Apple announced a slew of new hardware (HomePod!) and software at WWDC yesterday, and we have the rundown

This white paper details what additional steps IT pros need to take to safeguard their networks and systems and why they should leave the newer versions of SMBs alone.  

With the recent appearance of the “WannaCry” ransomware cyber attacks, the vulnerability of the 30-year old SMB1 protocol was finally laid bare. Through the use of an exploit tool called “ETERNALBLUE” and leaked from the NSA by the “Shadow Brokers” hacker group, the vulnerabilities in the Server Message Bock (SMB) services were successfully exploited to spread its malicious denial-of-service mayhem.

Most of the hacks affected those with older, less-secure systems, as with Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, which are so old that they are no longer even supported. Security bulletin MS16-114 detailed the vulnerabilities of the protocol implementations in those (mostly older) Windows versions.

The Microsoft Corporation hurriedly issued a “critical” security bulletin release to be installed in networks as a safety measure but even Microsoft’s engineers are in agreement that the only reliable way to stop the spread of the virus is to disable the SMB1 protocol completely.

The problem

But, you say, I have a newer version as well as SMBv2 or 3 and besides, aren’t the Microsoft protections enough to stop the ransomware’s infestation? Why bother with tinkering with the SMB at all – isn’t that a bit of overkill?
That’s only part of the story: even with a patch or other protective installations and newer versions of the SMB, there is remains the very real problem of interaction with other devices that may need to continue to connect with SMB1, such as printers or other peripherals. The real problem is, according to Microsoft field engineer Ralph Kyttle, that SMB1 is still lurking in your computer’s innards or those of your clients, who can unwittingly act as SMB servers by ‘talking’ to devices using SMB1, including printers or NAS or anything else that might be running Windows or Samba/Linux. This is why even those at Microsoft highly recommend getting rid of SMB1 as soon as you download their version-specific instructions.

Solution #1: Follow Microsoft’s instructions for disabling the SMB feature

If you want to remove the possibility of a future hack or another SMB1-related security issue, the best – really, the only – way, according to Microsoft’s Principal Program Manager and engineer Ned Pyle, is to remove it completely. Microsoft gives somewhat differing instructions according to this link depending on which OS you are using. Be sure to backup your data before trying to follow their advice as there is a possibility there may be a change to the Windows Registry – and not following the steps as set forth by Microsoft could result in your machine crashing altogether.

Solution #2: Banishing SMB1 “zombies”

Like a zombie rising from the grave, even a disabled SMB1 has a way of coming back to haunt users all over again. Because of the real possibility of post-removal SMB1 interactions, Kyttle recommends that IT pros use one of more of the following methods to detect SMB1 network dependencies, such as network capture and other software and tools to detect and remove any noncompliant configuration.

It’s worth noting that Microsoft offers tools for IT pros to detect whether SMB1 is being used within a network. One is the Microsoft Message Analyzer, a tool which displays logs of inbound and outbound traffic which can be subject to filtering for SMB1 activity.

Another useful tool is PowerShell’s Desired State Configuration Environment Analyzer (DSCEA) module. Requiring PowerShell version 5.0, DSCEA shows compliance information via Power BI or HTML, allowing IT pros to use the scans to repair problematic configurations.

Finally, users should be aware that depending on an individual computer’s configuration as well as other variables, there have been reports that SMB1 had to be reinstalled at least temporarily, in order to authenticate domains and access shares.

Solution #3: SMB2 and SMB3: Love ‘em or leave ‘em?

Most experts say to leave them because unlike with SMB1, they’re there for some pretty good reasons. Microsoft warns that disabling them should be viewed only as a temporary measure – be sure to enable them once done with troubleshooting tasks.

Here’s what you stand to lose if you leave these two important SMB protocols disabled:

In Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2:

Disabling SMB v2 deactivates the following:

• Caching of folder and file properties allowing clients to retain file copies
• Improved use of faster networks through larger reads and writes
• Durable handles which permit transparently reconnection to the server in case of a temporary disconnection
• Request compounding which allows the user to send multiple SMB2 requests as a single request
• Improved scalability for sharing files, increasing the number of users, shares and open files per server
• Improved message signing with MD5 hashing algorithm replaced by HMAC SHA-256
• Better support for symbolic links
• Client oplcock leasing model which limits transferred data between client and server, resulting in improved SMB server scalability and performance with high-latency networks

In Windows 8, Win 8.1, Win 10, Windows Server 2012, and Windows Server 2016:

Disabling SMBv3 deactivates the following (as well as previously-described SMB2 functions):

• Concurrent access of shared data on file cluster nodes via Scale Out
• End-to-end encryption and protection from eavesdropping by untrustworthy networks
• Transparent failover allowing clients to reconnect to cluster nodes without interruption during failover or maintenance
• Directory leasing which improves branch offices’ application response times via caching
• Multichannel aggregation of fault tolerance and network bandwidth if multiple paths are available between client and server

Summary

In the aftermath of this hacking, taking steps for immediately removing SMB1 should be a no-brainer. Removal, however, is only part of the solution: doing so can bring in other, possibly unwelcome consequences. Thanks to the sheer pervasiveness of SMB1, IT pros can’t let down their guard even after disabling the pesky protocol. So, while it may at first seem like overkill, in today’s cyber environment it’s better to be safe than sorry.

When Apple releases macOS 10.13 High Sierra this fall, it will include big behind-the-scenes improvements and a few upfront changes in core Apple apps like Safari, Mail, and Photos. The upgrade will be free, and High Sierra will run on all Macs that can run 10.12 Sierra now.

The most important change under the hood is a new file system called APFS (Apple File system), which is designed for modern needs like fast backups of massive amounts of data and optimal behavior when storing files on solid-state drives. The file system is the smarts beneath the Mac’s Finder, helping your Mac to keep track of all its data. The Finder itself won’t change much, but certain tasks like duplicating lots of data will be much faster.

Other low-level technology changes will enable developers to bring faster video streaming and playback to the Mac. Plus, they’ll be able to create graphically demanding apps that have even more realistic images, which is important for the fields of virtual reality and gaming.

More obviously, you can look forward to Safari providing a more enjoyable Web browsing experience, with fewer ads, articles opening in the less-cluttered Reader view, and no more auto-playing audio. You can customize all these settings, as well as the text zoom percentage, on a per-site basis.

Searching in Mail will be significantly faster, with a Top Hits area that Apple says will learn from you over time and get smarter about suggesting ideal results. Mail will also feature a redesigned split screen option that puts the compose window next to your messages, and your Mail archive will consume less drive space than before, thanks to better compression.

Photos gets a lot of attention from Apple in High Sierra, with a refined interface that should make it easier to find tools, syncing of facial recognition training between your Apple devices, new editing tools for fine-tuning and saturation, and fun choices for enhancing Live Photos. Also, Photos will finally allow integration with third-party editing apps like Photoshop and Pixelmator, along with support for printing projects to non-Apple print services, so you’ll have more choices in that area.

Overall, High Sierra looks like it will be a solid refinement on Sierra, with some core improvements for pro users and a nice collection of enhancements to apps that the rest of us use every day.

The wait is over!

Although these days Apple is putting more emphasis on the Mac, particularly for professional use, the company certainly isn’t ignoring pro iPad users. If you’ve been holding off on an iPad Pro purchase, there’s no reason to wait any longer. Apple introduced a new 10.5-inch iPad Pro that’s just a hair taller and wider than the 9.7-inch iPad Pro it replaces, despite having a larger screen that’s 20% larger. The company also enhanced the 12.9-inch iPad Pro with a variety of new hardware capabilities.

All motion on the screens of both iPad Pros will be smoother and more responsive, thanks to a previously unheard of 120 Hz refresh rate. It will make drawing with the Apple Pencil even more fluid. The screens are also brighter, can display more colors, and have low reflectivity. Both models get new cameras that match those in the iPhone 7: a 12-megapixel rear-facing camera with optical image stabilization and True Tone flash, plus a 7-megapixel FaceTime HD camera on the front.

Since professionals care about performance, the new iPad Pros rely on Apple’s new processor, the A10X Fusion chip. Apple claims that the A10X is 30% faster than the A9X used by the previous generation of iPad Pros, and it also delivers 40% faster graphics rendering.

You can buy an iPad Pro with 64 GB, 256 GB, or 512 GB of storage, significantly more than last year’s models. The 64 GB 10.5-inch iPad Pro with Wi-Fi costs $649; jumping to 256 GB increases the price to $749, and going to 512 GB raises it to $949. For the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, a 64 GB configuration starts at $799, with 256 GB at $899 and 512 GB at $1099. Add $130 to any configuration to get cellular connectivity as well.

Although the iPad Pros are available starting this month, you can look forward to them becoming significantly more useful when Apple releases iOS 11 in the fall. That’s because iOS 11 promises to bring a number of iPad-specific features, including:

• A customizable Dock that holds more than six apps
• A new App Switcher that includes split-screen app combinations
• A new Files app for managing documents
• Drag-and-drop capability for moving data between apps
• Instant Notes, which opens the Notes app with an Apple Pencil tap on the Lock screen
• Inline drawing with the Apple Pencil in Notes and Mail
• Handwritten text recognition so you can search what you write

The Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud technology offers manufacturing plants the data necessary to improve organizational processes and increase profitability.

Leaders of enterprises spanning every industry are continuously looking for ways to improve organizational processes, reduce spending, deliver quality goods and services, and increase profits. While every business stands to gain from achieving these goals, manufacturers who miss the mark have the most to lose. Every second of downtime puts the entire plant behind schedule, leaving the workforce scrambling to make up the difference. For many, developing a preventative maintenance strategy is the answer to minimizing downtime and optimizing maintenance costs.

The Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud technology is at the heart of this solution, making it possible for manufacturers to monitor assets and equipment, develop a routine maintenance plan, and identify issues before they force a halt in production.

Cloud technology and the Internet of Things are making it possible to remotely monitor and diagnose equipment, assess existing scenarios, fix equipment before it fails, and reduce overall maintenance costs.

Harnessing the Power of Data

IoT devices, partnered with facilities management software tailored to meet organizational needs, collects and analyzes data from manufacturing equipment. This information is then used to ensure a higher level of control over the manufacturer’s costs and facility conditions. In fact, a recently published report by McKinsey & Company estimates that the Internet of Things stands to save enterprises more than $4 trillion by 2025.

Manufacturers who invest in these business tools stand to benefit in three ways:

1) Reducing Downtime

A manufacturing plant is comprised of a series of complex machines. There are thousands of moving parts, each adding value to the entire production. If one piece of the puzzle, large or small, fails, production in the entire plant could be halted. This downtime reduces workforce engagement and costs the business both time and money.

Business tools like IoT sensors monitor every moving part, identifying weaknesses and deficiencies early on. Monitoring technicians can plan ahead, fixing the issue swiftly and during slower plant production times. Organizations also have the advantage of developing an automated preventative maintenance plan, scheduling routine maintenance before weaknesses arise. Since reactive maintenance accounts for more than 85% of an organization’s total maintenance spending, investing in a preventative maintenance strategy stands to significantly reduce facility management spending.

2) Increasing Organizational Efficiency

IoT tools can also help manufacturers better understand how the facility is performing and identify any opportunities to improve efficiency. For example, if a portion of the building is only used a few hours a day, is there really a need to keep the lights on all day? Or perhaps the HVAC runs colder in certain areas? IoT temperature and light sensors collect this data, offering management teams real-time analytics for each section of the plant. Once these issues are identified, plant managers can redefine processes, offering a more efficient working environment, at a fraction of the cost.

3) Increased Collaboration and Visibility

Historically, manufacturing plants have relied on IT systems tailored to a specific need. Each system worked separately from the other, making it impossible for the plant to truly run like a well-oiled machine. The Internet of Things integrates and connects each moving part, while still allowing them to perform their distinct, required job. This open line of communication offers management increased visibility and a better understanding of the big picture.

Before the arrival of IoT, organizations had a surplus of data, with no defined way of using it. With the implementation of the right business tools, manufacturers now have access to real-time, relevant data that assists them in making better decisions. Gaining a better understanding of their assets, resources, and facility ensures increased productivity and, ultimately, profits.