by Felicien | Sep 20, 2018 | Education
Profile – Viewing – Searching
We get questions from our clients about using LinkedIn all the time. And we get so many that we’ve been keeping track of some of the most commonly asked ones. We’ve posted three of them here with detailed answers for you.
1. “Is There A Way To Change How My Profile Is Viewed?”
Sometimes you want to change the way your profile is viewed. Perhaps you’re looking for a new job, or you’ve just gotten one.
Or, maybe you’re working a second job and you don’t want your boss to see this. With changes in your business life, you want to keep track of what’s important to post on LinkedIn.
Here’s how to change or update how people see you on LinkedIn.
Click Me
Click Settings & Privacy
This is what you’ll see…
Click the Privacy Tab.
LinkedIn will give you half a dozen options to change your privacy settings for changing who can see what information about you.
Notes:
After you change or disable your profile public, it may take several weeks for it to be added to or removed from search engine results.
If you edit the settings of your profile photo from your profile page, then your public profile page will be updated with the new setting. For example: if you change your profile photo visibility setting from Public to Your Connections, that change will be applied to your public profile as well, and your photo will no longer appear as part of your public profile. Likewise, you can update your photo visibility settings while you’re editing your public profile page (or by disabling your public profile). Before these settings were unified, some members entered into inconsistent photo visibility states (e.g., their photo is visible in a public profile in search engine results, but is not visible to most members on LinkedIn), and those members are being prompted to reconcile their settings.
The default photo setting is Public.
Not all sections of your profile can be displayed publicly. On the Public profile settings page, you’ll be able to see and adjust the sections of your profile that can be displayed publicly. Viewers who aren’t signed in to LinkedIn will see all or some portions of the profile display selections you make on this page.
2. “How Do I View My Post Statistics In LinkedIn?”
If you’ve ever posted an article or video to LinkedIn, you can see specific demographics about your readers. To see this stats, just like you did above, click on Me and View Profile.
Now, scroll down until you see this Dashboard section. Click on Post views.
≈
Next, click on the Posts tab.
Now,, scroll down to one of your articles. On the lower left click the view counter next to the line graph icon.
LinkedIn will provide you details of who viewed your article. The stats are broken down by company, title and location.
Notes:
Your post analytics are available for 60 days from creation.
Your article analytics are available for 2 years from creation.
Your posts and articles will display a detailed breakdown of the analytics only when they have been viewed by 10 or more unique viewers. Once your post or article has reached the minimum number of unique viewers, your analytics button will appear.
The analytics breakdown displays non-unique views.
3. “How Do I Use Boolean Search Terms In LinkedIn?”
LinkedIn provides powerful search capabilities. It can take a while to efficiently use the power of people search. But it’s worth taking the time to learn.
LinkedIn gives you the option to use Boolean Search Terms to perform more specific searches. You can do this by adding or eliminating elements to the search parameters.
(Boolean logic is a system of showing relationships between sets by using the words AND, OR, and NOT. The term Boolean comes from the name of the man who invented this system, George Boole.)
Boolean Operators are used to connect and define the relationship between your search terms. When searching electronic databases, you can use Boolean operators to either narrow or broaden your record sets. The three Boolean operators are AND, OR and NOT.
Here are some examples of Boolean search strings:
infographics AND presentations
copyediting OR copy editor
Google NOT Salesforce
Let’s say you wanted to find someone who is an expert in presentation design. You should use this as a key term in your search.
When you do, your search results will come up with anyone who has the words presentation and design in their profile even if the two words are located separately in their LinkedIn profile.
But by adding quotes around “presentation design” LinkedIn will only list those people with the two words together in their profile.
If you wanted to find someone with expertise in both infographics and presentation design, you would do a Boolean Search like this:
“infographics” AND “presentation design”.
By adding the AND qualifier, you’ve combined the two terms for your search ensuring that you receive more relative results.
Other Boolean Search Parameters you can use for more effective results:
“OR” to broaden your search to include profiles that include one or more terms.
For example:
“Microsoft” OR “LinkedIn”. “Vice President” OR VP OR “V.P” OR SVP OR EVP
Parenthetical Searches
If you’d like to perform a complex search, you can combine terms and modifiers and use parentheses. For example:
design AND (graphic OR presentation)
(copyediting OR copy editor)
Notes:
When handling searches, the overall order to precedence is:
Quotes [“”]
Parentheses [()]
NOT
AND
OR
Important:
The + and – operators are not officially supported by LinkedIn. Using AND in place of + and NOT in place of – makes a query much easier to read and guarantees that we’ll handle the search correctly.
When using NOT, AND, or OR operators, you must type them in uppercase letters.
We don’t support wildcard “*” searches.
Boolean search will work in the keyword field in Recruiter and Linkedin.com, and will work in the Company, title, and keyword field in Sales Navigator.
“NOT” Parameters
If you’d like to do a search to exclude a particular term, use the term with an uppercase NOT with quotes around it. Your search results will include any profile containing that term. This term can’t be used alone. But in conjunction with other terms NOT will exclude people from your search who have that term in their profile
For example:
VP NOT director
(Google OR Salesforce) NOT LinkedIn
That’s it! Three tips you can use to improve your overall skills in LinkedIn.
by Felicien | Sep 20, 2018 | Education
First, let’s get something straight: CIPA compliance is a prerequisite for receiving E-Rate funding discounts to pay for communications services like internet connections and (for now) Voice Services. If you are not asking for E-Rate, then CIPA does not apply to you. Period.
The reason for this is that it is a violation of First Amendment rights to mandate filtering of online materials across the board wherever a minor under the age of 17 may be using the internet at a public institution. Proponents of CIPA had tried and failed to pass similar legislation due to the potential restrictions on free speech. Linking the Children’s Internet Protection Act to funding eligibility frees the Act to set requirements that are otherwise unconstitutional.
CIPA Doesn’t Apply To These Situations And Institutions Either
Telecommunications for Schools and Libraries do not have to be compliant. In this case, the definition of a “minor” is a person under the age of 17. Additionally, as of 2012, public libraries do not need to follow CIPA guidelines, as doing so poses a threat to the free exercise of First Amendment rights by majority age internet users.
E-Rate
E-Rate discounts can be between 20-90% off of services and products related to using and maintaining internet services. The Universal Services Agency Company (USAC) processes all E-Rate requests and submissions. Their website outlines how and when to apply, as well as providing a training schedule for applicants and service providers.
Every year the FCC’s Eligible Services List is updated and available before the Form 471 filing window opens.
Keep checking the USAC.org website or sign up for updates in order to stay in the loop!
USAC
The Universal Service Administrative Company has been contracted by the FCC to manage all E-Rate Applications. School or library Administrative Authorities certify their institution’s enforcement of an internet safety policy that includes mechanisms that block or filter internet access to objectionable materials.
Administrative Authority Responsibilities:
1) Ensure compliance with the requirements of CIPA;
2) Certify actions undertaken in order to bring the school or library into compliance. For example, any necessary procurement procedures to comply with the requirements of CIPA; or
3) Waive CIPA requirements as the authority has determined that CIPA does not apply because the school is receiving discounts for telecommunications services only.
CIPA Requirements (excerpted from the application section of usac.org)
1. Internet Safety Policy
Schools and libraries are required to adopt and enforce an internet safety policy that includes a technology protection measure that protects against access by adults and minors to visual depictions that are obscene, child pornography, or – with respect to use of computers with internet access by minors – harmful to minors. “Minor” is defined as any individual who is under the age of 17.
2. Technology Protection Measure
A technology protection measure is a specific technology that blocks or filters internet access.
The school or library must enforce the operation of the technology protection measure during the use of its computers with Internet access, although an administrator, supervisor, or other person authorized by the authority with responsibility for administration of the school or library may disable the technology protection measure during use by an adult to enable access for bona fide research or other lawful purposes. For example, a library that uses internet filtering software can set up a process for disabling that software upon request of an adult user through use of a sign-in page where an adult user can affirm that he or she intends to use the computer for bona fide research or other lawful purposes.
CIPA uses the federal criminal definitions for obscenity and child pornography.
Decisions about what matter is inappropriate for minors are made by the local community. E-rate Program rules specify that “[a] determination regarding matter inappropriate for minors shall be made by the school board, local educational agency, library, or other authority responsible for making the determination.”
3. Public Notice and Hearing or Meeting
The authority with responsibility for administration of the school or library must provide reasonable public notice and hold at least one public hearing or meeting to address a proposed technology protection measure and Internet safety policy. For private schools, public notice means notice to their appropriate constituent group.
Additional meetings are not necessary – even if the policy is amended – unless those meetings are required by state or local rules or the policy itself.
Definitions
Harmful to minors: Defined as “any picture, image, graphic image file, or other visual depiction that – (i) taken as a whole and with respect to minors, appeals to a prurient interest in nudity, sex, or excretion; (ii) depicts, describes, or represents, in a patently offensive way with respect to what is suitable for minors, an actual or simulated sexual act or sexual contact, actual or simulated normal or perverted sexual acts, or a lewd exhibition of the genitals; and (iii) taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value as to minors.”
Administrative Authority: The entity that must make the relevant certification for the purposes of CIPA.
Potential School Administrative Authorities
school board
school district
local educational agency
other authority responsible for athe dministration of a school
Potential Library Administrative Authorities
library
library board
other authority with responsibility for administration of the library
New For 2019
As of FY2019, Voice Services will no longer be eligible. That means any voice service, including VoIP, voicemail, and hard lines.
While the CIPA requirements make intuitive sense, the E-Rate process requires attention to detail. Applicants and service providers must wade hip-deep in bureaucratic alphabet soup. The reading is dull while at times being confusing. Consider hiring a temporary worker or contractor, or temporarily re-assigning a staff-person to the task in that first funding year at least. While the potential to get 90% off of services is clearly worth it, the amount of time and effort requires planning.
by Felicien | Sep 20, 2018 | Education
A compromised endpoint gives hackers everything they need to get a foothold in your security network. Once there, they can steal data and potentially hold it for ransom. That’s why it’s so important for business owners to secure their critical endpoints (including desktops, servers, and laptops). Otherwise, you could be leaving the front door wide open to hackers.
Today’s attackers have learned how to bypass traditional antivirus software by using file-less attacks. These types of attacks can hide within sanctioned applications or even within the operating system. Even if you’re vigilant about installing antivirus updates and patching, your organization may still be at risk.
What Are Endpoints?
Endpoints in networks are computer hardware items within the TCP/IP connections, which may include desktops, laptops, smartphones, tablet devices, printers, meters, terminals, smartphones and mobile devices, clients, and other forms of hardware.
Endpoint protection (EPP) has evolved to encompass code-based hacking, but the approach is often not adopted as organizations chose to use a legacy solution due to convenience or a lack of sufficient familiarity. Online sources including MSSP report this is common, but improvements in EPP will lead to more mainstream adoption. Meanwhile, current users may find that their existing network and operational variables demand some kind of improvement.
What Should I Know About Current Endpoint Security Risks?
One sign of a demand for improvement is continuing to use an antivirus program operating on a signature base. This form of technology is considered to be too slow to keep up with so-called ‘zero day attacks,’ or malware programs that are integrated with other coding. Users should expect potential vulnerability with such programming, and devices that are not updated daily are considered vulnerable to ongoing malware threats. Additionally, signature sets (lists of operational protocol) can become so large that they run into the limit issue, leading legacy vendors to drop them, which creates a demand for new solutions that do not use signatures.
Another potential reason you may need to address your EPP is the increase in ‘ransomware’ attacks. Ransomware, hacks designed to block user access until funds are provided to the hacker, has become increasingly destructive in the past few years. All it takes is one careless user who clicks on a link in an email, and your entire database could be locked until the ransom is paid.
Demands for improved management of antivirus software and continuing to use on-site antivirus management servers may also be grounds for improving EPP. You should be able to manage your entire antivirus system from your cloud, and if you cannot, you should consider updating and improving your system. Meanwhile, however, you should take care to ensure that any increased internet connectivity involved with a system improvement does not involve increased vulnerability. If you are able to manage your antivirus system from your cloud, but it does not seem to be sufficiently organized or efficient, you may benefit from substantial restructuring.
Other practical reasons for investment in End Point Protection integrations or improvements include a developed distrust of your current system. Directly targeting EPP can be more efficient and effective.
If you are still doing regular background scans, or your new machines seem slower than you think they should be, you may want to consider improving your EPP. The newer generations of antiviral protection do not require background scanning. Traditional processes for security may be insufficient in addressing the range of possible endpoint attacks.
What is Current In Research And Development?
Many software and strategy developments have taken place to address relevant needs. Amid a range of scholarly and professional research efforts, several patents have been developed in an attempt to optimize a range of relevant security functions and features.
A patent for automated configuration has been developed to optimize efficiency, using a client security application for an EPP system capable of selecting configuration based on the state of the network. The application can then be used to run security processes managed through the configuration.
Another patent has been developed for scalable cloud-based EPP, which allows users to maintain security policies based on endpoint combinations. Configuration and command information is entered and transmitted with an API server. The endpoint then maintains communication with it in ongoing security processes.
Another recent patent has been designed for relevant structures, processes, and operational systems for End Point Protection. Examples of content in this patent include an execution system based on inputs passed to execution only following a separate validation process, and a security structure based on multiple processors and communication channels.
Such developments are expected to become increasingly available and integrated in improved software and technologies over time.
What’s The Bottom Line?
EPP improvements may be demanded for many essential reasons
Many additional indirectly relevant factors are also important to consider
Recent developments show potential for further improvements
by Felicien | Sep 19, 2018 | Education
Microsoft is offering an early version of the new Outlook on the web for you to sample. If you open your Outlook Live Mail Inbox, in the top right corner, you should see a “Try the new Outlook” toggle. By clicking the toggle, you’ll open new Outlook on the web modules for Mail, Calendar, and People. Microsoft gives you the option to try it out and go back and forth to the different versions by simply clicking the toggle.
What’s in the New Version?
As with all change, the adjustment can take a little time, but more often than not, Microsoft makes changes that improve the use of their products and services in the long run. Let’s take a look at some of the new updates to help your navigation and adjustment to the new version of Outlook go smoother.
Files and Images are Easier to Find
Nothing is more frustrating than digging around in your email trying to find a file that a colleague or client has sent to you. The new Outlook on the web has made finding files and images much easier. Located on the bottom left you will see a file icon. When you click on the icon only emails that have files attached to them are listed for you. If you are specifically looking for an attached file that is an image, you can narrow your search by clicking on images once you are in the file’s module.
Eliminating the hassle of looking for a file in your inbox is a pretty big deal. Now file finding doesn’t need to be a time-consuming exercise anymore. Make sure you take advantage of the Files module that Microsoft has added in the new Outlook on the web.
Searching for Emails Quickly
Now, with Microsoft’s newest version, Outlook predicts what you’ll be searching for based on your most recent conversations and the customers and team members with whom you communicate and interact the most. The advantage of using all of the Microsoft 365 tools on a daily basis is Microsoft’s advancement in technology gives them the edge by anticipating your moves as you make them. The new intelligent search window will help you find the email you need faster and easier.
Event Creation Simplified in Calendar
You can now quickly add events to your calendar with updated event icons, so you can identify events and see location suggestions to get address details. These eye-catching icons will assist you in recognizing the event before you read all the details of the event. The added visual helps the user in keeping track of their busy schedule with these newly designed event icons.
Outlook’s Suggested Replies
The new Outlook incorporates its intelligent technology to your email by saving you energy and time. The new version will suggest replies that you can click on to quickly respond when you don’t need to type an elaborate response. For example, when your boss gives you a new task, one of the suggested replies could be, “I’m on it.” Click on it, and the email automatically sends the reply in seconds without you having to even click send.
The All-inclusive Add-in Feature
The new Outlook on the web has streamlined how you retrieve add-ins by giving you more control to what you use the most. Outlook add-ins are simply your favorite apps that Outlook allows you to add to your inbox, giving you the ability to accomplish tasks faster. You can save an email straight to your notebook, translate emails quickly, and even pay bills and receive payments with the add-ins. All the popular apps, such as Evernote, Gfycat, Boomerang, MojiLaLa Microsoft Translator, PayPal, GIPHY, and Trello can be added to your inbox.
Better Techniques to Manage Your Groups
Office 365 Groups help you with your group-based collaboration. This service is a vital part of many teams that use Outlook. The new Outlook on the web has improved its current features by offering speedier and easier group creation abilities, richer and sleeker business group cards, and a more user-friendly group email triage. The new version also has some great features such as a group Files view that spotlights group managing in the People module, as well as the latest file actions.
Favorites Stick Out Front and Center
Although many work emails are important, there are those specific emails that you can’t miss. An email from your boss or an important client are both examples of emails that you might want to read right away. The Favorites feature is made for those important messages. You can add specific folders, people, or categories to your Favorites to keep them front and center for your attention.
To learn more about the features included in Outlooks early version, click HERE.
by Felicien | Sep 19, 2018 | Education
What Is Phishing?
Phishing is the act of sending phony emails to people for the purpose of tricking them into revealing their user name and password. The sender pretends to represent an organization that has a viable reason to make an information request. For instance, you might get a genuine-looking email that looks just like it’s from Paypal. The sender will be claiming that there’s something wrong with your Paypal account. They want you to click on their link and go to your Paypal site and then log in and change your password or some other action.
Should you follow their instructions? No! These are cyber thieves trying to get your personal and financial information. Their goal is to steal from you. Hacking has become big business around the globe.
Microsoft Office 365: How It Works
Office 365 is a longstanding software package developed by Microsoft. It includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other commonly used software applications that are used in business. Office 365, unlike previous versions of these applications, operates through yearly subscriptions. Updates are performed regularly. You have access to the latest programs so you can work more efficiently both at home and in the office.
There are good reasons to operate under a yearly subscription plan using these programs. They’re always current and up-to-date and you never have to worry about maintenance issues. Office 365 is available for phones, tablets, computers and you can work from anywhere there’s an internet connection. Microsoft has consistently created the best security programs and systems to guard its products from hackers. And yet, cyber thieves are finding ways around these security protocols.
What Potential Is There For Phishing Scams?
Any hacker can potentially claim that they represent Microsoft. These thieves have been able to replicate an authentic email very well. People who are not paying attention might fall for one of these phony emails. These hackers can sound like they have a viable reason to request information or actions that could place the account holder at risk.
Using good business imagery and closely matching email addresses, recipients may be fooled. Hackers can easily cut and paste company logos into these emails to make them even more convincing. Meanwhile, users that fail to take a second look may be fooled. They can inadvertently reveal log-in information, credit card numbers, or banking information.
Can Hackers Get Around Microsoft’s Security Features?
Recently, hackers have been using certain phishing methods to bypass the current Safe Links security features found in Office 365 software. Safe Links have been a basic aspect of the organization’s Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) program, which has been helping to protect businesses from receiving damaging links that are sent through phishing.
These links scan the URL in attempt to match it to those entered into a stored blacklist, notifying the user of detections. By using tags in HTML headers, hackers have been able to bypass the detection of harmful listings.
Many users of Outlook have been affected by this approach, and while Gmail’s security has evolved well enough to avoid these kinds of bypasses, similar updates are recommended for Microsoft. SecurityWeek explained that users now have the capacity to block URLs on gateways. While this has helped prevent attacks, software developers will be required to address all these new threats as they design their software programs.
Microsoft has been updating aspects of its security to increasingly protect against the improvements of phishing and hacking actions. Along with their central ATP features, which allow users to customize their account settings, users can create their own system-tailored anti-phishing policy. It will update across the range of datacenters within 30 minutes of activation.
These help but there is now a full range of phishing attack types, including ‘spearfishing’ and ‘whaling.’ These both target specific individuals in an organization—normally someone in a high position such as CEO and CFO.
One of the problems with Office 365 security is that ATP is not available with the basic subscription. Users must purchase the security feature or a different version of the software in order to get the best protection against the latest hacking schemes. Once the additional protection is purchased, users should optimize the wide range of settings available within advanced ATP features to get the best security.
According to The Hacker News, cyber theives have been adding words hidden to the user, reducing their font size to zero, in efforts to make phishing emails appear normal to security code while bypassing its detection features. This method has been used to improve the potential and frequency of phishing scams. There’s now a greater demand for updated security features that are able to detect writing with a font size of 0.
CSO reported that there has been an increase in phishing scam types, and while the zero-font method may be addressed with security code improvements, another type of bypass method will likely be developed by hackers.
What Should I Do?
Microsoft recommends that users follow common practices in addition to optimizing program features to best protect against hacking scams. These may include:
Learn about ATP and its advanced features and security upgrades.
Establish an optimized ATP policy for your business.
Learn about ATP anti-phishing policy options.
Set up an ATP anti-phishing policy that addresses your company’s distinct needs.
Research and upgrade security options and features as needed.
Continue to follow statistics and trends regarding hacking and the efforts of cyber-thieves.
