Covering IT and Telecom from a Canadian Viewpoint

May 2017, Volume 4 Issue 4

The Three Phases of Cyber Attacks

By Peter Aggus

When properly set up, firewall security makes a direct attack from the internet to a target computer system very unlikely. Recent cyber attacks show that the modern technique uses three different phases of attaack, each going after a different layer of corporate security in a targeted way to exploit key weaknesses. Individually these weaknesses do not appear major but, when joined together, they can deliver an attack conduit that bypasses carefully planned security.

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Inside

Blame Yourself for Wannacry!
By John Glover
Did you 'Wannacry'? "How could that have happened to me?" …or did you dodge the bullet – this time? The bottom line is 'practice safe hex!'. Otherwise 'Haveacry' will likely be on your agenda soon. If you were hit, it was your fault. Here's what you did wrong.

SCADA - Cities at Risk
By Bill Tracey
SCADA controls valves and pumps such as City water/sewer and oil pipelines and it is much more at risk than is generally known. The implications of loss of control in some SCADA networks are nothing short of frightening yet few SCADA managers have much understanding of security needs or risk. IT Managers need to educate SCADA managers about the risks and how to mitigate them.

How to Turn Strategy into Reality
By Ellen Koskinen-Dodgson
As technology management consultants, we are regularly asked to create IT Strategies of one sort or another. Sometimes, we find out that the Strategy remains an approved document but the roadmap milestones have not been met. Turning Strategy into reality can be easier said than done but a neglected Strategy can be worse than no strategy at all. After all, an IT Manager, Director, or even CIO is judged by their ability to deliver what they promise. Unfortunately, it happens often, and here's why.

Contact Centre Assessment

Your contact centre configuration reflects your attitude toward your customers. If you focus on customer service and making callers feel valued, you spend time to select your system and plan the configuration very carefully. You also revisit the design, at least on an annual basis to improve your design as well as your policies and procedures.

If you think of your callers as a necessary evil, you end up with customers that feel undervalued, and deal with you only because they have no other choice.

TMC can compare your reality to:

• Customer expectations
• Your own stated goals
• Your peers
• Best practices

Contact centre options have changed radically over time. For more information on how TMC can help you improve, or to request the "Bells and Whistles in Contact Centres" checklist, contact Ellen at 604-506-2905 or ellen@tmcconsulting.ca.