Big Idea Technology now holds the Microsoft Gold Small and Midmarket Cloud Solutions competency! Microsoft’s Gold Partner level is reserved for the top 5% of members in the Microsoft Partner Network.
Phishing scams have become more and more common. We are all bombarded by “Bad Actors” attempting to steal our information. By utilizing the latest technology, training your users and monitoring their activity, and using sound judgement, attacks can be mitigated … Read More
BIG IDEA TECHNOLOGY: What changes has your company had to make due to the COVID-19 pandemic? Have you shifted to a work from home business, whether permanently or temporarily? Luckily for most of us, internet and cloud-based technologies make this … Read More
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) provides extra layers of security for logging in to cloud applications. Microsoft now provides two simple methods of using MFA to securely log in to your Office 365 account: Two Factor Authentication and Password-less Sign-in.
We recently received an email notification of balance due, appearing to be from the IRS. (See the image below.) It even has the real IRS logo! How do we know it’s a scam? Ahhh, let us count the ways. The … Read More
The WannaCrypt Scare – Part 2 The global WannaCrypt ransomware attack that started on Friday, May 12, 2017 was unprecedented in scale. It infected more than 230,000 computers in at least 150 countries. It also caused concern for many other … Read More
The WannaCrypt Scare – Part I The global WannaCrypt ransomware attack that hit over 230,000 victims in at least 150 countries on Friday 5/12/17 sparked concern about how businesses can best protect themselves from ransomware. What is Ransomware? Ransomware is … Read More
Online meetings are becoming increasingly popular. Online meetings using video conferencing solutions enable people in different locations – from the same company or from several companies – to meet virtually, without the need to spend time and money on travel. … Read More
It’s an old, but still effective scam. Your Chief Financial Officer or Accountant receives an email from the Chief Executive Officer with an urgent request to wire money. Only the email is not really from the CEO, it’s from a … Read More
Have you ever received an email from Google telling you that the password for your Google Account was recently changed? If you didn’t change your password and received this email, you might be concerned. The email says that if you … Read More
Has your business upgraded your computers to Windows 10? The last date to upgrade to Windows 10 for free is July 29, 2016, and it’s quickly approaching! You could continue to use your Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 until the … Read More
Apple has strong security, which is why users ask if they even can get a virus on Apple devices. (See our post about tech support scams.) Since iPhones came out in 2007, Apple’s secure operating system has kept iOS devices free … Read More
A client recently asked us if it is possible to get a virus on your iPhone? He asked because his son had received a text message saying that his phone was infected and that he should call the phone number … Read More
In preparation for hurricane season, there are few steps your business should take to protect your data and technology from storm damage. Though Atlantic Hurricane Season is not until June 1 through November 30, 2016, forecasters recently came out with … Read More
PadCrypt is the newest strain of ransomware to be discovered. The features that make this ransomware unique simplify the restore process to encourage victims to pay to recover their encrypted files. Unlike previous versions of ransomware, PadCrypt provides a link … Read More
More and more we are finding that today’s modern offices utilize an open concept design, where everyone sits in an open cubicle from the CEO on down. While this atmosphere encourages collaboration and a sense of community work, there is … Read More
The winter holiday season is a time when families get together to celebrate the holidays and companies hold holiday parties. Along with the festivities comes gift giving, festive meals and holiday deals. So, not surprisingly, it’s also a time when … Read More
Starting this week, Microsoft now offers a new premium enterprise Office 365 suite which adds new phone and conference features! Office 365 is the name for Microsoft’s subscription plans that include Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, OneNote, and Outlook) … Read More
Planning for the future of your business includes planning for your IT needs. An important consideration is whether your technology has reached end-of-life. “End-of-life” (EOL) indicates that the vendor considers the product to be at the end of its useful … Read More
CryptoWall ransomware has evolved since it first appeared in 2014. The newest strain of CryptoWall has new features that make it an even greater threat than previous versions. What’s Different in this CryptoWall version? CryptoWall is a form of malware … Read More
Surprisingly, if your company is a victim of ransomware, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) now advises that you to pay the ransom! Why does the FBI recommend paying the ransom? Joseph Bonavolonta, the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of … Read More
A new strain of ransomware has been discovered. This one, called LowLevel04, is being circulated by targeted Remote Desktop or Terminal Services hacks. Unlike ransomware in the Cryptolocker family which encrypts the files on a computer when its user clicks … Read More
Technology is changing the way we log in, eliminating the need to remember passwords. The Problem with Passwords Considering that the average person has over two dozen online accounts, remembering passwords – with a different “strong” password for each site … Read More
Yet another reason to step-up your security practices to protect your customer information… the FTC can sue you if you don’t! The FTC collects complaints about hundreds of issues including data security, and makes them available to law enforcement agencies … Read More
Scammers are taking advantage of the confusion in the wake of Microsoft’s Operating System upgrade to trick users through phishing campaigns that install ransomware and fraudulent call centers that demand payment. Windows 10 Upgrade Scams Windows users, who may not … Read More
Does your organization run a Terminal Server (Remote Desktop Services server)? Or does your Windows desktop have Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) enabled? If so, you need to deploy Microsoft’s security update! A critical vulnerability found in Microsoft Windows could allow … Read More
Today, July 29, marks the release of Windows 10! We’ve been using Windows 10 Enterprise Technical Preview, and we’d like to share a few of the new Windows 10 features you will now be able to enjoy! Start Menu The … Read More
A critical vulnerability found in Android phones is being described as one of the “worst Android vulnerabilities to date.” It allows a hacker to compromise 95% of Android devices, with a single text message. Considering that 80% of mobile device … Read More
Do you use Office 365 on a Mac? Then you’ll be happy to learn that Microsoft recently released Office for Mac 2016 and it’s available free for Office 365 customers! (That is, for subscribers with full installed Office applications.) Office … Read More
Businesses often require signatures on documents to signify knowledge, approval, acceptance or obligation. Printing the documents to have them signed is a common practice. Even businesses that automate the workflow in their office often print the final document to have … Read More
You’ve heard it before. Sensitive information being sent by email must be encrypted. This is required by HIPAA for “covered entities” including doctors and other healthcare providers sending patient information by email. Other businesses (and individuals) should use encrypted email … Read More
Are you looking for an IT services provider, but are unsure what services they can or should provide to optimize the performance of your business systems? In the past, when you called your IT services provider in regard to an … Read More
Is your company becoming more and more dependent on technology? Do you find that you’re wasting your time taking care of tech problems instead of doing your job? Or does it seem as if your tech guy is never available … Read More
Hiring? If you’re looking at resumes, beware of this newest CyrptoWall scam! The attacker sends a zip file “resume” attachment which infects your computer with malware that encrypts your files. There has been an increase in this type of malicious … Read More
Are you still “cloudy” when it comes to understanding “the Cloud?” Where does “the Cloud” fit in for meeting your company’s IT needs? Your business might be served best by applications that are hosted on servers in your office (On-Prem … Read More
The US Postal Service is once again a target of a phishing scam. In fact, the US Postal Service has an alert on their website saying “Customers be aware of fraudulent delivery messages sent by email or phone.” This alert … Read More
A new “FBI” malware is targeting Android users, locking their devices and demanding payment to restore their smartphones. Cybercriminals have sent more than 15,000 spam emails over the past three days to distribute this ransomware. Ransomware is malware that demands … Read More
The Cybersecurity Unit of the Department of Justice (DOJ) recently released an outline of cybersecurity best practices. The document discusses what to do before and after a cyber-incident. The DOJ advises you to take specific steps before a cyber-intrusion or … Read More
Most businesses use email for exchanging information with other businesses, with customers and with prospects. Yet, if appropriate email solutions are not used, email can be a source of problems for your business. To protect your company’s reputation and data … Read More
A new form of spyware is making headlines. Rombertik is designed to steal usernames and passwords, but if it finds that its actions are being monitored, it attacks the user’s hard drive. Like other malware including Dyre and Cryptolocker, Rombertik … Read More
Has your company enabled your staff to work remotely when they are not in the office? Secure, remote connections to the office network and cloud technologies make it possible for them to get business done on the go – while … Read More
If your company is like most, it is becoming increasingly dependent on your software applications and electronic documents to conduct business. Yet, there are so many disasters that can make your data inaccessible to you. From natural disasters such as … Read More
Even if your company does everything right to protect your data, your employees can unwittingly give cyber attackers access to your company’s sensitive information. As a followup to our recent post on human error being a major risk factor to data … Read More
Cybersecurity is a growing concern in many businesses as they increase their reliance on inter-connected systems, devices, and cloud technologies. Not surprisingly, a survey by CompTIA finds that malware and hacking are viewed as the top levels of concern affecting … Read More
One year after the Heartbleed vulnerability appeared, exposing passwords and encryption keys online, Heartbleed has still not bled out. Yet, while there is still a threat of sensitive information being leaked, many people seem to have already forgotten about last … Read More