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    in Information Technology

    Republican Senate leaders slam new TSA cybersecurity regulations for rail, aviation industry

    Republican leaders in the US Senate have come out harshly against new cybersecurity regulations designed to protect US railroad and airport systems. The new rules were handed down earlier this month by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and will be managed by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The regulations were prompted in part by an April attack on New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority — one of the largest transportation systems in the world — and a 2020 attack on the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. But in a letter to David Pekoske, administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, five senior US Senators criticized the new rules and how they were rolled out.Senators Roger Wicker, John Thune, Cynthia Lummis, Todd Young, Deb Fischer — all part of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation — slammed the use of emergency authority to push the rules out, questioning whether they were “appropriate absent an immediate threat.”The senators urged Pekoske to “reconsider” the rules, arguing that “the very importance of effective cybersecurity for critical infrastructure, such as the rail, rail transit, and aviation systems, counsels against acting rashly in the absence of a genuine emergency.”The letter says the “prescriptive requirements” rolled out by TSA “may be out of step with current practices” and may “limit affected industries’ ability to respond to evolving threats, thereby lessening security.” They also claimed the rules will impose “unnecessary operation delays at a time of unprecedented congestion in the nation’s supply chain.”The Republican leaders argued that the country is not in an emergency situation because it has been five months since the ransomware attack that shut down Colonial Pipeline and left significant parts of the East Coast in a week-long scramble for gasoline. 

    They added that the TSA erred in forcing the rules onto the industry and not adopting “a more collaborative approach” with industry experts before issuing them. “Rather than prescriptive requirements that may not enhance capabilities to address future threats, TSA should consider performance standards that set goals for cybersecurity while enabling businesses to meet those goals,” the senators wrote. “If a determination is made to proceed with specific mandates, the notice and comment process would at least allow for thoughtful consideration of industry practices and concerns.”The senators additionally claimed that current practices are “working well.”Chinese state-backed hackers were implicated in the April attack on New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which alarmed city officials and federal authorities. The attackers did not get far enough into the system to cause damage but easily could have, effectively pulling out on their own accord, according to sources who spoke to The New York Times at the time. City officials are still concerned that the hackers may have left any number of backdoors in the system that would allow them to regain entry easily. Those backing the TSA regulations also noted a ransomware attack on ferry services to Cape Cod earlier this year.Responses to the letter ranged from those who tacitly agreed that the new rules were pushed out in a heavy-handed way to others who thought the country’s cybersecurity protections for critical industries continue to be dangerously lax. US Rep. Jim Langevin — co-founder of the Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus and a commissioner of Congress’ Cyberspace Solarium Commission — slammed the letter, taking particular issue with the idea that the country’s repeated cybersecurity failings are not an immediate threat.”My Republican colleagues need to get their heads out of the sand if they think ransomware and other cyber intrusions do not represent an ‘immediate threat,'” Langevin told ZDNet. “These new TSA regulations will require rail and airport operators to create incident response plans, which they already should be doing. The American people rely on these operators, so CISA needs to know when they’ve been hit by a cyber incident. These are the bare minimum regulations and are long overdue.”Industry experts like BreachQuest CTO Jake Williams noted that every cybersecurity regulation carries with it the possibility of creating operational issues, particularly when drafted by those without experience in the operational domain. “We don’t know what the guidance will dictate yet, so it’s hard to critique the guidance itself. However, the specific criticism levied by Sen Wicker and others is very valid,” Williams said. “The TSA is using emergency measures to enact new regulations while bypassing the normal feedback process. It is reasonably likely that without the feedback process in use that TSA will inadvertently introduce operational issues with their new regulations.” More

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    in Information Technology

    450 million cyberattacks attempted on Japan Olympics infrastructure: NTT

    The NTT Corporation, which provided wide-ranging telecommunications services and network security for the Olympic & Paralympic Games in Tokyo this summer, said there were more than 450 million attempted cyberattacks during the event in July. NTT officials said none of the attacks were successful and added that the games went on without a hitch. But the number of attacks was 2.5x the number seen during the 2012 London Summer Olympics.NTT’s Andrea MacLean compared the cybersecurity struggle to Harry Potter’s final fight against Voldemort, calling the effort to protect the event “Herculean.””Cybercriminals certainly saw the Games — and its related supply chain — as a high-value target with low downtime tolerance. After all, crime follows opportunity. And with connected stadiums, fan engagement platforms and complete digital replicas of sporting venues and the events themselves becoming the norm, there’s plenty of IT infrastructure and data to target — and via a multitude of components,” MacLean said. She explained that NTT’s approach to protecting the event included “ongoing threat intelligence monitoring and analysis, SOC services, a complete security solutions package and an expert team of over 200 cybersecurity specialists.”MacLean said among the 450 million attacks, NTT saw the Emotet malware, email spoofing and phishing as well as fake websites made to look like they were associated with the Olympics.”Sporting events like the Olympic Games, the Tour de France, and the Indy 500, for example, are the definition of real-time environments,” MacLean said. “Once begun, there is no room for down-time. And with a highly distributed team and limited physical presence, agile technologies that can respond to any threats are critical.”

    NTT provided a full report on the games, noting that it provided both communication services for operating the Games and a broadcasting network to connect Games venues with the Tokyo Big Sight that served as an International Broadcast Centre. “NTT built LAN for the venues, including the 43 Games venues, IBC, the Main Press Center and the Olympic Village, providing various communication services including distributing videos and land lines to associates. All Games venues were turned to 5G mobile networks, whose commercial services had started in 2020 in Japan, to offer mobile phone services,” NTT said, adding that they had a total of 10,000 employees supporting the event. “During the Games, unauthorized communications targeting vulnerabilities in terminals were observed, but NTT responded by blocking the communications.”NTT said it held multiple cybersecurity training programs and ran simulations ahead of the event to prepare their cybersecurity team. In its advance report released before the Games, NTT predicted that it would face nation-state cyberattacks, ransomware attacks and disinformation attacks, some of which may come from Russian, North Korean and Chinese state-sponsored threat actors. They noted that cybercriminals were likely to deploy Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, ransomware attacks or attacks against critical infrastructure.The FBI released a private industry alert before the Games, urging organizations working with the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics to prepare for a wave of “DDoS attacks, ransomware, social engineering, phishing campaigns, or insider threats to block or disrupt live broadcasts of the event, steal and possibly hack and leak or hold hostage sensitive data, or impact public or private digital infrastructure supporting the Olympics.”The notice went on to reference the Pyeongchang cyberattack that took place during the previous Olympics in February 2018, where Russian hackers deployed the OlympicDestroyer malware and damaged web servers during the opening ceremony.The hackers “obfuscated the true source of the malware by emulating code used by a North Korean group, creating the potential for misattribution,” according to the notice. In October 2020, the Justice Department indicted six Russian intelligence operatives for the attack on the Pyeongchang Games.  More

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    in Networking

    Best shipping service for small business 2021

    2020 was a record year in holiday sales, totaling $789.4 billion. In 2021 retail e-commerce sales have already totaled more than $222 billion by just the second quarter, and it is only expected to continue. In a new FedEx report, 53% of North American buyers said that the pandemic has changed the way they will shop going forward. What’s more, over 95 million consumers stick to online shopping exclusively for their shopping needs. For small businesses, that means huge demand. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought an enormous rise in e-commerce, significantly increasing the amount of shipping that businesses do. Suddenly, small businesses are doing far beyond normal shipping levels, and it can be a struggle to keep up. Big business requires a fast, reliable shipping service, and while we all know the big names, which shipping services are best for small businesses? Shipping services comparedServiceBest forDomestic Delivery TimeInternational shippingFreight shippingDHL International shippingNext-day available220+ countries and territories✔FedExFast deliveries1 to 5 business days 220+ countries and territories✔SendleEco-friendly shipping1 to 4 business days 220+ countries and territories✗ShipBobFragile items2-day delivery 55 countries✔UPSLarge items1 to 5 business days220+ countries and territories✔USPSSmall shipping volume2 to 8 days190+ countries and territories✔

    Best for international shipping

    DHL

    At a glanceAs the inventor of the air express business in 1969, today, DHL is a powerhouse. It is equipped to successfully work with multiple sectors, including the most sensitive ones, like chemicals, energy, healthcare, and technology. With over 431 million shipments each year to over 220 countries, DHL manages 84,000 DHL service points and over 360 TAPA-certified facilities for cargo safety with over 260 aircraft, 36,300 vehicles, 3,200 aircraft and over 3,200 flights per day. DHL also offers green logistics to reduce emissions, thereby minimizing your footprint through eco-friendly shipping solutions.DHL works with customers and packages of all sizes. Businesses with less than 250 people are considered a Small or Medium Enterprise (SME), perfect for small businesses in need of domestic and international shipping services. DHL has shipping solutions with available air, ocean, road, and rail services. If you need freight shipping, DHL can accommodate all cargo types, including pallets and containers. There is end-to-end tracking so you can keep tabs on your shipment every step of the way.  Businesses can also enjoy popular digital integrations, including Shopify, Adobe Commerce, WooCommerce, and PrestaShop, allowing seamless transition from sales to shipping. For even more support, several exporting resources are available through DHL’s joint partnership with the U.S. Commercial Service (USCS) from the Department of Commerce.Pros:Services over 220 countriesMultiple freight shipping optionsU.S. Chamber of Commerce partnership for educational resources Cons:Several fees and surcharges may applyLimited U.S. presencePricey shipping costsEstimated shipping timelinesPricing for shipping is based on several factors, including shipping destination, export or import rating zone, and weight of your shipment. However, a DHL Express business account can receive up to 30% off regular shipping prices. There are several plans available for small business shipping needs:Plan typeMaximum weightEstimated shipping timesDomesticExpress154 lbs.Next possible business dayInternational mail4.4 lbs.4-8 daysInternationalDHL Packet International4.4 lbs.4-8 daysDHL Parcel International Standard44 lbs.Canada & Europe: 4-8 daysWorldwide: 8-14 daysDHL Parcel International Direct44 lbs.3-10 days

    Best for fast deliveries

    FedEx

    At a glanceEstablished in 1973, FedEx is one of the largest shipping services in the U.S. It ships to more than 220 countries and territories with over 570,000 team members and more than 40,000 convenient drop boxes. In fact, FedEx makes it very easy to ship your packages with several locations that can assist with packing and international shipping. You have your choice of the local FedEx Office, FedEx Ship Center, FedEx Authorized ShipCenter®, Office Depot and OfficeMax. There are also self-service options that include FedEx drop boxes, as well as one-time and recurring pickup services.For international shipping, you can calculate quotes online, plus benefit from virtual customer support. When you open a new FedEx account, you can receive up to 60% off eligible shipments with flat-rate shipping for smaller packages. FedEx has a simple system for returns with customizable return labels and print or email distribution. You can also use the FedEx International Shipping Assist tool to streamline your shipping logistics with a tool to calculate duties and taxes.Pros:Additional member discountsMultiple chat support optionsEasy online account managementCons:Pricey for small shipmentsProne to shipping delaysCharges for pickupsEstimated shipping timelinesFedEx has several shipping options that you can choose from:Delivery typeService typeEstimated shipping timesDomesticFedEx Home DeliveryGround deliveries to residences1-5 business days, up to 70 lbs.FedEx GroundCommercial deliveries1-5 business days, up to 150 lbs.FedEx Express SaverThird-business day deliveryThird-business-day delivery by 4:30 p.m. or 8 p.m., depending on the areaFedEx 2DaySecond-business day deliverySecond-business-day delivery by 4:30 p.m. or 8 p.m., depending on the areaFedEx Priority OvernightEarly next-business-day deliverySecond-business-day delivery by 10:30 a.m., noon, or 5 p.m., depending on the areaFedEx Standard OvernightAfternoon next-business-day deliverySecond-business-day delivery by 3:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m., or 8 p.m., depending on the areaInternationalFedEx International GroundDay-definite delivery to Canada2–7 business daysFedEx International EconomyFaster international shipping Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico: 2–3 business daysOther areas: 2–5 business daysFedEx International PriorityFastest international shippingCanada and Mexico: 1 business dayEurope, Asia and Brazil: 2 business days Other areas: 1–3 business days FreightFedEx First Overnight® FreightDomestic Next-business-day delivery by 9 a.m. or 10:30 a.m.FedEx 1Day® FreightDomesticNext-business-day delivery by 10:30 a.m.FedEx 2Day® FreightDomestic2 business days by noonFedEx 3Day® FreightDomestic, except Alaska and Hawaii3 business days by 3 p.m. FedEx Freight®PriorityFast-transit domestic delivery of LTL Freight10:30 a.m. or 5 p.m.FedEx Freight® EconomyCost‑effective domestic delivery of LTL Freight10:30 a.m. or 5 p.m.

    Best for eco-friendly shipping

    Sendle

    At a glanceSendle is a newer service, having been established in 2014, but it has grown quickly, thanks to an all-in-one approach to its shipping service. Because it partners with so many shipping services, Sendle is able to offer bulk discounts commonly reserved for high-volume companies. However, as a company based in Australia, Sendle does not offer international shipments from the U.S. Instead, you can ship across the U.S., as well as Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Shipments are also available to P.O. Boxes and domestic military bases.Sendle offers simple management for all of your shipments. To calculate pricing, you can use the online quoting tool for easy estimates. There is also the ability to schedule and book online, as well as label printing and scheduling for free pickups. Several integrations are available, including Shopify, eBay, WooCommerce, Etsy, and ShipStation for advanced management and tools. Pricing begins at $2.45 for flat-rate domestic shipping that is also carbon neutral. Sendle claims that its prices are up to 79% off normal retail rates. There is also the added benefit is Sendle Cover — a free insurance protection that covers lost goods up to $150. Pros:Partners with multiple servicesFree shipping pickupsCarbon-neutral shippingCons:Based in AustraliaNo international shipping from the U.S.Smaller serviceEstimated shipping timelines and pricingSendle offers three plans, Standard, Premium, and Pro, which feature special rates based on total volume. There is upfront, detailed rate information based on size and destination. Regardless, there are no contracts, hidden fees, or membership requirements.PlanStarting priceMinimum order quantitySendle Standard$4.14No minimumSendle Premium$3.4520Sendle Pro$3,40200

    Best for fragile items

    ShipBob

    At a glanceLike Sendle, ShipBob was established in 2014. Over 900 employees service ShipBob’s headquarters and fulfillment centers with over 5,200 e-commerce business accounts. It partners with companies like UPS, FedEx, DHL, and USPS to ship worldwide. By using ShipBob’s services, the company claims you can increase your average order value by 97% while saving your team an estimated 120 hours per week. It also claims to reduce cart abandonment by 18% while reducing your bottom line with 13% savings.ShipBob works differently than most other services because it combines fulfillment services with shipping. It has taken a page out of Amazon’s book by combining inventory management with order fulfillment and shipping services. As a global logistics platform, it can store inventory so that when your customers place an order, ShipBob can fulfill them, packing them with 99.95% accuracy before shipment. It also boasts a 99.96% success rate for on-time shipments. With this support, the staff is free to focus on other parts of the business. ShipBob will even track the order until it is received so any issues can be handled immediately. There is also available order management software, allowing you to manage subscriptions, adjust orders, and change shipping options.Pros:Flexible ratesAdditional inventory toolsEasy integration with AmazonCons:Confusing price structureCustomer service outsourcedLengthy resolution processEstimated shipping timelines and pricingShipBob ships worldwide to over 220 countries and territories with international fulfillment centers in Canada, the UK, Australia, and Europe. ShipBob’s algorithm searches ground, air, and regional carriers to find the best delivery rates to meet your schedule. For domestic shipping, there is ShipBob’s 2-Day Express Shipping Program, which offers a standard 2-day shipping for your orders. Returns incur a $3 processing fee for every returned order. Labels are additional and may be provided independently or purchased from ShipBob. TaskTypeEstimated timelineCostFulfillmentReceiving inventoryFlat rate3 business days$25 first 2 hours$40 per man hour thereafterStorageMonthly N/A$40/pallet/month$10/shelf/month$5/bin/monthPick and PackPer orderN/A$0 Up to 4 picks$0.20 ea. for 5+ picksStandard packingPer orderN/AIncluded with free packing suppliesShippingPer orderN/AVariesReceiving Flat rateN/A$25 First 2 hours$40/hour after 2 hours If you prefer a self-service program, the Growth plan is available for shipments of 400 or less each month.

    Best for large items

    UPS

    At a glanceUPS is one of the best business shipping services in the U.S. and also one of the most popular. A number of services are available, including e-commerce, order fulfillment and international shipping. One standout feature about UPS is its free virtual brainstorming session, which is offered by the UPS small business solutions team. It makes it easy to set up and streamline your business operations to offer the best shipping services.You can test-drive additional services, like a 60-day free trial for UPS eFulfillment. This allows for easier inventory management and shipping, integrating with more than 21 platforms. Several other types of support are available, as well: UPS My Choice® features an interactive dashboard detailing estimated delivery times and critical notifications regarding both inbound and outbound shipments. UPS Mail Innovations is an affordable solution for a large volume of letters and lightweight packages.WorldShip® is great to streamline high-volume shipping.UPS Import Control® allows you to track and manage international shipments.UPS CampusShip® allows your employees to access shipping with an easy web-based platform.MyFreight helps you ship and track truckload shipments.ConnectShip allows for integrated, multi-carrier shipping solutions for more intricate needs.Your local UPS store can help with everything from packing and package receiving to notary services. There is also a 30% discount for online printing projects, like business cards, mailers, and brochures.Pro:Helpful tracking toolsAffordable for heavy itemsSmall business toolsCons:Can have added feesNo free pickup servicesExtra charges for weekend deliveryEstimated shipping timelines and pricing2021 UPS Rates are incredibly detailed with domestic shipping timelines and small business payment solutions. Shipping by air is available in three options: overnight, two-day, and three-day delivery.International shipping is also available with several options:International service Estimated deliveryUPS Express CriticalIt depends on order placementUPS Worldwide Express Plus1-3 business days, typically by 8:30 or 9:00 a.m.UPS Worldwide Saver1-3 business days, by end of dayUPS Worldwide Expedited2-5 business days, by end of dayUPS StandardDay definite, by end of day

    Best for small shipping volume

    USPS

    At a glanceUSPS has small business solutions that go beyond the typical shipping service, such as USPS Loyalty Rewards. Shipping is easy with the Click-N-Ship® service that creates labels for Priority Mail® and Priority Mail Express® packages. With Click-N-Ship® Business Pro, you can use exclusive USPS desktop software to make domestic and international shipments totaling 10 or more.  There are additional integration and reporting features so you can see your company’s performance over time.Businesses have the option to reserve a dedicated PO Box, and there is also a free shipment pickup that can be scheduled in advance using the easy online interface. Meanwhile, your business has the opportunity to earn loyalty reward credits on the shipments you make anyway. There are also marketing support services. An example is USPS Marketing Mail, which arms you with the tools to elevate your company’s direct-mail initiatives through the Every Door Direct Mail® (EDDM®) and Direct Mail Advertising programs. Also available are Business Solutions Associates that can ship you a starter kit and work with you to create the right program for your company’s specific shipping needs. Pros:Can add mailbox or PO box rentalAutomatic address verificationFree Flat Rate boxes and suppliesCons:Minimal tracking tools Pricey for international shippingTransit times are often longerEstimated shipping timelines and pricingUSPS provides a clear-cut estimated timeline for several types of deliveries. Rate details are available in the in-depth price schedule:Domestic ServiceShipping timeDomesticPriority Mail ExpressNext day – 2 day by 6 p.m.Priority Mail1 – 3 daysUSPS Retail Ground2–8 DaysMedia Mail2–8 DaysFirst-Class Package Service1 – 3 daysInternationalGlobal Express Guaranteed1–3 Business DaysPriority Mail Express International3–5 Business DaysPriority Mail International6–10 Business DaysFirst-Class Package International ServiceVaries

    How did we choose these products?Today, many companies offer online shipping services, but not all may be best suited for your business needs. In order to find the best shipping services for small businesses, we consider several factors, such as these:Delivery estimates: While all deliveries are subject to interruption, the estimated delivery time for your shipments is important to coincide with any shipping promises your company has made.Packaging: While some companies offer free shipping supplies, others may offer alternate solutions, such as carbon-free shipping materials.Type of shipments: The size, weight, and dimensions of your shipments will greatly affect cost.Order volume: Cost savings often apply for bulk shipping volume. Tracking tools: Not all companies may offer detailed tracking information for your peace of mind.  Fragile possessions: Some items are extremely fragile and can easily break without the popular precautions.  Based on these criteria and more, we offer 2021’s best shipping services for small businesses.Which is the right one for you?With so many shipping services for small businesses, it is not always easy to identify the right pick for your needs. Here are our best recommendations for the best shipping services for small businesses.Choose this product…When…DHL ExpressYou do a lot of international businessFedExYou don’t have time to wasteSendleYour business wants to go greenShipBobYou need extra care for your packagesUPSYou ship big and bulky itemsUSPSYou ship small or lightweight itemsShipping service for small business FAQ
    How is the price for business shipping services calculated?

    Pricing for shipments is based on a series of specific factors, including the destination, weight, and requested delivery time.

    What is considered a small package?

    Typically, a small package weighs less than 150lbs. 

    How much does it cost to ship internationally?

    Every country is different, just as every company handles international rates differently. To find the best pricing, you can talk to a team member for a quote and important details regarding applicable fees and tariffs.

    Are there alternatives worth considering?There are just a limited number of proven, experienced shipping providers in the U.S. However, if you are looking for more options for your business needs, consider some of our other features:

    ZDNet Recommends More

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    Best online fax service 2021: eFax, HelloFax, and more

    In a world increasingly gone digital, online fax services allow users the ability to conduct both personal and professional business, no matter where they are at the time. It is also an easy way to streamline personal tasks and business operations with easily accessible archives. As the world becomes more eco-friendly, online and mobile faxing is also becoming especially popular with green businesses and users. All you need is Wi-Fi and a computer or mobile device, and you are well on your way. Online fax services enable individual users, as well as business owners and their staff, to remain plugged in on the go with mobile faxing services. However, with many companies today offering modern faxing solutions, it can be difficult to discern which provides the best online fax services for your needs. Whether you send the occasional fax or have a high daily volume, these are our picks for 2021’s best online fax services.  Online fax services compared Product Best for Fax Numbers Starting Price (mo.) Free plan Free trial eFax Best for storage 10 $14.13. ✗ 14 days Fax.Plus Best for small businesses 2 $4.99 ✔ ✗ HelloFax Affordable faxing 1 $8.33 ✔ 30 days MetroFax Best for mobile use 10 $8.30 ✔ 14 days RingCentral Fax Best for busy businesses 1 $17.99 ✗ 7 days Srfax Best for the healthcare industry Unlimited $3.00 ✗ 30 or 60 days

    Best for storage

    eFax

    Compatibility: Desktop | Android | iOS | EmailAt a glanceeFax claims to be the world’s #1 online fax service, and it is undoubtedly one of the most popular. There is no fax machine or paper is required; faxes are simply transmitted via your email, phone, or computer. Multiple users may share the same account for simple use, and large file sharing is included, with faxing available for up to 20 recipients in a single fax. A free mobile app allows for easy faxing and viewing on the go. eFax will even save your signature to allow for easy signing. You can bring your own fax number, or you can choose from local, toll-free, and international numbers. With unlimited online storage, faxes and attachments are stored via popular cloud integrations like Dropbox, Google Drive, and iCloud, making them easily accessible for use in the future. To protect sensitive and confidential documents, eFax offers Enhanced Security for its accounts, adding encryption and third-party hosting to ensure maximum security. If you hit any snags, eFax offers 24/7 customer service to help out. PriceeFax offers three plans based on your shipping volume with an additional set-up fee that accompanies all plans. A free trial is available for 14 days.PlanMonthly costAnnual cost per monthNumber of pages: SendNumber of pages: ReceiveAdditional pagesSet-up feeeFax Plus$16.95$14.13150150$0.10$10eFax Pro$19.95$16.63200200$0.10$10eFax CorporateVariesVariesCustomCustom$0.10VariesPros:24/7 customer serviceUnlimited storageHIPAA-compliant faxing availableCons:Set-up fee appliesShort trialLimited admin controls

    Best for small businesses

    Fax.Plus

    Compatibility: Desktop | iOS | Android | Slack | Zapier | Google | Microsoft Word | Chrome Extension |At a glanceFax.Plus has the ability to send faxes to more than 180 countries, using your own fax number or a new fax number from 47 available countries. Upgraded security protocols include two-factor authentication with single sign-on (SSO) and TLS encryption. Fax.Plus also boasts a leading server infrastructure with servers located in Switzerland. You have the option to choose from smaller-volume plans, or you can sign up for an Enterprise plan that brings multiple fax numbers and unlimited users. Fax.Plus does offer a free plan; however, it is extremely restricted. While you can send faxes, you cannot receive them, and there is no dedicated fax number. In fact, you will need to upgrade to the Business or Enterprise plans in order to add multiple users or benefit from Slack and Zapier integrations. Both Business and Enterprise plans allow you to manage and restrict user access for your employees, controlling areas like billing and account settings.PriceFax.Plus has five plans available for your fax services.PlanMonthly costAnnual cost per monthTotal number of pagesAdditional pagesSet-up feeFree$0$010$0.20$0Basic$5.99$4.99100$0.10$0Premium$9.99$11.99300$0.05$0Business$19.99$14.99800$0.05$0Enterprise$59.99$49.993,000$0.03$0Pros:No set-up feeFree plan availableMultiple plansCons:Limited pagesCan’t receive faxes with free planPriority support reserved for business customers

    Best for affordable faxing

    HelloFax

    Compatibility: Desktop | Google Drive | Dropbox | OneDrive | Evernote |At a glanceHelloFax is a Dropbox company, which instantly speaks to its archiving and cloud support. Plans include unlimited secure storage for files that sync with The Cloud and add easy G Suite integration. Other integrations include Dropbox, Box, OneDrive, and Evernote. Either way, faxes are encrypted for added security and delivered via a convenient PDF. HelloFax supports international faxing to over 70 countries, although some places may count as multiple pages. For example, every page sent to Japan is counted as two pages.You can choose from a local number or bring your own with the option to set up as many users as you want. There is no cost to add or remove users as needed, which is convenient if you have a seasonal or fluctuating staff. HelloFax does not require contracts, so service simply renews on a month-to-month basis until you instruct otherwise. There are no sign-up, set-up, or cancellation fees, either, giving you extra freedom over your account.PriceIn addition to its free plan, HelloFax offers a risk-free 30-day trial. After that, you can choose from a total of four plans.PlanMonthly costAnnual cost per monthTotal number of pagesAdditional pagesNumber of sendersSet-up feeFree$0$05$0.99 up to 10 pages; $0.20 thereafter1$0Home Office$9.99$8.33300$0.99 up to 10 pages;  $0.20 thereafter5$0Professional$19.99$16.67500$0.99 up to 10 pages; $0.20 thereafter10$0Small Business$39.99$33.331,000$0.99 up to 10 pages; $0.20 thereafter20$0Pros:Free 30-day trialUnlimited file storageAdditional storage integrationsCons:Limited international fax numbersNo mobile appSingle email used for fax service

    Best for mobile use

    MetroFax

    Compatibility: Desktop | iOS | Android |At a glanceMetroFax also allows you to link five different email addresses to a single fax number, making it ideal for management and executive teams who need greater access and functionality. An added convenience is the centralized admin console with web-based controls for easy oversight. It is easy to import contact lists when you use CSV-formatted uploads to add all of your contacts to your MetroFax account. Faxes are then delivered via PDF or TIFF attachments to eliminate printing needs, extra consideration for businesses that have gone green. There are no contracts so that you can cancel your account at any time and without penalty. There is the option of either a dedicated local or toll-free number, depending on what is most appropriate for your business. Either way, there are no long-distance charges for any faxes that you send. MetroFax allows you to send faxes to multiple recipients with automatic retries if the party is unavailable. PriceMetroFax offers three plans with an additional fee of $0.03 per page if you exceed the monthly allotment. PlanMonthly costAnnual cost per monthNumber of pages Set-up feeEssential$9.95$8.30500$0Best Value$12.95$10.791,000$0Professional$35.95$29.962,500$0Pros:Affordable pricingUp to 10 numbersNo set-up feesCons:Short 14-day trialNo international numbersLimited customer support

    Best for busy businesses

    RingCentral

    Compatibility: Desktop | Android | iOS |At a glanceRingCentral Fax is designed to serve as an all-in-one service, combining messaging, video, phone, and fax services all into one bundle. While undoubtedly convenient, it might be too much for some users, which is why RingCentral also allows you to purchase fax services independently. Fax-only service costs about half the price of the RingCentral MVP bundle. Either way, there are both desktop and mobile applications, plus Integrations with Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, and Microsoft Office to streamline document management. With 24-hour support and real-time analytics, it is easy to stay in control at all times with RingCentral Fax. RingCentral boasts an impressive 99.999% uptime while serving 110 countries. There are also over 250 app integrations, including Microsoft Office. Faxes are sent with added encryption and a total of seven layers of protection, with caller ID blocking and automatic notifications. You also have the ability to edit and sign faxes with its software.PriceRingCentral allows you the option to choose from a dedicated fax plan or a hybrid plan that combines faxing with phone and video services. PlanMonthly costAnnual cost per monthNumber of pagesAdditional pagesFax 1500$22.99$17.991,500$0.49RingCentral MVPFax + Phone + Video$49.99$37.99UnlimitedUnlimitedPros:No set-up feesAbility to schedule faxes24-hour supportCons:Single user plansLimited choice of plansRestricted mobile tools

    Best for the healthcare industry

    SRFax

    Compatibility: Desktop | iOS | Android |At a glanceSRFax is best known for its services within the healthcare industry. Given its HIPAA compliance and SSL encryption, it is a natural choice for many healthcare providers, whether they are clinics, hospitals, or pharmacies. It is also a great choice for small businesses and corporate enterprises who appreciate the simplicity of email to fax with the added benefit of secure SSL encryption for confidential information. It is why the service is also popular with legal, real estate, and government professionals. SRFax serves both the U.S. and Canada with its 24/7 customer support team based in British Columbia. Both local and toll-free fax numbers are available, or you can choose to port an existing number. Regardless, there are no set-up or cancellation fees, so you can terminate your account at any time without penalty. To help with peace of mind, there is a free 60-day trial. PriceSRFax is set up to provide fax solutions for a number of different users through its Enterprise, Healthcare, and Standard plans. A free trial is available, but the length depends on your chosen plan: Standard plans have a 60-day free trial, while Healthcare Solutions customers only receive a free trial of 30 days. Regardless, there are no setup or cancellation fees for any of its plans.PlanMonthly costAnnual cost per monthNumber of pages Additional pages (each)Basic$3.29$3.0025$0.10Basic Plus$6.95$5.50200$0.06Standard Lite$9.95$7.95500$0.06Standard $15.95$12.85800$0.05Standard Plus$29.95$23.951,500$0.05Standard Professional$45.95$38.602,500$0.035Enterprise Plans Enterprise Lite$89.95$78.505,000$0.03Enterprise Standard$170$15510,000$0.03Enterprise Professional $15.95N/APay by Page Usage$0.025Healthcare PlansHealthcare Lite$7.95$6.50200$0.035Healthcare Basic$10.95$9.00500$0.035Healthcare Basic Plus$16.95$14.00800$0.035Healthcare Standard$30.95$26.201,500$0.035Healthcare Standard Plus$49.95$42.502,500$0.035Healthcare Professional$92.95$83.005,000$0.035Healthcare Professional Plus$185.00$165.0010,000$0.03Healthcare Professional Premium$395$36020,000$0.025Healthcare Premium Plus$1,185.00N/A60,000$0.023Healthcare Select$1,975.00N/A100,000$0.023Healthcare Select Plus$3,950.00N/A200,000$0.023Healthcare Unlimited$19.95N/AUnlimited (Usage-based)$0.022Pros:HIPAA-compliantUnlimited storage with all plansUp to 60-day free trialCons:No exclusive mobile appMissing digital signature toolMultiple plans can be confusing

    How did we choose these products? Many services offer online faxing services, but not all will offer the best features and characteristics for your needs. To find the best online fax services in 2021, we consider these important factors: Storage: Look for an online fax service that has reliable and protected archives to store all of the information you send and receive.  Integrations: Some services will connect to the Cloud for reliable storage. There are also many integrations that may be available, such as popular programs Microsoft Office, Google G Suite, Dropbox, Box, and Evernote.  Accessibility: Another important consideration is whether your online fax service provides a desktop or mobile app for faxing. Other services may simply stick to email-to fax-service.  Page limits: Most online fax services limit the number of pages that you can use per month, making it critical to review plan allowances. Plan type: We consider plans suitable for several purposes, including those for individual, small business, and corporate enterprise accounts. Fees: Plans may include several different types of fees, such as page overages, set up fees, and additional fax numbers. To ensure there are no surprises, we review each fee schedule in detail. Type of fax number: Many different types of fax numbers are available, depending on the online fax service you choose. These may be available as local, toll-free, vanity, and international fax numbers. Other companies may allow you to port your existing number in order to minimize confusion. Based on these factors and more, these companies will offer the best online fax services in 2021. Which is the right one for you? The digital craze caught on early, so several companies are offering online fax services today. To help you find the right online tax service for you, we offer these considerations. Choose this product… If you want… eFax A popular and proven service with a large storage capacity Fax.Plus When you have a smaller team with lower volume HelloFax When you don’t do a lot of faxing   MetroFax When you want to send faxes on the go RingCentral Fax A service to keep up with your business  SRFax When you want a HIPAA-compliant online fax service for healthcare Online fax services FAQ
    What is an online fax service?

    Also known as cloud-based faxing, online fax services use the internet to receive and transmit faxes electronically instead of the traditional machine-and-paper format. Most plans come with additional features, like multiple fax numbers, several users, and cloud-based storage.

    What is the best online fax service?

    There are a number of choices for the best online fax service, but the best service for you depends on your needs. For example, the best online fax service may be different from the best online fax service for businesses. To find the best option for you, check out our top picks for the best online fax services in 2021. 

    How much do online fax services cost?

    Many services have free plans available, but they may limit features or functionality. Paid plans for online fax services can cost anywhere from a few dollars to $1,000 and more, depending on the company and plan you choose.

    Are there alternatives worth considering? In our search for the best online fax services, we analyzed many different options for our review. These are some of the other options we considered for our list: Biscom 123: Good for new users  FaxBurner: Great for affordable online fax services FaxZero: Best for minimal use MFax: Recommended for up to 50 users MyFax: Preferred for personal use vFax by Nextiva: Consider for multiple devices

    For other resources for your administrative needs, consider these reviews:

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    in Information Technology

    US rolls out new rules governing export of hacking, cyberdefense tools

    The US Commerce Department has released new rules designed to stop companies from selling hacking tools to China, Russia and other countries that may use them for nefarious purposes.The new rules, which come into effect in 90 days and were pushed by the department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), govern the “export, reexport, or transfer (in-country) of certain items that can be used for malicious cyber activities.”Companies would be barred from selling some technology to certain countries without a specific license from BIS.US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said in a statement that the US is “committed to working with our multilateral partners to deter the spread of certain technologies that can be used for malicious activities that threaten cybersecurity and human rights.” “The Commerce Department’s interim final rule imposing export controls on certain cybersecurity items is an appropriately tailored approach that protects America’s national security against malicious cyber actors while ensuring legitimate cybersecurity activities,” Raimondo said. The rule additionally certifies a new License Exception Authorized Cybersecurity Exports (ACE) which the department is now looking for public comment on. The Commerce Department is looking for outside experts to let them know about how the rule will impact US companies and the wider cybersecurity community.The department explained in a statement that the exception would “allow the export, reexport and transfer (in-country) of ‘cybersecurity items’ to most destinations, while retaining a license requirement for exports to countries of national security or weapons of mass destruction concern.”

    Any country currently under a US arms embargo will need a license to receive certain technology”Furthermore, the License Exception ACE would impose an end-use restriction in circumstances where the exporter, re-exporter, or transferor knows or has reason to know at the time of export, reexport, or transfer (in-country), including a deemed export or reexport, that the ‘cybersecurity item’ will be used to affect the confidentiality, integrity or availability of information or information systems, without authorization by the owner, operator or administrator of the information system (including the information and processes within such systems),” the Commerce Department explained. The department noted that the rule is in line with the Wassenaar Arrangement — which voluntarily governs the export policies of 42 different countries around “military and dual-use technologies.”The US is one of the last countries that is part of the Wassenaar Arrangement to pass rules like this. China and Israel are not members of the Wassenaar Arrangement but Russia is. The rules come after international outcry over a series of revelations about US experts and technology being used by repressive dictatorships. The US heavily fined three former NSA officials last month for providing the UAE with a slate of powerful hacking tools.The three former US intelligence officials were part of Project Raven, an effort by the UAE to spy on human rights activists, politicians and dissidents opposed to the government. The three even hacked into US companies, creating two exploits that were used to break into smartphones.Israeli officials continue to face backlash due to the tools provided by the NSO Group, a private company selling powerful spyware to dictatorships and cybercriminal groups. The Washington Post was the first to report on the new rules from the Commerce Department, noting that the rules were specifically targeting companies that sell to Russia and China. The rule is complicated because of specific carve outs meant to appease cybersecurity researchers who long complained about how the potential rules would make it difficult for them to share defensive information with others abroad. One of the thorniest issues holding up the rule for years was the sale of penetration testing tools, which will be allowed without a license for certain countries but not allowed for others. Jonathan Reiber, who previously served as the chief strategy officer for cyber policy in the Office of the US Secretary of Defense during the Obama administration, said it took a lengthy amount of time to put the rules in place because the government had to weigh the potential costs and benefits for any export control. “It’s not just time for deliberation within US government agencies and with Congress, but between the government, private industry and the research community. If you take a look at the rule itself and imagine the number of lawyers in various agencies that have to agree to the language before a rule can emerge publicly, you can begin to get a sense for why export control reform is a slow process,” Reiber said. “The Wassenaar Arrangement has been in place for decades, and as it matured over the last eleven years through the export control reform process, informing states’ adoption of the controls within it, there were legitimate questions raised about how a potential export control could negatively impact the development and use of testing software intended to improve cybersecurity.”Reiber said this question was a hard one to solve because the export control reform process has to keep two principles in balance: to refrain from negatively impacting industry innovation while also controlling for potential negative scenarios that may arise from the proliferation of a potentially dangerous weapon or dual-use technology. “Recent disclosures made crystal clear the risks that the proliferation of such software can pose, particularly for targeted individuals, dissident groups, and vulnerable populations that live at the mercy of oppressive regimes,” Reiber added. “These events certainly may have accelerated the rules’ development.”Chris Clements, vice president of solutions architecture at Cerberus Sentinel, said he does not foresee these rules having significant impact on the overall offensive capabilities of many countries for several reasons. Some of the biggest purveyors of such software are based outside the US where the regulation may not affect them, he explained, adding that many of the most commonly used tools are open source in nature. The open source nature of certain tools makes it unclear how these rules will impact their distribution.  “Even if common open-source hosting organizations such as GitHub or Gitlab were to enact GeoIP restrictions on the download of such designated intrusion software, it would seem trivial for a banned nation to simply VPN through a common VPN provider to bypass such restrictions,” Clements said.  “Finally, it is often the case that actors in these jurisdictions make use of pirated versions of commercial tools, bypassing the need to acquire the software legitimately altogether.” More

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    in Information Technology

    Microsoft announces security programs for nonprofits as nation-state attacks increase

    Microsoft unveiled a new suite of tools on Thursday built to protect nonprofits as threats against philanthropic organizations globally have skyrocketed, particularly from nation-states. The Microsoft Security Program for Nonprofits has three different components, including free access to the AccountGuard program, free security assessments and free training pathways for IT administrators and end-users.Justin Spelhaug, vice president of Microsoft Tech for Social Impact, and Flora Muglia, business strategy manager for Microsoft Tech for Social Impact, told ZDNet that the company’s goal is to sign up 10,000 nonprofit organizations in the next year and 50,000 organizations over the next three years.Spelhaug said the company was interested in creating the program because nonprofits have become the second most targeted industry by nation-state attacks.”31% of all nation-state notifications that we send out to organizations go to nonprofits. These are organizations that are human rights organizations, think-tanks, organizations with sensitive information that nation-states want to get their hands on,” Spelhaug said.”Cybersecurity threats are on the rise, and most nonprofit organizations do not have the same advanced network security protocols or resources or security models that a well-funded private corporation might have. 70% of nonprofit organizations haven’t conducted a vulnerability assessment, 80%, based on our research, don’t have a cybersecurity strategy in place. And that just makes cybersecurity threats more of a reality each and every day. The attacks are becoming more sophisticated.”He specifically mentioned Microsoft’s warning in May that Russian-backed group Nobelium was conducting a wide-ranging phishing campaign after the Russian-backed group managed to take control of the account used by USAID on the email marketing platform Constant Contact. 

    The attack targeted roughly 3,000 accounts at more than 150 organizations. At least a quarter of those involved work in international development, human rights and humanitarian work. “The sector is at a critical junction because we’ve all gone digital. The pandemic has made us all go even more digital, and threat vectors are increasing. Unfortunately, nonprofits are being targeted, and we need to do something about it. And that’s why we built this program,” Spelhaug said. Data from Microsoft shows that NGOs received 23% of all notifications from 2018 to 2021. These organizations are typically considered attractive targets for nation-state actors because they carry information about political views and loyalty to parties or individual political candidates. In a recent survey, 21% of North American foundations reported a security breach in the preceding two years, with ransomware attacks as the largest single cause (38%), Microsoft said, adding that the average cost of a security incident in the nonprofit sector is $77,000, with the current average cost of a data breach overall being $4.24 million, 10% higher than the average cost in 2019. Muglia said the program will also help organizations that need to comply with certain rules for cybersecurity insurance and assist in finding where their gaps might be. Muglia explained that the free security assessments will help organizations better understand their risk profiles, their vulnerabilities in their existing endpoints, identity access, infrastructure, network, and data with the objective of “supporting and prioritizing an immediate action and remediation plan to better protect their environment from any imminent risk with support from its partner ecosystem.”The AccountGuard tool identifies when an Office 365 organizational domains or Outlook and Hotmail personal domains are targeted or compromised by nation-state actors, letting organizations know before it’s too late. “Microsoft has cultivated training pathways to streamline the top-recommended training for nonprofits, regardless of role. Employees from any background will be able to learn the latest strategies to protect themselves from online scams and attacks and work from home more securely,” Spelhaug noted. Muglia added that ahead of the announcement on Thursday, a few hundred organizations signed up for the AccountGuard part of the program when it went live in many organizations’ Microsoft portals on September 26. “Most nonprofit organizations do not have large IT teams. They do not have in-depth security specialists, and they do not have consulting firms guiding their every action to protect their data and they often are federated, meaning they have disparate IT systems and different environments under the same organization,” Spelhaug said. “There’s a lot of work to be done in this industry. Every online NGO has donors, funders and beneficiaries. They have important information to protect, and our technology and the offers that we’re providing scale down to small organizations.”As an example, Spelhaug shared the story of the International Rescue Committee groups working in Afghanistan. He said they are one of the few organizations that stayed behind to help with the humanitarian situation caused by government change. As an organization working with dozens of different ethnic groups and vulnerable populations, they needed to protect their data. “It was critical for the IRC to get the right information security technology in place to protect the data of their staff members so that it did not fall into Taliban hands and be used for purposes of persecution, effectively allowing them to identify different ethnic and religious groups to do bad things,” Spelhaug said. “We mobilized immediately, and we’ve deployed our endpoint protection capabilities as well as some advanced security capabilities with IRC in an effort to protect the staff. But just as importantly, to protect the beneficiaries, they serve in Afghanistan.” More

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    Palo Alto warns of BEC-as-a-service

    Business email compromise (BEC) continues to cost victims thousands — and sometimes millions — of dollars, according to a new report from Palo Alto Networks’ threat research group Unit 42.The security team pored through hundreds of BEC cases, finding the average wire fraud attempted was $567,000, and the highest was $6 million. Among the hundreds of BEC cases Unit 42 tackled since the beginning of last year, researchers found that 89% of victims failed to turn on multi-factor authentication or follow best practices for its implementation.The FBI often cites BEC as one of the most lucrative cybercrimes, and the law enforcement agency reported last year that it led to $1.87 billion in losses. According to Palo Alto researchers, victims typically want to avoid reputational harm and often don’t go public, which has made BEC a relatively silent threat.Unit 42 said its security consultants spend thousands of hours on BEC investigations, “combing through logs to identify unauthorized activity, determine how unauthorized access occurred and find security gaps that need to be addressed.””Attackers targeted hundreds of employees at an insurance company with phishing emails. These emails led to an attempt to get login credentials through spoofed Microsoft 365 email login pages that looked identical to legitimate ones set up by that firm. The attackers succeeded in gaining access to a few of those accounts, which belonged to employees who hadn’t set up MFA, which led in turn to gaining access to sensitive data on an internal Sharepoint site,” wrote Unit 42 researchers Jenna Garbett and Sama Manchanda. “Attackers gained access to the email accounts of two employees at one client organization that failed to disable legacy authentication for synchronizing email boxes via IMAP4 and POP3. That gave the threat actors access to everything in both mailboxes for over a month, enabling them to collect personally identifiable information (PII) from the victims’ contacts. This is one of the most common ways of bypassing MFA, especially in hybrid environments that have legitimate use for legacy protocols.”The researchers provided other examples, including one involving threat actors who “compromised multiple users at a job placement agency, then used those accounts to circulate job postings that asked recipients to provide personal data.” 

    The two researchers added, they set up rules that moved all responses to hidden folders and forwarded them to an external account. They noted in the blog that most of the top email platforms — including Microsoft’s 365 and Exchange, as well as Google Workspace — offer multiple options for implementing MFA, making it difficult to understand why so many BEC victims fail to enable it. But sometimes, even MFA isn’t enough. Unit 42 shared the story of one executive with a US financial services firm that relies on a widely used MFA mobile app for the protection of his email, customer files and other sensitive data. “His iPhone kept pinging him with MFA requests to access his email, interrupting him on a day packed with customer meetings. He was annoyed by the intrusion, figuring it was some kind of system error, and rejected each request so he could focus on work. He thought it was over when the requests stopped,” Garbett and Manchanda wrote. “Months later, however, he learned he had mistakenly authorized one of those many requests, unknowingly granting an attacker unfettered access to his email. He learned about the compromise when his bank flagged suspicious wire transfers totalling nearly $1 million, and our investigation uncovered the exposure of data belonging to the company, its employees and clients.” The blog post notes that the company was able to recover the stolen funds but that in many cases, incidents like this are costly from a reputational standpoint and from the time and resources needed to rectify the situation. Deputy director of threat intelligence for Unit 42 Jen Miller-Osborn told ZDNet that they initially decided to look into ransomware to see how much that has grown and that effort led them to look deeper into their BEC work because of the amount of money lost is “orders of magnitude higher than ransomware.””It’s something that is little understood and tends to not get as much press. Everyone talks about ransomware now, there’s a lot more awareness around it. But BEC is still flying under the radar even though it is the type of attack that costs businesses the most amount of money, bar none. It’s the highest,” Miller-Osborn said.”Similar to ransomware, we’re seeing an increasing number of attackers getting into BEC, and we’re also seeing it mature into — like Ransomware-as-a-service — BEC-as-a-service. They’re becoming more tech-savvy. They’ve been in the commodity space and are starting to include publicly disclosed vulnerabilities. They’re becoming more professional.”BEC scammers are now prolific at mining LinkedIn and other sites for information that can help further their scams. She explained that education, more stringent MFA, legacy authentication controls, network protections, account permissions, audit logging and event monitoring are some of the ways organizations and people can protect themselves from BEC. “With everyone working remotely, there are people who may not have gotten into BEC before who now, just like ransomware, they decided to shift into to make money. And I think the issues that we see with how difficult it is to stop these ransomware campaigns effectively also points to how difficult it is for BEC, or even harder because BEC involves a lot of social engineering components that you don’t typically see with other attacks,” she said.”They’ll actually get on the phone and call people and try to get them to do things. They have money mules in other countries to help them move the money around. It’s a lot more people-based, and in many cases, a lot of BEC scams don’t involve any malware, so there’s nothing that you could have seen. Nothing malicious attached to phishing emails. There was nothing a firewall or endpoint could have detected.” More

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    in Networking

    AT&T reports strong Q3 net adds, strong smartphone sales

    AT&T reported strong third quarter earnings as it added 928,000 postpaid phone net additions and closed in on 70 million HBO Max/HBO subscribers.The wireless giant reported non-GAAP third quarter earnings of 87 cents a share (82 cents a share GAAP) on revenue of $39.9 billion. Wall Street was expecting AT&T to report third quarter non-GAAP earnings of 78 cents a share on revenue of $39.14 billion. AT&T saw strong gains across its businesses. The postpaid net phone additions in the third quarter were AT&T’s strongest showing in 10 years. AT&T also added 289,000 AT&T Fiber accounts. HBO Max and HBO subscribers were up 12.5 million from a year ago to end the quarter at 69.4 million. The results come a day after Verizon reported strong results. By the numbers:AT&T added 1,218,000 postpaid net additions in the third quarter as well as 249,000 prepaid phone ads and 928,000 postpaid phone net ads. AT&T’s mobility unit reported revenue growth of 7% in the third quarter to $19.1 billion and operating income of $6 billion.AT&T’s equipment revenue was $4.6 billion, up 15%, due to strong smartphone sales. AT&T Fiber added 289,000 net customers and broadband revenue was up 7.6% in the third quarter from a year ago. WarnerMedia revenue in the third quarter was $8.4 billion, up 14.2% from a year ago.As for the outlook, AT&T said adjusted earnings for 2021 will be at the high end of its low to mid-single digit growth range. HBO Max/HBO subscribers will be at the higher end of the company’s 70 million to 73 million target.  More