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Cash in on tech trends with these 5 tips

Here are more VoIP features you can use

Watch out for this persuasive phishing email

4 BYOD security risks you should prepare for

Upgrading to a dual monitor system

How business continuity plans can fail

7 tips to increased retweets

Getting ready to switch to VoIP phones

How to make the most of Microsoft Word

New Spectre-style attack discovered

Author Archive

Cash in on tech trends with these 5 tips

5 Simple but effective cybersecurity tricks

 September 7th, 2018
5 Simple but effective cybersecurity tricks

Can you name five cybersecurity best practices? Most people can’t, and few of those who can, actually follow them. Unfortunately, cyberattacks are far too common to be lax about staying safe online. Your identity could be stolen, or even worse, you could expose private information belonging to your company’s clients. There are many ways you can protect yourself, but this list is a great starting point.

1. Multi-factor authentication (MFA)

This tool earns the number one spot on our list because it can keep you safe even after a hacker has stolen one of your passwords. That’s because MFA requires more than one form of identification to grant access to an account.

The most common example is a temporary code that is sent to your mobile device. Only someone with both the password and access to your smartphone will be able to log in. Almost any online account provider offers this service, and some let you require additional types of verification, such as a fingerprint or facial scan.

2. Password managers

Every online account linked to your name should have a unique password with at least 12 characters that doesn’t contain facts about you (avoid anniversary dates, pet names, etc.). Hackers have tools to guess thousands of passwords per second based on your personal details, and the first thing they do after cracking a password is to try it on other accounts.

Password manager apps create random strings of characters and let you save them in an encrypted list. You only need one complex password to log into the manager, and you’ll have easy access to all your credentials. No more memorizing long phrases, or reusing passwords!

3. Software updates

Software developers and hackers are constantly searching for vulnerabilities that can be exploited. Sometimes, a developer will find one before hackers and release a proactive update to fix it. Other times, hackers find the vulnerability first and release malware to exploit it, forcing the developer to issue a reactive update as quickly as possible.

Either way, you must update all your applications as often as possible. If you are too busy, check the software settings for an automatic update option. The inconvenience of updating when you aren’t prepared to is nothing compared to the pain of a data breach.

4. Disable flash player

Adobe Flash Player is one of the most popular ways to stream media on the web, but it has such a poor security record that most experts recommend that users block the plugin on all their devices. Flash Player has been hacked thousands of times, and products from companies like Microsoft, Apple, and Google regularly display reminders to turn it off. Open your web browser’s settings and look for the Plugins or Content Settings menu, then disable Adobe Flash Player.

5. HTTPS Everywhere

Just a few years ago, most websites used unencrypted connections, which meant anything you typed into a form on that site would be sent in plain text and could be intercepted with little effort. HTTPS was created to facilitate safer connections, but many sites were slow to adopt it or didn’t make it the default option.

HTTPS Everywhere is a browser extension that ensures you use an encrypted connection whenever possible and are alerted when one isn’t available on a page that requests sensitive information. It takes less than one minute and a few clicks to install it.

If you run a business with 10 or more employees, these simple tips won’t be enough to keep you safe. You’ll need a team of certified professionals that can install and manage several security solutions that work in unison. If you don’t have access to that level of expertise, our team is available to help. Give us a call today to learn more.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

Here are more VoIP features you can use

Here are more VoIP features you can use

 August 28th, 2018

The many features available for VoIP may overwhelm and confuse you. You might even overlook a lot of them. How do you keep track of all its applications and functions? We’ve compiled a list of features included with your VoIP service that often go unnoticed.

 

Busy lamp field

The busy light notifies you when people can’t take your call. You avoid disrupting someone from an important phone call, and you can choose to wait or call someone else. You can manage your call times more efficiently, especially if you make several calls a day.

In-call coaching

Train your employees on how to speak with clients over the phone using add-on services like Barge and Whisper. Barge enables you to silently monitor your employee’s phone conversation, while Whisper allows you to coach your employees during a call, without the customer hearing you.

Hot desking

It lets you transfer your phone settings and preferences over to another IP device. Any available IP phone can become your “personal” phone when needed.

Hold Music

Make waiting more tolerable for your customer with hold music that’s tailored to your brand’s identity. It also reassures your caller that their call is being redirected, instead of hearing just dead silence.

Hidden conferencing features

VoIP video meetings have features that can mute other people, organize internal voting systems, and more.

Hands-free dialing

Save time looking for someone in your phonebook by adding a call button above someone’s email address.

Call screening

It displays the caller ID on your device, so you can ignore or pick up the call.

Click-to-call

This website widget makes it convenient for your customers to call you by simply clicking on a button on your page.

Analytics

This function provides an analysis of your VoIP usage, giving important details like: Who calls you the most, who you call the most, and your customers’ geographical distribution, among others. Such information is useful in tracking call usage, costs, etc.

Get the most out of the VoIP services you paid for. To know more about the latest in VoIP trends and services, contact us today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

Watch out for this persuasive phishing email

Watch out for this persuasive phishing email

 August 27th, 2018
Watch out for this persuasive phishing email

Anglers catch fish by dangling bait in front of their victims, and hackers use the same strategy to trick your employees. There’s a new phishing scam making the rounds and the digital bait is almost impossible to distinguish from the real thing. Here are the three things to watch out for in Office 365 scams.

Step 1 – Invitation to collaborate email

The first thing victims receive from hackers is a message that looks identical to an email from Microsoft’s file sharing platform SharePoint. It says, “John Doe has sent you a file, to view it click the link below…”

In most cases, the sender will be an unfamiliar name. However, some hackers research your organization to make the email more convincing.

Step 2 – Fake file sharing portal

Clicking the link opens a SharePoint file that looks like another trusted invitation from a Microsoft app, usually OneDrive. This is a big red flag since there’s no reason to send an email containing a link to a page with nothing but another link.

Step 2 allows hackers to evade Outlook’s security scans, which monitor links inside emails for possible phishing scams. But Outlook’s current features cannot scan the text within a file linked in the email. Once you’ve opened the file, SharePoint has almost no way to flag suspicious links.

Step 3 – Fake Office 365 login page

The malicious link in Step 2 leads to an almost perfect replica of an Office 365 login page, managed by whoever sent the email in Step 1. If you enter your username and password on this page, all your Office 365 documents will be compromised.

Microsoft has designed hundreds of cybersecurity features to prevent phishing scams and a solution to this problem is likely on the way. Until then, you can stay safe with these simple rules:

  • Check the sender’s address every time you receive an email. You might not notice the number one in this email at first glance: johndoe@gma1l.com.
  • Confirm with the sender that the links inside the shared document are safe.
  • Open cloud files by typing in the correct address and checking your sharing notifications to avoid fake collaboration invitations.
  • Double check a site’s URL before entering your password. A zero can look very similar to the letter ‘o’ (e.g. 0ffice.com/signin).

Third-party IT solutions exist to prevent these types of scams, but setting them up and keeping them running requires a lot of time and attention. Give us a call today for information about our unlimited support plans for Microsoft products.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

4 BYOD security risks you should prepare for

4 BYOD security risks you should prepare for

 August 23rd, 2018
4 BYOD security risks you should prepare for

Personal computing is with us wherever we go. Thanks to the rise of the mobile industry, smartphones and tablets allow us to take work home with us. And with the bring your own device (BYOD) strategy, businesses have never been so productive. However, BYOD can pose a number of security risks if you’re not careful. Here are some BYOD security issues you should know before implementing it.

Data leakage

The biggest reason businesses are wary of implementing a BYOD strategy is because it can leave the company’s system vulnerable to data breaches. Personal devices are not part of your business’s IT infrastructure, which means that these devices are not protected by company firewalls and security systems.

Employees might also take work with them to places outside of your company premises that don’t have adequate security settings, thus leaving your system vulnerable to inherent security risks.

Lost devices

Another risk your company has to deal with is the possibility that employees will lose their personal devices. If devices with sensitive business information get lost and fall into the wrong hands, anyone can gain unauthorized access to valuable company data stored in that particular device. Therefore, you should consider countermeasures and protocols for lost devices, like remotely wiping a device of information as soon as an employee reports it missing or stolen.

Possible hacking

Personal devices tend to lack adequate data encryption to keep other people from snooping on private information. On top of this, your employees might not regularly update their devices’ software, rendering their devices and your IT infrastructure susceptible to infiltration.

Connecting to open WiFi spots in public places also makes your company vulnerable and open to hackers, because hackers may have created those hotspots to trick people into connecting. Once the device owner has connected to a malicious hotspot, attackers can see your web activity, usernames, and passwords in plain text

Vulnerability to malware

Viruses are also a big problem when implementing BYOD strategies. If your employees use their personal devices, they can access sites or download mobile apps that your business would normally restrict to protect your system.

As your employees have the freedom to choose whatever device they want to work with, the process of keeping track of vulnerabilities and updates is considerably harder. So if you’re thinking about implementing BYOD strategies, make sure your IT department is prepared for an array of potential malware attacks on different devices.

BYOD will help your business grow, but it comes with IT security risks that you should be prepared to handle.
Need help mitigating these BYOD risks? Call us today, and let’s find the best IT security solutions for your company.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

Upgrading to a dual monitor system

Upgrading to a dual monitor system

 August 21st, 2018
Upgrading to a dual monitor system

Small businesses are always searching for ways for their employees to be more effective computer users. But before you go out and buy bigger hard drives and faster processors, you should consider upgrading your desktops to a dual monitor system. Read on to find out about the advantages of using two monitors per desktop.

Enhanced productivity
Published studies conclude that by working with dual monitors, overall productivity increases by 20-50%. Computer programmers, for example, can use one screen for source coding and the other for programming; by using dual monitors, they no longer need to toggle back and forth between tabs. This reduces error and frees up time to complete more projects.

Better multitasking
Efficient multitasking requires adequate screen space to keep multiple applications simultaneously visible — a view that single monitors alone simply cannot accommodate. Workers who require computers, like customer service reps and web designers, would no longer waste time switching between tabs and resizing windows to fit the limited space; they could now focus on completing their tasks accurately and efficiently.

Easier cutting and pasting
This reason resonates with jobs that call for creating newsletters or PowerPoint presentations. Dual monitors would eliminate the need for alternating between tabs and scrolling up and down as you work. Also, the enhanced visibility reduces chances of making mistakes and thus losing more time fixing them.

Image and video editing
With dual monitors, the days of stacking numerous editing tools on top of the image or video you’re working on are long gone. Instead of your screen looking like a game of Mahjong, you can put the editing tools on one screen and leave the image on the other. With better visibility, you’re less likely to commit errors and more likely to be finessed, and you’re not sacrificing valuable working time in the process.

Product comparison
You want to buy a camera, and you have two models in mind. It’s time to make a decision, so you have to compare their specs. If you had only one monitor, you’d need to go back and forth from one tab to another. But if you had two monitors, you could view the models side-by-side to help you clearly see their differences and make an informed purchase.

Dual monitors benefit almost every industry because of the enhanced visibility, larger screen space, and how you can briefly nap behind them without getting caught Using dual monitors can enhance even your leisure time activities as well.

Broaden your horizons by getting in touch with us. We’ll answer any questions you have.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

How business continuity plans can fail

How business continuity plans can fail

 August 16th, 2018
How business continuity plans can fail

Just because your IT provider has a plethora of awards and certifications under its belt doesn’t mean that you can blindly hand over your business’s future to them. Often times, there are some aspects in your business continuity plan that tend to be overlooked by your provider. We have rounded up some of these issues on your business continuity plans.

Over-optimistic testing

The initial testing attempt is usually the most important. It’s when IT service providers can pinpoint possible weak points in the recovery plan. However, what usually happens is that they test the system in full, instead of via a step-by-step process. This results in them missing out specific points, with too many factors overwhelming them all at the same time.

Insufficient remote user licenses

A remote user license is given by service providers to businesses so that when a disaster strikes, employees can log in to a remote desktop software. However, a provider may only have a limited number of licenses. In some cases, more employees will need to have access to the remote desktop software than a provider’s license can allow.

Lost digital IDs

When a disaster strikes, employees will usually need their digital IDs so they can log in to the provider’s remote system while their own system at the office is being restored. However, digital IDs are tied to an employee’s desktop, and when a desktop is being backed up, they are not automatically saved. So when an employee goes back to using their ‘ready and restored’ desktop, they are unable to access the system with their previous digital ID.

Absence of a communications strategy

IT service providers will use email to notify and communicate with business owners and their employees when a disaster happens. However, this form of communication may not always be reliable in certain cases, such as when the Internet is cut off, or there are spam intrusions. Third-party notification systems are available, but they are quite expensive, and some providers sell them as a pricey add-on service.

Backups that require labored validation

After a system has been restored, IT technicians and business owners need to check whether the restoration is thorough and complete. This validation becomes a waste of time and effort when the log reports are not easy to compare. This usually happens when IT service providers utilize backup applications that do not come with their own log modules, and have to be acquired separately.

These are just some reasons why business continuity plans fail. It is important for business owners to be involved with any process that pertains to their IT infrastructure. Just because you believe something works doesn’t necessarily mean that it works correctly or effectively. If you have questions regarding your business continuity plan, get in touch with our experts today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

7 tips to increased retweets

7 tips to increased retweets

August 13th, 2018
7 tips to increased retweets

Managing your company’s Twitter account can be tricky. You might have a lot of brilliant things to say in under 140 characters, but they’re useless if nobody reads them. So what can you do to get more people viewing and retweeting your posts? Here are a few tricks you can use to get more retweets.

Schedule your tweets

There is absolutely no point in tweeting out any content if your audience isn’t even awake for it. That’s why it’s important for you to tweet at the right time to get the most retweets. Most people are likely to retweet between 2pm and 6pm. However, if your followers live in different time zones and countries, the time you should be tweeting may vary. Twitter tools like Tweriod track down the geographical distribution of your audience and pinpoints the optimal time you should be tweeting to get the most retweets.

Use links

The next time you tweet out something, try embedding a link in your post. Whether it’s news, sports, or celebrity updates, people will put some effort in staying up to date with their interests. Studies have also shown that links to instructional posts get the most amount of retweets as well. The problem is, 140 characters is not enough content for your followers. So by satisfying your audience’s curiosity, you motivate them to pay you back by sharing your tweet out to their friends.

Ask for retweets

This is perhaps the most obvious tactic to get some retweets. Using call to action phrases such as “please retweet” significantly increases your chances of a retweet. Of course, you probably aren’t the only one asking for retweets. Adding something to sweeten deal, like a prize for one lucky person who retweets you, gives people incentive to do so.

Use visuals

Intriguing images can inspire retweets. Images are a great way to convey a lot of information in a short amount of time, and social media users love that. Some have found that using colorful images and infographics in their tweets significantly increased their engagement rates and led to more followers retweeting their content. It’s probably because there’s just more content to engage with compared to a brief 140 character thought.

Use retweetable words

Research has shown that some words are more retweetable than others. Words like you, twitter, please, retweet, post, blog, social, free, media, help are the top 10 most retweetable words. However common-use words in any conversation such as “lol, haha, work, sleep or watching” are less likely to get retweeted. Unless you’re someone incredibly famous, it’s best to avoid using conversation filler words and stick to the buzzwords that encourage people to share your tweets out to everyone they know.

Use quotes

Quotes express a lot in one simple line, making it perfect for any Twitter posts. Depending on your audience, a thoughtful quote can really move their fingers to click that retweet button. The next time you’re running out of ideas for tweets, dig up some good quotes relevant to your topic to get those retweets going. However, don’t continuously plug in quotes into your tweets. The trick is to do it occasionally, so you don’t risk people tuning out of your tweets.

#Hashtag

You’ll notice that the more popular tweets tend to have at least one hashtag. Using hashtags on keywords helps categorize your tweets with similar ones, giving your posts a bit more reach and, hopefully, more retweets. Just make sure you don’t overdo it as #thiscanbequiteannoying.

We get that small business may find it tough getting their name discovered among so many social media accounts. But if you consider some or all of these Twitter tactics, you have a better chance of getting more eyes on your tweets. If you want to learn more about useful Twitter tactics to increase your exposure and engagement, give us a call today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

Getting ready to switch to VoIP phones

Getting ready to switch to VoIP phones

August 10th, 2018
Getting ready to switch to VoIP phones

Voice over Internet Protocol, commonly known as VoIP, allows you and your employees to make and take phone calls over the Internet using your existing broadband connection. It saves you loads of money and increases team efficiency. If you’re considering moving to a VoIP solution, here are some of the most important aspects to address before the switch.

Network stability

Implementing a VoIP phone system presents unique challenges, such as maintaining a consistent internet connection. Backup internet connections and uninterrupted power supplies are just some of the hardware you should have to ensure reliable VoIP calls. If your internet goes down or the power is knocked out, business goes on as usual.

Bandwidth

Beyond a stable connection, VoIP calls also need minimum network speeds to function. Estimating your current bandwidth and VoIP’s needs is crucial to ensuring your calls are clear and free of drop outs. Before benchmarking your internet speed, decide on how many users, handsets, and calls per day your new VoIP solution will need to handle.

Security

As with anything connected to the internet, VoIP is susceptible to cybersecurity threats and breaches. You could fall victim to information theft and malicious attacks if you don’t have robust and preventive security measures in place. Your best bet is to deploy a firewall to monitor the flow of traffic and protect your systems from security threats.

Budget

VoIP is a long-term money saver for small businesses, but there are relatively small upfront costs when upgrading from a traditional phone system or another subpar VoIP solution. You need to take into account things like whether you’ll purchase deskphones, potential cabling challenges, and installation costs for VoIP-specific routers.

Staff

Employee training is key to a successful VoIP integration. You help these efforts by asking one, or several, of your staff to work with the vendor or IT provider to learn the new system and become in-office resources. While most people are already familiar with video conferencing software such as Skype, it helps to create user guides and manuals to educate those that aren’t as tech-savvy.

VoIP systems create countless cost-saving and business-enhancing benefits, but they should not be installed without certified help. Our dedicated professionals streamline the whole process so your solution is configured and optimized as quickly as possible. Get in touch with us today for information on how to embrace this groundbreaking technology.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

How to make the most of Microsoft Word

How to make the most of Microsoft Word

August 9th, 2018
How to make the most of Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word has become the go-to word processor for businesses big and small. It is used by every department and almost every type of personnel, but its constant updates and huge number of features mean there are lots of functions unknown to most users. Here, we uncover some of the most useful tricks with Word to help you get the most from it.

Edit simultaneously
You and your colleagues can now edit the same Word document at the same time. Just save yours in the cloud on OneDrive, click Share, then send the link to your colleagues. You’ll even be able to see them editing in real time.

Continue your work with Word Online
Don’t have the Word app on your computer, tablet, or smartphone? Go to word.office.com, sign in with your Microsoft account, and open Word Online, the browser version of Word. By clicking the blue Share button, your colleagues can access your document using Word Online or the Word app, which means anyone with the link and an internet connection can jump right in

Keep editorial control
With the Track Changes function, Word monitors all the edits that everyone makes to your document so you can go through the changes and accept or reject them accordingly.

To turn on Track Changes, click on the Review tab then select Track Changes. When reviewing a colleague’s edits, you have control to click on Accept or Reject as you see fit.

Format the easy way: Write first, format later
The Style Gallery in Word makes it easy to format your document, despite the huge number of font types, sizes, colors, and effects to choose from. After finishing writing and editing your document, click the Home tab and you will see the Style Galleryprominently on top. Select the appropriate Headings in the font, size, and color that you like, and change any other text in any way you like — just make sure you don’t make any changes to the actual content that’s already been edited!

Insert photos faster, more conveniently
No need to open your browser to look for photos for your document. Just place the cursor on the area where you intend to insert the photo, click on the Insert tab, select Online pictures (type “clip art” on the search box if that’s what you need), select a photo, then click Insert.

Edit a PDF file
Click on the File menu, select Open, and choose Browse. Highlight the PDF you want to edit, then click Open. Word will convert files to the new format using text recognition, so double-check if the conversion is correct. Make the appropriate changes, then click File, then Save As, then Browse. A “Save as type:” dropdown menu will appear at which point you will choose “PDF” then click Save.

These tips may seem straightforward, but over time they can make a big difference in helping you work faster. Want to learn more Word tricks and tips? Get in touch with our Microsoft Office experts today!

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

New Spectre-style attack discovered

New Spectre-style attack discovered

August 7th, 2018
New Spectre-style attack discovered

Security experts are constantly discovering new potential threats, and quite recently, they’ve found a new type of Spectre-style attack more dangerous than the original. Here’s a quick rundown of the new Spectre variant.

Spectre 101
For those who don’t know, Spectre is a vulnerability in modern computer chips like Intel and AMD that allows hackers to steal confidential information stored in an application’s memory, including passwords, instant messages, and emails. Malicious code running on a computer or web browser could be used to exploit this vulnerability, but ever since Spectre was discovered, Microsoft, AMD, Intel, and other tech companies released a series of updates to fix it.

What is NetSpectre?
To perform Spectre attacks, malware would have to run on a targeted machine to extract sensitive data. But in late July, Austrian security researchers found a way to launch Spectre-style attacks remotely without locally installed malware. The new attack is called NetSpectre and it can be conducted over a local area network or via the cloud.

So far, it’s impractical for average hackers to use this method to steal data. In tests, researchers were able to steal data at a rate of between 15 to 60 bits per hour, which means it would take days to gather corporate secrets and passwords. As such, NetSpectre will probably be used by hackers who want to target specific individuals but don’t want to resort to obvious methods like phishing scams or spyware.

Experts also warn that while NetSpectre may be impractical now, hackers may develop faster and more powerful variants in the future.

How should you protect your business?
NetSpectre attacks exploit the same vulnerabilities as the original Spectre so it’s important to install the latest firmware and security updates. You should also secure your networks with advanced firewalls and intrusion prevention systems to detect potential NetSpectre attacks.

Last but not least, working with a reputable managed services provider that offers proactive network monitoring and security consulting services can go a long way in protecting your business from a slew of cyberthreats.

If you’re looking for a leading managed security services provider, why not talk to us? We provide cutting-edge security software and comprehensive, 24/7 support. Call us today for more information.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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