As the stereotype goes, when you report a problem to your IT team, their first question is often, "Have you tried turning it off and on again?" While it might seem annoying, the reality is that many issues can indeed be fixed with a reboot. The longer you keep your computer running without a restart or shutdown, the higher the chances of encountering problems.

Over time, it's normal for a computer to exhibit decreased performance when left running without a restart for a long time.

This phenomenon occurs because a reboot effectively frees up memory space, restarts frozen applications and eliminates temporary files accumulated from various software applications.

A computer restart can also be a solution for network drive-related problems. If you encounter difficulties in connecting to one or all of your network drives, performing a computer reboot forces it to make another connection attempt.

Rebooting your computer also resolves problems related to freezing or unresponsive applications. In cases where your computer becomes unresponsive, and you can't access the start menu to perform a restart, you can manually power it down.

This process is done by pressing the power button for eight seconds until it turns off and then pressing the power button again to restart it.

Whenever you install a Windows update, it is essential to restart your computer as the changes may not have taken effect, and you may only be protected once you do.

Frequently rebooting your computer, especially when encountering the described problems, can significantly reduce IT support inquiries.

It streamlines troubleshooting for your IT team, as they will know that a reboot has been attempted before seeking their assistance. And, perhaps most importantly, being able to confidently respond with "Yes, indeed!" when asked, "Have you tried restarting your computer?".

Are issues still persistent in your computer after a reboot? We can help! Contact our IT experts today at:

For businesses: Visit SD Solutions

For individual IT Support needs: Visit ITx

When it comes to your technology, free is a word you need to use with caution. It sounds good, of course, but free Wi-Fi, free software, or free screen savers all come with risks. The same is true of free virtual private networks (VPNs). A VPN can provide valuable protection, but here’s why you want to pay for this tech.

VPNs create a secure and encrypted connection for your online activity. A VPN encrypts your access to private networks or the internet. It's like a private tunnel that maintains your privacy, confidentiality, and security. The VPN helps protect your data from eavesdropping, censorship, and unauthorized access.

That all sounds good, right? Add the word free before VPN, and it might sound great, but be wary of using free VPNs.

Risks of free VPN

When you use a VPN, you are using that company’s bandwidth and encryption technology. Why exactly would they want to give that away for free? Seldom out of generosity. As with Facebook or other social media, you’re likely giving something in return you don’t really think about. Your data.

When you’re not paying for technology, you are likely the product. The VPN company could be monetizing your data. When they sell your data to the highest bidder, it's the cybercriminals that benefit rather than you.

A free VPN may also make money by data logging and selling your browsing history. They compromise your privacy by tracking your online activity. Then, they sell your personal preferences to third-party advertisers.

Plus, you can’t expect a free VPN to have the resources to develop and maintain top-notch security features. This could make you vulnerable to malware, hacking, and other cyber threats.

Other limitations of free VPN

That lack of resources at a free VPN company could also translate to slower internet speeds for you. They typically have limited bandwidth to offer, as it cuts their costs. They might also place a limit on how much bandwidth you can use each month to get you to upgrade to their paid plans.

Free VPNs may also lack the server locations needed to support user activity. This server congestion can also slow your online experience.

You also can’t expect much in the way of technical assistance. If you run into difficulties, don’t expect much help troubleshooting your issue. Their customer service is generally non-existent or severely understaffed.

Finding the best VPN for your needs

Instead of relying on free VPN (and paying the price for that choice), select a paid provider. A reputable VPN provider can reliably ensure your online privacy and security,

Want to learn more about VPNs or need help finding the right provider for your home internet use? Our experts can help. Contact our IT experts today at:

For businesses: Visit SD Solutions

For individual IT Support needs: Visit ITx

Your business may have robust cybersecurity protocols in place: you use firewalls, antivirus and malware protection, multi-factor authentication, and data encryption. Yet your cyber protection is only as secure as the weakest link. Regrettably, your people are often your biggest risk.

We’re not saying your employees intend to risk your business data. It can happen, but human error is more likely to be blamed than malicious insiders. In Verizon’s annual Data Breach Investigation Report, 74% of breaches studied “involved the human element.”.

Every day, around the world, businesses face data loss due to unintended human action. These dangerous behaviors might include:

• deleting files without an available backup;
• spilling liquid on business technology, which damages hardware;
• leaving laptops open, unencrypted, or unprotected, increasing the chances of theft;
• falling for social engineering attempts and downloading computer viruses or malware.

Implications of Human Error

Any data loss from human error can damage your business. Without access to data, productivity can suffer. Your business will also need to invest time and money in data recovery efforts.

Data loss can also damage your business reputation. If customers learn of data loss, they might take their business elsewhere. In serious cases of data compromise, you could also face legal action. Depending on your industry, you may also face fines for not meeting data-privacy and security standards.

Prevent Human Error

Mistakes will happen, yet you can reduce the risk of data loss by educating your employees about:

• securely saving, transferring, modifying, and deleting files;
• identifying phishing or other social engineering attempts;
• avoiding public wireless networks;
• securing business technology (e.g. locking their devices when not in use);
• informing IT immediately if they delete a file or download malware.

Don’t think that a single session when onboarding employees is enough. Even an annual effort to inform people about preserving cybersecurity may be too little. You might host interactive training every four to six months. Communicate the importance of ongoing vigilance, and discuss the latest threats and best practices.

Protect Your Business Data

Along with educating users, your business can also protect itself by reducing opportunity. Secure data by installing firewalls and antivirus software, and regularly patch and upgrade hardware and software.

Create a data recovery plan with many ways of backing up and restoring lost data. Moving your data to the cloud provides a recoverable, accessible backup. Work can continue even if someone does spill coffee on a server or has their work laptop stolen.

A managed service provider can help shore up your cyber defenses. Speak to our experts today to reduce your vulnerability to human error. Contact our IT experts today at:

• For businesses: Visit SD Solutions
• For individual IT Support needs: Visit ITx

Cyber insurance is essential for the internet-connected business. Yet, when was the last time you reviewed your policy? You may find new text outlining coverage for neglected software vulnerabilities. You may not even know what that involves. This article explains these vulnerabilities and how to avoid their associated costs.

Cyber insurance typically helps cover the costs associated with the following common risks:

• network security failure;
• class action litigation;
• regulatory fines related to violating standards or privacy legislation;
• business interruption.

Still, cyber threats always evolve. As a result, insurance companies continually rewrite their policies to cover risk areas. More insurers are adding neglected software vulnerabilities to their policies. Here’s what that means for your business.

What is a neglected software vulnerability?

Keeping your software current is an important best practice. It’s your responsibility to check for vulnerabilities and protect your systems. The National Vulnerability Database (NVD) informs businesses globally of known threats and patches available.

Patching the vulnerability helps prevent business losses, yet you may not be able to do so right away. You may need to test the update’s compatibility and capacity before installing it.

Still, once the NVD publishes a vulnerability and its patch, many insurers give you 45 days. If you fail to address a known threat, that's considered neglect. The longer you neglect that vulnerability, the more responsibility you’ll bear.

The costs of a neglected software vulnerability

Software vulnerabilities can lead to network failure, business interruption, and liability. You could end up needing to cover:

• IT forensics;
• data restoration;
• legal expenses;
• lost profit;
• credit monitoring and identity restoration;
• expenses for implementing workarounds.

Yet insurers cover neglected software vulnerabilities on a sliding scale. Once you know about a vulnerability, you're expected to patch it. So, the longer you wait, the more you'll pay.

Chubb, for example, shifts more risk to their policyholders after 46, 91, 181, and 366 days. The limit of insurance covered might start at $1,000,000 with zero percent coinsurance costs. For neglected exploits 46–90 days old, the coverage falls to $500,000, and coinsurance increases to five percent.

Addressing software vulnerabilities

Cybercriminals continue to exploit publicly known vulnerabilities. Why? Because organizations continue to neglect patching and upgrading against known security risks.

Your attack surface grows when your business adds applications, merges with another organization, or allows employees to bring their own devices to work. Using legacy software that has reached it’s end of life can also leave you vulnerable.

Scanning your software for vulnerabilities could expose many risks. You may need to prioritize which to patch first. It can help to consider which ones pose the greatest risk to your mission-critical systems.

Lack the expertise to detect and mitigate vulnerabilities? A managed service provider can help keep your software up to date to prevent exploitation. Contact our IT experts today at:

• For businesses: Visit SD Solutions
• For individual IT Support needs: Visit ITx

Employee effectiveness is key to business success. When your people can do the right things well, you’ll see improved results. That leads to the question: How can businesses improve employee effectiveness? A managed service provider (MSP) can help your employees meet their goals effectively and efficiently.

Supporting employee effectiveness

To perform effectively, your employees first need a couple of things from you. It’s up to your business to provide the tools your people need to get their jobs done right, and that’s where an MSP can help.

The MSP’s role in employee effectiveness

Set your employees up for greater effectiveness from day one. This starts with provisioning your staff with the right technology to do their work. Whether your teams are on-site, remote, or in a hybrid of both, you'll typically need to provide IT devices.

An MSP can track your IT inventory to know what’s needed. They can also meet with new hires to set them up online (on- or off-premises). Their experts can walk employees through the remote-working tools to support effective communication and collaboration from day one. The MSP may also provide remote monitoring services, which can secure personal devices your employees use for their work.

Many businesses today have moved to the cloud. This can be a change for some people. With an MSP, you can offer the flexibility of cloud computing as a low-friction experience for your users. The MSP’s experts can secure your cloud environment, plus, they can manage vendors and track licensing. They can also take charge of software and hardware updates, keeping you secure while scheduling patches and upgrades to maximize uptime.

Having ready access to the MSP’s IT expertise can also simplify troubleshooting. Free up your own technology experts to focus on more value-add business initiatives. Meanwhile, the MSP’s people can provide support for employee tech issues at any time of the day. Reducing tech disruptions not only enhances effectiveness but also boosts employee satisfaction, especially when the employee can count on a single point of contact for their IT concerns. Enjoy working with someone who already knows your business systems and processes.

Finally, the MSP can work to protect your business from unexpected downtime. If the worst does happen, you know you already have someone on your team to get you back up and running sooner. MSPs can also help you create a disaster recovery plan and ensure you have data backups in place.

Make an MSP your IT Partner

The right technology can improve employee effectiveness. The best business tools also boost employee satisfaction, which can counter costly turnover.

Don’t risk the inefficiency that comes with unhappy and unmotivated team members. Empower your employees for success by partnering with our IT experts today. Contact our IT experts today at:

• For businesses: Visit SD Solutions
• For individual IT Support needs: Visit ITx

The advent of modern data has offered many advantages, yet all that data also presents a formidable challenge: data sprawl. When you lose control of your data, you risk compromising productivity, security, and compliance. This article shares strategies to help you address the thorny issue of data sprawl.

What does data sprawl look like?

You’re probably dealing with data sprawl if any of the following sound familiar:

• Your business loses track of crucial files.
• You don’t know who has access to what information.
• Employees use both personal and business tech to do work.
• People repeat work that’s already done.
• You can’t keep track of file revisions or who still needs to comment or edit.
• Employees leave necessary files at home on days when they work in the office.
• People send themselves emails with important files to ensure remote access.
• Various departments use different applications, which siloes data.

These examples capture what it’s like to try and work amidst data sprawl. These issues drain productivity and waste resources. Data sprawl can also leave you open to cybersecurity vulnerabilities and compliance concerns. After all, you can’t back up or recover data you don’t know exists in the first place.

Instilling a sense of order in your data

Regain visibility to control support, streamline processes, enhance security, and improve efficiency. The following strategies can help.

#1 Audit your data

Start tackling your data sprawl situation by mapping out your existing data landscape. Thoroughly assess your data sources, storage locations, and data repositories. Once you have an idea of where your data is:

• Categorize it by importance, frequency of use, and/or sensitivity.
• Identify and clean up redundant or obsolete data.
• Create a data catalog to improve visibility.
• Install access controls and permissions.
• Encrypt sensitive data.
• Establish clear data-governance policies.
• Train employees on data management best practices.

#2 Use cloud storage

Employees now work on-site, at home, and in other remote locations, or perhaps all three, which often causes data sprawl. A staffer might use their desktop computer in your office but their personal laptop at home. Even if everyone works in the same place, they might use desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.

Migrating to the cloud provides access to centralized storage. Avoid version-control concerns with everyone accessing the same data, no matter where they are. You can also ensure data is securely backed up, no matter the user’s device.

#3 Install cloud applications

Another way to keep employees on the same page is to give everyone access to the same business tools. For instance, Microsoft Office or Google Workspace can simplify communication and collaboration, especially in a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) workplace. Cloud-based tools can create cohesion, as everyone logs into the same software to get their jobs done.

#4 Prioritize data control

In a data sprawl situation, it’s easy to lose track of where data lives and who has access to it. Then, when you move on to that next project, you might leave that old data unattended. If it’s breached, you might not even know.

Instead, track and log data to understand what’s where and who can get at it. When a project is over, have a policy in place for properly archiving or deleting data that is no longer needed.

Create a more structured and organized data environment

Is data overwhelming your business? Our IT experts can help. Contact us to support your data management strategies. We’ll get to know your systems and provide strategies to effectively combat data sprawl. Contact our IT experts today at:

• For businesses: Visit SD Solutions
• For individual IT Support needs: Visit ITx

No matter how many times a day you may check your email inbox, there are probably still messages in there. You may have hundreds, even thousands of messages in your inbox. Getting spam doesn’t help you stay ahead. That’s why we’re sharing these tips to keep your inbox clear of spam messages.

To start, migrate your email to one of the big-name providers. Google Suite and Microsoft 365 work hard to filter out spam before it even gets to your mailbox. Google says its AI-enhanced spam blocks nearly 10 million spam emails every minute. Local internet service providers are unlikely to have that level of anti-spam sophistication.

If you own your domain name, set up catchall email addresses to help filter messages. You might own joesmegashop.com. Instead of having everything go straight to joe@joesmegashop.com, you assign addresses for certain sites. For Facebook communications, you would set up facebook@joesmegashop.com as the address. You’ll still get the emails, but you’d know it's from Facebook. Or you’d know Facebook sold your email address to someone else. You can also still block any email that you didn’t want at facebook@joesmegashop.com.

Even if you don’t own your domain, you may still be able to use the catchall-address approach. Gmail is a popular service that allows you to put a plus after your email name. So, you could protect your joe@gmail.com address by using joe+facebook@gmail.com. Gmail ignores everything after the plus, so it’ll still go to joe@gmail.com. But, now you'll know who leaked your Joe+facebook address. You can block any emails going there if it becomes a problem.

Blocking E-mails

To block a sender in Gmail, open the message and click on More in the top right. Click on “Block [sender]” in the dropdown. To do the same on Microsoft 365, right-click on the sender’s message, and then click “Junk” and “Block Sender.”

If you change your mind about any of your blocked senders in the future, you’re able to unblock them on either platform.

More Ways to Limit Spam

On your own business website, don’t list your email as plain text. To avoid exposing your email address to anyone online, you could use a contact form. If you don’t want to add a hurdle for legitimate contacts, show your email address as an image instead of text. This stops website-scraping bots from reading and adding your email address to spam databases.

When you do get a spam email, block that address and report the email as spam to your provider. This helps them to boost their filtering.

It’s also worth the few seconds it takes to unsubscribe from unwanted mailing lists. Look at the top and bottom of the email you’ve received for an “Unsubscribe” link. You should be a simple click away from one less mailing in your already crowded inbox.

If you do get a suspicious email, delete it. Don’t reply to an email that asks you for personal or financial information, and don’t click on any links in that message.

Need help corralling your inbox and strengthening your security? Our experts can help protect your business from spam and malicious cyberattacks. Contact our IT experts today at:

• For businesses: Visit SD Solutions
• For individual IT Support needs: Visit ITx

There’s one big assumption about cyber attackers that we regularly refute: “It can’t happen to me.” At this point, most businesses do recognize the serious nature of the cyberattack threat. Yet other assumptions about cyberattackers may also make your business vulnerable. Educate your employees about these four main misconceptions. Raising their awareness can help secure your systems against social engineering attacks.

Start with the assumption that any technology is 100 percent safe. This is as misguided as the idea that your business won’t be a victim of a cyberattack. Some employees may believe that Google and Microsoft activity is always secure. That’s not the case.

Google and Microsoft have massive market shares, and it makes sense that bad actors target their cloud storage and content distribution. Once they’re in, they have ample opportunity to scam people.

Another false assumption is that threat actors go in blind with a scatter-shot approach. In fact, many social engineers do their research first. They learn what they can about your employees, your org chart, and what your business does. This helps them to develop more credible attacks.

Cybercriminals take the time to build rapport before initiating an attack. They may send unassuming conversational emails first, which helps them lull your people into seeing them as a trusted source. After establishing false security, criminals make an urgent request or plea for help.

Counter these misconceptions too

Cyberattackers may also make their play over the phone. So, don’t assume that your online interactions are the only thing to protect. There are hundreds of thousands of “vishing” threats every day. The bad actor may send an email without any malicious links or attachments, but there’s a number to call. If your employee calls in, they'll talk with a convincing criminal. The bad actor might act as a call center or customer service agent.

Also warn employees against the assumption that responding to an existing email is always safe. It is much easier than they might think for someone to hijack a colleague or client’s email inbox. Then, the criminals use a pre-existing email thread to send a malicious attachment or URL, or use the connection to ask the employee to perform some action for the threat actor.

Finally, emphasize the point that anything is fair game. Cybercriminals will attack anyone, in any way they can. This includes leveraging current events, pop culture, and even international health crises. One campaign exploited victims by offering early access to Season 2 of the streaming success “Squid Game”, and during COVID lockdowns, hackers offered free masks or free tests to get people to download infected files.

There is money in cybercrime – a lot of it. The bad guys are highly motivated and always looking for new ways to exploit human weaknesses. Discuss cybersecurity assumptions with your employees and put protective measures in place to secure your IT. Our experts can help. Contact our IT experts today at:

• For businesses: Visit SD Solutions
• For individual IT Support needs: Visit ITx

There are billions of computers in the world today. In fact, 286 million computers shipped globally in 2022, and that was a 16% drop! Those figures make it obvious how many of us have access to computers, yet that doesn’t mean we all know the simple shortcuts available to us. This article rounds up top tech tips that can benefit every user.

Search Google smarter

Google is the market leader with over 85% of Web search traffic. But did you know you can search this popular online engine even easier? When you know you are looking for something on a particular site, you can narrow your search. Go to the Google search bar as normal, then, in the search box, type “site: www.website.com" (without quotes) with your search term. This refines your search.

So, if you wanted to find an article on coaching on the Forbes website, you would search “site: forbes.com and coaching.” You’ll see that all the responses you get back come from the Forbes domain.

Undo your mistakes

We all make mistakes while working on our computers. Here are some ways to undo the common ones.

“Unsending” an email is possible in Gmail. Go to Settings and set up the Undo Send section to give yourself 5, 10, 20, or 30 seconds. Then, save your changes, and you’ll have this option enabled in the future. It doesn’t technically “unsend” the email but delays sending it for a few seconds so you can stop it if need be.

You can also reopen a closed browser tab by using Ctrl+Shift+T on your PC or Command+Shift+T on your Mac. This reopens the last tab you closed. If you closed a bunch at once, you can also reopen them from your browser’s History dropdown menu.

Then, there’s Ctrl + Z for just about everything else. Pressing the control button and Z key together undoes your action in many Web browsers and operating systems. It will depend on your application and how far you can go back with this shortcut.

Capture your screen

Some modern PC keyboards come with a “print screen” key, which you can use to get a screenshot of the desktop windows. If you want to crop that screenshot, on Windows 10, go to Start and type Snipping Tool in the Search bar. You’ll get a box you can drag to any shape over your screen.

You can also take a screenshot on a Mac by pressing Command + Shift + 4. To crop the screenshot size and shape, you’ll press Command + Shift + 5.

One more little secret

How many times do you find yourself picking up your USB cable and trying to put it in the wrong way? You can stop doing so by looking for a symbol on the cable near where you’ll plug it in. It’s only found on one side, and it’s not for decoration. The symbol should be facing you when you plug in the USB. This will get it in the first time, whether you’re plugging in a vertical or horizontal cable.

These tech tips can help you be more efficient and effective with your technology, but you may still want help in other areas. Reach out to our IT experts today. We’re here to help. Contact our IT experts today at:

• For businesses: Visit SD Solutions
• For individual IT Support needs: Visit ITx

Are you an influencer? Or do you aspire to join the more than 50 million people making content for YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram? If you want to be a content creator, don't struggle with a computer that isn’t up to the task. Considering these factors can help you land the best laptop for your needs.

Yes, the average person can take a video on their smartphone and post it for friends to enjoy, but when you're serious about your video editing or creating high-quality, long-form content, you’ll need more.

To make your content look professional, pay attention to these factors. It will help you choose the laptop that sets you up to be the next Spielberg.

Video card

Pay attention to the video card. Also known as a graphics card, this is the piece of the computer that renders images on the display.

A laptop typically has a less robust video card than a desktop. That’s because laptops are often thinner. For the benefit of mobility, you compromise on the space available for a beefier graphics card. The card may also run slower because the card needs to be efficient without setting the laptop on fire.

So, when selecting a laptop with plans to edit video, do your research. You can easily find rankings for “laptops with good graphic cards” online. You can get away with an RTX 2080 (that’s a few generations old). Ideally, though, you’ll want the RTX 3080 or Intel Iris Xe.

Processing power

The laptop’s processing power can also play a role in your video editing success. A lot of video editing software needs multi-core processors. You can think of it as having many arms to get different things done at once.

For a PC laptop, go for at least an Intel i9 CPU. For Mac, a modern Macbook Pro with an M2 Pro CPU is a good choice.

Memory

For your laptop to be able to do many things at once, you also need powerful memory. Random access memory (RAM) is what you'll be comparing here. RAM loads the operating system, runs video editing software, and performs other background functions.

At minimum, you’ll want 16GB of RAM, but the more you have, the better. Obviously, the budget will factor in here.

Storage

Your storage capacity also impacts how efficiently you can do all that you want to do.

If you’re working in Full HD (1920 × 1080), you could have some big project files to move around. The more storage you have, the easier this will be.

You’ll be choosing between hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid-state drives (SSDs). SSDs are good for working on the fly. They can run faster, as they don’t use any mechanical parts, but they can cost more.

A good idea is to work off your SSD for your current editing needs. Meanwhile, you can store archived videos and completed footage on a second hard drive. This can be on the laptop if there’s space, or you can attach an external HDD.

Display

Whether you are the star of your content or someone else is, you’ll also want to consider laptop display size. There are two main display types: Twisted Nematic (TN) and In-Plane Switching (IPS) panels.

TN panels cost less, but you can lose color accuracy on angles. The IPS panels give you more color at more angles, but they cost a little more.

Connectivity

You might want to attach an external HDD or connect to a larger desktop monitor. In that case, look for accessory ports and external display connectivity.

Need help deciding on the laptop that best suits your content creation needs? Our experts are here to help. Contact our IT experts today at:

• For businesses: Visit SD Solutions
• For individual IT Support needs: Visit ITx

Employee-monitoring is a phrase that generates discomfort. It sounds very Orwellian, or as if you’ll have all sorts of cameras on your people as if they’re in a reality TV show. When thinking of installing software on work computers, consider both pros and cons.

The pandemic sent many people home to work. Businesses that were reluctant to support hybrid and remote workers had to do so. But the concern about whether people are actually working remained.

Many IT departments answered by installing software on employees’ computers. Remote monitoring can track keyboard and mouse activity, websites visited, and app usage.

It’s the best of both worlds, right? The business gets increased productivity and improved employee morale through remote work. Plus, the software allows you to keep an eye on the off-premises work environment.

Your employees may not agree, however, and that’s only one of the considerations when deciding whether to monitor people working off-site.

Pros of employee-monitoring

Employee-monitoring allows you to see what people are doing during work hours. This helps management to identify time-wasters. Additionally, letting employees know that you're watching can cut their time wasting.

Not all time-wasting is intentional either. So, this software can help you to see that certain tools or processes are eating up too much employee time. You can identify where new technology is needed, or put new processes in place to simplify workflow.

Monitoring employee time can also make client billing simpler. Add transparency with data about how long each individual works on a certain project.

Cons of employee-monitoring

Trust is a key component of employee engagement. Employees who feel trusted are likely happier and more willing to go above and beyond. Employee-monitoring can jeopardize the employee–employer bond. In fact, you may even lose employees who would rather work elsewhere than be monitored.

At the same time, you may be monitoring activity without gauging whether they are working. You can put software on their devices, but that won’t track everything. They could be using their brains for your business in some other important yet offline way.

You also run the risk of legal ramifications. Employee consent may be required to install the software on personal computers. You'd also want to let employees know if you’re monitoring them through the camera on their work devices.

Making the monitoring-employees decision

Monitoring often prompts employee concerns for their privacy and complaints about disrespect. Still, it may prove worthwhile for your business. If you do take the decision to install remote monitoring software, do so carefully. You should have clear goals for the software and communicate these to your employees. This lets them know how you will use this monitoring tool and what you will do with the information.

Looking to install remote-monitoring software for your business? We can help you decide on goals, select the software, and implement a plan that works for you. Contact our IT experts today at:

• For businesses: Visit SD Solutions
• For individual IT Support needs: Visit ITx

Seeing a major password manager breached, it’s hard not to throw up your hands and say, “it’s helpless.” Still, don’t give up on all password managers. Used properly, they are still better than a password spreadsheet or sticky notes of your credentials. Plus, it’s definitely smarter than reusing the same password to access more than one account.

According to LastPass, the December breach affected 30 million users and 85,000 businesses. Threat actors stole a large amount of data, including encrypted customer vaults. Industry experts are not enthusiastic about the breach handling or why it happened. So, leaving LastPass may make sense.

Yet abandoning password managers may not help you secure your sensitive data. Instead, prefer a cloud-based password manager that has no way of decrypting your data. This is a zero-knowledge password management architecture, which means that you are one with the secret key needed to access your encrypted data. That way, if the data is stolen or lost, the threat actors would still need to decode your key.

This means, of course, that you need to protect your secret key. Also, you need to make it complicated enough that the bad actors can’t hack it. So, using “password123” as your secret key would not be secure. Many security experts now recommend using a passphrase instead of complicated passwords.

Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) helps stop bad actors by making access more difficult. They can’t get in with a username and password alone. You add another variable for confirmation before they can compromise your account.

You’re likely already familiar with two-factor authentication. It’s typically done through a text message or an email to another account, but these can both be compromised as well.

Biometric MFA is typically best (e.g. fingerprint or face identification). If that’s not available, prefer an authenticator app (e.g. Microsoft authenticator) or a Fido 2.0 key (e.g. YubiKey).

A Fido 2.0 key is a USB device that you keep in your physical possession to provide passwordless MFA logins. Instead of having an authentication code sent to you, you press a button on your key. It sends your code to confirm your identity. When your unique code is received, the system logs you in.

Worried you’d lose the physical key? That’s not ideal. That’s why it’s a good idea to get two. Meanwhile, the Fido 2.0 key doesn't store identifiable usernames or any of your passwords. So, anyone finding that lost key would have no way of knowing what you use it to authenticate.

Ultimately, it’s best to prepare for any service to be breached. Cut your risk by keeping up with the latest technology for protecting your data. We can help. Contact our experts today to help you put appropriate security measures in place. Contact our IT experts today at:

• For businesses: Visit SD Solutions
• For individual IT Support needs: Visit ITx

Keeping up with the pace of business technology change can be difficult. It can feel as if you’re always a few steps behind. Every day brings some new cybersecurity threat, compliance regulation, or tech innovation. But you don’t have to do it all alone.

Business tech creates a competitive advantage. IT enables communication, supports collaboration, streamlines process, secures data, and more. Yet there is always a new option, update, threat, law, or something for you to consider.

You want a cutting-edge technological infrastructure, but you have a business to run. Plus, while the offerings are always evolving, prices are going up, and you need to balance budget and business needs with technological change too. A managed service provider (MSP) can help.

Form a Strategic MSP Partnership

Partner with a reliable MSP to tackle tech challenges in a cost-effective, efficient way. For a consistent, typically monthly fee, you get ongoing support. The MSP's IT experts do the keeping up with the cutting edge for you.

The MSP will get to know your business and its needs. We can take on many important tasks, including:

• Managing your current IT infrastructure. Regular maintenance and monitoring of your technology takes time, effort, and expertise.
• Cutting your IT operations costs. We can identify cost savings and leverage vendor relationships to negotiate better deals.
• Improving your existing infrastructure. Our experts are well versed in the latest developments and consult on the best solutions.
• Securing business devices and data. We’re always monitoring your systems to quickly detect and address any threats.
• Providing your employees with IT support. We offer employees the help they need while freeing up any in-house IT staff to focus on value-added activities.
• Helping you scale your operations. We plan your systems for flexibility and agility to allow you to grow as needed.
• Maintaining compliance. We stay abreast of your industry's security needs to help you stay on top of ever-evolving rules.
• Minimizing downtime. We‘ll set up powerful protection for key systems and safe backups to support your business.

Finding your MSP Partner

As with technology itself, you’ll have many managed services partners to consider. Find the best MSP for your business by considering:

• Partner with a company that customizes its services after learning your business goals.
• Industry experience. Work with experts with know-how in your specific business area.
• Customer service. Trust a company that provides reliable access to its experts. You want to know you can get in touch easily if there’s a problem.
• Expert advice. Look for managed services that already know your current equipment. At the same time, also ask about their willingness to learn about new tools.

A strategic MSP partnership gives you ready access to trained IT professionals. Work on other priorities while we streamline processes, increase operational efficiencies, and protect your data and systems. Contact our IT experts today at:

• For businesses: Visit SD Solutions
• For individual IT Support needs: Visit ITx

Mobile apps let us play, teach us, give us social media or music, and more. No wonder there were more than 142 billion downloads in 2022! Going to Google or Apple’s mobile stores to find the app you want feels safe, but even these heavy hitters can’t guarantee you’re downloading something secure.

Google and Apple do their best, but they are vetting many thousands of new apps submitted monthly. The vast majority of their offerings aren’t a threat, but some malicious apps can make it through.

What do malicious apps do?

Apps downloaded from mobile stores are typically more secure than your Web activity. On an app, you’re within a contained system, whereas on the Web, you click through various links and visit websites which could have viruses or malware.

Still, a malicious app can infect your smartphone and cause several issues:

• Ad fraud. The app runs in the background and sends ad clicks to different websites. This runs down your battery and slows your phone activity.
• Data theft. If you give a malicious app permission to cross the app/data divide, it could lead to information being stolen.
• Browser hacking. The app may open website browsers that put you at risk of sharing sensitive data.
• Apps access all your information (SMS, camera, contacts) and take control of your device.

Keep your mobile phone safe

When looking to download a mobile app, do your research. Look at the ratings and how many downloads it has had. Application reviews can also help you verify the credibility of the app. Check the logo and the name of the creator, too. You don’t want to install something from Microsaft instead of Microsoft.

Keep your mobile device’s operating system current. Installing the manufacturer’s updates can help cut your vulnerabilities.

Also, take a moment to review the permissions for that new app. There’s no reason a calculator app needs access to your entire address book and camera. If the app asks for too much access, it can be a good idea to delete it and look for another option.

Be wary if you decide to download an app directly from a website other than the app store. This is a greater risk. Plus, know that illegally pirating software or media is a real risk for viruses.

Also, keep an eye out for common signs of a virus on your phone such as:

• other apps taking longer than usual to open or install;
• phone battery running down faster than normal;
• your monthly data usage increasing;
• your contacts receiving odd messages from you via email, text, or social media.

Worried you may have a virus on your device? We can check and see. We can also help backup your data and, if necessary, wipe a compromised phone. Contact our IT experts today at:

• For businesses: Visit SD Solutions
• For individual IT Support needs: Visit ITx

Deepfake has gone mainstream. You’ve probably seen a movie or TV show with a character complaining about images or videos that look real. You should also be wary of deepfake voice scams.

Deepfake is a mashup of the words deep learning and fake. The technology uses artificial intelligence and machine deep-learning algorithms. This can create convincing representations of people for special effects or silly videos, but these fake videos or images can also be more dangerous.

Malicious deepfakes spread false information or can defame or scam people. That’s what we want to talk about in more detail here: Deepfake voice scams.

What is a deepfake voice scam?

This type of scam manipulates synthesized speech to convince you someone is saying something they didn’t actually say. This increasingly common scam tricks you into providing sensitive information or sending money.

Criminals first record a voice sample from their victim. They might use speeches, TikTok or YouTube videos, podcasts, or phone conversations. Then, they turn to a tool such as ElevenLabs, Resemble, Overdub, ReadSpeaker, or Voice.ai. These platforms analyze speech patterns and create a voice mimicking the original. The bad actors can then generate a new speech that sounds like the original speaker said it. They script it, and the Ai voice says it.

Examples of deepfake scams include creating a voice that mimics a family member. They'll script a request for help in an emergency situation. Or you might get a call from a lawyer claiming to need payment to help defend a family member.

You might also hear from a celebrity who wants you to donate to their charity. The fake voice might also ask for sensitive information such as banking details. After all, who wouldn’t trust Liam Neeson if he called personally?

A tech support scam is another common one. The scammer creates a voice for a customer support rep from a prominent company. They request remote access to your computer to "fix" a non-existent problem. Instead, they’ll steal sensitive information such as login credentials, or install malware.

How to defend against deepfake scams?

This technology does a good job, and the scam can be very convincing. Be cautious of unexpected requests for personal information or money made by phone. Be especially suspicious if the request makes an emotional appeal to you to act now.

Confirm before you share sensitive data or transfer money. For example, if you’re asked to pay a lawyer to help out your grandson in an accident, check in with him first. Or, if someone calls from your internet service provider, use a trusted phone number to confirm their authenticity.

We can help you combat deepfake scams. We can install email and Web filtering, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and endpoint protection. Our IT experts can also watch networks for signs of attack and respond to cut potential damage. Contact our IT experts today at:

• For businesses: Visit SD Solutions
• For individual IT Support needs: Visit ITx