AGAT

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Microsoft Lync Skype for Business Uncategorized

Survey: Half of IT professionals have adopted Lync/Skype for Business

Following Microsoft’s announcement that it has launched the next version of Lync as Skype for Business, No Jitter conducted a survey to assess enterprise adoption of and attitudes toward the Microsoft Unified Communications (UC) platform and all its various components.

The survey on Lync/Skype for Business use included responses from 540 enterprise IT professionals, with more than half (52 percent) responding that they had already adopted Lync/Skype for Business.

When asked which functions they currently used Lync for, the majority of respondents named presence and instant messaging. This was followed by Web and audio conferencing as well as desktop video.

Using Lync/Skype for Web conferencing typically extends the usage of Lync outside network boundaries and requires action to be taken to secure the deployment as LyncShield does.

At the same time, Web conferencing was seen as the main function used in hosted Skype for Business service, followed by audio conferencing and presence and instant messaging.

Skype for Business will retain all Lync capabilities, including content sharing and telephony, while adding video calling and the Skype user directory, making it possible to call any Skype user on any device.

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LyncShield Microsoft Lync Skype for Business Smart card for authentication Two Factor Authentication Uncategorized

The ultimate Lync security suite for the enterprise market

The number of organizations seeking to protect themselves and avoid any unauthorized use of Lync is growing rapidly and LyncShield is constantly asked to expand its Lync security suite and add new features.

We have addressed all these requests, and are proud to be able to offer now the ultimate Lync security suite to organizations looking for secure Lync (Skype for Business) connectivity. By using LyncShield, organizations can safely connect users to Lync servers from smartphones, tablets and any other external device.

Our innovative enterprise solution prevents unauthorized devices (mobiles and desktops) from connecting to the corporate network, avoids the usage of Active Directory (AD) credentials and protects against account lockout/DDoS.

LyncShield is already successfully deployed by some of the world’s leading financial institutions, consultancy companies, banks and other large multinational organizations.

LyncShield offers the following security features:

  • Active Directory credentials protection – avoids usage of active directory credentials on the device by defining specific credentials for Lync that are different from the AD credentials.
  • Two Factor Authentication (TFA)/ Device registration – verifies that Lync connection is achieved only from registered devices. The solution includes a website with several registration workflows offering either a self-service enrollment or a central management approval process to register devices.
  • Block DDoS attacks and prevent account lockout – prevents a Lync account lockout situation in Denial-of-Service (DoS/DDoS) attacks. The solution offers a unique site defense approach handling an attack going through all authentication channels (HTTP/S, SOAP, SIP and more).
  • Restrict Lync to corporate or managed devices– limits access to the organization’s Lync server only to corporate or managed devices that have the MDM client installed. The solution offers several approaches depending on the MDM implementation and supports most of the MDM vendors in the market.
  • Smart card login for Lync mobile – offers a solution to organizations with a network policy requiring smart card login to allow authentication and user Lync mobile.
  • RSA Token Authentication– eliminates the need to use AD credentials for users of secure tokens wishing to connect to Lync servers from external devices and enables Two Factor Authentication based on the token. RSA solution also handles Exchange connectivity.
  • Exchange Protection – protects Exchange Web Services (EWS) against account lockout and limits access to the EWS only from registered device (TFA).

“Connecting to the organization’s server using the Lync client from smartphones, tablets and any other device outside the organization poses serious security risks,” said Guy Eldan, CEO of AGAT Software, which developed LyncShield. “These risks derive from the need to authenticate a user connecting externally from non-managed environments and devices.”

“We have managed to come up with a solution that addresses all security issues and is already successfully deployed by some of the global financial institutions, business consulting services firms, and other large multinational organizations. By using LyncShield organizations can protect themselves and avoid any unauthorized use of Lync.”

Categories
Microsoft Lync Skype for Business Uncategorized

Get ready for Skype for Business

Microsoft recently announced that the next version of Lync would become Skype for Business.

Skype for Business is expected be released in the coming months and current Lync Server customers will be able to update from Lync Server 2013 to the new Skype for Business Server in their datacenters. The transition does not require any new hardware for existing users to receive the update.

Gurdeep Pall, corporate vice president for Skype, wrote in a blog post that Microsoft and Skype were bringing together the familiar experience and user love of Skype with Lync’s enterprise, security, compliance and control.

Since Microsoft acquired Skype in 2011, the software giant has invested in the transformation of business, altering the status quo with Lync, by simplifying and unifying all the different tools people use to communicate for work.

Pall added that the new Skype for Business would provide a new client experience, new server release and updates to the service in Office 365.

Skype for Business will keep all of Lync capabilities, including content sharing and telephony. It will add video calling and the Skype user directory, making it possible to call any Skype user on any device.