Data Net Blog

Data Net Blog

Data Net has been serving the California area since 1983, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support, and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.

Mobile Malware is a Guaranteed Bad Time

Mobile Malware is a Guaranteed Bad Time

More often than not, the malware you encounter will target a desktop computer. Despite this, there are indeed some threats that target mobile devices, including one which Google had to remove from the Play Store for infecting smartphones with malware and adware. We recommend that you take immediate action to uninstall these apps if you were one of the unfortunate folks who accidentally installed them.

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Is the Cloud really risk-free?

Is the Cloud really risk free

 

The Cloud presents plenty of benefits that make it a very attractive choice, especially for SMBs who don’t want to be burdened with higher in-house IT costs, putting your data in the Cloud is not risk-free. Just as storing data on physical servers has its security threats, the Cloud presents certain security concerns as well. These include

 
  • Data breach: A data breach is when your data is accessed by someone who is not authorized to do so.
  • Data loss: A data loss is a situation where your data in the Cloud is destroyed due to certain circumstances such as technological failure or neglect during any stage of data processing or storage.
  • Account hijacking: Like traditional servers, data in the Cloud could be stolen through account hijacking as well. In fact, Cloud account hijacking is predominantly deployed in cybercrimes that require entail identity thefts and wrongful impersonation.
  • Service traffic hijacking: In a service traffic hijacking, your attacker first gains access to your credentials, uses it to understand the online activities that happen in your domain and then uses the information to mislead your users or domain visitors to malicious sites.
  • Insecure application program interfaces (APIs): Sometimes, Cloud APIs, when opened up to third parties, can be a huge security threat. If the API keys are not properly secured, it can serve as an entry point for cybercriminals and malicious elements.
  • Poor choice of Cloud storage providers: A security lapse from the Cloud storage provider’s end is a huge security concern for businesses. It is very important to choose a trusted and experienced Cloud service provider who knows what they are doing.
 

Apart from the above, there are some common threats that apply to both the Cloud and traditional data storage environments such as a DDoS attack, or a malware attack where your data in the Cloud becomes susceptible because it is being shared with others and at other places.

 

Some Cloud security mechanisms that SMBs can invest in to keep their data safe

 

Cloud firewalls: Much like the firewalls you deploy for your local IT network, Cloud firewalls work to prevent unauthorized Cloud network access.

Penetration testing: Penetration testing is a sort of a Cloud security check where IT experts try hacking into the Cloud network to figure out if there are any security lapses or vulnerabilities that could serve cybercriminals.

Obfuscation: In obfuscation, the data or program code is obscured on purpose such that the system delivers unclear code to anyone other than the original programmer, thus mitigating any malicious activity.

Tokenization: Tokenization is the process of replacing sensitive data with unique identification symbols that retain all the essential information about the data without compromising its security.

Virtual Private Networks (VPN): Another, more commonly used mechanism is the VPN. VPN creates a safe passage for data over the Cloud through end-to-end encryption methodology.

 

Investing in a good Cloud security system is a must, but, in the end, you also need to remember that Cloud security is not only about antivirus software, firewalls, and other anti-malware tools. You need to pick the right MSP and work closely with them to implement a Cloud security solution that works for you.

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Tip of the Week: Download Your Outlook Email as a PDF

Tip of the Week: Download Your Outlook Email as a PDF

Sometimes you might want to download an email from your inbox. It might be for various reasons, such as documentation or otherwise. What file format works best for this type of purpose? A PDF is one that comes to mind, as you cannot easily edit a PDF, something which makes it great for sending documents that you want to preserve the formatting of, or those which you want to preserve the authenticity.

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Things to consider before switching to the Cloud

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More and more businesses are switching to the Cloud to store their data and rightly so. The Cloud offers numerous benefits over the traditional, physical on site server. For example,

 

  • Anytime, anywhere access to your data: Information in the Cloud can be accessed from anywhere using an internet connection, unlike in the case of traditional servers, where you need a physical connection to the servers.
  • Significant cost savings: You cut hardware costs, because the Cloud follows a ‘pay-as-you-use’ approach to data storage.
  • SaaS compatibility and support: The Cloud allows the use of Software-as-a-Service since the software can be hosted in the Cloud.
  • Scalability: The Cloud lets you scale up and down as your business needs change.
  • 24/7 monitoring, support, and greater access reliability: When your data is in the Cloud, the Cloud service provider is responsible for keeping it safe and ensuring it is securely accessible at all times. They monitor the Cloud’s performance and in the event of any performance issues, they provide immediate tech support to resolve the problem.

 

Your big Cloud move: What to consider

 

If you are considering moving to the Cloud, you will find it helpful to sign-up with an MSP who is well-versed with the Cloud. They can advise you on the benefits and risks of the Cloud and also offer the Cloud solution that’s right for you. In any case, before you migrate to the Cloud, make sure you are dealing with a reputed Cloud service provider who has strong data security measures in place. You can even explicitly ask them what security mechanisms they have invested in to manage data access and security.

Yes, moving to the Cloud has it benefits, but it also has its challenges including security risks. Learn more in our next blog, “Is the Cloud really risk-free?”

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Use These Tools to Help Ward Off Phishing Attacks

Use These Tools to Help Ward Off Phishing Attacks

It’s all well and good to practice caution when clicking on links in your emails, but chances are you’ll eventually have to commit to clicking on one of them, whether you like it or not. In cases like this, it’s best to go against these links armed with as much information as possible about what they are. Let’s go over how you can check their legitimacy quickly and effectively.

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The Database Management System is an Extremely Important Tool

The Database Management System is an Extremely Important Tool

Databases are important in the business setting, and most organizations can’t even function without them in some capacity. A database management system can help businesses manage their databases in an efficient way. We’d like to discuss some of the ways that a DBMS can help a business manage its computing resources.

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Tip of the Week: Simply Close Tabs

Tip of the Week: Simply Close Tabs

How often do you go about your day-to-day duties only to find yourself buried in opened tabs on your web browser? This isn’t unheard of, especially when you are pulled from one task to the next in quick succession. All browsers give you the ability to control your open tabs by closing all other tabs or by closing all tabs to the right.

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Here’s Why You Are Paying So Much for Data Privacy

Here’s Why You Are Paying So Much for Data Privacy

We know that security is far from a small investment, but this only serves to highlight how important it can be to your business’ continued success. You might wonder why security is such an important investment if you don’t intend to suffer a data breach, and that’s precisely the point. The cost of not investing in security far outweighs the initial investment.

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Make Business More Affordable with More Knowledge

Make Business More Affordable with More Knowledge

The more you seek to understand your business, the better you are going to be able to run it efficiently. No, this was not Confucius, although it sounds similar to something he would get behind. The more efficient a business becomes the less it will spend. How does this work? Today, we’ll unpack what it takes to cut your costs without hurting your business. 

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Three Cool New Technologies that Businesses Will Have to Consider

Three Cool New Technologies that Businesses Will Have to Consider

For every technology that we use daily, there was once a time when it was brand-spanking-new. Think about when the Internet first became commonplace. People had questions that were seemingly endless, and even computers and electricity were once novel concepts. Let’s think about some more modern inventions that might someday be just as commonplace as some of the tools we use in our daily lives.

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Are Your Workers Working Other Jobs?

Are Your Workers Working Other Jobs?

It’s not uncommon for an employee to hold a second job outside of your office, whether it’s a side gig that they are trying to turn into a passion project or a side hustle just to make ends meet or put away a little extra money every month. Workers holding multiple jobs is certainly not unheard of—if anything it’s more common than ever, thanks to the remote work surge. How does this phenomenon impact your organization?

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Tip of the Week: Setting Your Outlook Out-of-Office Message

Tip of the Week: Setting Your Outlook Out-of-Office Message

During the holiday season, people are out of the office quite often, but unless this is properly conveyed to those reaching out to them, it could look like negligence on the employees’ part. To make sure you are as transparent as possible with your out-of-office time, be sure to set up a message. Here’s how you can do it in Microsoft Outlook.

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Why (and How) to Disable Wi-Fi Calling

Why (and How) to Disable Wi-Fi Calling

Users of Android devices might notice that they have the option to make a call using their Wi-Fi in addition to using their mobile service or data. While there is certainly something to be said for using a wireless connection when you don’t have mobile service, there are circumstances when you might not want to default to using a Wi-Fi connection.

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Don’t Let Your Business Be Put on Hold by an IT Issue

Don’t Let Your Business Be Put on Hold by an IT Issue

When trying to determine if a certain piece of technology should be replaced or just taken away entirely, you should first ask yourself if the technology affects your products or services in any discernible way. If the technology is something that helps with productivity and efficiency to aid in the production or delivery of said product or service, then it’s worth investing in.

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Why You Shouldn’t Follow Links You Randomly Receive

Why You Shouldn’t Follow Links You Randomly Receive

Paypal: Unusual activity suspended your account. For your safety confirm your identity here: [link]

We’re here to tell you, very simply, not to follow links that are in messages like these, and to instead confirm their legitimacy by navigating to the website directly in a new browser.

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Internet Connectivity and Routers, Explained

Internet Connectivity and Routers, Explained

Your business might depend on its Wi-Fi, but do you know what the difference between the various Internet channels mean for your connection? You might be in the process of upgrading your router, or maybe you just have questions about what the difference between a “dual band” router is. Let’s discuss routers with today’s blog.

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The Phisher—A Modern Take on The Raven

The Phisher—A Modern Take on The Raven

What if Edgar Allan Poe wrote “The Raven” during the information age?

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Tip of the Week: How to Clear the Cache on Your Android Device

Tip of the Week: How to Clear the Cache on Your Android Device

In order for your device to run at optimal efficiency, you sometimes need to clear the temporarily stored data on your device known as the cache. You can do this for your applications on your Android device, as well as the browsers you frequently use. Let’s go over how you can do both to speed up your device a bit.

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Do Your IT Costs Seem Inflated? Ours Do, Too

Do Your IT Costs Seem Inflated? Ours Do, Too

The technology your business uses can be viewed as a mandatory expense nowadays since so much of your business is tied to its functionality. The more IT costs rise, however, the less small and mid-sized businesses like ours can do with our IT budgets. These costs are affecting the way we think about our technology and you are probably in the same boat. Today, we will go through a few ways the rising costs of organizational technology and technology support solutions impact businesses like yours.

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What Counts as Personally Identifiable Information?

What Counts as Personally Identifiable Information?

We frequently discuss the importance of keeping PII—personally identifiable information—secure, but what does this include? What data qualifies as PII?

Here, we’re going to lock down on a definition (and you may be surprised by what this definition covers).

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