Blog - Page 117 of 122

Simplifying Small Business IT With Google Apps

Office IT, Servicesbusiness, calendar, cms, crm, email, gmail, google apps, itOphtek, LLC

Mar 2014

Access your documents from anywhere.

Just because you have a ‘website’ it doesn’t mean you or your organization is ready to start dealing with internet matters. Depending on where you’re going with your business, you have to decide which tools will suit your needs most. There are many supposed ‘all-in-one’ packages out there, but no one specific product will likely meet or even come close to fulfilling your demands.

That said, if you’re searching for a cloud suite to conduct and collaborate on ‘general’ internet matters, Google Apps for Business is a wonderful tool. Unlike niche-specific tools like customer relationship management (CRM) and content management systems (CMS), GApps provide you with most of the tools you would need to complete and collaborate on various tasks.

The Must-Have Emailing System

GMail from Google.

Let’s start with email. When it comes to brand building and recognition, you should have your own ‘domain’, which (in this instance) is something like www.mybusiness.com. Along with the domain name, you’ll also likely want to send out emails with a @mybusiness.com address. The hosting service you’ve chosen may provide you with an email system, but trust us when we say that these systems are simply just not as robust as the one built by Google. If you’re using a @gmail email address, you’re using one of the products GApps offer. From spam filtering to on-point subject searches, the Google-based emailing system is as powerful as you can get without getting your hands dirty. Once you’ve signed up for the GApps service, you’ll be able to integrate your business domain into Gmail and send out emails from the Google-built system.

Browser-based productivity apps that you can share and edit in real-time.

Collaboration In Real-Time

For creating documents, there are GApps products like Docs, Sheets and Slides for you to use—these are the cloud equivalent to Microsoft’s Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Since the GApps document apps are based in the cloud, all your work will be saved onto Google’s server so you can access them whenever and wherever you want. The documents also have built in ‘sharing’ features so that you and/or you employees can share and collaborate with each other without needing to constantly email drafts back-and-forth. Moreover, authorized users of any shared documents will be able to monitor and edit (if given permission) them in real-time.

Cross-platform Calendar app allows your employees to sync all their activities with each other.

Streamlining and keeping all your employees and partners up-to-date is also covered via Calendar. Despite all the technological advancements we’ve experienced in the last decade or so, a calendar is still exactly just that. Unlike the paper pocket reminder you have stashed away in your desk drawer, cloud-based calendar programs provide much more flexibility. Calendar from GApps gives you the ability to sync all your planned activities with your employees. This is especially beneficial if you’re all on time crunches and in need of a tool that will display when exactly everyone will be available.

Heavy In Features But Lighter Than A Cloud

Of course these cloud services will also require some sort of cloud storage, so Google is offering 30GB per user at a price of $5 per month. Should a person need more than 30GB, the administrator of the account can add 20GB to Drive for $4. Your information is automatically encrypted with Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) security technology, so the burden of having to build virtual private networks from the ground up is negated. Google guarantees that their servers will be up 24x7x365, which means you won’t have to ever worry about not being able to access your data—provided you have an internet connection.

We can’t forget to mention that GApps is a cross-platform service, meaning you can access/create documents and generate new information on virtually any devices. Many businesses have adopted the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) model, and chances are your employees have more than just iPhones in their pockets. GApps is accessible on Android, iPhone, Blackberry, Windows Phone and any phone or mobile device that supports a modern browser. Keep in mind that a modern browser is basically one that’s built for a smartphone, so a flip-phone from 10 years ago will likely not support GApps.

Well Done or Medium Rare?

GApps for Business isn’t, as we already mentioned, a tool that will provide you with everything you need to run your business from a workstation. Moreover, since there are so many ‘separate’ tools available, you need to decide which apps will offer the most return on your time spent using them. The GApps ‘system’ itself is like a raw piece of prime cut steak, and you get to decide how you want to have it done. Essentially, the only con when it comes to cooking a delicious GApps system is the time spent to figure out what you’re in the mood for, and for some this part of the thought process is the ‘make-it’ or ‘break-it’ portion.

A lot of work has to go into information management and GApps simplifies a lot of these areas. The apps themselves are simple enough to use, but with choices come confusion. How will you put all of it together? That’s why we’re here, send us an email or give us a call, we’ll be more than happy to guide you through the GApps process.

Thieves Use Yahoo to Spread Bitcoin Mining Malware

Security, Services, Softwarebitcoin, hacker, hijack, malware, mining, yahooOphtek, LLC

Feb 2014

You don’t need dynamites to find Bitcoins, just enough knowledge and computer hardware.

Malware not only steals your personal data, but can also hijack your system and network resources to work on things you don’t approve of.

Bitcoin and other forms of cryptocurrencies have skyrocketed in popularity in recent months. The cryptocurrency craze isn’t reserved just for investors as virtually anyone can get their hands on these lucrative digital coins—given they have the necessary resources. What we’re talking about is: if you don’t have money to invest in Bitcoin, you can mine the Bitcoins. Mining these coins, however, will require some computer know-how and hardware.

Stealing Without Physically Taking

When it comes to knowledge of how hardware works and where digital information flows, cybercriminals and hackers are ahead of the game. What they lack is the hardware, but why do they need to purchase their own hardware when they can steal your processing power? All they have to do is run malicious code on your computer to hijack the computer’s resources remotely and us it to mine Bitcoins for themselves.

Beginning late last year, a slew of malware aimed at hijacking computers for mining Bitcoins began infecting unsuspecting victims. Where and how these tools make their way onto people’s computer can vary, but it is especially troubling if the source is a popular website like Yahoo.

Yahoo admitted in January that its advertising platform was utilized by cybercriminals to distribute hijacking malware and viruses. Fox IT, a cybersecurity firm, estimates that as many as 2 million Yahoo users were affected by the exploit. Yahoo, however, has not given an estimate how many of its users clicked the scam ads.

Must Click the Ad That’s Slick!

While most of us will try to ignore any type of ads that appear on a website, savvy marketers will always find a way to deploy attractive and mind boggling banners that will trick us into clicking. Criminals are also marketers in a sense, and so it is likely that they used these marketing tactics to lure people into clicking their ads on Yahoo.

If you’re not running any resource intensive tasks, the task manager should display low CPU and memory usage.

If you’re a Yahoo user, and notice that your computer is running unusually slow as of late, check your computer’s resource monitor to see which process is taking up abnormally large amount of bandwidth, memory and CPU usage. Any process or application that is hogging up too much system resources could potentially be one of these Bitcoin mining malwares.

If you’re having a hard time navigating and figuring out whether or not you’re a victim of the Bitcoin malware, please contact our IT professionals and we’ll be more than happy to give you a hand!

The Best Free Password Managing Software: KeePass

Softwareaccount, keepass, password manager, securityOphtek, LLC

Feb 2014

Keepass is simple software to manage your passwords.

Computers such as desktop PCs and smartphones have greatly enhanced our lives, but they also bring about many inconveniences. One of which is managing countless accounts that range from emails to a simple PC login screen. Most people have the capacities to remember a few important phone numbers and maybe a few more pins or passwords for various services. However, when it comes to all the services and accounts that a person must manage on a daily basis, it’s often hard to recall what the screen names and passwords of these accounts are right off the bat.

Rock, Paper, Software

Many computer users, despite the advantages that the computer age brought about, are still using stickies or notepads to store their digital usernames and passwords. While this method of management isn’t at all a bad idea, it does come with quite a few inconveniences. We can go on and on about what these are, but if you can just conjure up some common sense you’ll realize that a piece a paper isn’t going to cut it (pun intended) in this day age.

Rather than risking losing all their digital account information in the blink of an eye (i.e. misplacing your paper notepad), a lot people are now relying on software-based account organizers. These account managers, aka ‘password managers,’ have become quite popular, as they are easily accessible whenever and wherever.

KeePass: Rock Solid Password Manager Without the Fuss

There are many password management options available, but nothing beats free—especially when it does the job. One such freeware (free software that is fully functional) is KeePass. This particular program isn’t flashy, but it is simple and extremely easy to use. It lets you store virtually all your digital account information in one place, and it even lets you synchronize this data with your Dropbox and Google Drive account. Just like a conventional paper notebook, you can record all your usernames and passwords into one place, and when you need to retrieve the data you can login into the program with a key file or just a password to obtain what you want.

Open Source and Free

Another nifty built-in feature of KeePass is its password generator. One of the best ways to keep your personal information safe is to secure it with a password that’s difficult to guess, and KeePass’ password generator will help you do just that.

Generate a password so hard even you can’t guess it.

KeePass is also open source, which means programmers (or overly enthusiastic computer users) can examine the program’s code to see if it’s safe for use, and they can even modify some of the software’s settings to fit their needs.

Onsite PC Solution recommends KeePass to all clients because it gets the job done, and with little hassle. Did we mention it’s completely free?

For more tips on how you can better manage your digital accounts and cloud services, contact our IT professionals.

Yahoo Messenger Becomes New Target for CryptoLocker

Security, Softwareantivirus, cryptolocker, cryptoprevent, encryption, malware, ransomware, security, virusOphtek, LLC

Feb 2014

A fairly new CryptoLocker malware has been spreading via Yahoo Messenger, and if you’re infected it may cost you a fortune to retrieve your own data.

Look Before You Jump, Steer Clear of YOURS.JPG.exe

The CryptoLocker ransomware has been wreaking havoc among many users, disguising itself as a file named ‘YOURS.JPG.exe’, the malware will encrypt important system files, and basically locking out rightful owners from their computers and documents.

To regain access, the ransomware—as the name suggests—will demand ransom money from its victims. In this particular case, the CryptoLocker ransomware demands $400 for a key which will supposedly unlock the encrypted files. Once the ransom process is initiated, the malware will set off a timer that will destroy the key within a given amount of time if the exploiters don’t receive their fund.

Main Target: Yahoo Messenger Users

If you’re using Yahoo Messenger at home and especially at work, please take the necessary precautions to prevent this form of exploitation from happening to you. Recently CrytpoLocker has been targeting Yahoo Messenger users in the form of image attachments. First, we suggest you install the latest version of CryptoPrevent to keep CryptoLocker from infecting your computers. It is also highly advisable that you keep your antivirus/antimalware software up-to-date, as this will also shield your computers from various online attacks.

For more tips and tricks on what you can do to prevent these types of intrusions and attacks, please don’t hesitate to contact our IT professionals.

Sony Exits PC Business, Support for VAIO May be Limited

General, Office IT, Repairs and Upgrades, Servicesdriver, sony, support, update, vaioOphtek, LLC

Feb 2014

Outside of Japan, the VAIO brand is no more.

Sony is ditching the PC business in an effort to restructure amidst a declining PC market. The Japanese tech-giant has been struggling in recent years to keep up with the evolving consumer tech segment, and this latest move away from the PC is just a small step forward for the company.

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