by Felicien | Oct 22, 2019 | Education
Now may be a good time to invite in cybersecurity specialists to evaluate your system and recommend ways to avoid cyber threats in 2020.
Techradar gurus predict that 2020 cyber threats will look a lot like the cast of characters responsible for many of the breaches that have occurred over the past few years. Here’s what to avoid in the coming year:
Email fraud
Ransomware attacks
More attacks on cloud environments
What Email Vulnerabilities Will Be Exploited?
Email remains a major entry point for hackers. Credential theft, business email compromise and malware are likely to thwart the efforts of countless network administrators. Here are the areas that are most vulnerable to attack and what to do about it:
Credential theft is the most effective way to gain access to secured databases. Targeted and mass-mailed attacks are equally effective. It only takes two or three people falling victim to attacks to pave the way for additional phishing emails disguised as trusted senders. It’s important to find out if your company can identify compromised credentials and block phishing emails.
Business email compromise is sometimes an advanced form of credential theft, with attackers posing as known senders. Attackers also insert themselves into email conversations from internal or external sources. They can then modify key data, such as bank routing information. Some companies have lost millions this way. To protect your company, offer user training to show employees how to avoid suspicious emails.
Dropping bots and malware: people still attach documents, such as invoices and shipping notices, to emails. Does your company have controls around email to identify and block malware attachments, disguised as legitimate documents?
Will Ransomware Attacks Continue?
Ransomware incidents account for a third of attacks that have the biggest impact. Ransomware causes considerable disruption from financial losses to systems unavailability. Recovery usually takes 5-10 days, with many weeks of validation and cleanup to follow.
For network admins, ransomware attacks often occur after hours or on weekends. Along with upgrades and patching, you should expect to spend more hours testing solutions that arise, such as firewall updates and advanced security protocols.
What Old Tricks Will Be Targeted at Cloud Environments?
Despite the lightning-fast pace of technology, it seems like old enemies will continue showing up where they’re least wanted. Brute force logins, PowerShell and RDP attacks and credential stuffing are not yet things of the past.
However, the battlefield may well move to the cloud, as more businesses migrate to off-premise data storage and application support. To prepare for this new wave of cyberattacks, ensure that your security team or managed service provider has visibility and control over your SaaS, IaaS and PaaS systems.
With the new year looming, now may be a good time to invite in cybersecurity specialists, who can evaluate your system and recommend ways to improve your network’s security and performance.
by Felicien | Oct 22, 2019 | Education
Fitbit, a leader in health and technology, has recently introduced a new digital product to help individuals reach their goals faster with a more manageable approach.
Fitbit Care is a combination of the company’s popular fitness tracking devices with a new health coaching platform that addresses everything from wellness and prevention to chronic conditions and complex care management. Designed to promote wellness and improve disease management and prevention with tailored health and wellness services for a more personalized application. This exciting new enterprise attained through the acquisition of Twine Health, a small Boston-based software startup, will continue to support the fitness tracking Fitbit is known for while also addressing services like medication adherence, smoking cessation and managing chronic conditions.
Fitbit Care will be offered via the company’s business-to-business unit, Fitbit Health Solutions. Following in the footsteps of Apple and Amazon as they move into the healthcare system the health coaching platform was designed for integration into organizations with healthcare professionals on staff or businesses that include health plans, workforce health providers, and health systems. The Fitbit Care approach focuses on key tenets of behavioral psychology and learning science as the core principles of the application. By putting people at the center of their own health journey it offers personalized care with more sustainable behavior changes with offers better long-term results. at the core of the experience. Users enrolled in the care plans also have access to health coaches, who will offer personalized fitness and exercise plans along with other wellness advice. The coaching sessions are offered through remote communication and face-to-face meetings. Individuals who are enrolled in the health coaching component of Fitbit will have access to the new Fitbit Plus app, which allows users to track metrics including blood glucose, blood pressure, and medication adherence, both from Fitbit and other third-party connected devices. The social component of connecting through groups also encourages healthy behavior as users keep each other accountable, motivated and encouraged as they exercise together in social groups. This enables an entire team to participate in the health coaching experience.
According to the Fitbit Care website clients have seen dramatic increases in coach panel size, often upwards of 300% in some cases. The main goal is for users to have the ability to connect with their doctors through the Fitbit Care platform. This new premium fitness coaching feature will allow doctors to have the ability to check on a user’s daily metrics and stay up-to-date on the effectiveness of the treatment for specific issues. Essentially, Fitbit wants to be the one place everyone connects over health and supporting patients beyond the walls of the doctor’s office is a big step in this direction by providing accountability, support, guidance and resources that remove some of the most difficult barriers in healthcare outcomes.
by Felicien | Oct 19, 2019 | Education
Can I Use Windows 7 After January 14, 2020 or Do I Have to Upgrade to Windows 10?
If you’re still running Microsoft’s Windows 7 on your computer, maybe it’s time to upgrade to Windows 10. After January 14, 2020, Windows 7 won’t be supported.
If you are using Windows 7 on your computer, you need to be aware that after January 14, 2020, Microsoft won’t release any additional updates or support for Windows 7. Even though Windows 10 has been available for about four years, Windows 7 (which was originally released on October 22, 2009), is still running on millions of computers worldwide. Since all of the Windows 7 support will end on the deadline of January 14, Windows 7 OS has been displaying ”end of support” notifications. If you’re receiving these notifications, that means your computer is still running Windows 7. Many current Windows 7 users wonder if they can still use Windows after January 14, and what will happen to Windows 7 after that date. To help decide what to do, here is a list of FAQs and answers.
Can I still use Windows 7 after January 14, 2020?
Yes, you can continue using Windows 7 after January 14, 2020. Windows 7 will continue to run as it is today. However, you should upgrade to Windows 10 before January 14, 2020, because Microsoft will be discontinuing all technical support, software updates, security updates, and any other fixes after that date. Your computer will become less secure without any updates the longer you go without them.
What will happen to Windows 7 after January 14, 2020?
Nothing will happen to Windows 7. But one of the problems that will happen is, without regular updates, Windows 7 will become vulnerable to security risks, viruses, hacking, and malware without any support. You may continue to get “end of support” notifications on your Windows 7 home screen after January 14. However, anyone still running Windows 7 Professional and/or Enterprise editions can purchase extended security updates through January 2023.
Can I reinstall and activate Windows 7 after 2020?
Yes. You should be able to install or reinstall, then activate Windows 7 after January 14, 2020. However, you won’t get any updates via Windows Update, and Microsoft will no longer offer any kind of support to Windows 7.
Can I upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 10 for free?
The free Windows 7 to Windows 10 upgrade is expired which means that you will need to buy a Windows 10 license in order to upgrade to Windows 10.
Can I upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 10 without losing programs and data?
Most programs and data should be transferrable to Windows 10, but you should back up your computer or network before you upgrade in case any problems crop up.
Does my current PC’s hardware support Windows 10?
If your computer is running Windows 7, it should be able to run Windows 10. In other words, the minimum requirement for both Windows 7 and Windows 10 are the same. It’s recommended that you use the official Media Creation Tool to upgrade, because it will scan your computer for any compatibility issues before you upgrade.
Is Windows 10 better than Windows 7?
Yes. Windows 10 is a better operating system than Windows 7. And, Windows 7 is 10 years old, and can’t give your computer the security level needed now.
Can I try Windows 10 before buying it?
Yes. You can follow the instructions to download the Windows ISO file guide to the most recent version of Windows 10. It will tell you how to prepare a bootable USB of Windows 10, and then you can install in alongside Windows 10 to try it out.
How do I upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10?
The process of upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 10 is easy to follow when you go through the steps outlined for the official Media Creation Tool. And most importantly, backup your computer BEFORE you download Windows 10.
by Felicien | Oct 18, 2019 | Education
Ghosts, ghouls, and monsters, OH MY…
Are you planning to let them into your network?
Seriously…
Cybercrime is rising at an incredible rate.
A network is attacked every 39 seconds.
What’s the quickest way to let these bloodcurdling creatures into your network?
Run outdated technology, that’s all.
Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2008 R2 will no longer be supported come January 14th, 2020.
No more security patches or bug fixes = a gravesite filled with the WORST of the worst.
Get outta there before it’s too late!
RUN, FAST. (but don’t forget to call us to start phasing these technologies out!)
Questions? Give us a call or send us an email.
by Felicien | Oct 17, 2019 | Education
Insert a PDF Into a Word Doc
Need to know how to add a PDF to a Word document? Head here and learn two tried-and-true techniques for seamlessly adding PDFs to any Microsoft Word doc.
Have you ever needed to insert a PDF file into a Word document?
Let’s say you’ve found a relevant chart or graph in a PDF file that you’d like to insert into a report you’re writing in Microsoft Word as a static image. Or, let’s say you want to insert an entire PDF file into a Word document as a linked object.
Below, we’ll explain just how to do both of these tasks using your Windows computer and the following versions of Word:
Word 2010
Word 2013
Word 2016
Word 2019
Word for Office 365
Before we explain these procedures, however, let’s explain what a PDF file is.
What Is a PDF file?
A PDF file is a type of file. PDF stands for portable document format. This format allows you to view a document of text, graphics, or both in a layout that appears as if it’s a printed document. Users can view PDF files on a computer or portable device, print them, or send them electronically.
How do you insert a PDF file into Word as a static image?
To insert a PDF as a static image (that is not expandable or clickable as an object or icon), you’ll first need to convert the PDF to a JPG file. Once you’ve done this, make sure you save the JPG in an easy-to-find location. The following process works best on older versions of Microsoft Word.
1. Open Microsoft Word.
2. Put your cursor in the exact place you want the PDF image to go.
3. Click “Insert” in the menu at the top of Word.
4. Click “Picture.”
5. Within the “Insert Picture” dialog box, find the JPG version of the PDF image you want to insert.
6. Click “Insert,” and the image will be inserted where you last had your cursor.
How do you insert a PDF file into Word as a linked object?
You may want to insert a link to a full PDF file in your Word document. This will result in the first page of the PDF being displayed as a preview. If the preview is clicked, it will bring the user to the full document.
1. Open Microsoft Word.
2. Put your cursor in the exact place you want the PDF file to go.
3. Click “Insert” in the menu at the top of Word.
4. Click “Text.”
5. Click “Object.”
6. Within the dialog box that appears, click “Create From File”
7. Select “Browse” and navigate to the PDF you’d like to insert.
8. Click “Link to File.”
There are other techniques for inserting PDF files into Word documents as well. If the above techniques do not work with your unique device or your specific version of Word, talk to your managed service provider to see how you should go about this procedure.
