DataTech Corporation

DEADLINES ARE LOOMING! Are You Ready for 30 June 2018? Saying Goodbye to SSL/early TLS...? Is your organization still using the SSL/early TLS protocols? Do you work with online and e-commerce partners or customers who haven’t yet started the migration away from SSL/early TLS to a more secure encryption protocol? What is SSL/early TLS?... Transport Layer Security (TLS) is a cryptographic protocol used to establish a secure communications channel between two systems. It is used to authenticate one or both systems, and protect the confidentiality and integrity of information that passes between systems. It was originally developed as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) by Netscape in the early 1990s. Standardized by the Internet Engineering Taskforce (IETF), TLS has undergone several revisions to improve security to block known attacks and add support for new cryptographic algorithms, with major revisions to SSL 3.0 in 1996, TLS 1.0 in 1990, TLS 1.1 in 2006, and TLS 1.2 in 2008. DON'T PROCRASTINATE...these Deadlines are very REAL, and could impact your ability to transact both Online, and with Electronic Payments Methods. CALL OUR OFFICE TODAY @ 818.830.2600, and speak to one of our Systems' Consultants! You'll be glad you did.

We are very proud to announce, that we are now an "Authorized GOLD" reseller of RetailPoint...the robust Cloud-based Point-Of-Sale system from Enspire. With a substantial and solid feature set for Merchandising & Inventory, Clienteling, Order Entry & Fulfillment, Payment Processing, Seamliess eCommerce Integration, and Report Writing all bulit-in, RetailPoint can easily handle...AND scale...a myriad of businesses and vertical markets. Combine that with the fact that the core system is Hardware AND O/S Agnostic...it can run on ANY Browser-based device...computer, tablet, iPad, smartphone...your choice, your flexibility. Visit our website, or call us today, and get a Free Demo and quote, no obligations.

Holiday Season Stats & Trends...Are YOU Ready??? With the holiday shopping season fast approaching, consumers say they will spend an average of $967.13 this year, according to the annual survey by the National Retail Federation. That's up 3.4% from the $935.58 reported at this time in 2016. Holiday spending comes in three categories: gifts, at $608.06; items such as food, decorations, flowers, and greeting cards, at $218.08; and other non-gift items, at $140.99. For the first... time in the survey history, *ONLINE* is the most popular shopping destination this year, cited by 59% of consumers. The survey also found that 57% will shop at department stores, 54% at discount stores, 46% at grocery stores/supermarkets, and 35% at clothing or accessories stores. It found 27% plan to visit an electronics store, 25% small or local businesses, and 18% crafts or fabrics stores. For the eleventh consecutive year, *GIFT CARDS* remain the most popular items on wish lists, requested by 61%, followed by clothing and accessories at 55% (the highest level for this category in 12 years). Two in five (39%) would like books, music, or movies (the lowest in survey history). Others asked for consumer electronics (33%), home decor (24%), jewelry (23%), personal care or beauty items (21%), sporting goods (20%), and home improvement items (18%). "With employment and incomes increasing, consumers are more confident this year and that is reflected in their buying plans for the holidays," summarized Matthew Shay, President and CEO of the National Retail Federation (Washington, DC). DataTech's "seasoned" Consultants, are well versed in all these areas, and can help your business take advantage of all these trends! Call us today, before it's too late! Happy Holidays!

KRACK WPA2 Protocol Wi-Fi Attack: Are You At Risk? With all the media attention lately on IDENTITY and CREDIT type theft and breaches (think Equifax, Target, etc.)...how secure are you, really? A vulnerability in the WPA2 protocol used in secured Wi-Fi networks allows hackers to force devices to install arbitrary encryption keys. ... A vulnerability in the WPA2 protocol allowing attackers to read encrypted information transmitted over Wi-Fi has been discovered. Due to a flaw in the design of the protocol, not a specific vendor implementation, attackers can capture part of the "handshake" message, and use modified versions of that to trick devices into installing a blank encryption key, a process called "key reinstallation attacks," or KRACKs. Practically any device with a specification-compliant implementation of WPA2 is affected, as this vulnerability does not rely on specific vendor implementation. This can be especially problematic for enterprise Wi-Fi deployments, as fast BSS transition is vulnerable to this attack. In the immediate term, patching client devices is the highest priority. Please note, however, that wireless routers and access points may require a vendor patch to protect against the vulnerability. What can be done? For mobile, particularly Android devices, avoiding direct connecting to Wi-Fi networks in public places, even if they are protected networks, can help. If you are concerned about your Wi-Fi network vulnerability, we recommend contacting your product vendors to confirm if a patch is available and necessary. Call DataTech today at (818) 830-2600 to discuss your potential vulnerability and options to patch your Wi-Fi network.