Keeping your network, computer and data safe is everyone’s biggest concern. Unfortunately, there are hackers out there in the internet trying to gain access to your private data. In an attempt to gain access to your sensitive files, hackers will create malicious software that can destroy your files and wreak havoc on your computer. Below is some information about what it does:

1. The software is typically contracted by use of email phishing techniques. They masquerade as something from someone you trust, and get you to click a link and run their software.
2. The software downloads, and connects back to one of a whole bunch of servers that are on-again-off-again, to make it harder to find, and disable. When the software connects, an encryption key-pair is created (public key/private key).
3. The software then downloads the public key to your machine, and uses it to encrypt every document file (e.g. .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .txt, etc.) it can find on your hard drive, and any other drive it can find connected to your machine (i.e. network drives). The encryption uses an RSA 2048 bit cipher, making it impossible to decrypt without the private key. (That’s how this type of encryption works: One key encrypts. The other decrypts.)
4. When it finishes encrypting everything it can find, it brings up this window, which instructs you to either pay the money. (In this case, it shows $100. In others, it could be $300 or more.) It also starts a timer. If you don’t pay the ransom by the time the timer runs out, the private key is deleted, and your data will never be accessible again.
5. Once the data is encrypted, I want to reiterate that there is no way out of it! You will pay, or you will lose your data. The only alternate recourse is to clean off the machine, and restore everything from backup… if you have one.

The important information that you need to know is, you always need to be suspicious about clicking strange links, especially if they want you to run a program of some sort. And always make sure your data is encrypted to help keep it safe.

If you have any questions, please contact Working Nets by calling (443) 992-7394 or visit WorkingNets.com today!

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As a small business owner, you have so much to worry about, from customer service to accounting to sales and everything in between. Unfortunately, many small business owners completely overlook one of the most important aspects of any strong business: Cyber Security!

“[The] cyber threat is one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face as a nation” – President Barack Obama

Small Business Cyber Security Tips

1. Cyber security Education: before doing anything else, educate your employees about cybersecurity.
2. Cyber security Rules: Put specific behavioral rules in place to protect personally identifiable information.
3. Antivirus Software: The easiest step to take as a small business owner is to install antivirus software on your computers. This will protect them against viruses, spyware, and other malicious code. But don’t forget to install any patches and updates as they arise.
4. Backup Important Information: Be sure to regularly backup important data on every computer. This includes preadsheets, databases, financial files, human resources files, accounts receivable/payable files, and any other important files.
5. Secure WiFi: Make sure your WiFi network is secure and hidden.
6. Secure Physical Access: Make sure every computer you own is password protected to deter physical access to your network.
7. Contact Working Nets: At Working Nets, we provide top-notch information technology services to companies who don’t require an IT department, but do need reliable assistance when challenges arise. We assure that your vital business data is kept secure if disaster strikes.

If you have any questions, please contact Working Nets by calling (443) 992-7394 or visit WorkingNets.com today!

Welcome to Working Nets – your virtual IT Department!

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

Sources:

It’s National Cyber Security Awareness Month – Tips for Safeguarding Your Business U.S. Small Business Association

How is your tablet putting you at risk?

1) Encrypted Email Server: You need to make sure your email server is using encryption for communication, especially when you’re using an unencrypted (or even a WEP-encrypted) wireless network. This is something a lot of people don’t think about. But the email client on your iPad or tablet is using whatever configuration it was set up with, to download your mail. So if the mail server settings aren’t set up to use encryption – some mail servers still don’t even enable it – then your tablet is periodically sending out your username and password in the clear, through an unencrypted wireless medium, that anyone could, potentially, be reading.  If a hacker can get into your email, they probably have enough information to   reconstruct your entire digital life, in their own image.

Is your email secure? Contact Working Nets today for an analysis of your email system.

2) WiFi: Wireless hotspots put you at risk. How? These hotspots are often unsecured, meaning your information and your digital identity is at risk. What’s worse is that even encrypted WiFi connection make you data accessible to others within the network. So instead of using WiFi, rely on 3G or 4G.

3) Downloading Apps: When downloading apps, do so only from trusted sources. Third party sources can put your tablet and your digital life at risk. This is because certain sites will actually try to download files to your tablet, files which will attempt to gather your digital information.

So please be safe! And check back in 2013 as we unveil the rest of our Tablet Cybersecurity Tips.

If you have any questions, please contact Working Nets by calling (443) 992-7394 or visit WorkingNets.com today!

Welcome to Working Nets – your virtual IT Department!

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

Source: Securing a tablet for web browsing in six easy steps

As a business owner, it is important to have a good disaster recovery plan in place. This will ensure the safety of your critical business data and will help minimize downtime in the event of a disaster. And one of the most important aspects of any good disaster recovery plan is Offsite Backup.

Yet, I see it time and time again. A company who relies on digital information has an onsite backup system in place, believing this to be enough. But let me ask you this…what happens if something happens to your building?

Your building can be rebuilt. Your digital information, however, could be lost forever. Because of this, offsite backup is incredibly important.

Benefits of Offsite Backup

1. Efficiency: Automated offsite backup is quick, easy, and incredibly efficient.
2. Cost Effective: There are no upfront hardware costs.
3. Saves Time: While onsite tape backups can take up to 15 minutes to work, offsite backup is quick and easy.
4. Faster Recovery: Tape backups take a long time to recover data, while offsite backup is much faster. And any business owner will appreciate less down time!
5. Reliability: If something happens to your building, you still know your data is safe, offsite.
6. And more!

Offsite Backup & Disaster Preparedness from your Virtual IT Department

Data protection and recovery is crucial. That is why Working Nets works hard to ensure that your vital business data is kept secure if disaster strikes.

If you have any questions, please contact Working Nets by calling (443) 992-7394 or visit WorkingNets.com today!

Welcome to Working Nets – your virtual IT Department!

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.