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Hacker, Hack, Anonymous, Hacking, Cyber, Security
Cybersecurity

Signs That Your Computer May Be Infected with Malware

Approximately 34% of businesses take a week or longer to regain access to their data and systems once hit with a malware attack.Malware is an umbrella term that encompasses many different types of malicious code. It can include:VirusesRansomwareSpywareTrojansAdwareKey loggersAnd moreThe longer that malware sits on your system unchecked, the more damage it can do. Most forms of malware have a directive built in to spread to as many systems as possible. So, if not caught and removed right away, one computer could end up infecting 10 more on the same network in no time.Early detection is key so you can disconnect an infected device from your network and have it properly cleaned by a professional.Keep an eye out for these key warning signs of malware infection so you can jump into action and reduce your risk.Strange Popups on Your DesktopSome forms of malware can take on the disguise of being an antivirus app or warranty notice that pops up on your screen. Hackers try to…
Nicholas Salem
July 20, 2022
Laptop, Computer, Windows, Screen, Device, Desk, Office
Microsoft

Should I Consider Switching to Microsoft’s Edge Browser? (Top Features)

One of the most important applications we choose is our internet browser. When on a computer or a mobile device, we work in that most of the time because many applications are now cloud-based, so accessing them means going through your browser.Over the years browsers have come and gone. A little over a decade ago, Internet Explorer was the head of the pack, and now that browser is retired, Google’s Chrome has been in the top spot for several years.But just because a browser is number one today, doesn’t mean it’s going to stay that way. One browser that has steadily been making its way up in popularity since its release in 2015 is Microsoft Edge.Edge is the replacement for Internet Explorer, but it’s taken a while for it to become mainstream. It seems that now is its time.Microsoft Edge recently surpassed Firefox in worldwide desktop browser market share and is now the #3 Desktop browser in the world behind Chrome and Safari. And it’s…
Nicholas Salem
July 15, 2022
Cloud, Network, Website, Computer, Communication
Microsoft

Pros & Cons of Using the Windows 365 Cloud PC

While many companies have moved most of their workflows to the cloud, there is still a key component of office operations that is location-based. This would be employee computers.Most companies still rely on desktops and laptops to allow employees to access critical software and as their main workstation.This can become inconvenient if you’re doing work from one location. For example, if you work both at the office and home, in one of those places, you’ll be without your “main computer.” This can be a real problem when it comes to needing to access certain files or possibly working from a slower device than you’re used to.Many technology companies, such as Microsoft, have an answer for this – put your computer workstation in the cloud. This is exactly what is being touted as the next big thing when it comes to Windows 365 Cloud PC.What is Windows 365?Windows 365 is a cloud-based PC. Your entire operating system and everything that sits on it (settings, files, software,…
Nicholas Salem
July 10, 2022
Silver Imac on Top of Brown Wooden Table
Productivity

Are Two Monitors Really More Productive Than One?

When you see those people with two monitors, you may assume they do some specialized work that requires all that screen space, or they just really like technology.But having the additional display real estate that a second screen provides can benefit anyone, even if you’re doing accounting or document work all day.We get used to being boxed in by the screen size we have. This can lead to us struggling when trying to fit two windows next to each other or continuously clicking between layers of windows on the desktop.Most of us have experienced clicking around to find the window we actually need in a layer of different applications. This is one of the things that eats up time during the day and that using dual screens can help eliminate.According to a study by software developer Mavenlink, 73% of surveyed businesses say they spend over an hour per day on average just switching between different apps.Productivity Research on Dual-ScreensSo just how much can using a…
Nicholas Salem
July 5, 2022
Cyber, Attack, Encryption, Smartphone, Mobile, Finger
Cybersecurity

What You Need to Know About the Rise in Supply Chain Cyberattacks

Any cyberattack is dangerous, but the particularly devastating ones are those on supply chain companies. These can be any supplier – digital or non-digital – of goods and services.We’ve seen several attacks on the supply chain occur in 2021 that had wide-reaching consequences. These are “one-to-many” attacks where victims can go far beyond the company that was initially breached.Some recent high-profile examples of supply chain attacks include:Colonial Pipeline: A ransomware attack caused this major gas pipeline to be shut down for nearly a week.JBS: The world’s largest supplier of beef and pork products was hit with ransomware that caused plants in at least three countries to shut down for several days.Kaseya: This software company had its code infected with ransomware, which quickly spread to IT businesses that used its products and to roughly 1,500 of their small business customers. Why do you need to be worried about supply chain attacks even more so than in the past? Because they’ve been growing and are expected to continue…
Nicholas Salem
June 30, 2022
Laptop, Mouse, Stethoscope, Notebook, Keyboard
IT ManagementProductivity

What Are the Best Ways to Give an Older PC New Life?

Purchasing a new computer is a big investment. Many small businesses and home PC owners end up struggling with older systems because they want to get as many years out of them as possible.Have you found yourself banging on your keyboard in frustration? Have you tried every tip and trick you found online, only to still struggle with a slow PC? There are some promising upgrades you can do that will cost much less than the price of a new computer, while making your PC feel like new again. Here are some of the options you can try to improve the performance of an older computer.Upgrade to a Solid-State Drive (SSD)Prices for solid-state drives have come down quite a bit in the past few years, making them an affordable upgrade that can breathe life back into an older PC that might be slowing down.Unlike hard disk drives (HDDs), SSDs do not have any moving parts and use a flash memory that allows for a quicker response time.…
Nicholas Salem
June 25, 2022
iphone screen with icons on screen
Microsoft

Microsoft Teams Plan Comparison: Free vs M365 Business vs Teams Essentials

The shift to remote work over the last two years has caused companies to realign their digital tools. Now, many meetings default to being via video conference rather than in person, and working from home has become commonplace.Seventy-seven percent of remote workers say they’re more productive working from home (a big reason is fewer distractions). Plus 85% of surveyed managers expect that having teams with remote workers will be the new normal.But for remote working to work without employees feeling disconnected and customers feeling you’re hard to reach, you need to use cloud communication tools. One of the most popular, which has skyrocketed in popularity, is Microsoft Teams.Between April 2020 and April 2021, the Microsoft Teams daily active users count rose from 75 million to 145 million. Teams is an all-in-one communication platform, providing more than just video conferencing or chat. It combines several capabilities into an online work hub for collaboration and communication. Some of the key features of MS Teams include:Video and audio callsWebinar registration…
Nicholas Salem
June 20, 2022
Cyber Security, Technology, Network, Internet
Cybersecurity

How to Protect Your Online Accounts from Being Breached

Stolen login credentials are a hot commodity on the Dark Web. There’s a price for every type of account from online banking to social media. For example, hacked social media accounts will go for between $30 to $80 each.The rise in reliance on cloud services has caused a big increase in breached cloud accounts. Compromised login credentials are now the #1 cause of data breaches globally, according to IBM Security’s latest Cost of a Data Breach Report.Having either a personal or business cloud account compromised can be very costly. It can lead to a ransomware infection, compliance breach, identity theft, and more.To make matters more challenging, users are still adopting bad password habits that make it all too easy for criminals. For example:34% of people admit to sharing passwords with colleagues44% of people reuse passwords across work and personal accounts49% of people store passwords in unprotected plain text documentsCloud accounts are more at risk of a breach than ever, but there are several things you…
Nicholas Salem
June 15, 2022
Phishing, Credentials, Data, Login, Password, Internet
Cybersecurity

6 Ways to Combat Social Phishing Attacks

Phishing is the number one method of attack delivery for everything from ransomware to credential theft. We are very aware of it coming by email, but other types of phishing have been growing rapidly.In recent years, phishing over social media has skyrocketed by 500%. There has also been a 100% increase in fraudulent social media accounts.Phishing over social media often tricks the victims because people tend to let their guard down when on social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. They’re socializing and not looking for phishing scams.However, phishing scammers are out there looking for you and will reach out via friend requests and direct messages. Learn several ways you can secure your social media use to avoid these types of covert attacks.Make Your Profile Private on Social PlatformsPhishing scammers love public profiles on social media because not only can they gather intel on you to strike up a conversation, but they can also clone your profile and put up a fake page for…
Nicholas Salem
June 10, 2022
Upload, Online, Internet, Files, Cloud, Technology
Business ContinuityCloud

4 Interesting Cloud Storage Trends to Watch for in 2022

One area of cloud computing that is used widely, but often isn’t as flashy as the software side is cloud storage. Storing files in the cloud to make them easily accessible and shareable from anywhere was one of the very first uses of the cloud that was adopted widely by many users.As advances like automation and AI come to other types of cloud services, like team communications and business apps, cloud storage is not being left behind. The industry also continues to evolve to make storing data in the cloudless complex, more reliable, and better secured.It’s estimated that in 2021, 50% of all company data was stored in the cloud. This is an increase of 15% from just five years earlier. With today’s hybrid teams that may be working from home and be hundreds or thousands of miles away from co-workers, it’s important to centrally locate files in cloud systems that can be accessed by everyone.What can you expect to see in the cloud storage…
Nicholas Salem
June 5, 2022