Ping - A Firewalls.com Podcast

The first step in defeating a foe is knowing your enemy, and in that vein we dive into our very own Cyber Threat Dictionary as our featured topic for Episode 18. Andrew and Kevin spotlight a sampling of terms from a to zero-days, defining some major cyber threats you've heard of (like phishing and ransomware), and some you may be less familiar with (rogue APs anyone?). We also offer tips on what to look for and how you can stop...

On Episode 17, we continue our focus on the work from home nature of the world as we currently know it. We welcome back Daniel Kremers with SonicWall to share his expertise on ensuring network security in a remote work setup. He discusses the idea of a home office firewall and some use cases for small business owners and employees. He also provides other security tips for users and network admins alike, relating to passwords, cloud...

The work landscape has changed drastically over the past few weeks thanks to COVID-19, and our setup is no different. On Episode 16, our first Pod from Home episode, Andrew and Kevin share Tales from Home – observations from their experience shifting from the office to the homefront for work – to help stop the spread.

They discuss their setup, schedule, work-life balance, things they miss, and things they like – also getting into is...

We’ve said it before, but it pays to know the cyber threats you face on a day-to-day basis. What you’re likely to encounter. So you can take action to protect yourself, your network, and of course, your bottom line.

On Episode 15, we talk with SonicWall’s Brook Chelmo about the security company’s 2020 Cyber Threat Report (https://www.sonicwall.com/2020-cyber-threat-report/). The report compiles information about the latest criminal ...

We live in a wireless world. From homes to enterprises – and certainly including small businesses – wifi networks and connected devices are a way of life. 

But that doesn’t mean all those connections are safe. On Episode 14, we talk to WatchGuard’s Ryan Orsi to find out what it takes to have a Trusted Wireless Environment. We hear why establishing security standards is so important – not only for wireless but also for internet of th...

We started our conversation with a focus on cloud services and a specific Office 365 red flag that came up at the end of last year: a spearphishing campaign. But the more we spoke with SonicWall’s Matt Brennan, we learned why spearphishing campaigns – and the related business email compromise – may be the most lucrative form of attack for hackers through a couple of real-life examples. Not to worry though, we also talked about how ...

What is an endpoint, and why is endpoint security a vital part of any protected network? We learn the answers to these questions and more with Sophos’ Mike Weaver, who offers background on the endpoint security landscape and talks about Intercept X by Sophos, a comprehensive endpoint protection option widely recognized as one of the top solutions on the market.

Learn more about Intercept X on our Blog. And see an example of a Threat...

In Episode 11, we learn about Fortinet’s Cyber Threat Assessment Program, aka CTAP, which offers businesses a free chance to see their vulnerabilities and shore them up before a breach occurs. Fortinet’s Ben Bolen discusses the program and the latest version, CTAP for SD-WAN, with Kevin and Andrew. You’ll hear how it works, who it’s for, and what to do to take part. Learn more and sign up today.

In our Engineer’s Minute, Network Eng...

In Episode 10, Andrew and Kevin ring in the new year with a look ahead to the future of network security in 2020. They countdown 20 trends and predictions from industry leaders like Fortinet, SonicWall, Sophos, WatchGuard, and Experian – mixing in a few offbeat predictions that are less likely to come true as well. You’ll hear about fleeceware, election interference, AI, and even monkey butlers (that one may require some explanatio...

In Episode 9, Kevin and Andrew invite you to gather ‘round the fireside and hear a cautionary holiday tale of a miserly small business owner who needs some convincing from a few ethereal figures on Christmas Eve to take cybersecurity more seriously. It’s a story of phishing, ransomware, time travel, and more! And it’s Ping’s first ever podcast play. 

Our Network Engineer Nick is in the Christmas spirit as well, as he shares a few na...

In Episode 8, Andrew and Kevin take a deep dive into the world of ransomware and get insight on a ransomware cell from SonicWall’s Brook Chelmo. Brook talks about the Russian Hildacrypt ransomware cell, how they work, their motivations, and some of their rules of engagement. He even passes along some tips to avoid being victimized by ransomware, straight from the hackers who deploy it. You can learn more about Brook’s contact with ...

In Episode 7, Kevin and Andrew are feeling thankful as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches. They pass the turkey and stuffing around the table and go over a few things they’re thankful for when it comes to the podcast, networking, and of course, cybersecurity. Our Network Engineer Anthony chimes in with a special Engineer’s Minute presenting a tool he’s thankful for and a tip for how you can use it to better secure your online pres...

In Episode 6, Kevin and Andrew are here to help you get your secure network setup from the start, welcoming Firewalls.com Director of Sales Anthony Mercho to provide tips about what small business owners - and anyone else - should consider before making any buying decisions. You’ll get info about how to pick the appliances and security services that best fit your needs, including user counts, connection speeds, WiFi, and more. You’...

In Episode 5, Andrew and Kevin with Firewalls.com are in a Halloween mood and discuss the scary world of cyber threats in a roundtable with FortiGuard Labs’ Douglas Santos and SonicWall’s Daniel Kremers. Douglas and Dan discuss some of the most frightening hazards out there today, including zero-day exploits, fileless malware, phishing, ransomware, botnets, and much more. It’s not all scares though, as they also offer solutions to ...

In Episode 4, Andrew and Kevin with Firewalls.com learn about how security companies monitor the threat landscape with the help of WatchGuard’s Marc Laliberte. Marc talks about how WatchGuard’s Threat Lab gathers threat intelligence, how the information is used in security, and where it’s accessible. He also highlights a few of the top cyber threats out there today and what people can do to protect themselves. And he discusses IoT ...

In Episode 3, Andrew and Kevin with Firewalls.com take a dive into the firewall, specifically, the Sophos XG Firewall with the help of Sophos Senior Product Marketing Manager Chris McCormack. Chris discusses how the XG Firewall (available as a physical and virtual appliance) is designed for easy deployment, management, and reporting - making securing small to midsize businesses and beyond - simple. Learn more about the Sophos XG Fi...

In Episode 2, Andrew and Kevin with Firewalls.com talk Fortinet’s Secure SD-WAN with Fortinet Principal Engineer Jaime Ortiz, and how it makes getting your business networks connected simple and secure. Learn more about Fortinet’s all-in-one Secure SD-WAN: https://www.firewalls.com/blog/fortinet-sd-wan-asic. 

Our cyber security headlines discussed on the episode include:

29% of Small Businesses Spend Less Than $1,000 on IT Security A...

In Episode 1, Kevin and Andrew with the Firewalls.com team talk SonicWall Cloud App Security with SonicWall Sr. Product Manager Shannon Emmons. Learn how this new product protects your data when you use cloud services like Office 365 and G Suite. Find out more about Cloud App Security: https://www.firewalls.com/blog/cloud-app-security/. 

Our cyber security headlines discussed on the episode include:

Work from Home Jobs Could Pose Cyb...