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Computer and Network Support, Data And Network Security

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WyzGuys provides computer support, network support , and computer and network security for residential, home office, and small business clients in the St Croix Valley, the East Metro, and St. Paul area. 

Call us at 651 387-1668 for quick, reliable, and inexpensive support for your computers, software, network, or web site.

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Computer Security in 2010

As many of you know, I have taught a Community Education Class about computer security issues since 2002.  Over the course of time, the nature of computer security threats have changed, and the exploits have become much more sophisticated.  Instead of pimple faced script kiddies writing mass mailing worms in their mom’s basement, we now have sophisticated software exploits that are underwritten and managed by organized criminal gangs.  What they are infecting your computer with cannot really be called a virus.  This is software written by highly educated computer professionals.  Much of it installs without alerting the computer owner, as a result of clicking on a link in an email or visiting a legitimate website that has been attacked, cracked, compromised, and set up as a software distribution site.  It can be hard to remove.  Much of it reinstalls itself if it is removed.  Scary, scary stuff. How can we protect ourselves from these attacks?  Here is the list.

Do not run computers that use pirated versions of the Windows operating system.  Microsoft does not supply critical security updates to computers that are running illicit copies of Windows, and enforces that with the Windows Genuine Advantage validation tool that it sends out via Windows Update about once a month. Keep your shields up.  Turn on your Windows Firewall or use the firewall that comes with your Internet security suite.  I find people turning off their firewalls to solve file and printer sharing problems, but this is a dangerous practice.  There are other ways to solve that issue.  Also, many wireless access points also provide a pretty decent hardware firewall at the point your network connects to the cable or DSL modem.  If you have one, make sure this feature is enabled, and if you don’t, it may be wise to get one now. Run your updates.  Windows Update is scheduled to run automatically by default, but if yours is set to ask your permission, you should make sure to grant it regularly.  Letting other updaters run, like Adobe, flash, and Firefox, is also a good idea.  Legitimate software developers send out updates to fix known security issues, but you have to let the installers run and apply the fixes. Keep your Internet security suite up to date.  Renew your subscription when it comes due, and upgrade to the most recent version of your preferred security vendor.  I use and recommend AVG in part because upgrades to the latest version are automatic and included in your subscription.  The security vendors are improving their products continuously to thwart the efforts of the bad guys, but you have to do your part to stay secure. Keep your anti-spyware product updated.  Usually this is a component of your Internet security suite, but if you are running separate products, or an additional anti-spyware package, do not neglect this either.  My personal favorites in this category are Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and PC Tools Spyware Doctor.

If you have any questions about the state of your own computer security, I can provide an analysis and make recommendations.  Or your can run a free tool from Microsoft, the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer.  There is a comprehensive article on the Microsoft website that may also be helpful, and can be found here. Have a happy and safe New Year.


Blackberry Revisited

In my November 22 post about smartphones, I pretty much dismissed Blackberry as a not too technically brilliant product.  I have revised my opinion.  My original Blackberry was a lowly 8700 model, which too be fair, was $49 on a new cell phone contract.  There was a reason it was $49 – because that was all it was worth!!  Thanks to the quick work of the thief who stole my Blackberry, wallet, credit cards, driver’s license, and watch from my locked gym locker, I was able to upgrade to the Blackberry Bold 9700.  At $450 it was the most expensive of the four Blackberry options at the T-Mobile store.  It is far and away an entirely more enjoyable smart phone experience. The screen resolution is crisp and easy to read, the keyboard buttons easy for my fat thumbs to use without a lot of typing mistakes.  The SMS chats exist as a string instead of a bunch of separate send and receive messages.  There is built in WiFi connectivity, which means I can link up to speedy wireless connections when using the Web enabled applications in my  home, office, client site, or coffee house.  It has GPS capabilities, which incur an additional monthly fee, but its there at least.  A pretty decent 3 megapixel camera, with a flash!!

So, surprise – you get what you pay for in the Blackberry too.  But I still think the Android phones are the ones to watch, you just cannot beat the advantages of open-source, unfettered by the controls of an oligarchic megalomaniac (Steve).



Does Your  Business Need A Server?

I am often asked by clients and others about the relative merits or necessity of having a server on the small business network.  Here are some points to consider: 

  • Do your employees share files through a confusing system of shared network drives and folders that actually exist on coworkers computers?  Having a central file server to manage that process would be simpler.
  • Do your employees share printers across the network?  Having a central print server would streamline the process.
  • Do your employees get a lot of email spam?  A central email server could help to filter and reduce the amount of spam they have to deal with.
  • Are you having problems with web and email borne security threats?  A server can centralize and manage security for all the computers on the network.
  • Do you have remote workers and business travelers who need access to files and applications that are in the office?  A server can streamline remote access without sacrificing security or increasing costs.
  • Does your company run a line of business application that many of your employees need to access and share?  These types of applications run best on a server.
  • Do you have a backup strategy in place?  Are you certain important data on an employee computer would not be lost in case of a disk failure?  A server can provide a central data repository that is easily backed up.
  • Are your employees spending too much time trying to connect to resources on the network that are hard to find?
  • Do you need a reliable way to control and validate computer user access, that also makes it possible for several employees to share one or more computers?

The more “yes” answers you have, the more likely that your company could benefit from having a server on the network.  The sever could be a full-fledged Windows Small Business Server, or it might just be a dedicated computer acting as a file or print server on your network.  While they can be expensive to implement, depending on your needs, they can also be a fairly inexpensive addition to your business network.

For instance, you may not need an actual server class piece of hardware, you may be able to utilize a higher end desktop computer, or even a computer that is being retired from desktop use.

In the same vein, you may not need an expensive server operating system, with the attendant expense of client access licenses, either. 

When looking at this investment, it is important that you discuss your actual requirements and expectations with your computer consultant, to be sure that your system is scaled to support your present and future operations.  Investing in a state-of-the-art, “build it and they will come” server infrastructure that is too big and too expensive when compared to your usage patterns, can be a waste of financial resources.

As a Microsoft Small Business Specialist, this is an area of our business practice and expertise.  Rather than pushing boxes, we try to match our clients needs and budgetary limitations with a server installation that provides high efficiency and represents a good value to the client.  There is an informative whitepaper available from PC World, and is worth a read if you are looking into a server for the first time, or contemplating an upgrade or replacement of an existing server.  And of course we we would be delighted to consult with you about your particular computer environment and the solution that would make the most sense for your company.


 

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