But allowing customers and non-employees into your business network puts your data and systems at risk.  It can also get you in trouble with regulating bodies such as the PCI Security Standards Council if you store credit card data.

If you decide to implement and manage a wireless network for your business, below are a few tips to get you started.

Use WPA2 Encryption

WPA2 is the current standard for securing Wi-Fi access and offers advanced encryption of data passing between the router and the connected device.  Older wireless routers may use a security method called Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP), but WEP security is relatively easy to crack and is not recommended for business use.  Some wireless routers allow you to broadcast a mix of WPA and WPA2, which will allow older devices that may not support WPA2 to connect.   Using the best available encryption for wireless connections is the first step in securing your network.

Create Separate Wireless Access for your Customers

Your customers and others visiting your location should not be connecting to the same network your employees are using for managing the business.  Business-class wireless routers allow you to create guest networks that prohibit unauthorized users from accessing internal network assets, while allowing them to connect to the internet.  Called a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) this allows guests and employees to have separate access and helps protect your network from prying eyes.

Enable MAC Authentication for Internal Users

If your employees are using a wireless access point to access network resources, consider enabling MAC authentication.  This extra security measure allows only pre-registered devices to access the network, while preventing all others.  Each wireless card has what’s called a MAC address.  Like a serial number, it is unique to that particular device.  MAC authentication only allows access to the MAC addresses you assign.  This prevents any unauthorized devices from connecting to your internal network.

Update Your Wireless Router Password

Too often, we see wireless routers with the default password unchanged.  The more popular routers’ usernames and passwords are widely known, and leaving the default username and password unchanged opens your network and your customer’s computers open to attack.  Use a strong password or passphrase that is not easily guessed.

Enable Wireless Isolation for Guest Networks

Wireless Isolation prevents one wireless client from accessing another.  With wireless isolation enabled, laptops and mobile devices are prevented from seeing any other devices on the network.  This helps protect your customers from malicious attacks and other users’ attempts to access data on their devices.  Only enable this for external users, however, since it will also prevent devices from accessing important network assets such as printers, file servers, etc.

Add Content Filtering

It’s always a good idea to block sites with objectionable and illegal content in the workplace.  It’s especially important when you open your internet access to the public.  Implementing a reliable content filtering solution that automatically updates lists of blocked sites will help prevent inappropriate and possibly illegal situations in your store or office.

As always, Tervo Systems can help you with setting up and configuring a secure, reliable business Wi-Fi.  Each situation is different and we will help you build a customized solution to fit your business needs.  Avoid the headaches and time-consuming task of configuring your wireless network by calling us at (352) 432-8324.

Some advantages to moving your Disaster Recovery plan to the cloud

Speed

Tape backups can be slow and cumbersome to backup and restore.  They are also typically stored offsite, so they may not be immediately available in the event of a disaster.  With cloud backup, critical data can be accessed almost immediately.  When recovering from a disaster, it’s important to prioritize what data is needed first.  Cloud backup solutions can deliver information to the appropriate personnel when they need it and where they need it fast.

Security

Cloud backup solutions store your sensitive data in highly secure data centers with advanced systems that are tested by independent parties several times a year.  Redundant safeguards protect your data and ensure that no unauthorized electronic or physical access is allowed.  Contrast that to the tape drive or external hard drive sitting in the closet at your business location.  How safe is your data from theft or damage?

Low Capital Expenditure

Cloud solutions remove the need for expensive hardware implementation and maintenance costs.  It also eliminates the hidden costs of owning sophisticated equipment such as maintenance contracts, warranties, finance charges, end-of-life disposal costs, etc.  The cost of DRaaS transfers from a high up-front capital expenditure to an operating expense by utilizing predictable subscription plans with no long term commitments.

Flexibility

Cloud systems allow you to fine tune your processes to ensure critical data is backed up differently than non-critical data.  Multiple schedules also allow you to manage the timing of the backups.  Remember the days when a tape backup was running and it brought your entire network to a crawl?  Are you still experiencing that level of performance?

Capacity

With traditional storage solutions, you are required to purchase enough excess capacity to anticipate growth.  That extra capacity typically sits unused until needed and once more capacity is needed, additional hardware needs to be purchased.  With cloud solutions, you only pay for what you use and as more space is needed, additional storage can be allocated immediately.

Mobility

New virtualization technologies allow you to host entire systems in the cloud even if your primary location is down or unreachable.  As long as your employees have access to an internet connection, they can get access to the data they need in order to keep the business running.

If your business has an outdated or inefficient backup and disaster recovery solution, cloud alternatives offer secure and affordable solutions for modern businesses.  Call us at (352) 432-8324 for a free analysis of your disaster recovery plan.

Too Many Temp Files

Windows accumulates temporary files from the internet and during program installs in order to speed up processing while visiting sites or using certain programs.  Windows is notorious for leaving these temp files behind and as they accumulate on your hard drive, they tend to slow down performance.

Fix – There are several PC cleaners available on the internet for a wide range of fees.  A rule of thumb for picking one is if they are heavily advertising the program, stay away from it.  It will probably do more harm than good.

My pick is the free CCleaner from Piriform.  The free version does a great job cleaning out temporary and and other necessary files, but the premium business version adds additional features.  Simply run the program, analyze your system and run the cleaner.  There are other tools available in CCleaner such as the registry cleaner, but the performance improvements gained by modifying the registry do not outweigh the risks of changing the registry settings, so it should be avoided.

Unnecessary Programs Loading During Windows Startup

If your computer takes a long time to startup, there’s a good chance that there are a large number of programs loading during startup.  Some are necessary, but others just load into memory and can slow you down.  Some examples are:

• iTunes Helper
• Adobe Acrobat Assistant
• HP, Canon and other printer settings and monitors
• Various updaters that check the internet for program updates

Windows 8 Task Manager

Fix – CCleaner has a startup manager tool that allows you to disable or delete programs that load with Windows.  Windows also has a built-in application to manage startup programs.

In Windows XP through Windows 7, select Start, Run, msconfig.exe.  Windows 8 built the Startup Manager inside Task Manager.  Open Task Manager by beginning to type “Task Manager” in the Start Screen and select the Startup tab.   Right-click applications you wish to disable.

Unnecessary Programs Loaded by Your Computer Manufacturer.

These programs are sometimes included with new PCs and are generally referred to as crapware or bloatware.  They can include applications that try to sell you toner, additional services from the PC maker or other computer (or non-computer) related items.  They also may include trials of bloated anti-virus programs, games or other applications that will ask for a payment to use the full version.

Fix – Uninstall any programs that you don’t need, but be careful not to remove necessary applications that control, sound, video, network, etc.

Virus or Other Malware Infections

Viruses, trojans and spyware are often hard at work in the background taking up valuable resources on your PC.  They can either be looking for ways to spread, trying to access your files or sending information over the internet without you knowing.  Keeping your PC clear of viruses and spyware can increase performance dramatically.

Fix – Remove any old, unlicensed antivirus programs and install modern software that has a reputation for a low memory footprint.  We’ve had good luck with Symantec Endpoint Protection, AVG CloudCare and Kaspersky Internet Security.

Not enough RAM

If after all the previous fixes don’t increase the speed of your computer, it may be time for a RAM upgrade.  RAM is an inexpensive upgrade for most computers and is worth the cost in increased productivity.  Anything less than 4GB of RAM should be upgraded to the maximum the computer will recognize.  Consult with your local computer repair shop if you’re uncomfortable opening the computer case.

Fix – If you are unaware of how much RAM your computer has and how much it can handle, browse over to Crucial.com, download their System Scanner and let it scan your computer to determine how much RAM is installed and recommend an upgrade.

To keep all your computers running smoothly, consider subscribing to our Managed Technology Services plan.   This plan will keep all your computers updated, virus free and protected from data loss.  Contact us for a free consultation.

Tax season also marks a significant increase in email scams, phishing schemes and other online frauds.  Below are a few tips on how to protect yourself from online theft:

1. The IRS does not  initiate communications with taxpayers through email.  Ever.  Any unsolicited email purporting to be from the IRS should be reported by forwarding it to phishing@irs.gov.
2. Beware of emails sent to you claiming to be from your bank or other financial institution with attachments such as .pdf, .vbs, .scr or any other file extension.  Verify the sender of the email first (see my article, How to Recognize a Phishing Email for how to identify fraudulent emails) before opening any attachments and even then, only open them if you requested it or were expecting it.  Unsolicited emails from financial institutions should always be viewed with suspicion.
3. Beware of fake tax preparation companies that promise free returns or tax advice, but require you to immediately enter sensitive information such as social security or credit card numbers into online web forms.  If you are preparing your tax return yourself, stay with reputable tax preparation companies such as TurboTax, TaxAct (this is the one I use), H&R Block or others. Check for reviews online before using a new tax preparation service.
4. Phishing schemes are not limited to email and online sites.  Beware of faxes or paper mail claiming to be from the IRS requesting sensitive information.  If you were not expecting a notice, contact the IRS to verify its validity.
5. Protect your computer by installing and updating anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall protection.

The IRS and federal government have many resources for learning about online fraud and phishing schemes.  For more information, check out some of their links:

Report Phishing Schemes to the IRS

Avoiding Identity Theft

Tax Scams – How to Identify and Report Them

The Truth About Frivolous Tax Arguments

To access the menu, hover in the bottom left-hand corner to bring up the Start Screen icon

Right-click the Start Menu screen to bring up the hidden menu. 

Some of the downsides to using a free email account:

• Doesn’t look professional to your customers and vendors
• You will be bombarded with advertising when checking your mail in a web browser
• Your emails have a greater chance of getting trapped in recipients’ junk folders
• You will get more junk email from spammers using Gmail, AOL or Yahoo domain email addresses
• There is limited functionality and synchronization options with calendars, contacts and tasks
• You may not have backups of emails.  Once it’s deleted, it’s gone

Fortunately, there are several free and low cost options for creating your own branded email.

Google Apps

Google recently discontinued their free Google Apps for Small Business offering, but their paid version is still a value at $5/month or $50/year.  If you’re comfortable with GMail’s interface and use Google Calendar, consider upgrading to Google Apps in order to use your own custom domain.

Office 365

Office 365 is Microsoft’s suite of products for businesses looking to host email, calendar, contacts and more in the cloud.  Starting at $4/month for basic email, Microsoft offers several plans with added features such as hosted SharePoint and a desktop version of Office Professional Plus.  Office 365 is a great way for businesses that want all the functionality of an Exchange environment, but don’t want the extra cost and maintenance of an on-premise Exchange Server.

Outlook.com

Microsoft’s successor to Hotmail, Outlook.com is a solid alternative to small companies that don’t need the additional collaboration features of Office 365.  It’s not immediately apparent that you can use a custom domain with Outlook.com, but you can configure the service to use a custom domain by registering it at domains.live.com.  Once registered, you can have up to 500 email addresses hosted by Outlook.com.  The new service has ActiveSync built-in and can sync contacts, calendar and SkyDrive with most mobile devices.

POP Email

POP email comes with most hosting accounts and can be configured through your web host (such as GoDaddy, HostGator, etc.)  POP email doesn’t have the advanced features as most other services.  POP does not synchronize your emails, only reads what is on the server.  Therefore, your desktop client and your smartphone’s inboxes will not look the same when using the same email account.  With all the other options available, there’s really no reason to use POP email at this time.

Free and Low-Cost Email Service Comparison

	Google Apps	Office 365	Outlook.com	POP Email
Cost	$5/month or $50/year	Plans begin at $4/month.	Free	Varies
Custom Domain
Inbox Size	25GB	25GB	Unlimited	Varies
Calendar
Contacts
Sync with Mobile
Sync with Outlook	Calendar requires a plugin that runs in the background and updates Outlook.			Email only
Uptime guarantee	99.9%	99.9%	Unavailable	Varies

What I Recommend

Until a few months ago, I’ve recommended Google’s Apss for Business.  The paid version eliminates ads and is a reliable email system if you are accustomed to the GMail interface.

Microsoft, however has taken hosted email and collaboration tools to the next level.  Their paid Office 365 product offers most of the features of a full Exchange Server costing thousands of dollars of upfront investment, while their Outlook.com free service offers an alternative to small businesses looking for basic email.

Regardless of what you choose, we can help you setup and maintain your email system.  Give us a call at (352) 432-8324 to discuss your needs.

Microsoft’s free (for up to 10 users) anti-virus solution, MS Security Essentials and its rebranded Windows 8 counterpart, Windows Defender, failed to meet AV-Test’s requirements for approval for the second period in a row.  Microsoft scored a dismal 1.5 for protection in tests for October and December 2012.

I have to admit that I began recommending Microsoft’s free solution when it was launched.  It appeared to be a decent alternative to  the free applications that eventually tried to upgrade you to their paid versions.  Since Microsoft didn’t have a paid version of Security Essentials, there wasn’t a risk that annoying popups would appear and interrupt a user’s workday.  Unfortunately, the performance and reliability of the software hasn’t lived up to its potential as it has shown a steady decline in scores for the past year.

I am often asked which anti-virus is the best, and that answer can change from month to month.  Every computer technician will have a story about how a virus got past one AV program or another.  The fact is that anti-virus protection rankings change periodically as new threats appear and some do better than others in detecting and removing particular threats.

Keeping your virus definitions and software up to date can be the most important part of protecting your computers.  Managing the software can be just as important as how well it can detect new threats.  Therefore, you should look at the whole package when choosing anti-virus software for each situation.

How to Choose Anti-Virus Software

As you can see, protection rankings go up and down for the top tier of anti-virus applications.  Any of the three top AV programs shown above and many others that perform well in rankings will protect your computer, but a few things must also be considered:

• Are your users being interrupted with messages to update or upgrade the software?
• Are scans running in the background and not interrupting the user?
• Can users cancel scans?
• Can you or an administrator monitor all desktops and laptops no matter their location?
• Is the company that produces the software stable and able to keep up with new exploits?

Each situation is different, so here are my general rules:

Home Offices

For an office with one or two desktops, purchasing anti-virus online or at a retail location should meet your needs.  There are only 1-2 licenses to manage and you have control of the devices.  Kaspersky,  Bitdefender and Norton 360 are all good choices.

Small to Mid-Size Offices

If your company uses three to fifty desktops and laptops in one or many locations, managing the licensing, updates and scans for multiple computers can be difficult.  With traditional security software, you are essentially leaving it up to the user to allow scans to complete and update the software.

A cloud-based solution can alleviate these headaches and threats as all computers can be managed from one web-based interface.  From the web, you can install updates, run scans, set schedules and remove viruses on all your devices no matter their location.  All that is required is an internet connection to manage the security.  You can also grant your IT support firm access to the portal and have them manage it for you.

Cloud-base security options also allow monthly billing.  If you add or remove desktops, you are only billed for what you use that month.  Traditional anti-virus solutions require you to purchase annual licenses for each device.

AVG and Symantec both have solid cloud solutions.  Depending on the situation, either can solve your security needs.  AVG offers an optional content filtering solution and Symantec allows you to add online backup to the web portal.

Take a look at my reviews of AVG CloudCare and Symantec Endpoint Protection.cloud.

Although free is good, sometimes it pays to invest in the security of your devices and data.  If you are in need of a security update, give us a call at (352) 432-TECH and ask about our free security audit.

There are risks for the user, however.  Just by looking at the code, you have no way of knowing if it points to a legitimate site or if it is a link to install malware or trick you into visiting a phishing site.

Not only can you not be sure of a proper code, criminals are now replacing legitimate QR codes on posters and signs with their own.  All it takes is a sticker with their own image that can be placed over an existing code.  Unsuspecting users can be tricked into visiting inappropriate and malicious sites.

How to Protect Yourself

Turn on the Preview Function

Many QR code readers have a preview function.  Ensure that the app you are using will allow you to preview the link before opening it in your smartphone’s browser.  If the link looks suspicious or if you have any doubts at all about the link, don’t open it.

Use a Secure QR Code Reader

As threats to mobile devices become more widespread, security and anti-virus companies are developing products to help consumers protect themselves.

Symantec has developed a secure QR Code Reader that protects users from dangerous links by blocking unsafe websites from loading into the mobile browser.  Norton Snap QR Code Reader is free and is available on:

• iOS:  Norton Snap QR Code Reader
• Android: Norton Snap QR Code Reader

Watch for Bogus Codes

Avoid any codes that look suspicious, are haphazardly placed or look like they are a sticker covering up something else.

QR Codes are a quick an easy way to get and distribute information.  If you take a few precautions, you can keep your data safe and secure.

In an effort to make employees use stronger passwords, IT managers add additional restrictions on what you can and cannot put in a password.  Unfortunately, this has led to passwords that are easy for computers to crack, but hard for users to remember.

Originally, passwords were meant for preventing unauthorized access to resources by someone guessing or stealing your credentials.  Now, with computers becoming so advanced, a moderately powerful desktop PC can crack a decent password within a matter of hours using brute force methods of cracking.

Programs used for cracking passwords are also smart enough to know the most common passwords in use, so will try those first. It will run through 10,000 of the most common passwords in a matter of minutes.  If yours is on that list, you have been hacked.

So if passwords are ineffective, hard to remember and can be easily cracked, stop using them!  Use a passphrase instead.

Here’s why.

A passphrase can be easy to remember for a human, but hard for a computer to crack.  When creating a passphrase, use proper capitalization, punctuation and date it.  The current year will do or use a date an event happened or will happen.

It could also be hidden in plain site.  Look around you.  Is there a saying, phrase or quote on the wall that will remind you of your phrase every day?

Here are some examples:

• For the basketball fan: Let’s go Magic 13!
• For the NASCAR fan: Dale Earnhardt Jr. 8!
• For the parent: Timmy was born in 2004
• For the spouse:  Our Anniversary is June 8th!
• For the movie buff:  Star Trek 2 opens May 17!
• For the Christian:  Proverbs 1:5

Lets look at the first one, Let’s go Magic 13!

- Number of characters: 18
- Mixed case
- Contains numbers and letters
- Has special characters
- Is easy to remember
- is practically impossible for a computer to hack using brute force method

So next time you’re asked to set or reset your password, consider using a passphrase instead.

I’m fed up with being disrespected, dumped on and frustrated by their services and attitude towards my businesses, clients and personal information.

A little history.  I’ve been a Google advocate ever since I was approved for the GMail beta back in 2004.  I was a loyal Yahoo user, but Google came in and stole their thunder by offering a whopping 1GB of space compared to Yahoo’s 4MB.  Google was the young, hungry startup that made email, search and the whole internet experience clean, uncluttered and fast.  My how things have changed!

Extra storage probably won’t be an immediate priority for most users, as Google is giving each person 1 gigabyte of storage. To put that into perspective, Yahoo’s popular Yahoo Mail service provides only 4 megabytes of storage for free — 250 times less space. Users can upgrade to more space — but this caps out at 100 megabytes and costs $60 per year.   ~ April 2004

Now, Google is the 800 pound gorilla that is out of touch with the common user.  The last straw was when Google announced that they were discontinuing their free Google Apps for Business service.  If you were unaware, the free version of Google Apps for Business was a way for small businesses to use their own domain name while using GMail, Calendar and Docs.  Limited to 10 users, this was a good way for small and new businesses to use their own domain names for email and communications.

Now I’m all for a business charging for their services.  I even wrote in a blog post here Google Discontinues Their Free Google Apps Service for Small Businesses that argued that using free services for business isn’t necessarily a good idea.  It is, however, the latest in a long line of Google services that were either bought from a third party or developed internally that were eventually shut down when the search giant lost interest.

Too often, when I begin using a Google service and start to rely on it, it either gets canceled, upgraded to a version that doesn’t fit my needs or they decide not to support it anymore.  Therefore, I cannot rely on Google to manage my information going forward.  Although Google has blazed the trail of hosted services, more than ever there are better alternatives in the webosphere.

Google lost their focus in the last couple years and is beginning to clear out the products and services that are not money makers for them.  More power to them.  I agree with their strategy.  But I am also done relying on the company to support their existing services.  I can’t predict what is on the chopping block next.

In researching this article, I decided to find a list of all the Google services that I use and rely on.  I was amazed and a little anxious about how many services that I use or rely on.

Here are the services that I currently use or have used in the past.

1. Gmail for personal use
2. Several Google Apps accounts for businesses and projects I’ve created
3. iGoogle (discontinued and will no longer be available after November 2013)
4. Google Bookmarks (in December 2011, Google removed the lists feature and its future as a service is uncertain)
5. Google Voice (still free through 2013, but Google will not commit to anything after that)
6. Google URL Shortener (Goo.gl )
7. Google Health  (discontinued and all data will be deleted on January 1, 2013)
8. Google Alerts
9. Google Finance
10. Google Groups (service was revamped on 2012 and some functionality was removed and others added.  I think it took a turn for the worse.)
11. Adsense
12. Adwords
13. Feedburner (purchased by Google in 2007, the API’s that allow it to communicate with other services were deprecated in October 2012.  Many see this as the first step in shutting down the service)
14. GTalk
15. Google Docs
16. Blogger
17. Google Drive
18. Picasa
19. Picnik
20. Google Reader
21. Web fonts
22. Webmaster tools
23. Android
24. Google Maps
25. Google Analytics
26. Google Toolbar (discontinued for Firefox.  Hasn’t been updated for Internet Explorer since April 2011)
27. Google Chrome
28. Google Maps
29. Google Wallet
30. Google Currents
31. Google Sync
32. Google Public DNS
33. Google Desktop (discontinued in September 2011)
34. Google Notebook (discontinued in July 2012)
35. YouTube

That list is a little too long for my comfort.
Page 2 — Services That Are Going to Be Easy to Give Up