Incoming MessageYou may get a call or email from someone asking about your computer?s status. This someone will likely claim to be from a recognizable technology company, like Microsoft or McAfee. You should not believe them. Companies of Microsoft?s size and success will not be the ones to reach out to check if there is an issue with your computer. Besides, imagine how many employees Microsoft would need to have to reach out to every Microsoft customer. When there were over 100 million users of Office 365?s commercial edition in 2017, plus 27 million users of Office 365 Home & Personal (as stated in the shareholder letter that was released), there’s just no way that Microsoft would devote that kind of manpower to collect that kind of information. Additionally, it has been agreed between the FTC, National Cyber Security Alliance and yes, Microsoft, that no tech company will call you on the phone unsolicited, or send you an email with the same message. Stay Up-to-DateOne of the best defenses against almost any threat, including tech support fraud, is to keep everything updated. This includes your operating system and antivirus and antimalware. This will help to minimize the damage of a tech support scam. IT may also consider installing ad blockers to maximize your protection. Keep Credit Cards Close to the ChestIf a member of ?tech support? asks for your credit card number after calling you first, don?t give it to them and hang up (assuming you let them get that far). If you have already given out your card number, call and make sure that any charges you didn?t make are reversed and then report the incident to the FTC Complaint Assistant. Make Sure Your Employees are In-the-KnowIt is important to remember that you aren?t the only person in the company that could fall victim to tech support fraud. Your employees need to be aware of the threat, and should be able to identify the warning signs as well. Your security is only as strong as its weakest link, and more often than not, the weakest link is your end users. Therefore, it is crucial that they are educated and evaluated on their knowledge of best practices. Tech support is meant to help you out, which is a responsibility that White Mountain IT Services doesn?t take lightly. To learn more about our support services, give us a call at (603) 889-0800.

Ordinarily, the word redundant would be used for something that?s not needed. For example, having two jugs of orange juice in your refrigerator would be considered redundant because you only ever need one at a time. Your data can be considered in much the same way. You want a second, or even third, copy of your data on the off-chance that you need it. This is why we say you want data redundancy–it?s a worst-case scenario, certainly, but you?re out of luck if you do ever encounter a situation where your data is unavailable. Here are some of the major considerations that you want to remember when thinking about data redundancy, as well as data backup and disaster recovery. How Much Data You?re RecoveringDepending on your data backup solution, you could either be taking backups once a day or you could be taking them multiple times a day. If you?re only taking them once at the end of the day, you could lose up to an entire day?s worth of data in the event of a disaster. On the other hand, if you use a snapshot-based backup solution, you only take backups of data that has changed since the last time you took one, allowing you to back up your data as often as every fifteen minutes. It?s the ideal way to back up your data, and it allows you to keep it as redundant as possible. How Long Your Recovery TakesIf you have a lot of data that needs to be recovered, the process could take much longer than you expect. Furthermore, since you?re restoring from a tape rather than immediately through the cloud, you?ll be opting for a much slower method of restoration. Cloud-based BDR allows your organization to restore data directly to any compatible device–including the BDR device itself–so that you can minimize downtime in the event of a data loss incident. Where You?re Storing Your Data BackupsFinally, we get to the redundancy aspect of your business?s data backup system. Redundancy is all about having multiple copies of your device, but it?s where you?re storing them that makes a major difference for your organization. You should follow the 3-2-1 rule for data backup and disaster recovery. Basically, you want three copies of your data overall (at least), with two of those being stored off-site in some capacity (like in the cloud or a secure off-site data center), and one on-site in the event you need it. Does your organization need help with data redundancy or backup and disaster recovery? White Mountain IT Services can help. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.

The NCSA, in conjunction with the U.S. Small Business Administration, provides a few guidelines for businesses to follow in order to preserve privacy as far as company data and personal information are concerned. Protecting Your Business Nearly every business collects and utilizes personal information from its clients, employees, and vendors. Therefore, it is also the responsibility of the business to make sure that this data remains private and secure. In this digital age, businesses need to be transparent with their data privacy policies, as even the accusation of a data loss event or misusing their information in any way can be catastrophic. There should never be a time that a customer could accuse you of collecting more data than they consented to, without you having proof that they had been notified and provided their consent. A privacy policy should be available for you to provide to your clients. However, this needs to be more than a policy. It needs to become a tangible part of your organization, and enforced as such. Not only should you frequently remind your employees of the importance of privacy and data security, it should become integral to your company culture. As the NCSA and the SBA say, you should ?communicate clearly and often what privacy means to your organization,? as well as being sure to ?educate employees about their role in privacy [and] security…? Your diligence should extend not only to your internal employees but also to any external (or third party) resources you may use. You need to ensure any of your partners or vendors with access to your network and its sensitive data are taking your security as seriously as you are. Many businesses require all external resources to sign a network use agreement that holds them liable in the event their actions result in a breach of privacy. Privacy in the Home Data security does not just apply to work done within the walls of your offices, either. You need to cultivate an even greater awareness and respect for privacy at home or while traveling, as well. Any device that is used for work must be treated with the same security-minded processes that you and your employees would subscribe to in the office. Remind members of your household that they need to be careful with their personal information as well. While they may not have a company to manage, there are still plenty of consequences to deal with if their data is breached. Therefore, the entire family needs to be mindful about what they share online, avoiding sharing too much and keeping personal details close to the chest. This is especially true if you have children and teens under your care and supervision, as they could face a lifetime of ramifications. Additionally, White Mountain IT Services understands how important your privacy truly is. When you have built up and maintained a business, you want to protect it, and maintaining data privacy can help keep both it and you safe. We appreciate how big of a commitment it is to be entrusted with that responsibility, and we?d embrace the chance to live up to it with your data. Please, lean on White Mountain IT Services for more assistance and advice. Call us today at (603) 889-0800.

Spyware, like other malware, is a problem for any organization. Since your business generates, collects, and uses considerable amounts of data, there are plenty of organizations that want to get their hands on it. You spend so much time and money protecting your data against threats on the Internet, but what if the spyware were to just come standard on the computer you just bought? HP, one of the most reliable names in business and consumer hardware, has seemingly been doing exactly that, adding a software, HP Touchpoint Analytics, into their Windows Update. The software, which typically is part of the larger HP Touchpoint Manager, regularly sends a random cache of data from the device. The rationale HP gave for this decision was to relieve ?time-consuming tasks of device support and lifecycle management.? Given that explanation, most wouldn?t bat an eye, but HP does this with data that belongs to users, without the user’s consent, and for some, that is a major problem. If you are the skeptical type, and would prefer to not have a program with such liberties working on your organization’s computers, consider bringing this up to your IT professional and they can ensure any software that isn?t vital is removed, and working properly. If you?d like to try your hand at disabling it you need to search Windows Services and disable ?HP Touchpoint Analytics Client?, then uninstall it from your installed software list in Windows 10. If you want to talk about a software strategy that truly suits your business, call White Mountain IT Services today at (603) 889-0800.

The Internet of Things is now a commonality. IoT devices are in our homes, in our offices, and in our pockets. While these devices are incredibly convenient, they also contribute to some major security risks. For today?s tip, we?ll review some of the ways to reduce these risks while still leveraging the IoT. Does it Need to Be Connected?The first consideration you need to make is whether or not connecting a particular item will be a big enough benefit to be worth the inherent risks. Depending on the device, an Internet of Things item could be used to spy on you, steal your data, and track your whereabouts. If the device in question directly offers you a helpful, worthwhile utility, it may be worth the risk. If the connected device serves little purpose beyond its novelty, or its purpose could just as easily be managed by a staff member, it is probably best to leave it disconnected. Are You as Secure as You Could Be?You should also make sure that the environment that you are using an IoT device in is as secure as possible. Making sure that your firmware is updated will ensure that you have the latest security patches and fixes for the various exploits and vulnerabilities that the IoT may present. If possible, this process should be automated so that your IoT devices, as well as your router, are fully updated. It may also be a good idea to check if your router supports guest networking. With guest networking, you can keep potentially risky IoT devices off of your main business network, protecting its contents. Finally, you should always make sure that your passwords are in line with best practices, and that you are not reusing passwords between devices and accounts. Following these guidelines means that even if one of your accounts is comprised, the rest of your accounts are safe behind different credentials. Are Your Devices Properly Monitored and Managed?Ultimately, the best way to keep your company safe from IoT issues is to establish rules regarding the use of these devices and monitor their permissions. Extending the consideration of whether or not a device needs to be connected, you need to establish if it even needs to be in the office. After all, a smartwatch can offer some business utility, whereas a smart salt dispenser (which does in fact exist) does not. Monitoring your network can help you identify if any unapproved devices have made a connection. White Mountain IT Services can help. Call (603) 889-0800 to learn more.