Jacobs and Company B.I.T.S.

In many cases, the first line of defense against a digital security breach is not your antivirus or firewall, but your employees. Your employees play a vital role in dealing with and preventing potential security breaches. It is my strong belief that every computer user should be taught how to be safe when using a computer on the internet and to know what to look for in order to avoid potential risk. I am going to discuss some basic issues that your employees should know in order to be safe on-line, based on my experiences and tips from the security industry.

Frequently, I find that many small businesses have no way to manage software updates and ensure updates are done on every computer. This lack of update management leaves the task of regularly updating the computer to the user. It is important for users to allow their computer to update when updates are available. A better option is to set Windows and any other software that is capable of automatic updates to update on a schedule without user intervention. If scheduled automatic updates are not possible, it is important for each user to be trained to update software on a regular basis.

I also find that most employees know very little about their computers outside of the applications they use every day. This lack of knowledge and familiarity with other software running on the machine has resulted in users blindly trusting fake antivirus alerts, as well as other Trojan style attacks such as fake updates and hard drive crash messages. There are a number of viruses out today that pretend to be Microsoft Antivirus updates or claim that your hard drive is crashing and if you download the tool from Microsoft and pay a small fee it can be fixed. These are all scams, and it is important to be familiar with antivirus and other software on your machine and how they communicate problems to you.

Research online and recreational browsing at work can lead users to all kinds of information on the web. Try to avoid sites that use pop-ups. Many sites allow advertisers to run ads that pop up in new windows. These ads can be dangerous because they can contain code that is designed to take advantage of security flaws on your computer’s software. Check your browser settings to make sure the pop-up blocker is turned on; and if you do encounter a site that still pops up ads, you should close the ad and leave the site to avoid any more potential risk.

Be aware of other types of scams called “phishing.” Email and websites will try to lure you into giving them information about yourself such as passwords or credit card information to verify who you are or your eligibility for some reward. Reputable companies will never ask you for this kind of information.

It is in a company’s best interest to make sure that their employees know how to safely use their computers and navigate the internet. A little time spent now could save a lot of money and headache later. At the beginning of this article I have included two links to sites that can help you understand how to develop a training program for your employees. I also recommend working with a computer or IT Security professional to help you develop and deliver this information to your employees.

December 13, 2012

Microsoft Surface With Windows 8 Pro

We here at B.I.T.S. are very excited about the upcoming availability of the new Surface tablet from Microsoft. You may be saying that we have already covered the surface, and this is true. However, in January, a new model is scheduled to begin shipping. Surface with Windows 8 Pro! At first glance, there isn’t much different here. You might notice that while holding one, it is a little heavier, by just .5lbs. What’s so exciting about a tablet that is heavier?

The Surface with Windows 8 Pro runs, well, Windows 8 Pro. Why is that a big deal? First, Surface RT is only able to run applications that were written for the RT platform and purchased from the Microsoft App Store. Surface with Windows 8 Pro can run anything a Windows 7 laptop can run today. You may want to take that last statement under advisement, as storage and other resources are limited. Imagine however a 10″ tablet that could run that program you have been wishing would someday soon have an app for your android or iOS based tablet. Well soon your wait will be over. Second, those IT guys who don’t want you to bring in your tablet to work will be thrilled to have you bring this one in. It fully integrates with a Windows network, just like your desktop or laptop, so IT can manage it and support it just like existing desktops and laptops. That is a big win for both teams!

Ok, time for some of the important specs. This tablet has 2 720p HD Cameras, a full-sized USB 3.0 port, a microSDXC card slot for additional storage, 802.11a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0 Wireless, 1920×1080 Full HD Display, 4GB RAM, an Intel Core i5 processor, and comes with either 64GB or 128GB of storage. Reportedly, battery life is expected to be around 4-5 hours.

There are a few disappointments with the Surface. First, the operating system takes up a good bit of storage on the device. This loss of space can be dealt with by adding a 64GB microSDXC card or attaching an external hard drive to the USB port. Secondly, there is no support for cellular data. No Verizon or AT&T version to let you surf when there is no Wi-Fi available. With Wi-Fi to be found almost everywhere, this lack of wireless Internet connectivity isn’t the end of the world. Many smartphone data plans now allow you to turn your phone into a hot spot, and since there is a full-sized USB port, it might be possible to install a USB modem to the device. Third, is the cost. The 64GB model will be $899, while the 128GB model will be $999. Accessories like the type covers start at $120, upping the cost even more.

Microsoft Surface with Windows 8 Pro may, in our opinion, be the perfect solution for businesses looking to use tablets inside the office and out. This tablet has the support IT is looking for, the flexibility users need, and the power to run it all. Its steep price may be its only stumbling block; however, Microsoft views this tablet as a replacement for the laptop or ultrabook. This price point may just be worth it when you compare it to the price of the current ultrabooks and laptops Microsoft expects it to replace. Visit www.microsoft.com/Surface for more information about both the Surface with Windows 8 Pro and the Surface RT.

December 13, 2012

The Modern Trojan War

Much like the ancient world, the internet is filled with wonder and danger. Cities fought and wars raged. One such war was that of the war between Troy and Sparta. Most of us know the way that story ended, with the fall of Troy. The ultimate weapon…the Trojan Horse, a gift to the Trojans to signal the end of the war. The horse was a wonder, filled with danger.

Lately, the fight to keep computers safe has felt much like the Trojan War, seemingly endless. Another similarity is the use of a type of virus to infect these machines, known as a Trojan. According to SC Magazine, the Zero Access Trojan, also known as Sirefef is the number one attack used today by hackers around the world. Recent experience would tend to confirm this data, as nearly every virus infection we have dealt with at B.I.T.S. has been this Zero Access Trojan.

The Trojans would have saved themselves a lot of trouble if they had just burned the horse, like many had suggested. As much fun as it sounds sometimes, we are not suggesting that you set your computer on fire and watch it burn. We are suggesting you find the gates the horse could be dragged in through and shut them. Plug-ins for your browser may be vulnerable if they have not been updated and are an opening that is frequently exploited. As we have discussed before, unpatched software is one of the easiest ways for a hacker to infect your computer. Some applications to make sure you update often are Java, Adobe Reader (which installs a plug-in that allows you to read PDF files inside the browser), and Adobe Flash Player. Secunia PSI (http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/personal/) can help make this task easier by scanning your machine for out-of-date applications and updating them for you. This tool isn’t a magic fix, but it does help. This virus is distributed via infected websites and pop-up ads. Be aware of the sites you are visiting, and if they have pop-up ads, these ads may be infected, even without them knowing it. Following basic security best practices such as using a firewall and having up-to-date antivirus software will reduce the risk of infection.

The Trojans may have had no way of knowing what was in that horse, but we can learn from their misfortune and keep our systems safe on the internet by remembering to always “beware Greeks bearing gifts,” by staying wary of pop-ups, and staying away from links promising the wonders of the world,” if you just click here.” Follow these suggestions and security best practices it is likely this and other modern day Trojans will never breach your defenses.

December 13, 2012

Manage Security In The Cloud

In the past, businesses would purchase security software like antivirus as a stand-alone application for each PC. For better control and to ensure that computers were updated, a server application was also purchased to monitor and maintain this software, making sure that the software was running and up- to- date. Today, the management of security and anti-malware applications has made its way into the cloud. This cloud-based delivery of software and applications is sometimes called SAAS or Software-As-A Service.

This is how it works. A company buys a license to run a security client on their computers. This client application typically includes firewall and anti-malware tools. Once the client is installed, it begins to communicate with servers in the cloud operated by the application vendor. A network administrator or managed service consultant can then log into the cloud-based administration portal to manage and maintain the client applications on each computer, as well as monitor them for problems. Full featured reporting and monitoring tools in the cloud can be set up to notify the appropriate person of an issue, even if they are not actively monitoring the clients.

Cloud-based management has several advantages over on-site management. Teleworkers and other corporate road warriors devices can be managed anywhere they go, insuring their laptops are always protected and security is up-to-date. Cloud-based management is generally very easy to set up and configure. Management, monitoring, and reporting can be done from anywhere in the world a connection to the internet is available. Because the management application is not installed locally, you do not need to maintain a server or use your own server resources to run the management application.

Today, most of the major developers of security and anti-malware applications have cloud-based security management solutions. I recommend talking to your IT professional or trusted IT advisor about switching to cloud managed security and evaluating a few for yourself to find out if the potential cost savings and other benefits are a good fit for your organization.

December 13, 2012

Virtualization

The world of science fiction has created an endless number of wonders that spark the imagination. The iconic television series “Star Trek” featured prominently for years a virtual technology called a holodeck, where virtual constructs of anything you could imagine were created and could interact with the physical world then be saved for later use. This is, of course, pure Sci-Fi fantasy; however, imagine taking your computer or server and making it virtual and then running it inside a window on another physical computer at the same time. Take that a step further and imagine running 100 separate computers on just a handful of physical computer towers with the ability to access each one remotely. Over the next few issues, we are going to discuss computer and server virtualization technology and how it can impact the way you operate your business, as well as dip into a few of the technical aspects of some of the uses for this technology.

A virtual machine is really just a program that impersonates the characteristics of physical computer components to an instance of an operating system that is running in a virtual space, like the holodeck, in a computer’s memory. This virtual can have almost any operating system installed on it from Windows 95 to Linux to even Mac OSx in some cases. These virtual computers can be desktops or servers and can be run on desktops or servers. The virtual machine or VM can be paused, saved, and moved from one computer to another and un-paused and continue being used where it left off. This functionality is because all the information about the VM and what it is doing is nothing more than a file, like a word document.

That’s all really cool, but how does it solve problems for a business? Let’s look at an example for a desktop user. Your computer is 10 years old, runs Windows XP, and you have not upgraded because the software that manages your inventory only works on Windows XP. A virtual machine running Windows XP with your inventory software can be created and run inside virtualization software on your shiny new Windows 8 computer or Mac, and both your inventory software and Windows XP don’t know the difference. You can take this virtual machine and run it almost anywhere. You can back it up just by making a copy of the file. So, you can, in seconds, recover if something goes wrong with the live virtual machine. Just open the old file!

Now let’s have a look at servers. Yes, we can virtualize them, too. As a matter of fact, you could virtualize a server and run it on your desktop or laptop, but that isn’t what makes server virtualization great. Lots of offices have servers that are one trick ponies, that is to say they sit there and run one application or a database, because that is the only way the software developer would support it. The hardware on these servers never comes close to its maximum usage, so there is a lot of wasted computing potential. Imagine if you had 3, 4, or 5 servers on the same hardware sharing that computing potential and not fighting for it. This ability to run multiple servers on a single physical server is a pretty big deal, and a big savings, but what else can server virtualization do? Let’s buy 2 servers and put 3 virtual servers on each one, and hook them up on a network. Let’s say a virtual server on server one is using a lot of memory and processor time. The 3 virtual servers on server two are not using a lot of memory or processor time. We can move our problem virtual server over to server two, and some or all of our existing servers on server two over to server one, and suddenly our resource hungry virtual server has all the resources it needs to get its job done. That is known as load balancing, and can be done automatically using virtual machine management software. Since all these virtual servers are just files and we can just move them around, can we use them to make our disaster recovery more efficient? The answer is a resounding yes! A snapshot can be taken of a virtual server at any point and stored with the other virtual machine files. You can use this snapshot to roll back any changes made by an update or software installation that may have not gone as expected, disaster averted. A full backup of the virtual machine and the data accessed by the machine can be backed up and stored off site. If your building burns down overnight, just bring up the virtual machines on another server off site and you are up and running in no time. Need it to be up and running even faster? Backup and virtualization technologies are available that will allow you to fail-over to a hot site somewhere else in the world as soon as your local servers go down with the potential of having only a few minutes of downtime and lost data.

Virtualization technology is amazing and flexible and can support businesses in a number of ways. It isn’t a magic pill though. There are a few stumbling blocks on the road. Proper planning, purchasing the right software to meet business goals, licensing and license management for operating systems running on the virtual machines, backup, and storage all have to be addressed when moving to a virtualized environment. Depending on requirements and goals, the up-front cost can also be a barrier to adopting virtualization technology. Over the next few issues, we will discuss virtualization in more detail, how it fits in with The Cloud, and what you need to make it all work.

October 31, 2012

Windows 8 Is Here

Windows 8 is here…are you ready for it? Most likely the answer is no, and that’s ok. Windows 8 is different, but it is still the same. Confused? Don’t be. When you turn on Windows 8 you are greeted with a new desktop called the start screen. It is bright and colorful with little boxes that display pictures and information. These boxes are called tiles and they are how you will launch nearly all of your applications. It is nearly all of your applications because some older applications have not joined Microsoft’s Metro User Interface revolution yet. That’s ok, because Microsoft left a little of what we know and love about our trusty old desktops and start menus in Windows 8 for just that purpose. Even some of Microsoft’s own tools have yet to get the face-lift; the control panel still uses the old style interface.

Back to the start screen. Did I mention it was colorful? It is also designed for touch. Windows 8 is very touch-oriented, supporting a wide range of touch gestures like pinch to zoom. On the Start screen, you can pinch and zoom out to show more tiles, so you don’t have to swipe across page after page of tiles to find the app you are looking for. The tiles are great. Live tiles feed you information like current weather, recent status updates or tweets from friends, and last email message received. Swipe from the sides and get additional menus for features like search or settings to change background images or screen resolution. Just touch the menu item – known as a charm – or tile you want and launch the application.

If all this talk about touching, swiping, and pinching has you thinking you have to run out and get a computer with a touch screen, think again. Your mouse will do just fine helping you navigate Windows 8. Moving the mouse to the edges or corners will fly out the menus, just like your finger swiping. Microsoft calls this action: using your mouse to explore the sides and corners. Clicking a tile is just like clicking an icon on your desktop in the good old days, or yesterday.

New Metro style apps will take on the same characteristics for navigation as the operating system, hiding toolbars and menus off screen awaiting your swipe to bring them into existence or our mouse pointer to sniff them out like a bloodhound. What about my older apps that don’t use the Metro Interface? Don’t worry… remember that little bit of old school Windows Microsoft left sprinkled around Windows 8? When you launch a classic style application, you will be transported to a familiar looking desktop with your Application running nicely and looking just like it did in Windows 7.

With all these changes to the way you operate, why don’t we change the way you install software. Microsoft has joined the app store trend and now, right from Windows 8, you connect to the app store, choose the app you want, and it downloads and installs. When the installation completes, just like on a smart phone or tablet, your new application is ready to go.

Windows 8 is very versatile and able to run on desktops and laptops as well as tablets. Yes, Windows 8 is available on tablets. Windows 8 RT runs on tablets just like the iPad and the various Android tablets. The only downfall is that Windows 8 RT will only run apps designed for the RT version of Windows 8. Take heart, Microsoft has a new tablet of its own design, Microsoft Surface Pro, scheduled for release in the first part of 2013 that runs Windows 8 Pro and should be capable of running any Windows 8 application on the market. It will also be able to join a Windows Server network like a regular workstation. The Surface Pro will be like a tablet and workstation in one.

This is only the briefest review of the new features and changes Windows 8 has to offer. Windows 8 looks to be a fresh exciting update to the Windows family. While Microsoft claims your existing software running on Windows 7 will run on Windows 8, be sure you test it out and check with the developer to make sure it is supported and has been tested with Windows 8 before you start replacing your desktops. Jacobs and Company B.I.T.S. will be evaluating Windows 8, soon and testing it with many of today’s common apps like QuickBooks and Adobe Acrobat as well as with some industry specific apps like practice management solutions and tax accounting software. As we work more with Windows 8 we will be sharing more news and reviews of the new Operating System in our newsletter and blog.

October 31, 2012

Moving Your Files To The Cloud

As the number of businesses that plan to move files and applications increases, the cloud grows at a very high rate, as well. What is the cloud you may ask? The cloud is any network of computer systems whose borders and makeup are not well-defined, which means that accessing resources on a network such as word documents or applications such as databases is less about being physically connected to the network and more about being able to access those same resources easily and seamlessly from anywhere in the world.

There are three types of clouds. The public cloud is a cloud solution that hosts resources entirely on the internet and none of the data is stored on your physical network or local hard drive. Access to resources is usually through a website-based, content management system like SharePoint or Joomla. In direct contrast to the public cloud is the private cloud. All of the files and applications are located on servers and computers directly managed by you or your company. Resources are made available to remote users via a VPN or other secure remote connection technology. Often applications and data will be replicated to other locations managed by you or your company to improve disaster recovery. Content management systems like the ones mentioned earlier can also be used to organize and provide access to data. In contrast to the earlier scenario, these content management applications are entirely controlled and managed by internal staff. And somewhere in the middle is the hybrid cloud. Data is stored, accessed, and replicated between sites managed internally; however, some data if not all is also replicated to a public cloud service either for backup and disaster recovery or for access from outside the local network.

Vendors such as Netgear, Iomega, and Cisco offer simple network storage devices that let small businesses quickly implement private and hybrid clouds. Public cloud solutions like Office 365 from Microsoft or offerings from providers like Amazon and RackSpace are also available for businesses of any size to build their cloud solutions. No matter what type of cloud you choose, the goal is still the same: to improve reliability and accessibility for workers across multiple devices like tablets and smart phones. Proper planning is the first step in taking a leap into the clouds, and working with a trusted, knowledgeable technology partner will make the leap easier.

October 31, 2012

iOS Security

Do you check email from your iPhone? Do you review or edit documents on your iPad? What about checking your bank account online from your device? Mobile devices like traditional computers are not immune to attacks that can compromise their security. iPhones and iPads are stolen every day, making the data on them available to the thief. iOS can even get viruses. The good news is that there are a few things you can do to help make your device more secure.

At the front line of your defense is a passcode. This is the easiest security measure you can add to the device. You may choose a simple four digit code; however, the better option is to turn off simple passwords and use an alphanumeric password with special characters that is at least 8 characters long. On the passcode lock screen, you should also turn on the erase data feature. After ten failed attempts to unlock the phone all data will be erased. Setting the auto lock to the shortest time of one minute will increase the likelihood that your device will be locked if someone picks it up or it is found in the back of a cab.

Setting up and installing the iCloud service on the device has a number of benefits, as well. The iCloud service can act like a digital LoJack. If your device is lost, you can log into the iCloud Site and see where your device is on a map within one hundred yards. You can then have it make a noise until it is found and display a message on the screen. If all hope of recovering the device is lost, you can use the iCloud service to send a command to the device to wipe it, removing all of your data and apps so the thief has no hope of accessing it.

IT can further manage devices that connect to the company network using mobile device management software to enforce company passcode policies, manage email accounts, and remotely wipe a device.

Securing your mobile device is important and could save you or your company from a catastrophic loss of data. Taking these few simple steps can help protect you, your company, your data, and your device from loss, theft, and theft of data.

October 31, 2012

March Of The 7 Inch Tablets

Smaller tablets are all the rage in the world of mobile technology today. Slightly larger than a DVD case, the 7″ tablet is not new, but there is a new player on the field. On October 26, Apple threw their hat into the ring with the iPad mini, a 7″ tablet that just a year ago Steve Jobs said would never make it in the market. It looks like he may have spoken too soon. Let’s take a look at a few of the top 7″ tablets available today.

The Kindle Fire HD is one of the hottest small tablets on the market. The newest version of the Kindle Fire at 8.9″ is inching up closer to the size of the larger tablets. The Fire HD has a 1080p high definition screen and can be purchased with or without 4G cellular data connection. The tablet is very light, weighing in at only 20 oz. and very fast, sporting a Dual core 1.5 GHz processor. Amazon claims the device has a 9 hour battery life, which is great for watching and listening to the over 20 million songs, movies, and TV shows Amazon has to offer. That doesn’t include all the Kindle books and magazines, because of course you can read all of them on this tablet as well. The Kindle Fire also has popular apps and games like Angry Birds, Pandora, and Facebook. The Kindle Fire HD is an entertainment powerhouse starting at $299.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is one of a vast cornucopia of tablets running Google’s Android operating system. The new Galaxy Tab 2 runs Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, and has a Samsung add-on called TouchWiz, which allows you to customize the tablet’s interface by adding live panels to the home screen, feeding live content such as email, and social media updates. The tablet has access to over 500,000 apps through the Android market as well as thousands of movies, music, and TV shows. The Galaxy Tab only supports Wi-Fi, so if you want to connect to the Internet you will have to find a hotspot. The Galaxy Tab is lighter than the Kindle Fire HD, weighing only 12 oz. and smaller, sporting a 7″ 1080p high definition screen. Coming in at $199.99 direct from Samsung, this tablet is an excellent full-featured tablet though it does have its limitations.

Last on the list is the new Apple iPad mini. This tablet is an iPad…only smaller. Apple boasts that it has over 275,000 apps targeted to the iPad and they all run on the mini, just like they do on a full-sized iPad, and that does not include the other iOS apps for the iPhone that are compatible as well. The secret is in how they set up the screen resolution, 1024 by 768 – the same as the iPad 2, but with just a few more pixels packed in there to make the display even clearer. The lightest of the group – the iPad mini is just 10 oz. The iPad mini has plenty of power packed into its smaller frame. The tablet has a dual-core Apple A5 processor just like the iPad 2. The cameras – both front and back – match the specs of the most recent refresh of the new iPad, allowing you to take 5mp photos and 1080p high definition video. The iPad mini, like other iPads, comes in black or white, with or without 4G cellular, and with varying amounts of storage (16GB, 32GB, or 64GB). This tablet, like Apple states, is “Every inch an iPad.” Depending on how you size it, the price ranges from $329-$659.

The tablet market has reached a plateau where each device hardware-wise is on equal footing. When deciding which tablet you want, you will need to ask yourself which one has the software features you want and of course what apps does it run, because it is truly the apps that make tablets useful and entertaining.