Data Breaches and Hacks Are Not Ideal The last thing you want to deal with is a data breach, as it could set off a chain of events which could be potentially catastrophic for your organization. It could derail operations, ruin your reputation, and subject you to expensive fines that could cripple your budget for the foreseeable future. The best thing you can do is be educated about security, as even a baseline level of knowledge is more than enough to make a difference. Let?s go over the three-step process you can use to secure your business. It All Starts with Training Comprehensive cybersecurity starts with you and runs through the chain of command down to your employees. Training is a great way to make sure that everyone stays informed on security best practices and expectations. There are two major components that you?ll need to focus your training on: password security and phishing attacks. Password Security Most accounts require passwords, but not just any passwords. You should prepare your accounts with those that are complex and hard to guess, but they also need to be easy enough to remember, for your own sake. Teaching your employees this becomes crucial, but it?s easier said than done. We recommend you set up passphrases to get the most security out of passwords while retaining the ease of use. Passphrases are the next-best option compared to a password manager, which we will discuss next week. Passphrases consist of words that don?t normally go together, mixed in with letters, numbers, and symbols, to create a complex password that is much less likely to be guessed. Phishing Attacks Additionally, your team should be prepared for how to identify and respond to phishing attempts, as they are responsible for the vast majority of cyberattacks. This is primarily due to most business tools using encryption, meaning the only way to break into a system is to trick someone into giving you access somehow. Social engineering tactics are often leveraged against employees to convince them to inadvertently hand over their credentials, providing access to a system. Hackers might send suspicious messages under the guise of someone else, urging individuals to take immediate action in a situation they don’t fully understand. If the hacker successfully tricks the user, they will have easy access to a network or network-attached account. Here are some of the things that people need to look out for: Messages from people/addresses employees don?t recognize demanding they take immediate action. Strange grammatical mistakes that wouldn?t normally be in a piece of official correspondence. Directions to click on suspicious links or open attachments. Phishing attacks can be remarkably sophisticated and can often appear to come from someone within your organization, a family member, or authority figure. Be sure to encourage your team to always follow up in the event they receive an email or message about this. It could save you from a lot of headaches moving forward. Next week, we will address some of the ideal tools and strategies you need to resolve the issues outlined in today?s blog. In the meantime, we urge you to contact us at (603) 889-0800 for any and all security-related concerns.

Setting Up Virtual Desktops in Windows 11 It?s really easy to set up different virtual desktops with different work experiences in the new Windows OS. You can set it up right from the taskbar. First, you need to make sure your Task View Icon is on. To turn it on, right-click on your taskbar and it will bring up the Taskbar Settings option. Click on that and toggle on the switch to the right of ?Task View?. This should give you the Task View icon on your taskbar.  Now you need to hover your cursor over the Task View icon on your taskbar. From here you will see a preview of all the current virtual desktops you have in use. To open a new virtual desktop simply click on the ?+? sign in the New Desktop tile. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Windows + CTRL + D to open a new desktop.  That?s it. You now have a whole other desktop interface to open files and applications. You can rename, close, and move the desktop priority by right-clicking on the desktop tile as you hover over an individual desktop tile.  In Windows 11, you can now rename and change the background of your virtual desktops as well. This will allow you to easily differentiate which desktop is which.  Using the virtual desktop option in Windows 11 can be very rewarding for users who want to efficiently navigate their desktop experience. For more great tips and tricks, stop back to our blog regularly. 

The Password Might Be Over?? A potential replacement for the password is on the rise, and many individuals in the technology sector believe that it could bring about a whole new way of approaching cybersecurity: the passkey. Passkeys are stored credentials, like passwords, but instead of being stored in your brain or in a password manager, it is stored on a device, being retrieved automatically when the user needs to log into a system. Most security attacks are launched at users to obtain their passwords, but if the users don?t know their passwords, they can?t give them to hackers. This technology works by using Bluetooth technology, with the key being generated over the connection to a user?s smartphone. The phone then signs the user into the system, cutting out any need for a user-generated authentication measure. For passkeys to be seen as a viable alternative to current methods of authentication, they must be supported across multiple different platforms and systems. This means that they would have to become the new standard for every website, browser, password manager, and so on, which is a daunting task, to say the least. Users would also need their devices on them at all times to use their accounts, making the passkey somewhat inconvenient for access. Some Major Technology Companies Are Considering Passkeys Even big names like Google, Apple, and Microsoft are interested in the passkey as a concept. In fact, Google has already launched a beta passkey platform to use with their Chrome browser and Android Mobile OS. The beta is available through Google Play Services, and the plan is to eventually use Google?s Password Manager to provide the necessary passkeys, using biometrics to provide access and authentication. With the security landscape changing so radically all too often, you can never count yourself too secure to fall victim to a cybersecurity attack. To get your business? network audited and protected, reach out to White Mountain IT Services at (603) 889-0800.

Of course, there are different types of keyboards that we regularly deal with, so we?ll cover both. How to Clean a Laptop Keyboard 1. Turn Off the Laptop: While it?in theory?would be perfectly possible to clean your keyboard with your laptop on, why risk potentially altering or losing some important data in the process? Better to turn off the device and eliminate the possibility. 2. Give It a Good Shake: Carefully but firmly holding your laptop, shake it out over the trash to dislodge any debris. If you can, lightly tap the device to help coax out any stubborn bits. 3. Use Canned Air: For the debris that still won?t budge, it?s time to bring out the big guns. Use a can of compressed air to continue cleaning your keyboard, holding it at a 75 degree angle. 4. Wipe Off What?s Left: Finally, with a microfiber cloth and cotton balls lightly dampened with rubbing alcohol, wipe down the keyboard to clean the top of the keys. Make sure you allow the keyboard to dry completely before powering the laptop back up. How to Clean a Standard Keyboard 1. If the Keyboard is Wired, Unplug It: Similarly to the laptop, you don?t want your keyboard to be receiving power as you?re cleaning it. If it?s a wired keyboard, detach it, and if it?s wireless, power it down. 2. Take Off the Keycaps: Did you know that the tops of the keys (the keycaps) can be removed from a mechanical keyboard? Doing so makes it easier to give your keyboard a really deep clean. If you have access to a keycap puller, use it to remove the caps. Don?t attempt this on a laptop, however. Hint: Take a picture of the keyboard layout before you begin to make it easier to put them back once you?re done. 3. Use Canned Air: Again, use a can of compressed air to clean the keyboard of any debris clinging to the switches. 4. Take a Toothbrush to the Tough Stuff: If there?s more stubborn grime clinging to the keyboard and switches, use a soft-bristled toothbrush to carefully remove it. 5. Wipe Off What?s Left: Again, lightly dampening a microfiber cloth, wipe off any remaining grime. 6. Optionally, Soak Keycaps, and Reassemble: If you want to get rid of every bit of oil and grime possible, soak your keycaps in soapy water and?once they have completely dried?put the keyboard back together. Maintaining Your Technology is More than Just Cosmetic Of course, while keeping your hardware clean is important, keeping your IT maintained will require a bit more. We can help with that! Give us a call at (603) 889-0800 to learn more about what we can do.

The long and short of digitization is that most businesses have attempted to do this over time rather than all at once, something which has created a lot of unknowns and unanswered questions. In fact, many of these companies started this process before the cloud, when it was expected to require floppy disks, CDs, and flash memory. Defining Document Digitization The big strategy involved with document digitization is to eliminate the need for printing, paper, and physical storage, to instead rely on cloud storage and access for all of your document needs. You can store your files in a digital space while also sending and backing up all files in the cloud. This is far easier than attempting to store and back up physical documents. For certain practices and organizations that rely on their documentation, like legal and medical fields, a secure digital place to store files is absolutely crucial. It helps with the retrieval of personal data, and it helps them provide better services and care to their customers?particularly in high-stress scenarios. How Does It Work? First, you?ll need to know that digitization is different from the development of digital documents. Digitization is the act of taking your current physical documents on file and converting them into digital media. These documents aren?t necessarily scanned in; rather, they are adapted to a digital form, allowing them to be searched and indexed within your management system. This is important because it allows you to reap considerable benefits from being able to find documents when you need them most. You?ll need to determine how each of your documents will be classified, but it makes the digitization process easier. Your system will also require standardization in a well-considered order. All of this makes sure that the process for indexing will be as seamless as possible. You?ll have a redundant, reliable, and secure database to house your documents. White Mountain IT Services can help equip your business with such a tool. To learn more about what we can do for your business, call us today at (603) 889-0800.