It’s common to jump on a website and immediately see a pop-up regarding accepting cookies, and can even be mandatory if you wish to continue to the site. But have you ever truly understood what exactly you’re accepting? Cookies and privacy terms can vary website to website, but here’s what you should know before you make the click.
What Are Cookies?
Cookies allow websites to remember and store information when you use their site. This information can include your name, your login, your purchase history, and more. Depending on what site you visit, it may or may not be wise to accept cookies. Some sites enforce the use of cookies to produce a better experience for the user. This can include personalizing the site based on your preferences and to save your desired items for later. Some cookies are placed by advertisers, which is considered a third party to the site. In this instance, you may want to install safety software to prevent private information from being stolen. The privacy terms you are accepting are there to let you know that the site is transparent about data tracking. So if this concerns you, be sure to read over the conditions before allowing cookie usage.
When To Say No
While most websites use cookies to create a better experience, there are plenty of reasons to be cautious. If you notice a website is not encrypted, it means there is very little protection for your information. If you are able to catch that the cookie agreement is for third parties, refrain from accepting them. This can allow your data to be stolen, sold, and more vulnerable to hackers. Finally, if you are entering in personal or banking information, do not allow cookies to be used. It is always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your data.
It can be hard to differentiate between a trustworthy or an untrustworthy site, so always pay attention to what terms you accept. If you have any questions about our IT services, contact us today! Follow us on Facebook to keep up with our latest blogs!
As cybercriminals become more evolved, cybersecurity must always be a few steps ahead to prevent potential challenges. In order to achieve this, companies are beginning to utilize the power of artificial intelligence to better protect data. How will this improve or disrupt cybersecurity? It is up for discussion but could possibly become the best strategy against cyber threats.
How AI Can Contribute
As a trending tool, the world has reacted both positively and negatively to the increased use in AI devices. Many fear the capabilities of AI and many also doubt it, but it has become a hot topic either way. AI has the potential to make interferences humans may not catch, and they can prevent online threats with faster, proactive, actions. Since it is a machine, it can handle large amounts of data while simultaneously searching through threats. This means AI can catch more potential threats at once while not letting any slip through the cracks. AI can also assist human analysts flag malicious activities so that preventative measures can be taken quicker. This saves time and can prevent multiple security incidents before they happen.
The Issue
While AI can greatly benefit the cybersecurity industry, machines will never completely replace the accuracy of a human analyst. Organizations should never fully rely on AI and should invest in other forms of security as well. AI can also be vulnerable to cyber threats, so it’s important to continuously monitor its system to better protect data. Cyber Attackers can manipulate the AI input data installed, which can lead to cyber data breaches. Using AI systems is also very costly, and human oversight will always be required no matter what system you implement.
To include AI in your security system is based on preference, since it can be both helpful but not foolproof. The decision is yours to make, but cyber security must always be evolving to ensure data safety. If you have any questions about our IT services, contact us today! Follow us on Facebook to keep up with our latest blogs!
USB flash drives have been a practical and reliable way to transport valuable files to and from different computers. Since the year of 2000, they have been a viable trinket to businesses and students when needing to back up data. Over the years, their storage capacity has reached a whooping 512GB, when it only started at 8 MB. For something so small to become so powerful is a huge deal, which is how it came to getting its own national holiday.
Benefits of the Flash Drive
In respect to the flash drive’s infamous reputation, let start by noting reasons why they come in handy when storing data. A flash drive is very simple to use, and can be easily stowed away because of its size and weight. It is a relatively fast way to transfer files over to different devices, as well as having plenty of storage options. While all these things make the flash drive great, security should remain the biggest concern and priority.
Is it Secure?
Flash drives can be secure if they have advanced enough features. Some are equipped with a passcode, preventing users from accessing private material if your flash drive becomes lost or stolen. The problem is that hackers utilize this nifty object to help invade your personal information to spread attacks. It’s important to be aware of what you insert into your computer, considering that a flash drive is capable of carrying dangerous malware. This kind of threat can rupture your IT infrastructure, creating various amounts of issues. These threats can be so serious that in certain situations, the damage is irreversible. Plugging a drive into the USB port can record and gather the information it needs. This information could include access passcodes, sensitive data, and business owned files. Attackers can also use flash drives to maliciously damage your PC all together, completely destroying anything it’s electronically attached to.
Conclusion
While it may seem far-fetched to assume something as tiny as a flash drive can wreak all this havoc, you must consider the importance of your or your business’s data to ensure proper security. Backing up digital data can be simple and secure with the right form of integrated security. If you have any questions about our IT services, contact us today!
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Something as simple as sending an email may seem like normal task, but every email sent out holds precious information that thieves prey upon. Whether it’s for personal or company use, any information can be utilized to expose any confidential details you may not wish to share. These details can be used to perform cyberattacks, which is more than ideal to avoid. With the use of email security, your or your company’s cloud can be protected from potential cyber threats.
Why is it Important?
Having cloud-based email security is important for a number of reasons, especially since email is the most vulnerable line of communication. This is because hundreds of emails go out each day depending on the size of your company, raising the overall probability of getting attacked. Since most employees are busy working, the chances of them noticing a suspicious link attached to an email may be slim. Clicking on this link could result in attackers collecting precious credentials or installing viruses to employee computers. To prevent this from happening takes a lot less exertion than trying to reverse it, so consider taking action before it’s too late.
Potential Threats
Companies and personal users of email face potential consequences everyday when without cybersecurity. But what types of threats are there to look out for? Phishing emails take a hefty 90% of the blame for attacks for their talent of deception. These emails are sent to employees and usually consist of believable scenarios such as:
Changing payment methods for certain services (Netflix, Amazon, ect.)
Changing a password for an account under their name or company’s name
Alarming notices regarding unwarranted purchases
There are other ways for phishing emails to trick your employees, and they continue to evolve every single day. Phishing emails are the starting point of cloud-email exploitation, which happens through the use of document sharing. Many companies rely on Google Drive and other document sharing tools, so a recognizable email may not strike anyone as suspicious. Without proper cybersecurity, attackers can access these private documents and other data found in the cloud.
How Can I Improve it?
Applying integrated security to protect company data is the best way to prevent cyber attacks. Email encryption prevents data leaks wherever there is vulnerability in the server. Adding this extra step to ensure security between emails will definitely help. It is also beneficial to educate employees of these scams and how to identify them before moving forward. Thieves become more intelligent with every passing day, so learning how to specify what to avoid will benefit you or your business greatly.
Conclusion
As a company, it is a great responsibility to make sure your data is protected. As it’s been said before, prevention is a lot easier than finding a cure. Preparing for the worst scenario and staying aware of cyber threats will save you a lot of time and concern.
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Ransomware is a type of malware (malicious software) that takes your files, data or computer hostage until you pay money. When a ransomware attack happens, your computer or browser may lock up and you may see a ransomware note or your files will be encrypted, leaving you not being able to access them.
How does your computer get it?
There are a few ways ransomware and other types of malware can infect your computer.
Opening links on emails from unknown sources
If you get an email from an unknown email address with a link attached, it’s better not to open it. It could be disguised as a coworker or trusted company. If something about the email seems off, check to see if there are typos in the name or email address. This can be an indicator that the email is fake. These types of emails are called phishing.
Opening links or websites from social media messages
Like the messages that come to your email with a malware virus in them, these are often sent by people you don’t recognize or fake accounts. If a link looks suspicious, do not open it, even if it is from a family member or friend. Their accounts could have been hacked. It is better to check with them to make sure the file is safe.
Using unsecure sites
Sites have their own protection on them. If this has been breached or it is a site set up for malicious purposes, it could put your data and computer at risk. Your browser will usually give you a warning before entering the site. If this happens, it is best to back out of the site.
Steps to protecting your computer against ransomware
– Making sure your computer and software is up to date
– Check emails addresses and look for signs that a website could be fake before downloading anything
– Backup your files and data
The number one way to make sure your data is secure and protected is by having a good backup system in place. If a ransomware attack does happen, you don’t want to pay the money to get your files back, because there is no guarantee that you will get the data back. When you have a good backup system in place, you know that even if something does happen, your data is secure and can be redownloaded onto your computer.
If you need help setting up a backup system for your company, contact us and one of our WesTec reps can go over the options and help you decide what is best for your company. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook!
Think of how much of your company’s work is done on a computer and all of the programs, files and information that is stored. If your company does not have a data backup system, you’re at risk of losing it all. That could be detrimental to your business.
So what could cause your systems to go down and experience data loss? There are a few different scenarios where your company could be at risk.
Hardware, Software or System Malfunctions
If you work on a computer, you know they’re not always perfect. Sometimes systems fail or malfunction. If this happens and your data is not backed up, you lose all of your files. If you had a data backup system in place, you could simply load up the backup and restore your information that was lost.
Human error
We’ve all made the mistake of accidentally deleting something we weren’t supposed to. It could be that an employee thought the file was something else or accidentally clicked the delete button. Without data backup, those files would be lost forever and the work would have to be redone. With backups, you’ll be able to restore the file and continue the workday.
Malware or Ransomware
Malicious Software, malware for short, is what people refer to as computer viruses. There are different types of malware, with some having the ability to delete everything on your computer system. Ransomware is a type of virus that holds your data captive unless you pay a dollar amount. If you have a good backup system in place, you won’t have to pay the ransom and you will still have access to your data.
Natural disasters
In Houston, there are many things that could happen, in particular, flooding. If your computer and hard drive were to be destroyed in a flood or fire, you could lose your data.
While many things could happen, the risk associated with losing your data and files can be mitigated by properly backing up your data. There are different types of backups and data protection. If you would like to start protecting your company’s data, contact us and one of our WesTec reps can go over the options and help you decide what is best for your company. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook!
Phone technology is constantly evolving. Although new tech toys are fun and functional, there are always underlying dangers. Here are 5 smartphone security risks and how to prevent them.
Risks:
Unintentional Disclosure of Data
Malicious disclosure of sensitive or private information.
Phishing Attacks
Scams made by actors pretending to be a trusted source or individual.
Spyware Attacks
Type of malicious malware or software downloaded without the consent or knowledge of a victim.
Diallware Attacks
Stealing money from a designated user through malware that uses hidden message service or numbers.
Network Congestion
Network is overloaded with links and malware, causing lots of traffic.
Preventions:
Encrypt Mobile Devices
Encrypting is the process of converting information into secret codes which prohibits unknown users from accessing.
Update All Apps and Operating Systems
Updating apps and operation systems with frequency lowers the chances of your information being compromised – sometimes through improved bug fixes.
Set Strong Passwords
Strong passwords often include:
A minimum of 8 characters
At least one capitalized letter
The use of special characters such as, @!#
At least one numeric character
Consider Deactivating Smartphone Functionalities Such as Siri, Cortana, and Others
Smartphone functions such as Siri and Cortana save all data for future use. Make sure that if these functions are being utilized, no private information is shared — or do not use them at all.
Don’t Ignore Error Messages About The Validity of Certificates
A variety of websites do a proper job of calling out accounts or messages that are unsafe. Always read any error messages for certificates or accounts.
Remember: There are thousands of other smartphone security risks, but if you take the proper precautions the chances of any data leakage are slim.
Have any more concerns about smartphone technology? WesTec Services can help! Contact us with any questions you may have and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
With holiday’s right around the corner, this makes for a scammer’s perfect opportunity to conduct phishing scams. Researchers have stated that this year, phishing scams are going to increase significantly. More phishing scams are done via mobile devices, making it easier than ever to have your information stolen. But how do we protect ourselves during this vulnerable time?
Phishing Scams
Phishing scams are intensified during the holiday season due to the high traffic of online shoppers and the urge for people to look for deals. One popular way scammers do this is by sending emails or text messages about an offer that is too good to be passed up. For example, they list a popular technology device for cheap. Most people would just look at the price and proceed with the scam. Another scam is when they mimic bigger companies online to get credit card information or being able to log onto the device when a certain URL is clicked. These mainly happen through emails. They might send an email about a recent fake purchase to get you to click on the URL. These scams are going unnoticed and can do lots of harm. It is important to know how to prevent these scams and protect your information.
Prevention
It is inevitable that these scams will make their way to you. One way to identify a scam is to check the grammar of the message. Usually scams will be misspelled or the message came from a third party source. This is the easiest way to quickly identify the scam.
Be cautious about providing personal information such as phone numbers or credit card numbers. Make sure before you provide information that it is a reliable and trustworthy source.
If a phishing scam is sent to you, it is best to not respond. A response to these scams lets the scammer know you are a ‘real’ person and will likely be targeted again. If this does happen, there is an option to report the scam to the Spam Reporting Service.
Holidays make for a great time to buy gifts for loved ones, but this also means it is more likely to come across a phishing scam. It is important to know how to identify the scam and how to prevent and protect yourself.
Scams can be irritating and hard to effectively prevent them. WesTec services can help you in any way. We offer skilled expertise in all technologies and are ready to help. Contact us for any further information on phishing and how to protect yourself.
As our society leans more on technology, the opportunities for threats to interfere continue to increase. Safe computing requires more user awareness than ever before as well as maintenance of passwords and data security.
Here are a few tips on how you can keep your information safe online:
Secure your passwords.
Password hacking is the easiest way for anyone to access your information and cause damage. Switch up your password on each website you use, store them in a safe place, and be sure to change them frequently for the most security. Include both uppercase and lowercase, symbols, and numbers for the most difficult-to-guess passwords.
Automatically download important updates.
Updates such as MacOS are critical to the integrity of your computer and should therefore be completed as soon as they become available. Adjust your updates in settings to download automatically.
Never access sensitive websites on public WiFi.
Your data could be easily copied or stolen on a sensitive network. In addition, do not access or share sensitive data on unreliable networks.
Be aware of phishing attempts.
Never open an email from someone you do not know. If there is a link or document attached in the email, absolutely do not open it. Hackers often use this to automatically download malware onto your computer when opened and to access your information or ruin it altogether.
Back up your important information onto an external drive.
Whether it be a full backup hard drive or a flash drive, secure sensitive data onto a protected drive in case of emergency and for extra protection.
Don’t let yourself become the next hacked credit card or identity theft. Practice safe computing and protect your valuable information with the security it deserves. WesTec Services is a trusted and experienced IT services provider located in the Houston area. Allow us to keep your data safe by giving us a call today or visiting our website.
A Password meter is an indicator of the strength of a password entered by a user on a website. In most cases, meters estimate the amount of tries necessary for your password to be guessed by an attacker by factoring in password length and complexity. A University of Plymouth study tested 16 of the most encountered password meters on the internet to test their effectiveness. Based on the results, here are a few tips on how to keep your passwords secure, regardless of an “approval” given by the password meter:
Do not always trust the password meter
Just because a password meter says “strong password” does not mean it is. The meters can be helpful but are also extremely flawed, giving you a sense of false security. When deciding on a password, do not base it solely on the rating given by the website.
Avoid using keyboard patterns
On many password meters, passwords such as “querty”, “abc123”, and “Password” sometimes cannot be detected as problematic. Common letter combinations, such as going down a row of the keyword or commonly used words, are easily guessed and not always flagged on the meters.
Make passwords complicated and personal
The most secure passwords are those with a combination of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols. Choose combinations that seem difficult to guess by an outside person or computer. The more complicated and seemingly random the password, the stronger it will be.In addition to character variation, do not use the same password for all of your accounts. Change up your passwords so that if one is discovered, not all of your information is at risk. Secure your valuable data with the protection it deserves. Do you part to protect your information with a strong password, WesTec is here to do the rest. WesTec Services is dedicated to providing the highest quality of IT consulting as well as backup disaster and recovery planning. Give WesTecCall a call today to discover more about our available services.
Mission: WesTec will be a “turn-key” solution for all of its clients’ business connectivity needs. It will offer efficient and effective solutions, directly and with strategic partners, that create tangible value for its clients at every point of contact. Westec will serve all people and entities with a servant’s heart.
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2916 West TC Jester Blvd.,
Suite 104
Houston, TX 77018
While many things could happen, the risk associated with losing your data and files can be mitigated by properly backing up your data. There are different types of backups and data protection. If you would like to start protecting your company’s data, 
2916 West TC Jester Blvd.,
Suite 104
sales@westecservices.net