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With millions of new and exciting devices connecting to the Internet every day, the Internet of Things is an IT trend that has the potential to dramatically improve society. Yet, the most significant change brought about by the IoT may actually come from devices that aren’t really that exciting.
GIFs. What are they? If you’ve spent any time perusing the Internet, you’ve definitely come across a GIF or two. Essentially, a GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) is an animated picture that loops a few seconds of a video clip (without playing any audio). In addition to GIFs being fun, they can serve as a great way to enhance digital communications. How can you take advantage of GIFs?
As the cloud becomes widely adopted by SMBs the world over, companies have come to expect more from their cloud services. If you’re not taking full advantage of cloud computing, then you may be missing out on the many ways that it can help you meet your company’s goals.
More businesses than ever before are finding value in allowing their workers to work from the comfort of their own homes, rather than have them drive all the way to the office to do a job that can be done from anywhere with an Internet connection. More importantly, it’s much more cost effective for businesses to allow for remote workers. How can you make it as easy as possible for remote workers to get their jobs done?
Wait, why would you want to let your employees work from home in the first place? A lot of it has to do with cutting utility costs and other expenses, like hardware purchasing and energy expenses. If your team isn’t in the office, you can save on electricity and (depending on your location) heat or air conditioning. Plus, when employees feel good, they’re more likely to work hard, improving the quality of their work.
Here are three technologies that can help your remote workers get the most out of their workday.
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)
One of the most common problems for remote employees is that they need to access files that are stored locally on their company’s network. Since these employees aren’t based out of the business’s office, they won’t be able to access them in the traditional method. This can prevent them from doing their jobs properly, especially if there are critical files that need to be used for their daily tasks. A VPN allows your remote employees access to files on the company network securely. This helps to ensure that your team stays productive, without compromising your data’s security.
Cloud-Based Applications and Virtualization
The cloud allows for information and applications to be deployed via the Internet, which means that anyone with a stable Internet connection can access files or applications necessary to complete their day-to-day tasks. The cloud, in general, is a handy tool that can help you minimize your in-house IT footprint and improve data deployment, allowing your team to work from anywhere in the world that has an Internet connection; including on the road or on business trips.
Voice over Internet Protocol
Communication is yet another pain point that remote workers have trouble with. If your team needs to make frequent outbound calls, you want them to have a phone number that can be tied to your business. Furthermore, if you need to contact someone on your remote team, you expect them to be available through email, instant messaging, or via phone. With a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) solution, you can transfer your voice over the Internet, essentially providing instantaneous communication via both voice or video chat.
Ultimately, it’s your responsibility as a business owner to provide your team with the tools required to perform their daily duties, even if they work remotely. If your business is trying to achieve better operations via a remote workforce, contact Infradapt, we can help!
The fact that so many businesses are rushing to take advantage of two-factor authentication displays how the password has lost its edge as a security credential. Passwords simply aren’t good enough anymore, and hackers are always finding ways to crack even the most complex passwords. This is why many businesses are looking to improve security through alternative means.
Windows 10 has a built-in PIN system that helps to keep your workstation secure from would-be hackers that want to take advantage of a simple password. Here’s how to set up your PIN, as well as how to change it or reset it if need be.
Why Bother with a PIN?
Using a PIN offers several benefits over traditional password security. For example, Windows 10 uses your Microsoft account password to access your PC. If this password were to be obtained by a hacker, they could access your other Microsoft accounts. If you’re using a PIN to access your PC, the PIN is specific to the device. This makes it less risky to use a PIN than a password.
Adding the PIN
First, click on the search bar at the bottom of the screen and type Settings. Select Sign-in options in the left column, and scroll down to the PIN section in the right column. Next, select Add. You’ll be prompted to verify your password, so just enter your current credential into the form and click OK.
Once you’ve finished that, you’ll be taken to the Setup a PIN page. Now, all you have to do type out your PIN in the provided forms. While the only criteria for creating a PIN is that it needs to be at least four characters long, and no more than nine characters long, a simple PIN is easy to guess and could be almost as bad as not having a PIN at all. Be sure to keep these tips in mind when selecting your new PIN:
Changing or Resetting Your PIN
To change your PIN, you’ll need to go back to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options. Tap Change underneath PIN, and you’ll be taken to the Change your PIN screen.
If you simply need to reset your PIN, you can do this easily enough. Just click I forgot my PIN next to the Change button, and you can reset your PIN. Keep in mind that you’ll need your current account password to do so.
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IT can be like baseball. When a team is up to bat in a game of baseball, the team at bat is allowed to keep two coaches on the field. They are called the first base coach and the third base coach. While both coaches’ responsibilities mostly have to do with baserunning, the third base coach also takes on the responsibility of relaying “signs” from the manager in the dugout to the batter at the plate.
These signs represent orders or suggestions from the manager, who is in charge of implementing the strategy each pitcher or batter throughout the baseball game. The third base coach is just an intermediary. He relays the orders to the batter, and it’s the batter’s job to execute the direction that’s given. Each team will try incessantly to steal the other team’s signs, as doing so will give them a distinct advantage on the field of play. For instance, if a hitter somehow was tipped off that the pitcher will be throwing a curveball, there is a better chance the player will let the pitch go by because it’s hard to throw a curveball for a strike, and even harder to hit a curveball.
What does this have to do with IT? It suggests just how much your competition gains from having information about your company; the information that only you should have access to. While “sign-stealing” on the diamond is looked on as gamesmanship, stealing information over your business’ network is a crime (or at the very least unethical), and should be thwarted if at all possible. The former scouting director for the St. Louis Cardinals is finding that out the hard way.
Christopher Correa, the former scouting director for the St. Louis Cardinals has plead guilty to five counts of unauthorized access to a private computer for using a former employee's login information to access a Houston Astros’ secure database that was filled with data that could provide useful information. Correa had accessed both employee emails and the team’s database to gain information, an action that he admitted was, “stupid,” to U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes.
Correa, who accessed information mainly to gain a competitive advantage over a rival team, was fired from the St. Louis organization after his improprieties came to light. Ironically, Houston, who had been playing in the same division with St. Louis since 1994, moved to the American League before any of these hacks had taken place.
Correa’s former boss, and current Astros General Manager, Jeff Luhnow is likely the “Victim A” from the indictment, and the likely owner of the passwords that Correa used to access the Astros’ system. Luhnow seemingly used the same credentials to sign into the Astros’ environment as he did when he handed over his laptop and password to Correa when he left to take the GM job in Houston in 2011. Luhnow made the following statement:
"I absolutely know about password hygiene and best practices. I’m certainly aware of how important passwords are, as well as the importance of keeping them updated. A lot of my job in baseball, as it was in high tech, is to make sure that intellectual property is protected. I take that seriously and hold myself and those who work for me to a very high standard."
In this case, however, Luhnow seemed to be lacking somewhat in his conscientious efforts to protect his organization’s intellectual property by using the same credentials he was using while a member of the St. Louis staff five years prior. When someone leaves your company, especially if he or she is leaving for a competitor, it’s important that you get all the credentials that they used to access all data systems. Conversely, when someone joins your company, it’s important to make sure they understand your organization’s cyber security protocols, to keep you from having to deal with data breaches and other situations that may put your business at risk.
Network security, including password management and intrusion detection are essential for every business that doesn’t want to their network hacked by their competition, or by random hackers out to make a quick buck. For more information about the best practices for comprehensive network security, or to talk with a technician about the options we offer to help you protect your network, call us today at 800.394.2301.
Conference calling has evolved with the years, and it’s a crucial service that’s needed by modern businesses. You probably find yourself in more meetings than you’d like to be in, but compared to the days before Voice over Internet Protocol existed, you have it pretty easy nowadays. In fact, VoIP is such a great tool that every business should look into its advantages.
If you have an Android smartphone, you know that the device is closely tied to your own personal Google account. As such, in order to get the most out of your Android device, you should take advantage of its seamless functionality with Google applications. This includes making sure that your Gmail account is properly set up on your device. We’ll walk you through how to add additional Gmail accounts to Android’s Gmail app.