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Privacy and security are important to your organization, but they’re even more important to those whom you serve. Nearly 75% of Americans feel it is “extremely” or “very” important that the companies they work with keep their information under lock and key and the...
The age of social media has let millions of people reconnect and stay up-to-date with family members, friends, ex-in-laws and acquaintances. It also continues to shape how we all communicate with each other. It’s important to keep a few things in mind before you check...
How important is computer and cyber security? Let’s take a look at some facts to put it in perspective. Did you know that, according to a 2014 National Small Business Association Report, 44% of US small businesses were the victim of a cyber-attack, with each attack...
Passwords and management of those passwords are a big pain – no two ways around it. One website requires a symbol, another requires 14 characters and your bank requires 10 characters, four PIN numbers and the answer to a secret question. It becomes easy to just use...
Two-factor authentication (2FA for short), sometimes called multi-factor authentication, is a system in which you must verify your identity in two separate ways to access an account – this may be a login password, an online account or an account to access an...
Did you know your COMPANY’S bank account doesn’t enjoy the same protections as a personal bank account when it comes to fraud? If a hacker takes money from your business account, the bank is NOT responsible for replacing your funds. (Don’t believe me? Go ask your bank...
We often get asked if an organization has passed its PCI compliance requirements for accepting credit cards; is there really a need for more security and compliance? The answer is yes! While the PCI architecture and requirements heavily overlap network security...
An incident response plan is an organized approach to addressing the aftermath of a security breach or cyber-attack. Certain industries, like medical or financial institutions, absolutely should have one. But even if you don’t have a lot of sensitive information, it’s...
It’s just another Tuesday on your way to work and you stopped by your favorite busy coffee shop to get your caffeine fix. You set your tablet down to add the cream and, when you turn back, your laptop is gone. It’s nowhere in sight, nor is the thief who stole it. If...
Do you have guest access on your company WiFi network? Or do you simply give out the same password that your employees use? If you give out your password, you’re practically opening the door for anyone to come in and steal private information, infect your private...
All parents need to closely monitor their kids’ use of tablets, phones and devices, as well as all social media profiles. It’s no secret that sexual predators lurk online, looking for their next victim. While what you tell your kids should be age-appropriate, here’s a...
Think fast: what’s the first thing you do after realizing you just replied to the e-mail from the Nigerian prince wanting to give you a sum of $34 million? Okay, you most likely didn’t reply to that…but let’s suppose you suddenly realize your machine or device has...
Here’s a common scam: you get an e-mail from the boss (or your spouse, parents or other trusted person) asking you to send them a copy of employee pay stubs, tax information and files with confidential data such as social security numbers in them; or they’re asking...
Getting rid of old computers or servers? Did you know that the components used in technology equipment are not landfill-safe? On top of the environmental hazards, unprotected e-waste typically contains a lot of confidential and private information in the form of saved...
A complex password is a necessity, but hard to remember. And with so many websites requiring a password these days, users often reuse the same password again and again with different sites. BAD idea. When a big company gets hacked (like LinkedIn, for example), the...
Here are some little-known ways to see if your kid is doing things and visiting sites you don’t want them to: They’ve deleted their browsing history. What are they hiding? The ads showing up are questionable. Marketers use retargeting to get you to come back to their...
Modern business equipment has radically changed how we conduct everyday business. Do you realize that copiers and multifunction printers are also one of the leading causes of data breaches? They are the one device on the network that commonly does not ever have the...
Never forget that e-mail constitutes a legal record and can be admissible in legal actions, not only in the courtroom, but in the court of public opinion. People sue people for all kinds of silly reasons. Family members get into disputes, couples get divorced,...
With so many access points, from cell phones to laptop and home computers, how can anyone hope to keep their network safe from hackers, viruses and other unintentional security breaches? The answer is not “one thing” but a series of things you have to implement and...
This week, 10 easy tips to mobile phone security: Lock your device with a PIN or password, and never leave it unattended in public Uninstall apps you don’t use ONLY download apps from trusted sources Keep your phone’s operating system updated Install antivirus...
Social engineering is big business. What is it? Figuring out who you are and then using that information to make money off of it. People list password challenge and identity verification publicly on their Instagram, Twitter and Facebook pages and feeds without giving...
While most businesses understand the importance of backing up their server and files, many forget to back up their website! Most sites are hosted on a third-party platform like HostGater or WordPress. However, these hosts have limits on what they back up, and the...
If a laptop is stolen or lost, and the data is not backed up, you just lost it all. Worst of all, even if you had it locked with a strong password, it’s very likely to get cracked. Once the thief succeeds, any private data that is unencrypted is free for the taking....
There are two mistakes we see with usernames and passwords, even if they are GOOD strong ones. The first is using the SAME password across multiple sites. The second is using the same e-mail usernames and prefixes across multiple free e-mail services. For example:...
Here’s a disturbing, but very real, tactic for hackers: spying on you via your device’s camera. Some simply watch you for fun. Others attempt to catch incriminating photos and then blackmail you by threatening to release the photos or video (which they have) to all...
So you have a big file you need to get over to your printer YESTERDAY and you can’t get it to “send” via e-mail because the file is too big. What should you do? The right thing to do is contact your IT department (us!) so we can assist by installing a secure,...
If you do online banking, NEVER access your online account with a PC or device that you use to log in to social media sites or free e-mail accounts (like Hotmail) or to surf the web. Since these are all highly hackable, keeping one PC dedicated to online banking...
In a recent incident reported in US news, an office secretary unknowingly gave some of her law firm’s most private data to a gentleman who had bought a Comcast Cable polo shirt off eBay. He dressed in khakis with a tool belt, and told the secretary he was there to...
Want to know what every hacker hopes you believe? “We’re small…nobody wants to hack us.” This is the #1 reason why people (companies) get hacked. They dismiss the importance of IT security because they’re only a “small business.” This is a lazy, irresponsible excuse....
YOU! And your employees. Like it or not, human beings are our own worst enemies online, inviting hackers, viruses, data breaches, data loss, etc., through the seemingly innocent actions taken every day online. In most cases, this is done without malicious intent – but...
If you’re using any kind of cloud application (and these days, who isn’t?), you are right to be concerned about data privacy and security. The company hosting your data is ultimately responsible for keeping hackers out of THEIR network, but most cloud breaches are due...
No matter how diligent you are about security, there’s always a chance you can get hacked. That’s why you need to put a plan in place NOW to protect yourself and your CLIENTS, so damage is minimized. But what should you do if you find out you’ve been hacked? First,...
If you handle, process or store credit cards in any manner, you are required to comply with PCI DSS, or Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards. This is a set of LEGAL requirements you must abide by to maintain a secure environment. If you violate them, you will...
A firewall is a device that acts like a security cop watching over your computer network to detect unauthorized access and activity – and EVERY business and individual needs one. However, your firewall is completely useless if it’s not set up or maintained properly....
When online accessing a banking site or any other application containing sensitive data, make sure you log out of the site and THEN close your browser. If you simply close your browser, some of the session information that a hacker can use to gain entry is still...
You know you’re guilty of it: using the same password for everything. Believe me, I understand how annoying it is to try and remember all those passwords; and if you’re using the same password for sites that don’t share sensitive information, like a login to a news...
Here’s a tip that just might save your bacon: Set up withdrawal alerts on your bank accounts. Many banks will send you an e-mail alert whenever money is withdrawn from your account via check, debit card or transfer. Setting up those alerts will allow you to spot and...
The ONLY thing you should use your company’s workstation or PC for is…WORK! Never mix personal web surfing and social media with company devices. If you want to check your Hotmail account or Facebook page, do it during your lunch break and on YOUR personal device....
We’re all guilty of it: connecting to free public WiFi. Whether it’s at the coffee shop, hotel or airport, the temptation to check e-mail and surf the web is just too strong to resist. So BEFORE you connect to any free, public WiFi, make sure the connection is...
If you’re using Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive or other consumer-grade file sync and sharing cloud applications, listen up! These applications pose a huge threat to your company because company data can be spread far and wide without central oversight of what...
So you’re in the car on the way home from Starbucks, basking in the glow of consuming your triple-shot, low-foam, extra-hot pumpkin-spice latte when you suddenly realize your laptop has gone missing. You drive back like the caffeinated lunatic you are, only to...
Like it or not, device manufacturers LOVE to stuff your brand-new PC, tablet or phone full of “free” applications (they get paid to do it, so you’ve got a slim chance of getting one without a side of spamware). But clutter is the enemy of a speedy PC, and outdated...
There are thousands of hackers who get up every morning with ONE goal in mind: to find a new vulnerability in a commonly installed software (like Adobe, Flash or QuickTime) to access your computer. That’s why these companies frequently issue patches and updates for...
Here’s a sneaky trick used by many hackers: they purchase and set up a fraudulent website that is a close misspelling of a legitimate one. Example: www.faceboook.com (extra “o”) or www.dropbox.net (instead of .com). All you have to do is accidentally fat-finger ONE...
The “Dark Web” or “Deep Web” is a part of the World Wide Web we know and love that is ONLY accessible via a special software that allows users and website operators to remain completely anonymous and untraceable. That’s why it’s the playground for hackers and...
A phishing e-mail is a bogus e-mail that is carefully designed to look like a legitimate request (or attached file) from a site you trust in an effort to get you to willingly give up your login information to a particular website or to click and download a virus....
Not too long ago, the WannaCry ransomware attack was all over the news, infecting over 400,000 computers. The threat was fairly straightforward: Pay us or we’ll erase your files. Ransomware, like the WannaCry attack, works by encrypting your files to prevent you from...
You’re working at your computer when all of the sudden – BAM! – you get a pop-up notification that your PC is infected with a virus and you must “click here” to run a scan or install antivirus software. This is a common scareware tactic used by hackers to get you to...
A weak password is still one of the most common ways hackers break in. Thanks to sophisticated brute-force-attack software readily available online, hackers can try tens of millions of possible password combinations per second. For example, hacking software can guess...
If you plan on catching up on some work from home AND you’re using a personal device such as a smartphone or personal laptop to log in to cloud applications – DON’T! Unless your personal device is covered under one of our managed services plans, you could accidentally...
Did you know your COMPANY’S bank account doesn’t enjoy the same protections as a personal bank account when it comes to fraud? If a hacker takes money from your business account, the bank is NOT responsible for replacing your funds. (Don’t believe me? Go ask your bank...