Security Update on POODLE vulnerability

A couple of days ago a new vulnerability was uncovered called “POODLE”. This vulnerability potentially places all web servers at risk that allow lower forms of encryption (SSL version 3). If exploited, data that should be secure could be compromised. There are a couple of things that need to be done to ensure you and your organization are protected.
 

1. If you have a server that is hosting a website of any kind, it should be secured by disabling SSLv3. This includes but is not limited to Microsoft Exchange – Web servers – Small business servers.
2. Your computers/devices are also at risk if you connect to a website that has not disabled SSLv3. It is strongly encouraged that you configure your web browser not to allow SSLv3. Please see information below on how to do that.

Windows XP Machines

It is important to note that Microsoft Windows XP machines are unable to support any encryption level higher/newer than SSLv3. This means that as webservers with secure sites are secured across the world, Windows XP/Internet Explorer 8 will not be able to communicate with them.

General Instructions for Changing Browser Settings

In order the change the settings on your web browsers, please see below. (These are general instructions. Your browser may vary depending on version.)

MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER

Click the Tools icon in the top right corner (the icon looks like a gear). Scroll down and click Internet Options. In the resulting pop-up window, select the Advanced tab, then scroll through the list of settings until you reach the Security category. Uncheck Use SSL 3.0, click Apply, and then click OK.

MOZILLA FIREFOX

Type about:config into the address bar and hit Enter or Return. Click "I'll be careful, I promise!" in the resulting warning window. Scroll down the list of preferences and double-click "security.tls.version.min". Change the integer from 0 to 1 and click OK.

GOOGLE CHROME

For Google Chrome, you'll have to temporarily become a power user and use a command line. The instructions are a bit different for Windows, Mac and Linux.

In Windows, first close any running version of Chrome. Find the desktop shortcut you normally click to launch Chrome and right-click it. Scroll down to and click Properties. Click the Shortcut tab. In the Target field, which should end with "/chrome.exe", add a space, then add this: "--ssl-version-min=tls1" (without quotation marks). Click Apply and then OK.

In Mac OS X, first quit Chrome. Open the Terminal command-line application in the Utilities folder (reachable by typing Command+Shift+U). In Terminal, type "/Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome --ssl-version-min=tls1" (without quotation marks).

In Linux, quit Chrome. Open up a console window and type "google-chrome --ssl-version-min=tls1" (without quotation marks).

Relaunch all those browsers (and in the case of Internet Explorer, reboot the PC ), and you should be good to go.

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Here is more information if you would like to learn more:

• https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/alerts/TA14-290A
• http://googleonlinesecurity.blogspot.com/2014/10/this-poodle-bites-exploiting-ssl-30.html

Again, if you have any issues please contact Emerge at 859-746-1030.

Emerging Trends Newsletter - Special Cyber Crime Addition with Invitation to Data@Risk

This month, Emerge is focused on helping out business beat cyber crime before it hits them. CLICK HERE to read the October Issue of the Emerge Newsletter, Emerging Trends. In it, you will see a LINK TO REGISTER for the October 16th keynote Lunch and Learn for the Cincinnati stop of David Stelzl's Data@Risk speaking tour, sponsored by Cisco and Emerge.

Data@Risk with David Stelzl - Register Today!

2014/2015 Security & What to Expect

Working in the CyberCrime for over 18 years, David Stelzl has a gift for taking the complexity out of this cyber-mess we're in. Drawing from his book,Data@Risk, David Stelzl will be uncovering what he believes are the greatest threats to our businesses in the coming year. In his opinion there is one major mistake being made by just about every company - today. Join hosts Cisco and Emerge as we welcome David to The Frisch's Theater at The Cincinnati Zoo. Lunch will be provided by the expert chefs as we learn how to protect our business from threats.  When: Thursday October 16th 11:30-1:00 Where: The Frisch's Theater at The Cincinnati Zoo What: Data@Risk with David Stelzl and Cisco

REGISTER TODAY!

Six Ways Technology is Changing How We Travel

Innovations such as mobility and the Internet of Everything are bringing real-time ease, flexibility, and fun to our journeys. Here are just some examples.

By Jason Deign
from Cisco

1. Where to go

Travel used to be about selecting a destination, hoping your luggage would get there with you, then worrying about tummy bugs for the rest of the stay.
Now, though, with apps such as TripAdvisor, you can now get a customer-eye’s view of the places you may be visiting, and check on other peoples’ reviews to see whether it measures up to your expectations. Best of all, you can carry the info with you on your mobile.
“We are definitely seeing a trend of people using TripAdvisor on the go,” says James Kay, senior media relations manager. “More than 100 million people have downloaded TripAdvisor apps. In fact, TripAdvisor is now the world’s most popular app, according to Distimo.”

2. What to pack

How many times have you arrived somewhere only to find you’ve forgotten your toothpaste/shades/phone adapter? To avoid that happening, you can now download the handy Packing Pro app developed by avid traveler Quinn Genzel.
“Going solo through Asia, South America, and the Middle East, I came to realize how important traveling light really was,” Genzel says. “To do so, list-making was essential, so I created Packing Pro, a digital packing list that is reusable and always by your side.”
It could also work with the Internet of Everything (IoE) in future. “Beacon-tagging seldom-used items can streamline packing,” says Genzel. “My app could store iBeacon IDs and help locate items. GPS-tagged luggage can also help keep track of everything while you're on the road.”

3. How to park
It is bad enough having to wrestle with hire cars, foreign road signs, and maniac drivers when you are on vacation. But finding somewhere to park when you do not know a city can be a real pain. Or it used to be, until the advent of IoE-style apps such as JustPark.
Backed by carmaker BMW and Index Ventures, JustPark is up to 60 percent cheaper than on-street parking and saves you risking a fine. “JustPark lets drivers find and reserve spots in even the most notoriously difficult cities for parking,” says communications manager Anna Brook.
“JustPark works with local governments, car parks, churches, and even residential homeowners with a spare space on their drive. Over half a million registered drivers use JustPark over the world, particularly in the United Kingdom and increasingly in the United States and Australia.”

4. What to say
One of the joys of travel is experiencing foreign cultures. The flip side is not being able to understand a word in shops, bars, restaurants and other outlets. That is when you reach for your mobile and fire up your Word Lens Translator app.
Created by Quest Visual and recently incorporated into Google Translate, Word Lens gives you a translation of any printed text just by taking a photo of it with your mobile camera. The app handles Russian, Spanish, French, Italian, German, and Portuguese.
“It’s not perfect, but you can get the general meaning,” says Quest Visual. And provided you stick to printed text rather than handwriting or stylized fonts, the app works even when there is no mobile network connection. ¡Que bien!

5. Who to call upon

You travel to get away from your old, familiar environment. The problem is that when you need help, whether it is to find a pharmacy or plan a day trip, you can be stuck for people to turn to.
That is why the folks at VirtualTourist decided to use technology to link newbies like you to old hands in wherever you are traveling to.
“VirtualTourist helps by providing tips, reviews, and photos from people who have been there,” says Kimberly Stirdivant Wason, head of PR and marketing. “VirtualTourist currently has 1.3 million members from over the world. Our tagline is The People Behind the Places.”

6. Where to look

If you are looking to spice up your travels then why not turn each outing into a search for hidden treasure? Right now more than 6 million people are doing just that with Geocaching, the world’s biggest treasure hunt. To join them, you just need a mobile.
Using GPS, it can show you the location of the nearest treasure cache. With almost 2.5 million of them worldwide, including in places such as Antarctica, the chances are there is one within a few hundred feet of where you are now. But GPS is only good for up to a few feet.
So when you get to the approximate location, it is up to you to find the cache. Some are very cunningly hidden. Typically each cache has a logbook for you sign and a ‘treasure’, usually a trinket, for you to take… provided you leave behind something for the next geocacher.

7. What other innovations would you add to this list?

Emerge Makes The Inc. 500 | 5000 Again!

Emerge Managed Solutions and Technologies have ranked #1791 from #1849 last year for the 2014 Inc. 500|5000 with Three-Year Sales Growth of 231%.

“Emerge is honored to be recognized for a second year in a row, by INC Magazine for our continued sucess.  As a growth oriented company, we are often asked what that growth is attributed to. The answer is simple - the people we work with every day. 

This starts with our employees and through an intense focus on customer service and technical competency, ends with extremely satisfied customers. With a constant focus on creating long term partnerships with our customers, we realize substantial year over year revenue growth.”  says Managing Partner Jesse Kegley  “We want to thank all of the people that attribute to our growth and long term success!”

The Inc. Magazine 500|5000 list represents the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy—America’s independent entrepreneurs.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found here.

How to avoid making this major mistake during presentations

by Joe Serio, www.joeserio.com

Don’t make the near-fatal mistake most people giving a presentation make! No, it’s not fatal for you, but it’s fatal to the success of your talk.

You’ve done all your planning, researching, writing, and rehearsing. You’ve communicated with the teacher, program organizer, your boss, or whoever is coordinating the event at which you’re speaking.
The big day has arrived; you feel good and have gone through your pre-talk psych up. You’re good to go. The host has just introduced you.

And now you stand up to start your compelling presentation with passion and energy.
“Hello, my name is Pete Smith. I work at ABC Company. I’m happy to be here. Thank you for that warm introduction. What a wonderful looking audience. Can you hear me in the back? Is this thing working?”

Congratulations! You’re halfway to losing your audience.
You call that passion and energy?
That’s not very compelling. Why tell them what they already know? Why check a microphone you checked during your preparation? But this is the way most people begin their presentations.
When a TV show fails to capture your attention in the first minute or two, you frequently turn the channel. Fortunately, audiences don’t get up and walk out of live presentations in the first two minutes. But they will switch off their attention very quickly if you don’t get them engaged.
The audience wants to know: WIIFM – What’s In It For Me?

Start with a challenging question, startling statistics, an interesting quote, or a surprising news headline. Any of these is better than the tired, worn opening audience members have heard time and time again.
In my time management program, the first thing out of my mouth is, “How would your life change if you had an extra hour every day?”
This signals that I’m here to talk about them, not me, and my presentation will be personally valuable to each and every attendee. I have their attention. By opening this way, I’m promising I will not be wasting their time.
When starting a program this way, I’m also signaling to them that I’m prepared. I give them a sense that they’re about to embark on a journey. I intimate that I have discovered something that will be useful to them that they can apply in their lives.

Don’t be afraid to make it fun in the appropriate setting. I recently delivered a presentation on leadership to a small group and wanted to experiment with a new opening. I was introduced, stepped to the front of the room, looked at everyone…and walked out.
The audience, a fun group, started laughing and cracking jokes about why I could possibly be leaving the room.
I returned in a minute and the first thing I said was “Why didn’t anyone follow me?” We were off and running on our leadership discussion.

Audiences are tired of the same old boring presentations. Be bold. Be courageous. Be daring. Your audience will thank you for it.

About Joe Serio

Dr. Joe Serio believes possibility is everywhere—you just have to know how to look for it. In his unique presentations, he provides a refreshing new perspective on exactly what’s possible for you, both at work and at home. He uses musical instruments and shares his unbelievable life experiences to motivate and inspire you—even make you laugh. You can find out more about Joe and his work at www.joeserio.com.

Vacation Right - 4 Tips for Unplugging When You Leave the Office

used with permission from MSFT for Work

The rise in mobile tech has made it possible to work remotely—but it's also made it harder to truly disconnect during that much-needed vacations. Just in time for that summer trip, here are some tips for unplugging the right way—before, during, and after your next vacation.

• Set expectations and delegate. Whether it's an out-of-office notification, a calendar notice, or an announcement during a meeting (or all three), tell everyone you'll be away. Work out a detailed plan of action with your manager and coworkers that covers who's to take care of what when you're gone. Remember, if you truly want to unplug it's best not to leave your cell number (in case of emergencies.)
• Don't pack the laptop. Leave your laptop home and try to get by with just your phone and tablet. This way, you'll think twice about doing any "heavy lifting" while enjoying your vacation. If you absolutely can't leave it home, try disabling Wi-Fi and limiting the amount of time you use it.
• Give your phone email a break. Remove temptation by adjusting your settings so emails don't come in automatically. It's easier to unplug if your phone isn't constantly buzzing with work updates. Plus, those interruptions have a way of creating a false sense of urgency when, most of the time, the dilemma works itself out.  
• Skip the inbox and go face to face. When you return from vacation, sorting through the deluge of emails in your inbox might not be the best use of your time. Instead, check in with colleagues in person. This will help gauge the urgency of various situations and make it easier to prioritize tasks.

On vacation, just because you can access the office with a touch of a button doesn't mean you should. Take time to plan ahead, consciously disconnect from the office while away, and be strategic during your first days back so that you don't get overwhelmed. After all, vacation is a break—and you deserve it.