31478 Industrial Road Suite 200, Livonia, Michigan 48150 sales@xfer.com

XFER Blog

  1. You are here:  
  2. Home
  3. Blog
  4. Tags
  5. Security

XFER Blog

XFER has been serving the Livonia area since 1994, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support, and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.
Categories
Tags
Suggested keywords
x

Security

Subscribe to this list via RSS
Mike

Russia Protects Communications by Using Typewriters

b2ap3_thumbnail_typewriter400.jpg
If you have been following international news headlines with stories like WikiLeaks spreading confidential documents, and recent revelations about a US surveillance scandal, it kind of feels like we are in the middle of Spy vs. Spy. As nations look for stronger security solutions to protect themselves, Russia is looking to older technology to keep their communications safe.

Tags:
Privacy Security Best Practice
Continue reading
Mike

Know the Risks of the Internet before Logging On

b2ap3_thumbnail_virus400_20130617-162258_1.jpg
Driving a powerful car can be an exhilarating experience, but if you have no idea what you're doing, it can be dangerous. This is why governments require drivers to pass a safety class before they can speed down the road encased in steel and glass. The Internet is also a powerful tool that can be exciting, beneficial, and dangerous.

Tags:
Security Privacy
Continue reading
Mike

Bury Your Treasured Files With TrueCrypt

b2ap3_thumbnail_tcsquare400.jpg
How vulnerable is your sensitive data on your PC to unwanted threats? Can anyone who gains access to your computer be able to easily find this data and do whatever they wish to it? If these files were encrypted and then hidden from view, you can neutralize the possibility of it happening.

Tags:
Security Best Practice Privacy
Continue reading
Mike

Organize Your Network with Active Directory

b2ap3_thumbnail_Network400.jpg
The whole purpose of having a network infrastructure is to allow different users to access and share needed files and applications. With your data centralized to a server, you will need to have a system in place that allows certain people up-to-date permissions to access needed files from every computer. This is where Active Directory comes in.

Tags:
Security Users Network
Continue reading
Mike

Death Star Technology Services

b2ap3_thumbnail_DeathStar1-400.jpg
May 4th is Star Wars Day (May the fourth be with you). In celebration of our favorite space saga, we thought that we would write about our dream job; providing IT support for the mother of all technologies, the Death Star from Star Wars.

Tags:
Security Current Events Managed Service Provider
Continue reading
Mike

Network Firewalls Explained

b2ap3_thumbnail_Firewall400.jpg
You know that having a strong firewall is a key component to having strong network security, but do you how firewalls work? Firewalls take their name from the protective barriers that keep buildings and engines safe from fire. While it’s unlikely that your computer is in danger of incineration, a firewall does protect it from cyber-threats; here’s how!

Tags:
Security Privacy Firewall
Continue reading
Mike

Hackers are Taking Advantage of Technology Improvements

b2ap3_thumbnail_HackerSkull400.jpg
Using strong passwords is a critical part of keeping your network protected. For years we have been preaching the need to use complex passwords, along with the need to use different passwords for different accounts. As the technology of crackers (not the salted kind) improves, the need to be diligent about password security intensifies.

Tags:
Technology Privacy Security
Continue reading
Mike

Don't Be a Hacking Target

b2ap3_thumbnail_Hacking400.jpg
What do hackers look for when choosing a victim? While there are hackers out there that specialize in targeting high-profile companies and executives (a hacking method call whaling), most hackers do a broad sweep of the Internet and choose the easiest targets. If your company has weak network security, then you have a target on your back.

Tags:
Security Network
Continue reading
Mike

Could Bitcoins become the Next World Currency?

b2ap3_thumbnail_bitcoin400.jpg
The Internet has given us many new and exciting ways to transact business. The newest frontier is in regards to a virtual currency called Bitcoins that is unregulated and accepted by Internet users worldwide. Bitcoins may be too much of a novelty for your business to take seriously, but that does not discredit it as an interesting investment opportunity.

Tags:
Internet Security
Continue reading
Mike

The 3 Biggest Reasons PC Upgrades are Avoided

b2ap3_thumbnail_OldComputer400.jpg
As an IT company, we get excited about the newest computer hardware and software. We try to convince everybody that upgrades are great, but some people cannot be shaken from their devotion to what is familiar and refuse to upgrade their tech. In our experience, here are the three biggest reasons why upgrades are avoided.

Tags:
Security Technology
Continue reading
Mike

Who Can You Trust with Your Data?

b2ap3_thumbnail_Trust400.jpg
Your company's information on your network is labeled as "sensitive" for a reason. The files on your servers contain the secrets to your success, along with financial records about you, your employees, and your customers. When trusting sensitive data to a third party, make sure that it is someone you trust.

Tags:
Google Privacy Security
Continue reading
Mike

In Windows, Hibernation Isn’t Sleep

b2ap3_thumbnail_Sleep400.jpg
The Windows family of operating systems (OS) have different power-saving modes for users to take advantage of if they find themselves away from their workstation or mobile computing device. Windows 8 features three: Sleep, Hibernate, and Hybrid Sleep.

Tags:
Microsoft Privacy Security
Continue reading
Mike

Critical Updates on the Way for Windows, Office, and IE

b2ap3_thumbnail_Updates400.jpg
Microsoft will be dishing out multiple security updates this week, including four critical patches for Windows, Internet Explorer, Office, and SharePoint Server. Critical updates are considered Microsoft's highest threat rating, so installing these patches is important.

Tags:
Internet Microsoft Security
Continue reading
Mike

3 Benefits of Using Server Racks

b2ap3_thumbnail_ServerRack400.jpg
The largest and most important components of your network is your servers. Technically, you can line up your servers on a big table and they will work, but if you want to get the most out of your servers, then we recommend using a server rack.

Tags:
Hardware Security Maintenance
Continue reading
Mike

3 Security Issues that Put Your Business at Risk!

b2ap3_thumbnail_Security400.jpg
Everybody has a weakness; Superman has Kryptonite, the Wicked Witch of the West had water, and the Death Star had a womprat-sized exhaust port. Character weaknesses make for solid storylines because they drive conflict. Your company has its own set of vulnerabilities that you may not know about, and unlike stories, conflict in business is not a good thing. Here are a few of the lesser known IT weaknesses, and what you can do to resolve them.

Tags:
Security Small Business
Continue reading
Mike

Business Executives are Targeted with Whaling Scams

b2ap3_thumbnail_Whaling400_20130217-211618_1.jpg
Even if you are using the best antivirus software available, sensitive company data can still be compromised by users falling victim to phishing scams. Phishing is a tactic where scammers trick users into giving out their personal information, usually through deceptive spam e-mails. Looking to fry bigger fish, scammers are trying their luck at whaling.

Tags:
Security Privacy Scam
Continue reading
Mike

Don’t Underestimate the Hackers

b2ap3_thumbnail_Hacker400.jpg
In 2011, Ponemon Research surveyed 583 U.S. businesses and found that 90% of respondents reported that their company's computers had been breached at least once by hackers within the past year; 77% of these companies felt like they were attacked multiple times within the same year. If your SMB does not have any protection from hackers, then your sensitive data is at serious risk.

Tags:
Privacy Security Internet
Continue reading
Mike

DeleteMe App Covers Your Internet Tracks

b2ap3_thumbnail_DeleteMeApp400.jpg
In today's digital age there are actually two of you. There is the flesh and blood you, that you are all-too-familiar with, and then there is the digital you, which amounts to a profile of yourself, compiled of data that is collected and exchanged by companies all over the internet. The worst part is how little you may know about your digital self.

Tags:
Technology App Security
Continue reading
Mike

Red October: Malware that Attacks Governments

b2ap3_thumbnail_virus400.jpg
Viruses and malware aren't just annoyances that slow down your computers. They can be extremely malicious and do a lot of harm. For instance, a newly discovered strain of malware known as Red October specifically targets governmental bodies and research institutions. Worst of all, it has been around for 5 years before finally being discovered by internet security firms.

Tags:
Virus Security Technology
Continue reading
Mike

Free Up Bandwidth with Internet Monitoring

b2ap3_thumbnail_2013time.jpg
Internet bandwidth is a precious resource, and the amount your office can use is limited to whatever internet service package your company is signed up for. If your office is running short on bandwidth, then you will need to upgrade to a bigger package, which will be expensive. Before you spend money on upgrading, you should consider internet monitoring.

Tags:
Internet Security
Continue reading