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www.ptscinti.com (513) 232–7700

THE IT INSIDER...
Insider Tips To Make Your Business Run Faster, Easier and More Profitably

August 2015

In This Issue...


JR Hazenfield

"As a business owner, you don't have time to waste on technical and operational issues. That's where we shine! Call us and put an end to your IT problems finally and forever!"

– JR Hazenfield, Professional Telecommunications Services, Inc.

Cybercriminals Confess: The Top 3 Tricks, Sneaky Schemes And Gimmicks They Use To Hack Your Computer Network

Hackers

  1. We're masters at getting you to click on fake e-mails. One of the most common ways hackers gain access to computer networks and devices is via phishing e-mails. Gone are the days when you could easily spot a spammer's e-mail because of its poor English, typos and punctuation mistakes – attacks are getting more and more sophisticated. That's because cybercriminals have access to the same cutting-edge online marketing tools that legitimate companies have, giving them the ability to send highly targeted messages that look completely legitimate from sources you trust. These e-mails often use your name, your professional title and may even reference a group you belong to. Further, if you click on the e-mails or respond, you're inviting a hacker into your network that bypasses a firewall and antivirus software. The only way to avoid getting snared by a phishing e-mail is to NEVER click on, open or respond to any e-mail requesting personal information, passwords, login details, etc. Always go directly to the site.

  2. We automate attacks that work around the clock. Hackers have software programs that systematically test millions of possible passwords to break into your PC. Easy-to-guess passwords are worthless against the power, automation and sophistication of these super-apps that will constantly hammer away at guessing your password. Because of this, make sure your passwords contain both uppercase and lowercase letters, at least one number and special characters – and NEVER use easy-to-guess passwords like "letmein" or "password."

  3. We can use legitimate web sites to attack you. A growing number of cyberattacks are coming via "drive-by" download, where a hacker gains access to a legitimate, honest business web site (or sets up a site that looks legit on every level) but has malicious code installed called an "exploit kit." An exploit kit can discover a vulnerability fast by probing your operating system, browser and the software you have installed (like a PDF reader or video player) to find a way to access your PC or network. If you (or your IT company!) aren't applying regular security updates, you are unprotected against these exploits.

While these are common ways hackers gain access, there are dozens of other more straightforward ways hackers gain access if you're not diligently updating and patching your network, maintaining an up-to-date firewall, antivirus and spam-filtering unified threat-management system. The days of "That could never happen to me" are gone – and if you want peace of mind that YOUR business isn't a "sitting duck" to hackers, call us for a free security assessment and protection plan. You'll discover if you truly are protected from common hacker attacks and what you can do now to avoid being an easy target. Call today at 513-232-7700.


Find out more about Security / Firewalls, Anti-virus and Managed Services


Frustrated By Trying To Remember All Those Passwords? Here's How You Can Solve It

User Names and Password

Are you still writing down all your passwords on a Post-It note? Maybe that used to work 10 years ago, but today, with SO MANY sites requiring a password and so many of us using multiple devices to access web applications, that's really not an effective way to manage all the passwords you have. Plus, it opens the door of temptation to use the same password on everything (a security risk) or using easy-to-remember passwords (also a security risk).

What you need is a password manager. This will allow you to use good, strong passwords for all your sites without having to remember them. There are at least a dozen good ones on the market that are free or require a nominal fee (under $40 per year). The one that's getting the highest ratings right now is LastPass 3.0 Premium. It offers an impressive and comprehensive set of features with an easy-to-use interface, and is inexpensive at $12 per year. Second in line is Dashlane, which also offers a robust number of features, even some that LastPass lacks, but carries a bigger price point at $39.95 per year. Sticky Password Premium handles essential tasks better than most, and a portion of every purchase goes to help endangered species. Sticky Password will run you roughly $19.99 per year.

Find out more about Password management IT Consulting.


Free Report Download: What Every Small Business Owner Must Know About Protecting And Preserving Their Company's Critical Data And Computer Systems

FREE Report

You will learn:

This report will outline in plain, non-technical English common mistakes that many small business owners make with their computer network that cost them thousands in lost sales, productivity and computer repair bills, as well as providing an easy, proven way to reduce or completely eliminate the financial expense and frustration caused by these oversights.

Download Your FREE Report Instantly»


Have You Heard Of The "Biggest Security Threat Of 2015"? Probably Not.

Server 2003

"Server 2003 is dead. What are you going to do?" Ade Foxall, CEO of Camwood and co-author of the newly launched industry report, says the death of Server 2003 will represent the "biggest security threat of 2015". And yet, the IT community isn't giving it much of a second thought. Server 2003 has received an estimated 5% of the coverage that Windows XP received last April.

Camwood research states that the lack of industry awareness leaves the majority of businesses dangerously unprepared and at risk. Server 2003 could have serious repercussions for the millions of servers that still use 2003 for core elements of their day-to-day IT operations.

So how does Server 2003 affect you?

  • No Updates: 37 critical updates released in 2013 for Windows Server 2003
  • Security Risks: Expect increased exposure to major vulnerabilities and cybersecurity attacks
  • No Compliance: Windows 2003 will not pass a compliance audit (i.e. PCI, HIPAA) (Lack of PCI compliance could mean Visa & MC will not do business with an organization.)
  • Increased operations costs: Impact on both physical & virtualized servers and Discontinued support for many applications

Most are moving to the Cloud

Spiceworks, the professional IT network, reports that three-quarters of companies running Server 2003 will take some, if not all, of their applications into the virtual space. On-premise is not dead; it just has to be re-imagined to be the gateway or hub to the cloud.

Many industry analysts are talking about a "hybrid cloud" (part on-premise/part in-cloud) as the future of IT and much of the market is already starting to reflect this. For SMB's, a hybrid environment creates an opportunity for IT as a whole to be delivered as a service, where a managed service provider uses cloud managed server appliances on-premise alongside cloud hosted applications. This delivers an efficient and effective solution that can evolve & scale to meet the customers' needs.

Find out more about Server 2003 End of Life: cloud services / MSP Cloud, IT Consulting and Managed Services.

3 (Little?) White Lies VoIP Salespeople Will Tell You To Make The Sale

Thinking of replacing your old phone system with a brand-new VoIP system to save money? Before you do, make sure you know these half-truths VoIP salespeople will tell you that may not be 100% legit.

1. VoIP will save you a boatload of money! For most, this is absolutely the case. However, if you're a single, smaller office, you might not see as big a cost savings as you think. Most of the money saved is in reduced overhead expenses and lower phone bills; however, the initial costs of installing a system can be pricey, essentially eliminating any real cost savings as a whole. Just make sure you look at ALL the costs over a year's time, not just the money saved on your phone bill when comparing one system to another. That said, larger offices with multiple phone lines and branch locations can see a HUGE savings in costs, thereby making VoIP a much smarter, cost-saving choice.

2. You won't experience garbled sound, dropped calls or other problems with OUR system. This is one area to tread carefully. Buy the wrong system and you absolutely WILL sacrifice call quality. Without getting too technical, there are 4 ways to deliver phone calls via the Internet: SIP trucking, hosted IP PBX systems, on-premise IP PBX systems and hybrid or blended (on-premise and cloud) systems. Of the 4, the one we've found the most effective is using a hybrid of on-premise and cloud to deliver the most reliable and highest quality sound (feel free to contact us for a detailed and more technical explanation). However, nothing is better than running a small test in your own environment – so before you commit to any phone system, ask to have a phone installed on your current network to test.

3. Our VoIP phone works on any network. Not true! Depending on the age of your network, your firewall, the speed, bandwidth and reliability of your Internet connection, and a few other factors, you might be faced with upgrading your network to make your new VoIP system work. A network assessment for VoIP would need to be done to determine exactly what, if anything, would need to be upgraded. If you work with a provider that does not insist on performing a comprehensive assessment, run away fast! Without knowing what's going on with your network, there is a strong possibility you will be very disappointed with the quality and performance of your VoIP system.

Want to find out if VoIP is right for you? Call us to run an HONEST evaluation of your network, Internet connection and current phone system and costs to determine if a VoIP system will deliver high-quality phone service at the cost savings you want: 513-232-7700 or send us an e-mail to Stacey@PTScinti.com

Find out more about VoIP and VoIP/PBX.


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