The promise of autoscaling for your cloud solution is pretty straightforward. Somehow, workloads automatically know how to scale in size the specific amount of resources needed in order to perform a task. The idea here is that this feature is always-on and always monitoring network activity, thus alleviating bottlenecking issues and traffic spikes without any human intervention. If only this were true. In actuality, achieving autoscaling to this degree requires a whole lot of human oversight and technical know-how, thus, eliminating the ?auto? part of the scaling equation. ITProPortal explains, ?To create a truly automated and self-healing architecture that scales with little or no human intervention requires custom scripts and templates that can take months for a skilled team to get right, and many organizations have neither the time nor those resources to make it work.? Instead, a better approach is to have human oversight of your cloud solution. This is achieved by entrusting IT administrators to respond to increased network traffic with intelligent scaling decisions. Having oversight like this for a cloud platform is important for any business, especially when it comes to the unpredictable nature of network computing. For example, if your website is hosted in the cloud and your business is featured on a spot in the local news, then your website may crash from a spike in unexpected visits. Also, any solution connected to the Internet is at risk of being overwhelmed by a DDoS attack. Proper oversight of a network by an administrator will allow them to take needed scaling actions to safeguard against such an attack. However, having a dedicated IT technician constantly overseeing your network is still a bit of a stretch for an SMB. If you?ve spent any time with an IT technician, you might recall just how busy they are. ITProPortal explains: ?They don?t have time for this either. Couple it with the fact that they are chastised when systems are under-provisioned or fail, that re-starting a system may land it on an unfortunate server filled with noisy neighbors, and that all of this is happening at the scale of dozens or hundreds of servers at a time ? and this feels like a great time to just over-provision everything and leave well enough alone.? Therefore, in view of true autoscaling being difficult-to-impossible to achieve, and onboarding a new IT technician to oversee your servers being out of reach for the average SMB, the most reasonable and effective option left is a managed cloud service. Managed IT provides the best of both worlds; you get oversight of your cloud solution by having an automated system in place to catch any traffic and performance abnormalities, along with a human technician to make the proper scaling adjustments as soon as they?re notified. This affordable option is how White Mountain IT Services manages our clients? technology. To find out how you can take advantage of managed IT, call us at (603) 889-0800.

However, if you?ve already applied the latest security patches, you have little to fear. We thought we?d share some background information on the nature of the vulnerabilities, and why Microsoft had to patch them in the first place. If you haven?t yet applied these patches, it will be good to know what you?re exposing your systems to, and why it?s important to get them fixed. For Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, and Edge, they are critically in danger of being exploited remotely through web pages or Office documents. This could allow hackers to execute malicious code and do your business harm. Read more about these patches on Microsoft?s security bulletin: Patch for Microsoft Office: MS16-099Patch for Internet Explorer: MS16-095Patch for Edge: MS16-096 Even more critical vulnerabilities were found to affect Windows, Microsoft Office, Skype, and Lync, which have to do with the Windows Graphics Component. This could allow hackers to execute malicious code through malicious web pages or documents. Patch for Windows, Microsoft Office, Skype, and Lync: MS16-097 In another security bulletin, Microsoft claims that a critical remote code execution flaw exists in Windows PDF Library, which is bundled with Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1, Windows 10, Windows Server 2012, and Windows Server 2012 R2. This vulnerability affected Edge in a different way from usual, and allows attackers to take advantage of malicious PDF documents hosted on a website, and then trick users to loading the file within their Edge browser. Patch for Windows PDF Library: MS16-102 Other patches that have been flagged by Microsoft as ?important,? rather than ?critical,? can be found below. However, it?s important to note that even if they aren?t critical, they certainly shouldn?t be ignored. MS16-101 MS16-100MS16-098 If you haven?t yet updated your system with these security patches, you should reach out to White Mountain IT Services at (603) 889-0800. Our technicians will work with you to ensure that your systems are protected and patched against the myriad of threats that can be found both online and offline. Of course, if you already have White Mountain IT Services?s remote monitoring and maintenance services, chances are that your systems have already been patched. In fact, we apply the patches for any product of Microsoft, so that you don?t have to. It?s just one way that managed IT service can help your business stay focused on what really matters.

Age of the Hard DriveThe most crucial component of any computer is its hard drive. It can be difficult to assess the condition of the hard drive just by looking at it, so be sure to keep this guideline in mind; the average lifespan of a hard disc drive is five years. Therefore, purchasing a hard drive that?s four or more years old may not be worth it, due to the fact that it has a higher-than-normal chance of crashing. Although, just because a hard drive is five years old, doesn?t technically disqualify it as a useful purchase. The five-year rule only applies to hard drives that see continuous use, so a hard drive that?s been used sparingly will have more life left on it than its age would indicate. Plus, the five-year rule isn?t a hard and fast rule. Some hard drives can go for more than 10 years without experiencing any issues. Plus, the five-year rule doesn?t apply to solid state drives which are built to last a very long time. At the end of the day, you?re going to want to take into consideration what you?re buying the used hard drive for; if it?s for a mission-critical task, then you may want to avoid the risks associated with buying used, or at the very least, have a reliable data backup and recovery solution in place like a BDR. Additionally, if the hard drive is making some weird noises, leave it be. Clean Up and HygieneComputers are magnets for grime, germs, and dust, you?ll want to keep this in mind when buying used. For example, a PC that?s caked in dust will need to be thoroughly cleaned before you put it or one of its components to use. Depending on how much time it takes to clean the used component, it may be more hassle than it?s worth when it?s all said and done. Plus, there are some pieces of computer equipment that are just too germy to be passed on to other users, even if it works just fine. For example, keyboards have more germs than toilet seats, so it?s in your best interest to just buy a new one. There?s No Guarantee that Used Parts Won?t Come DamagedUnlike new PCs and PC parts which often come with warranties, used equipment have a chance that they may be damaged, or may not even work at all. If you sink time and money into shopping for and installing a used part that turns out to be a lemon, then you?ve wasted your time and money. You would have been much better off just going with a new part to begin with, but hindsight is 20/20. Ultimately, buying used technology is all about risk management. Obviously, some sources provide less risk for buying used computers than others, like a reputable online dealer that tests its used parts and offers warranties, versus Craigslist. Consult the ProsOne last piece of advice for procuring quality used computer equipment is to consult the IT professionals at White Mountain IT Services. We?re able to provide you with a clear risk assessment, point you to some quality sources for used IT equipment, and there?s even a chance that we?ll be able to accomplish what you need with a new and affordable solution that you didn?t know about. Hey, […]

The original version of Petya had a signature attack that struck the master boot record, restricting access to it until a ransom was paid through a dark web payment portal. Of course, there was no guarantee that paying up would resolve the problem, so it was entirely possible that the ransomware could add insult to injury and not decrypt the files at all. Thankfully, Petya had a weakness, and professionals were able to exploit it and find a fix for the ransomware. Not this time, though. Petya comes with Mischa, which is a more traditional ransomware that can be just as dangerous as its counterpart. Mischa blocks access to files until the user pays a ransom. The ransomware will then link to a Tor payment site that allows the user to pay up and decrypt their files. Mischa encrypts executable files, while leaving the Windows and browser folders untouched, which provides access to files containing payment instructions for the user. Now, here?s the problem with this development. Petya could be prevented by refusing administrator access upon downloading the installer. Now, selecting ?yes? will download Petya, while selecting ?no? will install Mischa. Either way, you get a slap in the face. Mischa?s payment site works in largely the same way as Petya?s. Once you input the authorization code provided by the ransomware, you need to purchase enough Bitcoins to pay for the ransom. The current exchange rate is approximately $875 per Bitcoin, so you might be shelling out some heavy-duty cash for this. Once the user has purchased enough Bitcoins, the malware will then provide the Bitcoin address where it must be sent. Though researchers managed to find a way around Petya, no such workaround has been found for Mischa. This is a recurring theme for ransomware, which is often so difficult to remove, that it forces large enterprises to either restore a backup of their data, or pay the ransom, rather than lose access to their files completely. As with all cases of malware, we urge you to do your research, and contact White Mountain IT Services at (603) 889-0800 before caving into hackers? demands. As with all threats that work, Petya and Mischa have plenty of copycats out there that attempt to replicate their success. Malwarebytes has identified another two-in-one ransomware called Satana that functions in a similar way, locking the master boot record and the complete file record. In comparison to Petya and Mischa, however, Satana will run both types of ransomware, rather than just install one or the other. Malwarebytes reports that Satana is still in development and has flaws that can be exploited, but the thought of malware continuing to develop in this sense is a bit unnerving, especially for business owners that may not devote enough time and resources to security solutions. If your business is unsure of whether you can handle a ransomware infection, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.

With today?s great technology solutions, working remotely is no longer just a dream. Many businesses have either a partial or a complete remote staff, and it?s all held together by modern technology solutions. However, even with the latest tech, the remote worker still has to invest in their own success. If you work remotely, here are four ways that you can maximize your productivity and keep yourself from getting in the way of your best work. Have a Dedicated OfficeYou might have your own cubicle or office space at your workplace, but when you work remotely, you often have to get creative. You could turn a booth at a restaurant into a workspace, or your living room sofa into your office. However, this is often counterproductive and distracting. Instead of hoping to get work done away from your desk, you should arrange to have a dedicated home office with lots of space and privacy. This should be the place where you go to get good, solid work done; where all of your files and technology solutions are located. Also, it helps to avoid working in busy public places whenever possible, like coffee shops and restaurants. Set Specific Rules for Your Family and VisitorsIf you?re going to work remotely, this will often mean setting up a home office where you can go to get your best work done. If you have a family that?s always at home, it can be distracting. You need to set clear boundaries so that they know when it?s a good time to drop by your office. Furthermore, it?s a good idea to limit what you should be doing during the workday. It?s one thing to take a short break to handle some minor chores, but another entirely to get distracted by multiple large tasks. Working remotely is a privilege, and as such, you need to stay productive in order to retain this flexibility. Keep Working Until the End of Your ShiftWhen you work remotely, you might have the impression that taking an early-out might not be a big issue. However, this can be a slippery slope; one day you?ll start taking more and more time off of the end of the day, and before you know it, your work performance will suffer and you won?t have anyone to blame but yourself. Plus, if you continuously abuse this privilege, you might ruin the opportunity to work remotely for the rest of your coworkers. Use the Right Technology SolutionsRemote workers are only as effective as the tools that they use to get work done. This is why businesses often have to implement proper technology solutions, like virtual private networks and Voice over Internet Protocol communications, to ensure maximum protection for their investments and productivity for their employees. If your organization could use a tech revamp to accommodate remote workers, White Mountain IT Services can help. For more information about how to keep your remote workers productive, contact us at (603) 889-0800.