It’s hurricane season! While autumn usually brings cold weather and falling leaves, it can also leave us vulnerable to the vicious hurricanes that often sweep up and down the east coast. Even as Hurricane Matthew dissipates up north, we are now currently in the most active hurricane season since 2012, and the deadliest since 2005. And with hurricanes comes vicious and persistent power outages. Computers, particularly desktops, can be vulnerable to many power hiccups. Here’s how you can protect them.
How to Prepare Your Computer For a Power Disturbance
October 14, 2016 by
With hurricanes comes vicious and persistent power outages. Computers, particularly desktops, can be vulnerable to many power hiccups.
The Importance of Backing Up Your Business Data
June 17, 2016 by
When the stakes are this high, you’re going to want to invest in throwing your data into an online backup system.
It might seem like saving multiple times to multiple folders is enough to keep your data safe. Some may even use a flash drive to ensure they’ll never lose their data. The reality is, computers crash. Flash drives are lost. Data is hardly safe, these days. And for most people, their business data is deeply important. Losing it could mean losing your job. When the stakes are this high, you’re going to want to invest in throwing your data into an online backup system.
Start Employing Data Backups to Avoid a Data Loss Disaster
January 6, 2016 by
The security and reassurance of frequent data backups are invaluable, from personal to corporate use.
Whether you just got a new piece of tech during the holidays or whether you’re in need of a new year’s resolution, now is the time to start backing up your personal data. Getting into the habit of a frequent data backup will save you lots of heart and headache in the event that your computer (or computer system) meets its untimely demise. Data loss can range from losing a few hours’ worth of writing to the downfall of an entire business, but in any case, it’s better to spend some time on a data backup than to deal with inconvenient data loss or catastrophic IT failure. [Read more…]
Experts Predict Major Cyber-Attack Within 11 Years
October 29, 2014 by
A survey released today, conducted by the Pew Research Center, found that the majority of major technology analysts believe that a major cyber-terrorist attack against US energy, banking, or health care systems will be carried out successfully within the next 11 years. The survey, which was given to 1,642 of the world’s most prominent technology experts asked if, in their professional opinion, they believed that a cyber-attack would cause “widespread harm to a nation’s security and capacity to defend itself” within the next 11 years.
Over 60% answered yes.
Working Nets is here with the inside scoop on the danger this impending threat could pose for your small business.
It’s Already Begun
Cyber-attacks have already risen dramatically in frequency and scope within the past year alone. Many experts cited this month’s major cyber-attack on Apple’s iCloud storage system, which many attribute as a covert action by the Chinese government, as an example of the increasing threat of digital terrorism. Jason Pontin, the editor of the MIT Technology Review also cited the 2009 Stuxnet computer worm, which disabled the centrifuges in an Iranian nuclear power plant, as an example.
Why Are They So Dangerous?
Cyber-attacks are proportionally dangerous to the amount we depend upon the internet to conduct important tasks, which shows no signs of diminishing.
Stewart Baker, a partner at Steptoe & Johnson, a Washington D.C. law firm. Was quoted as saying that “cyberware just plain makes sense. Attacking the power grid or other industrial control systems is asymmetrical and deniable and devilishly effective.” Cyber-attacks involving the theft of personal data are equally threatening, allowing terrorist groups to seize foreign capital to fund their efforts.
The Dissenting Opinion
It’s worth noting however, that the 39% who answered “no” have some pretty compelling evidence on their side as well.
“The nation-states with the capability to deliver such an attack do not have the motivation to do so,” says David Clark, a research scientist at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, invoking the mantra of mutually assured destruction that saw this country through the cold war.
Many experts agreed with Clark’s opinion and added that while new cyber-security threats do appear every day, so do new defensive measures against them. For every major threat there is always a team of dedicated technology professionals ready to quickly combat it.
Protect Your Business From Cyber-Attacks
Working Nets, employer of the area’s most talented and qualified cyber-security experts, can create a data protection solution customized for any network. Preparation is the best defense against potentially disastrous cyber-attacks. With Working Nets at your back you’ll avoid many of the other problems that could disrupt the functionality of your business on a day-to-day basis.
To talk to someone about cyber-attacks, network security and disaster preparedness for your small business, give us a call at (443) 992-7394. We’d be happy to assist you with your professional business networking needs.
You can also visit WorkingNets.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google
All About Data Backup
August 28, 2014 by
Computers are as much a part of our everyday lives as eating and sleeping. It is almost 100% guaranteed that you will interact with a computer or other piece of technology at some point every day. In fact, a recent survey showed that you’re likely to have just as many electronic interactions as you are to have face-to-face interactions in today’s world. This statistic is even more prevalent for small businesses that require a lot of technology to operate. If you think about it, nearly everything that you do for your company requires you to use a computer of some sort. This brings us to our first point.
Why is Data Backup Important?
Have you ever thought about all of the information stored in a piece of equipment that can easily fit on your desk? Now, have you ever considered what would happen if that piece of equipment was destroyed or decided to fail one day? You could lose relevant financial information, client information, and more. Data backup is important in a few different cases:
- Your computer fails
- Your computer is destroyed in a disaster
- Someone steals your information
- Your data becomes corrupted
If any of these things happen, you want to know that your data is in more than one place; you also want to make sure that the second place is safe, though. That brings us to point number 2!
How Should I Back Up My Data?
There are many different options for backing up your important data. It all depends on what technology you know how to use and what you think will work well for your company. The following options are some popular data backup options:
- The Cloud – It sounds a lot more complicated and ethereal than it is. Saving to the cloud basically means that you’re saving to a remote database that you can access from any computer. Using a cloud computing service will allow you to back up and share information.
- External Hard Drive – The only problem with external hard drives is that they also have the ability to crash and are susceptible to physical disasters. If you do back up to an external hard drive, it’s advisable that you password protect it and store it somewhere different than your primary computer.
- Flash Drives – If you need a quick way to back up your data and take it with you somewhere, a flash drive is the answer. It doesn’t offer as much space as an external hard drive or cloud computing service, but it essentially does the same job. Flash drives are tiny, so you also have to be careful not to lose it.
Backup and Recovery Experts
Data protection and recovery is crucial. Working Nets assures that your vital business data is kept secure if disaster strikes. We have knowledgeable experts on staff who can make sure that your IT needs are covered and that all of your information is safe. To talk to someone about data backup and recovery for your small business, give us a call at (443) 992-7394. We’d be happy to assist you with your professional business networking needs.
You can also visit WorkingNets.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+
Source: Technology.Pitt
Another Website Hacking Incident: What the LinkedIn & DropBox Hacks mean
August 2, 2012 by
First there was the infamous LinkedIn hack a few months ago. Now, another major website has been attacked, Dropbox.
“Our investigation found that usernames and passwords recently stolen from other websites were used to sign in to a small number of Dropbox accounts,” said Aditya Agarwal, VP of engineering at Dropbox. “We’re sorry about this, and have put additional controls in place to help make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
In instances such as these, hackers breach a website to steal usernames and passwords in hopes that these login credentials work for other services, as well. If they do, these hackers harvest personal data to use in future scams.
Protecting your Information: Simple IT Security Tips
The only way to truly prevent cyber-attacks is completely avoid using the Internet, which is nearly impossible these days. There are, however, several ways in which you can make your business network more secure. These security tips include:
- Stop Password Reuse: Do not use the same password for multiple accounts. Yes, using multiple passwords will not be as easy to remember, but it will make you much less susceptible to cyber-attack.
- Reset your Passwords Regularly: Security experts advise people to regularly change their passwords.
- Choose your Security Question Carefully: Don’t make it too easy for hackers to access your information. Do not use personal information or basic information that can be found on the Internet.
- Be Careful: Only access the Internet over a secure network.
- Keep Everything Up to Date: Keep your operating system, browser, anti-virus and other critical software up to date.
- Outsourced IT Security Services from Working Nets: Data protection is crucial. Working Nets assures that your vital business data is available when you need it by implementing tools to protect you!
If you have any questions about Hackers, Hacking, and IT Security, please contact Working Nets by calling (443) 992-7394 or visit WorkingNets.com today!
Welcome to Working Nets – your virtual IT Department!
At Working Nets, we support your business by providing top-notch Information Technology (I.T.) services to companies like yours: Companies that don’t need full-time I.T. services, but do need someone to turn to, when they are having a problem. We provide services like Network Design, Monitoring and Maintenance. We troubleshoot technical issues when they arise, and give you options for solving them. We help you use your technology investment to achieve your business goals.
At Working Nets, our focus is on your needs!
You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.
