How to Remember a more Secure Password

Seras technicians work on customer PCs in the greater Columbia area everyday and quite often they need access to a customer's password in order to access and test computer hardware, software, and other network components.  Quite often customers say, "I use 'abc123' for everything" (or something to that effect).

Hackers use "dictionary attack" programs to quickly run through a long list of known words to attempt to hack into unknowing users' accounts.  Often these hacking programs can uncover a password within minutes, therefore a one word password is not going maintain any significant level of security.

So what now?  How do you create a more secure password that is also easy to remember?  The answer: Phrases.

For example, think of your favorate restaurant:

outback

Now think of a way to talk about making it the best:

outbackisbest

Now add a capital letter:

Outbackisbest

Now add a number:

Outbackis1

Now add a symbol:

Outbackis#1

This process virtually eliminates the possiblity of a "dictionary attack" and creates a more secure password than most that is also very easy to remember.  For help with passwords or anything else computer or IT related, contact us here.  Now go out there and create your new passwords!

Enhanced Data Security for any Organization

All businesses have important data and other information that need to be protected. In order to protect that data, businesses need to implement several safeguards and take pro-active steps to increase their data security.

Data Security refers to protective digital privacy measures that are applied to prevent unauthorized access to computers, databases and websites. Data security also protects data from corruption and is the main priority for organizations of every size and genre.

Whether you are a company that has been in business for several years or a start up company, data security needs to be a top priority. Older companies need to review and refresh their data security plans annually while start ups need to begin formulating a plan.

Steps Towards Better Data Security:

PDCA: Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA). This is a protocol for many businesses in any industry. Plan your security processes ahead of time. Do the hard work of integrating this plan and security processes. Check that they are being followed and Act quickly in cases of non-compliance. Using PDCA as a guide will help you focus on what you need to do and how you can help accomplish better data security within your organization.

Auditing: Proper planning and policy making is great, however, if you don't follow your own policies then they aren't doing you any good. That is why it is important to do a regular audit by a third party to ensure that your policies are being followed properly by all team members.

Identify Assets: Make a list of all hardware, software, media, data and applications that contain sensitive data.

Hiring: Did you know that over half of all data security breaches are caused by insiders rather than malware or web-based attacks? For the most part it is negligence, but sometimes it can be done by deliberate sabotage.  To sum up, your employees are the greatest risk to your data. Policies need to be in place to minimize the risk of data loss. Proper screening during the hiring process needs to be taken seriously. documents need to be protected, and access should have proper permissions.

Controlling Access: Permissions need to be set up on your data and documents for certain employees. Should the janitor have access to the personnel files in HR? Ensure that appropriate access to each data type is in place.

Training: As stated previously, 50 percent of all data security breaches are caused by insiders. Most of the time it is because of negligence. Keep your staff trained on proper use of each software, hardware and other IT equipment. We know training is the magic word that automatically gives you and your staff a headache.  However, we believe that investing the time to train your staff will be far less severe than the headache that occurs when your data has been compromised because one of your untrained staff clicked an email or link that they should not have.

Back-Up: Requirements for backing up data will vary according to your industry. We recommend at a minimum a daily back up of all files that have changed in the past 24 hours and a complete backup on a weekly basis. Data should also be regularly archived for long-term storage.

Physical Security: Keeping proper access to physical files is important. Physical files and other sensitive resources should be properly secured by key locks, key code locks or other security measures. On top of that it is critical to keep servers, workstations and cables protected from damage by floods, fires, and other natural disasters.

24/7 Monitoring: Threats towards your data security are always evolving. Malware and viruses are always changing and adapting. The best way to maintain best data security is to implement a real time monitoring of all of your IT systems.  For more information about detecting malware, check out our recent article here.

Stay updated: Keeping your IT resources updated will reduce the likelihood of breaches and will help your team to better respond to threats.

Proper Disposal: Extremely sensitive data can still be recovered even when it has been deleted or removed from a workstation.  Make sure you use proper wiping utilities and ensure that old equipment is properly destroyed/demagnetized to prevent sensitive data from being recovered.

We want your business goals to not only be met, but to be exceeded abundantly!  A big part of your company's ability to accomplish it's goals is to ensure proper data security. Contact Seras today to help ensure that your company is safe from data security threats.

Wateree Community Actions Inc. Golf Tournament

We had a great time participating in the Wateree Community Actions Inc Classic Golf Tournament on Monday April 25th.  There was a great turn out, the weather was great and the fellowship was great!

Wateree Community Actions, Inc. (WCAI) is a private non-profit community action agency founded in 1969 encompassing five counties in South Carolina. WCAI is committed to enhancing the social and economic self-sufficiency of low income families and individuals in the following communities: Clarendon, Kershaw, Lee, Richland, and Sumter counties.  The agency fosters relationships and conducts a wide range of custom designed services and activities geared toward reducing poverty and making each community a better place to live. To learn more about WCAI click here to visit their website.

Seras provides IT services to Wateree Community Actions, Inc for all seven of their offices in the five hours. Contact us to see how we can help serve your business' Computer and IT needs.

Symptoms of Malware Infection

If you manage or own a company, chances are you or your employees are using computers. At some point you or your employees will use the internet - for work purposes, for lunch-time browsing, or even when supposed to be working.  Using the internet makes your IT security more vulnerable to many hackers and viruses.

It is important to recognize and understand when your computer systems are under attack from malware and other viruses.  But what are the symptoms of malware infection?  How can you find out if your computer or worse your entire network is infected?  Here are a few warning signs and symptoms of malware infection.

You are unknowingly sending out spam through emails and social media

Are your friends telling you that you've been sending them random emails with pretty sketchy links?  Or are you sending them links through facebook or twitter or other social media platforms?  Then you might be a victim of spyware.  This may be caused from setting weak passwords or even forgetting to log out of them.

Pop-ups and Toolbars

Pop-Ups are easy signs that your computer is infected with malware.  If you see a pop-up ad it is likely that you may have clicked on a suspicious page, answered a service or an ad. When pop-ups appear, do not click on their content.  Close them and immediately run your anti-malware software to remove the malware.

How often do you download free applications over the internet?  Often, free application software comes with malware.  Did your default web browser change? Did your default search engine change?  What about your toolbar in your web browser?  Many times hidden in the fine print of these free software options are details of how it will change these settings. Be cautious when seeing these links for free software and download now. Sometimes it is best to avoid downloading altogether. Contact your IT company to ensure any program you download is safe.

Blue Screen of Death

Does your computer crash frequently? That could be a sign of a technical problem or even worse a malware infection. Consult your IT service provider when this occurs to ensure the problem isn't that you haven't installed the latest drivers for your device or other technical problems with your PC. If it isn't anything wrong with your PC then your computer may be infected by malware.  Consult with your IT provider anytime this occurs to ensure the security of your computer systems.

Computer running slow

This is one of the most common symptoms.  Is it taking an unusually long time to start up or run any programs? You may be infected with a virus.  It is best not to immediately assume you have a virus just because your computer is running slow.  Do a quick check to see if you might actually be running out of RAM.  For windows, open your task manager by pressing and holding down Ctrl-Alt-DEL and go to the performance tab and check how many gigabytes of RAM you are using under the memory section.  You may also be running out of space on your hard drive or have damaged hardware. If that is not the problem then it's likely a virus.

Programs are shutting down randomly

Are you working on a program and it randomly closes?  Does the program start when you never told it to start? That can be a sign that your PC is infected with malware.

As a manager or business owner it is important that you know and recognize the symptoms of malware infection on your PCs.  It is important for your IT security to train your employees to recognize these symptoms and to have a plan and procedures in place for how to help resolve the situation as soon as possible.  We recommend performing regular malware scans on all of your PCs even if the symptoms aren't showing in order to ensure the data and systems are secure.

To learn more about malware and IT security contact Seras here or by calling 803.233.9216.

PC have a Fever?

Just about everyone is aware of virus and malware protection, but what about potential damage to hardware in your PC that could easily be avoided?  At Seras, we see computers everyday that are tucked under desks next to small heaters, full of dust, or not cooling properly.

Even though most PC operating systems have "thermal shutdown" procedures, these are often not calibrated and if they malfunction you could lose everything.  As the temperature of the PC rises, without proper cooling from the fan, it can get hot enough to melt core components or even cause a fire.  Chron.com provides more details about potential hardware damage here.

How can I prevent overheating?

Clean your PC

Most PCs have several fans, which are the primary source for keeping the PC cool.  Dirt, dust, pet hair, and other contaminants are sucked in by the fans and then get clogged and built-up within the PC.  The easiest way to clean them is to take the unit outside and remove the case.  Then use a compressed air canister to blow them out.

Upgrade the main CPU cooling fan or add a case fan

Stock fans are not nearly as efficient as aftermarket fans, which will get your PC temperature down to below manufacturer specifications.  The fans are relatively inexpensive and can be replaced quickly and easily.

Case fans are more external and work in addition to the other fans to help keep air moving through the PC.

Change the location of your PC

The easiest solution is often to move the PC to a location that is lest susceptible to dirt and dust and provides more open air flow for the unit.

Treat or replace power supplies

Power supply modules have their own fans and it is much cheaper to simply replace the entire power supply than to attempt to replace it's fan.

There are several additional options for higher-end PCs that include water-cooling kits, additional component fans, phase change units, and temperature/humidity controlled facilities.  A Seras professional will be happy to answer any additional questions related to cooling servers and high-end PCs.

Can You Spot Your Hidden IT Risks?

We all know about risks.  We all have experienced risks in our lives.  The decisions we make as a business owner all have risks.  Some risks aren't always that obvious.

That is the case when it comes to IT.  IT is a big part of your business. It helps your business move forward, grow and run efficiently. However, with technology comes some great risks. IT risks aren't always obvious. They are often hidden and hard to spot.

In order to protect your systems and technology from those hidden IT risks then you need to have a plan in place and take actionable steps towards mitigating those risks. You also need a team of qualified individuals who can help. So what are some of those hidden IT risks?

The folks at Techopedia recently put out a great article entitled Your IT's Risks are Hidden - Can you Spot Them? I would encourage you to check out that article written by Brent Whitfield.  They detail several hidden IT risks and actionable steps for you to take in order for you to protect your businesses technology.

We would love to talk to you about ways that we can help protect your company from these and even more IT risks. Contact us today at 803.233.9216 or through our contact page.