such as the recent twitter hack.
Intellectual property theft could take away a business’ advantage in their market.
The loss of customer information could cause irreparable damage to a business’ reputation and expose them to legal challenges as well as GDPR fines.
Ransomware
Just like in 2017, when multiple NHS trusts were brought to their knees (costing nearly 100m to rectify), malware can be used to lock employees out of their devices, and only open them back up once a ransom is paid.
These attacks are becoming more frequent, and with smaller businesses having less to invest in their security policies, savvy hackers have started to access massive corporate entities via smaller partners in their supply chain, as a more viable route to access larger ‘prey’.
- Slow devices, especially when connected to the internet
- Increase in network errors when trying to visit webpages
- Devices getting unexpectedly hot under low loads
But don’t worry – as we said before – this isn’t about making you feel afraid…
There are simple steps you can take to embrace digital transformation securely, so you can rest assured that connected devices like CCTV cameras, remote worker solutions, mobile data pools and more, are all protected.
How can I protect my business from malware?
Private APN
APN stands for ‘Access Point Name’, which is the shorthand for the settings your phone needs to set up a connection between your carrier’s network and the public internet.
However, with a Private APN, the SIM isn’t allowed to access the public internet and instead, creates a direct connection between your devices, for a far more secure solution and completely removing the possibility of malware directly infecting devices.
Previously, Private APNs were only available through major carriers sometimes taking months to set up!
But that’s not the case anymore.
Through Everything Voice, a private APN only takes a couple days to deploy, and new SIMs can be set up in a matter of minutes, for easier control and management of your connected devices!
Get in touch to discover the benefits of Private APN SIMs!
Regular updates
We know how frustrating it is to hold-off on urgent work when that little pop-up says your computer needs to update and restart – but we do recommend you keep to a regular update schedule to prevent as many attacks as possible!
Public IP addresses
Instead of “Forwarding all ports”, it is better to set up “Forwarding only the required ports” to the target device as port forwarding in the router:
Open Services / Servers
- Open mDNS services (port 5353)
- Open DNS resolvers (port 53)
- Open SNMP servers (port 161)
- Open SSDP servers (port 1900)
- Open portmapper services (port 111)
Administrative Services
- SSH (port 22)
- Telnet (port 23)
- Telnet (port 2323)
- RDP (Port 3389)
* This is typical best practice, but ports may change depending on your provider and hardware. A description of how to set up port forwarding can usually be found in the instructions for the router you are using. For more information, please refer to your operating system documentation or contact your network administrator. *
Why work with Everything Voice?
Communication and connectivity services are an investment, and we do everything we can to reduce the risks attached to them.
Whether that’s:
- Learning everything we can about your business so we recommend the right solution
- Providing 24/7 support so you’re never without a helping hand
- Training your staff, so they can get the most from your solutions
- Having regular catch-ups to ensure there’s no issues, or new technologies to explore
- Making sure your data is safe and secure!
We welcome the challenge of continually improving and evolving our solutions, taking technical advancements to find new innovative ways to help your teams do more, and do it safely.
So, if you’d like an audit on your network security, or just a second opinion on cybersecurity best practices, don’t hesitate to reach out on 0330 055 3570.