Nearly all CPUs issued since 1995 are affected by the security flaws known as Meltdown and Spectre, which is why IT support in Orange County needs to be on top of correcting the flaws. These flaws have been widely reported by tech companies, such as chip maker Intel in early 2018. Here are ways that an IT security team can help businesses protect themselves against security flaws:
Staying Updated with Fixes
One of the most important proactive roles that an IT support team in Orange County can assume is to stay on top of cyberattacks and security flaws. Microsoft is usually quick to act on releasing security patches, as it did for Meltdown and Spectre. Some Windows PC systems needed firmware in addition to the patches. Despite the potential for widespread exploitation of the flaws, the Meltdown and Spectre problem seems to be under control.
However, sometimes IT professionals have to do more research than just download the software solutions that the big players are issuing. Microsoft, for example, has warned that users who haven’t been offered a security update may need to check with software vendors. Users must search the home page of their antivirus software site to find out how to create a custom registry key for their operating systems, so that they can download security patches for Meltdown and Spectre.
In the case of Meltdown and Spectre, multiple vendors, such as Google, Apple, and Amazon, issued their own fixes. Keeping up with all this information would be very challenging for a business, which is why so many outsource IT work to MSPs. It’s up to technology professionals, such as MSPs, to keep up with massive security flaws and fixes, so that managers can concentrate on their core business rather than technology.
Monitoring Security Trends
Since security flaws and cyberattacks have increased in the past decade, it’s important for IT security professionals to anticipate these issues and know how to act quickly to correct them. The best way to stay on top of security trends is to consult with a variety of industry resources, such as:
- The National Vulnerability Database
- The Computer Emergency Readiness Team Coordination Center (CERT/CC)
- SecurityFocus
These sources provide updated information on how to manage certain vulnerabilities. Additionally, there are many blogs that document the latest security threats and provide steps on how to combat them. These sites, along with Twitter, Facebook and Google Alerts, can be used to gather threat intelligence.
By staying updated on security trends through these resources, your IT security team will be more prepared to instruct your customers if they are affected by flaws. Many times, alerts and advisories from software developers are all that’s needed to pass along relevant information to customers about security issues.
Conclusion
Your IT support team in Orange County should know how to deal with security flaws, such as Meltdown and Spectre. Contact us at Intelecis to learn more about how we can protect and optimize your business technology. Let us focus on making sure your network runs smoothly while you focus on improving your business.
