Cleaning Your Laptop

a woman is cleaning the kitchen with a mop

If someone asked the average individual what objects they used the most, would it be their vehicle? Probably not. Sports equipment or cookware? Highly unlikely. No, all the computing devices they own, along with the devices used by their family members would likely come to mind. Both at home and on the job, most people use a conglomeration of desktop machines, laptops, tablets, and smartphones for hours on end every day. Needless to say, with all the heavy usage that technology devices incur on a daily basis, their outward demeanor of cleanliness is simply a myth. In this post we will discuss why cleaning these devices is a healthy habit to adopt, in addition to providing several cleaning tips every user should incorporate into their cleaning routine.

What You Can’t See 

Certainly, every device collects some dust over time, but it’s what you can’t see that alarms people. Most device users do use their hands and fingers to touch their devices at some point. Even those who love the hands-free features that come with many technology tools. There are areas in the home or office such as bathrooms and kitchens that likely incur above-average levels of bacteria. These areas are usually cleaned on a regular basis thus keeping bacteria and other unwanted particles to a minimum.

This is not necessarily so with computer devices. Many people have not yet made it a habit to regularly clean their devices. This means the most contaminated items in a home or office area are likely all laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc. Considering how heavily most people use these devices, they should be the first items cleaned when trying to reduce contagion, increase sanitation levels, etc.

Cleaning Tips 

Microfiber cloths are great for removing dust from screens and other parts of a device. Some microfiber cloths are infused with antibacterial properties that also provide the benefit of wiping away germs and other bacteria, along with dust particles. A microfiber towel dampened with a mixture of equal parts of distilled water and rubbing alcohol can help sanitize device exteriors. The exceptions are computer screens which should only be cleaned with a cloth dampened with distilled water. A dampened cloth means just that. A cloth that does not drip any water when squeezed.

To clean a keyboard, whether it is detached or part of a laptop, simply turn it upside down. Then, shake out the contents. Be sure to have a steady grip when turning a laptop upside down. Using a can of compressed air at an angle on either of these components can also help remove stubborn particles. Cotton swabs are also great for cleaning all the small nooks and crannies found on most computers.  

The most important thing to remember is to make cleaning all your devices a regular part of a cleaning routine. If you would like to know more about taking care of technology components, please contact us.

Data Replication vs. Data Backup – Understanding the Difference

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Recently, the most cost-efficient data restoration mechanism available for SMBs was simply to ensure they maintained regular data backups. This was not necessarily ideal since any restored data came from a previous point in time, and the restoration process to recover data was potentially quite lengthy. This meant a business could be down perhaps even for several days, and any data that was recovered was even older. In this post, we will point out the differences between data backups and data replication and how data replication can now outperform traditional data backups in key areas.

Data Backups 

A traditional data backup is essentially a complete snapshot of a company’s data at one given point in time. While there certainly is value in maintaining a regular complete copy of all corporate data, traditional data backups have some less-than-ideal aspects. More and more businesses rely on their data to efficiently run their business. Thus, even losing a few hours’ worth of data can be quite catastrophic. Therefore, making the less-than-ideal aspects of traditional backups even more glaring.

In the past, the best a small or medium-sized company could hope for in the event of data loss was to restore their last backup. After the restoration process, they relied on manual entrance of their business data. This would bring them to the point just prior to the system failure. This entire process was time-consuming and prone to error.

Data Replication

Up until fairly recently, maintaining a near-mirror replication of company data in a remote location was affordable only for enterprise-level organizations. Now, with cloud-based replication, the costs associated with maintaining a cloud-based, real-time copy of all corporate data is becoming realistically affordable for even smaller businesses. With cloud-based replication, in the event of a system failure, even small companies can have a fresh, up-to-date copy of corporate data available to them within minutes.

If you would like to know more about real-time data replication, please contact us.

Warning – The Most Effective Social Engineering Attacks

a person holding a cell phone in their hand

Although it may seem as if hackers, criminals, and thieves prefer the challenge of attacking only seemingly impenetrable computer systems, this is not necessarily the case. While it is true that companies do need effective security measures in place to handle these types of impersonal attacks, hackers still frequently turn to more traditional methods of cyber attacks for one good reason.

As IT security methods continue to become more sophisticated, hackers sometimes find it more lucrative (and easier) to perform social engineering attacks that allow them to manipulate human behavior. Unfortunately, this is because staff members are either poorly trained (if at all) to spot hacking attempts or unlike a machine, they sometimes let their guard slip. Of course, hackers understand all too well that a busy or unsuspecting employee may eventually provide them with an opportunity to slip their way into a corporate system — they just need patience.

Top Social Engineering Attacks 

  • Phishing – All it takes is a credible-looking email with either a link or an attachment to click on, and an employee may either give away sensitive information or allow a virus to enter their corporate computer system.
  • Spear Phishing – This is similar to traditional phishing attempts, except that hackers target a specific person in a company. Often the targets are in positions related to lucrative financial aspects of the company.
  • Whaling – Rather than targeting one individual, whaling attempts involve attacking an entire level of higher management. This could be in companies or government agencies. Some of the attacks require a significant amount of research and are quite sophisticated in nature.
  • Vishing – Vishing involves using a phone rather than email in order to impersonate a business. The hackers pretend to be a legitimate company simply making a business call. Their goal is to find unsuspecting employees who will provide them with sensitive corporate information, often banking details.
  • Pretexting – This type of hacking also involves impersonation. A hacker may phone an employee and pretend to be the company’s IT vendor. They may state they are investigating a hacking attempt. Then that they need passwords and other sensitive information for specific computer systems.
  • Baiting – A hacker may leave a memory stick somewhere in or outside of a company they want access to. An unsuspecting employee discovers the memory stick and plugs it into a company computer to determine what it contains. Unfortunately, the memory stick is loaded with a virus or other penetrative software.
  • Tailgating – This is another type of hacking attempt that involves the physical presence of the hacker. In this scenario, a hacker pretends to be a delivery driver, company visitor, or facilities manager in order to gain access to unauthorized areas.

Summary  

It’s difficult, if not impossible, for companies to stay up to date on all the latest technology pitfalls. Many hackers are very sophisticated, methodical, and patient. It takes a professional IT vendor who makes it their business to stay on top of all the latest technology security issues to develop an effective security training program for their clients. If you would like more information on security training for all of your staff members, please contact us.

Data Backup vs. Data Replication, Which Is Right for Businesses?

an abstract image of lines and shapes in the city at night

Data replication and data backup may sound like ballpark terms to one another, but the difference is very distinct. Knowing the difference between replication and backup can help you make smarter choices when deciding the best choice of action for your data. 

Data backup can be seen as an old-school method of data and is not interchangeable with replication. Here are the main differences when it comes down to making sure that data is secure:

What is Data Backup, and Do People Still Use It?

If you’re wondering if businesses still use data backup, then yes! Though older hardware like floppy disks and USB sticks are being slowly replaced, they still exist to store data. Previously, this hardware would be used to hold copies of data backed up from an original source. Data backups typically occur once per night in most businesses. This is because backing up the data takes resources on the server, a big reason replication has seen such an increase in businesses today.

Backups use an “image” of the file it is copying, essentially a snapshot of the data at that exact moment.

Nowadays, server technology has largely helped to take over that role. Data can now be stored on servers, rather than relying on the use of single hardware for data storage and copying. 

What is Data Replication, and Is it Really Better?

Data replication is a way to immediately duplicate files onto the server and share them with others in the business. It does this by copying data from one server database to another. A more extreme version of data replication, in which the entire database is stored at every site, can also be achieved through full replication. As you may imagine, this is an impractical feat that data backup cannot achieve. 

Data replication helps businesses by improving file availability in large quantities. Thus, employees may all view the same file without the need for external things like USB sticks for data.

Professional Data Solutions for Businesses

Modern times have proven data replication to be an excellent way for businesses to communicate and save data. Without a third-party risk of losing hardware. Choosing a trusted IT team to organize, backup, and recover the data in your business is a critical area of every business’s anatomy.

If you have a business looking for tailor-made Managed IT Services to streamline productivity, trust Bluwater Technologies for the expert service you’re looking for.

Feel free to contact us or call us at (954) 713-2532.

Develop a Data Loss Prevention Strategy

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Every business needs to think about the risk of data loss. Even the smallest ones have customer and financial information that has to stay out of the wrong hands. Many have records that could lead to identity theft if they’re stolen. A business needs a plan and a policy for data loss prevention. It has to include these steps:

Perform risk analysis for data loss prevention

Some information is especially sensitive, and managers have to concentrate their efforts on protecting it. A risk analysis will identify the information that most needs protection. It will identify areas that are vulnerable, such as unencrypted databases with weak access control. A prioritized list of assets at risk will provide the basis for a strategy.

Identify data movements

The biggest risks come when data is carelessly moved from one place to another. Weakly protected intermediate storage provides thieves with a prime opportunity. Moving unencrypted data over the Internet leaves it open to interception. If the information isn’t wiped clean after transferring, those intermediate points create a lingering risk. Transfer of sensitive data should always use a secure channel.

Grant access conservatively

Grant access to data only to those who need it. Even if you are completely trustworthy, someone can compromise your account. The less an intruder can do with any given account, the more limited the damage will be. Role-based access tailors privileges to people’s jobs.

Train employees on loss prevention

Most data loss is due, at least in part, to employee error. Creating weak passwords, responding to a phishing scam, and saving insecure copies of data are just some of the mistakes that can lead to serious data breaches. Employees need to develop habits of treating their accounts and the data they handle carefully.

Get expert help

Bluwater Technologies provides managed IT services that will help you keep your data safe. Our experts will help you identify the sources of risk in your network and find the best ways to prevent data loss. Contact us to learn how we can help your business.