The Facebook data breach scandal explained
Thanks to social media, businesses can stay in close contact with their customers and while also attracting new ones. But what happens when one of these platforms doesn’t guard the information you’ve given it? How does this affect its users? Last month, news broke that a firm known as Cambridge Analytica collected private data from over 50 million Facebook users. The British company supposedly used this information in 2016 to influence voter behavior during the US presidential election and UK’s Brexit campaign. How did they harvest the data? In 2015, a Facebook personality quiz app called “This is Your Digital Life” was created by Cambridge psychology professor Aleksandr Kogan. Around 270,000 Facebook users signed up and gave information about themselves in exchange for humorous results. What users didn’t know was that Kogan’s firm, Global Science Research, struck a deal with Cambridge Analytica to share the information that was gathered. Aside from collecting information about the Facebook users, the app also mined some data about the users’ friends. Information collected was based on: Data from other platforms that are also owned by Facebook, including Instagram and WhatsApp Advertisers and other third-party partners Apps and websites which use Facebook services Your location The devices you use for Facebook access Payments handled by Facebook Your Facebook connections and networks Messages, photos and other content that other users send to you The information you disclose to Facebook Your activities on Facebook What happened to the sourced information? Cambridge Analytica analyzed the collected data to create psychological profiles and invent better political drives to influence whom people would vote for. Although there is still a huge debate about how effective this plans were, there’s no doubt that tens of thousands of users were manipulated into signing away their data without knowing it. What can I do to keep my information safe? Remove third-party apps that use your Facebook account. Visit your “Settings” menu and go to “Apps”. You should see the list of all the services that are using information about your Facebook profile. Check on each app, and if you don’t need it or use it anymore, delete it to revoke its access. If you need more information on how to keep your data secure, feel free to give us a call today! Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
The importance of strong iPhone passcodes
Now is the right time to shift to a stronger passcode for iPhone users, with police departments, federal agencies, and possible criminals, lining up to buy technology that can bypass your phone’s security. Experts say technology for unlocking iPhones is very much in circulation, so here’s everything you need to know. The problem According to reports, at least two companies, Israel-based technology vendor Cellebrite and Atlanta-based Grayshift, have both developed relatively inexpensive technology for unlocking iPhones. Reportedly, local and regional U.S. police departments as well as the federal government have been purchasing the technologies. Grayshift’s GrayKey box is a de-encrypting device that can unlock an iPhone with a four-digit passcode in about two hours. The entry-level GrayKey box requires an internet connection, works only in certain geographic locations, and can break only 300 passcodes. But an unlimited GrayKey model works even without internet connectivity and offers an unlimited number of device unlocks. On the other hand, Cellebrite provides a $5,000-iPhone unlocking device to law enforcement agencies. Both companies claim they sell only to police and government law enforcement agencies, “or so they would have you believe”, according to Nate Cardozo, a senior staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation. The solution – more digits, better security According to Gartner research director Dionisio Zumerle, consumers and businesses must use a six-character alphanumeric passcode or a passphrase at minimum, to address risks associated with personal or enterprise data leaks. Of course, Apple’s iOS 9 operating system has already boosted the default iPhone passcode from four digits to six; but for an even stronger and more secure option, experts suggest an alphanumeric passcode. While Apple’s Touch ID and Face ID help with security as well, they always provide the option of unlocking a phone with a passcode. To sum it up, complex passcodes are always better for security, especially for iPhones. We recommend changing the settings on your iPhone to allow both upper- and lowercase characters, numbers, and uncommon words. And if you feel overwhelmed with anything related to the privacy or security of your iPhone, don’t worry! Just call us today and we’ll help you out. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Chrome, Edge, Firefox to Support Biometrics
Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Mozilla Firefox will soon support web-based biometric authentication. The leading internet browsers are expected to allow users to sign into online profiles through fingerprint scanners, voice authentication, facial recognition, and the like. Online biometric authentication through these browsers requires no additional software. Authenticate Your Profile on Your Mobile Device Chrome OS, Windows, and MacOS, Linux, and Android are all adding features to help users safely log in using biometric identification via USB, Bluetooth, and NFC devices connected to smartphones and tablets. With such convenience, users can verify their accounts on the go. Preventing Cyber Attacks with Browser-based Biometrics Passwords are notoriously bad at protecting users’ accounts and the information they store. Facial scans, fingerprints and voice recognition would make it exponentially harder for hackers to commit identity theft. That means you’re also less likely to be duped by an email from a hacker pretending to be your boss asking for the company credit card. Enjoy More Secured Online Transactions Biometric verification will also retire the need for logging in your information when shopping online, streaming video, using cloud applications, and other internet-based transactions. Windows 10 has already adopted features that offer limited account management with fingerprints and facial scans. But none of the big-name technology vendors have offered solutions to achieve this on mobile devices as of yet. Browser-based biometrics could revolutionize and streamline the steps of verifying an online account. It promises to add more security and ease in logging in and transacting on the internet. To keep up with the latest and greatest in browser-related innovations at your company, give us a call now. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Tips for optimizing your mobile hotspot
Did you know you can keep your laptop connected to the Internet in areas without a Wi-Fi connection? All it takes is a portable, low-cost 4G router to make a private wireless network for their devices. These tiny devices are a great investment for employees working from the road, and we’ve got some tips on how to use them. A mobile hotspot usually provides faster Internet connection and better security compared with public Wi-Fi. But if this kind of mobile networking is not utilized well, it will accumulate expensive data charges. The following tricks will maximize the efficiency of mobile hotspots while lowering their data usage. Place the router in a strategic spot For your equipment to offer optimal coverage, put it in an area where it can best broadcast signals. The goal here is to cover as many devices as possible, so you want to carefully plan where the router is placed. Wireless signals reach only up to 100 feet indoors and 300 feet outdoors. The signals can pass through floors, walls and ceilings, but fewer obstructions will result in better transmission. Less Wi-Fi range for longer battery life If your settings allow, tweak your mobile wireless network for low-power, shorter Wi-Fi. Users must move closer to the hotspot for better Internet connection, but the router’s battery will thank you for it. Check for LTE coverage It’s a good idea to research the area you will use the portable router in. There are locations that do not support cellular 4G/LTE, which means you will still have Internet, but at slower speeds. Watch out for background apps! Laptops, tablets, and smartphones may be running applications in the background that are using up Internet bandwidth. The most common examples of these apps are location-based services, social media and email. Minimize the amount of data you use by disabling background apps you don’t need. Avoid multimedia usage Loading an email or text on a webpage with your mobile device will consume minimal amounts of data. Streaming videos or music will require more bandwidth, using up more data. Try to avoid using multimedia so your battery and data plan lasts longer. Mobile hotspots let users remotely connect to the Internet without being dependent on possibly unsafe public Wi-Fi networks. With the ability to connect multiple devices to a single hotspot, these devices are an easy way to increase productivity. We specialize in hardware solutions that improve your bottom line. Call us today for advice tailored to your business and its industry. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Mobile devices in the field
Field workers. You see them every day. And you notice that they, too, use mobile devices, as now more than ever do they need to stay connected with their organizations to stay in business. This is where mobile performance management, a critical factor for any field worker to perform and finish tasks on time, comes in. Here’s how to ensure connectivity for these workers. The ability to manage the workforce out in the field requires a modern support infrastructure called mobile performance management. It includes the top five tips to keep field workers connected: optimizing traffic, applying control, measuring performance analytics, simplifying data security, and identifying the root cause of connectivity issues. Optimize Although the latest apps on the market can maximize productivity for the mobile workforce, these apps come with a certain risks: stability issues that could lead to the apps crashing while out in the field. If you are your company’s IT decision-maker, be cautious of untested apps, and consider blocking heavy bandwidth apps to streamline data flow when signal strength is weak. Control Another thing you can do with mobile performance management solutions is blocking personal apps and unsafe WiFi networks. Both of these create serious security risks that could lead to costly data theft or loss. Analyzing performance Field workers mostly rely on GPS location data for more efficient scheduling, route-planning, and effective control of fuel consumption. This is possible only if there are reporting tools that confirm that the GPS capability is working. Performance analytics show you what mobile workers are experiencing, gaining access to robust data, network and app usage reports, inventory analysis, coverage maps and device maps as needed. Simplify security IT should tightly restrict access without making security complicated for mobile workers. IT administrators need to create a highly flexible and programmable secure mobile strategy. You must be able to restrict which apps can access company data and remotely wipe data from the device if it is lost or stolen. Identifying the root cause of connection issues Obviously, field workers are not IT experts, so organizations need to be fully prepared for connectivity issues involving their mobile devices. Organizations of all sizes should be able to afford remote diagnostics to gather complete troubleshooting information to allow IT to identify the root cause of the problem quickly, without relying on workers, who have no idea about how to run tests and answer questions regarding these issues. For any organization with workers in the field, the ability to implement performance management structures and policies is a must. For other tips on how to keep your employees connected, engaged, and efficient, give us a call and we’ll be happy to advise. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Android phones miss vital security patches
Android manufacturers routinely update their products with the latest security patches to keep users safe from all manner of threats. Or so they would have you believe. According to recent reports, Android phone manufacturers may have accidentally missed a few critical patches. Here’s everything you need to know. Missed patches Every month, Google rolls out a new batch of Android bug fixes and critical security updates. These patches are available to Google Pixel phones almost immediately, but many third-party manufacturers are often months behind. When it does arrive, you should theoretically be protected from every recently discovered threat. After extensively researching 1,200 different smartphones, however, Karsten Nohl and Jakob Lell of Security Research Labs discovered that even though certain phones were considered “up to date,” they didn’t have all the bug fixes and security updates listed on the patch notes. In other words, smartphone vendors often missed important patches. The study found that, on average, Sony, Samsung, and Google occasionally missed a patch but were generally more secure than other vendors like Nokia, Motorola, HTC, LG, and Huawei that skipped several important updates. According to manufacturers, these missed updates are purely accidental. Since there are so many updates to install every month, manufacturers can easily lose track and may even skip quality control checks just to keep up. But as we’ve seen time and again, small accidents can lead to massive-scale breaches. Unlike most Android consumers, who usually don’t think twice about the updates they’re installing, hackers always read patch notes and attempt to find weaknesses to exploit. The solution Fortunately, Security Research Labs released SnoopSnitch, a firmware analysis app that checks whether your Android phone is missing any security patches. If your phone model did miss a few patches, the app will record the data and send it to the device manufacturer so they can create a fix as soon as possible. Experts also say that users shouldn’t panic if they notice a missing patch and there are no updates available from their device manufacturer. Good security practices like avoiding suspicious emails and software from the Play Store will generally keep you safe from a wide array of attacks. What’s more, you should enable multi-factor authentication (using both a passcode and biometric scan to access your device) whenever possible to prevent account hijacking. On Google’s end, they’re working on streamlining the patching process for manufacturers and creating even stronger security measures that will prevent hackers from gaining a foothold into your device. Nevertheless, you should still update your Android devices as soon as they become available if you want to avoid a disastrous breach. And if you feel overwhelmed with managing security patches, don’t worry! Just call us today and we’ll help you out. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
The management drawbacks of virtualization
IT managers turn to virtualization to effectively scale down on cost, boost efficiency, and maximize space in their server rooms. Yet, what they didn’t expect were the drawbacks involved in this technology solution. It’s therefore essential that you’re aware of the following management issues before going all in: Backup Incorporating a robust backup system in a virtualized setting can become a huge challenge. You’d have to determine which data you want to store and how often it should be backed up. You would then have to decide whether you should back up all your virtual machines or just some vital ones that have important apps and data. In any case, you’ll be caught in a grueling battle because of the overwhelming amount of data that needs to be backed up. The only way to overcome this is to integrate a powerful backup-to-disk solution offered by a reputable managed services provider (MSP). Security Security concerns are more complicated in a virtualized setting since you have to monitor security on a couple of tiers: virtual machine security and physical host security. A compromised physical host security will affect every virtual machine running on this particular host server. Meanwhile, a compromised virtual machine will disrupt the physical server and affect every virtual machine residing on the same host. To address this, you need to set up strong network defenses — including firewalls, intrusion prevention systems, antivirus software, and virtual machine security tool — and a hardened physical security system — in the form of surveillance cameras, locks, biometric scans, and security guards. Of course, if you don’t have the funds to set these up, it may make more sense to leave it to a security-conscious MSP. Monitoring Since your team has to oversee both virtual machines and physical servers to ensure that you have a fully operational environment, it does have a few pain points. First, running a monitoring software on the physical host server is likely to impact the virtual machines’ performance since it takes up valued processing power and memory. That means you’ll need to compute the resources used by your monitoring software and make sure it’s not consuming too much from your physical host server. Second, keeping tabs on your virtual machines, making sure it’s secure and running at all times, is a full-time job. So unless you have a team of professionals in-house, you’ll definitely need some help from the outside. Without a doubt, virtualization brings a lot of benefits to the table, but you have to know how it affects every aspect of your business — particularly issues involved in management. Let us show you how you can use it to its full potential. Just give us a call today! Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
4 things to do before deploying Skype
From instant messaging to video conferencing, Skype for Business offers many communication features many companies need to be productive. But before you start making calls on Skype, there are four things you should do to ensure crystal-clear quality. #1. Conduct a preliminary network assessment By conducting a comprehensive preliminary network assessment, you’ll be able to determine whether or not your current network has met Skype’s network performance requirements. Its network performance requirements are separated into three categories: latency (the time it takes for a data packet to go from point A to point B), packet loss (the percentage of data packets that fail to reach their destination), and jitter (the average change in delay between successful data packets delivery). You can meet these requirements by applying Quality of Service (QoS) to your network. QoS allows you to reserve network resources to Skype calls. Doing so enables these types of calls to be transmitted faster over your network, minimizing interruptions and lost connections during your business calls. Deploy QoS on all your networks, including WANs, LANs, and WiFi networks. If you experience instability even after implementing QoS, download Microsoft’s Bandwidth Calculator to know the exact WAN bandwidth requirements your Skype for Business needs for deployment and adjust your current WAN bandwidth accordingly. #2. Test out Skype for Business with a small pilot group Now that you’ve optimized your network, form a small group to test out your Skype for Business. From here, you’ll be able to spot kinks and make appropriate adjustments, determine its benefits, and create best practices. Once all the issues your pilot group flagged have been addressed, you’re ready to deploy Skype for Business to your entire organization. #3. Prepare the right equipments Did you know that having high-quality equipment can impact your overall call quality? Although getting the appropriate equipment is costly, having certified, state-of-the-art devices can help you with echo cancellation, noise filtering, higher sound and image resolution, and latency. Depending on what you’ll be using Skype for, you might only require a headset and webcam or more advanced equipments. A managed services provider (MSP) can help you determine the right equipment you need to ensure high-quality calls. #4. Research and choose the right technology partners Last, you should conduct thorough research before deciding on your technology partner for Skype for Business. Although many MSPs offer Skype for Business, they don’t all require and offer the same things. Different MSPs may offer voice and video plans at varying prices. As a result, it is important for you to understand what each MSP offers and whether or not it’ll benefit you before committing to one. Do you need Skype for Business to make business calls with your colleagues or business partners? Call our experts to learn how we can transform your communication with Skype for Business and get started today! Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Office 365: New security updates
Microsoft recently rolled out security updates to Office 365 for business and home users. These enhancements aim to increase safety when sending or receiving an email in Outlook, sharing links in OneDrive, and alerting users of possible malware infection. Files Restore in OneDrive Previously available only to Office 365 business users, Files Restore allows users to conveniently recover files in OneDrive within the last 30 days. Home and personal users can now easily retrieve and restore all their files at a specific point in time, which is useful in instances where files are accidentally deleted, corrupted, or compromised by ransomware or other malware. Ransomware detection notification for Office 365 You receive notifications and alerts for a variety of things on your PC or mobile devices, but rarely for something as immensely important as a ransomware attack. Office 365’s ransomware detection and recovery feature sends desktop notifications, email alerts, and mobile alerts in case of any possible ransomware attack on your system so you can act fast. Aside from being notified about a detected ransomware, you’ll also be guided on how to recover your files before they were infected, based on the timestamp recorded by Files Restore. Password-protected link sharing in OneDrive Whenever you share a link — whether to a file or folder — in OneDrive, there’s no guarantee that it won’t be shared to unauthorized users. A password-protected feature solves this dilemma by giving you an option to set and require a password for every file or folder you share. Email encryption in Outlook Intercepting email has become many cybercriminals’ preferred method of stealing critical information, so it’s more crucial than ever to ensure email safety. With Outlook’s end-to-end encryption, users can rest easy knowing that the email they send won’t be easily intercepted after all. Email encryption works by requiring non-Outlook email recipients to choose between receiving a single-use passcode or re-authentication to open an email from an Outlook email sender. On the other hand, an Outlook-to-Outlook email exchange — whether Outlook on desktop, mobile (iOS and Android), or Windows Mail app — doesn’t require any further action for the email to be opened. Prevent Forwarding This function restricts email recipients (both Outlook and non-Outlook users) from forwarding or copying email. It also provides an option to prevent certain recipients from opening an attachment from a forwarded email, which will come in handy when a person needs to send an email to more than one recipient, but wants to restrict access to an attachment to just a few recipients. These new capabilities greatly reduce the effort to secure your files and communications, and Microsoft is sure to roll out a few more soon. If you want to optimize these Office 365 security features or explore other productivity tools’ security features, call us today. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
The top 4 new features in the Windows 10 update
Microsoft has claimed that Windows 10 will be the final version of the world’s most popular operating system. Instead of bundling new features into a new Windows release, Microsoft has been issuing free updates to the current version since 2015. The latest update is almost here, and it comes with some exciting improvements. Timeline Replacing the Task Viewer icon that sits along the Windows taskbar, Timeline lets users view their desktop’s activity history. When users click the icon to the right of the search icon located on the taskbar, they will see all the applications that are currently open. Scroll down and Windows will display documents, photos, videos, and folders that are organized by when they were last used. Can’t find the file you were working on last Wednesday? Scrolling to that date in Timeline will be the quickest way to track it down. Nearby Sharing This simple feature makes it much easier to transfer files between Windows devices. After enabling Nearby Sharing from the Control Panel, click the Share button in the Edge browser or Photos app and select the computer you want to receive the file. Users can also right-click any file and select Share. The computer receiving a file will display a notification for users to accept or decline the transfer. This means file transfers can finally take place without empty email messages, unreliable network folders, or beat-up USB drives. Swift Pair Want to make a call from your desktop with a pair of wireless headphones or test out a wireless keyboard? Just turn on a Bluetooth device within range of your desktop, and Windows 10 will automatically detect and notify you of the connection opportunity — all you need to do is click Connect. Privacy If you’re concerned about information being collected from your business’s computers, the brand new Windows Diagnostic Data Viewer will tell you everything you need to know. Users can now view what information Microsoft receives from their computer and fine-tune privacy settings related to browser history, connected devices, application usage, and webcam permissions. Scheduling your update It’s hard to know exactly when your Spring Creators Update will be ready to install, so it’s a good idea to brief your staff on how to minimize business interruptions that the update might cause. Windows 10 updates can be installed immediately, “Snoozed,” or rescheduled, so start thinking about which would be best for your office. Beyond these impressive new features, Microsoft’s updates come with invaluable security protections. If you’re having trouble keeping your Windows devices secure and running smoothly, give us a call today. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.