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Comprehensive Protection: Our MSP offers a comprehensive suite of cybersecurity solutions tailored to the unique needs of your business. From advanced threat detection and prevention to encryption and access controls, we've got you covered at every level. Proactive Monitoring: Don't wait until it's too late. Our team employs proactive monitoring techniques to identify potential threats before they escalate into full-blown attacks. With round-the-clock surveillance, we ensure that your systems remain secure and your data stays safe. Expert Guidance: With our experienced cybersecurity professionals at your service, you can rest assured knowing that your security posture is in capable hands. We'll work closely with you to assess your vulnerabilities, develop robust defense strategies, and keep you informed about the latest threats and best practices. Continuous Improvement: Cybersecurity is an ongoing battle, and we're committed to staying ahead of the curve. Through regular assessments, updates, and training, we continuously strengthen your defenses and adapt to emerging threats, so you can stay one step ahead of cybercriminals. Don't let cyber threats jeopardize your business. Partner with us today and gain the peace of mind that comes with knowing your valuable information is protected by industry-leading cybersecurity solutions . Contact us now at (786) 233-2002 or info@simplesolutiontech.com to learn more and schedule a consultation.

Before buying a computer for work, it’s important to consider whether your best bet is to get a consumer model or one built specifically for business use. You’ve probably seen business computers with the same brand name that you have at home, but that’s where the similarities end. Investing in the right system now will pay off long term, saving you time, money and a whole lot of frustration. Here’s what you need to know to make the best choice for your business and budget. Business-class Features When you invest in a computer, you want certain inclusions built-in and ready to go. For a business, those include features that will make your network more secure and staff more productive. For example, fingerprint readers, remote desktop software and data encryption tools. The operating system that comes pre-installed on a business-class computer will also have features the consumer options don’t, including the ability to join corporate networks. Computers designed for home use come with Windows Home or Starter editions, which may require hours of expert assistance to link into a secure business network. Usage Requirements Work out how often you’ll be using the computer for business. If the computer is mostly for home use and only occasionally for work, then a consumer PC with the appropriate work software and settings will be fine. On the other hand, a computer that is mostly for business use should be a business-class computer, not just for security but also build quality reasons. Durability and Reliability It’s probably no surprise that consumer PCs don’t have the same build quality as business ones. In fact, consumer models only have an expected lifespan of around 2 years. They just aren’t built to last. Business-class computers are built to last several years, with higher quality components and rigorous testing at every level. Most parts (if not all) are name-brand with an emphasis on reliability and long term durability. Warranty and Service Unfortunately, when a consumer PC fails, the burden is on the owner to send it away for repairs. The terms of the warranty will usually state that any other attempt to repair it will void the warranty.  Repairs can then take weeks and often involve a frustrating process of paperwork and following up. Contrast that with what happens when a business computer needs service – the technicians will come to you and fix it on the spot, often within hours. Business users enjoy a professional experience with priority status and a dedicated support line, all designed to reduce downtime and get you operational, faster. Talk to us today at (786) 233-2002 about choosing the right computer for your needs.

You hear about hacks all the time. The news covers major websites that have had data leaks containing your email and password. Computers get infected and capture your login details for bank accounts and credit cards. In the worst cases, identity theft occurs because it is an easy crime to commit to a high reward. In 2018, the passwords you used to trust to keep the bad guys out of your accounts are not enough anymore. Cyber attackers now use methods such as phishing, pharming, and keylogging to steal your password. Some have the power to test billions of password combinations. If you’re like the majority of people, you use the same password for several websites. That means anybody who has figured out that password has access to everything you’ve logged into with it. In a time when it is extremely easy to look up what a person named their first pet or high school mascot, security questions aren’t much help. Consider how a jewelry store operates. They don’t simply keep their valuables locked away with one key. There are alarms ready to be triggered, motion detectors, and sometimes even bars on the windows. Your data is valuable, just like jewelry. You need more than one line of defense to protect it. In the computer world, your second line of defense (after your username and password combination) is called “2-factor authentication.” Sometimes referred to as multiple-step or multi-factor verification, 2-factor authentication is a way to double-check a person’s identity. This can be enabled every time a person logs in or just under certain circumstances. For example, signing in from a new device or a different country might trigger 2-factor authentication. Many of the services you may already use, such as Facebook, Gmail, Xero Accounting, and more, have 2-factor authentication options. If your bank has ever sent you a special code through text or email to enter before logging in, you’ve already used a type of 2-factor authentication. They can also be in the form of a smartphone app or a physical electronic dongle. 2-factor authentication is absolutely crucial for online banking, email, and online shopping such as Amazon or PayPal. It’s also a must-have for cloud storage accounts (like Dropbox or Sync), password managers, communications apps, and productivity apps. This is especially true if you frequently use the same passwords for different websites and apps. Some may consider 2-factor authentication unnecessary for social networks, but these are actually very important to keep safe. For ease, a lot of websites and apps allow you to sign up through your Facebook or Twitter account. You need to keep these networks safe so that somebody with your password can’t suddenly get into every account you have linked. The point of using 2-factor authentication is to make hackers’ lives harder and prevent them from getting into your accounts. If they have captured your login username and password, they still need a second device to get in, especially when the computer or phone they are using has never logged into your account before. This makes it significantly more difficult for anybody to breach your account. Plus, if you receive a notification with a special code to enter for logging in, and you weren’t trying to log into that account, you have a good signal that somebody else was trying to get in. That means it’s time to change that password and be grateful you had 2-factor authentication. It’s unfortunate that there is currently an abundance of skilled hackers ready to take advantage of those unprepared. Luckily, you can still stop them -even if they have your login information at hand. 2-factor authentication is one of the easiest methods to keep your accounts safe. Give us a call at (786) 233-2002 to help secure your business and accounts. Blog Content

It’s a safe bet your business is always looking for ways to reduce waste. One place you might not yet have looked? Virtualization of your information technology. Choosing to virtualize servers offers several business benefits. Here are the top five. Let’s first clarify what we mean by virtualization. We’re not talking about a Ready Player One-like takeover of your business. Employees aren’t donning VR headsets to work in an all-encompassing virtual universe. Instead, we’re referring to the virtualization of servers. The work of multiple physical servers is handled on a single server or a cloud-based environment. Say you have three physical servers: one handles mail, another handles internet and routing, and the third proprietary, business applications. Each of these dedicated servers may not be at full capacity, but you need all three. With virtualization, the workloads are no longer tied to specific hardware. Software monitors and allocates IT resources. This means many things can happen at once on the same machines. That’s where we start seeing the benefits this article explores. #1 Greater Efficiency With virtualization, you can make better use of your server capabilities. Computer hardware running a single operating system or application underutilizes your IT. Organizations running more than one virtual system on a server take full advantage of their tech. #2 Lower Costs Virtualizing a server helps reduce spending. Housing many applications on one server, a business better meets storage and processing demands. This can cut down on hardware expenditure. The business also isn’t paying to power machines it isn’t using fully. Plus, cutting back on hardware in the physical environment can reduce cooling demands. This saves on energy bills while helping the business's corporate social responsibility goals. Reclaiming the space used for physical servers, the business can also increase profit generation. #3 Improved Responsiveness Virtualization offers greater operational flexibility. A business can respond to market changes with faster dynamic resource management. With a virtual server, you can backup operating systems and applications efficiently. Rather than dealing with hours of downtime, a virtual environment is deployed in minutes. Moving, copying, or saving data from virtualized machines can be point-and-click simple. #4 Enhanced Disaster Recovery A severe weather event or malware attack could take a physical server out of commission. The business struggles to install its backup (if it has one) on a new server. With a virtualized server, it’s much simpler to replicate that information. It’s also easier to do full backups with server virtualization. A business is more likely to have the latest, most up-to-date data available in the event of a disaster. #5 Reduced Need for Repairs and Support Owning physical servers means constant monitoring and maintenance demands. Reducing the need for physical hardware can cut back on repairs and demand for support. With fewer servers and related hardware, valuable IT experts can focus on challenging, rewarding work. That helps with employee morale and retention, too! Gartner (a research and advisory company) has estimated that businesses that virtualize save up to 50% compared to those relying on physical resources. That virtualized business is also increasing its speed and security. Save the staggering costs of downtime, and improve IT productivity with server virtualization. Ready for virtualization? We can set up the right virtualization solution for your business. Reach out to us today at (786) 233-2002.

Your business relies on any number of service providers. You’re likely contracting for domain names, website hosting, data backup, software licenses, to name just a few. And that’s only your online presence! So, when a renewal notice comes in, you might just forward it on or file it away for future reference. Here’s what you should be doing instead. First, when you get a renewal notice, you should confirm that it’s legitimate. This is especially true of domain names. Your business’s domain name and expiration date are publicly available. Anyone could look them up and send you an invoice. Scammers do. They monitor expiring domain names and then send out emails or convincing physical notices telling you it’s time to renew. They are not doing this as a civic service! Instead, they will be trying to get you to switch your domain services to a competitor or, worse, hoping you'll pay your renewal fee to their account, which has no connection to your domain. Look out for the following indicators that the notice is a fraud: The price is much more than you’d expect. The deadline is within seven days. You don’t know the business name. This business has never contacted you before. The notice requires you to send a check. Handling Authentic Renewal Notices Once you’ve determined the authenticity of the renewal notice, you’ll want to take stock. Putting your licenses or other online services on auto-renewal plans can be easier, but it may not be cost-effective. Before re-upping your plan consider: Are you still using this service? Do you really still need it? Do your current needs meet your current plan? Should you upgrade or downsize? You might also contact your provider directly and ask: Is there a better product available now? Are you eligible for a loyalty discount? The company you’re dealing with wants to keep your business (hence, the renewal notice). That can give you some leverage in negotiating what you are paying or what service you are getting. You could treat an annual renewal notice as an opportunity to renegotiate terms. It’s not always going to work, but it can be worth a phone call as you try to keep business expenses under control. Finally, you should pay attention to any deadlines on the renewal notification. Some are sent months in advance. That seems so helpful, but if you put it away to deal with later before you know it you’ve missed an important date and the service is stopped. You should always get a renewal notice for something like a domain name. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) requires companies to send reminders approximately one month and one week before your domain name expires. Don’t leave your renewal until the last minute. With expired domain names, for instance, you can lose your website! Options and fees for renewing domain names, including expired ones, are going to vary, so be sure you know what your subscription involves. Also, there are bad actors out there who monitor domain expirations to buy them up at bargain prices. Then, when you notice the subscription has lapsed, you have to pay a king’s ransom to get the Web address back. Yes, it can happen to you. In fact, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) handled a record of 3,074 cybersquatting disputes last year. Avoid being overwhelmed by all the subscriptions and service plans your business relies upon. A managed service provider (MSP) monitors your license and domain expiration dates to ensure your business is current. At the same time, the MSP has the expertise needed to determine what plans the best suit your business needs. Give us a call at (786) 233-2002 to enjoy the peace of mind a managed service provider brings!

Conventional wisdom states that cluttered workspaces lead to a disorganized mind.  Mess prevents productivity and begins to hamper professionalism.  Shouldn't that apply to the computer desktop too? The simplest way to clean and organize your digital desktop is to add more space.  Just adding a second screen doubles the available room and makes organization a breeze. Getting work done with a single-monitor setup is a balance of poor compromises.  There never seems to be enough space and the little space available is full of clutter and mess. Switching between windows or tabs wastes time and distracts from work to be done.  Stacking windows together, side-by-side, or top and bottom wastes valuable screen real estate.  The resulting clutter of windows makes it hard to focus on what is important. While most tasks can be tackled feasibly with a single monitor; two make the same tasks faster, simpler, and much more enjoyable. Two Monitors, Many Uses Data entry with two monitors is far easier than data entry with one.  Having source data on one screen, laid out in large type, and the destination on another makes the job a breeze.  By eliminating the need to scroll tiny windows or switch tabs, forget and repeat; the same job can be done in a fraction of the time. Graphic design, image manipulation, and editing are key areas that make the most of a dual-screen setup. Stacking one image on each screen allows you to make quick comparisons to make sure your work is going in the right direction.  Organizing your editing space is made simple too.  Stacking your tools, menus, and options on one monitor with your image maximized on the other helps to stay focused and finish the task. Beyond Just Two Having more than a single screen helps you to track tasks you need to keep on the back burner.  A team chats window to keep on top of collaboration, status updates for business-critical services, or the latest stock price.  These windows and dialogues can remain open and serving updates on a secondary screen while you keep your work focused on your first. It is not uncommon for stock traders or financial analysts to maintain 6 or more screens running from a single computer.  Many use this to track various stocks or indices so they don't miss a beat. Setup How You Like It Multiple monitors can be arranged in almost any practical configuration imaginable.  While traditionally positioned in landscape orientation, second, third, or fourth monitors are often rotated 90 degrees to portrait orientation. This setup is used often by software engineers, editors, and users reviewing large amounts of text.  The lengthwise orientation allows multiple pages to be read from the screen at any one time. Multi-screen setups, no matter how they are arranged, behave the same as if all the monitors were just a single screen.  Mouse input moves from one monitor to another as if there was no difference between them.  From the user's perspective, there is no difference in how they interact at all. A Boost to Productivity There is a scientific advantage to multi-monitor setups too.  A survey by Jon Peddie research found that adding an extra monitor boosted a user’s output by as much as 20 to 30 percent. A productivity advantage of even 10 percent is prized and very hard to come by in the business world.  Receiving a productivity reward of over 20 percent for just the cost of adding a second monitor is something few firms can afford to pass up. The satisfaction of de-cluttering your digital desktop and keeping your focus in the zone is worth it alone. Give us a call at (786) 233-2002 if you would like us to boost your setup by adding a second monitor.

Christmas time is back with us again.  The latest devices and gadgets are hitting store shelves just in time to keep up with the rush.  Magazines, television, and the web are brimming with advertisements and reviews of the latest tech your money can buy. Before you rush out to buy the gadgets you've been waiting all year for, consider a few important questions before parting with your hard-earned cash. Does This Technology Do What I need? First, you must ask what problem you are trying to solve with a new piece of tech. The most important thing to consider is how adopting your new device will improve on what you had before. In some cases, a sleek new gadget or device for fun is good too. When you've answered this question, you should consider whether there is another tech or competing devices out there that can perform even better. Should I Become an Early Adopter? Early adopters are people that anticipate the release of new tech, wait in line on release day, and pride themselves on having the latest gadgets to hit the shelves.  If you recognize yourself in this description you are likely to snap up the latest devices the day they are released.  This eager anticipation, however, is not always the way to get the best deals or the best gadgets. Companies often rely on new product hype to give sales an early boost.  Waiting for the marketing and hype to subside, even a little, can save you a lot of money. After initial sales fall, companies often mark down their prices to keep their devices attractive and sales high.  When newer, faster, sleeker devices hit the market, companies cut prices to maintain strong sales figures.   For the budget smart consumer this is an opportunity for a bargain. A device good enough to buy on launch day is well worth waiting for. Have I checked The Reviews? We are fortunate enough to have access to seemingly unlimited amounts of information at our fingertips.  Often weeks before a product is released, reviews are available across the web. One of the best things you can do when considering a new device, particularly a high-cost purchase, is to watch and read a wide variety of product reviews.  It pays to be cautious of reviews that are particularly glowing, or too downbeat.  Keep an eye out for the middle of the road reviews that fairly weigh the pros and cons of each device. Have I Found the Best Deal? There are many ways to keep an eye out to make sure you get the best deal on your device.  If you can, monitor prices over time to see how they rise and fall to find the best time to purchase. When purchasing online, many sites include a box to add a coupon code when you are ready to buy.  It sometimes pays to jump over to Google and search the website name and 'coupon' or 'voucher' to find out if there are any good deals on. A quick search can save you as much as 10, 15, or 20 percent on some purchases. Sometimes companies send out offers to appeal to groups they want to market to.  A companies Facebook page may get different offers or vouchers than its Twitter followers or newsletter for example. It can pay to search around for offers and vouchers to get money off before you checkout.  Five minutes of work can save huge amounts of cash. Purchase in Confidence If you have asked yourself these questions, done all your research, and found the answers you're looking for then you may well be ready to buy. You can do so with the confidence that you've done all your homework and you're getting the best deal and gadget for your money. Need help with finding the right tech to purchase before Christmas? Give is us a call at (786) 233-2002

The holiday season is here again.  TV advertisers have released their festive jingles and stores have dusted off their Christmas displays.  Most importantly, shopping centers have moved their latest and greatest devices to the front of the store.  It's almost time to eat warming treats in front of a roaring fire. There may still be work to do, however, before we can invite round family to unbox their latest gadgets and watch the year’s Christmas movie.  A little maintenance, updates, and set-up go a long way to ensure the holiday season goes without a hitch. Sadly, not every device is ready to run straight out of the box.  Not every device even comes ready to interact with others when it's first opened.  Each new gadget comes with its own setup and new things to learn. Often today, devices, toys and computers require extensive updates before they are ready to function.  This commonly means large downloads and lengthy installation periods. In previous years devices have been purchased for Christmas, only to be rendered useless waiting for updates while large numbers of requests crash the company servers.  This can be highly frustrating and put a real dampener on the holiday spirit. Here is how we can help this season: Setup New Devices In modern-day simply purchasing a gadget doesn't make it ready to use.  Often they still need setup, updates, and extra steps to make it safe to access the internet too. Bring your device to us and we can have it safe and ready to use the second you unbox it.  We'll perform initial setup, get it ready for the network, and install mandatory updates. By the time we're done, your device will be the first one ready to use. For relevant devices, we can install additional features too.  Parental protection, antivirus, and security feature ready to defend your machine against the latest threats. Whatever the device we can configure it to the way you want to use it. Transfer Data and Retire Old Devices Getting a brand new device can be fun and exciting. Before getting carried away with the latest tech, we must consider what happens to our old data too.  Depending on the device there is any number of dangers and pitfalls to think about. Replacing an aging laptop or desktop computer with a brand new model, for example, has inherent danger in data storage.  These computers typically use hard drive disks to store all their data. When disposed of improperly, hard drives are vulnerable to being removed and taken.  These can often be read and copied by thieves looking to steal your data.  Old devices containing data need just as much care and attention as new ones fresh out the box. There are many cases where individuals have had important records stolen this way. In some cases, the information has been used to access accounts, and in others, for blackmail. Mobile devices typically have some form of data storage too.  This may store applications or media that have been bought and paid for; but also data such as records and photographs that hold a great deal of value. We can help transfer old files and data to your new device and safely dispose of your old one too. We can ensure that every photograph, video, and a bit of data is recovered from your mobile device or laptop so that you never lose a single file.  We can securely wipe and even physically destroy old hard drives at your request.  We strive to ensure you keep every bit of your old data and not a single byte falls into the wrong hands. Troubleshooting It sometimes happens that new technology has moved so fast and changed so much that it doesn't play well with older devices already installed on your network.  Sometimes it seems impossible to even connect certain devices at all. Often simple configuration changes are all that's required to introduce two pieces of technology successfully.  With the right set of eyes and in knowledgeable hands the most complex of jobs can be turned into a quick fix. If your goal is for a smooth, fun and relaxing holiday season, give us a call at (786) 233-2002 and we'll get you up and running in time.

The new year can mean resolutions and promises for a “new you.” One way to start this year feeling more in control is to clean up your computer. Follow these simple steps! Tackle the inbox We do a lot of shopping at the end of the year. Whether you shop online or in stores, you’re asked to provide your email address when you buy, which multiplies the number of mailing lists you’re on. Don’t start the new year deluged by unwanted newsletters and advertising emails. The extra messages in your inbox distract you from the messages that matter. Instead of deleting every new unread message from “Let’s Make Cookies,” click on one and unsubscribe. Usually, there’s a link that lets you do this at the bottom of the email. If you’re a Gmail user, start your effort to cut down on unwanted mail in your Promotions tab. Google’s algorithm sends sales pitches here, so cut messages from this section first. Clear bookmarks The internet is built for browsing. We’ve all lost hours to clicking and linking in this vortex of information. “Wait. How did I end up here looking at kittens eating cupcakes?!” To make things easier, we’ll bookmark sites we visit often or put a page we want to return to on a reading list. By the end of the year, we have marked many sites that we don’t even remember favoriting in the first place. “When was I interested in this?” Getting rid of any bookmarks for passing interests can help you navigate the Web better this year. In Google Chrome, click on the three dots in the upper-right of your browser window (to the left of your profile icon). The drop-down menu will have a Bookmarks option. Click on this to see another drop-down menu with Bookmark Manager on it. On the next screen, every one of your bookmarks will have three dots beside it. Click on this to select the delete option, and get rid of the ones you don’t need any longer. Safari users can click on Bookmarks on the top menu or the sidebar icon on the toolbar (to the right of the arrows on the left). Then edit your bookmarks by clicking on sites you no longer want and hitting your delete button. Sort through downloads We also download a lot of stuff in a year. Sometimes, because we’re impatient or don’t realize we’ve already hit download, we get multiple copies of the same file! A full download folder takes up storage space on your computer and can slow your computer down. On a Mac, go to the Finder and click on Downloads on the “Go” drop-down menu. You’ll find a folder filled with .pdfs, .docs, and .jpegs you long forgot about. Click on those you don’t need anymore and drag them to your trash can. On Windows, you can usually go to the “This PC” icon and then the “Downloads” folder. Right-click on the files you don’t want, and choose “Delete.” Empty trash/recycling bins Items you put in the trash or recycling bins at home take up space until you take those bins to the curb or the dump, and the same is true of your computer trash or recycling. Empty these bins by selecting “empty trash” on your Mac Finder menu, or “empty recycle bin” after clicking on the bin icon in Windows 10. Remove unused programs/apps - If you’re not using a program or app, don’t give it computer space. On a Mac, you can click on the icon for that program and drag it to the Trash. With Windows, you’ll open the Start menu, click on Settings, then System, then Apps and Features from the left pane to select what you want to uninstall. Click the Uninstall button, and you’ve decluttered your computer that little bit more for the new year. If you need help with any of these streamlining measures, let us know. We can help! Call (786) 233-2002.

Why can’t we all just get along? You’ve probably thought that before. But the sentiment is also one that goes through our heads when we’re trying to set up home networking. When cables and passwords abound, we can’t help but wish it was easier to get all our devices to play nicely together. Here’s help. Desktop computers. Laptops. Tablets. Network printers. Routers. Modems. Smartphones. Smart speakers. Media players. Gaming systems. Homes today have many, if not all of these. Each has all sorts of features, and they’d be even more useful if they connected to one another. If only it wasn’t so challenging to get all our devices to relay information between each other reliably. Home networking can bring so many benefits. You might enjoy: accessing emails on all your devices, wherever you are; surfing the Web using your voice; being able to share files, photos, and other media with any other networked device; viewing a baby photo album from your computer on your Smart TV during a Sweet 16 birthday party; printing from your smartphone or other devices, even when not connected to the device via cable, using AirPrint or Google Cloud Print; backing up all computers in the house to a centralized location via the network; securing your activity on all devices at home with a protected Wi-Fi network. Yep, all that sounds pretty great, but we’re right back where we started. How do we get our devices to do all that? What Your Home Network Needs First, take a moment to imagine connecting all the computers and smart devices in your home via cables. Ack! As if you want more cables snaking around your home! You don’t want to feel as if you’re rooming with Medusa. So, you’ll be looking into a wireless home network to connect your devices to the internet and each other. That means setting up a modem and a router (we’re assuming you already have an internet service provider). The modem is what connects your network to the internet. The router connects your devices to each other and to the internet through your modem. The router communicates the wireless signal between your devices and the modem. A gateway option combines the modem and router functions in one device. If your home is spread out over several floors or square feet, or you have to deal with thick walls, you might have difficulties at home with Wi-Fi dead spots. Great! You’ve made all this effort, and it’s still not working! You could try a mesh network. Instead of making one device do all the signaling, a primary router and many smaller satellites (or nodes) relay the signals with equal power. Securing Your Home Network When you get your devices connected, you’ll want to secure your home network. Taking these simple steps helps protect your personal information and prevent cyberattacks. First, change the default passwords on your modem and router, and choose something more complex than “123456,” “password,” or “letmein.” You’ll also want to set up a guest network if the router supports it. This allows visitors to access the Wi-Fi without you having to share access to your main network. Also, rename your Wi-Fi network so that it isn’t obvious that it’s your house. For example, if you live at 920 Hassell Place, you wouldn’t name it 920Hassell. Or, if you’re the Wilsons, don’t name it WilsonNetwork. Don’t make it easy for someone trying to target you to identify which network they are trying to hack. You like using all your devices, but getting them all networked seems like a headache. Still, once you have a home network set up, you’ll wonder why you waited so long. Don’t put off the convenience any longer. We can help you get all your devices playing together nicely and securely. Contact us today at (786) 233-2002!

Hearing a “firewall” in the context of computing can be confusing. How does a tall, blazing fire separating rescue teams from people trapped apply to computers? Well, imagine the rescue team using heavy blasts of water to save the day. A hacker is as motivated to get at your data. They will try everything to bypass your security. They want to get inside your network perimeter. In a business office, computers and printers are often networked together. This lets Jane in accounting and Kevin in graphic design access the same business tools. In computing, a firewall sits between that internal network and the internet outside. It’s kind of like a nightclub bouncer. You definitely want it to be as burly and intimidating as possible to keep the riff-raff out. The firewall helps reduce or prevent unwanted traffic from getting through. The Packet Filtering Firewall Approach Your firewall can be hardware, software, or both. A packet-filter firewall monitors and controls network traffic. It filters data entering the network according to predetermined rules. IT experts set up a firewall to examine small amounts of data (called “packets”) to see if they contain threats. It checks packet data against criteria such as allowed IP addresses and packet type. If the data is suspect, the firewall stops those packets. If not, the data will continue on to its destination. Firewalls stop certain software from sending and receiving data to and from the internet. This reduces the number of entry points for viruses or illegitimate traffic. After all, a club wouldn’t want to hire the bouncers to cover seven different doors. A firewall also monitors outgoing traffic. Why’s that? Because an infected computer in your network could be sending out malicious information. If your company has fallen victim to a malware attack that turns a computer into a bot, it might be “phoning home.” Unlike E.T. trying to get back to the safety of his home planet, the malware is checking in with its Zombie master. It's helping to strengthen the bad guy’s ability to attack victims. Firewalls can help prevent denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. In a DoS incident, thousands of computers are used to send an overwhelming amount of traffic to a network. It’s like putting 10,000 people in an elevator with an occupancy limit of 20 – expect a crash. One famous 2016 attack seriously disrupted Amazon, Visa, PayPal, Netflix, AirBnB, and more. Other Types of Firewall Packet-filtering firewalls aren’t your only option. Stateful inspection is helping to make firewalls even smarter. This check where the packet came from, where it is going, and what application requested it. This end-to-end examination is more rigorous. All the parameters must match trusted information for the packet to pass through. This approach offers a smart, fast way to inspect for unauthorized traffic. When setting up any firewall, it is important to avoid any unintentional openings. A hole in a chainlink fence renders perimeter security useless. A hole in a firewall leaves your network vulnerable. Need help deciding on the right type of firewall for your business? Want to be sure your firewalls are going to withstand the attack? Our experts can help set up and test your firewalls. Contact us today at (786) 233-2002!

A common complaint by many users in recent months has been spam emails appearing to come from their own accounts.  Despite not knowing why, reports of friends, family, and contacts receiving spam email that appears to come from them has worried many people. Some have had their accounts suspended or shut down by their service providers as a result.  For many, this experience can be highly disruptive. It's a problem that can cause many issues in both your professional and personal life. The key to defense is learning how these attacks happen, and figuring out what you can do to protect yourself and your contacts against them. Hackers Using Your Email Against You Scammers that send out spam messages are continually looking for ways to make the process faster, cheaper, and more efficient.  It's the best way in which they can make more money every day by scamming unsuspecting victims for even more cash. One of the most efficient ways they do this is by hijacking ready-made trusted email accounts like your own.  Hackers have several tools at their disposal to attempt to hijack your accounts. Some of the principles which make email fast and easy to use means that details, such as those in the 'from' field, are easy to fake.  A hacker might change the information supplied to make it appear as if the email comes from anyone. There's not much you can do to defend your email against such an attack.  However, you can work to verify that an email, even one you expect to receive, does come from the person you believe it too.  If your email provider flags up an incoming email as 'suspicious', or 'untrustworthy', it may well be. Stolen Credentials Hackers often buy large bundles of email addresses and passwords from the dark web.  Leaked emails are often put up for sale following hacks of major companies and service providers. The value of these details comes from passwords being unlikely to have been changed, the details attached to them are trusted, and often get hackers to access additional services too. How To Detect an Email Intrusion It can take a long time before you’re aware that malicious hackers are using your details.  You might even be the last person in your contacts to know. The first sign to look out for is a large number of unexpected emails in your inbox.  These are likely to reply to emails you never sent in the first place.  Out of office, automatic responses, people complaining about spam, and people responding to the email as if it were genuine may all come to you first. Keep a close eye on unexpected emails appearing suddenly in either your inbox or outbox.  A hacker may be spear-phishing someone that you do business with or trust.  By acting as you, using your address and details, they may be able to divert payments or confidential information to their accounts instead. Protecting Yourself Against Hackers, Attackers, And Hijackers Sometimes your computer might have been compromised to give hackers access to your services.  Malicious software may have infected your machine to steal data and infect your contacts. Take extra care to change your passwords if you believe your email has been accessed by a hacker.  Use a different, more secure password for your email than you do for every other service.  Your email account is often the key to accessing many of the services you use most. Run a virus scan and maintain security updates if you think your computer could have been infected. Have your machine and services looked at by a professional if you believe there is a risk your data is being used? If you think your email could have been hijacked, or your details used elsewhere, give us a call at (786) 233-2002 to clean up today.