by Felicien | Dec 1, 2017 | Education
Google Hangouts is a convenient and user-friendly way to have a video call with clients, coworkers, or friends. These meetings can be easily recorded for playback later or to upload to YouTube. Of course, this video meeting software is designed to work with G Suite, Google’s suite of products that includes Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Calendar for business.
While you may be running G Suite for all your business needs, or maybe you just enjoy their Hangouts app, not everyone you need to chat or meet with will be a Google user. Google realized this and has made it possible for users of the other guys (Microsoft, Yahoo, etc.) to join your Hangouts. The process is pretty simple, really.
Google give external users the ability to join a Hangouts call if the call is added to the Google calendar or someone already on the call invites them during the call. To make this process even simpler, all you have to do is supply the person you are wanting to have in the call, with the link. This way, as long as they have the link they can request access to your Hangouts call.
Having external users available for the calls in Hangouts has several advantages, including:
External users can always request access to video calls using the meeting link. There’s no need for them to be invited, and there’s no need to have to share manually enabled.
It provides the best experience when using non-Google software to join Hangouts calls. Allowing guest to request access by default provides the best experience.
Simplifies access to video calls when G Suite accounts are not provided to all users.
Ensures all users in your company are allowed to request to join when being migrated.
Allowing external guests to join by default is an easy menu option that can be turned on before the Hangouts call gets underway. All you need is the link, then visit the menu:
Sign-in to the Google Admin console
Find apps, then click on G Suite, then Talk/Hangouts
Click Global Settings
Under Hangouts video calls, click All Classic Hangouts video calls begin with external guests allowed to request access…
The user only needs to click the link or put it into a browser, where they will be prompted to input their name when they click the link to request access. Google account not required.
IMPORTANT: Someone in your company must approve the external guest that is requesting access who is trying to get in through the link.
Inviting users without a G Suites account opens up a world of collaboration, but it also comes with a few restrictions. For example, external users are restricted to presenting and participating in the call, but cannot use text chat or other Hangout apps. External guests are able to join your Hangouts meeting from a PC, Mac, tablet, smartphone, or Chromebox.
by Felicien | Dec 1, 2017 | Education
The Leading Ways Cybercriminals Target Consumers and Businesses During the Holidays
As the holiday season is now upon us, everyone is starting to get in the spirit. Decorations are going up, shopping malls are getting busy and gifts are being wrapped. However, unfortunately, the holidays have a tendency to bring out the worst in some people – especially cybercriminals who prey on others for their own gain.
Every year, around this time, reports of hacks and scams skyrocket. Cybercrooks do whatever they can to take advantage of the chaotic holiday shopping environment in order to trick and rob unsuspecting victims. This is easy in a busy online environment, that is especially hectic during the holiday season.
Inboxes fill up quicker than usual with Christmas lists and last minute RSVPs to Christmas dinner. Not to mention the massive amount of order confirmations, online receipts and special holiday promos that come through from retailers. Because of this, our guard is down and we may not be as vigilant at identifying suspicious looking emails. For cybercriminals, this presents an amazing opportunity to deploy phishing scams and play the cyber-Grinch.
Breaking Down the Basics: How do Phishing Scams Work?
Phishing is a form of social engineering that attempts to steal sensitive information. An attacker’s goal is to compromise user systems to obtain usernames, passwords, and/or other account and financial data. Phishing attacks are most commonly deployed through malicious email communications.
The attacker sends legitimate-looking emails to people within an organization. The email usually pretends to be from someone trustworthy, like someone from within the institution, a bank, a shipping company, a credit card company, an airline, or some other site for which a user may have login credentials. The email includes a link to an “official” website that is actually a fake site operated by the attacker.
Once the user visits the fake site, they may be asked overtly to enter account information such as usernames, passwords, credit card details, social security or bank account numbers. The victim may also be exposed to malware by visiting the fake site. Taking advantage of a variety of vulnerabilities in the browser, the attacker may be able to install a Trojan Horse on the user’s computer.
If done correctly, the attack can capture sensitive information without the victim even knowing that they have been compromised. In some cases, malware can also be embedded in an email attachment, so when users open a bogus attachment, their system encounters the malware.
Holiday High Alert: The Leading Phishing Scams Cybercriminals Use During the Holidays
Unfortunately, phishing scams are far from the only cyber threat out there causing trouble for businesses and consumers alike during the holiday season. However, phishing does tend to be the most prevalent. To stay on high-alert, let’s outline the top six phishing scams that consumers and businesses are facing this holiday season:
Fake Receipts and Invoices
This is one of the most popular kinds of phishing scams because it has the ability to sneak malware past IT security measures. By hiding the malicious code in an email attachment, labeled as a receipt or invoice, the standard phishing traps don’t catch the scam. This is especially useful during the holidays when so much holiday shopping takes place online. Usually, a random invoice from Amazon or The Gap would register as suspicious, but with the holidays around the corner, many would open the attachment without thinking twice.
Fake Shipping Status Alerts
This scam deploys a very similar strategy as the fake receipt scam. Much like bogus receipts and invoices, phishing scam artists create phony shipping notifications or updates to send to busy holiday shoppers. However, this strategy is often more effective, because it doesn’t create a fake purchase, but instead provokes consumer worry by stating deliveries are delayed or canceled. This can understandably make consumers worry that holiday gifts they paid for will be late or won’t come at all. Therefore, phishing scammers take advantage of the fact that a phony UPS delay notice will more than likely get a click during the holiday season.
Fake Flyers and Deals
This scam targets the frugal saver in all of us. With the rush of the holiday season, email users likely see dozens of holiday promo deals arriving in their inbox every week. Links to printable coupons, discount codes and special offers cram the digital information highway. However, during the holiday season, it’s critical to skim through these messages with a keener eye than usual. While there may be some great deals to be scored, phishing scammers also send out emails with malicious links to phony deals and discounts during the holiday hustle and bustle. When users click these malicious links, they’ll soon find out they’re getting no deal and may have lost money or infected their device in the process.
Malicious Embedded Links
Embedded links are one of the most classic phishing scam styles there is. When clicked, malicious links embedded into email messages can download malware to a system or redirect victims to an infected website. We have a rule of thumb for combatting this. Whenever looking at an email with an embedded link, take the time to run your mouse over the hyperlink – no matter how legitimate it may look. While the hyperlink itself may look legitimate, the destination could be malware central. Users may think following the link will take them someplace familiar, but in reality, they’re being directed to malicious, hacker-controlled territory.
Unauthorized Transactions
It’s no secret that keeping tabs on your bank account is a good idea – especially in an increasingly digital marketplace. However, this is especially critical during the holiday season. Trying to keep track of countless holiday shopping purchases can be an uphill battle, but keeping a close eye on changes to your account balance could help you identify fraudulent purchases that aren’t yours. Having payment card data stolen from the internet is easier than ever – all it takes is one website with weak security protocols. Once your payment card details are in the hands of hackers, you’ll be footing the bill for someone else’s shopping list.
Fake Customer Surveys
Finally, fake customer incentive surveys are becoming an increasingly popular method for phishing hackers. Many company’s use online surveys offering cash or gift cards as a reward for completing them. However, scam artists have started using phony ones to phish for personal information from unsuspecting victims. Users can respond by staying vigilant and paying attention to the nature of the survey. The difference between a legitimate offer and a phishing attempt is all in the survey questions. If a survey asks for personal or financial information, it’s extremely likely that the survey is a cybercriminal’s way of stealing your data.
Lessons for Business Owners: Strategies for Holiday Cyber Protection
While most of these phishing scams are targeted at individual consumers, it’s not unlikely for these scams to show up in employee inboxes. If an employee happens to fall victim to one of these attacks on the company network, an infection can be triggered which can be disastrous for businesses. Once the infection is triggered, hackers can navigate the business network to steal personal and sensitive company data.
So, how are is your business supposed to combat this threat? The key is to have open and transparent conversations with your employees. Make sure they’re aware of the risks and work together to develop concrete strategies for protection. If and when employees identify suspicious emails, make sure they know the process – should they report it? Who should they report it too? Should it be deleted immediately or should they have an IT employee review it first? Making sure your team knows what to look for and how to respond is half the battle.
Furthermore, talk to your IT department or provider to ensure that you have reliable and strategic network security measures in place and that your firewall, antivirus, and antimalware programs are all up-to-date with the latest patches. Making sure your security strategy is operating correctly will help you avoid the holiday humbug scam-artists.
Wondering if your IT security strategy is up to snuff? Thinking about training your employees with concrete strategies for vigilance? Reach out to a local IT firm for guidance and consultation. The holiday season is busy and cybercriminals never take vacation – sometimes checking in with professionals makes all the difference.
by Felicien | Dec 1, 2017 | Education
Take Advantage of the IRS 179 Deduction Before the End of 2017!
The IRS 179 Deduction was enacted to help small businesses like yours by allowing you to take a depreciation deduction for certain assets in one year, rather than depreciating them over a longer period of time.
It allows you to take an outright deduction equal to the full purchase price of a qualifying piece of equipment. This means you can lessen your taxable income, and ultimately your tax burden.
Reduce your tax liability by acquiring new technology before the end of 2017. Section 179 is only available to U.S. companies until the end of the 2017 calendar year.
The Section 179 Deduction
Taking a deduction on an asset in its first year is called a “Section 179 Deduction.” You reap a huge benefit by taking the full deduction for the cost of an asset immediately, rather than spreading it out over its useful life.
Who Gets the Depreciation?
The owner of the equipment—As the owner, you get the benefits of depreciation. For example, if you buy technology or other equipment for your business, under Section 179 you can deduct the full cost in the first year. This makes sense because we all know that technology has a short or useful life.
Depreciation is a means for you to recover the cost of a purchased asset over time through periodic deductions or offsets in income. It’s considered a tax benefit because depreciation deductions cause a reduction in taxable income, thereby lowering a firm’s tax liability.
What Type of Equipment Qualifies for Depreciation?
Equipment that’s purchased under a Capital Lease, cash sale or a dollar buyout, and where you’re considered to be the owner of the equipment and maintain full control over the residual value, qualifies.
What Types of Business Property Does Section 179 Apply To?
The IRS has two general requirements:
The property (called”qualified property”) must be “tangible, depreciable, personal property which is acquired for use in the active conduct of a trade or business.” Land and buildings are not qualified property, but most other property, including office equipment, technology, and vehicles, qualifies.
The property must be purchased and put into service in the year in which you claim the deduction. Putting an asset into service means that you have it set up and working, and you’re using it in your business. Buying a piece of property and then letting it sit and gather dust doesn’t count.
To take advantage of the 179 Deduction, the technology equipment you purchase must be set up and running by the end of 2017.
What Types of IT Equipment Are Eligible For the 179 Deduction?
Routers and Firewalls (These should be replaced every 2-3 years for security purposes.)
Switches (Take advantage of the newer, faster switches that are available today.)
Wireless Access Points (More and more devices rely on wireless connections for roaming across your facility.)
Off-the-Shelf Software (software that’s not customized for your business)
Servers (These should be replaced every 5 years.)
Phone Systems (VoIP or traditional)
Backup & Disaster Recovery Appliances (Do you have a reliable system that will support your business if you suffer from a natural or manmade disaster?)
Workstations and Monitors (Consider adding a 2nd monitor for your key staff to increase productivity.)
Laptops and Ultrabooks (New technology is available with much longer battery life.)
Scanners (Today’s scanners are faster and allow you to scan multiple documents at once.)
Battery Backups (You need these when the power goes down.)
Storage SAN- Storage Area Networks, RAID-Redundant Array of Independent Disks, etc. (Digital picture files now require a lot more storage today.)
Deductions are all about limiting your tax burden by reducing your taxable income. Taxable income is defined as gross income, or adjusted gross income, minus any deductions or exemptions allowed in the tax year. An example of a deduction or exemption is depreciation.
Limitations on Deductions:
An aggregate cap on the Section 179 Deduction of $500,000.
A 50% Bonus Depreciation is generally taken after the $500,000 Section 179 Spending Cap is reached.
The deduction cannot reduce taxable income below $0.
What Doesn’t Qualify for Depreciation?
A Fair Market Value (FMV) Lease, (sometimes called a True Lease or an Operating Lease). It generally has lower monthly payments than a Capital Lease or a bank loan, and it’s most often used as a shorter-term lease, unlike a Capital Lease. FMV lease payments are 100% tax deductible as an operating expense but not a capital expense since the equipment is not seen as a purchase. Rental Agreements don’t qualify either because you’re not the owner of the equipment.
Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS)
Here’s how the traditional MACRS method works: For example, if you have a Gross Income of $100,000, and you buy out a $1 phone system valued at $100,000, the MACRS method of depreciation only allows you to depreciate 20% in the first year ($100,000 x 20% = $20,000 in depreciation).
$100,000 Gross Income
– $20,000 Depreciation
$80,000 Taxable Income (You’ll pay tax on this amount.)
The 179 Deduction Saves You Money.
Here’s how the Section 179 Deduction works: If you have a Gross Income of $100,000, and you buy out a $1 phone system valued at $100,000, the 179 Deduction method of depreciation allows you to depreciate the full amount ($100,000).
$100,000 Gross Income
-$100,000 Depreciation
$0 Taxable Income
This is a significant and impactful advantage that you should take advantage of if you want to buy equipment and lessen your tax burden.
What’s a Bonus Depreciation?
If you bought a total of $2,000,000 in qualifying fixed assets under Section 179, you can depreciate $500,000 of this amount in the first year.
The Bonus Depreciation allows you to depreciate the remaining $1,500,000 at 50% ($750,000).
Then, you can also take your 20% 1st-year MACRS on the $750,000 that didn’t get the Bonus Depreciation (another $150,000!).
Here’s the breakdown:
Total 2017 Equipment Purchases $2,000,000
1st year write off -$500,000
Bonus depreciation -$750,000
MACRs -$150,000
Total 1st Year Deduction $1,400,000
This is a huge saving you should definitely take advantage of.
Along with the holiday shopping rush, business owners and managers are rushing to purchase computers, software and other technology equipment before the Section 179 Deduction allowance expire December 31, 2017. If you’re considering a large technology purchase you should do so now to take advantage of this special 100% tax deduction.
Remember:
Section 179 is only available to U.S. companies until the end of the calendar year.
Taking advantage of Section 179 and/or Bonus Depreciation could be the most profitable decision you make in 2017.
Always consult your tax advisor to confirm how you can benefit from this or other tax breaks.
by Felicien | Dec 1, 2017 | Education
A Timeline of Important Rollout Dates for Microsoft Office 2019
Recently, Microsoft announced the development of a brand-new Office suite, appropriately named Microsoft Office 2019. However, aside from mentioning that the new suite would launch sometime in late 2018, the Microsoft camp has been pretty quiet about the specific rollout and release dates.
However, Office 365 is just as much a service as it is a software. This is a helpful fact because as a service model the new Office Suite will require a series of predictable dates so business users can prepare. Those dates will include release schedules, maintenance milestones as well as key support expiration dates.
This makes anticipating important dates in the transition from Office 2016 to Office 2019 possible. To ensure your business is up-to-date and prepared for the Office 2019 release, check out this timeline of important dates.
Outlook 2019 Release Phase 1 – Preview: Summer 2018
Earlier this year, Microsoft released a statement claiming that previews of the new Office 2019 application would start shipping by mid-year, 2018. As a result, many in the tech industry have been making estimations for an actual date and Computerworld has placed their bet on July 10th, 2018.
Computerworld’s guess is strong, because of July 10th, 2018 is the scheduled date for the release of what Microsoft has coded the “Semi-Annual Channel” of Office 365 ProPlus. For clarity, ProPlus is the suite that provides the rights to locally installed applications, including Excel, Outlook, and Word for Office 365 subscribers. Because licensed versions of Office 2019 will be built from code already released as Office 365 ProPlus, it’s most likely that Microsoft will use the March 2018 feature upgrade for Office 365 ProPlus subscribers as the basis for Office 2019.
Microsoft’s ProPlus release calendar notes that the March 2018 feature upgrade will ship March 13th, 2018. Then on July 10th, 2018, that same upgrade will be issued through Microsoft’s Semi-Annual Channel, otherwise known as the main distribution channel for the majority of Office users. The July 10th release will be built from more stable coding that has already been tested by some customers between March and July.
This gives Microsoft the chance to identify and address bugs before bringing a preview to the entire market. March to July technically serves as a test-and-fix period – during which each feature of the Office 2019 suite can be examined and optimized based on user experience. Simply put, it gives Microsoft a chance to pilot and validate their applications and add-ons before going fully public to preview the new solution.
So, while it’s just an educated guess, business owners should mark July 10th on their calendars. This won’t be the official release of Office 2019, but will likely be the time that the official preview will begin arriving on company desktops via update.
Outlook 2019 Release Phase 2 – Official Release: September 2018
Alright, so a preview is great, but many are probably wondering – when is Office 2019 going to be released in full? According to experts, business owners should expect the official Office 2019 release on September 11th, 2018. Many are putting their money on this date because it’s also the scheduled delivery date for Microsoft’s second 2018 feature upgrade.
September also has a bit of historical relevance when it comes to Office release dates. Back in September of 2015, Microsoft released Office 2016 to Office 365 customers as an alternative to previously used Office 2013 apps. On the same day – September 22nd, 2015 – Microsoft also brought the one-time-purchase, perpetual license version of Office 2016 to market. So, chances are September has been slated as official ‘release month’ in the Microsoft camp.
Outlook 2019 Release Phase 3 – Support Expiration: September 2019
Jumping ahead to about a year post-release – and roughly 18 months from the preview state – the initial Office 2019 build will be removed from the Microsoft support list. This date is easiest to guess because eighteen months is the standard support lifetime of any individual Office 365 ProPlus feature upgrade.
However, there will be a slight difference with Office 2019 as compared to Office 2016. While Office 2019 is prefaced by a software-as-a-service model, Office 2016 was not – it was preceded by the traditionally developed Office 2013. So, even though Microsoft had to make an explicit announcement earlier this year about phasing Office 2013 applications out of Office 365, they won’t have to take this extra step when phasing out Office 2016. Office 2016 apps will have aged out of Office 365 support automatically.
In terms of the potential lifecycle for Office 2019, the online version will follow the above pattern and simply be replaced by new versions as they’re released. The licensed version of Office 2019 will be supported for the typical 10 years, likely until early 2029. However, five years prior – likely in 2024, Microsoft will cut off Office 2019 applications from connecting to any Microsoft-provided service.
It should also be noted that according to new rules released by Microsoft, owners of perpetual-license versions of Office will be able to use those services only during the first half of their 10-year support lifecycle, the section of the lifecycle that Microsoft describes as “mainstream.” These services include Microsoft-hosted Exchange email, OneDrive for Business and Teams.
However, Microsoft will only start enforcing this rule starting Oct. 13th, 2020, making Office 2019 the first to fall under its mandate. Office 365 ProPlus – the applications from the 2019 suite provided to subscribers – will not be affected by the changes.
Looking Forward: Preparing for Continued Microsoft Evolution
No matter the shape, size or industry, all businesses who rely on Microsoft Office – either online or off – should keep a finger on the pulse of Microsoft updates and potential release dates. We try to stay as informed as possible so we can help our clients better optimize Microsoft software. Coming to understand planned product previews, updates, releases and support expirations will ensure that your business is never left out in the cold with old or outdated software solutions.
While the dates in this timeline are speculative, they provide a great framework for preparation. Having a loose guide of important rollout dates can help business owners plan for change accordingly and understand the specific ways – if any – their Microsoft service will change. Additionally, using this guide to compare the support differences between license and subscription versions of Office 2019 can help business owners make more strategic decisions about which solution best supports business needs.
However, all the talk about Semi-Annual Channel and updated coding can understandably leave business owners scratching their heads. If you’re looking to get a better handle on these different rollout phases and what they’ll mean for your business, reach out our team anytime.
by Felicien | Nov 30, 2017 | Education
The popular photo-sharing site Imgur was a victim of a data breach in 2014 that saw 1.7 million email addresses and passwords. The site put out a blog post on November 24th, 2017 notifying its users of the breach after its password algorithm was cracked.
Imgur was notified by Troy Hunt, who runs the data breach notification site Have I Been Pwned. Hunt notified the photo sharing site on Thursday, November 23rd after he was sent data that included the Imgur users.
Imgur’s CEO and its Vice President of Engineering, who securely received the data in order to verify that it was indeed from their users. Imgur did verify that the stolen data does not include information such as real names, addresses, or phone numbers, as the site doesn’t ask its users for such information.
The incident is still under investigation and Imgur CEO Roy Sehgal said that attackers likely cracked the site’s password encryption through “brute force”, due to an older algorithm. The algorithm has since been replaced and updated.
Imgur encourages users to make sure that they are using different password and username combinations on each of their online accounts. Also, it’s a good idea to reset your passwords for each account as well.
In the wake of recent data breaches and ransomware attacks, there are a few things to keep in mind to protect your data, both online and offline:
Stay up to date on software patches
Use a different password for each online account and don’t make any of them the same
Encrypt sensitive files
Back up your files
Cybersecurity is a big deal and a big job. But it is never foolproof. You have to stay vigilant and uncompromising in your security measures. Don’t let hackers take what you’ve worked so hard to build.
