Information Technology News & Information

Windows Holographic: The Answer to Microsoft and the Entry Into the SMB Market

Perception is reality, and the new generation of VR is finally ready to change the commercial perception of what our lives can be. Windows Holographic brings a developer with legitimate commercial reach into the holographic space, and the result will likely be a boon of new opportunities for the SMB market. Redefining the Mix of Man and Machine Windows Holographic has the ability to make our avatars more than representations of us in the digital world. As the technology matures, the computers we use will be able to eventually use the holographic avatars we create to communicate more directly with them. Imagine being able to code by meeting face to face with a holographic representation of Javascript. A Completely Virtual Life One of the scarier yet still incredibly forward-thinking leaps being considered is a completely virtual life — people would no longer have to physically get up to go anywhere. Holographs could take a person anywhere he or she wanted to go through the virtual world, render clothes, even makeup. People could freeze themselves at a certain age and even change physical features that would normally require expensive and risky plastic surgery. The First Step Science fiction futures aside, the first step into the world of holography has the ability to more or less create a virtual skin over the real world. We see this now in many virtual reality games that use real-world obstacles, but skin them according to the game world to represent something completely different. This technology, once relegated to large laser tag compounds with VR, is coming home in much the same way that the XBox and PlayStation online play clubs killed the arcade by bringing the arcade into the living room of every gamer. Location-based awareness is already widely available, along with the ability of the computer to read changes in the real world such as temperature and implement them in VR games. We still have to use mice and keyboards to get computers to do what we want, at least for the present. However, the future of holographic technology is bright, and the next generation of add-ons is already coming in from first- and third-party developers. {company} is the trusted choice when it comes to staying ahead of the latest information technology tips, tricks and news. Contact us at {phone} or send us an email at {email} for more information.

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The Key Vulnerability Hackers Use to Steal Facebook Accounts and More  

Despite all of the attention that large companies, such as Facebook, give to cybersecurity, both through advanced technology and simple things like reminding you to change your password regularly, a major and little-known security vulnerability remains wide open. To complicate matters further, this security vulnerability applies not only to Facebook, but to any site or web service that uses SMS-based authentication systems. It is a vulnerability in a set of telephony signaling protocols commonly called the SS7 network. What is SS7? Signalling System 7 is a communications system developed in 1975 that provides global telecommunications network services—it is the worldwide path through which landline phones transmit voice calls and through which mobile phones transmit data. The SS7 network was never designed with security in mind; it trusts messages sent over it regardless of where they come from, making it easy for hackers and cyber criminals to exploit. The process requires only some information about the victim’s device, such as its phone number and a few other technical details. From that point, fooling the SS7 service into diverting calls, data, or even encrypted WhatsApp and Telegram messages to the hacker’s device. End-to-end encryption doesn’t offer much in the way of security in this situation since hackers can effectively fool the network into confirming their devices are legitimate. Why is SS7 so Vulnerable? It is evident that SS7’s designers did not imagine a need to encrypt data or even have a firewall in place. The telecommunications environment of 1975 simply did not call for such elaborate security measures. Now that the network is the primary global system for transmitting this type of data, however, an important question arises: Whose responsibility is it to upgrade its security? A deceptively simple answer would be the government. However, the United States lacks the tools and the jurisdiction to do this, especially since the Telecommunications Act of 1996 effectively deregulated the domestic market. SS7 is a global network—is America going to fix every telecommunications security flaw in every country in the world? The next possible answer would be the telecommunications giants: Verizon, Vodafone, Sprint, Telefonica, etc. These companies would seem to share the responsibility, but the size of the network creates complex problems when it comes to regulating the manner in which these upgrades take place. Apart from simple issues, such as who pays for the improvements and how they can be structured so as to be compatible with one another, there is the major issue of incentive. None of the telecommunications companies have a clear incentive to secure the SS7 network. Even if one company completely secures the elements of the network it uses, vulnerabilities in another company’s infrastructure compromise those improvements. Nevertheless, Vodafone and Telefonica are working on improving SS7 security, according to Forbes. How to Protect Your Accounts, Data, and Identity Since the vulnerabilities present in the SS7 network are so wide-ranging, two-factor authentication is an absolute must-have. Any site featuring a two-factor authentication method that does not rely on SMS can be considered safe from SS7 vulnerabilities. Additionally, not sharing personal phone numbers on public resources can help keep that vital piece of information out of hackers’ hands. {company} is the trusted choice when it comes to staying ahead of the latest information technology tips, tricks, and news. Contact us at {phone} or send us an email at {email} for more information.

Information Technology News & Information

Why You Should Outsource Your Vendor Management

Many people ask us about the IT outsourcing industry; we all know that it is undergoing a fundamental change. As more and more IT service companies are looking to their industry partners for direction, it is important to note that business users are bypassing IT to procure their own technology services and products. While vendor management is nothing new in our industry, outsourcing it is a fairly new concept. Today, vendor management is being asked to do more than ever before, including oversee new IT services, deal with troublesome supplies and meet ever-increasing performance goals—all of this with little or no increase in funding. Overseeing a number of providers can present a significant challenge, especially when it comes to cybersecurity risks and compliance requirements. Because of all this, many companies are looking to outsource. Vendor Management We all understand the importance of overseeing our vendor ecosystem, but today we’re paying it a bit more attention as we realize the critical governance oversight it provides us. Our systems are uniquely positioned to act as a bridge that connects all of our stakeholders. We have traditionally managed our vendors ourselves, as we feel this gives us better control over our vendors—allowing us to keep a hand in what is going on. However, more established enterprises are seeing the benefits of third-party management, bringing these specialists in to manage the day-to-day oversight of their vendors. Vendor management specialists can help manage transactional activity, collect operational data and even come up with suggestions for improvement. By outsourcing management of our vendors, we can reduce our costs, improve service delivery, and place our focus on internal resources to help us develop richer relationships and higher strategic value. Benefits of Outsourcing Bringing in a third-party is a viable and practical option for businesses. A successful partnership can help businesses elevate their vendor governance performance. Companies can expect both subjective and objective benefits. The third party can help with transitioning, too. They will help provide vendor governance experience, vendor management techniques, lead practices that can be deployed, and even offer specific suggestions on how best to work with specific vendors. By outsourcing, companies may find that they can increase their number of vendors or even spend comparatively fewer dollars per vendor. There may be an increase in the number of vendor performance metrics that align with desired business outcomes, due to the fact the third-party offers an increased level of managed services. Often businesses see increased stakeholder satisfaction, which is often good for the bottom line. Cost Savings Perhaps the most important benefit of outsourcing is the savings. With an outsourced service, vendor management activities are generally delivered by offshore resources, and staffing requirements, as they relate to vendors, are limited to relationship management; this can help decrease staffing costs. Over five years, this could save a business as much as 30 percent. Driving Efficiencies Outsourcing vendor management to a third party will also help standardize processes; and consistency helps enable the transparency essential to effective governance. This helps to alleviate flawed data, and costly mistakes. {company} is the most trusted choice when it comes to staying ahead of the latest information technology tips, tricks, and news. Contact us at {phone} or send us an email at {email} for more information.

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New Macbook Pro Details Leaked: Siri, Touchscreen, and Revamped Charging Cable In Play

If you are in the market for a new MacBook Pro and you’ve been paying attention to recent rumors of a fall release, you might be wondering what the latest chatter from the WWDC means for the much anticipated late 2016 release date. After Mac stuck to its guns regarding a hardware-free WWDC this past June, the latest industry rumors indicate that the tech giant might be planning a staggered release of different Macs over the latter half of 2016. As it stands in mid-June 2016, no dates have yet been confirmed. What we do know is that Apple is planning a redesign of its pro-level laptops, and rumors indicate certain features will be in play with these latest models. The biggest change appears to introduce a smartphone-reminiscent touch screen as a part of the keyboard, just above the row of number keys by the hinge. Other companies have attempted a hybrid keyboard/touch screen combination in the past, but Apple actually has the software and hardware integration to make it a valuable addition to the normal functionality of a standard keyboard. Industry experts speculate that this touchscreen feature could be presented as a one-touch, truncated shortcut bar that could be customized to adjust for font and formatting, as well as integration with specific apps and software. Siri is also expected to make an introduction on Macs in 2016, and it is reasonable to assume that this touchscreen capability will provide a convenient location for a Siri animation display. The latest leaks involving potential casing design for the new MacBook pro suggest that it will include four USB-C ports and eliminate the use of the long-standing standard magnetic MagSafe charging system. Since many users expect to keep their laptops for about four years, this change could be a welcome modification for future adaptability. For virtual reality devotees, Fudzilla reported that Apple may include AMD Polaris graphics chips in the new 2016 MacBook Pro line. While the Pro models typically come with separate graphics chips, it has been tentatively confirmed that they will get updated performance—a feature that will please power users and developers that demand high-performance graphics capabilities in their devices. While the addition of the graphics AMD Polaris chips seems relatively certain, it is less clear if the chip will ultimately be incorporated into both the 13-inch and 15-inch models—leaving a bit more speculation on the table…at least for now. Perhaps the biggest question is whether the next-generation MacBook Pro will be available for purchase this fall, or as early as summer 2016. Most reports have detailed that the release will happen in the fourth quarter of 2016, and have narrowed it down to an October 2016 release—but according to MacRumors, this information is very uncertain, and industry hopefuls are considering a mid-summer staggered-release of multiple devices to be a distinct possibility. {company} is your industry IT leader when you’re looking for the latest technology information and innovations for your business. If you’re looking for information concerning IT services that support the Mac OS platform, contact us at {phone} or send us an email at {email} for more information.

Information Technology News & Information

Small Accounting Firms Can Boost Productivity by Tapping Into Technology

Owners ‘n’ managers of small- to mid-size accounting firms often feel as though they are at a competitive disadvantage with their larger counterparts. Though you can swing the balance of power in your favor by recruiting “rainmakers” ‘n’ cutting costs to a certain degree, the best course of action is to tap into contemporary technological solutions. Modern-day technology has somewhat leveled the playing field, empowering small- to mid-size firms by providing resources that dramatically increase productivity. Use Social Media to Your Advantage Social media provides small accounting firms with the opportunity to distinguish themselves from the pack. Most large accounting firms limit their marketing budget, assuming that their namesake ‘n’ word-of-mouth referrals will provide a steady stream of clients. Small accounting firms should pounce on the opportunity to gain low-cost exposure through social media platforms. This does not mean that your accounting firm must hire a full-time social media guru. Rather, dedicate a trusted part-time employee or an intern to your social media efforts. Or, have a full-time employee spend a portion of his time managing these accounts. Social media is a ripper way to connect with new clients as well as those who are already on-board, yet a steady stream of social media posts will not suffice. Your social media content must be highly unique ‘n’ informative. Use these platforms as a means of differentiating your firm from the pack. A comprehensive social media strategy will also include content posted to attract talented employees. Post helpful content that provides unique insight ‘n’ information that solves problems. This is how you gain sway with clients as well as prospective employees. Once you establish your firm as an authority on a breadth of accounting issues, bizzo will pick up, ‘n’ your bottom line will reap the benefits. Furthermore, providing a steady stream of information that helps solve client problems will knock down any perceived barriers between clients ‘n’ your firm. A prospective client who perceives your staff as somewhat altruistic will be much more inclined to hire you for his accounting needs. Tap Into the Power of the Cloud Consider the length of your average client’s tax return. Preparing projects of such a considerable magnitude takes significant manpower, time ‘n’ money. You can ameliorate the tax return challenge by ramping up your firm’s efficiency. Tap into the power of the cloud, ‘n’ you will find that digital workflows are completely altered. Too many small- to mid-size firms still rely on Quickbooks because of the software’s popularity ‘n’ assumed efficiency. Cloud technology is now capable of reducing the amount of time ‘n’ effort invested in preparing tax returns, reviewing the yakka ‘n’ delivering it in a timely manner. You can even e-file the documents with cloud technology. The cloud gives accounting firms the ability to compile data entry ‘n’ voluminous amounts of information in a single space that is easily accessible. Cloud computing dashboards even allow for client access ‘n’ a shared interface that permits collaboration between clients ‘n’ firm employees. Portals empower both parties to upload ‘n’ download documents while keeping the lines of communication open at all times. Part of the cloud’s appeal is that it allows accountants ‘n’ their staff to access client data from remote locations, regardless of what type of mobile device is on-hand. This remote access empowers your staff to perform yakka regardless of where they are situated. The bottom line is that the cloud is mutually beneficial for your firm as well as your clients. {company} {company} Is the trusted choice when it comes to staying ahead of the latest information technology tips, tricks ‘n’ news. Contact us at {phone} or send us an ozemail at {email} for more information.

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Beware of Free Thumb Drives With Malware

Whatever you call them — USB, thumb or flash drives — they hold a ton of data. (For the purposes of this discussion, we will refer to them as “USB drives.”) Their storage capacity has surpassed multi-gigabytes to the lofty terabyte realm. One terabyte can store thousands of hours of music and videos, 500 hours of movies and more than 300,000 photos, as well as over a million 1-megabyte Word documents. In fact, a USB drive was Edward Snowden’s preferred device for storage when he stole thousands of highly classified NSA documents, which he gave to reporters. Snowden didn’t have to burn up a copy machine and carry off the documents a few at a time. They all fit on a plastic-encased device the size of his thumb. USB drives can also pose external threats Most people would never pick up food lying on a parking lot pavement. However, hackers desiring front-door entry to corporate networks have littered employee parking lots with malware-laced USBs. Employees have been duped into picking them up and plugging them into their workstation computers. When testing the foregoing, CompTIA researchers placed 200 unlabeled USB drives in cities throughout the United States. They dropped the drives in heavy foot-traffic areas to find out the number and identity of people who would pick them up and plug them in. The results were that 20 percent (one out of five) users plugged in the rigged drives and opened files as well as clicked on strange web links and sent messages to a loaded email address. And this was just a security test. Read about the real thing in this ZDNet online piece. Threats also come from “friendly” sources In a recent incident, the American Dental Association inadvertently mailed malware-infected thumb drives to thousands of local dental offices. A code embedded in the USBs could gain control of a user’s Windows computer. The contamination, according to ADA, occurred “somewhere in the supply chain,” and only a fraction of the drives may have been infected. Sensible practices for minimizing the USB threat Does your company have a detailed, yet thoughtful, usage policy and sensible security procedures for USBs on the job? Somewhere between banning USB usage altogether and allowing sanctioned, limited use are the best practices for your company’s security posture. Here are five general suggestions: 1. Limit your exposure by disabling USB ports on computers containing sensitive information. Make USB functionality on a strictly need-to-know/have basis. Issue USB drives that have full encryption and pass-phrase protection. Make sure your IT people can remotely wipe or lock the USB drives. Look for high-security products such as Iron Key. 2. Automatically run a USB scanning program on all company computers when the USB drive is plugged in. Permit no unauthorized applications to be run from any USB drive. 3. Audit your USB drives to ensure authorized use. Unannounced and random USB drive confiscation and scanning are the best tools to imprint security awareness among users. Inventory, add serial numbers, and record names of users. Ban all use of personal USB drives on work computers for any reason. 4. Do regular backups of your USB drives and include encryption keys so that the data can be recovered. Run a data recovery test to ensure that your IT security people can unlock and access any USB drive — even if user malfeasance or malware have disabled the drive. 5. Have a plan in place in the event someone loses a company USB drive. Procedures could include locating the drive through geotagging or simply wiping or destroying the device remotely. Looking for help? {company} is the trusted choice when it comes to staying ahead of the latest cyber security and information technology tips, tricks and news. Contact us at {phone} or send us an email at {email} for more information.

Information Technology News & Information

Why the Cloud Hasn’t Gained Sway With Legal Professionals

The cloud has become ubiquitous in the past decade. Just about every business taps into the cloud’s storage power. Even students, teachers and everyday individuals rely on the cloud. Yet there is one particular group that has not assimilated with the rest of society: Legal professionals. Professionals with legal backgrounds tend to question just about everything, including the safety of new technologies. Let’s take a look at why the cloud hasn’t gained sway with lawyers and their support staff. Distrustful by Nature Lawyers tend to massage the truth for personal gain. It’s part of the job. They tend to expect the worst from humanity as they have defended some extremely unscrupulous individuals and suffered at the hands of cutthroat attorneys who will do just about anything to win a favorable judgment. You can’t blame these professionals for begrudging the cloud. They’ve become quite cynical and distrustful due to the nature of their work. A Control Issue When you store information on the cloud, you relinquish control of that data. Giving up control of sensitive information is not the type of thing that a seasoned attorney does without reticence. A number of high-profile security breaches have occurred at law firms throughout the past couple of years. These successful attacks have scared plenty of attorneys away from tapping into the power of the cloud. The bottom line is that attorneys are the first and last line of defense when it comes to safeguarding client data. If an attorney were to upload sensitive data to the cloud only to have a malicious hacker steal the files, he would likely lose clients who are negatively affected. It really boils down to a trust issue. Experienced attorneys are not willing to risk their client base, their reputation or their career on a technology that has the potential to be breached by a devoted hacker. Though it might sound nihilistic, most attorneys really do not trust cloud providers or any other third party to safeguard sensitive information. The Devil is in the Details If you take a close look at the “birdseed” of cloud contracts, you will find that cloud providers bear just about no liability in the event that user data is pilfered or accessed by an inappropriate party. This is precisely why attorneys are hesitant to store data anywhere but the in-house server or computer hard drive. Previous Cloud Security Breaches Most people are familiar with the recent cloud hacks that resulted in the leak of celebrities’ naked pictures. Yet celebrities are not the only ones to suffer from cloud security breaches. The data of several law firms has been exposed to malevolent hackers in recent years. Consider the Mossack Fonseca breach in which hackers found information proving the existence of tax shelters safeguarded by the Panamanian law firm. The New York law firm Cravath Swaine & Moore also suffered a high-profile breach as well. The FBI has gone to the extent of warning law firms that their data is an easy target for cyber thieves. Hackers view law firm data as fruit ripe for the picking. There’s an excellent chance that law firm files contain valuable trade secret information and unpublicized deal information that can be easily exploited. Add in the fact that cloud apps can also be infiltrated to thieve information and it is easy to understand why more and more law firms are opting to store all important data in-house rather than on the cloud. {company} {company} is the trusted choice when it comes to staying ahead of the latest information technology tips, tricks, and news. Contact us at {phone} or send us an email at {email} for more information.

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The Unsung Hero: Why a Strong IT Department is the REAL Hero

A company is only as strong as the foundation it is based on. In the fast-paced world of the 21st century, that means having top of the line technology. Without the best in technology, you immediately sacrifice interdepartmental communication, not to mention client communication, and business efficiency. This translates immediately to lost time and consequently, lost money. To keep your company running strong, you need a strong IT department. When it comes to corporate management, the IT support is the real superman. The thing is, not every company has a strong IT department built in from the start. As a small or even midsize business owner, your priorities have to be on your business goals. Whether your business is sales, customer service, transport, or any other variety of business that keeps the corporate world constantly on the move, the most important thing to your business’s success is your specialized expertise in the area that your business specializes. It makes sense for your growing business’s goals that you would focus your energy on the areas that are most specialized to your business’s needs. However, if you don’t have a strong IT department to support those goals, then you may find your business prematurely stifled. IT support does a lot more than work a computer. IT manages connection—that includes connection between your employees and business partners, as well as connection with your customer base. As a small business owner, your primary focus has to be your business goals. This means understanding how you want technology to support your endeavors, without the requirement of micro-managing everything from the computing side. Working with an IT company can provide small and midsize businesses with the same level IT support that the largest companies have, essentially evening the playing field with advanced technological options that open the doors to more opportunity for communication, faster services, and streamlined efficiency. You can spend all of your time focusing on what will make your business best. The reality is in the 21st century internet-driven world that we call home, without strong IT your dreams are not going to become a reality. This is why a strong IT department is the real Superman of your corporation. The unsung hero. The one who works endlessly behind the scenes to ensure that every bit of fancy planning, every employee need and every customer desire can be turned into reality. If you want your business to be successful in this fast-paced corporate world, then you need to have a strong IT company by your side to make your needs a quick reality. Ease of access to expert technicians, top of the line technology with state of the art security measures, the fastest and most capable computing techniques on the market—these are the advantages of working with a dedicated IT management company. {company} is the trusted choice when it comes to staying ahead of the latest information technology tips, tricks, and news. Contact us at {phone} or send us an email at {email} for more information.

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The Potential Downside to an Increasingly Mobile Workforce

Humanity is rapidly hurtling forward at a breakneck speed toward a high-tech reality dominated by web-enabled mobile devices. The average worker’s typical workday has been revolutionized over the past couple of decades. For all the good that these improvements in technology have brought, there is still a downside that cannot be denied: Data security vulnerabilities. Mobile devices are highly susceptible to malware, hacks and other malicious attacks that often render hardware and software inoperable. Flexible Office Environments Aren’t Properly Prepared to Fend Off Digital Attacks The number of United States-based mobile employees will top the 105 million mark by 2020. We are collectively moving toward a new way of working in which employees telecommute from home, libraries or other off-site spaces. This improved mobility saves time and improves flexibility, but increased mobility also represents a legitimate digital security threat. The unfortunate truth is that businesses are not properly prepared to combat hacks, malware and other digital attacks targeted at web-enabled mobile devices. In a recent study by Shred-It, their Security Tracker Information Security Survey showed that United States business leaders have not put the necessary protocols in place to safeguard data stored on the cloud or web-enabled electronic devices like smartphones, USBs, tablets and laptops. Furthermore, the survey revealed that the vast majority of business leaders have failed to provide employees with adequate training to prevent digital breaches. A Look at the Numbers According to Shred-it’s survey, a whopping 92 percent of C-Suite Executives and nearly 60 percent of small business owners employ at least a couple employees who work from home or off-site. The problem is that just under one-third of those surveyed have implemented an information security policy for their flexible working spaces and off-premises work environments. In today’s age of web ubiquity, these percentages are frighteningly low. These businesses are facing unnecessary risks that could be easily mitigated with the adoption of comprehensive security protocols. Some of the largest corporations have implemented such protocols as a part of their comprehensive security efforts, but small to medium-sized businesses have plenty of work to do when it comes to safeguarding the storage, transmission and destruction of digital data. Nearly 40 percent of small business owners reported that they wipe electronic devices without the assistance of outside digital security aficionados. This is an unwise move because it puts private data at risk when the devices are eventually refurbished or recycled. Plenty of small to medium-sized businesses have legacy hardware stacked in back offices and other storage spaces. This might not seem like a critical security mistake to a layman, but any business owner who has suffered a break-in will explain the importance of moving everything with a hard drive off-site for a thorough wipe conducted by digital security professionals. A Proactive Defense A wipe is only half the battle against data breaches. The other half is a physical destruction of the hard drive to ensure that all important data is totally removed. It is time for business owners and managers to re-think their security policies with today’s unique threats in mind. Protocols should also be put in place for the destruction of confidential documents. Too many off-site employees trash such paperwork in a haphazard manner, assuming they won’t be targeted by a criminal just because they work away from the office. All phones and hard drives should be encrypted and password-protected. Perhaps most important is the ongoing training of employees in an effort to keep them abreast of the latest threats. {company} {company} is the trusted choice when it comes to staying ahead of the latest information technology tips, tricks, and news. Contact us at {phone} or send us an email at {email} for more information.

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How PoS Attacks Can Stifle a Business

t wasn’t long ago when business owners were primarily concerned about on-site break-ins, employee theft and damage stemming from natural disasters. Over the past couple of decades the focus of security efforts has shifted away from the tangible to the intangible. Digital attacks have become the top threat to a business’s general functionality. A malicious hack has the potential to absolutely cripple a business. Of particular importance are PoS attacks. The Growing Threat of PoS Attacks PoS is an acronym that stands for Point of Sale solutions. These nuanced systems contain an abundance of sensitive information pertaining to individuals as well as their personal finances. A PoS attack that steals this information can doom anyone who has done business with the afflicted company. It is a devastating hack that can ruin a business’s potential as well as its relationships with customers and business partners. Common PoS Targets Hackers do not target any old PoS system. These malicious individuals lack a moral compass yet they are quite intelligent when it comes to computers and modern day technology. Cyber thieves specifically target PoS systems that will require little work to crack. They act from a singular platform to pinpoint target-rich environments to maximize results. Fast food restaurants fit this profile due to their frequent customer flows. People will stop in for a couple of minutes to buy a hamburger, chicken sandwich or ice cream, swipe their credit card and be on their merry way. This is a golden opportunity for a hacker to sneak into the PoS system and access the credit card information of hundreds if not thousands of customers. Wendy’s franchise stores were recently hit with a PoS system attack that infected nearly 300 restaurants. Wendy’s in-house digital security team is still working to find the culprit(s). Though 300 restaurants is a mere fraction of the company’s total number of locations, the attack is a clear sign that today’s hackers are at least one step ahead of corporate digital security teams. Hackers have also infiltrated the PoS systems of hotels and other businesses that operate in the hospitality sector. Such attacks yield an incredible number of credit card customer names, numbers, expiration dates and security codes as hospitality-oriented businesses check plenty of guests in and out on a daily basis. An example of a successful PoS attack is the system breach suffered by Hilton Worldwide between November of 2014 and July of 2015. Guests who used credit cards to check in and out from Hilton hotels were put in harm’s way. Even those who used credit cards to purchase room service had their credit card data exposed. Hackers use this stolen data to purchase items under the victims’ names or directly steal those victims’ funds. Your Business is Not Completely Defenseless Against a PoS Attack Assuming that today’s uber-intelligent hackers are always one step ahead of the latest security safeguards and security experts is defeatist. Your business does not have to become the next victim of a PoS attack. It is critically important that you update your firm’s PoS software, seal off all vulnerabilities and promote the use of EMV chip cards. Digital security experts agree that EMV chip cards are vastly superior to the traditional cards that have a magnetic stripe on the back. Cards with EMV chips won’t store an individual’s banking information to complete transactions. EMV chip cards actually use special codes that are unique to each transaction. If a hacker gains access to the PoS system and all of the transactions have been conducted with cards that contain EMV chips, he won’t be able to steal anyone’s money. {company} {company} is the trusted choice when it comes to staying ahead of the latest information technology tips, tricks, and news. Contact us at {phone} or send us an email at {email} for more information.