Panurgy Newsletter

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May 2006
In this issue...

>Cisco Call Manager
>Operating System
>Mobile Solutions
>Is Google Too Good
>Mice or Mouses
>Secure System

Is Google
Too Good?

Imagine the most powerful, most popular search engine in the world turning, a la Darth Vader, to the dark side. That is exactly what can happen when Google becomes a tool in a hacker's hands.

Robert McMillan, in a September, 2005, Network World article, reports that Google Hacking has turned up both "passwords [and] credit card numbers" as well as "unsecured Web interfaces to things like PBXs, routers and Web sites."

Google's accommodating features can be used by the "good guys"—penetration testers whose job it is to let companies know where security vulnerabilities lie. One such tester is Johnny Long, a "white hat" hacker whose work has exposed Google's potential. The danger, of course, is that malicious hackers can also make us of Google's power and eagerness to please. The extent to which Google is responding to the situation isn't entirely clear although the company reports that it is at work "in this area."

Google's potential as sheep's clothing for wolves emphasizes the degree to which security must be on all computer users' minds. The good news for this and other security problems is that solutions do exist. Firewalls can render systems impenetrable, securing data and, in turn, protecting people. Is your security up to date? When was the last time you discussed network vulnerabilities with your Panurgy account manager? The idea that "you can't be too careful" may not be especially original, but it is too pertinent to be ignored.

Panurgy Announces CISCO CALL MANAGER EXPRESS AUTHORIZATION

Panurgy announces the Certification of Cisco Call Manager Express. The Cisco Call Manager Express Certification provides Panurgy with the resources and knowledge to design, implement and support Cisco IP Telephony solutions.

Cisco is a recognized leader in IP voice and data communications. The Cisco IP Telephony solution enables businesses to streamline business processes more efficiently and by doing so, reduce overall costs. Any size organization will benefit from the common IP infrastructure for all voice, data, and video communications. Cisco’s IP solutions have the intelligence to help organizations integrate their communications more closely with business processes, and ensure that information reaches recipients quickly, through the most appropriate medium.

Cisco IP telephony products are a key component of the Cisco Unified Communications system, which delivers the business benefits of a converged network to organizations of all sizes.

Provide secure, reliable, scalable communications that take advantage of your LAN and WAN
Improve employee productivity through integration with innovative applications
Cisco IP telephony products support a wide breadth of Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) capabilities including:
Support for presence-based applications
Simplified administration and maintenance, including introduction of an appliance model implementation for Cisco Unified Call Manager
New IP phones that include a new basic IP phone model, enhanced SIP feature support, and Gigabit Ethernet support

Panurgy is excited to add Cisco Call Manager Express Certification to their already existing IP Telephony solutions. Our Cisco IP solutions will provide our customers with multiple options for their voice and data needs. Ensuring they have the most optimum solution for their business. Panurgy is also a Cisco Certified Partner providing Cisco network solutions, equipment and support for our customers’ voice and data networks.

Secure Your Operating System
Learn how to effectively secure your operating system to protect your small business.

If your small business is like most, then you rely on computers a great deal. You cannot afford to put the sensitive data, records, and other important information stored on your computers at risk, nor can you afford a system shutdown that would render your computers useless for any length of time. Behind every computer is an operating system (OS) that manages all other programs (known as applications), and enables communication between computer software and hardware. The OS is essentially the backbone of your computer, and paying special attention to its security is vital.

Types of Operating Systems
When you buy a computer, it will likely already have an operating system installed on it. You may also choose to install a different operating system than the one that is currently on your computer. One of the most common is the suite of Microsofts Windows operating systems, which has five versions in use around the world: XP, 2000, ME, 98, NT, and 95. Other operating systems include: Unix, Linux, and Mac OS.

Every kind of OS falls into one or more of the following categories:

You Say "Mice," I Say "Mouses"

If you have three computers, do you have three "mice" or three "mouses"? The answer will likely depend on your personal preference. When the term "mouse" was coined for the "small mobile manual device that controls movement of the cursor and selection of functions on a computer display" (Merriam-Webster), the plural of the word was often "mouses." No one seems to know exactly why. Perhaps the word "mice" was simply too rodent-like and carried too negative a connotation. An Internet search will reveal that arguments exist for both terms, and, with popular usage being the determining factor, it’s appropriate to use either "mice" or "mouses." In fact, "mouses" probably has the edge. Why not take a survey at your location and let us know the results?

How To: Secure Your Operating System

An operating system (OS) is an integral part of every computer at your small business. Since operating systems are vulnerable to a variety of security threats, it is important to protect your OS by employing a combination of these security solutions and procedures:

Apply patches, monitor updates, and make necessary upgrades:
Manufacturers of operating systems often release security patches as they find and fix problems. You may be able to purchase a service contract from your OS vendor to provide you with patches, upgrades, and other customer assistance. You can also go to the website of your OS manufacturer for patches and upgrades. Windows offers an Automatic Updates feature with its OS. It's free and will activate any time a new Windows patch is released.