2023 Archives - Page 5 of 59 - Version 2 Limited

Q&A Session with SafeDNS Experts, Part 1

We are thrilled to launch an exclusive Q&A session with SafeDNS experts Tom Hall and Alex Biushkin. Your questions, our expert answers—let’s explore the SafeDNS products and updates together!

Here is the first part of our Q&A session. Follow us so that you do not miss further ones.

BUSINESS

Q:
I want to try SafeDNS Pro for the free trial period. How do I do that?

A: We offer a 15-day trial plan for business users. Within 15 days, you can test if our service meets your needs. Here is the registration link. Do not forget to choose your billing plan!

Q:
What pricing options can you offer for business?

A: There are Basic, Pro, and Pro+ plans. If you choose to pay for a subscription monthly, you will pay $1 per user on Basic, $1.8 per user on Pro, and $2.5 per user on the Pro+ plan. If you are going to pay for a subscription annually, it will benefit you for sure. This way, you will pay $0.9 per user on Basic, $1.5 per user on Pro, and $2.2 per user on the Pro+ plan. You can always visit our website or contact the sales department via the email address sales@safedns.com to get more detailed information.

Q:
I want a basic SafeDNS plan using my own email. I do not have a corporate email address, so obtaining this service is blocked when I sign up.

A: You can register and choose a home plan and after that we will be able to update your billing plan manually. Or you can reach out to our sales department directly using the following email address sales@safedns.com, they will help you to solve the problem.

EDUCATION

Q:
I’m interested in learning more about the solutions you can provide for our school district. We have 23 schools and use iPads for students, including BYO iPad devices.

A: We have Education & Non-profit plan that is used by schools, colleges, universities, and other nonprofit organizations. It can serve more than 100 users per location. It is possible to add 500 domains to the Allow/Deny lists separately and either completely restrict or allow free access to this or that resource. You can rely on your administrator privileges and priority phone support option. Also, remember that the SafeDNS Agent app can be installed on your iPads. This plan will cost you 400 USD.

Q:
I am looking into internet filters for a university laptop lending.

A: If you are interested in our services, let me explain a bit about how SafeDNS works.

SafeDNS is a web filter based on DNS technology. Using SafeDNS, you will be able to block individual websites (domains) and certain categories of websites, enable Safe Search for Google and Bing, as well as the Restricted mode for YouTube. It is possible to use the service in a few different ways: it can be set up on your router to filter the whole network, and/or you can install the SafeDNS Agent to filter individual devices. The agent is available for Windows, Linux, MacOS, and Android systems. iOS Agent is coming soon. You can set up our service on the router, and you will get the filter on all the connected devices automatically. Alternatively, you can install the SafeDNS agent on each device. This way, devices have different filtering policies at the same time. The agent can also work together with the router setup, so devices with the agent can get traffic that is filtered according to different policies.

We have several plans that meet any user’s needs. For instance, our Education & Nonprofit Plan can be relevant for you.

Q:
I have a school with 35 sites. How many IPs can the education account have?

A: On the Education & Nonprofit Plan, you can have a minimum of 100 users per location.

ISPs

Q:
What is the ISP solution, and how can it be useful?

A: SafeDNS ISP Filter is an internet traffic filtering system developed by SafeDNS. The service can restrict access to specific URLs, domain names, or IP addresses. There is an opportunity to create your own filtering rules using the command-line tools (Filter-CTL Filter) or the web interface. The system includes the SafeDNS ISP Filter Check utility, which allows you to check the quality of the filter on your own.
Here are useful links for guides about ISP description and installation.

SECURITY

Q:
Can your system protect my domains from domain poisoning?

A: Our DNS servers are protected from such cyberattacks as DNS cache poisoning. We can guarantee that our servers will always respond with the correct information to your requests. However, DNS traffic from a customer to our servers is not encrypted by default, so a MITM attack may occur. If you need to protect your DNS traffic, you can use our feature named DoT (DNS over TLS). Here you can take a look at the detailed guide on how to encrypt your DNS requests with the SafeDNS web filtering solution.

About Version 2 Limited
Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About SafeDNS
SafeDNS breathes to make the internet safer for people all over the world with solutions ranging from AI & ML-powered web filtering, cybersecurity to threat intelligence. Moreover, we strive to create the next generation of safer and more affordable web filtering products. Endlessly working to improve our users’ online protection, SafeDNS has also launched an innovative system powered by continuous machine learning and user behavior analytics to detect botnets and malicious websites.

safedns 2023

New desktop experience: Faster, smoother, better

Over the past few months, we’ve been working behind the scenes to create a new and exciting browser extension experience that will allow you to enjoy everything that NordPass has to offer without needing to launch the desktop app.

Yes, you read that right. Sounds awesome? Well, take a look at what the new NordPass browser extension experience brings to the table.

Why this release?

For quite some time, you — our users — have been letting us know that you’d really love a standalone NordPass browser extension. It would be a way to manage your passwords, passkeys, payment card information, and personal information straight from the browser, allowing for an even smoother online experience.

A lot of Chromebook users were at the forefront of voicing their needs. And we’ve heard you loud and clear — today is the day that you can finally start using NordPass on your Chromebook and enjoy everything that it has to offer.

However, it’s important to note that the NordPass desktop application is not going anywhere. The app remains part of the NordPass product suite.

A smoother, simpler experience

The new browser extension seamlessly integrates with your web browsing experience, providing instant access to NordPass and all the great tools and features that it comes with. Here’s what that means for daily use:

Seamless vault access, smooth online experience

The new browser experience provides full access to your passwords, passkeys, credit cards, personal information, and secure notes on any desktop device, whether it’s your workstation or… a Chromebook (wink, wink, Chromebook users, we knew you would love it).

Let the standalone extension do the heavy lifting. Book trips, shop online, manage your vault, and log in to your online accounts instantly straight from a browser.
Frictionless NordPass deployment for organizations

Gone are the days when each person in the organization had to download the NordPass app and set everything up individually. The new standalone extension facilitates a centralized deployment of NordPass across the company via the Active Directory Group Policy. Put simply, this means that now organization Owners and Admins will have a way easier time deploying NordPass across the organization.

With the extension installed on their systems, employees can bypass the necessity of downloading the app, and instead are only required to go through the registration processes. For a detailed walkthrough on deploying NordPass organization-wide, feel free to explore our Help Center guide.

I already use NordPass, is there anything that I need to do?

So, you might be wondering if there’s anything you’ll need to do once the update rolls out.

Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera, Firefox, Safari

If you already have NordPass installed on your device and use the extension on Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera, Chrome or other chromium-based browsers, all you need to do is remove the legacy extension and add the new one. It’s that simple and quick and it applies to all the mentioned browsers. For further information on how to migrate to the new standalone extension, feel free to check out our guide that covers all the ins and outs.

New to NordPass?

You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to start using NordPass on a desktop device. Just add the standalone extension and you’re all set — no need to download or install the app!

Check out our detailed support guide for getting started with NordPass quickly and easily.

Once you have the new extension running on your browser, you can start using NordPass to its fullest extent.

If you have any further questions regarding the changes or NordPass in general, do not hesitate to contact our tech-minded support team at support@nordpass.com — they’re ready to take care of any issues you might have. Also, if you have any suggestions or feedback, simply submit a request for our team — we’re all ears, all the time.

About Version 2 Limited
Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About NordPass
NordPass is developed by Nord Security, a company leading the global market of cybersecurity products.

The web has become a chaotic space where safety and trust have been compromised by cybercrime and data protection issues. Therefore, our team has a global mission to shape a more trusted and peaceful online future for people everywhere.

CyberLink FaceMe® Security Integrates with Genetec Security Center to Enhance Investigations and Secure Access Control with AI Facial Recognition

Taipei, Taiwan – November 30, 2023 – CyberLink Corp. (5203.TW), a pioneer in AI and facial recognition technology today announces FaceMe® Security certified integration with Genetec Security Center unified security platform. With the incorporation of FaceMe® Security’s AI facial recognition, Genetec Security Center users can painlessly upgrade existing smart security and access control infrastructure with detection of blocklisted individuals, real-time alerts, employee access control capabilities, and optimized facial search, which can lead to faster video investigations.

Genetec Security Center’s ecosystem was built to manage security policies, monitor events, and run investigations. By combining video surveillance and access control functionalities in one interface, Genetec expanded their customers’ ability to have real-time monitoring for the prevention of security breaches. Using an extensive SDK, it accommodates new data types seamlessly in one integration, making it possible to easily integrate new technologies, like CyberLink’s AI facial recognition engine, FaceMe®.

The integration of FaceMe® Security upgrades and empowers existing Genetec security surveillance systems with AI video analytics and facial recognition. By fully leveraging new computing capabilities of IP cameras with AI, optimal synergy between software and hardware can be achieved, helping reduce total cost of ownership. Users also benefit from leading facial recognition technology, that boasts an impressive accuracy rate of 99.83%, top ranked in 1:1 and 1:N evaluations, as validated by NIST.

FaceMe Security makes it simple and efficient to add facial recognition access control. When a person’s face is verified, FaceMe® Security can send real-time push notifications to Genetec Security Center, which then allows or denies entry based on preset permission settings. With 24/7 surveillance monitoring and AI facial recognition, you can always know who has entered and exited the building.

Additionally, FaceMe Security’s ability to enhance investigative capabilities is made possible with the FaceMe Locator plug-in, in conjunction with Genetec Security Center’s Visual Tracking function. Instead of the days, weeks, or even months it may take personnel to complete manual investigations, FaceMe Locator dramatically reduces search time, improving safety and security.

The FaceMe® Locator plug-in for Genetec enables users to search by face. Using a facial image of the person of interest and filtering for date and time of the event, FaceMe® Locator will list all events where that person was recorded and provide corresponding video playback. A facial image can be provided in 3 ways: via an uploaded image, a face cropped from a recorded video, or a face cropped from a live video stream. Once a person is found, Genetec’s Visual Tracking feature is utilized to track their path from one camera to the next.

“CyberLink is excited that our certified integration with Genetec provides Security Center users with the ability to easily run the most advanced AI-based facial recognition algorithms on a unified security platform, enabling efficiency and capability gains directly within the Genetec Security Center interface” said Dr. Jau Huang, Chairman and CEO of CyberLink.

To learn more about the integration of FaceMe® Security & Genetec Security Center, please visit https://www.cyberlink.com/faceme/solution/security/vms/Genetec-Security-Center

About Genetec
Genetec Inc. is a global technology company that has been transforming the physical security industry for over 25 years. Today, the company develops solutions designed to improve security, intelligence, and operations for enterprises, governments, and the communities in which we live. Its flagship product, Security Center, is an open-architecture platform that unifies IP-based video surveillance, access control, automatic license plate recognition (ALPR), communications, and analytics. Founded in 1997, and headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Genetec serves its customers via an extensive network of certified channel partners and consultants in over 159 countries.

About Version 2 Limited
Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About CyberLink
Founded in 1996, CyberLink Corp. (5203.TW) is the world leader in multimedia software and AI facial recognition technology. CyberLink addresses the demands of consumer, commercial and education markets through a wide range of solutions, covering digital content creation, multimedia playback, video conferencing, live casting, mobile applications and AI facial recognition. CyberLink has shipped several hundred million copies of its multimedia software and apps, including the award-winning PowerDirector, PhotoDirector, and PowerDVD. With years of research in the fields of artificial intelligence and facial recognition, CyberLink has developed the FaceMe® Facial Recognition Engine. Powered by deep learning algorithms, FaceMe® delivers the reliable, high-precision, and real-time facial recognition that is critical to AIoT applications such as smart retail, smart security, and surveillance, smart city and smart home. For more information about CyberLink, please visit the official website at www.cyberlink.com

Cyberlink 訊連科技 2023

We’ve earned the SOC 2 Type 2 attestation

We’re back with an exciting update — we want to inform you that Nord Security, the provider of NordPass Business, has successfully passed the SOC 2 Type 2 audit.

The SOC 2 Type 2 attestation, received not too long after obtaining the Type 1, further underscores Nord Security’s commitment to the highest standards of data privacy and operational excellence.

Let us now explain what this achievement means for NordPass Business and its clients.

Why is passing the SOC 2 Type 2 audit a big deal?

SOC is short for System and Organization Controls, which refers to the framework developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). In basic terms, SOC 2 is a report with an auditor’s opinion that helps verify whether organizations have implemented effective controls and measures to ensure the security, availability, and privacy of customer data.

A company that participates in a voluntary SOC 2 audit and successfully receives certification proves to its customers and stakeholders that it can be trusted to handle sensitive information with the utmost care and responsibility.

The SOC 2 framework is divided into two categories: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 focuses on examining whether the organization’s controls and documentation are designed following the relevant trust principles and comply with established standards. Meanwhile, Type 2 delves into the practical aspects, evaluating how efficiently these controls operate in real life.

So, when an organization earns the SOC 2 Type 2 attestation, it means that the organization’s security measures proved to be consistently effective and efficient over time.

What does passing the SOC 2 Type 2 audit mean for NordPass Business?

Receiving the SOC 2 Type 2 attestation is the latest proof that Nord Security’s products, including NordPass Business, are designed with the highest data security standards and are highly effective in ensuring the privacy and confidentiality of sensitive information.

Since 2021, NordPass has been compliant with the ISO/IEC 27001:2017, another internationally recognized standard that verifies the company’s strong information security management system.

In 2022, we passed the SOC 2 Type 1 audit, which confirmed that our organization’s products are designed in line with the relevant trust principles. Therefore, it was only natural that we aspired to undergo the SOC 2 Type 2 audit, aiming to further demonstrate the effectiveness of our security measures. And now, we’ve made it happen.

So, if you are a NordPass Business customer — or someone considering using it in the future — we hope you take this SOC 2 Type 2 attestation announcement as confirmation that we have the necessary measures to protect your sensitive information.

Our goal is to continually improve our platforms to give our customers the peace of mind they expect. So, you can anticipate more updates like this one coming soon.

Stay safe!

About Version 2 Limited
Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About NordPass
NordPass is developed by Nord Security, a company leading the global market of cybersecurity products.

The web has become a chaotic space where safety and trust have been compromised by cybercrime and data protection issues. Therefore, our team has a global mission to shape a more trusted and peaceful online future for people everywhere.

Nord Security 2023 NordPass

ESET Threat Intelligence unveiling Portal 2.0

Navigating the intricacies of today’s world is a complex task that requires accurate and timely knowledge as well as a contextual understanding of the geopolitical landscape. This becomes particularly sensitive when the digital security of critical infrastructure is considered, specifically for enterprises operating in the sectors of energy, finance, utilities, or petrochemical industries — or even for governmental institutions themselves.

Every day, ESET detects over 300,000 potential threats, providing our customers with unique insights from our own pool of more than 110 million sensors around the world, delivering a global understanding that is the foundation for any organization to anticipate, counter, and contextualize potential threats. Alongside our extensive visibility, ESET has built relevant industry partnerships and honeypots that source data where we don’t have direct telemetry.

The research focus ESET has pursued remains at the heart of the company, which has decades of experience in mapping and tracking major APT groups. ESET has been committed to proactively sharing targeted intelligence with the security community, being one of the most referenced and active contributors to the MITRE ATT&CK knowledge base, serving as a member of the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC) established by CISA, and regularly contributing to the work of law enforcement bodies such as the FBI and national CERTS.

A more intuitive interface for a better user experience

To provide even more comprehensive access to all the knowledge provided by ESET Threat Intelligence, ESET is launching a new portal that allows for a fully automated experience of the platform. From the start, customers can access the terms of agreement, including the NDA, managing licenses, or user activity. The portal also presents an intuitive view of ESET APT and Threat Reports, the latest research blogs and podcasts, and relevant infographics. If subscribed, users can view private reports compiled by ESET Research upon request. Users can also define the periodicity of notifications of new reports, selecting the ones they want to be notified of.

ESET is also bundling its six Threat Intelligence data feeds, allowing customers to choose those that best fit their needs under one unique license. Once the agreement is active, the data feeds are configured automatically by simply enabling them right from the portal.

The new portal also provides ESET Connect-ready APIs, and all functionalities can be easily discovered with a new Online Help section detailing each of the APIs and how to integrate them.

SOC analysts using ETI will also take advantage of ESET MISP as the main integration platform for APT Reports, enabling them to go through the listing of events, run retrospective intelligence analyses and queries, filter results based on labels, and, ultimately, search sightings and find correlation using correlation graphics.

ESET proprietary intelligence data feeds: Real-time global knowledge

Originating from our 13 research centers dispersed globally, ESET Threat Intelligence comprises the knowledge and expertise of ESET researchers into six different and highly curated feeds with unique telemetry that can be accessed based on an organization’s specific needs and size.

Simply put, the feeds are lists of Indicators of Compromise (IoC) and metadata, covering various aspects of cybersecurity, including tracking malicious files, botnets, and APTs; identifying potentially harmful domains or URLs and IPs considered malicious; and tracking the associated data.

To ensure compatibility and easy integration, the feeds are provided in widely used formats, such as JSON and STIX 2.1. Recently, ESET also announced the integration of its proprietary data feeds with the widely used SIEM and SOAR platform MS Sentinel, taking advantage of the built-in TAXII client of Microsoft Sentinel. Other already existing integrations are IBM QRadar, OpenCTI, Anomali, and ThreatQuotient.

Building a long-term strategy

Cyber threats evolve rapidly to stay ahead of emerging technology. ETI sits on top of all the work done at ESET, bringing together ESET’s unique visibility and research not only to provide deep technical analysis but also to provide a wider knowledge through the private APT reports that offer extensive tactical and strategic context to some of the most common questions: Why is this happening and who is behind it?

Moreover, ETI customers also have access to ESET researchers who will be ready to answer any questions arising from these reports, including technical follow-ups for a deeper understanding of the threat landscape.

The new portal will start rolling out in November.

For more information on ESET Threat Intelligence, visit our product page here.

About Version 2 Limited
Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About ESET
For 30 years, ESET® has been developing industry-leading IT security software and services for businesses and consumers worldwide. With solutions ranging from endpoint security to encryption and two-factor authentication, ESET’s high-performing, easy-to-use products give individuals and businesses the peace of mind to enjoy the full potential of their technology. ESET unobtrusively protects and monitors 24/7, updating defenses in real time to keep users safe and businesses running without interruption. Evolving threats require an evolving IT security company. Backed by R&D facilities worldwide, ESET became the first IT security company to earn 100 Virus Bulletin VB100 awards, identifying every single “in-the-wild” malware without interruption since 2003.

ESET 2023

Understanding the Use of Captive Portal Detection

In the dynamic landscape of cybersecurity, organizations continually seek innovative ways to safeguard their networks from potential threats. One crucial aspect of network security that has gained prominence is captive portal detection. Today, we’ll delve into the depths of captive portal detection, exploring what it is, how it works, and how organizations leverage it to fortify access to their networks.

Understanding Captive Portal Detection

Captive portal detection is a pivotal component of network security designed to authenticate and authorize users before granting them access to a network. Essentially, it acts as a gateway, ensuring that only authorized individuals can connect to the network. Captive portals are commonly employed in public Wi-Fi networks, such as those in airports, hotels, and coffee shops, to regulate and manage user access.

How Captive Portal Detection Works

User Connection:
- The process begins when a user attempts to connect to a network, often through Wi-Fi.
- Upon connecting, the user is redirected to a captive portal page instead of gaining immediate access to the internet.
Captive Portal Page:
- The captive portal page typically contains an authentication mechanism, such as a login form.
- Users must provide the necessary credentials or comply with specific terms and conditions to proceed.
Authentication and Authorization:
- The provided credentials are verified, and the user is authenticated.
- Authorization is granted based on predefined policies and permissions.
Access Granted:
- Once authenticated and authorized, the user is granted access to the network and the internet.

Organizations’ Use of Captive Portal Detection

Enhanced Security:
- It serves as an additional layer of security by ensuring that only authorized users can access the network.
- This is particularly crucial in public spaces where open Wi-Fi networks are susceptible to unauthorized access.
User Authentication:
- Organizations use captive portals to enforce user authentication, requiring individuals to log in with valid credentials.
- This helps in tracking user activities and associating network usage with specific individuals.
Policy Enforcement:
- Captive portal detection allows organizations to enforce network usage policies.
- Users may need to agree to terms of service, acceptable use policies, or other conditions before gaining access.
Guest Network Management:
- Many organizations utilize captive portals for managing guest access to their networks.
- Guests are often redirected to a portal where they must authenticate or accept terms, ensuring controlled and secure access.
Data Collection and Analytics:
- Captive portal solutions often come equipped with data collection and analytics tools.
- Organizations can gather insights into user behavior, preferences, and demographics, aiding in targeted marketing or network optimization.
Compliance Requirements:
- In certain industries, compliance regulations necessitate strict control over network access.
- Organizations meet these requirements by ensuring that only compliant devices and users connect to the network.

Challenges and Considerations

While this approach offers significant advantages, it comes with its own set of challenges and considerations:

User Experience:
- Redirecting users to a captive portal page can disrupt the user experience, leading to frustration.
- Organizations must strive to make the authentication process seamless and user-friendly.
Security Risks:
- Captive portals can be susceptible to various security risks, including phishing attacks that mimic legitimate login pages.
- Robust security measures, such as encryption and multi-factor authentication, are crucial to mitigate these risks.
Scalability:
- Ensuring seamless user authentication becomes more challenging as the scale of the network increases.
- Organizations must invest in scalable solutions capable of handling a growing number of users.
Integration with Existing Systems:
- Integrating captive portal solutions with existing network infrastructure and authentication systems can be complex.
- Compatibility and interoperability issues must be carefully addressed during implementation.

Future Trends in Captive Portal Detection

Several trends are shaping the future of this crucial aspect of network security:

Integration with Zero Trust Architecture:
- The Zero Trust model, which assumes no trust by default and verifies every user, is gaining traction.
- Captive portal detection is expected to integrate seamlessly with Zero Trust architectures to enhance network security.
Machine Learning and Behavioral Analysis:
- Advanced captive portal solutions are incorporating machine learning algorithms and behavioral analysis.
- These technologies enable the identification of anomalous behavior, enhancing security against emerging threats.
Cloud-Based Solutions:
- Cloud-based captive portal solutions are becoming more prevalent, offering flexibility and scalability.
- Organizations can centrally manage and deploy captive portals across multiple locations through the cloud.
Improved User Experience:
- Future developments in captive portal detection will focus on improving the user experience.
- Technologies like single sign-on and biometric authentication may become more prominent to streamline the authentication process.
Enhanced Security Protocols:
- To counter evolving cyber threats, captive portal detection will incorporate enhanced security protocols.
- This may include stronger encryption, continuous monitoring, and adaptive authentication mechanisms.

Conclusion

In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, organizations must adapt to new challenges and leverage innovative solutions to protect their networks. Captive portal detection stands as a stalwart guardian, ensuring that only authorized users gain access to valuable network resources. By understanding how captive portal detection works and how organizations are utilizing it today, we can navigate the intricate web of network security and fortify our digital infrastructure against emerging threats. As we look toward the future, the continued evolution of captive portal detection promises to play a pivotal role in shaping the security landscape of tomorrow.

About Version 2 Limited
Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About Portnox
Portnox provides simple-to-deploy, operate and maintain network access control, security and visibility solutions. Portnox software can be deployed on-premises, as a cloud-delivered service, or in hybrid mode. It is agentless and vendor-agnostic, allowing organizations to maximize their existing network and cybersecurity investments. Hundreds of enterprises around the world rely on Portnox for network visibility, cybersecurity policy enforcement and regulatory compliance. The company has been recognized for its innovations by Info Security Products Guide, Cyber Security Excellence Awards, IoT Innovator Awards, Computing Security Awards, Best of Interop ITX and Cyber Defense Magazine. Portnox has offices in the U.S., Europe and Asia. For information visit http://www.portnox.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.。

2023 Network Portnox

23.12.0 ‘Voyager’ released

Changes compared to 23.11.1

New Features

Added a new Java SDK which allows customers to access the Comet Server API via JDK version 11+

About Version 2 Limited
Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About Comet
We are a team of dedicated professionals committed to developing reliable and secure backup solutions for MSP’s, Businesses and IT professionals. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, we understand the importance of having a reliable backup solution in place to protect your valuable data. That’s why we’ve developed a comprehensive suite of backup solutions that are easy to use, scalable and highly secure.

2023 Comet

ESET Research: Official Python repository served cyberespionage backdoor, gathered 10,000+ downloads

ESET Research discovered 116 malicious packages in PyPI, the official repository of software for the Python programming language, uploaded across 53 projects. Victims have downloaded these packages over 10,000 times.
The malware delivers a backdoor capable of executing remote commands, exfiltrating files, and taking screenshots. In some cases, the W4SP Stealer or a clipboard monitor that steals cryptocurrency, or both, is delivered instead.
The backdoor component is implemented for both Windows, in Python, and Linux, in Go.

BRATISLAVA, MONTREAL — December 12, 2023 — ESET Research has discovered a cluster of malicious Python projects being distributed via PyPI, the official Python (programming language) package repository. The threat targets both Windows and Linux systems and usually delivers a custom backdoor with cyberespionage capabilities. It allows remote command execution and file exfiltration, and sometimes includes the ability to take screenshots. In some cases, the final payload is a variant of the infamous W4SP Stealer, which steals personal data and credentials, or a simple clipboard monitor to steal cryptocurrency, or both. ESET discovered 116 files (source distributions and wheels) across 53 projects that contain malware. Over the past year, victims downloaded these files more than 10,000 times. From May 2023 onward, the download rate was around 80 per day.

PyPI is popular among Python programmers for sharing and downloading code. Since anyone can contribute to the repository, malware – sometimes posing as legitimate, popular code libraries – can appear. “Some malicious package names do look similar to other, legitimate packages, but we believe the main way they are installed by potential victims isn’t via typosquatting, but social engineering, where they are walked through running pip to install an ‘interesting’ package for whatever reason,” says ESET researcher Marc-Étienne Léveillé, who discovered and analyzed the malicious packages.

Most of the packages had already been taken down by PyPI at the time of the publication of this research. ESET has communicated with PyPI to take action concerning those remaining; presently, all of the known malicious packages are offline.

ESET has observed the operators behind this campaign using three techniques to bundle malicious code into the Python packages. The first technique is to place a “test” module with lightly obfuscated code inside the package. The second technique is to embed PowerShell code in the setup.py file, which is typically run automatically by package managers such as pip to help install Python projects. In the third technique, the operators make no effort to include legitimate code in the package, so that only the malicious code is present, in a lightly obfuscated form.

Typically, the final payload is a custom backdoor capable of remote command execution, file exfiltration, and sometimes the ability to take screenshots. On Windows, the backdoor is implemented in Python. On Linux, the backdoor is implemented in the Go programming language. In some cases, a variant of the infamous W4SP Stealer is used instead of the backdoor, or a simple clipboard monitor is used to steal cryptocurrency, or both. The clipboard monitor targets Bitcoin, Ethereum, Monero, and Litecoin cryptocurrencies.

“Python developers should vet the code they download before installing it on their systems. We expect that such abuse of PyPI will continue and advise caution in installing code from any public software repository,” concludes Léveillé.

For more information about the malicious Python projects in PyPI, check out the blog post “A pernicious potpourri of Python packages in PyPI.” Make sure to follow ESET Research on Twitter (today known as X) for the latest news from ESET Research.

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About ESET
For 30 years, ESET® has been developing industry-leading IT security software and services for businesses and consumers worldwide. With solutions ranging from endpoint security to encryption and two-factor authentication, ESET’s high-performing, easy-to-use products give individuals and businesses the peace of mind to enjoy the full potential of their technology. ESET unobtrusively protects and monitors 24/7, updating defenses in real time to keep users safe and businesses running without interruption. Evolving threats require an evolving IT security company. Backed by R&D facilities worldwide, ESET became the first IT security company to earn 100 Virus Bulletin VB100 awards, identifying every single “in-the-wild” malware without interruption since 2003.

ESET 2023

How Tomorrow’s Guides achieved efficient team segmentation & access control via private gateways

Tomorrow’s Guides is a UK-based company specializing in directory services for care homes and day nurseries. Their review websites help 22.5 million visitors each year to find a perfect spot for family members in need and assist over 15,000 organizations in finding professionals by posting job vacancies.

Owned by a parent company, A Place for Mom, a leading senior living service provider in the United States, Tomorrow’s Guides is a local representative that continues its good practices. Thus, high-quality standards make network security one of the primary objectives of the company’s work culture.

Adapting to a situation and security requirements, Tomorrow’s Guides is an outstanding example of how the organization achieved its goals using NordLayer. Leon Tanner, the TechOps Manager, shares the company’s journey of protecting and optimizing team segmentation and access controls to internal resources.

The challenge

Adapting to a hybrid workforce

Tomorrow’s Guides faced the challenge of securely managing network access for its dispersed team. This included a mix of web developers and other internal technical staff with varying levels of access needs to cloud resources and secure systems.

“We’ve transitioned to remote work during the pandemic. Most people were 100% remote, but as we came out of the pandemic, we moved to a hybrid model.”

Transitioning to a hybrid work model after the pandemic, the company needed a robust solution to manage access permissions efficiently and securely, especially with their increased workload from the US-based parent company, A Place for Mom.

The solution

Implementing granular team segmentation

Tomorrow’s Guides adopted NordLayer as its network security solution. The decisive criterion for the company was NordLayer’s capability to provide a single IP in the cloud via a VPN gateway, allowing them to restrict access to specific resources efficiently.

“The major selling point for us was having a single IP represented in the cloud, so gateways allowed us to restrict access to specific resources.”

NordLayer offered the flexibility and simplicity needed for their diverse and distributed team. The tool enabled the company’s IT admins to create separate gateways for different user groups, like developers and standard users, and tailor access accordingly.

“We group users together by their function, and then these functions get attached to specific gateways that are relevant for their team.”

Tomorrow’s Guides approach is to manage user access by applying a more precise strategy. Instead of broadly categorizing users based on existing teams tied to organizational structure, the company provides access to groups organized by individual roles.

Why choose NordLayer

The client wanted a solution to clearly define and control access rights to internal resources and applications. The main objective was to separate developers and regular users from the rest of the organization who worked with less sensitive data.

In 2020, when Tomorrow’s Guides selected our solution, at that time NordLayer had the capability to create two separate organization accounts for a more granular segmentation within the organization. The two different accounts had a clear distinction between cloud-based resources and access rights.

“It was quick, it was flexible, and it was easy to implement. NordLayer was the solution that gave us the flexibility of cloud solutions.”

As soon as the functionality of the segmenting network by teams was introduced to secure remote access solution, the publishing house initiated the migration to one NordLayer account.

Centralized organization network management by segmenting teams with NordLayer

Consolidation of NordLayer accounts also helps consolidate and optimize the team’s processes and IT managers’ workload. Segmenting the entire workforce into teams, assigning them to gateways, and adding allowlisted IP addresses to each unit gives better visibility and control over network access management.

“We’re going to use the spare server for backup, so the other server with our service will still be up.”

The capability enabled organization administrators to add and create separate Virtual Private Gateways. By grouping employees based on their roles, the system ensures safer resource accessibility and more accurately minimizes the attack surface of their network.

The outcome

Enhanced security and flexibility

The implementation of NordLayer greatly benefitted Tomorrow’s Guides, providing a streamlined and secure method of network management.

“One of the biggest use cases for us is the ability to offboard as well as onboard quickly and to remove access. It reduces the work noise.”

Key benefits included the ability to onboard and offboard team members quickly, manage access permissions efficiently, and maintain high levels of security for remote work. The single IP feature made resource allowlisting straightforward.

“It’s really easy to manage. Our ability to get someone on and working is really rapid. And NordLayer also gives us that single IP, which just makes allowlisting resources easy.”

The flexibility of the solution was particularly valuable, accommodating the varying access needs of their team across the UK and potentially in the US in the future. Additionally, the solution’s ease of management reduced overhead for the IT team, making it an effective tool for ensuring network security in the hybrid working environment.

Pro cybersecurity tips

Organizational cybersecurity starts before deploying a technological stack and solutions—small steps and actions can greatly impact network security. Leon Tanner from Tomorrow’s Guides has valuable tips on crucial areas to focus on when protecting a business.

If you are looking for a solution that adapts to your cybersecurity needs, helps find an easy and simple answer to network security challenges, and constantly evolves to offer a comprehensive service, contact us to help guide you in your business cybersecurity journey.