We often view hackers as creeps who are bent on spreading viruses to disrupt everyone's lives, perhaps for the sake of anarchy or some extreme ideology. But when it comes down to it, most hackers are in it for the money and are just trying to make a quick buck. In fact, hacking groups may even be more organized than your business!
Have you ever got stuck having to fill out a paper document, only to butcher it with your handwriting? Paper forms filled out with sloppy handwriting are unprofessional and may even miscommunicate an important detail. To help your paper forms look professional, Microsoft Word allows you to scan the doc and then enter text; we'll show you how!
Many businesses are discovering how great it is for employees to use their personal devices to accomplish work. BYOD has been proven to improve productivity and worker satisfaction; but like so many great things, these BYOD benefits are in danger of being shut down as employers are becoming concerned about being sued. How can you still benefit from BYOD while being protected from lawsuits?
When you go home for the night and lock your office door, what happens in your office under the cover of darkness? During the day, you are present to monitor what goes on and control the chaos, but what kind of monitoring and controls are in place for your office at night?
Are you going to make sure your machete is handy and start boarding up your windows for the coming of George Romero's slow-moving walking dead, or will you load up on ammo and lock yourself in a bunker for the more active and feral Max Brooks-type zombies? What about your data, like your Zombie Survival Guide E-book? Is it safe?
The majority of businesses that experience data loss will not recover. You may think that, if you are careful, then you will not need a backup solution, but statistics say otherwise. A 2009 study by Blackblaze.com revealed that 46% of users experience data loss every year! This figure makes sense when you consider the five most common factors of data loss.
When you hear the phrase, "The machines are taking over," you may think of science fiction stories where robots become self-aware and enslave humanity. You may not have realized it, but the machines have already taken over; not with a violent uprising, but through what's called the Internet of Things (IoT).
It takes a big person to admit when they're wrong, and there's nothing bigger than Microsoft. Windows 8 hasn't sold like Microsoft anticipated, and users pin the blame solely on one little button, the Start button, or the lack thereof. With Windows Blue (officially previewing June 26), it's rumored that Microsoft is remorsefully bringing back the button.
There was a time when tape backup was the cheapest and the standard data backup solution for businesses. Over the years, cloud services have become more affordable, and now cloud backup solutions like a BDR are cheaper and give businesses more security features. If you are still backing up with tape, then you may be losing money and even putting your business at risk!
With all the attention that hackers receive, you would think that they are solely responsible for every network security breach, but the truth of the matter is that most damages to company networks are due to negligence. Here are the four most common IT security oversights that can lead to major damages to your network.
Working in front of a computer all day can be challenging for your mind, but not very stimulating for your body. Anything physical that you can add to your routine will benefit your health and stave off the negative side effects that come from sitting in one place for too long. Stretching is a great and easy way to get physical, and yes, there is an app for that.
Emotions aside, whenever an employee is fired or quits, their departure means extra paperwork for Human Resources. After the farewell cake has been cleaned up, the exit interview has been completed, and all the resignation forms have been filed, it is now vital that the former employee's access to the company's network be completely removed.
For most of the last decade the telecommunications company Research in Motion (RIM) led a worldwide smartphone charge with it's series of Blackberry devices. In the past two years, however, RIM's revenue stream has been cut in half and their staggering profits have turned into substantial losses. Can anything save this struggling company?
When you mention the term 'disaster recovery,' most people think about the big ground-shattering events like earthquakes, fires, floods, tropical storms, etc. While these natural events are certainly disasters and devastating in their own right, smaller things can constitute as a disaster for your business, and they aren't seasonal. 99% of disasters happen in the office, most are server failures or some type of data loss.
The Internet certainly has changed the way we live, work, shop, and communicate. We may think we're superior to previous generations because of all our Internet-based technology, but we have video proof that the Internet was actually conceptualized in 1969. In many ways, our parents and grandparents were spot on with their predictions. In other ways, not so much.
We all have our preferences when it comes to how we work. Our Microsoft Outlook settings are no different.
Many people like to have their inbox set up with the reading pane to preview emails at a glance without fully opening them. This is a common practice that, unfortunately, opens up users for unwanted viruses and threats via email.
Emails sent to your inbox containing viruses or malware will install the threats when the emails are viewed in the preview pane, whether or not you've fully opened them or not.
To avoid this potential danger, simply turn off your Outlook reading pane. To do this, go to View > Reading Pane > Off.
This should be done for Outlook Web Access as well because the threat is the same.
The longest running state agent technology conference in the nation, Great Lakes Automation Day (GLAD) was presented by the Michigan Association of Insurance Agents on November 11, 2010.
The event drew over 150 agents to hear presentations from agents on the leading edge of technology, carrier technology representatives, agency IT leaders, and more. GLAD’s day-long format was topped-off with numerous vendor booths and wonderful networking opportunities.
Steve Brooks of B & B Premier Insurance Solutions kicked off the day with his keynote presentation regarding the latest tools and opportunities for agents to grow their personal lines business, despite intense competition from captive and direct agents.
Mike Steger, Communications Manager at Michigan State University, followed with a fast-paced session that highlighted 45 technology tips in a mere 45 minutes. His presentation included a slew of websites and resources, most of which are free to agents, which can be used for improving online presence, productivity, and more.
After two additional sessions and a delicious lunch, Jerry Fetty took the Kellogg Center stage to present Mobile Computing Today. Jerry discussed the latest developments and reviewed a variety of devices, emphasizing the need to understand how agents plan to work remotely in order for them to select the mobile platform and device that will allow them to be the most productive.
A concurrent Michigan NetVU user group meeting rounded out the information-packed day.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by the SMART I.T. Services and MySalesResults booths and congratulations to Ashley Whitney of Harbor Brenn Insurance Agency, winner of our raffle for an Archos 2.8 internet tablet device. We hope to see you all again at the MAIA’s Annual Convention on February 22-24, 2011 in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan!
Malicious online pop-ups are becoming more and more complex, making it harder for everyday users to decipher what is legit and what is harmful. These pop-ups go so far as to trick you into installing malware on your computer, potentially compromising personal and company data while making your computer run slow.
This webinar recording provides you with guidance for preventing the installation of malware on your computer.
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