They Could Lock Down Your Files and Hold Your Business Hostage! There’s a terrible new kind of virus circling around the Internet these days that business owners need to be on the lookout for. All it takes is opening the wrong email attachment, and BAM! All your files and applications get locked out, and all you see is a terrible warning message: PAY US MONEY OR YOU NEVER SEE YOUR FILES AGAIN! This is frightening new reality of ransomware. Once a ransomware virus infects your computer, your files are completely locked out. If you don’t have a comprehensive backup solution in place, you’ll have no choice but to either pay the cybercriminals their ransom money, or else wipe your computer and start from scratch. Not appealing options, are they? {company} can protect you from getting suckered by these hackers. We’re constantly on the lookout for new strains of ransomware so we can tell you what signs to watch out for. Recently, a new variant of the Cryptowall virus started showing its ugly face to businesses in the {city} area. Here are the warning signs: Emails with the subject line, “Important – New Outlook Settings” Emails from an “outlook-us.com” domain name. The cybercriminals behind this variant are hoping that you trust the Outlook name enough to open their emails up and fall into their trap. Don’t get suckered in! These signs may easily start to change over the next few weeks, so you have to be wary of any suspicious looking emails. Here are some important tips: Never open unsolicited emails from unfamiliar domain names. Never download attachments from anyone you don’t know, and even be careful of existing contacts if the attachment is a .zip or .exe file. Never give out information like your username or password in an email – a real company will never ask for info like that by email. Don’t find yourself caught by viruses like Cryptowall without a backup plan. The best way to stay safe is to ensure that, even if you accidentally do download a virus, all you have to do is call {company} so they can restore your systems with your backups. With our automated backup system, you can quickly and easily turn back the clock to before the virus was downloaded, and start fresh without worry. Keep your business and your technology safe from whatever threat the future might hold. Contact {company} at {phone} or {email} today to create a disaster recovery solution that will let you rest easy knowing no hacker can ever hold your {city} business hostage.

Data loss is not some fabricated threat publicized by the IT-industrial complex to drum up more business. Hundreds of companies every year suffer significant data loss, and it could happen to you, too Fire the wrong guy, and he might just use his knowledge of your systems to delete some of your most sensitive files as payback. Even more likely is that an employee with no malicious intent deletes some important data on accident. Or maybe the weather takes a rather Old Testament turn and floods your office, sets it on fire, or throws a tornado curveball, destroying everything including your computers and your backup drives. A data loss disaster can hit you at any time from any angle. You have to always be prepared for such a disaster by backing up your data in the most effective way possible. Let’s color this review with a Sergio Leone theme (why? well, why not?) and go over the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to backing up your data. The Bad: Tape and Disk Drives Even if you are backing up your data, if you’re doing with only physical drives then you’re not doing enough. Such drives are often located on-site, so if some disaster strikes your office, your data is destroyed as well. Tape drives are not even safe in a fire-proof safe or file cabinet, as those devices are designed to protect paper records and anything lower than 424 degrees (or 451 degrees according to Ray Bradbury) won’t burn paper, but the temperature inside a fire-proof safe can get hot enough to melt the more sensitive magnetic tape of a tape disk, even though the papers will be fine. Disk drives are a little more advanced, but they still are susceptible to crashing. They’re also less physically durable than tape drives. Drop a tape drive, and it will be probably fine even with the jostling. Drop a disk drive, and you better hope whatever was stored on that drive wasn’t too important; because there’s a good chance it’s gone now. The Good: Cloud Servers Unless you live under a rock, you’ve heard of the cloud… and it seems like we’re getting to the point where even rocks will soon have Wi-Fi and probably GPS as well, and then there will be nowhere for hermits in metaphors to hide… Anyway, he cloud has infiltrated our pop culture so much that there was even a recent comedy starring A-list, maybe B-list actors Cameron Diaz and Jason Segal. That movie was Sex Tape, with a plot revolving around a couple accidently sending a homemade sex tape up to the cloud. Sex Tape was pretty much a critical and commercial flop, but its commercials got heavy play before it was released, so a lot of people heard a frustrated Jason Segal in the ad, responding to his wife’s confusion on why they can’t get their home movie “back down from the cloud”: “No one understands what the cloud is! It’s a mystery!” Jason Segal’s words echoed the sentiments of many trying to navigate today’s complicated tech world.   Everyone has heard of the cloud, but not near as many people actually understand it. Well, it’s not really that complicated. Storing data on the cloud simply mean you are using the internet to store your files on a remote server rather than on-site. This set-up offers many advantages, the most prominent being that, unlike with the previous technologies we went over, physical damage is no longer a threat to your backups. The Ugly: Anyone Not Doing Enough to Protect Your Data Tape and disk drives are bad, but they don’t deserve an “ugly” designation. It’s not their fault they’re obsolete… the first tape drive was released way back in 1951, the first disk drive in 1956. It’s just not fair to expect a 60-year old technology to be as effective as what the cutting edge has to offer. The ugly is you. That is, it’s you if you read this article, process the information we have so thoughtfully arranged for you, and still don’t upgrade from on-site drives to cloud storage. Actually, you can never be too safe, so you should keep some physical backups handy in addition to backing up your data on remote servers. At the very least, take advantage of the latest developments in data security and get on the cloud. Transitioning to the cloud will cost you a little money up front, sure, but it will protect you from the possibility of losing many hours of work and thousands of dollars of data, a possibility that is all-too-present with physical drives. Have any data loss horror stories of your own to share? Let {company} know at {phone} or {email}.

Whether it’s a human error or a natural disaster, we’ve seen businesses of all types and sizes struggle in the aftermath of disaster – from big corporations to small businesses. If you lost some, or all, of your files, what would happen to your business? Would you be able to keep serving customers? Disaster, in the evolving world of technology, refers to any instance wherein data is destroyed or lost, such as: Floods, fires, power outages, earthquakes, and various weather events Malware infections, viruses, and general cybercrime attacks Accidental data overwrites/deletions from employees Stop worrying and start preparing for the inevitable. Call {company} at {phone} to learn about our data backup and disaster recovery solutions. When disaster strikes, you MUST be able to recover your data and IT systems; otherwise, you’re left wasting payroll dollars, missing business opportunities, and ultimately, impacting your bottom line. The truth is, you CANNOT afford to stop operating for a few hours, let alone a few days. Our data backup and disaster recovery solutions let you feel confident that: Your data is backed up remotely to our offsite data centers with 24/7 monitoring. Your backups are tested on a regular basis for extra assurance. Your data is recoverable, whether you need one file or the contents of an entire server. Your backups are safeguarded with various security measures, including encryption. Disasters are inevitable – would you be prepared for disaster to strike tomorrow, or next week, or even next month? {company} can help you get started with data backup and disaster recovery solutions that give you peace of mind. Call {phone} or email us at {email} now.

Ensuring the protection of your accounts and data is an ongoing struggle. Passwords at times seem inefficient, especially when a few letters are all that’s keeping your sensitive information protected. Good news – biometric markers such as fingerprint authentication could replace passwords in as little as 12 months. In fact, you may already be using biometric access as services such as Apple Pay require users to scan their fingerprints to carry out a transaction. Recently the senior vice president of risk products and business intelligence at Visa, Mark Nelsen, pointed out Braintree as a leader of this type of technology. Based out of Chicago, Braintree is a payment processor and software developer that was purchased by PayPal in 2013. They design applications with unique authentication capabilities and then license them out to other companies who wish to employ them. Advancements such as using voice authentication or fingerprints to access data would be a huge step above the typical letter-and-number combination passcodes. Not only would it keep personal devices safer, but company’s trying to protect their data will see the benefits of greater restriction. It can be hard to get businesses to adapt to new technology and learn to trust it, but once it become more pervasive and with proper education available, it will be clear that biometric markers are the superior way to restrict access. While it can be expensive for small business to implement at first, software companies will likely provide more affordable applications with comparable capabilities. The process has been a long time coming and naturally will still take some time to roll out – many companies are likely to continue offering traditional password authentication in addition to biometric options, giving customers a choice. For now, other options such as tokenization, a process where real data is swapped with placeholder values and the information which can reveal the changes is stored separately, are also helping to improve security. Even if a hacker manages to get a hold of encrypted or tokenized data, it would be totally useless. Keeping your company’s private data safe is about to get much easier. To learn more information about network security, contact us by phone or email.

Are you proactive when it comes to your I.T. security? — Or do you simply hope for the best? We know you’re busy. However, if you don’t plan ahead, a single security breach will take down your business! Hackers Are Finding Their Way Into YOUR Systems Right Now! Unless you’re proactive about I.T. security, you’re leaving your business open to: Cybercrime Computer malfunctions, Wasted payroll dollars, Stolen data, Damaged customer relationships, and, potentially The closure of your business. Contact {company} at {phone} to protect your small to mid-sized business, before it’s too late! {phone} {email} Remember these recent hacks? —Target, Neiman Marcus, Home Depot, and Sony. These companies have more security than yours, and they still got hacked! Don’t believe you’re at risk? Just look at these statistics about small and mid-sized businesses like yours: 41% experience cyber attacks 30% lost all of their data due to malware infections 78% didn’t recover their data within 10 days, and filed for bankruptcy within 12 months {company} will minimize the risks of cyber attacks and protect your I.T. before disaster strikes. Don’t wait. Be proactive! Call us at {phone} or send us an email {email}.    

Few things are as frustrating as technology that just won’t work, right? How many times have you wanted to throw your home computer out the window because you got the blue screen of death AGAIN? You get fed up, you turn off the computer, and you go do something else because you’re just so mad. If you won’t put up with fussy old technology at home, what makes you think your employees are going to do it at work? Think of all the complaints you’ve ever heard from your staff. How many of them are about how hard it is to get work done because of your aging I.T. systems? “This computer takes 15 minutes to turn on every morning! What am I supposed to do besides take a coffee break?” “I never got that email. I NEVER get the office memos – there’s too much spam coming into my email account.” “My phone can work faster than this hunk of junk. It’d be easier to do my work on that instead of on this computer.” In this modern age where everyone uses technology every day for everything, employees are less and less likely to put up with shoddy systems that hold them back. Is your business losing your best people because your technology just can’t keep up? Keep your staff productive and your business efficient by using the RIGHT technology for the RIGHT purpose, at the RIGHT price. {company} can help you create an I.T. strategy designed just for your needs – leveraging innovative technology that will improve your business operations while fitting within your budget. How do we do it? Regular strategy meetings to find out what problems you and your staff face every day, and using your I.T. to solve those problems. Proactive maintenance and monitoring to help STOP I.T. issues before they start, letting your staff focus on their work and not on unresponsive I.T. Planned technology refreshes to replace aging systems before they slow you down, at a schedule that fits your budget and won’t disrupt your business. You may think your technology isn’t broken and doesn’t need fixing, but if it’s holding you back and wasting your time every day – it’s time to think again. Contact {company} today for an I.T. solution designed to make technology easy for your {city} business again. Call us at {phone} or send an email to {email} to learn more.

The department of Labor sent out an email last month informing Americans about updates to its Affordable Care Act page – hackers have now taken that email and used it as a template to spread a new scam. Be careful if you find an email about Affordable Care in your inbox, because it could be fake. Hackers have sent out a phony email in an attempt to trick people into downloading malware that has the capability to swipe all of the money from your bank account. What to Look For The email was first spotted by security experts at Naked Security. It’s nearly identical to the original email, including use of the same language, exact formatting, and even includes the Department of Labor logo. A major notable change, though, is that instead of simply summarizing the changes to the Affordable Care Act page, the phony email asks readers to follow a link to download information. The link leads to a site that will prompt a malware download and infect your systems. Avoid Clicking on Suspicious Links Your first major sign of trouble should be the “FOLLOW LINK” prompt. Typically a good rule of thumb is that links embedded in emails are generally not a good thing and are quite likely to be part of a scam. If you put your mouse over the link in the email, you’ll see that it doesn’t lead to any government website. If you do go as far as following the link you’ll be told to download a PDF called health_coverage_webcast.pdf. However, the file that actually downloads to your computer is health_coverage_webcast.pdf.scr – a program that installs Vawtrack, a malware designed to steal your information and gain access to your secure bank accounts. If you’re feeling concerned, here’s a few great tips to help you stay safe against dangerous emails like this: Always go directly to the website: Type the URL into a search bar and go. Do not click on links leading to the website – links can often take you elsewhere. Watch your bank account: If you’ve received a suspicious email like this, watch your bank account carefully and report any fraudulent charges immediately. Install and run anti-virus software: Make sure you’ve installed a trustworthy anti-virus software program and run it on a regular basis. Keep your employees up-to-date on security threats: If your employees don’t know what to watch out for, they’re more likely to open something malicious For more on Vawtrack and other potentially dangerous risks to your systems, contact {company} at {email} or speak to us directly by phone at {phone}. We’d be happy to help you mitigate the risks.

Can you rely on the service you receive from your I.T. consulting company? Do they provide real solutions for the problems you face every day in your business, or do they just fix a computer when it’s broken and then wait for your next phone call? Your I.T. consulting company should be like an extension of your business. You need to be able to count on your I.T. company to help improve your entire business, not just tinker with computers. {company} is all about I.T. strategy – aligning your technology with your overall business needs. Is your current I.T. provider in {city} giving you real value for your money? Here are 5 critical signs that you need to replace your I.T. consulting company: Slow Response Times When you hire an I.T. company to provide your services, they should be ready to help you on YOUR schedule. Don’t put up with companies that take a day to get back to you when you call. {company} offers a wide-range of support options when it comes to response time for support – you get a member of OUR team calling you back to learn about the issue and immediately begin taking the right steps to get you back to work. Inaccurate Billing There should never be surprises on your bill, and every charge should be make it crystal clear what you’re paying for. If your bill confuses you, or if you never know how much you’re going to be paying each month, you’ve got a problem. {company} offers flat-rate monthly billing for all your services and support, so you always know exactly what you’ll be paying, and what you’re getting for your money. No surprises and no hidden fees – just good value. No Planning for Your Future Does your I.T. company plan ahead with preventative maintenance to keep your technology at its best? Do they help you find the right technologies to make your operations run smoother? Are they focusing on your BUSINESS needs? {company} offers I.T. strategy, not I.T. repair. We learn about your business, find out what you need your technology to do in order to prove its worth, and then develop the right I.T. solutions to help you be prepared to succeed and thrive every day. Stop-Gap Solutions When an I.T. problem occurs, does your I.T. company get to the root of the problem and solve it once and for all? Or do they just do the bare minimum to get you working again, only to have the problem repeat itself a few days later? {company} takes a proactive approach to I.T. support. We apply tried-and-true solutions to all your technology to eliminate problems before they start, and to find root causes of issues you face. With our team on the job, you’ll never see the same problem twice. They Never Call When do you hear from your I.T. company? Are they never around you call them with an I.T. issue? Or do they take the time to touch base with you regularly and find out what they can do for you? {company} is like a complete extension of your business – we’re here to serve as your personal I.T. department. That means regular meetings and constant communication to discover new technology solutions for real-world business problems. If your I.T. consulting company isn’t giving you the full attention and service that you need to really leverage the power of your technology, then they aren’t worth your time or money. Demand better service. Demand real solutions to the problems YOU face. Demand the best. Call {company} at {phone} or email us at {email} today.