Monday, January 18, 2010
Tech Companies Help Survivors of the Haiti Earthquake
Several tech companies have stepped up to help survivors of the Haiti earthquake. Notably, Google has donated $1 Million and is offering free Google Voice calls to US families with relatives in Haiti. Also, if you're looking for a way to contribute, check the link "Information, resources, and ways you can help survivors of the Haiti earthquake" on the Google Home Page for many different ways you can help.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Is Your Business Ready for the New Massachusetts Data Protection Law?
The countdown to March 1, 2010 goes on!
After a number of extensions, the new MA Data Protection Law goes into effect March 1, 2009. Are you prepared to help your organization get into compliance with the new data security regulations? Massachusetts has enacted one of the most onerous data protection laws in the country. The regulations apply to every individual or entity, including those outside Massachusetts, that maintain personal information regarding Massachusetts residents, and regardless of whether the information is stored in paper or electronic form. To be in compliance, covered entities must ensure that such data is maintained securely, and develop Comprehensive Written Information Security Policies (CWISPs).
Take our quick poll (10 seconds!) and find how your business readiness compares to others.
After a number of extensions, the new MA Data Protection Law goes into effect March 1, 2009. Are you prepared to help your organization get into compliance with the new data security regulations? Massachusetts has enacted one of the most onerous data protection laws in the country. The regulations apply to every individual or entity, including those outside Massachusetts, that maintain personal information regarding Massachusetts residents, and regardless of whether the information is stored in paper or electronic form. To be in compliance, covered entities must ensure that such data is maintained securely, and develop Comprehensive Written Information Security Policies (CWISPs).
Take our quick poll (10 seconds!) and find how your business readiness compares to others.
Windows 7 is leaving the Microsoft Help Desk Quiet
One of the measures of success of Windows 7 is that call volume to Microsoft's help desk is down. According to Barbara Gordon, Vice President of Customer Support for Microsoft: "Overall we are finding our call center volume is down significantly more than we expected." Most Microsoft watchers would say this is because Windows 7 is a big improvement over Vista (definitely true!), but Microsoft also points out that two new support channels (worth checking out!) are also making a difference: Microsoft Answers and MicrosoftHelps on Twitter.
With Microsoft Answers, users can submit questions to the help community, and Microsoft employees validate answers. So far, Microsoft has validated about 60,000 inquiries.
The Microsoft Twitter help site went live in October. Users can post a tweet with "@microsofthelps" in the message and Microsoft will respond. Seven employees work full time on creating responses by either providing a simple answer (hard to do in 140 characters!) or pointing to a place where people can get a more detailed answer. The goal is to answer a question that 1000s of users may have with one response. "It's really like a customer megaphone," Gordon said.
Friday, December 18, 2009
AntiVirus - Full Disk Scan - Just Do It!
My Antivirus software kicks in to annoy me periodically for a full system scan. It slows me down, and like a lot of people, I'll admit that I often stop the scan because it takes to long, and it slows my system down! I know it's important, but if I'm working on five different things, it's an inconvenience. My Antivirus is always checking incoming and outgoing emails, and all the files I open, but the full system scan on top of that what bothers me.
With a laptop, it's tough to make sure you're doing everything you need do do to protect your system. When my system is on, I'm working and I'm busy! When I'm not working, my system is off and in my computer bag.
Last night - PANIC - I had a warning about a Virus. I quickly checked to make sure it wasn't one of those spoofed threats (that are actually viruses, and if you click on ANYTHING it just makes it work). This was a REAL warning, but my Antivirus software caught it (I was on the web, and going through a lot of emails so it could have been anything).
So... time for a full system scan. I left my computer on overnight. It took 5 hours and 45 minutes for the scan to complete, but two threats were discovered and healed by the end. Bottom line, make the time to run those full scans!
With a laptop, it's tough to make sure you're doing everything you need do do to protect your system. When my system is on, I'm working and I'm busy! When I'm not working, my system is off and in my computer bag.
Last night - PANIC - I had a warning about a Virus. I quickly checked to make sure it wasn't one of those spoofed threats (that are actually viruses, and if you click on ANYTHING it just makes it work). This was a REAL warning, but my Antivirus software caught it (I was on the web, and going through a lot of emails so it could have been anything).
So... time for a full system scan. I left my computer on overnight. It took 5 hours and 45 minutes for the scan to complete, but two threats were discovered and healed by the end. Bottom line, make the time to run those full scans!
Friday, December 11, 2009
New Years Resolution for your Domain Registration
Do you know when your domain name expires? Is your contact information up to date? Make a resolution today that you will check on your renewal date and make sure your contact information is up to date.
If you haven't made your registration private, all the information is readily available (you don't even have to remember any logins!): http://www.networksolutions.com/whois/index.jsp
Make sure your registration isn't expiring in the next few months. If if is expiring, renew it right away so you don't forget?
Is your contact information correct? A common pitfall is that people register a domain name with a generic email (like hotmail or yahoo) because they haven't set up their "real" email yet (because the domain wasn't even registered yet!). You may have stopped using this address years ago. If your email address isn't up to date, you won't get the renewal warnings!
If your domain name expires, and you haven't trademarked it, you could have a tough time getting it back. Also, the domain registration should ALWAYS be in your full control. It should NOT be registered to an employee or a webmaster or anyone else. Make sure you protect it.
Unfortunately, over the years we've gotten panic calls from folks with expired domain names... one day, your email stops working, and your web site is gone... DON'T let it happen - check your registration status TODAY!
If you haven't made your registration private, all the information is readily available (you don't even have to remember any logins!): http://www.networksolutions.com/whois/index.jsp
Make sure your registration isn't expiring in the next few months. If if is expiring, renew it right away so you don't forget?
Is your contact information correct? A common pitfall is that people register a domain name with a generic email (like hotmail or yahoo) because they haven't set up their "real" email yet (because the domain wasn't even registered yet!). You may have stopped using this address years ago. If your email address isn't up to date, you won't get the renewal warnings!
If your domain name expires, and you haven't trademarked it, you could have a tough time getting it back. Also, the domain registration should ALWAYS be in your full control. It should NOT be registered to an employee or a webmaster or anyone else. Make sure you protect it.
Unfortunately, over the years we've gotten panic calls from folks with expired domain names... one day, your email stops working, and your web site is gone... DON'T let it happen - check your registration status TODAY!
Friday, September 25, 2009
Swine Flu (H1N1): Prepare workers to work from home
It's in the papers every day. Updates and instructions are being sent home from school. This will be a BAD flu season! During the week of September 13-19, indicators show that flu activity is increasing. Check out the CDC web site for detailed information: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/
Wash your hands frequently, cough and sneeze into your arm or a tissue (not your hand), and get prepared NOW to be able to work from home with remote network access in case you need to. The CDC is advising everyone who gets sick to STAY home. Maybe it won't be you, but your children may be sent home for a week.
There are MANY great options to work remotely, so just pick one and don't make it a last minute panic. LogMeIn, Remote Desktop, GoToMyPC, VPN (Virtual Private Network) -- all are great options that don't cost a lot. A small effort today to configure remote access will mean less down time when/if schools are closed or you get sick. Pick a solution, get it configured, and you will have one less thing to worry about.
Wash your hands frequently, cough and sneeze into your arm or a tissue (not your hand), and get prepared NOW to be able to work from home with remote network access in case you need to. The CDC is advising everyone who gets sick to STAY home. Maybe it won't be you, but your children may be sent home for a week.
There are MANY great options to work remotely, so just pick one and don't make it a last minute panic. LogMeIn, Remote Desktop, GoToMyPC, VPN (Virtual Private Network) -- all are great options that don't cost a lot. A small effort today to configure remote access will mean less down time when/if schools are closed or you get sick. Pick a solution, get it configured, and you will have one less thing to worry about.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
MA Data Protection Law Extended AGAIN (Really!)
Massachusetts Governor Duval Patrick announced yesterday that the Massachusetts Data Protection Law deadline has been extended once again to March 1, 2010 - http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=ocatopic&L=3&L0=Home&L1=Consumer&L2=Identity+Theft&sid=Eoca
One of the big considerations in the latest extension is to take into account the need to balance consumer protection and business expenses, especially for small businesses who don't have the resources for an extensive network overhaul (in the midst of a bad recession).
The guidelines in the new law - firewall protection, antivirus protection, anti-spyware protection, and encryption all make business sense right now. Getting a new law into effect is a complicated process, but this should NOT be a signal to businesses to be lax about security measures. The budgetary estimates on the Mass web site are WAY over-stated. A few simple measures right now could vastly improve small business data security, and it doesn't need to be complicated! We are continuing to urge all clients to evaluate their security loopholes NOW and take the simple strategic actions that don't need to cost a lot.
One of the big considerations in the latest extension is to take into account the need to balance consumer protection and business expenses, especially for small businesses who don't have the resources for an extensive network overhaul (in the midst of a bad recession).
The guidelines in the new law - firewall protection, antivirus protection, anti-spyware protection, and encryption all make business sense right now. Getting a new law into effect is a complicated process, but this should NOT be a signal to businesses to be lax about security measures. The budgetary estimates on the Mass web site are WAY over-stated. A few simple measures right now could vastly improve small business data security, and it doesn't need to be complicated! We are continuing to urge all clients to evaluate their security loopholes NOW and take the simple strategic actions that don't need to cost a lot.
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