Security of data and networks, an issue that companies are taking seriously. They’re going to great lengths to protect themselves from external threats and are, for the most part, safe from them. And yet, there are still stories about how businesses are being infected by malware. If they’re safe to the external environment, where’s the threat coming from?

In recent years the majority of security threats and compromises have come from within the company. A common threat to companies is the logic bomb - malware that targets IT systems and deletes data. As a logic bomb is introduced from within the network, the blame often lies with a disgruntled employee with full access to internal systems.

Insider threats Giving employees full access to the network when they don’t need it is a common mistake often made by companies. There’s little need for an employee who does graphic design to have access to weekly sales records. This practice could set your company up for a considerable security problem in the future.

Dawn Cappelli, an insider-threat expert at the Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute stressed, "These types of insider attacks happen to businesses of all sizes, from small companies to very large corporations." This is an important issue businesses should be aware of if they want to remain secure.

Take Precautions Security threats can be a particularly harsh nightmare for small businesses, as many don’t have an IT department or staff with the technical expertise needed to maintain a secure network. If you’re one of these organizations, it’s a good idea to hire an outside consultant to help you with your network security. With consultants, it’s important that you maintain close contact with them to ensure any issues that crop up are dealt with expeditiously.

If you don’t work with an external company there are a few things you should do when you have an employee leave the company. First, their accounts should be deleted immediately and their access privileges should also be revoked. Second, if you have accounts with shared passwords, you should change them to ensure an ex-employee can’t gain access to the system.

If you’d like to learn more about internal security, and measures you can take to ensure you are safe, we are ready to help you. Please contact us.

Business Continuity Plans (BCP), plans on how to provide a stable service, or recover after adverse actions, have become top of mind with many managers. Businesses have adopted such plans, or are in the process of implementing one, but owners may have missed some crucial elements that could result in an ineffective plan.

Here are six key non-IT functions and processes that need to be in place to ensure your company is ready to effectively execute your BCP.

Easy to use plans Many continuity plans have been developed mainly for the IT department, as such, they can be a little complicated to understand and follow if employees don’t have a technical background. You should aim to have a plan that’s easy to follow and can be understood by all employees.

Communicate plans Remember that your plan encompasses all facets of your organization. It’s crucial that every employee knows their role and the relevant actions to take when the plan is executed. To do this, you need to ensure that all employees have access to a copy of the plan and any changes or updates are clearly communicated.

Test plans Beyond communication, it’s important to conduct regular tests, with every quarter being sufficient. The tests should be as real as possible and span all departments within the organization. This will ensure that employees are aware of how they, and the systems, will react under duress. It’ll be beneficial to your business if the first time the employees execute the plan isn’t during an emergency.

Short term and long term plans Your BCP should consist of both long term and short term elements that can be easily adapted to meet changing business environments and the emergence of new threats. You should aim for an even mix of short and long term solutions that cover as wide a variety of situations as possible.

Ensure buy-in from all levels If you’re in the process of instituting a BCP you should ensure that the whole organization is onboard with the plan. If an employee is unsure about the validity of a part of the plan, take the time to find out why and ask for suggestions. An uninformed or uncooperative employee could be the difference between survival and failure in a disaster situation.

Update and Review After every test, staff turnover and technological update, you should review the plans and make changes if necessary. Essentially, if anything in the company changes, review and update the plan. Remember: just because you have an effective plan this month, doesn’t mean it’ll be so in the future.

Continuity plans are only as strong as the weakest link. In an emergency, the last thing you want is an employee following the wrong process or be unsure of what they should be doing. If this happens, you could see an exponential growth in recovery time and costs. We’re ready to tell you more, so please contact us if you would like to talk continuity planning.

The smartphone has become one of our most beloved devices. Like a favorite pet, we take it everywhere with us, show it off every chance we get and even use it as a way to conform or stand out. No matter which brand you have, you probably have important information stored on your phone, and should be taking steps to ensure that it’s secure from prying eyes.

Whether you have an Android, iPhone or Windows Phone 7, here are two tips to keep your smartphone secure:

Lock your screen If you have data or information on your phone you would like to keep secure, the first thing you should do is lock your screen. Most smartphone users lock their phone with a 4 digit number combination, but it’s recommended you use a password for higher security.

• On Android. To establish a password on your device go to Settings and select Security. Press Screen lock. On Ice Cream Sandwich, you have six options for security, with the least secure at the top and most secure at the bottom. Many users select Pattern or Password. Enter the password twice and press Confirm.
• On iPhone. Select the Settings app followed by General. From there select Passcode Lock and turn it on. You’ll be asked to set your passcode and confirm it.
• On Windows Phone. To set a passcode go to the home screen of your device. Open Settings from your Application list and select Lock & Wallpaper. Press Password, enter your password and then press Done.

It’s recommended that you set a password that’s unique. Don’t use your birthday, address or phone number. At the same time, you have to make it easy to remember. If you’re having trouble coming up with a password, this video by Mozilla is a big help.

Enable remote wipe While passwords and other security codes will go a long way in preventing others from accessing your phone, it often isn’t enough. The next step in device security is to set up the ability to remotely wipe your device.

• On Android. At this time there is no native remote wipe option on your phone. You’ll have to download an app from the Play store. The apps work by using a push service - you “push” the commands to your phone from another source i.e., a website. When you install the app, you’ll have to register your phone and access it from a website.
• On iPhone. The iPhone has remote wipe capabilities which can be accessed through iCloud. On your device select Settings, iCloud and turn on Find my iPhone. If you lose your phone log into iCloud and select Find my iPhone. From there you’ll be able to remotely wipe your device.
• On Windows Phone. If you lose your phone you can remotely wipe it by going to the Windows Phone website, logging in and selecting My Phone. From there you’ll be able to wipe your phone.

Even if you don’t have confidential information on your phone, it’s a good idea to, at the very least, set a solid passcode on your phone. Adding the ability to remotely wipe your phone will ensure the information won’t be viewed by other people. If you’d like other ways to keep your mobile phone secure, please contact us.

If you’ve been following technical blogs over the past few months you have undoubtedly heard the rumors about Google’s cloud service. On April 25, they finally put the rumors to bed and introduced Google Drive. The service has some features that, while not game changing, give users a great cloud storage app.

Google Drive is being billed as a cloud storage app that focuses on collaboration and storage, and can be divided into three layers: Web, mobile and desktop.

Layer one: Web browser This is Google Drive’s hub, where the majority of users will be accessing and editing their files. The big shocker is that Google Docs has been rolled into Drive. Your docs and other files will now be synced, stored and accessed here. Think of it as a beefier, more enhanced version of Docs.

If your business uses Google Docs, you’ll be happy to know that the collaboration tools have been migrated over. If you use Google Chrome, you can also install apps and edit files right in Drive, instead of having to download and edit them as you would with other storage services.

Layer two: Mobile app The second layer is the mobile app. Android users already have access to the mobile app and if they had the Google Docs app already installed, they should have been notified of the update. Users of the mobile app can access and create or edit most docs as they would on the other layers.

There are currently two negative aspects to the mobile app. The first is that you can’t do any major housekeeping via the app. You can’t move files from one collection to another or start a new collection. All that will have to be done via the browser for now. The other downside is that the app is only available for Android users at this time. It will be coming to iOS devices in the near future.

Layer three: Desktop You can install the app on your Mac or PC and when you do, there’ll be a folder on your desktop that functions like your hard drive. You then drag and drop files from your computer into the folder which are then synced with the other layers.

At this time, any files from Google Docs won’t be downloaded onto your hard drive. When clicked, they’ll open in Google Chrome or your default browser.

The Cost of Google Drive Individual users of the service will get 5GB of storage for free and will be able to buy additional space for a monthly fee. For businesses who use Google Apps for Business, each user will get 5GB free, and administrators can buy extra storage space, up to 16TB, for a monthly fee.

Overall, Drive is a competitive service for users of Google’s apps and offers some great features that makes it competitive with other cloud storage services. If you’d like to learn more about how your business can integrate Google Drive and other apps from Google, please call us.

In April 2011 VMware purchased SlideRocket, an online tool that lets users create and share presentations. By itself it’s a useful tool for users who give presentations, which let’s face it, is almost every business owner and manager. SlideRocket’s recent partnering with Google’s cloud storage app has provided users with an even more powerful way to share and collaborate on presentations.

Google has recently released its cloud storage and collaboration app, Google Drive. What does this have to do with SlideRocket? Well, SlideRocket’s full set of content authoring tools have been integrated into Google Drive. This means that users of SlideRocket can use Google Drive as another way to create, collaborate on, and store presentations.

Chuck Dietrich, Vice President of SlideRocket by VMware, commented, “Together with Google, VMware is helping individuals and businesses embrace new technologies for collaboration in the cloud era.” He went on to note that SlideRocket and Google Drive provide users with a great way to do just that.

If you use SlideRocket and would like to work with other users over Google Drive, simply log into both services with the same account and in Google Drive select Create and More followed by SlideRocket. Once you log in and integrate your accounts, you’ll have access to your presentations without having to log in to SlideRocket.

If you’d like to know more about how you can virtualize your business, or the different products offered by VMware, we’re ready to tell you more. Let’s talk virtualization.

Google has been striving to integrate its online services into one central platform based around their social network, Google+. To date it has been met with mixed reviews but has never really taken off since its launch in the summer of 2011. In mid April, Google launched a redesign of Google+ with the goal of making the network a little more user friendly.

When you first log into the updated Google+ the amount of white space will jump out at you. It’s a startling contrast to the other social networks. After you adjust to it, you’ll notice four main aspects of the new look:

1. To the left. On the left is a bar, or ribbon as Google calls it, with icons for the main features. This ribbon is reminiscent of the Windows Task Bar and works much the same way. Simply click on an icon to open the related function. If you have an icon you don’t use, simply click and drag it out of the bar and it will be moved to More.
2. In the center. In the center of the page you’ll see all your updates along with a bar above them with your top two circles. To the right of your updates you’ll see what’s trending on Google+, the Invite friends to Google+ button and a suggestions box.
3. To the right. On the far right is a very prominent chat bar with all your chat contacts. Above that is the Start a hangout button which allows you to quickly begin a hangout session.
4. Up top. At the top of the page you’ll see the search bar, from which you can search Google+ for posts, topics, friends, etc.

Are you in love with the cover photo on your Facebook profile? Do you like having a picture spread across top of your profile? If yes, Google+ now has the option to set a cover photo at the top of your profile. Not a fan of one picture across the top of your profile? You can also pick and choose multiple pictures. Your profile picture and information have been moved to the right side of the picture with your circles below.

New features There are three new useful features:

1. Explore. On the left ribbon is a compass icon. Clicking this will open Explore, a page that displays what’s currently trending on Google+. The content shown on this page is viewable by all users, and this gives businesses a great marketing opportunity if they can capitalize on current trends.
2. Block. On your social network profiles there may be a user who is leaving rude comments or spam messages on your posts. On Google+ you can block the user from posting. Simply go to their profile and select block under their profile picture.
3. New hangout page. If you click on the hangouts icon on the left hand ribbon, you’ll be taken to the hangouts page. On the page you’ll see current hangouts that you can join or you can start a new one based on any post. To start a public hangout click the camera icon at the bottom of the post.

It looks like Google has taken a big gamble with the new layout, and only time will tell if it will attract more users. If you would like know more about Google+ and how your business can capitalize on what it offers, we’re ready to talk.

One of the most highly anticipated software launches of this year is Microsoft’s new operating system, Windows 8. While the OS is still in the pre-release phase, Microsoft has released a Consumer Preview that gives users a glimpse into the features of the new OS. In mid April, Microsoft announced the different editions that will be available when it’s released.

There are going to be four editions of Windows 8 available at launch:

1. Windows 8. This edition offers all the features the majority of Windows users will need. It will be comparable to Windows 7 Home and Home Premium.
2. Windows 8 Pro. Pro will have Windows 8 components, but also offers more advanced options that businesses and expert users will appreciate. Some of the extras include encryption, virtualization and PC management. Pro will be most useful in a business environment.
3. Windows RT. This version of Windows 8 will come pre-installed on mobile devices and tablets with an ARM processor, which is used primarily in mobile technology. Many of Windows 8’s features will be available on RT, although some older Windows applications will not be compatible. If your company uses Windows tablets or smartphones, chances are you’ll use this OS.
4. Windows 8 Enterprise. Enterprise is an enhanced version of Windows 8 Pro that will be specifically for businesses with Software Assurance agreements. Noted features include stronger virtualization tools, PC management and deployment, and advanced security. At this time there’s no further information on this version, but it looks like a good choice for IT companies.

There’s no official release date for Windows 8 at this time, but it’s expected sometime in the last quarter of this year. If you would like to know more about Windows 8, or any other Microsoft programs please contact us.

Social media is one of the most important communication tools of the modern era. Companies use it to connect with customers and like minded individuals, all in the name of building trust in their brand and products. While almost every company has a social media presence, they have been slow to trust employees to use personal social media at work. On average, 31% of companies block employees from accessing their accounts.

There are four distinct advantages to allowing social media:

• Increased productivity. There have been a number of studies that have found that judicious use of social media in the workplace will actually increase productivity. A study conducted by the University of Melbourne found that employees with access to social media are 9% more productive than those without.
• Increased buy-in. Employees like to feel trusted and empowered. If they don’t you can expect to experience higher turnover and lower morale. A good way to gain trust is to allow employees to use social media in the workplace. If an employee feels like they are trusted, they’ll be more likely to stay with the company.
• Recruiting. Small businesses have started to use social media for recruitment, but limit efforts to one account. If you have 10 employees in your organization, each with a social media account with 100 friends, you have the potential to reach 1,000 people. This is achievable if employees are allowed to access social media at work and are encouraged to share posts.
• Identification of business opportunities. Through the use of social media, employees in charge of sales and business development can source new clients and build fruitful relationships.

There are many advantages to allowing access to social networks at the office. If you‘re hesitant to completely open the social media floodgates, try doing so in short periods, like the final three hours of the working day.

No matter what you decide, allowing access to social media is a good practice for your business. If you would like to learn more about social media and how you can leverage it in your business, we are happy to talk with you.

Want to know the temperature outside, or how to get to the nearest gas station? To answer these questions you probably use your smartphone. This suits the majority of us just fine, but there are times when it’s a hassle, during a meeting for example. Google has announced a project that aims to take your smartphone and put it in front of you, literally.

On April 4, 2012 Google revealed a project called Google Glass, their take on augmented reality glasses, through a video on YouTube. This announcement was made by a team that’s part of the Google[x] lab. Google[x] is an almost covert division, focused on developing technology for the future.

It looks like the glasses will take the main functions of your smartphone - Call, Social Media, Pictures, Day-Planner and GPS - and display them on a glass lens that covers your right eye. Think of a pair of glasses missing the left lens, and you’ll get the picture. This seems like something right out of sci-fi movies from the 80s, but numerous sources, including some from Google, have stated that the first version will be released sometime in the next couple of years.

Undoubtedly the glasses will run on a new version of Android, and from the video one can determine that they will use a hybrid of voice and vision to operate. Most of the functionality of your smartphone will be on the lens. Want to know what the weather will be like for the rest of the day? Look up and the lens will present with the temperature and forecast. The video also showed the wearer come across some graffiti he thought was cool, and with his voice he instructed the taking of a picture to be shared with his circles on Google+.

What does this mean for businesses? As the glasses are still in development it’s hard to say conclusively, but businesses who already have a Google + or Google Places profile will benefit as it appears both services are heavily integrated with the platform. The possibilities on how companies could use this technology are endless. We’ve all seen movies with characters using a similar technology and now Google is bringing it one step closer to reality.

If you’re as interested in Google Glass as we are, or have questions regarding Google’s other products please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’ll be more than happy to talk with you.

If you mention “OS X” and “virus” in the same sentence, you’ll get some weird looks from Mac users. Traditionally viruses and trojans on OS X were near non-existent, but there’s a Mac specific trojan, codenamed Flashback, that has affected more than 600,000 computers. This is big news as it shows that machines running OS X may not be as secure as first thought.

Many Mac owners are unsure of what exactly the Flashback trojan is, what it does and how to ensure they’re not infected. We’re here to help clarify the situation.

What is a Trojan and What Does Flashback Do? In general terms, a trojan is a piece of malicious software that infects a computer and gives control of part, or the whole computer to hackers. The Flashback trojan takes advantage of an OS X Java vulnerability and infects computers by tricking them into downloading a fake Java update.

When the program is installed, Flashback will download and install the main trojan code without the need for permission from the administrator. From there it proceeds to hijack your browser, redirect search queries to websites developed by hackers, and then take advantage of pay-per-click advertising.

Why Should I be Worried? While this version hijacks your browser, there are far more sinister things it could do. As this trojan acts as a downloader, there’s nothing stopping the developers from updating the malware to steal passwords, banking information and other confidential information.

How do I Ensure My Mac is Clean? Apple has released an update for machines running OS X 10.6 and later. The first step you should take is to update your computer to patch the vulnerability. To update your Mac:

1. Press the Apple logo, located in the top right hand of your screen.
2. Select Software Update...
3. Press Install and Restart.

While the patch will prevent Flashback from working, it won’t delete the program if you’ve been infected. The Internet security company F-Secure has developed a script that scans your computer and removes Flashback if found. Once you have downloaded the script, open and run it. The script will search your computer and place the infected files in an encrypted ZIP folder labeled Flashback_quarantine.zip.

Flashback has infected a higher number of Macs than any other trojan to date and goes to show that Macs also have security flaws. This also serves as a reminder that you should have a virus scanner and security program running on your Mac. If you have any questions regarding the security of your Mac or other devices, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are here to help keep your machines secure.