If you’re a business owner you’ve probably already read all he statistics – companies get hit with security breaches every day. Companies are crippled by data loss or inability to work when their systems shut down. With St Patrick’s Day right around the corner you may be feeling more lucky than usual, but trust us, luck isn’t enough. It’s bound to run out some time, and when it does you need to be sure you have the tools and support to properly deal with a breach. Education and Implementing the Basics If your staff is improperly trained or unknowledgeable about the risks they face, then you’ve got a big problem. Make sure your employees know the basics of online safety such as the importance of strong password protection and how to avoid email scams and other dangerous online threats. To help you stay protected your company needs access to all of the basics tools – they are, after all, the basics for a reason. Firewalls, anti-spam and anti-virus tools and email filtering help to keep you safe when working online. Protection At All Times Is your IT team monitoring your system around-the-clock so that issues get dealt with as soon as they arise? If not, you’re being left exposed. A few moments of downtime is all it takes for hackers to steal information and cripple your business. Surely you have the PCs in your office set up and secure – but are those really the only devices storing your information? Emails are exchanged at all hours of the day, files are moving from device to device, and employees are constantly on the move. Are your mobile devices being properly protected? Remember that every device that’s being used in the office or outside of work to view business data needs to be secured. If your employee loses a phone or laptop, you need to make sure your business is covered and ready to deal with the fallout. Peace of Mind for Your Future The end of your luck doesn’t have to mean the end of your business – that’s what we’re here for. Business continuity plans ensure that your company won’t be crippled when a data breach occurs – your data, applications, contacts and files are backed up and secured so they’re protected from hackers but always available when you need them. To keep your lucky streak going by getting set up with the best security and IT support in {city}, contact {company} at {email} or by phone at {phone}.

On March 10th, 2015, Microsoft released its Patch Tuesday updates, which happened to be one of the biggest sets of updates lately, including KB3033929 amongst various other security-related updates. Unfortunately, many Windows 7 users have noticed the KB3033929 update causing a reboot loop, wherein the device unexpectedly restarts; causing frustration and disruption for the user. The issue has been posted on multiple technology help forums, however, there doesn’t seem to be a solution yet. The KB3033929 update doesn’t appear to address a critical or urgent security vulnerability, instead, the update is a “code signing” update designed to enhance the ability of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 systems to confirm the authenticity of programs running on the operating system. If you haven’t installed the update yet, there’s no rush. It’s best to wait until Microsoft figures out what’s going on with the update, and if/when it’s resolved, feel free to apply it; however, the update may simply be pulled and re-issued. Need help dealing with a frustrating reboot loop? Interested in learning more about the update? Check out the original article or give us a call at {phone} or send us an email at {email}. {company} would be happy to help!

Technology is always changing, but one constant remains – it’s here to make your life easier. When you’re using Windows to do work or even for personal pastimes there are number of little tricks you can employ to make work easier, faster, and more effective. Next time you’re using Windows on your PC or laptop, try out these tips. Launch Taskbar Programs with Your Keyboard The taskbar is often used as a quick launch bar to easily get to the programs and applications we use every day. Now, there’s an even easier way to open them than a simple click – some quick keyboard combinations. Every program to the right of the Start button is assigned to its own numerical shortcut, starting with “1” and so on. Pressing the Windows key and the number of the program you want to open will launch it immediately. Discover Hidden Right-Click Options Using the Shift key when right-clicking reveals some hidden options you can use as shortcuts. For instance, the basic Send To tool that appears as a right-click option on a file or folder is handy, but if you hold down the Shift key as you right click, you’ll be given an expanded list of locations as part of the Send To menu. Erase a Mistake When you’re storing a ton of files and constantly shuffling through them, it can be easy to make a wrong move or drop. You may accidentally delete something or create unwanted copies in other locations. Luckily Windows has basically implemented a ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ card – pressing Ctrl + Z is a shortcut that undoes your last action. Easy Multitasking When you need to start multitasking this will come in handy. Windows 8 provides the ability to “Snap” multiple open apps side-by-side. Just click on an open window and drag it to either the left or right edge of your screen. It will automatically resize to fill that half of your desktop. If you prefer to use keyboard commands, Windows key + left arrow, Windows key + right arrow, and Windows key + up arrow will also snap the selected window. A Powerful Search Tool It’s most common to search Windows using the Start menu, but for better results try the search box that’s provided in the upper-right corner of Windows Explorer. The advanced search tools let you add filters such as date and file type. You can also make a shortcut to a custom search by dragging the magnifying-glass icon in the File Explorer location bar. Clicking on it will always give you the latest results. Create Your Own Keyboard Shortcuts There are a ton of shortcuts that are already part of your system, but with Windows you can also create your own to make work faster and easier for you. Right-click on a program icon and select Properties, then select the Shortcut tab, click “Shortcut key” and press the key you want to use to launch that program. Use Your Taskbar to Search the Web Want to add even more functionality to your taskbar? Right-click on it and select Properties and then open the Toolbars tab. A list of Windows’ available toolbars will appear and you simply check the boxes next to the ones you’d like to add. The Address option adds a URL bar to your taskbar which you can use to browse the web, and the Desktop option adds a drop-down menu that allows you to easily search files or folders or your PC. For more useful tips and tricks like these and to learn how to get the most out of your technology, contact your Microsoft Office and Microsoft Windows experts today.

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.