Author: Mary Gordon

27 May 2020
data security

Patch Compliance Reports

If you’re one of our patch management clients, we are handling your Windows, Mac and Third-party updates to maintain the security of your network. Beginning this month, we will be sending a formal Patch Compliance report to keep you up to date on the patching process.
If you’re not having us handle your Patch Management, I want to encourage you to do so. Unpatched computers are a serious security risk, being the easiest point of entry into your network.
27 May 2020

What is DNS over HTTPS (DoH)?

Chrome had it, now Firefox.  Be aware:
DNS over HTTPS is specifically designed to address the fundamental privacy and security limitations of DNS by leveraging the HTTPS protocol your browser already uses when connecting to a secure website. With DoH enabled, DNS requests are sent via encrypted HTTPS, securing the connection request between you and your verified DNS provider

When these DNS requests are DoH encrypted your network logs no longer provide visibility into what DNS requests are occurring and by which device.

So, starting January 1st. 2020, Webroot DNS Protection will automatically categorize all DoH and DNS over TLS (DoT) domain requests under our Proxy Avoidance and Anonymizers URL category. By default, all DoH and DoT requests will automatically blocked as a security risk.

27 May 2020

Email Threat Protection

Effective 1 June, we will be increasing the security of your email by adding Link Protection. URLs in emails will be rewritten to protect you and your team. When your staff clicks a link in an email, the target will be checked to see if it’s malicious. If so, you’ll receive a warning.
We are hopeful that this added protection will dramatically limit the infections or introduction of malware to your workstations.
This additional security will not increase your cost of Email Threat Protection (formerly SecureTide).
We will be offering Advanced Email Threat Protection against ransomware and zero-day threats next month, including Attachment Assurance. Stay tuned!
27 Apr 2020

Discounts and Payment Plans

As a reminder, we are offering to waive all setup and onboarding fees (WinInit, MacInit) for your employees’ home computers. If you would like us to provide antivirus, OS updates and monitor their safety and compliance, we will install our remote management software for free if their office workstation is already being monitored in our support system.

Quo Vadis is offering a credit to your account for any users that have been furloughed, please let us know your situation so we can help. We want to work with you on payment options – if you would like to set up a payment plan for your invoices please contact us.

27 Apr 2020

Microsoft Teams for Free!

We’ve talked about using Microsoft Teams in past posts and newsletters, so you should be familiar with this tool.

Microsoft Teams is a communication tool that combines individual and group chat, voice calls, video calls, file sharing, collaboration, and much more. We use Teams to communicate with our Engineers and Admin staff spread across four states in the U.S. and Ontario, Canada. Teams is part of your Basic and Standard 365 licenses (formerly Essentials and Premium). Exchange Online Plan 1 licenses do not include Teams.

Now here’s the fun part…

Microsoft is providing a 365 Business Basic license (formerly Business Essentials), an $8 per month value FOR FREE until the end of the year! This license is called Teams Exploratory, so you can test ride Teams for your organization. If you’re interested in using Teams, or adding your EOP1 users to Teams as a trial, call the Help Desk (704-814-8819).

27 Apr 2020

Microsoft License Rebranding

Microsoft is rebranding the most popular Office 365 licenses we provide to our clients. Quo Vadis will use these new names on the invoices you receive going forward.

Those services which include mailboxes…

  • Office 365 Business Essentials is now Microsoft Business Basic
  • Office 365 Business Premium is now Microsoft Business Standard 

Those services which are strictly Office software without a mailbox…

  • Office 365 Business is now Microsoft 365 Apps for Business 
  • Microsoft 365 Business is now Microsoft 365 Business Premium 

It appears that Microsoft is subtly removing the “Office” term from the product line. Prices remain the same.


In addition to Microsoft’s name changes, our partner AppRiver has also taken this opportunity to rebrand some of its popular services as well:

  • SecureTide now is Email Threat Protection
  • Zix Encryption is now Email Encryption
  • CipherPost Pro is now Email Message Privacy
27 Apr 2020

Conferencing/Messaging Options

Videoconferencing 

Videoconferencing is a great way of maintaining that face-to-face communication – while maintaining Social Distancing. As you are aware, Quo Vadis has techs supporting your businesses from Florida to Ontario.  Many years ago, we recognized that simply relying on the telephone to communicate lacked some of the necessary elements to effectively communicate complex ideas or maintain engagement in group meetings.  So, we started leveraging videoconferencing.  We’ve tried different applications and have found that Zoom and Microsoft Teams provide a good solution.  For those with an Office 365 subscription, you might find Teams very easy to implement since your team will already have an account and need only download and sign in (there are no additional fees).  In our experience Zoom does provide a superior tool, but unless you upgrade beyond the free version, there are some limitations which may be too cumbersome. However, Zoom is very popular, and may be the better choice if you are looking to videoconference with individuals outside your team.  At Quo Vadis we primarily use Zoom.

 

Instant Messaging 

If your organization hasn’t already moved away from intra-organizational email, take this opportunity to start using a company instant messaging option. Once you do, you’ll never look back and when COVID19 is a memory your business will continue to reap the benefits of increased efficiency.  Among other improvements, your team will better be able to identify and prioritize communication coming from other team members.  At Quo Vadis, we rely heavily on Microsoft Teams for intra-organizational written communication.  This is the same Teams product mentioned above in the Video Conferencing recommendations.  It works on Windows, MacOS, iOS and Android, making it easier to reach team members on their preferred device. If you are a business which utilizes Office 365 and the Microsoft Office suite, the integration with Teams is natural and with little to no training required, your team will be quickly collaborating on company documentation.

27 Apr 2020

Work From Home

Work at Home Precautions 

For those not familiar with working from home, here are a few tips we can recommend for success and security.

  • Ensure you have sufficient Internet bandwidth at your home, especially if you plan to use Zoom or other video conferencing software. A call to your Internet provider could prove very fruitful. Our experience is receiving more bandwidth for less money.
  • Consider your home computer an extension of the security protocols in effect at your office.
  • Do you have antivirus/antimalware software installed that has a current subscription?
  • Do you have the latest updates for your Operating System?
  • Do other family members or visitors have access to your home computer without your permission or knowledge?
  • Does your home computer have a password? Have you changed it recently?
  • Will you need to print at home? Do you have a printer?
  • Do you have a webcam (if you’re planning to join video conferences?)
  • Do you have an Internet-connected device like an Apple Homepod, Amazon Echo, Google Home, etc. that is listening and responding, perhaps recording? This may violate your employer’s policies and possibly government regulation if connected while you work.
  • Consider reviewing the Safety Guidelines for working at home provided by the US government at Telework.gov.

 

27 Apr 2020

Quo Vadis Coronavirus Policy

3/9/2020

With Corona virus (COVID-19) diagnoses continuing to increase around the world, Quo Vadis is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for our employees and ensure business continuity in service of our customers. We are confident that the Corona virus will not significantly impact our ability to provide our services to you. Thank you for continuing to place your trust in us for your IT support.

As the situation continues to evolve, we are taking measures to maintain business continuity and protect the health of our employees, customers, and partners.

Here’s an overview of our current policies:

  • If employees show signs of symptoms related to the Corona virus, have traveled to a restricted destination, or have been in close physical contact with someone who has traveled to a restricted destination and is showing symptoms, we require them to work from home for 14 days.
  • In addition, we require visitors to the Quo Vadis Lab to complete a health assessment form for entering our premises.
  • We have also shared best practice health tips with all employees and placed extra hand sanitizing stations around our offices globally, as well as increasing the frequency of office cleaning.
  • Travel to certain international destinations has been stopped, and all other travel has been restricted to business-critical only. Your Quo Vadis Engineer will reach out if you have planned meetings or events to explore virtual options with you.

We want to be clear that these policies don’t change how we work with you, or our ability to provide the great services on which you rely. At Quo Vadis we have a people first culture — and these measures will help protect not only our employees, customers, and partners, but also our community as a whole. We will be continuously monitoring the situation as it evolves and will make adjustments to our policies accordingly to help keep everyone safe and healthy.

As we look ahead, we believe we have an opportunity to use our expertise in helping teams work remotely and securely, to aid our broader community in handling the challenges of the Coronavirus.


3/24/2020

Protocol Update:

  • Asking our customers if anyone in the office has recently experienced any flu-like symptoms, a fever, or recently traveled outside the country?
  • Based on this Risk Assessment we will respond according. This may include our Techs being outfitted with: hand sanitizer, face mask, single-use gloves, disinfectant wipes, safety glasses, their own keyboard and mouse.
  • Our Team members will be keeping recommended safe social distance and will not be shaking hands with customers.
  • Any Quo Vadis employee who develops a fever or flu like symptoms will be at home and not performing any onsite visits.  They will contact their local public health agency and follow the COVID-19 testing protocol, including self-isolation where required.
18 Dec 2019

2020 Changes

We have some exciting changes coming up at the turn of the new year!

Take control of your own password resets for Office 365, with the self-service option. If you are a Network Care client, you’ll be prompted over the next two weeks to provide an off-domain address and mobile number to verify your identity. No more calling to get a reset!

Microsoft will be mandating 2FA (two-factor authentication) soon, so we’re helping to prepare you for it now. All you need is a mobile number to help authenticate your login when you access your mail. Many of you are doing this already, but for those of you who aren’t, you’ll be prompted over the next two weeks to provide your mobile number. Once you enable 2FA, your password will never expire!

We will be enabling 2FA for all our Network Care clients who use Office 365 in the first quarter of 2020. Prior to this, we will be sending you an email with clear instructions (and pictures!) to help you. Don’t worry, our engineers are here every step of the way to assist with this.

Call your Engineer directly! We’ve enhanced our phone system so you can get to the Engineer working on your request directly, without having to speak to an Operator or wait in the Engineer’s queue. Let us know how you like it.