Remove Sudo

Technology is always changing the speed of business, and the new virtualization of servers and storage space just means that everything is about to move even faster.  With cloud computing, all data is kept offsite in virtual environments, and that means that you and your employees can access the information at any time from anywhere in the world.  There are so many benefits to this new technology, including much faster recovery from natural and manmade disasters.  When the data can be retrieved from anywhere in the world, then there are no physical servers to worry about.

Unfortunately, there are also drawbacks to virtualization, and that includes the increase in security risks.  With your company’s information available from anywhere and at any time, there are more chances for data to be stolen or misplaced.  The only way to really protect your information from inside and outside threats is to eliminate admin rights.  This can be accomplished through PowerBroker virtualization, and it will allow you to assign certain permissions to each employee in your organization.  The permissions that you allow can be completely customized, with as many different security levels as you need.  Only by choosing to eliminate admin rights and delegate particular powers can you keep a handle in the security of your organization’s data and information. (more…)

Technology can be both a blessing and a curse, especially when it comes to running your business.  The same technology that allows you to keep in touch with everyone all over the world also opens up your business to outside attacks.  Your employees, if allowed to roam freely through your network, could pose a serious threat to your company security.  This is why many business owners and information technology departments are purchasing datacenter virtualization security software.  It is necessary to use this software to boost the security within your computer networks so that your employees use only the programs that they need to use to get their jobs done.

When you eliminate admin rights, you will essentially assign particular permissions to each employee.  There are several different levels of security possible, so you can determine a hierarchy that works perfectly for your business model.  The software that you purchase will help you to eliminate admin rights for those employees that do not need it, and it will also help you keep an eye on what your employees are doing during their work times.  Not only can you boost productivity this way, you can also eliminate the number of harmful websites that your employees can visit on your company’s equipment.  When your employees are restricted to specific sites for work purposes, they are less likely to accidentally or purposefully download malicious viruses, malware, and spyware. (more…)

The problem for many organizations is maintaining their virtual safety, especially when it comes to their different users and their administrative tasks. They typically have to balance safety and productivity, always looking for the perfect formula. Organizations never want to skimp on security, but they also do not want to have to sacrifice productivity, especially given the current economic climate. The initial solution was to implement the principal of least privilege, limiting tasks and accessibility on a per user basis.

Now, though, there appears to be another option, as PowerBroker Desktops have released their 5.0 version. This version of the software has new enhancements, abilities, and features which allow organizations to configure and manage user rights on a task by task basis (rather than on a per user basis) without the need to grant administrator access. Administrator access is often considered the biggest weakness of any computer network, and several organizations have begun to seek ways in which to reduce or completely eliminate the need for administrator access. (more…)

In today’s high tech world, even religious organizations, such as churched, temples, and synagogues are run like small businesses. This was not always the case. Many people used to believe that businesses should not have anything to do with holy places. They thought that God should be kept separate from businesses and thus did not want the church to be run like a company. Now a days, many churches use computers to monitor their financial accounts and group of members.

Many churches rely on their parishioners to provide the tools they need in order to stay organized and on task. They also have a wide variety of computers, software and other technical devices to keep their organization running smoothly. (more…)

Whether it is your home computer, your work computer, or a network of computers either at home or the workplace, chances are that you could use some revamping in the area of security. Hackers are discovering new ways to infiltrate your computers every day, so newer security measures must also be implemented every day to ensure that your computer and important information is always safe.

Many people are content with the computer’s security, thinking they are not at risk and their information is secure. Most of these people are wrong. Hackers and malware can find ways to steal information you might not have even been aware was on your computer. Below you will see some ways to “overhaul” your computer security either at home or at the workplace. Many of them may open your eyes to just how vulnerable your computer is. (more…)

Unfortunately, the weakest link on most computers, user accounts, servers, networks is the people (especially when they are employees) who use them. Whether they intend to or not, users often put their computers at risk to hackers. When users disable various security software, install dangerous or unlicensed programs or software, and change network or desktop configuration settings, they make their computers wide open to attacks by malware and other hacking software.

This vulnerability is greatly compounded when it is combined with a user account which has administrator rights. With administrator rights, the user accounts have access to virtually any devices, programs and information within the computer. Without administrator access, the potential for damage is greatly limited. Without administrator access, most malware software cannot be installed. The solution, therefore, would seem to be fairly simple: eliminate admin rights. (more…)

Linux systems, depending on the distribution, generally have a command called ‘sudo.’ Sudo allows any user to perform a command with the security clearances of the administrative user. Sudo was created to allow administrators to perform administrative-level commands while logged in under another role, but as it is a very useful tool for privilege escalation, it finds a great deal of use elsewhere, and naturally it forms a security risk at the enterprise level, since sudo allows any user to escalate their privileges easily.

In most cases, it’s a good idea to remove sudo access in a multiple user environment, since the privilege escalation it permits can allow users to overstep the bounds of their employee roles in dramatic and dangerous ways. Even in the absence of user misbehavior, the choice to remove sudo can help your security, since users are often at risk of accidentally bringing in malicious hacker software, and troublesome scripts that use sudo to accomplish their mischief will be hobbled by the lack of the command that they hinge on. Users can trigger these without even realizing it, and the script can propagate itself across your network before it’s even detected. (more…)

There are few things more established in the world of technology than the security of a Unix system. There are quite a few cases, however, where a Unix system has an Achilles heel built into its structure. In some cases, users are given access to sudo privileges so that they can exercise enough control over the network or an individual machine to allow them to perform some more advanced tasks. There are ways, however, that you can remove sudo access without crimping the ability of such individuals to do their jobs.

One of the reasons that you’ll want to remove sudo access for most users is the fact that it essentially negates any other efforts you make toward Unix root access control. Sudo literally makes the user into root in terms of executing command—it’s a portmanteau of “super user” and “do”—and that means that they have unrestricted power on the system where they have sudo access. If that user executes a wrong command or decides to try something beyond their capabilities, there is a chance that they could seriously compromise security or the integrity of the machine. (more…)

Many organizations face problems with high-end access to root control in their corporate systems. Finding effective measures to allow for collaborative procedures while eliminating risks can be challenging. Sudo allows for access to the root, which increases security risks and the potential for the compromising of system integrity. These occurrences can be costly when damaging events occur. One option that is often considered is for the organization to locate and use effective privilege identity management software that allows them to remove sudo and the many risks that are involved with its use.

Widespread administrative access is a growing concern with many businesses. Limiting privilege on low priority users is often beneficial, but often, consideration of IT and high privilege restrictions are overlooked. Unix root access control is often shared among technicians or granted to outside sources for system maintenance, upgrades, or repairs. When a greater number of personnel have such access, the risk of system compromise becomes greater. Managing passwords and authorizations can be time consuming and costly for organizations, but failing to do so can create serious consequences. (more…)

Sudo: it’s a combination of the words “super user” and “do”. This name, however, doesn’t really bring home what this means. On a Linux system, a sudo command is basically treated as if it were issued by the root user. If you know anything about Linux, this should already give you pause. The root user on Linux and Unix systems is the highest authority where the operating system is concerned. This user can do anything, up to and including removing the entire operating system and all the files on the hard drive.

This is the primary reason that most network security schemes have to remove sudo access for anyone but the highest level administrators to be safe. Root is so powerful on these systems that even admins hesitate to work while logged into that account. Most often, they’ll only use root for a few procedures and then switch back to an account with fewer privileges. When you give an inexperienced user access to sudo, you’re giving them the equivalent of complete control over the system without necessarily giving them the tools to handle that power correctly. An innocent mistake can become a disaster and, perhaps more frighteningly, a grudge can be manifested in the form of compromised security and a ruined system. (more…)