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Mobile Devices & Your Network
For most, smart phones & tablets (smart devices) are a necessary part of our lives…both personally and professionally and become our constant companions. So it stands to reason that we should be selective in who or what we chose to spend so much time with.So, what should you look for in a new smart device to ensure that your needs are met and that your new companion will play nicely with the rest of your technology?
Here are some points to consider during the selection process:
- All smart devices are NOT created equally and it’s the applications that set them apart. When looking for a smart device, don’t be sold on all the bells and whistles packaged in a sleek sexy package. Instead plan out your needs. Do you need access into your business network? Remote apps connect differently. While some devices connect natively, others may require special applications on the server side ($$) to make it work. Even better (or worse if this is you), some smart devices might not run the applications needed AT ALL.
- Compatibility: Will they play nicely with your other devices and network or will you need to add other hardware and or software to make them work properly?
Now, being a dutiful companion means that we take our beloved devices to work with us and so do our employees. This leaves your company network exposed (and who really likes being exposed).
Here are some tips/points to remember to keep your network safe and secure when using mobile devices:
- Remote connections to the network: There are several apps that allow you to remotely connect to your business network – almost all of these allow you to save your username/password credentials. A lost phone or tablet makes it very EASY to access the network because most people allow the device to store these credentials. Never allow an application, website, browser, device to store your login information no matter how much simpler it will make your life.
- More on remote connections: It is important to also be aware that there are devices out there designed to steal and clone your network logins. What can you do about it? Set device passwords and make sure when you do connect to your network that you do it through a secure server. By doing so login credentials can be changed immediately once a device is lost or stolen. Swift action will minimize your risks.
- About those passwords: People I can’t stress this point enough. USE COMPLEX PASSWORDS. It’s your first line of defense. A complex password is a minimum of 8 characters in length and uses a combination of upper/lower case letters, numbers and symbols.
- Be wary of wifi. Accessing critical corporate data via unprotected means such as the public wifi is an issue waiting to happen. Again, only login through a secure server. To do this, utilize a VPN connection or a direct firewall pass through that requires login credentials.
- Siri on the iphone: Ask yourself…do you know more about technology and what it does more than IBM? Well IBM has banned Siri from their networks. Why? Because everything their employees say is sent to Apple and transcribed into text then stored for some unknown length of time and can be accessed by some unknown amount of people who have permission do unknown things with it. Additionally, in order for Siri to do a good job answering their question in the first place, it accesses contacts and other “unspecified” user data. This may not only compromise sensitive company intellectual property but put the company and/or the employee in violation of non-disclosure agreements. Are you okay with that? If you are…carry on then.
While mobile devices and nifty applications are increasingly important tools in our multi-tasking work/home life it is important to understand that just because the products are out there doesn’t mean that security holes that they create have been plugged yet.
Before you invest in any new smart device make certain that it will meet your needs, works well with others and take the steps necessary to protect yourself and your business when using it.
Copyright © 2012 Help Me!!® Tech Team, a division of HELP ME!!® Computers, LLC
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Can I just ignore a virus and save some money?
Do you run better in crutches?I Didn’t think so.
Continuing to operate a system that you know full well is infected is tempting. Many people do just that and continue to limp along until the system comes to a grinding halt or they get the blue screen of death. Why is this a problem? (Do you like seeing the blue screen of death? I don’t know about you but MY nerves can’t take it!)
Besides all of the annoying things that happen with an infected system – like running sllloowwwllly, obnoxious pop-ups and inexplicable bouts of freezing there are also more worrying things that accompany them such as malware, spyware and scareware. Not only do these things threaten your identity and bank balance but viruses will destroy your data bit by bit (literally). Further, some can do damage to your hardware. If caught early, you can largely avoid these problems and spend far less to repair it. If you are thinking…”so what, I can just buy another system!” Are you going to by one every time you get infected? How cost effective is that solution?
The better solution is to go ahead and get it taken care of properly (by a real professional) as soon as you suspect an infection. Then, purchase and properly configure top quality anti-virus for your system to help cut down on infections.
Copyright © 2012 Help Me!!® Tech Team, a division of HELP ME!!® Computers, LLC
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fix my PC
If it’s displayed in a prominent TV or internet ad, it must be good…right? I mean who doesn’t love their pajama jeans or shamWOW?! But when we are talking about things that can “make your system run faster,” as in computer repair, buyer beware.
These days everyone is in the computer repair/tune-up business. I mean everyone…even popular search engines have gotten in on the act. One doesn’t have to look far to find in-your-face ads claiming that with a quick click of the mouse your system will run smoother and faster than ever by fixing hundreds of problems (you didn’t even know you had) thereby returning your computer to “like new” condition. Additionally, it will KEEP your systems running smoothly for a small annual fee if you wish.
It seems safe enough, a phone call to that 1-800# or a little click here and there and presto you’re all done. No need to get ripped off again by that local repair house…that is for suckers!
Let’s explore this shall we?
Most of these quick fix services charge about $30-60 or so. Luckily most do not access your system remotely and seems safe enough. You just click to install their software onto your system. What they don’t tell you is that their software is one of those unnessary items that helps make your system run slower in the first place. They also don’t tell you that you can delete your own cookies and run the same defrag scans yourself for free…but now I’m just getting picky. Another thing they don’t tell you is that you may have just installed a program that was already infected with malware, spyware and viruses. But hey…it comes with UNLIMITED tech support…so they can fix it. Oops except that they can’t really diagnose (it’s okay this is probably covered in the fine print somewhere) hardware except for the super obvious “eminate failure of hard drive”…which again they can’t fix…double oops. Of course, your internet must be working to partake in these convenience services in the first place. Oh, and darn it…you can’t really completely remove all viruses this way…no matter what they tell you.
Our advice? Don’t engage in risky behavior no matter how good of a deal it appears to be. Downloading software and/or allowing remote access to your system is risky unless you KNOW who/where it’s coming from.
Keep your systems running smoothly by:
- Investing in a good anti-virus, properly configuring it and keeping it updated
- Allow ligitmate system updates
- Use your common sense when clicking on websites, links, emails, facebook invitations or allowing anyone access to your system remotely.
- Pay a professional a minimal fee to do a system tune-up a few times a year or do it yourself. I recommend the first who can also check for viruses/malware/spyware/scareware and remove it for real if they find them.
- Keep unnessary software and files off your system – in addition to food and beverages (seems obvious I know).
- If you hear strange noices, feel heat, suffer from pop-up hell, your system freezes up often or doesn’t turn on…contact a local professional that you trust immediately.
Copyright © 2012 Help Me!!® Tech Team, a division of HELP ME!!® Computers, LLC
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The Case for Managed Services
If you can get the milk for free…why buy the cow? Contractual commitment. Does anyone really love it? Why would they? You’re locked into something or someone long term (well unless you’re Kim Kardashian). It could be costly. What if you don’t get what you need? What you paid for? By the way…what ARE you paying for? It could end badly…then what?
I too have had my own aversions to contractual relationships so I understand the hesitations. However, partnering with an information technology firm that provides “Managed Services” can be an ideal situation. Allow me to make my case and yes, I’m going to use different analogies so prepare yourself.
Let’s be honest, most of us can’t get through lunch without checking our email, text messages, etc., let alone…gasp…being “down” for a day. Consumers have changed throughout the years along with the evolution of technology. They need things to work NOW and having a network down in business is costly. In this economy businesses can’t afford to have paid employees standing around idle waiting for the “all systems go.”
Free Milk. In the good ol’ days. When you had a problem, you could just call the local IT house and they would drop everything to rush out and put out the fire with no commitment or obligation for you to use them in the future. Today, IT companies are more like your Primary Care Physician who is trying to prevent the fire in the first place (but are fully capable of smothering you should you spontaneously combust) and they can best help you by regularly seeing you over the long term. If your IT provider hasn’t changed the way they do business yet, they soon will.
This means that IT companies are moving from handling service in a reactionary model, to a proactive model, in which we keep things running smoothly by monitoring your network 24/7/365. Depending on the level of care you choose, updates are performed automatically and we are alerted by the monitoring system we put in place before your equipment fails – giving us time to do something about it. Then, when things do go wrong, you receive priority treatment. No waiting until your “IT guy” can “get to it.” It’s better for your budget, your schedule and your sanity while allowing service providers to remain open and ready to serve without adding to your overhead.
You might think that going with a hosted server will save you the trouble in committing to a technology firm. This sounds good on the surface, but you still have a network to maintain even if your server is hosted elsewhere. Hardware, such as in individual workstations, software applications and anything else attached to your network (cameras, telephones, etc.) still need to play together nicely. Additionally, you will still need to maintain constant Internet connectivity on your end to stay attached to the cloud. If you hadn’t already seen it, my last blog entitled “Up in the Clouds” explained the cloud and the hidden costs involved. You might want to read it for more things to be aware of so that you make a fully informed cloud decision.
Our advice? Don’t be afraid to make a commitment and hop on board the Managed Services ship with a service provider that you trust, then sit back and enjoy the free sailing, well okay, reasonably priced value-packed cruise! That is, after you’ve done your homework, carefully compared plans (apples to apples) and found the best fit for your business.
Copyright © 2012 Help Me!!® Tech Team, a division of HELP ME!!® Computers, LLC
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Is a blog a blog or not really a blog?
This might be a shocking revelation…but not everyone that “blogs” really blogs. Call me naive but when I found this out I was shocked. Not the “not everything you read in the National Enquirer is TRUE?!” kind of shock but surprised nonetheless. I mean isn’t a blog supposed to be the inner most thoughts of the author? Kind of like an electronic diary?
Who cares?
Well, what if you were cleaning out your late Grandma’s belongings and found her diary. You read it, and you felt like you gained some bits of wisdom, some juicy stories (after you washed the “eww…that was my Grandma” off of you that is) and you felt like you got to know her better. Now, what if later you found out that Grandma didn’t write it at all but instead hired a ghost writer to handle it? Your entire world is now rocked! Were the stories true? Didn’t Grandma care enough to write it herself? WTH?!
After I started writing this blog, I found out that some people actually hire other people to write their blogs for them. Now, I’m all for outsourcing when it makes sense but I thought a blog was your opinion otherwise, couldn’t you just call it a “white paper?”
After I poked around some more, I found some things suspiciously familiar. Many blogs look exactly the same, same word-for-word content, same pictures, same order…same everything (except the company name of course). I understand that some people make a living writing but maybe the blog could just say so…full disclosure so to speak.
Bottom line, I’ve always been “special” (at least my Mom thinks so) so why change now? So, in the spirit of respect and genuine concern for – our clients and the technology challenges they (and we) face daily – I will continue to take the time to personally write meaningful blogs on issues we see day in and day out. Issues we know matter to them.
Copyright © 2011 Help Me!!® Tech Team, a division of HELP ME!!® Computers, LLC
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Recent Posts
- Mobile Devices & Your Network
- Can I just ignore a virus and save some money?
- fix my PC
- The Case for Managed Services
- Is a blog a blog or not really a blog?
- THIS works…now THAT doesn’t
- Up in the Clouds
- Di-agnostics
- Gone Phishing
- The Validity of On-Line Reviews
- Sink that Pirate Ship!
- Resolutions…shoulda woulda coulda
- Pa$$w8Rds!
- Always Use Protection
- Back to School…and not a moment too soon
- Break the chains that bind you!
- Remote Repairs…Proceed with Caution
- Got junk in your trunk?
- Buy Cheap…Buy Twice
- Fact or Crap?
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