IT Security Tip: What to do BEFORE you go to Starbucks

So you’re in the car on the way home from Starbucks, basking in the glow of consuming your triple-shot, low-foam, extra-hot pumpkin-spice latte when you suddenly realize your laptop has gone missing. You drive back like the caffeinated lunatic you are, only to discover no one has turned it in. What do you do? That …

IT Security: REMOVE these from your laptop, tablet or smartphone

Like it or not, device manufacturers LOVE to stuff your brand-new PC, tablet or phone full of “free” applications (they get paid to do it, so you’ve got a slim chance of getting one without a side of spamware). But clutter is the enemy of a speedy PC, and outdated apps are a breeding ground …

IT Security Tip: If you installed it, you must update it!

There are thousands of hackers who get up every morning with ONE goal in mind: to find a new vulnerability in a commonly installed software (like Adobe, Flash or QuickTime) to access your computer. That’s why these companies frequently issue patches and updates for KNOWN security bugs; and once a KNOWN vulnerability is announced via …

IT Security Tip: Bookmark the LEGITIMATE websites you frequently visit

Here’s a sneaky trick used by many hackers: they purchase and set up a fraudulent website that is a close misspelling of a legitimate one. Example: http://www.faceboook.com (extra “o”) or http://www.dropbox.net (instead of .com). All you have to do is accidentally fat-finger ONE letter in the URL and up pops a very legitimate-looking fake copy …

IT Security Tip: What is the “Dark Web” anyway?

The “Dark Web” or “Deep Web” is a part of the World Wide Web we know and love that is ONLY accessible via a special software that allows users and website operators to remain completely anonymous and untraceable. That’s why it’s the playground for hackers and cybercriminals. Because hacking IS a for-profit business, there are …

IT Security Tip: How to spot a phishing e-mail

A phishing e-mail is a bogus e-mail that is carefully designed to look like a legitimate request (or attached file) from a site you trust in an effort to get you to willingly give up your login information to a particular website or to click and download a virus.   Often these e-mails look 100% …

IT Security Tip: How to avoid being a victim of ransomware

Not too long ago, the WannaCry ransomware attack was all over the news, infecting over 400,000 computers. The threat was fairly straightforward: Pay us or we’ll erase your files.    Ransomware, like the WannaCry attack, works by encrypting your files to prevent you from using or accessing them. After your files are compromised, the hackers …

IT Security Tip: If this type of alert pops up, DON’T click on it!

You’re working at your computer when all of the sudden – BAM! – you get a pop-up notification that your PC is infected with a virus and you must “click here” to run a scan or install antivirus software. This is a common scareware tactic used by hackers to get you to click and download …

IT Security Tip: The #1 way a hacker will get you is…

Thanks to sophisticated brute-force-attack software readily available online, hackers can try tens of millions of possible password combinations per second. For example, hacking software can guess a five-character password in under three hours. If you only use lowercase letters, it’s 11.9 seconds. You KNOW you need to have a better password than “password” or “letmein” …

IT Security Tip: The Shocking Truth About Bank Fraud

Did you know your COMPANY'S bank account doesn't enjoy the same protections as a personal account when it comes to fraud? If a hacker takes money from your business account, the bank is NOT responsible for replacing your funds. (Dont believe me? Just go ask your banker what their policy is for replacing money stolen …