by Felicien | Jul 10, 2019 | Education
Just about nothing is more frustrating when using a smartphone than connecting to a sluggish or broken Wi-Fi network. In most places, mobile data is so effective and speedy these days that we just can’t accept a Wi-Fi network performing worse than our mobile networks can.
If you’re dealing with obnoxiously slow speeds on your mobile phone, here are some tips to try.
1. Isolate the Problem
Your first step is to isolate the problem. First, toggle off Wi-Fi altogether. Does your phone respond quickly with Wi-Fi turned off? If so, you’ve determined that Wi-Fi is the problem. You can skip to step 2.
If your phone is still sluggish with Wi-Fi turned off, it’s time to check whether the problem is your connection or the device itself. Use a speed tester, like the app from speedtest.net, to see how fast or slow your cellular connection is. If you get a bad result, you’re likely in a bad coverage area. If you get a good result, though, then your phone’s sluggishness isn’t related to your internet speed. Chances are there is something wrong with the device itself, or perhaps it’s just too old and needs to be replaced.
2. Check Your Router Location
Next, check your router location. Wireless routers have range limits, too. If you’re far away from your router or if there are thick walls or furniture between you and your router, your speed will be diminished. Try operating right next to the router and see if your speeds improve.
The best location for your wireless router is the center of your home or office, away from any walls or furniture. Of course, this is rarely practical. Get creative and find an inventive way to place your router in a good location.
3. Check Router Strength
All routers have limits, and some have a stronger broadcast strength than others. If improving your router’s location doesn’t do enough, you may need to upgrade to a model with a greater range.
4. Watch Out for Noise and Competing Networks
Certain electronic devices create noise that can weaken your Wi-Fi network’s performance. Anything that emits wireless signals or even electromagnetic radiation can interfere. Cordless landline phones, walkie-talkies, and even microwaves can interfere. Position your router away from devices like these.
You also want to watch out for competing networks. The more wireless networks are competing for the same spectrum space, the worse the performance. In a high-density situation like an apartment complex, you may encounter this kind of network crowding. Your wireless router has the ability to change which portion of the wireless spectrum it uses. Review the documentation that came with your router to learn how to do this. You may want to download a Wi-Fi analyzer app to help determine the best spectrum space for you.
5. Consider Network Congestion
Another reason for slow Wi-Fi is network congestion. Your home or business internet bandwidth has its limits. So does public Wi-Fi.
On a lower speed home network, consider who else is using your connection and what they are doing with it. Gaming and streaming can eat up a lot of bandwidth. Perhaps your Wi-Fi is slow because others are using up all your bandwidth. The same principle is in play with public Wi-Fi networks.
If you’ve tried all these steps and still aren’t getting the performance you need, give us a call. We can help you solve your connection issues!
by Felicien | Jul 10, 2019 | Education
You know running a successful business requires much more than just offering a great product or service. It takes constant engagement and collaboration of all of your employees to produce the best results, and it takes your best effort to remain competitive in a crowded marketplace. Collaboration between employees used to mean lots of daily and weekly meetings. Those long hours stuck in the meeting room often wind up taking a toll on productivity, and this loss of productive is quite often negatively reflected in a company’s bottom line.
The good news is that modern technology now provides an alternative to the traditional meeting: Online meetings. Conducting meetings online not only saves employees travel time and the expense of attending a meeting in person, but quality online meeting software provides the tools that make hosting a meeting more convenient and more efficient than ever before.
Many companies used to avoid online meetings because they were complicated to set up, time-consuming to maintain, riddled with technical problems, and expensive to purchase. But now there are no more excuses. Microsoft offers businesses of any size a quick, powerful, and inexpensive way to streamline meetings: Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Teams Rooms.
What is Microsoft Teams and What is Microsoft Team Rooms?
Microsoft Teams is an ideal way to keep everyone who works at your company, as well as your partners and shareholders, in the loop and working in concert. Microsoft Teams is a suite of communication tools, including web-based, allow employees access to secure and private chat, file sharing, critical business apps, and the video meeting software, Team Rooms. Microsoft Team Rooms eliminates many of the hassles and time-sucking aspects of face-to-face meetings while still allowing them to be productive.
Whether you are having a 1-to-1 meeting or hosting a webinar for hundreds of people, Microsoft Team Rooms goes beyond many of the standalone online meeting solutions to give you the features which really matter to you. A few of these standout functions are easy scheduling, one-click joining, automated note-taking, extensive whiteboarding tools, along with the ability uploading files and share desktop screens. The best part is that Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Team Rooms is part of the Office 365 subscription you probably already use!
How Can Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Team Rooms Help to Make Your Next Meeting Better?
When it comes to hosting a productive meeting, you need a system that you can depend on no matter what. Microsoft Team Rooms has you covered by:
Offering a single platform accessible through desktop computers, mobile devices, and dedicated video conferencing systems. Whether your meeting attendees are at your home office, in the field or even at home, accessing Microsoft Team Rooms is a breeze. Everyone will be able to participate fully using one seamless and secure application.
Securing your data. As part of the Office 365 suite of applications, Microsoft Team Rooms reduces the security risk of transmitting your private data using another video conferencing solution. Microsoft is dedicated to protecting your information.
Making administration and maintenance a snap. Even if you have a dedicated in-house IT department, you want it to concentrate on running your business, not your video conferencing software. Setting up Microsoft Team Rooms is intuitive, and if your employees ever run into problems, assistance is always available.
Providing almost infinite scalability. Do you host a variety of meetings from small groups to large webinars? You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on dedicated video conferencing equipment, use any smart monitor or computer-attached screen. Do you have a lot of new hires? They can immediately access Microsoft Team Rooms meetings with their Office 365 account through their computer!
Supporting post-meeting follow-ups. Since Microsoft Team Rooms is part of the Office 365 suite of applications, if you choose, your employees will continue to have access to notes and files after the meeting. This accessibility makes it a snap for your employees to work together and reduces the amount of time it takes to complete a project.
With the quality tools you need to host an online meeting, the collaborative tools you need for your employees to be productive, and a price point you can’t believe, Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Team Rooms are a comprehensive online meeting solution.
by Felicien | Jul 10, 2019 | Education
Without the ability to quickly and easily access the right business productivity software, your office is likely to come grinding to a halt. The basic tools and functionality that businesspeople utilize throughout the world are something that we are so used to we often forget it is there — until something happens and it’s not working! With the latest release of updates to the perennial favorite Microsoft Office suite of software, there are two key options for obtaining licenses and many businesses struggle to determine which is right for their needs. While the core functions of the platforms are nearly identical, there are significant differences in the pricing models as well as how often you receive updates to the software. This quick overview will help you select between the two primary options for Microsoft Office based on your current needs and where your business is headed in the future.
What Is the Difference Between Microsoft Office 365 and Office 2019?
There are a few key differences between the two versions of this most popular business productivity software suite. Office 2019 provides the core functionality of Microsoft Outlook, Access, Excel, Word, PowerPoint and OneNote. This perpetual, on-premise license is valid for a single device and named user. While transferrable, this more traditional license model does have some serious limitations. You won’t receive support, you won’t receive improvements and you’ll be missing some of the cool new AI and cloud features. What you gain is a one-time purchase of software that your business can safely use for years.
With Office 365, Microsoft generously provides a set amount of storage space per license and the licenses are valid for up to 5 total devices so you’re able to work with more flexibility. This includes fully-featured mobile versions of the popular Office software as well as real-time collaboration tools and Skype minutes. New features, patches and bug fixes are dropped on a regular schedule and there are several different plans available so you can select the one that most closely meets your needs.
Which Microsoft Office Option is Best for Startups?
Startup businesses are often running lean and mean, making it difficult to make an early investment in business software. With Microsoft Office 365, you’re able to make a smaller monthly investment in your business software, while funneling any additional funds back into growing your business and attracting customers. Microsoft offers several attractive options for businesses that are just getting started, such as their Microsoft 365 solution, that brings together office productivity software plus Windows platform, cybersecurity options and device management. With a monthly or annual subscription, you will always have the right number of licenses as your business grows and won’t be overpaying for licenses that you’re not quite ready for yet.
Which Microsoft Office Option is Best for Small Businesses?
While it’s relatively easy to make a selection for business startups, small businesses might find that there’s a slightly different value proposition to consider. Some businesses are small simply because they’re in a period of growth and are still scaling up, while others are mature businesses that are considered small by design. If your small business is still in growth mode — regardless of the age of your business — you might be better off selecting Microsoft Office 365 or Microsoft 365 to support all of your business needs. These scalable solutions receive updates in real-time as they’re released and ensure that you are fully covered for all upgrades in the future.
Small businesses that are stable in size and have a fair amount of upfront capital available for purchase may find that the perpetual license option with Microsoft Office 2019 is more attractive. While you’re still receiving the full desktop versions of all the office software that your team needs to be productive, you can save money over time as many businesses keep their Office suite for multiple years without an upgrade. This isn’t necessarily recommended, even though critical security patches will still come through. You might be missing out on new functionality that will help your business move more swiftly or collaborate more cleanly internally and with external customers.
Which Microsoft Office Option is Best for Mid-Size Businesses?
Businesses that are in a stable growth pattern often reach for the more flexible software alternative that leaves resources free to re-invest in the business — Microsoft Office 365. As organizations mature, they are more likely to be multi-site and have more complex needs for management of their licensing, and also the added complexity involved with a larger pool of staff members. With Office 2019, some staff may find that the options are too limiting such as the inability to utilize popular programs on their platform of choice. Windows 10 and MacOS are the only two operating systems supported with Microsoft 2019, and customer support is not available. When you contrast that with the full support for Office 365 and the flexibility to also utilize older Windows operating systems, mid-size businesses may find that Office 365 is a better value for their organization.
There are no hard and fast rules about which solution is right for your business. If your organization runs on multiple platforms with professionals who need to be productive regardless of their physical location, Office 365 may be a better fit. More traditional office settings where there are limited changes and a fair amount of capital to invest may discover that Office 2019 perfectly suits their needs. Microsoft Office is still the choice for the vast majority of business users throughout the world, meaning new employees will be comfortable — and productive — right away.
by Felicien | Jul 9, 2019 | Education
Did you know that your Macintosh webcam could have been hijacked? A serious security flaw in the Zoom video conferencing application joined Mac users to video calls without their permission.
A vulnerability in the MacZoom client allowed malicious websites to enable Mac cameras without users’ permissions. This is a serious flaw that was thankfully discovered by Jonathan Leitschuh.
Jonathan Leitschuh, a US-based security researcher, reported this serious zero-day vulnerability. It allowed any website to forcibly join someone to a Zoom call, and activate their video camera.
Plus, he said that the vulnerability let any webpage cause a Denial of Service (DOS) by repeatedly joining the Mac user to an invalid call.
Even if the user uninstalled the Zoom application from their Mac, it could be re-installed remotely.
What Should Mac Users Do?
To fix this particular issue, Leitschuh advised that Mac users with the Zoom application installed, update it to the latest version of Zoom and then check the box in settings to “Turn off my video when joining a meeting.”
A computer webcam is always a potential gateway for security intrusion. This is why some users put a piece of tape over their webcam just in case.
Zoom Has Since Patched The Vulnerability
The vulnerability has been patched; however, the flaw could have exposed up to 750,000 organizations around the world that use Zoom.
Leitschuh said that the Zoom vulnerability was originally disclosed on March 26, 2019, and that a “quick fix” from Zoom could have been implemented to change their server logic. However, it took them 10 days to confirm the vulnerability. And, it wasn’t until June 11, 2019, that Zoom held their first meeting about how to patch the vulnerability. This was only 18 days before the required 90-day public disclosure deadline.
He said that he contacted Zoom on March 26, giving them the public disclosure deadline of 90 days. Zoom patched the issue, so a webpage couldn’t automatically turn on a webcam, but that this partial fix regressed on July 7th, allowing webcams to once again be turned on without permission.
What Was Zoom’s Response?
“Zoom installs a local web server on Mac devices running the Zoom client…This is a workaround to an architecture change introduced in Safari 12 that requires a user to accept launching Zoom before every meeting. The local web server automatically accepts the peripheral access on behalf of the user to avoid this extra click before joining a meeting. We feel that this is a legitimate solution to a poor user experience, enabling our users to have seamless one-click-to-join meetings, which is our key product differentiator.”
Zoom also reported that they had no record of a Denials of Service or this type of weakness being exploited. They said that they fixed the security flaw back in May.
by Felicien | Jul 9, 2019 | Education
There are everyday warriors in businesses across the country, but these individuals may never have worn the uniform of their country. This next generation of cyber warriors is being groomed by organizations of all sizes in an attempt to overcome the growing skills gap in the cybersecurity world. While many current cybersecurity analysts started in general IT, there are individuals throughout the business and technology world that are moving towards this lucrative career path. Unfortunately, there are few set career paths already in place and no firm list of skills to develop to move in this direction. See what Under Armour’s VP & CISO, Matt Dunlop, is doing to arm the next generation of cyber warriors that he knows his organization desperately needs.
Background of a True Cyber Warrior
One of the key reasons that Matt Dunlop sees the value of developing these skill sets is because he’s worked throughout the fields of mathematics and computer engineering since his time in the U.S. Army as a colonel. After starting as a network engineer, he further developed his skills by completing a master’s degree in computer engineering and ultimately a doctorate in a related field. When the U.S. Army Cyber Command was created, he was a logical choice to help stand up this new division — partially due to his status as a computer science educator at West Point. In his position as CISO with Under Armour, he’s able to bring together his passion for teaching and marry it with his deep knowledge of technology and cybersecurity. “As we look into the future and project this huge job shortage, companies are looking for the silver bullet,” says Dunlop. “But I look at it as a long game.”
Creating Lifelong Learners
Cybersecurity is an ever-changing landscape and one that doesn’t have a set career path or an endpoint. Dunlap is currently working with the National Cyber Education Program to help create a generation of students that are interested in the exciting field of cybersecurity. There is a major deficit of individuals who have the breadth and depth of knowledge that would allow them to effectively provide cybersecurity protection for an organization. Sparking the interest of the next generation of smart workers is crucial, especially as automation takes the place of low-level activities and leaves plenty of room available for strategists and individuals who are able to implement more complex — and therefore more challenging — environments. Historically, cybersecurity professionals begin as entry-level IT professionals and work their way through the ranks to ensure that they gain the necessary knowledge about infrastructure and integrations to help protect an organization from both malicious actors and internal business challenges.
Cloud is Changing the Face of Cybersecurity
As cloud-based applications gain prominence in today’s business world, cybersecurity professionals will need a better understanding of data and integrations as well as hardware and servers. Transitioning from general IT to cybersecurity requires in-depth knowledge of how and where weak points can occur in an organization’s security net. From next-generation firewalls to strategies for warding off malware and phishing attacks, there are integration details that require recognition of how data flows throughout your business — and beyond. Pulling together information from disparate cloud-based platforms leaves a fail point that needs to be monitored, especially when you consider the proliferation of third-party vendors in the business ecosystem. Each link in the chain that passes data between organizations and customers must be analyzed and monitored for compliance and security throughout the sales and manufacturing cycle.
Arming the next generation of cyber warriors starts with firing the imagination of generations of children and young adults as they enter the formative years of their education. Cybersecurity is an exciting career path and one that will continue to morph as threats emerge. Encouraging staff members to become lifelong learners is one of the shorter-term ways that Dunlop encourages individuals to enter the cybersecurity field, but he is the first one to recognize that we need a broader group of future professionals to enter this critical field and support the security of businesses in the future.
by Felicien | Jul 9, 2019 | Education
A recently discovered security vulnerability could leave Mac users exposed to malware disguising itself in other programs. If your business relies on Mac, it’s important to know how you can protect your company from falling victim to a cyberattack.
What is the Security Vulnerability?
In early 2019, security expert Filippo Cavallarin discovered a bug in Apple’s Gatekeeper functionality. Gatekeeper is a service that inspects apps that you want to install on a device to ensure they are certified by Apple. If not, you’ll get an “are you sure?” message before you complete the installation.
Cavallarin discovered that there’s a flaw that lets untrustworthy apps trick Gatekeeper into giving the all-clear signal, meaning you never get that “do you really want to do this?” alert.
Instead, once bypassed, you will get a simple, “please download” message, which could contain a zip file that once unpacked, connects back to the hackers’ server.
Cavallarin gave Apple 90 days to repair the flaw, but Apple did not, leading the researcher to disclose the exploit himself in late May. The vulnerability affects all macOS versions. As of this posting, Apple has yet to address the vulnerability.
How Can the Vulnerability Be Exploited?
In late June, cybersecurity companies began noticing the first identified attempts to bypass the Gatekeeper function, now dubbed OSX/Linker. The first identified attempts were believed to be a test to see if the flaw can truly be exploited and worked by writing something to a text file on a compromised computer. Those test runs were signed with certificates used by known adware producers behind the OSX/Surfbuyer malware.
At present, it does not appear that the OSX/Linker malware has taken root outside of test environments.
The identified malware attempts also used a common technique used by malware writers. In a second strain discovered, the malware was disguised to look like Adobe Flash Player installers, a tried and true approach that tricks Apple users into downloading malware when they think they’re downloading a routine software update.
The second strain of malware, dubbed OSX/CrescentCore, checks to see if there’s evidence of common third-party anti-malware software and tools that reverse engineer code on a computer. It also checks to see if it’s being installed on a virtual machine. If so, it will not install itself. Researchers have already found OSX/CrescentCore on multiple websites. It’s also disguised as an Adobe Flash Player installer.
CrescentCore also appeared via high-ranking Google search result listings, which redirected multiple times to a suspicious website.
Once installed, OSX/CrescentCore installs a LaunchAgent folder in a Mac Library folder that includes code to be run every time a user logs in.
It appears the malware coders got access to an Apple Developer ID to deliver the sample code in some instances.
Another identified exploit, called OSX/NewTab, inserts new tabs into a Safari browser session. The injected tabs can contain loaders or malware packages.
One danger of this potential malware is that the embedded code on disk images points to a malicious app on a single linked server. That means that a malicious app could be distributed more easily at any time.
Aren’t Apple Computers Virus-Proof and Much Safer than Windows and Other Operating Systems?
It’s a longstanding myth that Macs are inherently safer than Windows PCs. In recent years, hackers have increasingly targeted Apple operating systems to exploit vulnerabilities.
In February 2018, for example, OSX/Shlayer was discovered, yet another Adobe Flash Player scam that would download additional adware and malware. Similar to the newly discovered threats, it also looked for installed anti-malware software. The year also brought the discovery of OSX/MaMi, which pointed an infected computer to a server allowing them to access websites, even those with encrypted traffic.
June 2018 was an active month for malware discovery. There were several types of malware that exploited a Firefox browser vulnerability. A cryptocurrency miner was discovered embedded in pirated copies of audio software, making it possible to take over a Mac’s processing capabilities to mine.
What Can My Business Do To Protect Our Systems?
There are several security steps to take if there are Apple operating systems in play on any devices connected to your business network.
Stick to What You Know and Trust
Make sure you stick to apps you know are certified by Apple or are from highly trusted sources. Be suspicious about any apps that are downloaded from an unrecognized source, too.
Scan Your System
Make sure that your anti-virus programs have added the OSX/Linker vulnerability to their detection registries. Many commercial and free anti-virus apps and tools have already added the vulnerability to their known threat lists.
Don’t Install Adobe Flash Player
It’s really not necessary or helpful to install Flash at this point, as Adobe is discontinuing the product and will stop releasing security updates after 2020.
Partner for Security
No matter what operating systems your organization uses, you need comprehensive network and data security. Partnering with a valued managed IT services company gives you the security and confidence that hardware and software are protected and monitored constantly. With next-generation firewalls and best-in-class anti-malware protection, you can keep hacker threats contained and minimized.
