Learning

• On your smartphone, browse to https://Signal.org
• Install the Signal app for your SmartPhone
• Send a "hello" message with your first name and last initial to the Signal phone number of your Technical Framework recipient, which will be provided to you before you start. If your name is Pat Smith, write, "Hello, this is Pat S."
• Your representative will accept your connection request and message.
• You can now reply to the same conversation with sensitive information.
• Do not include your company name, domain name, or any identification that would tie the information to you or your organization.
• Once the recipient has gathered the information, delete the message(s) containing sensitive information for both sender and receiver.

The brand is not as important as the quality, warranty, and suitability. That said, we've seen the best results with business-class Dell and Lenovo computers.

We recommend a business-class desktop or laptop with the following specifications for most uses.

• Core i7 or i9 Processor
• 512GB or 1TB Solid State Drive
• 16GB or 32GB of RAM
• 4-yr warranty with onsite support
• 4K Resolution Screen

Aspects to keep in mind:

• Type and number of USB Ports?
• If laptop, touch or non-touch screen?
• 13-inch, 14inch, 15inch, or 17inch?
• Weight?
• Spare power cables for home, office, and travel?
• Specific keyboard features (Number pad, backlit keyboard, etc.)
• Carrying case?
• Adapters/dongles (USB to HDMI, USB to Ethernet, etc.)?

Engineers and designers may require high-end workstations with more power than listed above.

We do not resell computers as a line of business. We charge by the hour for computer procurement, including identifying your needs, selecting models, and assisting in the transaction.

Since the procurement process can take hours, resulting in substantial fees, you have the option of contacting the manufacturer's reps directly. You can chat with them online, let them know your business needs, and they'll take it from there. You can often place the order while still in the chat.

Once you have purchased your computer, we'll be happy to set it up, integrate it with your system, add cybersecurity, and provide ongoing support.

Helpful links:

Lenovo: https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/contact/

Dell: https://www.dell.com/en-us/lp/contact-us

Yes, because it still needs to be reliable when you use it. Lightly used computers may not need to bear the same power as those used heavily but should be reliable, business-class computers.

We are not affiliated with any hardware brands and therefore do not get special discounts.

No. Technical Framework backups cover only the internal hard drive of your PC, Mac, or Server. External drives are not part of your computer. In addition, external drives can be disconnected from your computer for long periods of time, causing backup failures. Finally, external hard drives should not be used to store the primary (original) versions of any data. They should be used only to store copies or backups of data on your internal hard drive.

Yes, we assist with third-party audits and provide preparedness services for upcoming audits.

Yes, if you need advice or direction on information technology or cybersecurity, let us know.

Yes, we operate on the motto, "No organization is secure until each of its members is secure."

If you use the Microsoft Office 365 suite of products on your PC or Mac, such as Word, Excel, Outlook, etc., then it makes sense to use the Office 365 collaborative platform (a.k.a "back end"), which includes dozens of tools, but mainly SharePoint Online and Exchange Online.

• AV software is primarily signature-based, identifying vulnerabilities by comparing files against a known database of existing malware.
• Secondarily, it can use heuristics and predictions based on the behaviors of a file to discover malware.
• AV software will delete or quarantine files it identifies as malware.

• EDR solutions analyze the activity data for unusual behaviors, whether they have been previously identified or not.
• When suspected malicious activity is identified, the process(es) and file activities can be stopped and/or quarantined by the EDR’s automated threat response capability. If necessary, the device can be isolated from the network.
• SentinelOne EDR, provided through Technical Framework, provides the capability to restore the Windows endpoint to a saved Volume Shadow Copy (VSS) snapshot, undoing changes made by malware.
• The device activity data collected, and any alerts generated by the SentinelOne EDR, provided through Technical Framework, are monitored 24/7 by Security Analysts at a security operations center (SOC).
• SentinelOne EDR includes signature-based discovery for file-based malware.

• Wishing Well Manufacturing’s network has been breached using an employee’s credentials purchased on the dark web. The threat actor has successfully logged into a device on Wishing Well Manufacturing’s network.
• Most threat actors will execute standard, built-in Windows utilities to discover information about the local system and network.
• AV software would not detect any suspicious activity since there have been no malicious files introduced to the device.
• Alternatively, the SentinelOne EDR triggers an alert to the security operations center, because the execution of the built-in Windows utilities is anomalous behavior. The SOC notifies Technical Framework regarding suspicious activity.