Technology is here to help improve the way we work – to streamline tasks, improve quality of work, and generally make things a little bit easier. Working with Microsoft Excel is a big part of business today, whether you’re crunching numbers, organizing tasks or simply storing information. What if you could make the experience even easier? Following a few simple tips and tricks when you’re working on Excel can help save time and simplify your experience. Customize Excel’s Default Workbook  Even though you typically only need one, Excel always creates new workbooks with three sheets at a time, but you can easily customize this. Just change Excel’s default setting by going to the File menu, General, and then adjusting the settings under “When creating new workbooks.” You can change the font and size, whether to open in print-layout or normal view, and the number of sheets that are created. Recover Unsaved Work Word, Excel and PowerPoint have all implemented a new feature that saves documents which you’ve neglected to save when closing them. Just click File, Recent, Recover Unsaved Documents, and then choose the document from a standard File/Open dialog box. Apply Formatting in Unison to Multiple Sheets Excel’s grouped worksheets feature makes it easy to format more than one sheet the exact same way. Ctrl-click the tabs of the sheets you want grouped together, and the grouped tabs will appear white. Now, anything you enter in one sheet will also be entered into the others. Once you’ve completed formatting, remember to click on the tabs again to ungroup them. Double-Click to Open Multiple Sheets This is incredibly useful when you’re working on two or more sheets at the same time in separate windows, and you’ll need to continue work on the same tasks tomorrow. Go to the View menu and click Save Workspace – enter a name and location for your Saved View settings, and a Saved Workspace icon will be created in the location you choose. When you want to open the same set of sheets, just double-click your Saved Workspace icon. Quick Navigation Working with spreadsheets requires a lot of moving around and easy navigation – and now you can make it even easier. When you need to move quickly to the right, left, top, or bottom cell in a sheet just press Ctrl and one of the arrow keys. If you want to select cells in the current row of data, but only the cells that contain numbers, press Ctrl-Left to go to the first data cell in the set, then hold down Shift and press Ctrl-Right to select all the figures you need. Easily Calculate Sum or Average Type some numbers into adjacent cells and then highlight them – look at the status bar, and Excel should be displaying the average of the numbers, a count of the cells, and their total sum. You can also use this for non-adjacent cells by choosing one, holding the Ctrl key and then clicking on a cell with a number you want to add to the first one. Continue on adding numbers by Ctrl-clicking additional cells. To get more useful tips and tricks and other helpful IT advice, contact {company} at {email} or by phone at {phone}.

LinkedIn sent its users a brief message this week that stated the following: As an active user of LinkedIn for Microsoft Outlook Social Connector, we wanted to make sure we let you know that on March 9, we will no longer support LinkedIn for Microsoft Outlook Social Connector in Outlook 2003, 2007, and 2010. This means that LinkedIn information about your email contacts will not be visible in those Outlook versions. What’s This Mean for You? Many businesses, for example, use Microsoft Office 2010 – that includes Outlook 2010. It’s common to use this connection to look at the LinkedIn status of contacts. When you select a contact that’s connected with LinkedIn, Outlook will show you that contact’s status. It’s a valuable feature to know a co-worker or client’s LinkedIn status before e-mailing or calling them, so losing the connection between Outlook and LinkedIn can be difficult for some. Don’t worry yet, though, because there are easy ways to get around it and continue on work as usual. A Simple Upgrade If this affects you, it’s probably time to upgrade your Microsoft Office. If you’re running a small business you can upgrade to Microsoft Office 2013 for Home, which includes Outlook, for $99.99 a year for up to five computers. Some Microsoft Exchange providers will give you a license and software for Outlook 2013 as well. With the newest Office or Outlook you can download a new connector at no additional cost so that you can continue staying connected with your clients and contacts through LinkedIn. For more IT news and to ensure your system and applications are up to date, contact your IT service team on email or by the phone.

A few weeks ago the ridesharing service Uber reported that a handful of its current and former drivers’ names and license numbers were compromised. Because of this, Uber finds itself at the forefront of this week’s IT security newsmakers alongside Target, National Grocers and TalkTalk. So, what can your business learn from the stories making the news? Uber Reports Data Breach Roughly 50,000 Uber drivers may have affected by a breach of the company’s database. Katherine Tassi, the managing counsel of data privacy for Uber, stated that her company discovered a third party may have illegally accessed their database on September 17th, 2014. Investigators for Uber also discovered that a third party gained unauthorized access to their database on May 13th, 2014. Uber has filed a lawsuit that will give the company leverage to gain more information that will help them identify and prosecute those responsible. National Grocers gets Breached Reports from KrebsOnSecurity found that they had traced a pattern of fraud on customer credit and debit cards suggesting that hackers have tapped into cash registers at National Grocers locations all across the country. Cyber attackers breached the company last December by exploiting a vulnerability in their database servers and then installing malware to steal card data from their systems. National Grocers says they are currently investigating the incident and they say than to update the POS system in all their stories with a new PCI-compliant system that will provide point-to-point encryption for better protection. Target Breach Has Cost $162 Million So far Target has reported $162 million in expenses between 2013 and 2014 due to a breach in December of 2013. The breach had minimal effects on the retailers most recent earnings report, though, as they recorded a 3.8 percent comparable sales growth in the fourth quarter of last year. Target remains optimistic that they will return cash to their shareholders in 2015 and beyond. TalkTalk Exposes Customers to Fraud Scams UK-based phone and broadband services provider TalkTalk recently released details about a data breach that compromised account numbers, addresses and phone numbers of customers. Cybercriminals allegedly used the information to target the company’s customers with phishing attacks. It was reported by The Guardian that a third-party contractor who had authorized access to TalkTalk’s customer accounts was involved in the breach. The company is currently working with the Information Commissioner’s Office and writing all of their customers to provide advice about the criminal activity. For more of the latest IT security news and to learn how to keep your business safe, contact {company} at {email} or by phone at {phone}.

Winter’s terrible grip still keeps businesses across the country shut down and struggling to make ends meet. It seems like winter just won’t end this year! We’ve seen storm after storm hammer down over the last month, and the most recent, Winter Storm Thor, has one of the worst yet. With such a mighty name, it’s no surprise that the impact of this storm has been devastating. Thor is widespread and has affected several states from California to the East Coast this past weekend. In Lexington, Kentucky, Thor broke a record for snowfall over two days which had been held since January 26 & 27 of 1943. Parts of Kentucky have gotten as much as 20 inches of snow from Thor. And that’s not the worst: A plane skidded off a snowy runway at LaGuardia Airport in New York City. Drivers were stranded in Interstate 65 in Kentucky for upwards of 12 hours on Thursday morning due to conditions. State of Emergency has been declared in New Jersey, Louisiana, Kentucky, Alabama and Mississippi as well as select areas of West Virginia and Pennsylvania, and 10 deaths have already been reported. The majority of transit, schools, and Government offices in Washington D.C have been closed. What does this mean for your business? Have your employees been able to even get to the office with all the ice and snow on the roads? Are your clients’ needs being taken care of? Too many {city} businesses just aren’t prepared to weather storms like Thor. The longer business operations are out of commission because of the weather, the more time and money is wasted, and the more your reputation is damaged. That’s why {company} follows a robust Business Continuity Plan to keep our operations running smoothly during the worst of storms, and all our clients turn to us for the same protection. Employees work remotely accessing work data via cloud technologies. Automatic communications sent out to clients assuring them they’ll still be taken care of during the storm. Important files and applications are backed up just in case in-office equipment is damaged. Email and phones are still running in the cloud even if the power goes out. Policies for completing operations from home are put in place in case the office is closed for days. And if you think Winter Storm Thor sounds bad, the next one down the pipe is Winter Storm Ultima. With a name like that, who knows what’s in store for your business? Make sure you’re not stranded by yet again, more ice and snow. Call {company} at {phone} to book your no-obligation business continuity assessment.

Crypto Virus 3.0 Continues to Infect Computers & Encrypt Files! Crypto Virus 3.0 is a dangerous, updated version of the ransomware virus that is infecting and damaging computers everywhere. Like Crypto 2.0, the bug encrypts your files and data and then demands a ransom of $500 in Bitcoins to get your information back. Unfortunately, those who have been affected know that it’s no simple warning or a joke – your files really do get encrypted. How do you know what to look out for? Cybercriminals have been attaching the ransomware to customer support emails from FedEx, UPS, DHS and other companies. Once the attachment is opened, your computer is infected. It can also come in the form of a bogus eFax email – if you don’t have an eFax, delete the emails right away. They’re fakes! Exploit kits located on hacked websites are used to exploit security vulnerabilities on your computer and then get your system infected. They’re also sent out using Trojans disguised as programs that require you to view online videos. A good golden rule is to NEVER open any attachments unless you’re 100% sure that they’re safe. If you receive a suspicious message, delete it from your computer immediately. If You Become Infected The virus scans your computer for documents, pictures and other commonly used files – it immediately encrypts them and hides the key. Currently the only known solution is to restore your files that have been backed up.  How Can You Prevent It? Educate your employees and coworkers! Ensure that they know proper email safety protocols and are always mindful of the risks they face. Make sure you have the latest updated antivirus software and spam filters. The best bet is to always take precautions and back up your data so that a system breach won’t leave your business crippled. To learn more about the security threats facing your business, contact {company}. Send us an email at {email} or reach out by phone at {phone}.

You’re Probably Ignoring A Lot More Security Threats Than You Think! A study by Gartner called “Security and Risk Management Scenario Planning, 2020” found that by the year 2020, 30% of all global 200 companies will have been directly impacted by independent cyber criminals or cyber activists. It’s not a totally surprising claim because most organizations focus on control gaps and vulnerabilities when performing their risk assessments while they neglect to take threats into account. This is due to the fact that threat strategies, competences, and actions are hard to determine. At the 2014 RSA Conference, a major topic was threat management and intelligence. Not only were the topics covered in workshops and presentations, but a large number of vendors showcased their newest security threat technology. The goal was to assist security professionals in strengthening their existing security protocols with better visibility. For a security incident to occur, there must be a vulnerability present in some form, such as: A software flaw Insecure configuration Risky behavior online Or any other type of vulnerability Then a threat must discover and exploit that vulnerability. Typically, security professionals have no control over the threats that affect their business, which has in the past led to neglecting threats as part of risk assessment. Instead the focus is put on more visible facts like vulnerabilities and control failures. But the amount of vulnerabilities facing businesses today has expanded at staggering rates – it’s nearly impossible to deal with all of them without trying to determine the likelihood that they will be exploited. By 2020, Gartner predicts that 25% of global enterprises will engage in services of a “cyberwar mercenary” organization, including threat intelligence services. Subscribing to these services is cost-prohibitive for many businesses because subscriptions run up to hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. Plus, threat intelligence is not yet a mature market with inherent weaknesses such as the lack of measurement parameters (like reliability of information and risk assessment). Threat intelligence services add to the volume, velocity, and complexity of data feeds that need to be analyzed and prioritized. They require experts who can go through huge volumes of information to correlate threat intelligence, vulnerability data, and other files. Luckily, new technology is always emerging, and with big data risk management it will be easier not only to combine different threat intelligence feeds, but also associate security data with its business criticality or risk level to the organization. For more information on risk analysis and the threats facing your business today, contact {company}. Send us an email at {email} or reach out by phone at {phone}.

What Does This Mean for YOUR Business? It’s a topic that’s sparked debate and launched protests, and today a decision has finally been reached. With a 3-2 vote, the Federal Communications Commission approved a policy known as net neutrality. Chances are, you’ve heard of it, but do you know what it means? Closer Regulation of Service Providers In today’s vote, the FCC changed the way it classifies wireless and fixed-line broadband service providers. They’re now known as “Title II” common carries under the nation’s telecommunications laws. That designates that the FCC can set rates, open access to competitors, and more closely regulate the broadband industry. Until today, the FCC had no laws to enforce net neutrality rules on wireless broadband services, and their regulation of fixed providers was minimal. For net neutrality advocates, the vote today was a major win, but not all internet service providers are happy. The New Terms Title II gives the FCC the ability to dictate rates in the cable industry and to regulate the back-end of the internet where some ISPs have begun charging content providers (like Netflix) fees to host their content in independent data centers – something which is essential to their objective of seamless movie-streaming. The FCC has stated clearly that they don’t intend to regulate rates, but they do plan to ensure that nobody’s internet traffic will ever be blocked or unfairly prioritized by service providers. A year ago, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said they would find a way to enforce net neutrality without the Title II designation, but in November of last year, President Barack Obama voiced his support of the classification, and since then, it’s basically been a foregone conclusion. “The internet is the most powerful and pervasive platform on the planet,” Wheeler said. “It’s simply too important to be left without rules and without a referee on the field.” The order, called Protecting and Promoting the Open Internet, will take effect 60 days after it’s published in the Federal Register, which may still take a few weeks. For more information on what this new law means for your business, contact us immediately.

Historic piles of snow and ice have been shutting down unprepared businesses across the country! Winter is bearing down hard this year. Quantum was the latest in a series of terrible winter storms to create states of emergency all over North America, particularly in regions that don’t normally experience bad winters. Over 5 inches of snow in sunny South Carolina, 6 in Texas, and another 5 in Tennessee. Roads and schools shut down everywhere as mayors and governors declared states of emergency. Transit systems shut down, flights were cancelled, businesses closed, and workers were warned to STAY HOME. And to make matters worse, another storm is on the way. Winter Storm Remus is due to touch down soon, the 4th devastating storm in 10 days. Forecasts are calling for a stripe of accumulating snow from northeast Texas, southern Arkansas and northern Louisiana to northern Mississippi, northern Alabama, northern Georgia, Upstate South Carolina, North Carolina and southern Virginia. How much has your business already suffered because of this terrible winter? Are you prepared to keep operations running as more snow falls? Too many businesses just aren’t prepared for this kind of disaster! When your employees can’t work, you’re losing more than just payroll dollars to every minute of downtime: Costly expenses to get systems back online Serious hit to your bottom line Missed business opportunities Damaged reputation Don’t be caught unprepared! {company} will help you keep working no matter how deep the snow is outside. We’re battening down our own hatches as more snow falls, but we know we’ll be prepared to keep serving all our clients in any weather. How? It’s all part of our Business Continuity Strategy: Employees work remotely accessing work data via cloud technologies. Important files and applications are backed up just in case in-office equipment is damaged. Policies for completing operations from home are put in place in case the office is closed for days. Email and phones are still running in the cloud even if the power goes out. Automatic communications sent out to clients assuring them they’ll still be taken care of during the storm. Our employees are ready to work from home, and all our clients are still taken care of. Our Business Continuity Strategy means the workday continues even in the worst snowstorm. Can you say the same? Don’t leave your business stranded when the next storm hits! Call {company} at {phone} to book your no-obligation business continuity assessment.

How happy are you with your businesses security? Are you being given the best, or just getting by? A security heat map of your system can provide that answer if you’re not quite sure. Conducting a full assessment will show you where your strengths are and, even more importantly, what’s at risk. Proper cyber security could mean the difference between thriving and going under after a breach. You need to be sure you’re covered from every angle. We provide the tools you need to ensure your business would pass any security heat map. The Basics are Important The basic forms of protection are there for a reason. They may seem insignificant, but they help to keep your business protected against cybercrime. If a heat map reveals you don’t have proper firewalls, anti-virus and anti-spam then you’ve definitely got a problem on your hands. Heat maps can also look at whether your email filtering is properly implemented. A huge number of today’s cyber-attacks occur through email, with faulty links that end up doing serious damage not only to a computer but to an entire network. Educating your staff is essential. Trust is important, but when your workers are setting up passwords and using the web they need to know how to stay safe. Security heat maps should check on password strength and overall data protection. You Need to Be Covered A flaw in your security could easily cripple your business – once a hacker has access to your network, they move quickly and do a ton of damage in a small amount of time. If you lose client information or company data, you can lose trust forever. A security heat map will determine exactly where your issues are and what needs to be fix. We can help get you up to date and fully protected so that when your next security check rolls around, your system is functioning at its peak and keeping you totally secure. To learn more about security heat maps and how to keep your business safe, contact {company} at {email} or by phone at {phone}.

Make Sure Your Lenovo Laptop Isn’t at Risk From a Newly Discovered Cybercrime Security Threat! If you use a Lenovo laptop, you’re at great risk of being hacked right now. It was recently discovered that Lenovo had recently sold laptops packaged with Superfish adware automatically installed on them. What does that mean? Not only is adware an annoying and completely unnecessary addition to a computer (embedding advertising into browsers like Internet Explorer and Google Chrome), but Superfish comes with a dangerous bit of code that leaves the door to your computer open wide to any hacker on your network! If Superfish is active on your computer, it allows anyone sharing your WIFI network to easily and quietly hijack your web browser and poke through all your private files. Your usernames, passwords, bank credentials, and other personal information… all an open book to a cybercriminal drooling at the thought of stealing your identity or holding your data hostage. If you’ve bought a Lenovo laptop, you need to ensure that you aren’t vulnerable to this terrible threat! Lenovo has released a set of instructions and a download for removing the Superfish threat, and you need to immediately follow these instructions and ensure your computer is safe. If you do discover evidence of Superfish on your computer, take immediate action to start reinforcing your security. Change your passwords, contact your bank to check for unauthorized activity, and call {company} at {phone} right away. We’ll help you remove all traces of Superfish from your laptop and install a clean version of Windows with no adware or other security threats built in. We’ll also ensure you’re using the right security products to stop unauthorized access and keep your vital data backed up in case of disaster. Lenovo has lost a lot of consumer trust with this scandal, and it makes it difficult to know who you can turn to for safe and reliable information technology. {company} is your guide to the murky waters of IT. Our {city} managed services include vendor management and connections to help you procure the right equipment for your needs without worrying about preinstalled adware or potential security threats. Stop worrying about whether you’re at risk from companies that don’t have your best interests in mind. Contact our team at {phone} or {email} to discover the right IT at the right price, for the right reasons.