The Internet has grown to such a vast size that it in itself is like a world within a world. Some people live on it, and share their secrets far too openly. These people think themselves safe in a world that technically doesn't exist, but there is a lot more danger involved with the Internet than some people realize. There are criminals everywhere, and they are just waiting for you to drop your guard long enough to swipe everything you've worked so hard to protect.
Computerware Blog
Computerware has been serving the Vienna area since 1976, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support, and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.
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One of the fastest growing business technology trends is employees using their personal mobile devices for work purposes (aka BYOD). The trend is growing so fast that Juniper Research estimates there will be one billion employee-owned devices used in enterprises by 2018. Is your business prepared for the changes coming from BYOD?
In high school, there were always the rebellious kids who never wanted to do what their teachers said. They would vandalize the bathroom stalls, walk around the halls without permission, skip classes, and make the school an overall unpleasant environment. The teachers eventually decided that enough was enough, and they banned certain privileges that the students had. Bathroom breaks became timed. Hall monitors stalked the halls looking for troublemakers. Our liberty was stolen by these hooligans.
The Heartbleed bug, one of the nastiest deficiencies in Internet security to date, was found last week. More than two-thirds of the Internet's secure information could have been leaked from websites utilizing the OpenSSL cryptographic library's encryption style. Most major websites have already issued a patch to resolve the problem, but that doesn't change the fact that this information has been available to anyone looking for it for over two years. Worse still is that you would have no idea how to tell whether your data has been compromised.
Due to the many different forms of digital communication, you may check your email less than ever before. However, just because you may not use your email account very often, it doesn't mean that a hacker will leave it alone. Every email account is full of valuable information and should be protected with the strongest security measures available.
With the introduction of Microsoft's Kinect and Apple's iPhone 5s, biometrics has exploded! Both of these tools are being utilized for security purposes to lock others out of your device and accounts. Biometrics for these devices are also being employed to grant you access to your technology. As biometrics becomes more popular, you are sure to see it used for your business in the not too distant future.
Spam in your email inbox is extremely annoying. Email spam is always an eyesore, and swallows up valuable time wasted on sifting through your inbox. Have you ever wondered how email spam got its name? You may be surprised to find the answer. Here's a hint: it has something to do with Vikings, a diner, canned meat, and a British comedy.
When getting work done on the Internet, users are faced with a slew of threats that could hack sensitive company and personal data. Integrating a VPN solution may be your best option in securing your company network and files from online attacks. What is VPN, and why should your company be using it?
Security company Trustwave made a discovery last week that sent the online world into a frenzy. They recovered two million stolen passwords from 93,000 different websites. This password cache included user accounts from major companies like Facebook, LinkedIn, Google, Twitter, and Yahoo. Is your password part of this haul?
Last September, the Internet was introduced to CryptoLocker, a dangerous ransomware that has quickly spread and become one of the worst viruses we have seen. CryptoLocker will literally take your files hostage by encrypting them so it can force you to pay for the encryption key. A business hit with CryptoLocker will be locked out of their computers and unable to get work done.
We don't have to prove to you how dangerous the world is. Watching the news for even a few minutes will make you want to board up your windows. Thankfully, advances in digital surveillance technology have come a long way, providing you and your business with new security features that will keep you safe from the worst of what's on the news.
What are the essentials of network security? This question was recently answered at a security event by VP of Gartner Neil MacDonald, "Information security was never about device lockdown, or dictating applications, or building firewalls. It was always about protecting the confidentiality, the integrity, the authenticity, the availability of information." Let's break down these four basic components of IT security.
It's a trap! As more people subscribe to social media networking sites, we can expect more scammers to weasel their way into our friend bases. Especially when using Facebook, you'll need to be on the look out for scammers. Here are some warning signs of fake Facebook friends to consider in order to keep your profile safe.
In October of 2013, Adobe disclosed to their 2.9 million customers that their hosted information was compromised due to a data breach. Adobe sent out letters stating, "The attackers may have obtained access to your Adobe ID and encrypted password." For anyone that uses companies like Adobe to host their data, you will want to be prepared for a breach.
The latest nasty virus to hit the Internet is called Trojan:Win32/Crilock.A, a ransomware that first showed its ugly head on September 10th, 2013. This virus is capable of locking you out of your computer and stealing your sensitive information. Here's everything you need to know about this new ransomware and how to stop it.
You know it's important to have a firewall to keep your data safe, but did you know the needs of your business demand stronger firewall software than what comes with your Windows operating system? When dealing with a complex business network, it's highly recommended that you go with a hardware firewall solution that's up for the task.
Is your computer infected with a Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) virus? If your workstation is infected with DDOS, then you wouldn't know about it. DDOS is a virus that compromises web servers by creating a zombie command-and-control center. This allows hackers to take control of your servers for the purpose of using your computers for malicious activities.
When businesses first started outfitting their computer networks with wireless capabilities, you may have only had a couple of laptops in the mix. We are now seeing more devices than ever before with wireless capabilities accessing business networks. This trend is called Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and it presents companies with new support challenges.
Today's international headlines are dominated with stories like WikiLeaks spreading secret documents, and the United States' NSA spy scandal. These stories are making people doubt how secure their communications really are, which is why Russia is taking the drastic measure of using paper to communicate in a digital age.