How Reliable is your Hard Drive?
How Reliable is your Hard Drive?

The Best Ways to Free Up Space on Your Hard Drive

archive, ccleaner, Cloud Storage, disk cleanup, hard drive, Ophtek, uninstall, , , , ,
21
Jan 2020

How Reliable is your Hard Drive?

All hard drives have a limit in terms of space. And this limit can soon be reached. But there are a number of simple ways to free up space.

A hard drive which is full can cause you a number of problems. Speed is the most obvious issue, but the chances of your PC freezing and crashing is also increased. And all of these scenarios are ones that can put a drain on your productivity. Therefore, you need to ensure that you have enough space on your hard drive.

You could expand your storage space, but this can be costly and isn’t always required. Instead, you can restore your PC’s productivity by following our steps to free up space.

Maximizing the Capacity of Your Hard Drive

To start freeing up space on your hard drive you need to make sure you follow these best practices:

  • Disk Cleanup: The simplest way to start maximizing space on your hard drive is with the Disk Cleanup application. This maintenance utility is bundled with Windows and carries out a quick evaluation of your hard drive. Files that are deemed necessary are kept, but there’s also an option to delete unnecessary files. 
  • Uninstall Apps You No Longer Use: A large number of apps will be installed on a PC over the course of its lifetime. But, due to time constraints, these aren’t always uninstalled when they’re no longer required. And this can take up a lot of disk space. So, you need to regularly visit the ‘Uninstall or Change a Program’ section of your Control Panel. Here you can analyze which programs are no longer required and remove them. 
  • Minimize Your System Restore Space: It’s likely that you will have used the System Restore app more than once to fix a system issue. But, over time, all the snapshots of your system can start to take up large amounts of space. Thankfully, you can restrict the amount of space used to store these snapshots. By minimizing the maximum Disk Space Usage you can save space on your hard drive. Just remember that this will also minimize the number of restore points you can access.

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

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Snatch Malware Proves That Safe Mode Isn’t so Safe

malware, Network, Ophtek, Ransomware, Security, Security Threats, , , ,
14
Jan 2020

We’ve all had to boot into safe mode on our PCs at some point and you would assume it’s a safe environment. But the Snatch malware is proving otherwise.

Safe mode is a configuration mode that you can request your PC to boot into at startup. In safe mode, your PC will only execute essential applications. The functions of your PC will be limited, but it’s the perfect environment for fixing problems and removing various forms of malware. But it appears that Snatch is a brand of malware which can thrive in safe mode.

Snatch is a multi-factor threat which can cause real damage to your business, so it’s a slice of malware that you need to be protecting yourself against. To give you a head start, we’ve put together a quick lowdown on Snatch.

What is Snatch?

Snatch is a newly discovered malware variant which contains two key threats: a ransomware function and the ability to log and steal user data. It’s not the first piece of malware to come loaded with these threats, but its infection strategies are unique. Using brute force attacks, Snatch is targeting the PCs of various organizations. So far, this sounds far from unusual as brute force attacks are a fairly conventional form of hacking. But Snatch has a unique strategy.

Following the initial infection, Snatch forces the PC to reboot. And it’s at this point that Snatch informs the PC to boot into safe mode. It’s believed that this unusual, yet clever, step is initiated in order to avoid anti-virus software which is often disabled in safe mode. From here it can execute its malicious payload. Snatch will then begin encrypting files and demanding ransoms that have been as high as $35,000. There is also evidence that surveillance threats are present in Snatch, so data harvesting is likely to start once the infection is unleashed.

Protecting Yourself from Snatch

The Snatch malware has the capability to cause extensive damage to your organization in terms of both finances and credibility. It’s also disturbingly efficient as it deletes any volume shadow copies of the files it encrypts. By deleting these volume shadow copies, Snatch is ensuring that it’s impossible to restore the encrypted files. Therefore, it’s crucial that you protect your PCs from Snatch by:

  • Practice Good IT Security: The backbone of any secure network is based upon the actions of those using it. And this is why it’s important that all your users understand the basics of IT security. By embracing these practices it’s possible to keep your PCs protected from the majority of majority of malware.

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

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Making Your Passwords Stronger with Password Checkup

Hacking, Ophtek, Password Security, Security Threats, ,
07
Jan 2020

Passwords are the single most important safety tool at your disposal. But passwords need to be strong. And creating strong passwords is far from easy.

Thankfully, Google has solved this problem for us. All you need to do is get on board with their new service: Password Checkup. Not sure what Password Checkup is? Well, as luck would have it, we’ve put together a quick guide for you.

The Problems with Passwords

There are certain passwords which are used time and time again. And not just by individuals. We’re talking millions of people all over the world using similar passwords. These includes all the old favorites such as Password123, abc123 and Passw0rd. Sure, these are easy to remember. But their ubiquity means that they represent a major security risk.

Modern security techniques, of course, have negated the impact of weak passwords, but only marginally. Two-factor authentication, for example, puts an extra barrier behind passwords. But this is not there to be treated as a security option to fall back on. That’s why you need to start with a strong password and work from there.

But the sheer number of sites and applications we log in to in the 21st century is mind-boggling. Memorizing all of these passwords requires some serious memory skills. The quickest solution to this problem is to write them all down. But, that’s right, you’ve guessed it. Writing down passwords is yet another security threat.

Password Checkup is the Solution

Google, the great innovator of technology, has decided to simplify and improve the password process. And the result is Password Checkup.

Google Chrome and individual Google accounts have long had a built in password manager. This has allowed users to not only generate passwords, but also store them securely. Users, therefore, have been able to browse online securely and access all their services with ease. But this isn’t enough for Google. They want to push the concept a little further.

And this is where the Password Checkup extension comes in. Available from the Chrome web store, all it takes is a simple install process to activate Password Checkup for Chrome. But what does it do? Well, its main objectives are:

  • Identifying whether your username/password combination has been exposed. Breaches of third-party databases are rife. But, thanks to the data at its disposal, Password Checkup can advise you of this and prompt a change of password.
  • To analyze your existing passwords and recommend strengthening them if required. Your passwords may be securely stored in Chrome, but this doesn’t mean they can’t benefit from strengthening further.

The Password Checkup extension isn’t the only method in which you can use the service. You can also log on at passwords.google.com to manage and analyze your stored passwords.

Stay Safe with Password Checkup

All it takes is for one password to be breached to cause untold damage. But Password Checkup helps to nullify this threat. Thanks to its clever technology, Password Checkup keeps you on top of weak and exposed passwords. This knowledge allows you to act quickly and effectively to secure your passwords. And, with Password Checkup soon to be an integral feature of Chrome, the future looks bright and secure.

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

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5 Quick Tips for Maintaining Your PC

Backup, Best Practices, Company Updates, Ophtek, PC Tools, Updates, , , , ,
31
Dec 2019

Like any other electrical product, PCs are prone to failure due to the number of components involved. But a well maintained PC is likely to last longer.

Your organization’s PCs are likely to be crucial for your day-to-day operations, so you need to make sure they are in good working order. After all, you wouldn’t let your car fall into a state of disrepair. You would make sure your car is regularly serviced and maintained to make sure you could continue getting from A to B. And a PC is no different. But, thankfully, you don’t need to pull on your overalls or take your PC to a garage to maintain it. You can complete regular maintenance’s quickly and easily from your office.

How to Maintain Your PC

If you want to keep your PC working to its full potential and optimize its productivity then make sure you practice the following:

  1. Declutter Your Startup: When your PC starts booting up it also starts loading all the programs which are defaulted to load at startup. However, not all of these are necessary. And the more programs that need to load then the longer the startup time. Therefore, head to Task Manager on your PC and click on the Startup tab. From here you can remove any unnecessary programs and speed up your boot time. 
  1. Install all Updates: It’s important that all recommended updates are installed immediately. These updates aren’t just related to security issues. Sometimes they are released by developers in order to fix bugs in their software and enhance the product. Ultimately, an update is one of the quickest ways to optimize your PC and ensure that it’s well protected. 
  1. Always Shutdown Correctly: The shutdown process on a PC can be a frustrating affair due to the time taken, but it’s important that you follow this procedure to the letter. It may be quicker to turn the PC off at the mains, but this approach can lead to corrupted files. Instead, make sure you save all your files and close each application down before waiting for the PC to run through the shutdown procedure. 
  1. Carry out a Registry Clean: Your PCs registry is a giant database which logs everything that happens on your PC. If you install a program or change your password then this is logged in the registry. And, over time, the amount of data stored here starts building up. This may not be too much of a problem with newer PCs, but if you’re running an older PC this can create performance issues. However, you must proceed with caution and it’s recommended that you use a highly rated registry cleaner to perform the clean to avoid issues. 
  1. Delete Unwanted Programs: It’s natural that your PC will gradually accumulate more and more installed programs over time. But not all of these programs remain relevant. And if you are running programs that are no longer relevant then they are putting an unnecessary strain on your PCs memory. So, every couple of months, make sure that you evaluate the programs installed on your PC. This will give you a clear idea of what can be uninstalled and what can remain. The result will be improved performance for those that remain.

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

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The Best Plugins for Browsing Safely in Chrome

Chrome, Google, Ophtek, Plugins, Security, , ,
17
Dec 2019

Google’s Chrome browser is a popular browser and one that it is relatively secure. But it can be made even safer with the correct plugins.

It’s estimated that over half of all web traffic goes through Chrome browsers and this popularity is down to its innovation and simple interface. However, the success of Chrome has made it a target of hackers. And this has been highlighted by the recent WizardOpium vulnerability which required a swift patch from Google. There’s added danger for Chrome users from more generalized online threats such as malicious websites and data security concerns. Thankfully, help is at hand for web users in the form of security plugins.

And, to help you enhance your Chrome experience, we’re going to examine the best plugins for browsing safely in Chrome.

What is a Plugin?

You may not be familiar with plugins, so it’s probably a good idea that we start by explaining them. A plugin is a piece of software which, as the name suggests, ‘plugs in’ in to your browser. Acting as an additional software component, a plugin adds extra features to your browser. The types of plugin availability aren’t just limited to security features either. Adobe’s Flash player, for example, is probably one of the most well-known browser plugins.

Chromes Best Security Plugins

It’s now time to take a look at the best plugins for browsing safely in Chrome:

  • Ghostery: A privacy ad blocker, Ghostery grants Chrome the opportunity to block adverts and stop data trackers from harvesting your data. The plugin allows you to customize which ads and trackers remain active whilst blocking the more suspicious ones. And, best of all, by blocking ads and data trackers you will speed up the load time of webpages.
  • Web of Trust: It’s estimated that there are up to 18.5 million malicious websites online, so you need to be careful where you browse. With a plugin such as Web of Trust you can maximize your safety. Not only does Web of Trust advise you when you land on an unsafe website, but it also displays ‘reputation’ icons next to the results generated by search engines.
  • Blur: Passwords are a crucial element of safe web browsing, but they need to be kept secure. If your passwords are compromised then you’re at risk of having your personal data stolen. Blur helps you to avoid this. It’s a powerful plugin which can generate strong passwords while also encrypting and saving them. This ensures that there’s no need to memorize or write down you passwords; you can just click and go. 
  • HTTPS Everywhere: The best websites are those with a URL which starts with https rather than just http. The additional S of https indicates that it’s a secure website. However, if you have installed the HTTPS Everywhere plugin then, in most cases, it will be able to automatically switch a http site to a more secure https version.

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

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