5 Ways to Maximize Your Productivity on a PC

calendar apps, Clipboard, keyboard shortcuts, monitor, Ophtek, pin apps, Productivity, , , , , ,
26
Oct 2021

There never seems to be enough hours in the working day, so maximizing productivity is crucial. But how exactly do you go about doing this on a PC?

Using a PC in the workplace has revolutionized the way in which we work. However, the sheer range of possibilities contained within a PC mean that it’s difficult to understand each one. It’s important, therefore, to get to grips with the techniques that will save you time and make life easier. Implementing these into your daily routines is hassle free and will make a difference almost instantly. Not only will this help you as an individual, but it will also benefit your organization. The question is, though, where do you start?

Maximizing Your Productivity

The 5 best ways to give your PC productivity a boost is by carrying out the following:

  1. Use a Calendar App: A lack of focus and planning is the biggest obstacle that productivity can face. But the modern business world is packed full of distractions. Accordingly, navigating your way through the day can feel like an uphill struggle. Thankfully, help is at hand from calendar apps such as those contained with Microsoft Teams and Outlook. These calendars allow you to plan your day and set reminders for crucial tasks e.g. attending meetings, completing reports and chasing suppliers.
  • Embrace Keyboard Shortcuts: Every second counts in the workplace and you can make significant time savings with keyboard shortcuts. These commands use a series of keyboard strokes to activate pre-programmed commands. Say, for example, you wanted to highlight an entire paragraph of text. You could do this manually by clicking your mouse and dragging the cursor down the page. Or, more quickly, you could place your cursor at the start of a paragraph and hold down Ctrl + Shift + down arrow for instant selection. There are thousands of shortcuts available, so investigate which ones are best for your daily needs.
  • Pin Apps to Your Taskbar: You will use certain apps more than others, so it’s important you have quick access to them. Unfortunately, searching through a crowded desktop or through the start menu can be frustratingly slow. However, by pinning your most popular apps to your taskbar, you can find and open them within seconds.
  • Use Clipboard History: The Clipboard feature – which allows you to save a section of text or an image to a PCs memory for later use – has been in place for decades. But it’s now more powerful than ever before. By turning on the Clipboard history feature, you can save multiple items. This means, for example, you can save a selection of images and texts from a website before moving into a Word document to paste them all, as opposed to moving backwards and forwards.
  • Install a Second Monitor: There may be a cost involved with installing a second monitor, but the benefits easily outweigh this small investment. With a second monitor you are effectively expanding your desktop. This means that you can view two important apps at once to allow seamless interactions e.g. copying details from an email on one screen into a database displayed on the other screen. It’s a strategy which will make working more comfortable and allow you to become more productive.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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Fake Amnesty International Campaign Delivers Malware

Fake Amnesty Int'l website, malicious websites, malware, Ophtek, Pegasus spyware, Sarwent malware, , , , ,
19
Oct 2021

The Pegasus spyware has made headlines around the world, but it appears that the anxieties around Pegasus are being used to spread further malware.

The sophistication behind the Pegasus spyware and the near impossibility of detecting, let alone removing, it has proved to be a fearsome combination. Naturally, many users are becoming increasingly concerned that they could fall victim to it. While Pegasus is only being used to target high ranking individuals, the fact that the technology is available means that no one is safe. Concerns are running high and people are desperate to protect themselves.

This anxiety is now being targeted by hackers who have designed a malicious website which, far from offering protection, is packed full of malware.

The Malicious Website

The website in question has been set up to resemble that of the global humanitarian group Amnesty International. Hosted on this fake website is an application which claims to be an antivirus program capable of protecting users from Pegasus. However, this application is nothing more than a sham. Instead, users will find that they are downloading a strain of malware known as Sarwent. Active since 2014, the Sarwent malware may look like antivirus software, but it’s more concerned with setting up backdoor access, stealing data and accessing users’ desktops.

This version of Sarwent appears to have had its source code tinkered with to make it more effective. It immediately records information about the infected user – such as operating system, system structure and whether antivirus software is installed – and then begins receiving commands from a remote system. Hackers are gifted the opportunity to download further malware, transmit confidential nature to external users and take control of users’ PCs. The attacks have been detected globally with the US, UK, Russia and India all being affected.

Avoiding the Threat of Sarwent

The strategies and methods of attack employed by Sarwent have the potential to cause major damage. While it may not be quite as dangerous as Pegasus, it represents a significant headache to anyone who falls victim to it. You can avoid these IT disruptions by implementing these best practices:

  • Learn How to Identify Malicious Websites: Key to avoiding malicious downloads is by understanding how to identify a malicious website. Always read URLs carefully to confirm whether it is the website it claims to be – spelling mistakes are a classic giveaway. Always hover your mouse over any embedded links to verify where the link will actually send you to. And, remember, if it sounds too good to be true then it probably is. Pegasus is a sophisticated spyware tool and is unlikely to be solved by a basic antivirus app.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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How Do You Secure a Server Room?

lock server room door, multi factor authentication, Ophtek, secure racks and cages, secure server room, server room video surveillance, Servers, , , , , ,
12
Oct 2021

The backbone of any IT infrastructure is always the server room. It’s here that your most crucial IT tasks will be processed. And it needs to be secure.

A server room is a dedicated area within an organization which is used to house networking devices and storage servers. These are used to provide your business with the fundamentals of a fully functioning IT structure in the 21st century. But, as with all elements of IT, security is paramount. The data storage, alone, represents a rich source of intrigue to outside parties. And the networking solutions contained within a server room offer a shortcut deep into an organization. The potential damage from a server room breach, therefore, is huge.

Securing Your Server Room

It’s important that you secure your server room to protect both yourself and your customers. Thankfully, it’s straightforward once you understand the basics of server room security. Make sure you carry out the following:

  • Secure Racks and Cages: The best way to organize your storage and networking servers is by using racks and cages. These structures will allow you to neatly store your devices and locate them quickly for maintenance. But these racks and cages need to be secure. Aside from the confidential data stored on these devices, the equipment typically housed in racks and cages is expensive. Accordingly, you will need to secure these housings to minimize the risk of your server equipment leaving the premises.
  • Multi-factor Authentication: One of the strongest security measures you can implement involves multi-factor authentication. The need for a key, for example, is a fantastic way to provide security. But what if you doubled this up with the need for a credential card or even a biometric input? This strategy minimizes the problems that can arise when a key is lost or stolen. Naturally, it may seem time consuming and expensive, but the enhanced security provided by multi-factor authentication is more than worth it.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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