Facebook’s new security dongles offer additional opportunities for users to protect their accounts, though they come with some serious drawbacks.

Social media is no longer merely social. As consumers use online platforms for shopping, networking, and other essential activities, their social media accounts quickly accumulate valuable financial and business data. Protecting these accounts from hackers and thieves is thus just as important as securing your bank information. Facebook’s new security keys provide independent authentication, reducing the risk of compromised social media:

Additional Authentication

Two-factor authentication is a standard tool used by banks, money transfer firms, and other services that deal with sensitive information. It involves linking your account with an email server, mobile device, or other independent platforms. After you enter your username and password, the account will send a message to that platform containing a code. You must enter the code to gain access to the account. Thus even if an attacker figures out your password, they will not be able to log in.

Facebook has long allowed users to set up additional authentication for their accounts. Previously, it relied on smartphones for this function, sending users messages by text or through their Facebook apps. Its new keys expand upon these past security measures, giving users additional opportunities to keep themselves safe.

Dongle Details

Whereas Facebook’s previous authentication method relied on devices that users already owned, it is now providing physical keys, or dongles, to users. The dongles come in two forms: USB and NFC keys. Users can engage the USB keys by connecting them to a laptop and activating them by touch, thus indicating that the device is authorized to access the user’s Facebook account. The NFC keys are compatible with the chips in a variety of Android phones, sending a signal that the phones are authorized for Facebook.

Risks & Rewards

Facebook will still offer authentication through smartphones, but there are a variety of advantages to relying on dongles instead. Not all Facebook users have smartphones, so dongles provide them with another option to shore up security. Even those who do have smartphones may live or frequently go to areas with poor reception, preventing them from attaining the login code in a timely fashion. At only $15 to $20 each, the dongles provide an affordable, convenient way around these problems.

Although dongles are a practical solution to the limitations of phones, they do present some risks and drawbacks of their own. Because they are physical devices, a user can lose them and therefore be locked out of their accounts. Facebook does provide recovery codes, but users who fail to remember these will have trouble regaining access. The NFC keys are also limited to Android phones, a serious barrier for Apple and other users. Dongles only work for desktop and mobile websites that you access through Chrome or Opera browsers; they currently do not provide access to the Facebook app.

{company} provides timely, detailed analyses of the latest IT and cybersecurity trends. For more information on keeping your {city} business safe and up-to-date, contact us at {email} or {phone} today.

Due to the increased connectivity of technologies, as well as the growing number of cyberattacks, cybersecurity is set for unprecedented growth in 2017.

If 2016 taught business leaders and IT experts anything, it was the importance of implementing best practice cybersecurity measures. However, in addition to the growing number of cyber attacks, 2016 also positioned itself as the year before a massive growth within the cyber security sector. As the number of events per second reaches the hundreds of thousands, cyber security is set to scale or expand exponentially.

What Factors Will Contribute To Cybersecurity Growth?
There are some factors that will encourage the cyber security sector to continue to grow. These factors include:

• Increased Connectivity Via IoT — It is suspected that the number of connected devices will exceed the 20 Billion mark by 2020. What does this mean for cyber security? It means that network connections will be regularly tested for weaknesses, as the number of connected devices increases. It also means that industries such as healthcare, energy, retail, and manufacturing must continue to ramp-up their IT security measures to deploy, maintain, and update secure IoT applications. Finally, a more connected state means a drastic increase in the number of sensors, data collectors, and actuators that need to be monitored and authenticated.
• Cloud Utilization Will Expand — Thanks in part to the increased use of agile development lifecycles, the cloud has become home to more workloads that are uploaded, tweaked, left to their own devices, and then haphazardly removed. Security teams must develop the monitoring, auditing, and investigative tools needed to monitor the cloud. Also, security efforts will have to be redoubled for organizations choosing to implement cross-cloud solutions, including hybrid, private, or public cloud operations.
• Digital Transformation Applications — Organizations across industries are using technology to revolutionize how they do business. Whether it is a simple cab-hailing app or a lifesaving medical device that uploads data to the cloud, society is trusting technology to an even greater degree. As trust, and dependency, increase, so too will the need for all-encompassing cyber security solutions.

As seen with the above factors, cyber security is going to become an integral component across a multitude of avenues. The more that cyber security continues to scale, the more diligent organizations will have to become to ensure that they continue to implement best practice approaches to protect their valuable business data and assets. Contact {company} located in {city} via {email} or {phone} to discover how you can leverage a customized approach to cyber security to protect your organization throughout 2017 and beyond.

Productivity technology sets up success for your mobile staff wherever they may roam. Are you providing them with the best tools for productivity on the go?

Your most well-traveled employees take your goods and services out in the field, meet new clients, attend conferences and are the face of your brand at industry events. The Global Business Travel Association reports that business spending on travel has now reached record-breaking levels of over a trillion dollars per year.

Your road warriors need tools and support more than ever before. Have you outfitted them with the best solutions for their needs, or is life on the road an exercise in frustration for them? Traveling salespersons face some challenges and obstacles out in the field. Their most common concerns include:

• Are the files they need on the company server?
• Are they able to access data securely from any location?
• Will communications suffer while on the road?
• Can they collaborate effectively with others even while mobile?

Reliable access to the company server and needed files is non-negotiable for your road warriors. The security of this access shouldn’t be in question even while workers are in the field or remote locations. Secure cloud access can allow for the effective workflow from anywhere an employee has an Internet connection. Company documents stored securely in the cloud enables all employees to proceed with business as usual, whether in-house or at a remote location.

Staying Connected

Losing Internet connection while flying or taking a train can block email access for hours at a time. If a road warrior is traveling during business hours, this can pose a severe productivity problem. Internet connectivity can also be lost even while not en route to the next destination.

Your road warriors should be able to count on tools that will allow them to save documents, email files and presentations on a hard drive even while offline. They can then resume work and upload files as needed when the Internet connection is restored. While offline, they should still be able to continue to access their emails, edit files, compose new drafts – and stay productive.

Secure messaging and video conferencing is also a must so that business travelers can stay connected with team members and clients through both brief messages and online meetings. These technologies help to support and facilitate teamwork, document sharing and collaboration from anywhere, even if some participants are in a different time zone.

Setting the Stage for Success

Of course, maximizing performance for road warriors requires being plugged into what will best improve their ability to collaborate and produce. The challenges of travel and dealing with multiple applications can pose security risks, but there are targeted ways to navigate all of these difficulties.

It begins by actually understanding the challenges faced by your road warriors. From working while traveling to collaborating and hosting meetings, you can help by supplying them with the right applications and technology to support them in meeting every deadline flawlessly.

Road warrior performance will only be as effective as the tech they are given to use along the way. The right productivity technology can help set your mobile staff up for success no matter where they roam. Are you providing your road warriors the essential tools to allow them to succeed while out on the road for you?

{company} of {city} is here to assist you in assessing your current technology components and making important upgrades as needed. Call {phone} to learn more about what’s possible and to set up a consultation. You can also send us an email at {email}.

California lawmakers are working diligently to protect businesses and deter cyber attackers by trying to make ransomware a felony.

California state legislators, administrators, and technology leaders have come together to try to ban ransomware. The recent series of unprecedented attacks on hospitals in Southern California has provided the foundation needed for lawmakers to form their battle cry. The bill, authored by California Senator Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys), is designed to make the use of ransomware a felony.

Why Are California Lawmakers Pushing To Make Ransomware A Crime?
Ransomware is a favorite type of malware that is injected into a particular computer or network by a hacker. The hacker then uses the ransomware to hold the data hostage until a certain amount of money, typically in bitcoin, has been paid. Since 2013, Ransomware attacks have grown in popularity. From schools to police departments to healthcare businesses and the latest attacks on Southern California hospitals, ransomware is being unleashed on unsuspecting users to gain real profits.

Supporters of the bill say that it is a necessary step to counter attacks that are currently difficult to prosecute under existing statutes. According to the FBI, U.S. victims lost more than $209 million in ransomware payments during January – March of 2016. During the same 2015 time period, victims only lost $25 million. Unfortunately, the Cyber Investigation Response Team of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office has yet to make arrests associated with the half-dozen incidents that the department is investigating. As a co-sponsor of the bill, the Cyber Investigation Response Team of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office believes that more needs to be done to dissuade cyber hackers from using ransomware against California companies.

How Should Companies Respond To A Ransomware Attack?
If a company does suffer from a ransomware attack, the first thing that they should do is contact the local authorities, as well as the FBI. From a legal standpoint, many affected California companies struggle to take the steps needed to target their attackers. At the federal level, prosecutors are able to use the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act to try and focus ransomware. However, state prosecutors are left trying to pursue cases under the laws of extortion, which is quite a challenge. As a result, lawmakers said that the proposed bill would encourage state and federal law enforcement agencies to more actively pursue ransomware investigations to make the extradition of an offender more likely. In short, lawmakers firmly believe that the increased popularity of ransomware attacks provides the evidence needed to modernize existing laws.

In addition to contacting the authorities, any company that has suffered from a ransomware attack should immediately work with their IT security team to mitigate the risks associated with the theft. By identifying the access point for cyber thieves, IT security teams can more readily prevent future attacks. Finally, each ransomware attack offers the opportunity for law enforcement agencies to better understand how cyber attackers are evolving. Through the latter insights, companies and IT security teams can work to educate employees on best practice tactics that could help to prevent a future attack.

The moral of the story is clear, while lawmakers are working diligently to make ransomware a felony in California, companies should continue to remain vigilant against future attacks. Through a customized IT security infrastructure, California businesses can take a stand against ransomware and other cyber security threats. To learn more about how you can protect your company’s most valuable assets, contact {company} located in {city} via {email} or {phone}.

The Microsoft Office Suite has stood as a top program package for several decades. While many of the core software titles have built on the foundation Microsoft started in 1990 (Bill Gates officially announced Microsoft Office in 1988), additional titles are now included. Beyond all the titles and new features, the suite of programs has built-in security, safeguarding information created and saved within Microsoft Office. The Microsoft Office 2016 suite is an excellent collection of programs for small to large businesses alike. Here are the titles included in Office Professional 2016.

Tentpole Programs

Tentpole programs are the most commonly used titles in the Microsoft Office suite. These programs have also been around the longest (often outdating the formation of Microsoft Office itself). These titles are:

• Word
• Excel
• PowerPoint
• OneNote

Word

Microsoft Word is a word processor. It makes it possible to create documents in traditional text form. There are added templates available in Microsoft Word that do alter creation potential, ranging from book layouts to postage addresses. This is the oldest continually running program in the Office package, with its origin dating back to 1983 (although it was called Multi-Tool Word then).

Excel

Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet program. While often used for financial reports, this program allows a user to input information into individual cells on a chart. The spreadsheet software permits the creation of complex mathematical formulas, based on what a user needs. This way sums, equations, and other information can be automatically calculated when typing in new data into the cells. Microsoft first released Excel back in 1985.

PowerPoint

This slideshow presentation software is a digital version of old-fashioned film slides. Individual “slides” can house text, visuals, video footage and other information. PowerPoint came out with the initial Microsoft Office release in 1990.

OneNote

OneNote is best used in a collaborative environment. It makes it possible for individuals to input notes (both typed or handwritten), images or other content picked up from the Internet. This way, when researching a subject or when working with different users across a network, it is easier to save all viable information in one location. This title has been around since 2003.

Additional Programs for Office Professional 2016 include:

• Outlook
• Publisher
• Access
• OneDrive
• Skype

Outlook

Outlook is an email service. The desktop application version provides more in-depth features than what the online login option provides.

Publisher

This is a basic level publishing tool designed to be an easy to use Microsoft Publisher for books, pamphlets and other, similar documents.

Access

This is a database management software. It shares many similar features as Excel only it makes it possible to output the information easily to not only Excel but Outlook, Oracle based programs and other third party titles.

OneDrive

This is a cloud-based service, which makes it easier to save information created in the Microsoft Suite to the Internet cloud drive. This way, a user can access the information anywhere there is an Internet connection.

Skype

Skype is an Internet communication service. It provides VoIP features, instant messaging, video calls and other communication options.

Interested in learning more about Microsoft Office 2016 or what suite package is right for you? Give us a call at {phone} or feel free to {email} us at any time to learn more. Our {company} is here to help service you and your business in {city}.

A reliable data backup system is your business’ best defence against data loss. However, not all types of backups are able to protect your business against all kinds of data loss. Many companies believe that just by having an onsite backup in place, they have all of their bases covered. Unfortunately, that’s rarely the case.

Onsite backups are an excellent way to keep copies of your important files on hand if your hard drive crashes, or your systems become infected with a virus. Backing up critical data on a daily basis to an onsite system – whether that system is a server or external drives – is smart, and will absolutely benefit your business. But these onsite backups need to be tested regularly to ensure that they are working properly. If not, you may as well not be backing your data up at all.

The biggest challenge for onsite backups is the simple fact that they are physically present in your office. Even if they are updated routinely and kept in perfect working order, onsite backups are vulnerable to all of the same hazards as the rest of your onsite hardware. Water damage due to severe weather or a plumbing issue, fire and smoke damage, or a power surge can quickly render your onsite backups useless. And as with any other piece of hardware, they will eventually fail as their useful lifespan comes to an end.

It’s for these reasons that IT support providers recommend using an offsite backup system in addition to your onsite backup system. A cloud-based or hosted backup can copy your sensitive data to a secure offsite location, protecting it from physical damage. Many of these options can be set to automatically copy your business’ data to a virtual server, ensuring that your backups are consistently up to date. Your IT provider can monitor these backups for you, giving you the peace of mind of knowing that your data is secure, and accessible to you when you need it most.

Both onsite and offsite backups have their own strengths and weaknesses, which is why redundancy is so important. When it comes to your business’ vital data, there is no such thing as being too cautious.

Want to learn more about the steps you can take to protect your business from data loss? Contact us at {email} or {phone}. We’re the IT business professionals in {city}.

Accountants must ensure that their IT infrastructures are SOX compliance if they want to pass the required third-party audit.

Accountants who work with publicly owned companies should be familiar with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX). In light of the financial scandals of the late 1990s and early 2000s, this law is designed to ensure that investors have access to the reliable data that they need to make informed financial decisions. In today’s digitally driven world, accountants working with publicly owned companies must ensure that their IT infrastructure is SOX-compliant if they want to avoid hefty fines.

How Does SOX Influence Accounting IT Best Practices?
For accountants working with publicly owned companies, ensuring that their chosen IT infrastructure meets SOX regulations is a must. SOX significantly changes the way that accountants are required to present data to the boards of publicly traded companies. The Act places emphasis on the use of approved IT to assist in the publication and presentation of financial information. Among other components, SOX requires the use of dynamic reporting requirements, including:

• The proper oversight of data;
• Off-balance-sheet transactions;
• Pro-forma figures; and
• Stock transactions of corporate officers.

In short, SOX provides the foundational guidelines needed for the proper use of IT to deliver financial data oversight for publicly owned companies.

What Does It Mean To Be SOX Compliant?
SOX compliance will require accountants to meet a certain number of regulations, including:

• Reporting all numbers to the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC);
• Actively working to reduce “corporate scandals,” by reporting the correct financial data to public boards;
• The proper use of IT to avoid “cooking the books” and for use in the justification of stock prices or company worth;
• The creation and proper maintenance of a secure computing system;
• Correct use of privacy protocols within the computing system to securely transfer financial information directly to the accountable parties, such as the company officers; and
• The use of a computing system that meets the requirements of a SOX third-party auditor.

In preparation for a third-party audit, accountants will need to ensure that their IT infrastructure complies with a number of conditions. To begin with, the IT framework must be physically secure, while also using an identity-based security system. The IT structure, or database, must also meet the confidentiality requirements of SOX Article 404. A firewall should also be used to protect the servers and their data from cyber threats. Besides, the server data should be encrypted to mitigate the risks associated with a cyber theft.

Only individuals who have the right credentials should be able to access the financial data. In this vein, there shouldn’t be a weak link that allows a person to access data outside of their clearance level. Also, services should be isolated to ensure that a compromised service can’t successfully compromise another service or component of the IT infrastructure.

The moral of the story is clear, accountants working with publicly owned companies must take the time needed to ensure SOX compliance or suffer the consequences of a SOX violation. If you want to avoid the risk of a failed SOX third-party audit, contact {company} located in {city} via {email} or {phone}. Prepare your IT infrastructure, resolve potential security threats, and remain SOX compliant today.

Industry experts recommend taking a few simple precautionary measures to protect valuable LinkedIn data before upcoming changes are made to the networking platform.

LinkedIn has avid users in the slight panic as they prepare for the “soon to come” changes that the popular networking site has promised for 2017. Given their track record for past updates that take away valuable information, users are right to take a few steps to protect your useful information and data. In fact, it is best if you take these steps sooner rather than later, since LinkedIn also has a history of making smaller updates ahead of the looming significant site changes.

3 Easy Steps To Take Before LinkedIn Rolls Out Changes
Before you lose valuable data or become lost by new changes, here are three simple steps that you should take to protect your professional and company images.

1. Ask For A Free Archive Of Your Data — The value of LinkedIn is in more than your profile information; it is in the hundreds of connections that you have made while using the networking platform. When you ask for an archive of your data, you will receive a complete “data dump” that will include not only your profile information, but also a spreadsheet with the names of your first-level connections, as well their current companies, titles, and primary LinkedIn email addresses. To receive this archive directly go to privacy and settings. Next click on the “getting an archive of your data” tab, followed by the “request archive” button.
2. Create A PDF For Your Current Profile — A PDF of your current profile is an excellent way to ensure that you retain all of the information that you have gathered during your time using LinkedIn, including the valuable recommendations that you have received from other companies and connections. In addition to creating a PDF, it is a good idea to also print a copy for your records. To make a PDF of the written content on your profile, go to “view profile as,” then select, and save as a PDF. You should use the same tactic to also create a PDF for your company page. An alternative way to protect this vital information is to use the browser print function; it is important to note that the latter method will also save, and subsequently print, any of the visual components on your profile or company page.
3. Don’t Forget To Import Notes And Tags — This last step is for any account holder who has upgraded to Sales Navigator. If so, make sure that you take advantage of the current notes and tags features by transferring all pertinent information. According to industry reports, LinkedIn is contemplating getting rid of the notes and cards feature by March 2017, which means that you shouldn’t delay.

With these three simple steps you can protect your valuable LinkedIn data for future use and reference. For additional social media, marketing, or IT tips, contact {company} located in {city} via {email} or {phone}.

You likely know about ransomware but do you know about ransomworms?

Ransomware is one of the most common ways that hackers are using these days to infiltrate companies and make a profit. It has been very profitable for them but now security experts see the next phase of hackers uses a different method: ransomworms. It is still a way for hackers to hold data hostage but it also differs in some ways.

What is a Ransomworm?

Worms are not new to the cyber security radar. In fact, common network worms that have been around for years include Conficker, CodeRed, and SQL Slammer. However, some security experts are saying that in 2017, we can expect to see these worms combined with the ransomware attacks that we see so often today. This combination will create the first generation of ransomworms. It is anticipated that they will be encrypted worms that will hold data and files from their target. They will then move across the network allowing them to get multiple targets in a single attack.

The Ransomware Evolution

Not only do security experts believe that ransomworms will become a part of cyber-attacks, but they also think it will continue to evolve. One evolution they are predicting is that it will be able to steal data and files first before encrypting it. This will allow them to hold the same data hostage from the target more than one time. This has already happened in some attacks where the victim was able to restore the data from a backup that was encrypted only to determine a few weeks later that it had been stolen.

The Cloud Maybe a Target

Many companies rely on their cloud to be relatively safe, but studies have found that these same companies are not establishing a valid backup for the data stored there. This makes the cloud a large target and it is expected that 2017 will be the year that attacks are focused here. This is because hackers see this as a higher possibility of getting the ransom paid since they cannot get their own data from their backup systems. This is a huge security risk, but it can also result in more infrastructure upgrade for the cloud providers. This cost will likely be passed on to the companies that pay for the services in the coming year.

How to Protect Your Company

Every day in 2016, there were more than 4,000 ransomware attacks. In 2017, this number is expected to increase along with the ransomworm attacks that will begin to grow. Even if you have not yet been a victim of these types of attacks, it doesn’t mean you won’t be, and you need to be able to protect yourself. There are many ways you can do this and it is best to have multiple layers of protection. Some things to consider include:

• Installing and updating anti-virus and anti-malware software
• Monitoring your network and all traffic
• Training your employees as well as testing them on their security knowledge
• Developing and implementing policies for the use of computers, tablets, data, cell phone, and cloud applications for the business
• Implementing, managing and monitoring your security policies and settings
• Scheduling regular backup of data
• Testing for disaster recovery

To learn more about how you can protect your business in {city} from ransomworms and other threats, be sure to contact {company} via {phone} or {email}.