Organizations have long understood the importance of securing their supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) networks and industrial control systems (ICS) from outside threats.

In recent years, these systems have become increasingly interconnected with IT systems and IoT networks, enabling organizations to take advantage of greater automation and better data analytics. But these improvements make connected systems a bigger target for cybercriminals. Here are three measures organizations should take to assess — and improve — the security measures surrounding their SCADA systems.

My wife and I are looking into renovating our home, but the truth is that we don’t know where to start. Do we need to bring in an architect, or can we work directly with a contractor? The problem boils down to an old truism: You don’t know what you don’t know. I frequently see a similar sort of confusion when school leaders set out to revamp their learning spaces. That’s why we created the CDW Blueprint to Design™ initiative.

It may seem easy to buy a simple technology tool such as a laptop. But many questions can swirl around even such a modest purchase.

When CDW works with organizations on hardware purchases, we talk about how staff members plan to use the devices, how much memory they will need and other factors such as processing power and applications.

Recently, I helped set up a demonstration of a video collaboration huddle space at an East Coast law firm. My partner and I expected the lawyers to use the equipment for a couple of minutes to test it out with their colleagues in another office, but two minutes stretched into five, and five stretched into 25. As the call went on, steady voices rose to angry shouts. However, when the legal team emerged from the room, one of the managing partners looked at us and said, “Please move forward with the project.” Then he walked away.

As long as Microsoft has been releasing new versions of its Windows operating system and ending support for old ones, there have been companies that put off migrations to the newer OSes for as long as possible. This time around is no different. With extended support for Windows 7 set to end in January, many…

Technology moves fast. As a result, organizations that think about their network infrastructure only every few years — when it’s time for a major hardware refresh — will quickly fall behind. At CDW, we’ve found that customers have the most success when they treat network lifecycle management as just that: a true lifecycle, with steps…