The time for Windows 7 has come and gone. As of January 2020, Microsoft stopped providing extended support for the popular operating system. While Extended Security Updates (ESU) are available for the Professional and Enterprise editions of Windows 7, this option comes at an increasing cost to organizations. It's critical to start planning your migration to Windows 10 now. 

Citrix recently published a critical security bulletin (CVE-2019-19781) advising users of a vulnerability in the Citrix Application Delivery Controller (ADC) device formerly known as NetScaler ADC, Citrix Gateway, and NetScaler Gateway. If exploited, it can allow an unauthenticated attacker to execute code on the appliance that can lead to possibly compromising a critical perimeter security component. Many organizations rely on these devices as load balancers to control access from the outside to internal Citrix Servers and to terminate SSL VPNs.

When it comes to managing networks, businesses often fall victim to assumptions and oversights. The reality is that the protection of information and applications is always evolving and, as criminals find new ways to exploit weaknesses, it's tough to stay one step ahead.

Cisco recently released a collection of 10 security advisories against Cisco's Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA), Firepower Threat Defense (FTD), and Firepower Management Center (FMC) software. The collection includes a few high-risk vulnerabilities that affect File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Inspection, Session Initiated Protocol (SIP) inspection that could lead to a denial-of-service condition. Importantly, Cisco is not aware of any public exploitation of the vulnerabilities. 

In 2022, a total of 62 million tons of e-waste was generated worldwide, which is enough to fill 1.55 million 40-ton trucks. This amount of waste would be sufficient to encircle the equator if the trucks were arranged bumper-to-bumper. The United States alone contributed a staggering 7.2 million tons of this waste.

This month, Microsoft began the transition to a new customer agreement, which replaces the core terms for all Microsoft customers. Their goal is to improve the purchase experience to better support all customers. They also had some important security-related reasons for the change, including;

The Maine Marathon, charitable giving, and BBQ’s are three of our favorite ways to spend time here at Systems Engineering. This year, we have an astounding 21 employee-owners running all or part of the Maine Marathon. With such a large team, we decided to use the occasion to raise money for one of our core areas of giving; the Maine foster care system.