The FBI recently published a warning to alert the public about a recent rise in the spread of ransomware in the U.S. Click HERE to see FBI alert I-062315-PSA. Due to an outbreak of CryptoWall and CryptoLocker in the Nashua area this fall, we have published a Crypto Alert with more information, but here is some basic info you need to know. #1. What is Ransomware? Quite simply, ransomware is a form a malware which locks your computer and puts it at ransom. The hacker then demands a sum of money, and if it’s not paid within a certain amount of time, all data is wiped clean from your device. It’s more complicated than it sounds, though. Compared to the average form of malware, it encrypts and locks all the files on your hard drive, making it very difficult to remove. This leads to most victims paying up and giving in to the hacker’s demands, instead of looking for a solution.  #2. What Can Be Done? First of all, it’s important you know how to avoid this cyber scam. Ransomware spreads through e-mail attachments, infected programs and compromised websites. With that said, don’t open any emails that seem suspicious, and avoid websites that look untrustworthy. However, if you do become a victim, make sure your data has been backed up on a constant basis. You never know what might happen to your computer, and ransomware exploits this. People who don’t have their data on a separate hard drive, will face the consequences and have no option but to pay up. On the other hand, users who’ve backed up their information, will have a better sense of security. Does your business take data and cyber security seriously?  Do you encourage and promote security awareness and safe computing practices?  Get the conversation started with our FREE Cyber Security Toolkit. We have compiled a series of free downloads and links that include educational tools such as: Security awareness posters.  Hang these in the lunch room and rotate them throughout the year, keep security on peoples mind everyday. Educational videos. Many users don’t really understand the role that they play in keeping your network safe, or NOT SO SAFE. Whitepapers, handouts and info graphics. More tools to use at company meetings and training sessions. Links for free software and tools to keep your users home computers and mobile devices safe. General tips and guidelines for safe computing best practices. Interested in a free Cyber Security Review? If you have questions about network security, or you are facing a compliance review or audit, contact us today at 603-889-0800 for a free confidential conversation about how White Mountain can help.

Users who continue to use Internet Explorer 8 through 10 past January 12th 2016 will be issued a warning, declaring that Microsoft will no longer be issuing patches and security updates for the browser, forcing users to switch to IE 11 or a competing browser. If users are still working with these versions of Internet Explorer, they?re likely still using an antiquated operating system, or are at the very least eligible to upgrade to Windows 10. Doing so would give them access to more recent versions of IE, as well as Microsoft?s latest web browser, Edge. While the end of support doesn?t mean that Internet Explorer will completely disappear from user PCs, it does mean that these versions of IE could become more vulnerable to threats. But why would you want to use a different browser when Internet Explorer is such a quality piece of software? The answer is simple. IE had a great run, but it?s simply lost its spark in recent years. As reported by CNet: IE’s worldwide browser market share on desktops dropped from 58.2 percent at the start of 2014 to 48.6 percent in December, according to tracking company NetMarketShare. During the same period, Google-owned Chrome’s share rose from 16.4 percent to 32.3 percent. Again, we want to emphasize just how important it is that you use supported software and operating systems with your workstations. Failing to do so can leave your business?s sensitive information vulnerable to hackers of all varieties. Hackers love to take advantage of any weak points they can find in your network, and they?ll gladly leap at the opportunity to do so without a second thought. This is why it?s so important to stay up to date with your infrastructure?s maintenance. Keep in mind, there are rare cases of mission-critical software that depend on certain parts of outdated versions of Internet Explorer. If a piece of software has prevented your business from upgrading a workstation in the past, there?s a chance it might be related. It?s important that you compare the risks and costs of updating your operating system versus not. Unfortunately for many businesses, keeping technology up to date is challenging and borderline impossible due to heavy workloads and lack of technical expertise. This is why SMBs benefit greatly from outsourcing this responsibility to professional technicians. White Mountain IT Services can help your business fully leverage its technology by applying crucial patches and updates remotely, without expensive on-site visits and tying up your staff with the process. For more information about our remote monitoring and maintenance solution, give White Mountain IT Services a call at (603) 889-0800.

One of the main reasons that business continuity might be neglected is because your business has more ?pressing? matters to tend to. Small issues that pile up over time can eventually outweigh the importance of large problems, like implementing preventative measures to stop the loss of data. As IT professionals, we adhere to Murphy?s Law when handling technology: ?Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.? All the same, your business needs to make sure it has what it takes to endure, even under the worst circumstances. Natural DisastersSometimes it feels like the world is out to get you, especially if you?re suffering from a natural disaster. Nature has the overwhelming power to topple businesses with a single blow. Floods, fires, and electrical storms can cause damage to both your physical and virtual infrastructure. Tornadoes can send your business skyward, literally. Bad storms can bring down power lines and cause power outages. No matter where you are in the world, there?s a chance that a natural disaster can occur. Plus, natural disasters don?t even have to physically destroy your office to ruin your plans for success; all they have to do is make it virtually impossible for you to continue normal operations. You can make dealing with natural disasters less daunting by looking into some relatively common technology solutions. For the normal thunderstorm, you can use an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS), which allows your technology to shut down safely in the event of a power outage. Once all work and applications are properly saved and closed, the UPS sends a signal to the server, which informs it that it?s safe to shut down. Succession PlanningThis is one part of business continuity that might not seem immediately apparent. All organizations have important staff members that are crucial to the success and forward momentum of the business. If certain staff members suddenly aren?t available to work anymore, it could have devastating side-effects, assuming that you don?t have a contingency plan to replace them. This includes making sure that you?re prepared for situations like an employee quitting, falling severely ill, or simply being absent for an extended period of time; and, in the worst case scenario, if the employee unexpectedly dies. We don?t want to sound negative or macabre, but you hear about car accidents, health problems, and other calamities that strike businesses when you least expect them to. Establishing clear succession guidelines can help to make this process easier. Even some simple cross-training can go a long way toward making it easier to deal with the void left by an experienced employee. Data Loss and Disaster RecoveryThe inability to recover lost data following a disaster is one of the top reasons that an organization goes out of business. Most businesses that fail to restore their data following a data loss disaster are likely to go out of business within a year following the incident. This is why data backup and disaster recovery are critical components of a business continuity plan. Thankfully, White Mountain IT Services is great at helping small and medium-sized businesses plan for data backup and disaster recovery. Our BDR service is built specifically for the SMB, helping them avoid unnecessary downtime at an affordable monthly rate. Data backups are sent to a secure, off-site data center, where they can quickly be restored […]

Question #1: How often do you use the machine? The workload of a PC varies by the user, but for the sake of this blog article, we?re going to address the typical computing needs of the normal office worker; PCs that are used Monday through Friday, 40 hours a week. Reality check: believe it or not, some people are under the assumption that turning a computer on and off can damage the equipment. As it turns out, this is no longer the case. Early PCs caused power surges upon powering on, which was bad for the components. However, it?s perfectly safe to shut down your computer and turn it back on when you need to use it. Power consumption is another factor that needs to be considered. If you?re keen on saving as much energy as possible to lower your electric bill, then it?s a pretty good idea to power down your PC when you?re finished with it for the night. However, if you want to use your PC bright and early in the morning after, you can put it into sleep mode (akin to Standby or Hibernate modes) before leaving the office. Doing this instead of turning your PC off uses a miniscule amount of energy, less than the traditional light bulb. Another factor that needs to be considered is your geographical location. Is your location prone to experiencing natural disasters that lead to blackouts? If so, you should power down your machine at the end of the day. Power inconsistencies can mess with your IT infrastructure. This is why many businesses use what?s called an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS), which is designed to safely power down equipment without data loss or hardware failure, in the event a sudden loss of power. As explained by ComputerHope, turning off a PC is a good way to protect your PC from a sudden power-down, but it does nothing to prevent damage from a potential power surge. A power surge destroys electrical devices regardless if it is on or off. Therefore, turning the computer off does not prevent this from occurring. The only way to prevent power surges is to unplug all power cables, phone cables, and network cables. It?s also important that you consider your computer?s maintenance schedules. If your techs run a daily virus scan at night, then you won?t have to worry about the scan interfering with work that’s performed during the day. If you?re currently taking advantage of managed IT services, like those offered by White Mountain IT Services, you?ll want to leave your desktop powered on so that we can remotely administer maintenance and patches, run scans, and so on. Powering down the machine prevents us from doing our job, so do us a favor and leave it powered on, but in sleep mode. Only after considering all of these factors can you answer the question, ?Should I turn my PC off, or leave it on?? Whatever you decide to do, we?ll be there to back you up. Your IT infrastructure has nothing to fear with White Mountain IT Services on duty. To learn more, give us a call at (603) 889-0800.