Anytime, Anywhere Access Many workers are still remote, and this trend is not going to dissolve anytime soon. Therefore, employers need to invest in anytime, anywhere access. The cloud is a great environment that allows for this kind of access, as you are essentially storing your infrastructure in an online environment where it can be accessed through a web browser or connected application. This allows employees to work in their own way on their own devices. Unified Communications The amount of communication solutions you implement for your business will inevitably grow over time, eventually reaching the point where they can become overwhelming. If these solutions don?t talk well to each other, then you will run into compatibility issues that complicate operations. A unified communications solution will give you access to several solutions that play nice with each other and are built to work around each other. All of these applications will also be found in the same location, making things much easier and more efficient from a workflow perspective. Voice-over-IP Solutions The office phone will never quite become a thing of the past, but the traditional handset has been on its way out the door for some time. Where businesses once relied on telephone providers for phone services, they are now focusing on consolidating services and eliminating costs by working with Voice over IP solutions. Companies can use their Internet connections and phone software installed on their devices to perform the same role as the office phone, making for a better way to get work done and communicate. White Mountain IT Services can help your organization implement any and all of the above solutions for maximum communication efficiency. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.
The Increasing Severity of Ransomware Ransomware isn?t new, even though most of us would just like it to go the way of the Wooly Mammoth. Unfortunately, it seems to be going the way of the pigeon, showing up everywhere you look. In 2021, there were nearly three-quarters of a billion attempted ransomware attacks and over 100 different strains circulating around the globe. If that isn?t something to be concerned about I?m not sure what is. There is no question that the use of ransomware is growing. In fact, one metric cites that there were three times as many ransomware attacks in the first quarter of 2021 than there were in the entirety of 2019. It?s getting so bad that some hackers aren?t even bothering locking down data and files, they just put the ransomware screen up and collect the ransom. This is extremely troubling. Most of the time, ransomware is deployed through phishing attacks. This social engineering tactic allows hackers and scammers to avoid all the high-powered encryption and other technology designed to protect organizational data and systems, by systemically tricking a person who has authentication credentials to hand them over, allowing for access to the network. Ultimately, this access is used for the most nefarious purpose: extortion. To get the best of hackers looking to deploy ransomware, you need the people who have access to your business? network to be thoroughly trained and tested. It is really the only way to ensure that these threats can be completely mitigated. A staff that is well-trained and has acute awareness of what phishing attacks look like is the best defense against it. Establishment of Artificial Intelligence for Cybersecurity This has been mentioned several times, but 2022 is the year that you are going to see concepts that financial services companies use in fraud prevention used to enhance organizational cybersecurity. By now, most people have an idea of what artificial intelligence (AI) is used for: to automate tasks that have different results based on relatively small numbers of variables. By ?relatively small? we mean many more than the average human can compute, but small enough where it doesn?t require massive amounts of computational power. For cybersecurity, the main benefits are from the predictive powers of AI. Hackers and scammers are also starting to use AI-powered tools for their nefarious purposes, however, making threats even more dangerous. The benefit of AI for cybersecurity is that it only takes one slip up by infiltrators to be thwarted and using smarter automated tools can help human technicians find and eliminate threats. What is really remarkable about AI-powered security is how much the perception of the technology has changed in a short time. Five years ago, people were dismissing AI as a possible tool that could be leveraged to keep threats off computing infrastructures, while a recent poll conducted by Capgemini suggested that nearly 65 percent of all business security professionals consider AI to be essential for the future of cybersecurity. Shifts in Regulation For the past couple of years there has been a significant push to consider individual?s data privacy. Not so much for the U.S. Congress to pass anything definitive, but the EU (GDPR) and some individual U.S. states have ratified legislation aiming to help people keep ownership over sensitive data. When the latest […]
Obviously, this is a problem, and one that can be incredibly disruptive to your productivity. When your technology breaks down, you experience what is called downtime, i.e. time when your organization?s operations are affected in a negative way. Many variables can impact your organization?s operations in this way, but technology is a major culprit and one that you have a surprising amount of control over. Small issues like the above example are easy to overlook and dismiss if they are not too disruptive too often. Unfortunately, the reality of the situation is that issues that get overlooked in this way can develop into major problems. If you let something like a frozen computer become a recurring issue over time, then you might be risking something serious like hardware failure, which creates significantly more downtime and costs associated with it. Next, let?s examine the same scenario in which you experience the frozen computer, but you actually do something about it. Let?s say that you report this problem to your IT department or technician. They immediately deploy a technician to investigate the root cause of the issue. Once it?s addressed, the issue no longer appears, and you can go about your day-to-day responsibilities unimpeded. Managed IT services and proactive computer maintenance can remove the need for computer repair in most circumstances. If you are taking care of your technology and treating it like an investment rather than a liability, you will find that you spend less on repairs in general because there is less need for it to occur. If you are ready to prioritize your business? profitability and operations, then we recommend managed IT services from White Mountain IT Services. With us on your side handling computer repair and preventative maintenance, you?ll have nothing to fear moving forward. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.
What Kind of Smart Devices Might You Have? Essentially, anything that connects to the Internet can be considered a smart device, so naturally you will have your computers, tablets, smartphones, Internet routers, and other computing hardware to worry about. It?s the other, less considered devices that are the ones you have to watch out for, like the printers, security cameras, thermostats, smart speakers, and other minor devices that you might not have considered to be security threats. Even something like a smartwatch can be exploited under the right circumstances. So, what can you do to protect your smart devices and create a safer environment on your network in general? Let?s go over a couple of simple practices you can use to protect yourself and your network while using smart devices. Set Up Your Wi-Fi Router Properly The router is not always the first thing you think of in terms of Internet security, but it?s where you should begin your efforts to protect your wireless network. A good place to start is changing your router?s default name. By default, it should include something that includes your router?s brand and model. If you leave it the way it is, you are giving hackers more clues into how they can tap into your wireless network. Furthermore, you should be using a complex password and the highest level of encryption possible. Use Multi-Factor Authentication If you want to optimize security on any connection, you should be using multiple measures. A password is simply not enough these days; you should have multi-factor authentication set up whenever possible for accounts and devices, be it a biometric proof of identity or a simple text to your smartphone. Use a Separate Wi-Fi Connection for IoT Devices If you are worried about security on your network from IoT devices, then a good option is to create a separate network for any IoT devices. This effectively partitions your connection and makes it so that the important devices and data are kept separate from the more at-risk connection, that being the IoT network. White Mountain IT Services can help your business secure its office from smart devices and other IoT devices. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.
Sit Down and Plan Your Day Out The first step happens before the day even starts, perhaps in the final half-hour before you leave your office for the day. Create a plan for the next day, including how much time you plan to spend on various tasks and what you hope to accomplish. When you have a plan (some might call this a roadmap for the day), it removes the guesswork surrounding how you are going to spend your time, and when you finish a particular task, you can effortlessly segue into the next. Break Large Tasks Into Chunks Some projects are going to be more complex than others, so it makes sense that you might want to break them down into smaller and more manageable chunks. This helps you work on the tasks in a more self-contained way and keeps you focused on the task at hand rather than worrying about what comes later on down the line. When In Doubt, Delegate Chances are that at least some of the tasks on your plate can be delegated to other staff, and as a business owner, this is a valuable skill to cultivate and develop. Delegating tasks not only removes them from your agenda, it also gives the one you are delegating a sense of ownership for that task. We understand that it can be challenging to give up control over certain tasks, but if you can free yourself from at least some of them, you will find that you have more time to focus on other tasks that actually demand your attention. Outsource When Possible Businesses always have the option to outsource certain parts of their operations so they can focus on the task at hand. One of the most common ways that outsourcing is used by businesses is technology management and IT support. Why worry about whether or not your technology is working when you are trying to focus on what your company does best? If you outsource your IT, you might find the clarity needed to take your productivity to the next level. If your business wants to delegate tasks and outsource more, White Mountain IT Services is a great place to start. We can take on the tasks of any internal IT department so you can remain focused on your business. If you are interested in our services or learning more, give us a call at (603) 889-0800.
