IT Setup & Cybersecurity w/ Luciano Aguayo of Redgear - AZ TRT S05 EP07 (222) 2-18-2024

IT Setup & Cybersecurity w/ Luciano Aguayo of Redgear

AZ TRT S05 EP07 (222) 2-18-2024 

What We Learned This Week

• RedGear provides turnkey IT solutions for clients. Outsource IT to shift liability
• IT often an afterthought, when it should be a major priority - lifestyle of tech in a business
• Data is lifeblood of a company, need security
• Cybersecurity is just one part, need to monitor physical location, who has access, email, etc

 

Guest: Luciano Aguayo of Redgear

https://redgear.com/

 

 

Luciano Aguayo is a Texas native, and an active member and contributor to the Southwest Technology community. His professional career spans a diverse industry portfolio and has held various titles and certifications at the senior engineering and senior management levels. Luciano specializes in designing and implementing turnkey complex infrastructure solutions.

For the past 20 years Luciano has designed and implemented numerous infrastructures for regional and local school districts, has a diverse portfolio of local and international businesses, including the federal government, and key Southwest landmarks and attractions. After several years in the private sector and after building a loyal customer base, Luciano launched RedGear in 2016. RedGear is a regional business to business technology solutions company. Since its inception, RedGear has quickly grown to 4 locations, 50+ employees, and recently opened a regional office in Phoenix, Arizona.

Luciano remains active in the technology industry helping oversee the portfolio of one of Southwest's largest developers. He also is an active member of El Paso Community College ITSC Advisory Committee He also owns and operates El Paso’s newest carrier neutral datacenter. He brings effective and proven leadership and mentoring qualities and has an eye for detail when managing projects. He has a passion for technology, giving back to the community, and mentoring the future generations of Engineers.


20+ years experience in:
Cisco CCNP Routing and Switching, Cisco Nexus Datacenter, CCNP Voice, CCDA, Cisco Security, Cisco WLAN, Cisco Unified Communications (VoIP), Citrix CCA, Citrix Xen Desktop, Citrix XenApp, MCSE, MCSA, Operating Systems Troubleshooting, Hardware/Software Troubleshooting, Advanced Windows Server Configuration and Troubleshooting, VM Ware, Enterprise Design, Implementation, solutions, IT Consulting, and much more.

 

RedGear

RedGear provides professional technology services, equipment, and consulting in the Southwest US region. Our entire culture is built around supporting business infrastructures, while building relationships and delivering an exceptional customer service experience and always keeping our customers best interest a top priority. We’ve built our success by reputation, quality of work, professionalism, and always being there for clients every step of the way whenever they need us. Our services, certifications, experience, and expertise cover the entire spectrum of Information Technology that no other regional technology service provider can match.

We manage all aspects of Technology so the customer can focus on running their business.

Our company vision is based on delivering premier customer service by employing and retaining top talent that believes in our mission, we work hard to provide trusted, honest, immediate, and excellent IT services to every client, no matter how big or small. No more wondering what kind of support you will receive. Our staff is certified in numerous fields, to offer the upmost reliable support. Our experience is vast covering all sizes of organizations and industries.

 

 

Notes:

Seg 2

 

Redgear

 

 

IT company responsible for security of their clients. IT is a lifestyle. RedGear value proposition is turkey solutions. They are your smart friend to help with tech.

 

Support IT for small businesses. They also have larger enterprise type clients. They act as a consultant, and can screen for a CTO or a CIO for a company.

 

IT should be a priority of companies yet, it is often an afterthought. Need to understand how to secure an IT room, not just in software, but also the actual room itself. Who has access?

 

RedGear works in the tech and security industry which is the backbone of all organizations and compliance. People hire RedGear to outsource and shift liability. IT in its simplest form is anything that you plug into the wall and connect to the Internet. It can also mean security.

 

Trust of your IT provider, and keeping business contingency. Question, businesses always have to answer is how long can they stay down with an interruption and survive. Plus what is their plan for data retention.

 

IT can be about network, connections, computers, hardware, and the actual Physical IT room. Can also deal in cyber security and password resets. IT has both software as well as hardware like servers and programming applications.

 

Luciano has 20+ years of experience working in IT and technology. Information Technology not always the priority of many companies but it really should be. Need a plan going forward to manage security and data in all businesses.

 

You have to determine what’s going to be your budget based on the size of the business. Not uncommon to outsource to companies like RedGear. Also need to think about the physical aspects of IT, like is your room secure?

 

What type of energy your BTU air conditioner usage are you using? Who has control, how cool is it. Who has access to the room? What is your electrical circuit set up?

 

Do you have redundancy? Or electrical circuit separate and dedicated to the IT. What is your data or cloud storage like?

 

 

Seg 3

 

IT is the backbone of many organizations and should be a priority.

 

Need to hire trustworthy people, as well as outsource IT to trustworthy companies. There’s no perfect set up. Unfortunately, security breaches are more question of When, and not if.

 

One of the worst stories about IT Luciano ever heard of was the janitor storage closet was the same as the IT room. Another issue with a lot of IT rooms is they don’t have good cooling. IT should be a separate room with good security.

 

You want to also have video security and badge access. Physical access of an IT room is very underrated. Security is the biggest threat to the end-user. You have to know when a breach happens.

 

How did it happen? It could be software but often it’s actually the employees as a threat. They need to pay attention to what is going on and types of emails they get.

 

Also, sometimes security breaches are an inside job. Companies need to test and educate their staff about IT.

 

Once Malware gets in to the system it can take over accounts and send email as the person. Phishing scams unfortunately are still very popular with emails.

 

Good email security typically will filter out malicious emails. Then you waitlist your contact, so you know who it’s OK to email. All these need to examine emails.

 

 

Seg 4

 

IT reviews & monitors compliance, so a company must determine a budget.

 

Data is the gold of companies now. Data contains the companies processes, industry secrets, and private employee and customer info. It is crucial to have a backup of company data, typically onsite and secured, plus offsite in the cloud. You’ll always want to build in redundancy and have backup servers for data.

 

Good IT set up will have disaster recovery. As for the physical set up and protecting data, you want to be aware of how your sprinkler system is set up. You always have to guard against disgruntled employees, who could steal or delete company data.

 

Your IT provider needs to know the industry and have good experience to engineer the proper solution.

 

RedGear has worked with some top level clients, including the DEA in Washington DC on a federal level. Their cyber security needs to be top-of-the-line.

 

It is not in common for the average big company to deal with corporate attacks where hackers try to steal data, and then even hold it hostage for ransom.

 

Common practice nowadays is for a business to have cyber security liability insurance. The application for the insurance will ask about the physical environment and the set up of the IT and data.

 

The medical industry has updated cyber and HIPAA compliance. It is essential to have good IT, hospitals and any major medical office.

 

RedGear is your IT smart friends. They will always give you recommendations of good better and best.

 

 

 

 

Seg 1. – Related IT Clips from:

 

Phishing, Malware & Cybersecurity - Try Not to Get Pwned

- BRT S02 EP47 (94) 11-21-2021

 

What We Learned This Week:

 

• Have I been Pwned? Means have I been breached / hacked – did someone hack my email or website
• Phishing – most common type of email threat, like when you receive a strange email with a link – Do Not Open – DELETE (and alert other office staff of the email)
• Ramsonware – hack your website, or data – hold it hostage for an extortion ‘ransom’ payment
• Dark Web – where stolen data, & info is being bought & sold
• VPN Connections – direct and secure

 

Guests: Vince Matteo, Seven Layer Networks, Inc.

https://sevenlayers.com/

 

There are many different types of cyber attacks from a password breach, website hack to email phishing scams. Vince Matteo of Seven Layers (.com) gives advice on what to be on the lookout for, tips for protection, and some reference sites for more info. We discuss Email Phishing scams, spearphishing attack, password breaches, website hacks, data breaches, ramsonware, software and VPNs.

 

Full Show: HERE

 

 

 

Cybersecurity, Disruption, Blockchain & Terrorism w Ari Redbord of TRM Labs

- BRT S02 EP31 (78) 8-1-2021

 

 

What We Learned This Week

• Cybersecurity is extremely important industry for national security
• TRM Labs startup in cyber-security, monitors blockchain
• OFAC - Gov’t administers economic and trade sanctions
• Ransomeware – specific breach, takeover of a computer system, holds data hostage

• Programatic Money Laundering – bad guys create new addresses, create ‘shell’ companies

Guest: Ari Redbord, Head of Legal and Government Affairs w/ TRM Labs

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ari-redbord-4054381b4/

https://www.trmlabs.com/post/trm-labs-appoints-ari-redbord-as-head-of-legal-government-affairs

 

Ari is formerly a US Attorney, and worked in the Treasury Department, now advises the Government on cybersecurity, and Blockchain.

Cybersecurity is a fast growing and extremely important industry for national security, and corporate interests. There are Nation States acting as bad players in the cyber realm and targeting the US Government and US business. We discuss the advancements in technology on cyber crime, blockchain, crypto, and online fraud.

How is the FBI dealing with Ransomware, and other cyber attacks on prime targets like the Colonial Pipeline, or other big corps. What Regulations are coming in banking, and Fintech, with KYC (Know Your Customer), plus the big banks like JP Morgan Chase and Goldman are on board. 

What the blockchain ledger can help solve in security, to monitor criminal activity in real time with the help of crypto exchanges like Coinbase.  Lastly, what TRM Labs does for clients, how they advise, operate, and who they work with.

 

 

Notes:

TRM Labs – blockchain security biz, works with law enforcement and businesses. Financial exchanges and Regulators. Monitor cyber-security - TRM – startup, 3 yrs old, Ari joined 2021. Monitor risk in crypto currency.

 

 

Full Show: HERE

 

 

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