Is the Cloud Secure?
Is the Cloud Secure?

Is the Cloud Secure?

Internet, Network, Office IT, Office Network,
24
Oct 2014

Is the Cloud Secure?

If you own a computer, chances are you are using a cloud service that holds your data.  What exactly is the cloud and is the cloud secure?

What is the cloud?

At a high level putting your data or information on to the cloud means storing your stuff on someone else’s hardware.  What is the benefit of storing information on someone else’s computers when your computers are already storing your data?

What is the cloud

This is where the cloud business model comes in to play.  Keeping your information on someone else’s hardware, whether it’s your phone contacts, your computer backup or your business files and folders, allows you to access your information from virtually anywhere and to share it with virtually anyone.

Is the cloud secure?

The downside to having your data accessible from anywhere in the world is that it must be accessible from anywhere in the world.  Most cloud service companies will provide a website or an application on your phone or computer to get to your data.

The Cloud Service can be Accessed by Anyone

These websites and applications are accessible by anyone over the internet and are a prime target for criminals and hackers to break in to.  A recent example of this is the iCloud vulnerability which gave criminals access to private photos and videos of celebrities.

Having your cloud accounts stolen can be done by criminals either attacking the cloud website like the iCloud example above or my infecting your PC and stealing account login information.

How can you protect yourself?

Unfortunately there isn’t much an individual can do to ensure companies are fixing bugs and vulnerabilities in their internet facing cloud websites and applications.  It is important to watch for announcements from cloud services you use about whether they’ve had a recent breach.

As an end user, there are some basic steps you can take to protect yourself on a regular basis:

Onsite PC Solution managed services clients receive regular updates, patching, scanning and 24/7 monitoring against vulnerabilities which could lead to a data breach.

For more information about securing your business data and choosing a reliable cloud service for your business needs, contact your local IT professionals.

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Everyone Needs Guest Wifi
Everyone Needs Guest Wifi

Everyone Needs a Guest Wifi

Office IT, Office Network, , ,
06
Oct 2014

Everyone Needs Guest Wifi

Providing wifi has become so popular that you’ll find it in just about every establishment. Having a guest wifi is a necessary safeguard for your data. 

You can see this for yourself by simply looking at the available Wi-Fi networks broadcasted and picked up by any device like your smart-phone, tablet or laptop. As Wi-Fi can be easily accessed in many businesses, from coffee shops, to fast foods chains, to airports and public transport, why shouldn’t your business or home offer it too? 

Practical reasons why setting up a guest network is important

Accommodating business needs.

Providing guest wifi for customers or visitors

After all, it’d be very inhospitable to turn down Wi-Fi requests from associates, guests or customers who need access to the Internet. By setting up a guest Wi-Fi network, you can grant them the right to stay productive on their projects, allowing them to access their emails or their files on the cloud, without them having to resort to doing it all on their smart-phone. How many times have you had, or will you be having temporary staff, contractors and visitors on-site, needing Wi-Fi access or at least an internet connection of some sort? After all, it’s impolite to say no to them, right?

Keeping the LAN (Local Area Network) private.

OnsitePCSolution_Update_Security

It’s wise to separate the business’ or home LAN from unauthorized public access. Your LAN will typically hold internal files, folders, display device names and access to the intranet. As the saying goes, it’s best to be safe than sorry. This will tighten up any vulnerability from both accidental and intended malicious activities which could otherwise compromise any part of your business.

Providing a different password.

Password for your wifi

You wouldn’t want to give the same password to just anyone who will be able to note and potentially store it for later use, especially if it’s for any of your own personal business accounts. Besides, some passwords can have a simple format which can make it easy for anyone to guess. It’s time to close that vulnerability!

Setting up a Guest Wi-Fi Network

Now you understand the reasons and the benefits of having a guest Wi-Fi network. It’s really simple to set one up.  Our next guide will walk you through the general steps on how to do it.

For more ways you can protect your privacy, data and business from breaches, contact your local IT professionals.

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