Exchange Servers Under Attack

If you have been thinking about making the move away from your on-premises Exchange to Exchange Online, but just haven’t found a good enough reason, we have one for you. As of this week, Microsoft Exchange vulnerabilities have been successfully exploited on the on-premises servers.  

As you already know, having data exploited or leaked is one of the worst things that can happen to a business. Now more than ever, it is important to take a step back and realize that cloud services are the way of the future and offer the best means to maintain data security.  

WHAT IS AN ON-PREMISES EXCHANGE SERVER?

As the term suggests, an on-premises Exchange server is a server purchased and operated by a business. The server is maintained at the business’s location to manage Exchange in a place that is accessible and secure for the company. 

WHAT IS HAPPENING?

On March 2, 2021, security specialists determined that the hacker group HAFNIUM had utilized several 0-day exploits to target on-premises versions of Microsoft Exchange Servers. As a result, victims had their email accounts hacked, their information stolen, and malware installed on their email servers.  

On March 4, 2021, the Exchange Server team released guidelines to detect any potential indicators of compromise (IOCs) and told users to update their software to patch the exploit. 

The long-term implications are unclear, but malware installations pose a significant, long-term threat to the victims.   

WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?

Since on-premises servers have recently demonstrated vulnerability to security issues, the solution to the matter is obvious. Your business should begin preparing for cloud migration with the Exchange Online plans. 

WHAT ARE CLOUD SERVICES?

The cloud refers to storing and accessing data on the internet rather than having a storage device for your computer. Since cloud systems are best executed with the help of specialists, Cloud Services refer to a wide array of third-party offerings that help a business establish and manage its cloud systems.  

For example, Cloud Services include: 

• Cloud Server operation 
• Training 
• Security 
• Support 

Each service helps a business better interact with its Cloud systems.  

Switching to Exchange Online comes with numerous benefits that make it a wise choice. For example: 

• Costs are easy to predict 
• Scalability is simple 
• Server uptime is guaranteed at 99%
• High-end security  
• Your business does not require a server 

Also, Exchange Online servers are not as vulnerable to hacking attempts as the on-premises Exchange servers. Data integrity and the ability to work without disruption are two of the most important aspects of business operations, and you get both with Exchange Online.  

WHERE DO I START WITH EXCHANGE ONLINE?

A Managed Service Provider can perform a full cloud migration for you, so your business can be seamlessly integrated without much effort on your end. When you purchase Microsoft products through an authorized Microsoft Gold Partner like Computer Medic On Call, you get more bang for your buck! 

We’ll consult, integrate, and implement your cloud-based Exchange server and you’ll receive the full support of our help–desk staff going forward.

Learn more by visiting our Cloud Managed Services page or call and speak with a specialist at 561-450-8710