What is a Proxy Server? Simply put, a proxy server is a computer that acts as an intermediary between the computer you use and the Internet. It masks the IP address of your machine with the IP address of the proxy. It is designed to provide business networks with additional security and privacy benefits. Proxy Server Security Network breaches and other security lapses can be major problems for any business. The proxy server can work to limit problems like these by adding the additional layer of security between the servers you depend on and the traffic coming in from the Internet. While the proxy server isn?t a comprehensive solution to keep unwanted entities out of your network, it does provide a barrier that can work to keep your network from being infiltrated, and your data from being stolen. Proxy Server Privacy Most organizations utilize proxy servers to protect their network and data from the stream of traffic that comes in and out of their network. In protecting the anonymity of your systems, proxy servers protect the data by limiting your organization?s direct exposure to this traffic. By masking your actions from public view, you go a long way toward protecting not only the data; but, indirectly, the people that depend on your business. Here are some ways proxy servers provide security: Usage Controls – Your employees are people with lives. The more leeway you give them, the more they will take. A proxy server can help network administrators prevent devices or users from accessing material, both inside and outside the business? network. It also provides a construct to keep detailed logs about what interactions people have with outside data. Agility – Proxy servers allow for more agile business by saving bandwidth. Since the proxy server will repel any of the information it is designed to propel, your organization?s computing speed for relevant tasks will likely improve. That?s just the tip of the iceberg, but it should give you a better idea about what a proxy server is and how it is deployed. For more great technology information, tips, and tricks, visit our blog regularly. For more information about technologies you can utilize to make your business better, contact the experts at White Mountain IT Services today at (603) 889-0800.

It?s easy to fall into the trap of outsourcing, though, especially if you don?t know what the ideal way to outsource your IT looks like. Take the break-fix model as an example. Since it?s mostly responsive to your IT issues rather than preventative, you might find that it?s not quite as effective at saving your business time and money as another alternative might be. By outsourcing, you will ultimately wind up spending much more capital on resolving issues rather than preventing them outright. Furthermore, your employees who are rendered unable to work as a result of this maintenance will further increase the cost of this downtime. A more preventative approach is ideal to eliminate unnecessary waste. When you work with a managed IT service provider like White Mountain IT Services, you can feel like you?re investing in your company?s future by taking a preventative approach to technology maintenance and management. By preventing issues from developing into larger, more expensive problems, you?re cutting costs by eliminating downtime and replacement expenses. Here are some ways that we can help your business save both time and money through managed IT. Security: If you?ve ever been the target of an online data breach, we?re sure that you never want to be on the receiving end of it again. Unfortunately, hacking attacks are so common that it can be tricky to avoid–and considering how costly and embarrassing it can be, you should be taking every opportunity to mitigate this risk. If you add in the considerable chance that your organization must comply with data privacy regulations, there?s no reason that you shouldn?t see security as a priority. Working with a managed service provider can provide the tools necessary to pull this off. Hardware problems: A workstation or a server unit breaking down presents a major issue for your business. Not only does this mean that your staff can?t do their work properly, but it also means that you have to replace this hardware before operations can resume. Remote monitoring and management from White Mountain IT Services can alleviate this problem by keeping an eye out for warning signs. This helps you avoid unexpected hardware failure and provides an opportunity to either resolve the issue, or prepare for the worst-case scenario. Either of these is better than the alternative–being unprepared entirely. Data backup and disaster recovery: If the entirety of your data infrastructure were to be wiped out immediately by a natural disaster, user error, or data breach, what would you do? More importantly, what would your business do in order to stay alive? If you don?t have Data Backup and Disaster Recovery (BDR), you are in for a rough restoration process. Without the ability to suffer from minimal downtime and data loss, your business? future could be in jeopardy. We can help you implement a business continuity strategy that can help you ensure the odd disaster doesn?t wipe your business off the face of the map. For all of your business? technology needs, and to ask us about our managed IT service offerings, reach out to White Mountain IT Services at (603) 889-0800.

You work on important things. Let?s all work together to make sure they stay safe and secure. Don?t Share Confidential Information Don?t provide sensitive company or customer information in unsolicited emails or phone calls. It?s important to remember that the bad guys can be very convincing and what they do tricks a lot of users. Being on the lookout for anything suspicious will help protect confidential information. Emailing usernames and passwords is never a good idea. Be especially cautious of suspicious emails that look like they are from PayPal or a bank. Use Strong Passwords Don?t reuse the same password for multiple accounts. Passwords should contain capital and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Passwords should not contain personally identifiable information like social security numbers or dates of birth. Avoid Accessing Sensitive Information on Unprotected Computers Hotel business centers and Internet cafes typically aren?t regulated or secure. Accessing sensitive information on public devices could allow others to access it as well. Malicious software could allow others to snoop on what you are doing, and gather usernames, passwords, and credit card information. Ask your IT department about establishing a VPN to allow safe access while traveling. Avoid Leaving Sensitive Information Lying Around Don?t keep passwords on sticky notes. Shred documents that contain confidential information. Don?t leave mobile devices, laptops, or desktops unlocked when you aren?t at them. Use Windows key + L to quickly lock your computer when stepping away. Small devices like phones, portable hard drives, and flash drives are easy to lose or steal. Be wary of this while traveling. Report Anything Suspicious to IT If we know about it, we can fix it quickly before it becomes a bigger problem. If you?ve lost your smartphone or another device, report it immediately. **Note: If you have a service agreement with White Mountain IT Services that includes end-user support, don?t hesitate to provide our number and support email so your staff can put in tickets. Phone: (603) 889-0800 Email: [email protected]

It helps to know why you need to be on the lookout, of course. Spam makes for a great medium to move threats such as ransomware, viruses, and other major problems for your business. Spam is an effective way to spread threats due to how easy it is to send countless messages to all sorts of users. This increases the likelihood of any number of users downloading the attachment, along with all of its malevolent contents. Ransomware is most at home on business workstations that have downloaded infected attachments. For example, you might receive a message from someone who wants to send your business a resume–perhaps a ?prospective employee.? If your HR department doesn?t know what signs to look for, they could unwittingly download the attachment and infect their systems with ransomware. To make matters worse, a spam filter might not even be able to flag these phishing messages as dangerous since they are designed specifically to not be detected. You should keep an eye out for messages that claim to be receipts, shipping information, resumes/CVs, or other important information that you would normally keep an eye out for. Hackers know that you need this information, so they can take advantage of it to pull a fast one on you. The best way to keep your business from suffering due to spam and phishing attacks is to both educate your employees and implement solutions designed to prevent spam from hitting the inbox. For the first, you can hold seminars on how to increase awareness of online threats. You should be teaching your employees not to open attachments from unknown senders. They should only do so after it has been deemed safe enough. For spam and phishing protection, White Mountain IT Services can provide the requisite support. We can help you integrate an enterprise-level spam blocker and content filter to keep all but the most dangerous messages from entering your network in the first place. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.

The reason why you want to make sure IT is being profitable for your business is because you run the risk of it being overlooked otherwise. After all, if it?s not being valuable or making any money for your business, why bother investing in it? To answer these questions, you should ask yourself the following questions: Do you have any services that aren?t being utilized properly? How much waste is accruing due to software solutions that aren?t being used? How often do you replace hardware? If it?s not being replaced periodically, you run the risk of hardware failure or other issues. How much do you pay for technology that isn?t offering a return on investment? For example, it?s one thing to pay for services that save time, but another thing entirely to pay for a convenience that isn?t necessary or producing enough value. Basically, it all starts with asking yourself how your technology is affecting your bottom line. What is that new software solution really doing for your business? Is it allowing you to free up funds that would be better spent elsewhere? A great example of this is automation; more businesses than ever before are trying to take advantage of automation, which lets them free up key staff and personal from more menial and time-consuming tasks. Too many businesses still take advantage of break-fix solutions; wasting money on IT maintenance. The break-fix model of IT support might appear to offer a semblance of value in the moment, as you?re receiving service that?s needed as soon as possible. Yet, the issue here lies in the fact that you?re waiting until technology has already broken down before you do anything about it. This leads to wasted capital and resources, including downtime, hardware replacements, and so much more–all because issues weren?t solved properly before they grew out of hand. One of the best ways to gain value from your business? technological investments is to implement managed IT services from White Mountain IT Services. What this does is essentially eliminate the costs of running an IT department, additional salaries of technicians, and the general upkeep costs of your organization?s infrastructure. It replaces these costs with a single monthly payment. You then receive services as per your service level agreement. We can perform a variety of services for your business, including: Remote monitoring and management Backup and disaster recovery Network security Email management And more! To learn more about IT management, call us today at (603) 889-0800