Let?s talk about why browser-based password managers are the inferior choice as compared to their standalone predecessors?and it?s not all about the difference in security. A Dedicated Password Manager is Better First Off, They Are More Secure Like we said, convenience should never precede security, but that?s precisely what browser-based password managers have historically done. The key is the use of zero-knowledge encryption (where a platform has no visibility into what is stored on it), or rather, the fact that Google doesn?t use it. Google?s option to encrypt passwords on the device also keeps the key on the same device as the data?which is effectively like leaving a key to your front door hanging next to the lock. Not exactly effective, if someone were to breach your network and the hardware on it. They are Also?Ironically?More Convenient That?s right?despite the idea being that a browser-based password management system would be more convenient, the limitations of it being tied to the browser limits its convenience substantially. After all, your browser isn?t the only place you need your passwords, but the browser-based manager keeps them there exclusively. Consider all the mobile applications that require you to log in on your mobile device, for instance. A browser-based password manager restricts them. Finally, Stand-Alone Password Managers Offer More Features In addition to being restricted to the browser that hosts it, a browser-specific password manager is just that?a password manager, exclusively. By comparison, stand-alone options not only store your passwords, they also help you generate secure ones, save other sensitive details like payment card credentials and account numbers, and even addresses. Dedicated password managers also offer additional features, like password strength checks, password sharing, and even biometric support. All That Said, Not All Password Managers are Created Equally We?ve seen the impact that an insecure password management system can have, so it is important that you select one that is reputable and trustworthy. Fortunately, you can trust White Mountain IT Services to select one for you, just like we can help shape the entirety of your IT infrastructure. Give us a call at (603) 889-0800 today for our assistance with your business technology.
Cloud Computing Deployment There could be a number of reasons why a business would choose to deploy cloud-based computing resources. Obviously, cost is a major consideration. The cost of new computing infrastructure is prohibitive for many small businesses and the pay-as-you-go structure that cloud resources present can be a major benefit for any-sized business. Additionally, businesses can pretty much get any type of computing environment in the cloud, including ultra-secure computing that meets all IT hosting security requirements for regulatory compliance. Some Cloud Issues It stands to reason that as cloud computing resources have advanced over the past decade that more and more businesses have identified them as a valuable addition to their IT infrastructure, but there are some issues that continuously pop up. The first is that with many public cloud-hosted applications, the underlying infrastructure is managed by the provider, giving a business less control over their IT than they would probably like. Another issue is a security one. While the infrastructure the cloud resources are hosted on is sufficiently managed and maintained, it is also home to other customers? applications and data. This increases risk somewhat; as does transmission as all apps and data need to be transmitted over an Internet connection. What You Can Do to Better Manage Your Cloud Resources With a large percentage of organizations choosing to utilize cloud computing for one thing or another, strategies and solutions have been developed to circumvent the traditional problems that arose from cloud computing deployment. Let?s take a look at a couple of them: Cloud Monitoring If you are familiar with the way that IT administrators monitor and manage network resources, it won?t be a big surprise to know that there is always a shred of doubt that a business? cloud providers live up to their service level agreements. The best way to know that you are getting the cloud computing that you are paying for, especially if you are hosting mission-critical hardware with the provider, is to consistently monitor your cloud services. Workload Automation Workload automation has been an important IT management tool for some time and has evolved enough to help organizations manage their cloud computing resources. This allows businesses more flexibility to choose cloud-based resources while still hosting their mission-critical sources in house. Workload automation allows for what is called a hybrid cloud solution and can be a great reactive tool to provision more or less computing resources quickly. On top of that, it can give IT administrators a great guide to their organizational computing needs and allow them to make decisions about how to manage a business? computing inventory that often includes multiple operating systems, dozens of applications and databases, and various network management and security tools. Automating your workload management will go a long way toward the high-availability, highly secure experiences every growing business wants from their cloud-based resources. Businesses can go further and do more in the cloud than they could ever imagine doing by designing, building, hosting, and supporting their own in-house infrastructure, but they can also waste a lot of money if they don?t have the knowledge needed to do it right. At White Mountain IT Services, our technicians have extensive experience deploying computing infrastructures of all types to all manners of different businesses. Give us a call today to learn more about […]
How Productivity Can Be Measured Output from Input This is the formula that we covered in the last blog, but we?ll go over it again. Productivity = Output/Input Basically, by comparing how much you?ve invested into your productivity to the returns that investment has garnered, you are given your productivity metric. This option is a very straightforward and scalable way to gauge how productive your efforts are. However, it is not your only option, and arguably just one of many you should use to track your productivity. Let?s explore some of the other options you have. Your Own Key Performance Indicators You?ve likely compiled a few choice key performance indicators?KPIs?that you keep track of as a means of monitoring your metrics. You can use some of these to help give yourself a more general idea of how productive your team members are by analyzing some of your business? trends, while also supplementing these analyses with other data points, like customer satisfaction and other impactful measures. Employee Productivity How many assigned tasks are your team members making their way through in a measured time? While this is a relatively simplistic view of productivity, this information can still be a valuable means of collecting some vital information about your own internal workings. Performance-Based Metrics You can also qualify productivity based on how well your assorted efforts are performing. Once a major project is wrapped up?let?s say it was an internal overhaul of a previously established process?comparing the results after its implementation to those you were accomplishing before can give you some insight into what works best. Your means of measuring how productive you are?or aren?t?being is basically only limited by your creativity and the metrics you have access to. Stick around, because we have a lot more to talk about regarding your productivity. Next time, we?ll talk about the various wrenches that can jam you up?and how to avoid them. In the meantime, check out some of our other blogs, or reach out to us at (603) 889-0800 with any questions you may have!
Ransomware Usually Starts With Phishing Phishing is the number one way that hackers gain access to your business? network and infrastructure. The process includes sending messages to your staff that creates a subterfuge to get them to give over personal information or login credentials to your network. After they get in, they will then deploy the malicious code that will lock down files or full drives. The Ransom is the Point When ransomware is deployed the ransom will be up front and center. Typically, it will communicate the demands of the hackers and then have an integrated timer. Presumably, this is the amount of time you have to make a decision on whether or not to pay the ransom fee. These ransom demands are always payable in Bitcoin or some other type of cryptocurrency, but can you really trust someone that is willing to hold your organization?s data hostage to not continue to extort your business, or worse, ruin files if you decide the best course of action is to not pay the fine? Probably not. What You Need to Do, Should You Get Infected I know it might sound redundant or even contrived, but if you happen to become a victim of ransomware, you can?t panic. Of course, your first instinct will be to panic, but you need to get through that quickly and keep a level head because it’s going to take some focus to get out of this situation. The first action you should take is to take a picture of the ransomware message. This is because you will likely need it later to restore your data and to prove that you?ve been hacked to law enforcement. You?ll then want to immediately turn the computer off and unplug it from the network and from the power outlet it was plugged into. If you leave the computer online, it exponentially enhances the risk that other devices will be infected, making the whole situation that much more difficult to navigate. The next action is to notify your IT department. Technology professionals, like our technicians at White Mountain IT Services, may be able to obtain a solution to this problem that will unlock data by getting in contact with security vendors that they work with. If your business has cybersecurity insurance, you will want to contact them at this stage as well (if your IT management team doesn?t do this for you). You will also want to speak with legal representation to cover your bases. At this point, it?s a waiting game. What you shouldn?t do is sit on a ransomware attack. You need help to remediate the situation and the fear of ridicule or loss of reputation shouldn?t supersede your acknowledgment of this fact. You also shouldn?t quickly pay the ransom with the hope that this will go away. If it is just a fear tactic, your IT management team will expose this; but on the chance that your data or systems are encrypted, you will want more eyes on it to ensure you make the right decisions for your business. Ransomware is Scary Make no mistake, if your business is the victim of a legitimate ransomware attack, it is extremely stress inducing. That?s why you need experts on your side to help you solve the big problems that you may not […]
Why Adjust Your Icon Size? Sometimes you might have a difficult time seeing the icons when they are smaller, particularly if you have poor eyesight or you have a desktop background that makes things a little difficult or contrasting. In cases like this, you can make your icons larger so they stand out more against your background. In some cases, you might just have too many icons on your desktop that take up a ton of space. You can give yourself more desktop real estate by making the icons smaller. However, in this case, we do highly recommend that you reconsider what you store on your desktop, as if your screen is cluttered with icons in this way, chances are you will only make the problem worse by opening up more space to include even more icons. How to Adjust Your Desktop Icon Size Windows will default to the Medium size for your desktop icons, but if you want to change their size to your preference, it?s easy enough to do. All you have to do is right-click anywhere on the desktop and use the View option to change the size. You will see options for Large, Medium, and Small icons. If you?re on a Windows 11 machine, you have some more options at your disposal, too. You can hold down the Ctrl key and scroll up or down on the mouse wheel to make the icons bigger or smaller than the preset sizes allow. That?s all there is to it! With a couple of simple tricks at your disposal, you can customize your desktop icons to your preference. For more great tips and tricks, be sure to keep your eyes on our blog.
