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!
Friday, December 18, 2009
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.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Alt+F4 – First Line of Defense Against a Virus
Do you have a computer virus? Big trend these days is that a pop-up appears that looks like a real Windows dialog box, but it's actually just a disguised web pop-up trying to trick you into clicking on some message like "update my AntiVirus now". Sometimes, even if you hit the "x" to close the window you get into trouble (becuase its NOT a real Windows dialog box).
What can you do? Use the keyboard short-cut "Alt+F4"– to close windows without touching them – the first line of virus defense once it has hit the desktop
What can you do? Use the keyboard short-cut "Alt+F4"– to close windows without touching them – the first line of virus defense once it has hit the desktop
Monday, June 1, 2009
HP Notebook Battery Recall
HP is voluntarily recalling about 70,000 Lithium-Ion notebook batteries which pose a fire and burn risk for consumers.
The affected models include:
HP Pavilion: dv2000, dv2500, dv2700, dv6000, dv6500, dv6700, dv9000, dv9500, dv9700
Compaq Presario: A900, C700, F700, V3000, V3500, V3700, V6000, V6500, V6700
HP: G6000, G7000
HP Compaq: 6720s
Visit the Consumer Product and Safety website for more details:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09221.html
The affected models include:
HP Pavilion: dv2000, dv2500, dv2700, dv6000, dv6500, dv6700, dv9000, dv9500, dv9700
Compaq Presario: A900, C700, F700, V3000, V3500, V3700, V6000, V6500, V6700
HP: G6000, G7000
HP Compaq: 6720s
Visit the Consumer Product and Safety website for more details:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09221.html
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications - Installation Wizard
Many users have asked us about this, and perhaps it's happened to you... Have you turned on your computer recently to find a pop-up from Microsoft on your screen for Windows Genuine Advange Notifications - Installation Wizard?
We advise all clients to be VERY cautious when they see something they don't recognize on their system. This recent deployment by Microsoft is unfortunate, because the window that pops up looks just like all the bogus AntiVirus 2009 and other malware threats that have circulated around recently. Many users have been alarmed by it.
The Window Genuine Advantage program is Microsoft's Anti-Piracy program. The sofware detects if you have a legal license, and will warn you if you don't. If your software is not legal, then you won't be eligible for automatic updates (except for Critical updates). The problem is that if you are an honest customer, you've already paid and this is a real nuisance. If your system is set to get Automatic Updates with Automatic Installation, then this would have been automatically installed. Typically, we recommend selectively installing updates to avoid things like this.
Microsoft is getting some angry feedback from customers, so I would hope they'd change this in the future.
We advise all clients to be VERY cautious when they see something they don't recognize on their system. This recent deployment by Microsoft is unfortunate, because the window that pops up looks just like all the bogus AntiVirus 2009 and other malware threats that have circulated around recently. Many users have been alarmed by it.
The Window Genuine Advantage program is Microsoft's Anti-Piracy program. The sofware detects if you have a legal license, and will warn you if you don't. If your software is not legal, then you won't be eligible for automatic updates (except for Critical updates). The problem is that if you are an honest customer, you've already paid and this is a real nuisance. If your system is set to get Automatic Updates with Automatic Installation, then this would have been automatically installed. Typically, we recommend selectively installing updates to avoid things like this.
Microsoft is getting some angry feedback from customers, so I would hope they'd change this in the future.
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