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What is Microsoft Azure Rights Management Services (RMS)?

Azure Rights Management Services (RMS) is the solution to the problem of protection documents after they have left you organisation as they move across different platforms such SharePoint, Exchange, and OneDrive, and maintains permissions while saved online and offline.

Rights management doesn't just encrypt files; it encrypts them so only specific people can open them (rather than anyone with the password) and works on all Microsoft Office documents including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and even email within Outlook. Full list of growing applications here :

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/information-protection/get-started/requirements

The RMS sharing apps for Android and IOS can open protected versions of .TXT, .XML, .JPG, .PDF, .PNG, .TIFF, .BMP and .GIF files (with the usual variations like .JPE and .JFIF). 

Previously you would of needed a standalone server and trust to other Active Directoy domains, however now with Office 365 any size company and use this service

To make sure the viewers of the file are the correct recipients ..

This is done by the collection and monitoring the following information about the file

  • What device it’s accessed from

  • What device it’s sent from

  • What device it’s sent to

  • What application accesses it

  • Whether it’s accessed online or offline

Uses

Look no further than the recent US elections of how this solution could of saved some embarrassment! 

http://www.theblaze.com/news/2016/05/25/trump-spokeswoman-accidentally-sends-email-to-a-reporter-instead-of-her-coworker-heres-what-it-said/

Limitations

If you send an RMS protected email to a Gmail account then the recipient will not be able to open it using the browser-based Gmail interface.  Instead they will see an error that reads: “This message uses Microsoft Information Protection solutions. Open this item using an email application that supports protected messages, such as Microsoft Outlook.”

You can block printing and screen capture, but if someone with enough time can capture an image of the open document with print screening or they can just pull out a phone and take a picture. 

It is recommended that before purchasing this solution you sit down and test this with a provider to make sure this is the right solution for you!

Cost

£1.50 / User / Month

Azure now offers a 99.9 percent service-level agreement (SLA) commitment option on single-instance virtual machines with Premium Storage

Just to show Microsoft's commitment to it's infrastructure in Azure to host your Virtual Machines, it has now increased it's SLA to the highest yet 99.9%

Previously, receiving an SLA required a minimum of two virtual machines configured for high availability. However, some IT organizations need SLAs for single-instance virtual machines, forcing those virtual machines to stay on-premises. With this new option in Azure, we are empowering organizations to move more workloads to the cloud.

To qualify for the single-instance virtual machine SLA, all storage disks attached to the virtual machine must be our Premium Storage, which offers up to 80,000 input/output operations per second (IOPS) and 2,000 MB of disk throughput per virtual machine. Customers can continue to build for high availability by having two or more virtual machines deployed in the sameavailability set, which provides a 99.95 percent SLA, or by utilizingAzure Virtual Machine Scale Sets.

For more information about our SLA for Azure Virtual Machines, please visit the SLA for Virtual Machines webpage. For more information on Premium Storage and how to begin migrating your workloads, please visit theDisk Storage webpage.

What is an SLA?

This stands for service level agreement. It is what service providers agree with their customers on uptime of a service before a payment or credit will be applied to their bill.

What is the Refund?

Microsoft are not offering a refund, but service credit which can be used for the following months server : 

< 99.9% Uptime = 10% Service Credit

< 99% Uptime = 25% Service Credit

 

New "GoldenEye" Ransomware installed via Job Resumes/C.V.

There is a new ransomware out nickednamed "GoldenEye" like the movie, which is targeting HR Managers through fake Job interview application attachements.

The attackers are also targetting Recruitment companies and HR Consultants.

It uses existing specific exploits in existing Microsoft files such as .doc / .xls to run macros which install the virus

How to stop yourself getting infected?

Please see our article here about steps to prevent infections 

http://www.response-it.co.uk/news/2016/10/27/ransomware-the-small-business-guide?rq=Ransomware

I am already infected...

Please contact us today as there might be some methods to retrieve your data 

Could your business benefit from an IT Security Assessment?

According to the UK Government, in 2014, 60%* of SMBs experienced a security breach. The same survey has estimated that a severe cyber attack on a SMB costs upwards of £65k.

*UK Gov, The Information Security Breaches Survey – Department of Business, Innovation & Skills

Since 2014 Security risks and attacks have increased in quantity and sophistication

The government has put together some free training for companies to train staff of how to protect security

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/cyber-security-training-for-business

What do you get from a Security Assessment?

We look at your current system as it currently is to locate and identify an potential security vulnerabilities and risks. It's a great way to get a third party audit of your current network and system and also a list of recommended upgrades or changes in a single report.

Access Control - Who currently has access, do they need access, how they access and what to

Patch Management - What is up-to-date and what isn't in your company with list of security exploits that can currently be used against your system

Malware Protection - What current defense do you have against virus, spyware and spam

Firewalls - Your current firewall configuration  

Backups - Your current backup configuration

Why should I get a security assessment?

A security assessment can prove beneficial to companies to not only reduce the risk for future attacks, but it can also offer up significant financial advantages. One of these advantages is the review of your current spending of the above to check for any unnecessary overspending on certain security solutions and suggest the most cost efficient alternatives available

Contact Response IT Today via our Contact Us Page to Inquire about our IT Security Assessment 

Windows 10 Enterprise E3 and E5 Subscription Options for Small to Medium Options

What is Windows 10 Enterprise E3

This is basically Windows 10 for Enterprises with Software Assurance.

What's Software Assurance? It's something you purchase with Microsoft products as a subscription to give you future upgrades on the product such as the next version of Windows or new features free of charge, and also roll back functionality. Roll back to Windows 7 if you want ( good for software that is not supported on 10 however you need to license your enviroment ) 

Benefits of Going E3 Enterprise

Support from one to hundreds of users. Although the Windows 10 Enterprise E3 in CSP program does not have a limitation on the number of licenses an organization can have, the program is designed for small- and medium-sized organizations.

Deploy on up to five devices. For each user covered by the license, you can deploy Windows 10 Enterprise edition on up to five devices. E.G.
    
    Your Office Laptop
    Your Office Computer
    Your Office Tablet    
    Your Home PC
    Your phone!

Move licenses between users. Licenses can be quickly and easily reallocated from one user to another user, allowing you to optimize your licensing investment against changing needs.

Why do I need E5?

E5 adds a new security service called Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP). This is a cloud service that takes behavioural data from sensors built into Windows 10 and provides insights, detections and recommended responses. No matter what anti-malware product is installed on a PC, it’s only as good as the known threats it has been designed to block, the ATP service looks at behaviour and reduces the impact of a compromise either of a device itself or a user interaction. 

While this can work with third party anti-malware tools, it can also be used to provide a complete Microsoft security system, effectively allowing replacement of other vendors as designed to integrate with the built-in Windows Defender anti-malware in Windows 10.