As invaluable as the security solutions that protect a network are, they can be effectively rendered useless if a cybercriminal is skilled in social engineering. Social engineering is the practice of using manipulation to access protected resources. If your business and its team are vulnerable to a social engineering attempt, you are missing a critical piece of your data security strategy.
Spyware, like other malware, is a problem for any organization. Since your business generates, collects, and uses considerable amounts of data, there are plenty of organizations that want to get their hands on it. You spend so much time and money protecting your data against threats on the Internet, but what if the spyware were to just come standard on the computer you just bought?
Data security is such a core consideration of the modern business that every small effort you can take to protect your business is important. One such effort is the implementation of two-factor authentication. However, your employees may not initially feel entirely comfortable with some facets of two-factor authentication.
With the holiday season here, many people are hoping to find the best and brightest smartphone on the market to ensure that they can keep in touch with friends, family, and even clients should an emergency drag you back to the office suddenly. We’ll break down the specs of each major smartphone on the market so that you can make an educated decision about which one might be best for you.
With the growing popularity of Cyber Monday sales and the growth of all types of eCommerce, your employees are likely tempted to shop during work hours. To add to the attraction, there are a lot of promotions exclusively available to online shoppers that take place during business hours of operations. Many companies allow occasional use of company time for personal use. However, some employees are going to take advantage of this generosity and abuse the privilege.
There are many key organizations in the world that simply can’t afford to have cybercriminals and hackers interfering with their data. One of these organizations, CERN (whose acronym translates to the European Laboratory for Particle Physics), has fa
You might have only recently heard about outsourced IT services, but you might be surprised to hear that they have been around for far longer than you previously thought. Even before managed IT, however, business owners and individuals alike were usi
Dozens of surveys and reports are produced each year that evaluate digital threats and cybercrime. Not every publication applies to every business - but many of them do have some important take-aways about the best practices of handling IT. Here’s fe
Does your business have trouble keeping data on the company network? This can be an issue if your employees use their mobile devices to do work while on the go. In order to keep this from becoming an issue, you should encourage your employees to not
Each worker within an organization is delegated some sort of responsibility based on their role. Managers are responsible for managing, while human resources keep all workers accountable for their responsibilities. Yet, there are multiple responsibilities designated to all employees who use technology for their everyday duties.
Microsoft Outlook can be a fantastic way to communicate, but only if you know how best to use it. When you’re using it to reach out to clients or vendors, you need to consider the best practices and shortcuts you can use to make the most of it. We’ll discuss some of the best ways that you can use Microsoft Outlook to help your business function better as a whole.
Hackers put a lot of thought and effort into coming up with new ways to fool the unsuspecting consumer, especially during the holiday season. Here are some recent scams you should watch for.
Have you ever received Facebook requests from people you don’t know? While it might be tempting to give them the benefit of the doubt -- after all, maybe they know a friend of yours -- it’s best to keep strangers off of your page when you can. In order to give your page the flexibility to accept friend requests from people you may know and protect it from strangers, you can implement a “follow” feature, and limit who can send you friend requests.
Here’s something that you might not have noticed about opening Windows applications on your desktop; by default, they will generally open in a smaller window, giving you the ability to customize their size as you see fit. If you want a full size Window, it’s as easy as clicking on the maximize button in the top-right corner, but what if you didn’t want to go through this every time you open the app? There’s a solution for this, and we’ll help you find it.
Connectivity to the cloud is a great opportunity your organization can leverage to its advantage, but only if it’s done well. No two businesses will have the same exact configuration when it comes to cloud, as the needs and responsibilities that are accomplished through that cloud solution will change. This week’s tip is dedicated to helping you discover which cloud solution is right for you.
When you hear the term “hacker,” what do you imagine? Based on the popular images out there, you might imagine a lone user (in a hoodie or ski mask?) hunched over a computer, creating chaos for chaos’ sake. However, this is a dangerously narrow view of “hackers.”
Oh no! You start slapping your pockets, already knowing what you’re about to confirm--your mobile device is missing. With the reliance we have on these devices, losing yours is enough to send you into a relative panic. However, this panic may be avoided by implementing a reliable solution specifically for locating a lost device.
Businesses have focused on efficient utility software deployment for the better part of 30 years. Today, developers are increasingly offering software titles “as-a-service”, which gives users access to these powerful tools, via the cloud, for a consistent monthly payment. Distributing solutions through cloud technologies, be they a private cloud server or a reputable public cloud provider’s platform, can give your business considerable benefits.
DId you know that February 13 was National Clean Out Your Computer Day? Even if you missed it, go grab yourself a can of compressed air and your trusted IT technician, and don't miss out on this annual opportunity to improve your computer’s performance.
When someone asks you to troubleshoot a problem, it’s because there is something that is preventing their solutions from working properly, which they need them to do. In business, this happens all the time. This is why every business provides some semblance of support with their product or service. What happens, however, when the act of troubleshooting makes something worse. One security analyst came across this problem in an unlikely place: Microsoft’s newest desktop operating systems, Windows 10.
DETROIT, September 2, 2016 – Smart IT Services, a leading independent agency technology provider, today announced the opening of its Mackinaw City office to serve its clients in Northern Michigan, Mackinac Island, and the Upper Peninsula. The branch office is located less than a half mile from the Mackinaw Bridge at 711 S. Huron Ave.
According to Jerry Fetty, CEO of Smart IT Services, the creation of a second office in Northern Michigan came about as a result of growth of Smart Services’ footprint in Northern Michigan.
“For 25 years, Smart Services has provided businesses and independent insurance agents across the country with proactive, fast, and expert technology services,” Fetty said. “Our Northern Michigan office is an expression of that ongoing commitment to provide the best strategic IT services to our many clients in this region.”
The new office will provide existing and new clients with:
• Local presence in the area with skilled technicians on site and nearby.
• Faster response time for on-site needs.
• myAgency Cloud, the most complete cloud solution available in the industry
• Network monitoring and management
• Backup and disaster recovery
• Email and spam protection
• VoIP phone systems
• Mobile device security
• Strategic IT assessments,
• Plus much more
“We’re excited about our new office and the potential for growth in this area,” Fetty said. “We look forward to helping our current and future clients to maximize their IT investment so they are more competitive and successful.”
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About SMART Services: SMART I.T. Services, Inc. is an information technology services provider founded in 1991 and focused on serving independent insurance agencies throughout the nation. The company recently was recognized as one of the Top 20 Most Promising Insurance Technology Vendors of 2016 by CIO Review magazine.
We've been told for years it’s best to routinely change your passwords. That way, if a password were stolen, it would lose its value when the user goes to change it. While this sounds logical, new research shows that sometimes it may actually be better NOT to change your passwords.
Security professionals have been at war with hackers ever since the Internet was created, but a recent NATO decision has affirmed the fact that cybersecurity is a real-world problem, and one that needs to be fixed. Just like land, air, and sea, cyberspace has become a battlefield, albeit a very different kind.
Microsoft's latest round of security patches resolved 27 vulnerabilities affecting Windows, Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, the Edge browser, and other software. It’s important to patch these vulnerabilities as soon as possible. If, on the other hand, you’ve already applied the latest security patches, you have little to fear.
Memes are deeply rooted into today’s online culture. Thanks to the Internet, even the most absurd things can quickly gain popularity through social media and online forums. While they might seem silly and pointless, it would be foolish to dismiss them as wastes of time; especially considering how popular they are. If you are looking for a creative way to get your name and brand out there, why not try using memes?
Storing critical physical files has been an important part of the office infrastructure for a long time. In the past, files were stuffed into folders and catalogued in a file cabinet for access; but when it came time to move files, it took a lot of work. Now, since many files are stored electronically, several shortcuts allow you to easily move your files.
When shopping for a cloud solution, agents are routinely bombarded with a ton of impressive-sounding features promoted as selling points. One feature that you’ve probably come across, autoscaling, may not be able to fully deliver on its perceived promises.
If you've ever questioned why your business needs to take advantage of network security, consider this: the average cost of data breaches, worldwide, has increased by 29 percent since 2013. The average cost per data breach is now an astounding $4 million! Can your business afford to deal with a data breach or data loss disaster?
The Petya ransomware, a particularly vicious threat, has reared its ugly head once again; only this time, it’s not alone. Petya now comes bundled together with Mischa, another ransomware that works well alongside Petya. The ransomware is delivered via an inconspicuous email disguised as a job application, with a resume attached. Once the user downloads the file, Petya encrypts the files on the device.
Sharing your Netflix password with a friend so they too can enjoy a vast catalogue of movies seems harmless enough. However, due to a recent ruling by judges of the Ninth Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals, this common action is now a federal crime.
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