Expectation: Short-Lived Outrage, Long-Term Adjustment One hypothesis essentially boils down the aftermath of such an event down to these two environments. Let?s consider what could be safely anticipated as immediate results of a complete loss of data privacy: Widespread firings Widespread marital issues and divorces Widespread lawsuits and arrests Widespread shaming However, it is important that we also consider what is known as the Privacy Paradox, or the tendency that people exhibit to quickly adapt to revealed secrets. While there would certainly be a period characterized by outrage and general shellshock, this would quickly be adopted as the new status quo. In the long term, many of these hidden actions and behaviors may grow to be more socially acceptable, as it would be made clear how many people actively participated in them. Basically, we would collectively grow tired of scandal, and victimless behaviors that are now taboo would become more acceptable as it was revealed how many people actually partake in them. This acceptance, of course, wouldn?t be an all-encompassing rule. There are plenty of behaviors that are frowned upon despite their prevalence, like lying. However, many shameful secrets would become less of a burden once people knew how many others shared that shame. It is also important to consider whose data we would collectively be most interested in reviewing. While we might assume that most people would look to dig up dirt on those around them, it is far more likely that the first step most would take would be to look themselves up to find out what other people will soon learn. Most people experience what is known as a positivity bias about the other people they care for and wouldn?t risk that bias being disproven without some serious consideration and emotional fortification. Expectation: Increased Wealth Disparity Another theory dove more into the influence that such a shift would have on the business landscape. Defining a secret as nothing more than intentional ?information asymmetry? (a situation where one person knows more than the other), the idea here is that every human interaction relies on some level of information asymmetry. While these asymmetries can be used to cause harm, most of their use comes in the form of relationship management. In other words, our ability to keep information to ourselves is beneficial to our relationships. As this pertains to business, consider what would happen if there was no such thing as a trade secret from this point on. Right now, the very concept of a trade secret allows new businesses to be created and grow, disrupting the status quo and carving out their own piece of the market. Without these secrets, however (and remember, all secrets are now exposed) existing corporations and large businesses could latch onto these innovative ideas and develop them more quickly. The result: big businesses get bigger, rich people get richer. Not ideal for society, as history has shown. Expectation: Complete Societal Reset in Three Parts Yet another prediction incorporates a few phases into describing the overall impact of such a data dump. First and foremost (and most predictably), there would likely be chaos. This is dependent upon how all information was presented. If it was all in a single file? good luck. If it were somehow searchable, the massive influx of queries would likely […]

Let?s take a few moments to discuss one threat that many are facing: voice-based phishing, or vishing. Federal Agencies Have Sounded the Alarm Both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency have called attention to this variety of phishing. By calling a targeted victim, rather than sending an email or another kind of correspondence, an attacker can potentially pull the wool over their target?s eyes by using a less-expected attack strategy. Those who are working from home are being targeted by a vishing campaign intended to acquire the access credentials needed to get into corporate networks. Once these credentials are obtained, the cybercriminals responsible can turn around and sell this access to others for their nefarious use. How These Attacks Are Presenting Themselves By registering lookalike domains to pose as a company?s actual resources, cybercriminals set themselves up to steal company credentials. These domains can be extremely convincing, often structured in the following ways: support-[company] ticket [company] employee-[company] [company]-support As these pages replicate a company?s login page to their virtual private network, unwitting users are more likely to enter their credentials. This means that the attacker is then able to capture these credentials?including multi-factor authentication codes?and use them to gain access to the targeted business? network. Once these facsimile pages are completed, criminals then do some digging into a company to learn more about their employees. A profile is constructed, with the name, address, phone number, job title, and even length of employment for each employee included. Using this data, a hacker can call their target through a spoofed number and send them to their fraudulent VPN webpage. This gives the hacker the means to access an employee?s work account, enabling them to collect more data for further phishing efforts or other data theft efforts. These attacks are now being directed to the team members that are currently working from home, making it even more important for your employees to be able to recognize the signs of phishing. How to Identify Phishing Scams of All Kinds Exercise caution when dealing with unsolicited calls, voicemails, and any other messages from those you don?t know. If you can, double-check that the person is who they claim to be through another means of communication. Double-check the number of a suspected vishing caller, as well as any Internet domains you may be told to navigate to. Avoid visiting any websites that a caller recommends without good reason to trust their legitimacy. White Mountain IT Services is here to help you with an assortment of your business? IT needs and concerns, including your cybersecurity. Give us a call at (603) 889-0800 to learn about the services and solutions we can put in place on your behalf.

What Difference Does a Clean Workstation Make? Putting it simply, quite a bit. If it isn?t properly kept maintained, a computer can get pretty gross. Not only is it more aesthetically pleasing to look at when it is kept hygienic, keeping a workstation clean can help its operations by helping to control its temperature and can even prevent germs from spreading. Therefore, it is important that you address your workstation?s cleanliness periodically. Let?s go into some best practices to ensure that your computer equipment is properly cleaned. How Often Should I Clean My Workstation? There are a lot of variables that play into how frequently your workstation should see a little TLC. While the minimum should be at least once a year, other factors will play into your specific situation. Where that computer is located, for instance, if it?s in the home or in an office or in some other environment, and what conditions are present there can make it prudent to clean it more often. It only makes sense that things like: An industrial environment The presence of pets Carpeting Who typically uses the computer (especially children) ?and numerous other factors would increase the frequency that a computer should be cleaned. So, if it?s been over a year since a computer has been cleaned, it?s time. Properly Cleaning Your Workstation?s Components Each piece of your workstation should be cleaned differently to protect them from unintentional damage. Here, we?ll focus on the best practices for a desktop workstation, which differ somewhat from those to clean a laptop. While we?ll briefly go into the proper way to clean each component, there are a few generic best practices that you should remember as well: Do not spray any liquid directly into the computer. Spray a cloth and wipe instead. Do not use a vacuum, as it can create a damaging static charge. Use compressed air to blow away any debris. Don?t allow fans to spin freely as you are cleaning them, as it could actually damage them. Always turn off the computer before you attempt to clean it. The Case Cleaning your computer?s case can help assist airflow while also making it look better. Use a lint-free cloth to wipe down the exterior to help minimize dust. The Interior Keeping the inside of your case clean helps to reduce the internal temperature of the device, ultimately benefiting its operations. Compressed air allows you to clear out debris without risking damage to the internal components of the device. The Peripherals There are assorted benefits to cleaning the different accessories that enable you to use your desktop. Keeping the keyboard and mouse clean with a combination of compressed air and diluted rubbing alcohol or some other disinfectant can help keep you healthy, while regularly dusting off your monitor will help promote visibility. To learn about these practices in more depth, call White Mountain IT Services today at (603) 889-0800, and don?t forget to subscribe to our blog for more useful information.

How a VoIP Solution Boosts Productivity Speeds Up Calls One of the biggest ways that VoIP can assist your productivity levels is by enabling you and your team to spend less time on the phone. With accessible contact lists and speed dial capabilities, you can dial up the person you?re calling more quickly. As a result, time otherwise burnt up in a phone call can be spent accomplishing your organizational goals. Facilitates Remote Work VoIP solutions also make it easier for work to be taken out of the office, allowing for productive work in a wider range of environments. With many VoIP platforms coming with a mobile application, your remote team members can use their smartphone as their office phone. What?s more, this prevents the need for your employees to reach out to your clients from their own number, making many of your employees more comfortable with the prospect of working from home. Makes Communication More Convenient VoIP includes many features and capabilities that make communicating properly much simpler for your team. To give just a few examples: Calls can be forwarded to another device if an incoming call rings a predetermined number of times. ?Do Not Disturb? functionality can help prevent distractions from popping up for your team, while priority calls can be set to bypass this setting. Emails and SMS messages can inform your team members if they have a voicemail waiting for them. This is just the start of how VoIP can benefit your business? processes. To learn more about what VoIP can offer (and how White Mountain IT Services can help you embrace it) give us a call at (603) 889-0800.

Professional Services Pen & Paper Approach Many professionals that have been working for decades were taught their craft by people that didn?t have the technology that we have today, and therefore, often dismiss it. There is something to be said about understanding the fundamental reasons certain tasks need to be done, but the truth is that a large chunk of work, some say upwards of one-third of the time spent by a professional services business, is doing mundane, repetitive tasks. If you have an analog strategy it may be time to consider deploying some technology that can help you streamline your business. Professional Services Technology There are certain solutions that are created specifically for professional services companies. In professional services, there?s that extra responsibility to be the authority that you were hired to be. As a result, today?s professional services firms are really looking to use cutting-edge technology. Like any other business, professional services firms need reliable hardware, software tools that promote productivity, and the security solutions needed to protect their network and data. Here are a few technologies that can help. Document Management You have that archetype in your mind of an office worker. Someone that sits behind a desk and types and frequently takes phone calls to go retrieve a file from a file cabinet someplace in the office. Once the model, this version of the office can only be viewed today as inefficient and costly. Businesses, even professional services businesses, need to do more with less.  Document management is an opportunity to streamline the management of all of your business? crucial information.  In professional services, the ability to get the information you need at the moment you need it can be completely indispensable. A document management system (DMS) presents an opportunity to do just that as every document your business needs to save, every receipt, even the all-important lunch menus can be scanned and saved in an easy-to-organize digital management system. Privacy is built-in as many DMS options allow administrators to secure documents down to the file folder.   While often resource-intensive to set up, the DMS provides complete and secure access to all of your business? filed information from nearly any device, anywhere you have access to the Internet. For professionals, information is a key component of doing business, so to have remote access to all your information can both speed up business and reduce costs.  PSA Professional Services Automation (PSA) is a software designed to manage the professional services business from end-to-end. It allows for comprehensive service management as well as options to manage resources, store information, and manage projects. It provides a great deal of automation options that both enhance your business? ability to do business and manage the relationships that make the service offering possible.  Most businesses use some type of CRM (Customer Relationship Management). This software basically comes with a calendar, a time management system, analytic tools and more. The PSA is designed specifically for tracking time and managing tasks within a project setting. This means that each client has a profile within the PSA and each service that is carried out is tracked through a ticketing system. This provides an easy-to-use interface to manage all of a business? day-to-day operations.  Additionally, many of today?s PSAs provide access through a web client or […]