Michael Mullins, Author at TechRepublic

Michael Mullins

Latest from Michael Mullins

Person Plugs in RJ45 Internet Connector into LAN Router Switch. Information Communication Network with Data Cable Being Connected to Port with Blinking Lights. — Image: Gorodenkoff/Adobe Stock

Networking

How to wipe data from Cisco routers and switches before discarding them

PCs aren't the only hardware you need to worry about erasing corporate data from before donating—you should apply this best practice to any network device you're discarding, including Cisco routers and switches. Mike Mullins walks you through the process of clearing the configurations of both routers and switches.

Security

Prevent identity theft by avoiding these seven common mistakes

Identity theft may be on the rise, but you don't have to make it easy for thieves -- take steps to protect the personally identifiable information (PII) of your employees and clients. You can start by avoiding these seven mistakes.

CXO

Take technology out of your security policies to maintain compliance

Are you tired about wondering whether your organization is compliant with all the regulations that affect it? Mike Mullins has a rather unorthodox suggestion: Take the technology out of your policies. See why Mike says doing this will make it easier to address compliance in your company.

Security

Test your security incident response plan

When was the last time you tested your organization's security incident response plan? All the response plans in the world -- however effective they may be -- won't do your organization any good if the plan doesn't work. Mike Mullins tells you how to put your response plan to the test.

Developer

Keep DNS servers from contributing to a DDoS attack

How can a recursive query become a DDoS attack? It doesn't take much. Mike Mullins explains how an attacker can take advantage of a DNS server using recursion to perpetrate a DDoS attack, and he tells you how to prevent your organization's DNS servers from taking part.

Security

Follow this six-step malware response plan

Sometimes all the preventive care in the world won't protect your systems from the inevitable malware infection. What's the best way to handle it? According to Mike Mullins, an effective malware response plan includes these six steps.

Developer

Is your network for work or for play?

Letting employees access social networking and streaming media Web sites doesn't just put a drain on your bandwidth—it can also open up your company to a host of risks. Mike Mullins tells you how to become the most unpopular person in your company by shutting down access.

Security

Get ready for 2007 Daylight Saving Time changes

If you operate a network in the United States, impending changes to Daylight Saving Time (DST), courtesy of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, is going to affect your operations. Mike Mullins details the effects and tells you how to prepare for them.

Security

Conduct an impact assessment to acquire security funding

While you understand the importance of protecting personally identifiable information (PII) in your organization, that doesn't mean that the ones holding the purse strings do. How can you convince them? A good place to start is by performing an impact assessment.

Networking

How secure are your wireless device drivers?

Even with the emphasis on securing wireless devices and how they communicate with operating systems, flaws have still surfaced, and attackers have exploited them. One often overlooked source for security flaws is the wireless device driver. Mike Mullins takes a closer look in this edition of Security Solutions.

PURPOSE This policy describes the organization’s employee privacy guidelines and outlines employee privacy expectations. From the policy: POLICY DETAILS The organization’s IT equipment, services and systems are intended for business use only. However, the organization acknowledges that staff, consultants and volunteers occasionally require opportunities to make or receive personal phone calls, access personal email, utilize ...

PURPOSE The purpose of this Security Response Policy from TechRepublic Premium is to outline the security incident response processes which must be followed. This policy will assist to identify and resolve information security incidents quickly and effectively, thus minimizing their business impact and reducing the risk of similar incidents recurring. It includes requirements for both ...

PURPOSE This policy from TechRepublic Premium provides guidelines for reliable and secure backups of end user data. It outlines the responsibilities of IT departments and employees to identify tasks and action items for each group. The policy can be customized to fit the needs of your organization. From the policy: IT STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES IT staff ...

Michael Mullins

How to wipe data from Cisco routers and switches before discarding them

Prevent identity theft by avoiding these seven common mistakes

Take technology out of your security policies to maintain compliance

Test your security incident response plan

Keep DNS servers from contributing to a DDoS attack

Follow this six-step malware response plan

Is your network for work or for play?

Get ready for 2007 Daylight Saving Time changes

Conduct an impact assessment to acquire security funding

How secure are your wireless device drivers?

Employee privacy policy

Security response policy

End user data backup policy

Electronic communication policy