Jwright617's Blog

Video about viruses, worms, malware, and other types of security hazards on the internet

jwright617 — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:50:17 +0000

Wish you knew more about viruses, worms, malware, and other types of security hazards on the internet. Learn how viruses can lay dormant, crack Facebook accounts, and Google’s role in the process.

Eliminating Monthly I.T. Costs

jwright617 — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:41:44 +0000

By switching from a technology plan with monthly fees to a pay as you go plan could save your company from higher I.T. expenses. A company can retain a secure network of computers and other technology while cutting an unneeded monthly expense. A pay as you go plan still offers your company a quick response time from knowledgeable professionals at a fraction of the cost of monthly plans. Begin by speaking with your current technology support company and reading about pay as you go plans and cut monthly spending on I.T. costs.

Computer Use Policy for Employees

jwright617 — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:38:20 +0000

Businesses offer access to internet and other technology to facilitate jobs of employees and allow the company to utilize advancements in technology. To protect the business from misuse of the internet and technology, we have created a Computer Use Policy, which will make employees aware of the business’ policies concerning technology and internet usage.

What should I do when a popup claims I have infected files?

jwright617 — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:36:44 +0000

Don’t be fooled by popup ads that warn your computer in infected! These popup ads are often designed to trick & mislead you into making a mistake. Then, many windows popup at once and they contain flashing graphics of warnings or errors designed to disorient the user into clicking on any of them. Most have a “close” button and when you click them you are unknowingly giving them permission to install or run. They often disguise install buttons with “Close” or “No Thanks” anything to trick you into clicking on one.

If you want to know the smart way to react to these ads you can read our step by step guide on how to decrease your chances of getting infected when you come across these types of popup ads.

Way to Cut Your Business’ I.T. Spending

jwright617 — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:12:59 +0000

We have compiled a list of important ways your company could cut I.T. spending with just a few simple tips.

By following these tips you could save your company hundreds, if not, thousands of dollars on repairing and replacing computer equipment or important data stored on company computers.

Creating back-ups is important because it’s considerable more difficult to completely re-create a crippled system than it is to take the time to create proper backups. In addition, making copies of back-ups and keeping them off-site in case of emergency or storing backups in a fireproof case are quick and affordable solutions. Be sure to test or have your backups tested on a regular basis. Perform restore tests to ensure proper operation of your backup equipment and software. Create backups often, and do not immediately overwrite them with the next set of backups.

Ads on the Internet now have become devious and deceptive. They now appear as “urgent system messages” and warnings designed to scare users into clicking. As a rule of thumb, if a popup window contains an ad claiming to end popups, chances are it’s a scam of some sort. Always take a moment to inspect and read popup windows.

Passwords are the simplest form of security. By leaving passwords blank or simple ( i.e., password or admin), unauthorized users are practically invited to view sensitive data. To create safer passwords, make sure they contain both letters and numbers in a combination of upper-case and lower-case characters, and they should be changed periodically.

Unfortunately, business computers are not designed to be connected to the internet straight out of the box. Before a phone line, Ethernet cable, or wireless card is anywhere near a new computer, install a line of defensive software. Ideally, this should include virus protection, multiple spyware scanners, and a program that runs in the background to prevent malicious software from ever being installed.

What good are all those virus and spyware scanners if they’re not updated? It’s crucial to update what are called the “virus/spyware definitions” every week. This keeps scanners up-to-date to detect the latest malicious software. Pay close attention to warning or errors. Schedule your workstations to run disk maintenance utilities and anti-virus scans in the middle of the night and record all activity to a log. This will allow a technician, when they come in for service, to simply scan through the activity logs in a matter of minutes to possibly identify the problem rather than spending hours running these utilities, saving your company time and money.

Content Filtering is a great tool that allows employers to block or allow specific web surfing for employees or groups of employees. This type of solution can save your company hundreds of dollars in IT related expenses and create a more productive work force.

Keep an eye on your anti-virus / anti-spyware software. Check that it is updating daily and pay close attention to warnings or errors. Schedule your workstations to run disk maintenance utilities and anti-virus scans in the middle of the night and record all activity to a log. This way when a technician comes in for service he can simply scan though the activity logs in a matter of minutes to possibly identify the problem rather than spending hours running these utilities saving your company time and money. Test or have your data backup tested on a regular basis. Perform restore test to ensure proper operation of your backup equipment and software.

James Wright

Atlanta I.T. Service

http://www.atlantaITservice.com