We see this all the time in certain industries like manufacturing and retail, where there?s no longer a need for specific positions due to autonomous systems taking their place. While this trend is capable of increasing these organizations? bottom lines, it simultaneously puts people out of work. Surprisingly, the quality of work by automated systems could be largely variable and unpredictable. So, until the details get sorted out, it?s likely that automated systems will have to be babysat, with humans jumping in to save the day should something go wrong. This presents another possibility; rather than replacing workers, automated technology could be used to augment their capabilities. For example, there are writing programs that are capable of putting together articles much faster than the way the human mind can. However, these articles are often devoid of emotion and can?t connect on the same level as a human author can. So, for now, there are certain jobs that automation can?t touch, but how long will it take for automation technology to catch up? Please keep in mind that we?re not insinuating that technological advancement is bad; we?re just trying to raise awareness for how it affects the worldwide economy and job market. It doesn?t matter if a specific technology can eliminate work for manufacturers and businesses if it puts hundreds of thousands of people out of work. Yet, in many cases, technological advancement can be exceptionally beneficial. Consider, for a moment, how outsourcing can help your business. When you outsource to a third party, you?re essentially receiving a good or service from someone else. You?re purchasing their professional skills for the good of your business. So, in a manner of speaking, you?re augmenting your business?s IT with a valuable automated service in the form of our talented technology professionals. At White Mountain IT Services, we aren?t looking to replace your internal IT department. Rather, we want to work with them and help your business achieve its greatest potential. Regardless of your current IT?s role in management and maintenance, we can pick up the slack where they fall short. We?re firm believers in working together for the betterment of our clients. If your internal staff doesn?t have the time or skill necessary to perform regular IT maintenance, White Mountain IT Services can step in and handle this responsibility for you. If the opposite is true, and your team doesn?t have time to implement new innovative solutions, we can perform this role for you. Ultimately, our professional IT technicians are more potent and valuable than any robotic IT system can be. To learn more about co-managed IT, give us a call at (603) 889-0800.

It?s not unheard of for users of Internet of Things devices to forget to secure them, especially in the case of security cameras. If this happens, an unsecured security camera that?s connected to the Internet can be used for some nefarious things. Lisa Vaas of Naked Security reported on a study saying that these IoT devices have plenty of security holes. Her report, ?DVR snaps stills from CCTV surveillance and sends them to China,? goes into detail about findings from researchers at UK-based Pen Test Partners. The study analyzed data from Shodan, the search engine dedicated to Internet-connected devices like buildings, smart appliances, webcams, and so much more. These researchers chose to focus on Internet-connected surveillance cameras. Just a quick note: we want everyone who uses web-connected security cameras to know that even an average PC user can create a Shodan account and use it to search for, access, view, and control unsecured cameras. We weren?t sure how well this works, but it definitely does. Take a moment to view these stills from random surveillance cameras that we came across on Shodan: These are just a couple of random shots that we came across. There might not be much going on here, but one thing we do know, monitoring strangers in their homes is certainly unethical. These cameras are just random ones that we stumbled upon. However, Shodan has been criticized for giving its users easy access to cameras that are sensitive in nature. Vocativ cites findings by Ars Technica: These webcams show feeds from sensitive locations like schools, banks, marijuana plantations, labs and babies? rooms. Shodan members who pay the $49 monthly fee can search the full feed at images.shodan.io. A Vocativ search of some of the most recently added images shows offices, school, porches and the interior of people?s homes. Accompanying each of these grabs is a pinned map that shows the location of the device capturing that footage. If you?re still not sold on how creepy and intrusive this whole concept is, let?s go back and take a closer look at the first study we mentioned by Pen Test Partners. Vass reports: The device also has no Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) protection, so attackers can trick users into clicking on links to carry out malicious actions; it has no lock-out, so attackers can guess as many passwords as they like; it sends communications without HTTPS that can be intercepted and tampered with; and there?s no firmware updates, so ?you?re stuck with these issues,? Pen Test Partners said. But weirdest of all, the thing is capturing still images from video feeds and emailing them to an address that appears to be hosted in China. Why exactly are surveillance images being sent to China? This is a question that Pen Test Partners was never able to answer. Rather than speculate on what?s going on here, we?re going to take the objective road and attempt to address the real problem: the fact that surveillance cameras are unsecured in the first place. If your organization needs assistance with securing your Internet-connected devices, White Mountain IT Services can help. We can help you understand how Internet of Things devices work, and what you can do to ensure that maximum security for your network. To learn more, give us a call at (603) 889-0800.

Adjust Screen Brightness on Your LaptopYou don?t have to be incredibly tech-savvy to turn down the screen brightness on your laptop, but the process will vary depending on the model of your device. First, check the line of F keys on the top of your keyboard. If any of them have a little icon that looks like a light bulb, a sun, or any other light source, try pressing them to see if it adjusts brightness. Chances are that they, more likely than not, will do so. Keep in mind that you may need to use your Fn or Function key to trigger these effects. If you don?t see the brightness keys, it?s possible your laptop doesn?t have them, or has buttons on the front or side that control the brightness. Manually Adjust Screen Brightness in Windows 10If you want to lower your screen?s brightness for your desktop PC, there are a few ways to do so. Windows 10 makes it easy. Click the battery icon in your Windows 10 notification area, and adjust the brightness to suit your needs. To do so, open the Settings from the Start menu, select System, and choose Display. Adjust the slider to where you want your system?s brightness to be. You can also click the search icon next to the Start menu and type brightness settings. Windows 7 and 8.1 have a screen brightness adjuster in your system?s Control Panel. Select Hardware and Sound > Power Options. You?ll see the slider, which will be available at the bottom of the Power Plans window. Automatically Adjust Brightness When Your Battery?s LowWindows 10 has the option to automatically adjust brightness in relation to your remaining battery life. To do so, open Settings > System > Battery save. Select Battery saver settings. You need to make sure that the Lower screen brightness while in battery saver is checked, and you can use the adjustable bar to select a percentage for when the screen will dim. By default, it will be set at 20 percent battery remaining. Bonus Tip: Don?t Forget Your Monitor SettingsWhile these tips will work on the software side of things, you can alter your monitor settings with the buttons on the side or front of the computer monitor. Most monitors have several different settings, including brightness, contrast, and color adjustments that you can tweak to make it easier on the eyes. We wish we could give you some specific tips for this, but virtually every monitor and manufacturer has slightly different configurations. By keeping an eye on your screen?s brightness, you can keep your eyes healthy, experience less pain, and have longer battery life. For more great tips and tricks, subscribe to White Mountain IT Services?s blog.

Steam is a widely-used web-based distribution platform developed by Valve Corporation that?s used for online multiplayer gaming, as well as many other video game-related situations. It?s actually relatively similar to cloud computing. Steam is one of the biggest online gaming retailers with over 140 million users. In October 2013, it was estimated that 75 percent of all games purchased online were through Steam. If nothing else, Steam is a valid online computing outlet that hackers want to take advantage of. As anyone who has a hobby will understand, a gamer?s collection of games, virtual items, or online currency, will accrue a self-perceived value of sorts. While this might seem like a worthless asset to compromise, it?s introducing a new type of hacker to the online environment. People who want to steal games, achievements, and other in-game assets are capable of doing so with a new malware called Steam Stealer. Perhaps the most terrifying thing about Steam Stealer is the fact that it?s so easy to use. If hackers find that they can get away with stealing seemingly benign in-game items, they might find that they want to go for something with a little more practical use, like credit card numbers. This presents a unique situation which could provide amateur hackers with the skills and confidence they need to attempt riskier and detrimental hacks. Since Steam Stealer is easy to use and afford, even the average citizen can experience the bittersweet taste of hacking. With included instructions, user manuals, APIs, and a price tag of $15, people with no knowledge of malware can easily use Steam Stealer. Compared to other Malware as a Service offerings, Steam Stealer is a small price to pay and is relatively simple to use. Once people experience the adrenaline of using malware to steal fellow gamers? in-game objects, what?s stopping them from pursuing the rush even further? The end result could very well be hackers who won?t be satisfied until they?ve hit the pay dirt; financial information and other products purchased through Steam?s online interface. Unsurprisingly, Steam experiences quite a large amount of takeovers — around 77,000 accounts suffer from breaches each month. There?s a definite precedent for this type of hack, and criminals obviously see the potential for profits. The best way to keep your Steam account safe from hackers is for users to practice a combination of two-factor authentication, and to always keep an eye out for potential phishing scams. Changing passwords regularly is an ideal way to keep hackers from accessing accounts, and closely monitoring URLs that are sent through chats will keep you from visiting potentially malicious sites. These tips probably sound familiar; for good reason. They?re valuable tips that help you stay safe whether you?re working on important work, or you?re on a quest to ?slay the goblin lord.? Even if Steam is an online gaming platform, there are still valuable lessons that can be learned from it. While a business owner might see their data as an immensely valuable asset, gamers view their libraries in a similar way. If you want to know how to best protect your business?s data, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.

You can watch the video here. Considering how these teens weren?t even born when the operating system was released, it?s no surprise that they have no clue what they?re looking at. When it?s said that they?re looking at Windows 95, they remark that it looks ?prehistoric,? ?dull,? and even ?ancient.? Some of the older teens, on the other hand, are more appreciative of the legacy that Windows 95 started, despite agreeing that in its infancy, the Windows operating system was a bit on the primitive side compared to today?s modern tech environment. Here are some observations from this video: They don?t know how to turn it on. Many of the teens didn?t know how to turn the PC on and off. They were immediately drawn to the large power button on the CRT monitor, and it took them quite a while to figure out how to turn the main component on. Windows today is more refined than it was in 1995. Several of the teens in the video notice how Windows 95 is a bit on the unrefined side. This is simply due to the fact that Windows 95 was one of the first Windows operating systems, and has since become more polished. The teens mention that Windows 95 has a similar interface compared to what they?ve been working with, sporting familiar features like Internet Explorer, the Recycle Bin, and the Start menu. Not having WiFi is like a crime. When they open up Internet Explorer, the teens immediately notice that there?s no WiFi. They are in complete and total shock that it doesn?t have wireless Internet. If you think about it, it?s a perfectly natural response. These teens have had wireless Internet for their entire lives. They never knew the days of dial-up web connection. It just goes to show that convenience is a major player in the modern tech environment, and that the biggest cause for concern with new technology is that it might be unavailable while offline. Today?s tech is easier to use by the consumer. At one point, the video?s narrator discusses how DOS systems work. The teens are completely dumbfounded by how complicated the process of issuing commands and prompts to the machine sounds. One of the girls makes a solid observation: ?If users of consumer technology, like iPhones or iPads, had to enter in commands to open apps, nobody would use them.? Technology has grown with the end-user in mind, with easy-to-use technology being the most popular with the general populace. Isn?t it insane to think about how far technology has progressed in just twenty short years? Where will technology be decades from now? Do you have any fond memories of Windows 95? Let us know in the comments. Bonus TipSee how your friends react to Windows 95 by opening this link on their browser: https://win95.ajf.me/win95.html