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Passwords are the most used method of authentication, but they are also one of the weakest. Passwords are often easy to guess or steal. Also, many people use the same password across several accounts. This makes them vulnerable to cyber-attacks. The sheer volume of passwords that people need to remember is large. This leads to habits that make it easier for criminals to breach passwords. Such as creating weak passwords and storing passwords in a non-secure way. 61% of all data breaches involve stolen or hacked login credentials. In recent years a better solution has emerged - passkeys. Passkeys are more secure than passwords. They also provide a more convenient way of logging into your accounts. What is Passkey Authentication? Passkeys work by generating a unique code for each login attempt. This code is then validated by the server. This code is created using a combination of information about the user and the device they are using to log in. You can think of passkeys as a digital credential. A passkey allows someone to authenticate in a web service or a cloud-based account. There is no need to enter a username and password. This authentication technology leverages Web Authentication ( WebAuthn ). This is a core component of FIDO2, an authentication protocol. Instead of using a unique password, it uses public-key cryptography for user verification. The user's device stores the authentication key. This can be a computer, mobile device, or security key device. It is then used by sites that have passkeys enabled to log the user in. Advantages of Using Passkeys Instead of Passwords More Secure One advantage of passkeys is that they are more secure than passwords. Passkeys are more difficult to hack. This is true especially if the key generates from a combination of biometric and device data. Biometric data can include things like facial recognition or fingerprint scans. Device information can include things like the device's MAC address or location. This makes it much harder for hackers to gain access to your accounts. More Convenient Another advantage of passkeys over passwords is that they are more convenient. With password authentication, users often must remember many complex passwords. This can be difficult and time-consuming. Forgetting passwords is common and doing a reset can slow an employee down. Each time a person has to reset their password, it takes an average of three minutes and 46 seconds . Passkeys erase this problem by providing a single code. You can use that same code across all your accounts. This makes it much easier to log in to your accounts. It also reduces the likelihood of forgetting or misplacing your password. Phishing-Resistant Credential phishing scams are prevalent. Scammers send emails that tell a user something is wrong with their account. They click on a link that takes them to a disguised login page created to steal their username and password. When a user is authenticating with a passkey instead, this won’t work on them. Even if a hacker had a user’s password, it wouldn’t matter. They would need the device passkey authentication to breach the account. Are There Any Disadvantages to Using Passkeys? Passkeys are definitely looking like the future of authentication technology. But there are some issues that you may run into when adopting them right now. Passkeys Aren’t Yet Widely Adopted One of the main disadvantages is that passkeys are not yet widely adopted. Many websites and cloud services still rely on passwords. They don’t have passkey capability yet. This means that users may have to continue using passwords for some accounts. At least until passkeys become more widely adopted. It could be slightly awkward to use passkeys for some accounts and passwords for others. Passkeys Need Extra Hardware & Software One thing about passwords is that they’re free and easy to use. You simply make them up as you sign up for a site. Passkeys need extra hardware and software to generate and validate the codes. This can be costly for businesses to put in place at first. But there is potential savings from improved security and user experience. These benefits can outweigh the cost of passkeys. Prepare Now for the Future of Authentication Passkeys are a more secure and convenient alternative to passwords. They are more difficult to hack, and they provide a more convenient way of logging into your accounts. But passkeys are not yet widely adopted. Additionally, businesses may need to budget for implementation. Despite these challenges, passkeys represent a promising solution. Specifically, to the problem of weak passwords. They have the potential to improve cybersecurity. As well as boost productivity for businesses and individuals alike. Need Help Improving Your Identity & Account Security? Take advantage of the new passkey authentication by exploring it now. It’s the perfect time to ease in and begin putting it in place for your organization. Give us a call today to schedule a consultation. Article used with permission from The Technology Press.

Data visualization is a powerful tool for communicating complex data. It presents it in a simple, easily understandable format. But it is not enough to simply create a graph or chart and call it a day. To truly make use of information, it is important to create insightful reports. Reports that effectively communicate the story behind the data. Insightful reports help decision-makers understand key trends and patterns. As well as identify areas of opportunity and make informed decisions. If analytics graphs and bar charts are only telling part of the story, it can lead people to wrong decisions. Creating holistic and insightful reports requires the use of several data points. One tool that enables this is Microsoft Power BI . What Is Microsoft Power BI? Microsoft Power BI is a business intelligence tool. It allows you to connect many data sources to one dashboard. Using Power BI, you can easily model and visualize data holistically. The platform has over 500 different data connectors. These connectors can tap into sources such as Salesforce, Excel, Azure, and more. Users can leverage pre-built report templates to save time in creating data-rich reporting. Teams can also collaborate and share dashboards virtually. Image is from Microsoft Tips for Designing Great Data Visualization Reports Getting started in Microsoft Power BI entails: Signing up for the software Connecting your data sources Using its tools to create report visualizations But creating great reports goes beyond that. Below, we’ll go through several tips and best practices for getting the most out of your Power BI output . Consider Your Audience You should design reporting dashboards with the end user in mind. What is it that this audience wants to see? Are they looking for bottom-line sales numbers? Or do they want to cover insights that can help target productivity gaps? The use of clear and concise language and effective visualizations are important. These help to highlight the key takeaways from the data. Customize reports to the audience’s level of technical expertise and business goals. Don’t Overcomplicate Things Many times, less is more. If you find that your dashboard looks crowded, you may be adding too many reports. The more you add, the more difficult it is to read the takeaways from the data. Remove all but the most essential reports. Look for ways to include different data sets in a single report, such as using stacked bar charts. Dashboards should show important data at a glance, so do your best to avoid the need to scroll. Try Out Different Chart Types Experiment with presenting your data in different ways. Flip between bar, pie, and other types of charts to find the one that tells the story the best. When building a new dashboard for your organization, get some input. Ask those who will review the reports which chart type works best for them. Get to Know Power Query Power Query is a data preparation engine. It can save you a lot of time in developing insightful reports. This engine is used in Microsoft tools like Power BI and Excel. Take time to learn how to leverage this tool for help with: Connecting a wide range of data sources to the dashboard Previewing data queries Building intuitive queries over many data sources Defining data size, variety, and velocity Build Maps with Hints to Bing Bing and Power BI integrate, allowing you to leverage default map coordinates. Use best practices to leverage the mapping power of Bing to improve your geo-coding. For example, if you want to plot cities on a map, name your columns after the geographic designation. This helps Bing identify exactly what you’re looking for. Tell People What They Are Looking At A typical comment heard often when presenting executives with a new report is, “What am I looking at?” Tell your audience what the data means by using features like tooltips and text boxes to add context. Just one or two sentences can save someone 5-10 minutes of trying to figure out why you gave them this report. That context can get them to a decision faster. It also helps avoid any confusion or misunderstandings about the data. Use Emphasis Tricks People usually read left to right and from top to bottom. So put your most important chart at the top, left corner. Follow, with the next most important reports. If you have specific numbers that need to stand out, increase the font size or bold the text. This ensures that your audience understands the key takeaways. Use can also use colors to emphasize things like a “High, Mid, Low.” For example, a low level of accidents could be green, a mid-level in yellow, and a high colored red. This provides more visual context to the data. Need Help with Power Bi or Other Microsoft Products? We can help you get started or improve your use of Microsoft 365, Power BI, and more. Give us a call today to schedule a chat about leveraging this powerful platform. Article used with permission from The Technology Press.

It’s hard to turn around online these days without running into ChatGPT . Both Bing and Google are levering this advanced artificial intelligence language model. And you can expect it to show up in more business and personal tools that you use every day. ChatGPT has revolutionized the way businesses interact with their customers. It has also affected how they get things done. Teams are using it for everything from emails to generating ideas for product names. The tool’s personalized and informative responses in real-time definitely draw you in. But integrating ChatGPT into your business operations requires careful consideration. You want to ensure that things don't get out of hand with employees using the tool irresponsibly. In this article, we explore the best practices for using ChatGPT at your business. Best Practices for Responsible Use of ChatGPT & Other AI Understand ChatGPT’s Weaknesses This is still very new technology, and it makes mistakes. When you first use ChatGPT, you’ll see a warning about this. You shouldn’t use the responses it provides you without human review and editing. Yes, it can write you an employee device use policy if you ask. But, there may be things in that auto-generated policy that aren’t quite correct. Use it as a prompt, but not as a replacement for human-generated content. Another weakness is potential bias. As the engine trains on vast amounts of content, it can pick up some bad habits. Thus, you could get biased or shocking responses from ChatGPT. Understand that in human terms, the tool is still a toddler that needs supervision. Define ChatGPT's Role Before integrating ChatGPT into your business, it's essential to define its role. The role can range from answering customers to generating ideas for new products. Defining ChatGPT's role helps you leverage its power. But also ensures you put in guard rails. The technology still is very new, so you don’t want your employees using it for everything. Determine exactly which tasks the company approves for ChatGPT use and which it does not. This empowers your team to use it where you deem best and avoids improper use. Consider Customer Privacy Privacy is a crucial aspect of any business, and ChatGPT should not be an exception. As you integrate the tool into your work, it's important to consider customer privacy. In fact, in March, Italy banned ChatGPT due to data privacy concerns. Be aware of any exposure of employee or customer data to ChatGPT. Limit the potential for data leakage. For example, you can configure ChatGPT to stop collecting customer data. Such as, after data collection reaches particular threshold. Ensure Human Oversight ChatGPT is a powerful tool, but it's not a substitute for human interaction. It's crucial to have human oversight to ensure the output it gives is relevant and accurate. Human oversight can help stop inappropriate responses that may negatively impact your business. Integrate ChatGPT Into Your Existing Customer Service Integrating ChatGPT into your customer service channels can benefit customers. It can improve customer experience while also reducing workload. You can integrate it into your website, social media, and other support channels. It can provide real-time responses to customer queries. But, again, human beings need to watch ChatGPT and its responses. Leveraging it intelligently reduces the waiting time for customers. It can also improve their experience with your business. Measure Performance and Optimize Measuring ChatGPT's performance is crucial to ensure that it's providing value. Measure its performance by analyzing customer satisfaction, response time, and responses handled. You can also look at productivity statistics. Is using ChatGPT to write the framework for customer emails saving time? Or does it take just as much time for your team to edit responses? Based on the analysis, you can optimize ChatGPT to improve its performance. This helps it to be a better support for your business. Be Transparent About Using It Be transparent if you’re using ChatGPT for email responses or other things. Your customers will appreciate your honesty. For example, you could simply state in your policies the following. “We leverage AI for certain content, and always edit and fact-check its outputs.” The use of AI-generated content is a murky area right now. Responsible companies tell their customers exactly where and how they are using it. Get Help Navigating the Changing World of Business Technology ChatGPT is an excellent tool for businesses looking to leverage its AI power. But this tool is still in its infancy. Integrating ChatGPT into your business requires careful consideration. You need to ensure that it's effective and secure. Need help navigating the changing technology landscape? Give us a call today to schedule a chat about AI, where to leverage it, and business concerns. Article used with permission from The Technology Press.

Many people worry about someone hacking their computer. But they’re not really thinking about their wireless printer getting breached. It’s a tool that most individuals use sporadically. For example, when you want to print out tax forms or mailing labels. Printers tend to be out of sight, out of mind. That is until you need to print something and run out of ink. Well, they’re not out of the mind of hackers. In fact, unsecured printers are a classic way for criminals to gain access to a home network. To illustrate this point, Cybernews purposely hacked printers. It hijacked nearly 28,000 unsecured printers globally. The success rate was 56%. What did it do once it gained access? Ironically, it made the printers print out a guide on printer security. Are you wondering how exposed your network is from your printer? We’ve got some security tips below to help. These tips can enable you to better secure your network, which keeps data on all devices more secure. 1. Change the Default Login Credentials When you buy a new printer, it will likely have included default information. Manufacturers give you a way to connect and set up your device. This usually involves default login information. Immediately change that information during set up. Hackers use a master list of all these defaults. They plug it into an automated script and just keep trying them all until they get a hit. Change these, and make sure you create a strong password. 2. Keep Printer Firmware Updated Keeping firmware updated is vital to keeping your printer secure. Hardware needs updating just like computers, software, and apps do. Those updates often contain important security patches. Firmware updates aren’t usually as visible as software updates. Software and OS updates usually give you a popup notification. But updates to the drivers and firmware that run printers, aren’t so visible. Some of the places you can check for firmware updates are: The PC manufacturer’s utility app on a connected device The printer’s information panel The printer manufacturer’s app installed on a PC 3. Use a Network Firewall A network firewall is important to ensure the monitoring of traffic. Firewalls can block suspicious activity to keep hackers out of your network. You should configure the firewall to watch incoming and outgoing printer traffic. 4. Put Your Printer on a Guest Network Most of today’s home routers allow you to set up a guest network. This is a separate Wi-Fi that runs from the same router you use for your main network. It’s harder for hackers to get from one network to another. Keeping a less secure device separated from computers and phones improves security. You can still print to your printer from devices on another network. You just need to have things configured correctly. If you need help with that, just let us know. 5. Disable Unused Ports or Services IoT devices, like printers, often have many ways to connect. You may not need all the ports or services that come with your printer. These ports are risk areas where hackers could find a way in. It’s best to disable any ports and sharing features that you don’t need. This reduces the risk of a breach. 6. Unplug It When Not in Use Most home printers aren’t used as much as work printers. People may only use them once a month or a few times a year. If you’re not using your printer constantly, unplug it when not in use. One surefire way to cut off a hacker’s access is to unplug the device. When it’s shut down, no access is available at all. 7. Teach Your Family Cybersecurity Best Practices Your printer is one device on your network. Most families connect several devices to their home Wi-Fi. In 2022, the average number of connected devices per U.S. household was 22 . Families need to know and adopt good cyber habits. This keeps everyone’s data more secure. It also helps you avoid costly identity theft breaches. Or the takeover of things like baby monitors. Some standard best practices to follow for good cyber hygiene are: Always use strong passwords. (at least 10-12 characters & include a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols) Keep software & firmware on devices updated Use multi-factor authentication wherever possible Enable device firewalls & other protections All devices that should have a good antivirus installed Never login to an account from a link you receive via email or text Learn how to identify phishing & get a second opinion before clicking Get a security checkup from a pro at least every year or two Get Some Help Keeping Your Family’s Data Secure IT pros don’t only work with businesses. We also help families ensure their data is safe & devices are running smoothly. Give us a call today to schedule a home security checkup. Article used with permission from The Technology Press.

Netflix is one of the most popular and well-known streaming services. It has nearly 231 million subscribers around the world. It has been growing steadily for almost a decade. The platform has become an essential part of many people's daily entertainment routines. They fire up their devices, log in, and pick right back up on their favorite shows. Unfortunately, like any online service, Netflix accounts can be vulnerable to hacking. It’s a baked-in risk when you have a service that is only protected by a username and password. If you experience an account hack, it can be shocking, confusing, and infuriating. You may not know exactly what to do and may react without thinking first. This is a dangerous space to be in because it can cause you to do things that only make things worse. In this article, we’ll give you the steps to take when you suspect someone has hacked your Netflix account. Let’s first cover how hackers typically operate when deploying an account takeover. How Does a Netflix Hack Typically Work? Phishing overload is a problem that hackers take advantage of in these types of breaches. People receive fake emails all the time that spoof brands like Netflix. One common phishing ploy is an email stating, “There has been suspicious activity on your account.” It will include a link to log in to a spoofed site that looks like the brand’s normal login page. This is a classic trick to steal your login credentials. Hacked Netflix accounts typically go for $12 each on the dark web. People get numb to these emails because they get so many of them. They tend to tune them out, knowing that clicking on them could be dangerous. Hackers take advantage of this, hoping you’ll ignore the real ones from Netflix that warn you of a suspicious login (theirs!). They lay low and don’t take any action yet that will lock you out. They wait for you to receive a few more of these emails, so you’ll completely ignore them. Then they attempt a takeover. Accounts hacks can go in various ways. Here is one typical scenario of a Netflix hack: The account owner gets an email about a suspicious login. Often it will be from a different country. They may log into their Netflix account to see if there are any unknown devices logged in. Usually, none will show yet. The hacker logs back out. The goal is to get you to check and see that nothing is wrong, and assume the real notice is phishing. This same scenario may happen 2-4 more times in the span of a month. Once the hacker feels the user is ignoring the Netflix warnings, they’ll make their move. They add their credit card to your account. This is so they can call Netflix and give them a method of verification. They may increase your subscription plan to a higher level. They also usually replace any user profile names on your account with numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.) At this point, the account owner will typically receive an email. It will note a change in account information. This could be the account email, password, phone number, etc. The hacker is now trying to lock the account owner out of their account. What Do You Do If Someone Has Hacked Your Netflix Account? 1. Go to the Netflix site & try to log in. If you suspect a hacked account, visit the Netflix site directly from your browser. Do not go through a link you received via email, DM, or SMS. See if you can log in using your password. You may be able to if you caught the hacker before they’ve locked you out. If not, then skip to Step 4 below, calling Netflix support. 2. If you can log in, change your password immediately. If you can log into your account, change the password right away. Ensure it’s a strong password that is at least 10-12 characters in length. It should also include a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. Do not use a variation of the breached password. You should not use any part of your old password to create the new one. 3. If you can log in, remove any strange payment methods. If you can still access your account and settings, go to the payment methods area. Often hackers will add another payment card to your account. They use it to verify the account to Netflix support. Remove any strange payment method that is not yours. But if you remove your own payment card, you will need another way to verify your account with Netflix. So, at this point, you may want to call before you do that. 4. Call Netflix support. (Don’t skip this step) Everyone’s experience may be different. Some users that have gone through a hack have praised the fast and helpful support from Netflix. Contact Netflix support whether you have or have not succeeded in logging in. There may be things the hacker has done that you aren’t aware of. They may have changed subscription information. Let the support representative know you think you're the victim of an account hack. They’ll walk you through the process of undoing what the hacker has done. 5. Watch your bank statements. Continue to watch your bank statements for any unusual charges. You should do this after any account hack. 6. Change the password for other accounts that used the same one as your Netflix account. People often use the same or the nearly same password for several accounts. Make sure to change the password for any accounts that used the one that was just hacked. Get Help Securing Your Passwords & Accounts! Don’t wait until a hack happens to you. Give us a call today to schedule a chat about our password security solutions. Article used with permission from The Technology Press.

The number of apps and web tools that employees use on a regular basis continues to increase. Most departments have about 40-60 different digital tools that they use. 71% of employees feel they use so many apps that it makes work more complex. Many of the apps that we use every day have various alerts. We get a “ping” when someone mentions our name on a Teams channel. We get a notification popup that an update is available. We get an alert of errors or security issues. App fatigue is a very real thing and it’s becoming a cybersecurity problem. The more people get overwhelmed by notifications, the more likely they are to ignore them. Just think about the various digital alerts that you get. They come in: Software apps on your computer Web-based SaaS tools Websites where you’ve allowed alerts Mobile apps and tools Email banners Text messages Team communication tools Some employees are getting the same notification on two different devices. This just adds to the problem. This leads to many issues that impact productivity and cybersecurity. Besides alert bombardment, every time the boss introduces a new app, that means a new password. Employees are already juggling about 191 passwords . They use at least 154 of them sometime during the month. How Does App Fatigue Put Companies at Risk Employees Begin Ignoring Updates When digital alerts interrupt your work, you can feel like you’re always behind. This leads to ignoring small tasks seen as not time-sensitive. Tasks like clicking to install an app update. Employees overwhelmed with too many app alerts, tend to ignore them. When updates come up, they may quickly click them away. They feel they can’t spare the time right now and aren’t sure how long it will take. Ignoring app updates on a device is dangerous. Many of those updates include important security patches for found vulnerabilities. When they’re not installed, the device and its network are at a higher risk. It becomes easier to suffer a successful cyberattack. Employees Reuse Passwords (and They’re Often Weak) Another security casualty of app fatigue is password security. The more SaaS accounts someone must create, the more likely they are to reuse passwords. It’s estimated that passwords are typically reused 64% of the time. Credential breach is a key driver of cloud data breaches. Hackers can easily crack weak passwords. The same password used several times leaves many accounts at risk. Employees May Turn Off Alerts Some alerts are okay to turn off. For example, do you really need to know every time someone responds to a group thread? Or just when they @name you? But, turning off important security alerts is not good. There comes a breaking point when one more push notification can push someone over the edge. They may turn off all the alerts they can across all apps. The problem with this is that in the mix of alerts are important ones. Such as an anti-malware app warning about a newly found virus. What’s the Answer to App Fatigue? It’s not realistic to just go backward in time before all these apps were around. But you can put a strategy in place that puts people in charge of their tech, and not the other way around. Streamline Your Business Applications From both a productivity and security standpoint, fewer apps are better. The fewer apps you have, the less risk. Also, the fewer passwords to remember and notifications to address. Look at the tools that you use to see where redundancies may be. Many companies are using two or more apps that can do the same function. Consider using an umbrella platform like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. These platforms include several work tools, but users only need a single login to access them. Have Your IT Team Set up Notifications It’s difficult for users to know what types of notifications are the most important. Set up their app notifications for them. This ensures they aren’t bombarded yet are still getting the important ones. Automate Application Updates A cybersecurity best practice is to automate device and software updates. This takes the process out of employees' hands. It enhances productivity by removing unnecessary updates from their view. Automating device updates through a managed services solution improves security. It also mitigates the chance there will be a vulnerable app putting your network at risk. Open a Two-Way Communication About Alerts Employees may never turn off an alert because they’re afraid they might get in trouble. Managers may not even realize constant app alert interruptions are hurting productivity. Communicate with employees and let them know they can communicate with you. Discuss how to use alerts effectively. As well as the best ways to manage alerts for a better and more productive workday. Need Help Taming Your Cloud App Environmen t? Today, it’s easy for cloud tools to get out of hand. Get some help consolidating and optimizing your cloud app environment. Give us a call today. Article used with permission from The Technology Press .

You wouldn’t think a child’s toy could lead to a breach of your personal data. But this happens all the time. What about your trash can sitting outside? Is it a treasure trove for an identity thief trolling the neighborhood at night? Many everyday objects can lead to identity theft. They often get overlooked because people focus on their computers and cloud accounts. It’s important to have strong passwords and use antivirus on your PC. But you also need to be wary of other ways that hackers and thieves can get to your personal data. Here are six common things that criminals can use to steal your information. Old Smart Phones People replace their smartphones about every two and a half years . That’s a lot of old phones laying around containing personal data. Just think of all the information our mobile phones hold. We have synced connections with cloud services. Phones also hold banking apps, business apps, and personal health apps. These are all nicely stored on one small device. As chip technology has advanced, smartphones have been able to hold more “stuff.” This means documents and spreadsheets can now be easily stored on them. Along with reams of photos and videos. A cybercriminal could easily strike data theft gold by finding an old smartphone. They often end up at charity shops or in the trash. Make sure that you properly clean any old phones by erasing all data. You should also dispose of them properly. You shouldn’t just throw electronics away like normal garbage. Wireless Printers Most printers are wireless these days. This means they are part of your home or work network. Printing from another room is convenient. But the fact that your printer connects to the internet can leave your data at risk. Printers can store sensitive documents, such as tax paperwork or contracts. Most people don't think about printers when putting data security protections in place. This leaves them open to a hack. When this happens, a hacker can get data from the printer. They could also leverage it to breach other devices on the same network. Protect printers by ensuring you keep their firmware updated. Always install updates as soon as possible. You should also turn it off when you don’t need it. When it’s off it’s not accessible by a hacker. USB Sticks Did you ever run across a USB stick laying around? Perhaps you thought you scored a free removable storage device. Or you are a good Samaritan and want to try to return it to the rightful owner. But first, you need to see what’s on it to find them. You should never plug a USB device of unknown origin into your computer. This is an old trick in the hacker’s book. They plant malware on these sticks and then leave them around as bait. As soon as you plug it into your device, it can infect it. Old Hard Drives When you are disposing of an old computer or old removable drive, make sure it’s clean. Just deleting your files isn’t enough. Computer hard drives can have other personal data stored in system and program files. Plus, if you’re still logged into a browser, a lot of your personal data could be at risk. Browsers store passwords, credit cards, visit history, and more. It’s best to get help from an IT professional to properly erase your computer drive. This will make it safe for disposal, donation, or reuse. Trash Can Identity theft criminals aren’t only online. They can also be trolling the neighborhood on trash day. Be careful what you throw out in your trash. It’s not unusual for garbage to enable identity theft. It can include pre-approved credit card offers that you considered “junk mail.” Your trash can also hold voided checks, old bank statements, and insurance paperwork. Any of these items could have the information thieves need to commit fraud or pose as you. A shredder can be your best friend in this case. You should shred any documents that contain personal information. Do this before you throw them out. This extra step could save you from a costly incident. Children’s IoT Devices Electronic bears, smart kid watches, Wi-Fi-connected Barbies… all toys that hackers love. Mattel’s Hello Barbie was found to enable the theft of personal information. A hacker could also use its microphone to spy on families. These futuristic toys are often what kids want. Parents might think they’re cool, but don’t consider their data security. After all, these are children’s toys. But that often means they can be easier to hack. Cybercriminals also zero in on these IoT toys, knowing they aren’t going to be as hard to breach. You should be wary of any new internet-connected devices you bring into your home. That includes toys! Install all firmware updates. Additionally, do your homework to see if a data breach has involved the toy. Schedule a Home IT Security Audit & Sleep Better at Night Don’t let the thought of identity theft keep you up at night. Give us a call today and schedule a home IT security audit. You’ll be glad you did. Article used with permission from The Technology Press .

Scheduling appointments is a common activity. Salespeople often set up virtual appointments to answer questions about a product. Software companies allow people to schedule live demos. Telehealth therapists allow clients to book video sessions. Those are just a few examples of some groups that are going to love a new Microsoft Teams feature. Virtual Appointments was recently added to the platform. It adds a new meeting style tailored for engagements with customers. Have you’ve been using Teams and a different online appointment app? This new feature will streamline the experience. What Is Virtual Appointments in Teams? Virtual Appointments gives you an all-in-one meeting platform for customer engagements. You can schedule, manage and conduct B2C meetings in Microsoft Teams. This new feature brings together the scheduling component with the video conference interface. Anyone with the link can join the virtual appointment. They do not need a Teams account. Image is from Microsoft The power of Microsoft’s scheduling app, Bookings, connects to Teams. This makes the Virtual Appointments function as seamless as possible. Some of the features below will be available with any Microsoft 365 plan. Some are available with a premium plan. Teams Virtual Appointments Features Manage Scheduled Appointments You can see your scheduled appointments in a single view. Manage cancellations and time changes easily. Send Customized Confirmations & Reminders You can send customers a customized message via SMS or email. This personalizes the experience for them. You can also use automation to give that personal touch without having to send each one manually. Automated appointment reminders are another time-saving function. Customized Waiting Room Add a personal touch to your virtual engagements. You can customize the Teams waiting room. You can use themes and logos to brand your business. You can also chat with attendees while in the lobby waiting room. This is helpful if your current appointment is running a little long. You can let them know you’ll be right with them. Meeting Follow-ups You can send meeting follow-ups after a virtual appointment. This helps you reduce the time it takes to send any promised follow-up information. You also keep all details in a single place. This makes your client communication trail easier to follow. Organization & Department Analytics How effective are your appointments? It’s hard to know if your demos are resulting in sales if you don’t have a good tracking system. It’s also important to have visibility into customer appointments across the organization. You can do this with a premium analytics feature. It gives you helpful reporting. The reporting provides insights into B2C virtual appointments in all departments. How to Use Virtual Appointments To start using Virtual Appointments in Teams, admins must set up a few things. Note, they must be a Bookings admin to access these settings. Create a Calendar In the Virtual Appointments app choose to “Create a calendar.” You can find this option on the Home tab. Larger organizations may wish to create different calendars for different departments. Add Staff Next, add staff members. You can add up to 100. You will also need to assign them a role. Once you’ve added your staff, you can view their availability in both Teams and Outlook. What's another nice thing about using an integrated platform like M365? It's the cross-app compatibility. Your calendar syncs across apps. Create Appointment Types You’ll next set up your appointment types. You can choose from these two options: Scheduled: You schedule the day/time. The system adds this information to the email confirmation. On-demand (Teams Premium): Customers can choose when to meet from your booking calendar. Image is from Microsoft Set Up SMS Notifications (If desired) If you choose to use SMS notifications and have the right Teams plan, you can set this up next. This allows you to easily send appointment confirmations and reminders via text message. Note: Attendees currently need a valid U.S., Canadian, or U.K. phone number to receive the SMS notifications. Link Forms (If desired) If you would like your attendees to fill out any forms, you can link them now. Virtual Appointments allows linking up to four cloud-based forms. These would be forms you have created in Microsoft Forms. Publish Your Booking Page If you want to give customers the ability to book on-demand appointments, take this next step. You will need to publish the booking page. You do this on the “Manage” tab of Virtual Appointments. Select “Booking page,” and turn on “Publish booking page.” Get Help Using Your Microsoft 365 Tools More Effectively Microsoft 365 is a platform with many possibilities. Often, companies aren’t using all the features they could. As a result, their team may be less effective. They could also be wasting money on apps they don’t need. Are you interested in help supercharging your Microsoft 365 experience? Give us a call today to set up a meeting. Article used with permission from The Technology Press.

At the beginning of each year, a group of global innovators meets. They introduce and show off breakthrough technologies. It’s done at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which is typically held each January in the U.S. This year, over 3,200 exhibitors from 173 countries showed off the future. Giving us a glimpse of what could show up in our homes offices, living rooms, or kitchens. The show includes both wacky and very sensible inventions. All designed to push the limits and expand how we use technology. People love their gadgets, so it’s always exciting to see the new tech that CES showcases. It’s estimated that the global smart home household penetration was 14.2% in 2022. By 2027, it’s expected to more than double to 28.8%. What new gadgets did innovators introduce at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show? Here’s a rundown of some standouts that you may want to check out. Loona – Intelligent Petbot Do you love the thought of having a pet, but not the mess? Can’t have one because of where you live? Loona might be your answer. The developer promotes this smart gadget as “the most intelligent petbot.” It’s currently gathering funding through a Kickstarter campaign. Image from Loona’s Kickstarter page The cute little motorized pseudo pet can welcome you. It can also follow you when you walk around, sneeze, scratch, and much more. Just like a dog or cat, Loona investigates suspicious objects. Unlike most pets can beatbox, pose for pictures, and dance. Ring Car Cam Another consumer IoT device displayed at CES is already for sale on Amazon. It’s the Ring Car Cam , which takes the popular doorbell cam concept on the road with you. This small internet-connected video cam has dual-facing cameras. It can capture images in the car and on the road. It includes two-way talk to connect with loved ones at home. It also has motion detection and real-time motion alerts. AtmosGear Electronic Skates If you’re feeling brave, you can soon strap on a pair of electric inline roller skates. AtmosGear introduced the skates at CES. It expects to begin shipping them starting in May of 2023. The skates can get up to speeds of 25 km/H (15.5 MPH) and can reach a full charge in about an hour. The “skate” is actually a motorized frame that you can attach to “all roller boots.” Tilt Five Augmented Reality Glasses If you’ve been waiting to use augmented reality (AR) outside a video game, your chance may be here. Tilt Five introduced an AR glasses system that connects to a computer device. It can be used on board games as well as video games. Ready to bring some holographic life to your tabletop play? The system includes the glasses and a board game. The glasses look somewhat like heavy-duty safety glasses. Both interact to bring an AR element into the real world. Image is from Tilt Five Jabra Enhance™ Plus This earbud/hearing aid combo can be very helpful to those with hearing loss. Jabra Enhance Plus are earbuds that offer a 3-in-1 experience. You can use them for listening to music, phone calls, and for hearing enhancement. The small design makes them discrete, and they are also designed to be easy to use. They include state-of-the-art technology to provide superior audio clarity. Hasbro Selfie Series Figures Have you secretly wished to have your own action figure…of you! Hasbro has you covered with its new Selfie Series . You can use your phone’s camera to upload a pic and choose from figures based on several franchises. Make a figure of yourself from these universes: • G.I. Joe • Ghostbusters • Power Rangers • Marvel • Star Wars Use your smartphone and Habro’s app to customize your new digitized figure. Then all you have to do is buy it and wait for it to arrive. Twinkly Squares Twinkly Squares are like the Lite-Bright toy all grown up. The squares allow you to add panels of colored and automated lights to any wall. They’re great for a home office or to add a pop of color to any space. Because these are IoT gadgets, you can also program and control them. Create digital artwork, have them sync with music, or use their voice feature. Xebec Tri-Screen 2 Do you wish you had more screen space on your laptop? Don’t like the uneven feel of using a second monitor that is higher than your laptop screen? Then Xebec’s Tri-Screen 2 may be your answer. Image from Xebec site This gadget enables you to expand your laptop screen on both sides. It sits behind the screen and expands the screen space both left and right. Don’t Introduce Smart Tech Into Your Home without Security New electronic gadgets and home tech can be great. They can also expose your network to security risks. Get help from a pro. Give us a call for a home security audit. Article used with permission from The Technology Press.

Once data began going digital, authorities realized a need to protect it. Thus, the creation of data privacy rules and regulations to address cyber threats. Many organizations have one or more data privacy policies they need to meet. Those in the U.S. healthcare industry and their service partners need to comply with HIPAA. Anyone collecting payment card data must worry about PCI-DSS. GDPR is a wide-reaching data protection regulation. It impacts anyone selling to EU citizens. Industry and international data privacy regulations are just the tip of the iceberg. Many state and local jurisdictions also have their own data privacy laws. Organizations must be aware of these compliance requirements. But they also need to know about updates to these rules. By the end of 2024, about 75% of the population will have its data protected by one or more privacy regulations. Authorities enact new data privacy regulations all the time. For example, in 2023, four states will have new rules. Colorado, Utah, Connecticut, and Virginia will begin enforcing new data privacy statutes. Businesses must stay on top of their data privacy compliance requirements. Otherwise, they can suffer. Many standards carry stiff penalties for a data breach. And if security was lacking, fines can be even higher. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) uses a sliding scale. Violators can be fined between $100 to $50,000 per breached record. The more negligent the company is, the higher the fine. Does all that sound scary? Don’t worry, we have some tips below for you. These can help you keep up with data privacy updates coming your way. Steps for Staying On Top of Data Privacy Compliance 1. Identify the Regulations You Need to Follow Does your organization have a list of the different data privacy rules it falls under? There could be regulations for: • Industry • Where you sell (e.g., if you sell to the EU) • Statewide • City or county • Federal (e.g., for government contractors) Identify all the various data privacy regulations that you may be subject to. This helps ensure you’re not caught off guard by one you didn’t know about. 2. Stay Aware of Data Privacy Regulation Updates Don’t get blindsided by a data privacy rule change. You can stay on top of any changes by signing up for updates on the appropriate website. Look for the official website for the compliance authority. For example, if you are in the healthcare field you can sign up for HIPAA updates at HIPAA.gov . You should do this for each of the regulations your business falls under. You should have updates sent to more than one person. Typically, your Security Officer or equal, and another responsible party. This ensures they don’t get missed if someone is on vacation. 3. Do an Annual Review of Your Data Security Standards Companies are always evolving their technology. This doesn’t always mean a big enterprise transition. Sometimes you may add a new server or a new computer to the mix. Any changes to your IT environment can mean falling out of compliance. A new employee mobile device added, but not properly protected is a problem. One new cloud tool an employee decides to use can also cause a compliance issue. It’s important to do at least an annual review of your data security. Match that with your data privacy compliance requirements to make sure you’re still good. 4. Audit Your Security Policies and Procedures Something else you should audit at least annually is your policies and procedures. These written documents that tell employees what’s expected from them. They also give direction when it comes to data privacy and how to handle a breach. Audit your security policies annually. Additionally, audit them whenever there is a data privacy regulation update. You want to ensure that you’re encompassing any new changes to your requirements. 5. Update Your Technical, Physical & Administrative Safeguards As Needed When you receive a notification that a data privacy update is coming, plan ahead. It’s best to comply before the rule kicks in, if possible. Look at three areas of your IT security: • Technical safeguards – Systems, devices, software, etc. • Administrative safeguards – Policies, manuals, training, etc. • Physical safeguards – Doors, keypads, building security, etc. 6. Keep Employees Trained on Compliance and Data Privacy Policies Employees should be aware of any changes to data privacy policies that impact them. When you receive news about an upcoming update, add this to your ongoing training. Good cybersecurity practice is to conduct ongoing cybersecurity training for staff. This keeps their anti-breach skills sharp and reminds them of what’s expected. Include updates they need to know about so they can be properly prepared. Remember to always log your training activities. It’s a good idea to log the date, the employees educated, and the topic. This way, you have this documentation if you do suffer a breach at some point. Get Help Ensuring Your Systems Meet Compliance Needs Data privacy compliance can be complex. But you don’t have to figure it all out yourself. Our team is well-versed in compliance needs. Give us a call today to schedule a chat. Article used with permission from The Technology Press.

It’s a common theme. You begin seeing these amazing CGI images of your friends on Facebook or Instagram. You think, “How can I make one?” Filters and self-portrait apps have come a long way. You can now make yourself look like Hollywood’s version of a character in the next hit animated film. It still kind of looks like you, only a dream version with “perfect” hair, skin, and facial features. The latest of these modern vanity marvels to make the rounds is Lensa AI. You upload about 10 photos so the app can feed that data into its AI algorithm. Then, once it maps your facial features, it generates several fantasy selfies of you. These magical avatars don’t come for free though. While you can download the app for free and use it in a limited fashion, you need to pay to do more. To get unlimited access for one week, it’s $2.99. There are several pricing tiers for its avatar packs and membership access. These range from $3.99 for Avatars Pack 1 to $35.99 for full membership. It sounds like a little harmless digital fun, right? That’s what many companies making apps like this like you to think. Vanity is an easy sell, and who doesn’t want to have a fabulous profile pic? But for Lensa AI and several similar self-portrait apps, you’re paying more than you know. The cost comes from the data privacy rights you’re giving up. And these can go far beyond the app itself. Why Worry About Data Privacy with Lensa AI & Similar Apps? Thanks to laws like GDPR, software and app developers need to tell you what they do with your data. Looking at the app at the Mac App Store, a few alarming things jump out. Data Used to Track You Once you download the Lensa AI app, it can track your phone activity. The app store states that the app may use purchases and unique identifiers to track you. And this doesn’t mean only tracking you while in Lensa AI. It can track you across websites and apps owned by other companies. Data Collected Lensa AI scours your device for a lot of different data points. By downloading it, you permit it to do this. Some of the tracking links to you personally (such as linked to your name, IP address, or phone number). It collects a lot of other data, but not with your name or another identifier on it. Data collected and linked to you: User content (such as the images you upload) Data collected, but not linked to you: Purchases you make on websites or apps Usage data for apps, etc. Identifiers (this isn’t specified, but could mean things like city or gender) Diagnostics from your device Loss of Rights to Your Uploaded Images What apps like Lensa AI do with your data is a grey area. Many tech companies, such as Facebook, have been known to act irresponsibly with user data. Many are purposely vague in their terms and conditions, leaving the door open. One section from the Lensa AI Terms that users agree to states the following: “…solely for the purposes of operating or improving Lensa, you grant us a time-limited, revocable, non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, fully-paid, transferable, sub-licensable license to use, reproduce, modify, distribute, create derivative works of your User Content, without any additional compensation to you…” For the sole purpose of “operating” Lensa, could mean anything. It could mean that to make more money to operate the business, the company needs to use your images. Note that it also states it can modify, distribute, etc. YOUR user content. Things You Can Do to Protect Your Data Privacy Don’t Immediately Jump on Every Fad This one may be hard when you see all your friends using a new app. It’s natural to want to be a part of that. But try waiting a week. Most likely those avatar images from the latest selfie app won’t be blowing up your feed anymore. Read App Terms & Conditions Take the time to read an app’s terms. You are often giving up more data privacy rights than you realize. This includes giving an app the ability to track just about everything you do on your device. Be aware of what’s at risk before you download a new app. Restrict Data Collection If you can’t resist an app’s charms, at least make it as secure as possible. This includes taking the time to restrict its data collection features, where possible. Use your phone’s privacy and security settings to turn off data sharing. For the Lensa AI app, you can also contact the company to request that it delete your data from its servers. Its privacy policy states to email privacy@lensa-ai.com for questions and concerns. Get a Device Privacy Checkup The more apps you use, the more complicated data privacy can get. Don’t leave it to chance. We’ll be happy to help. Give us a call today to schedule a device privacy checkup. Article used with permission from The Technology Press.

In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape, businesses of all sizes are relying more and more on IT infrastructure to carry out their operations. However, with an increasing number of IT systems and applications, it becomes more challenging for organizations to manage and maintain them all effectively. This is where a managed service provider (MSP) can play a vital role in assisting companies with their IT needs. In this essay, we will discuss why a managed service provider is necessary for businesses. Firstly, a managed service provider brings a wealth of expertise and knowledge to a business. MSPs are well-versed in the latest technology trends, industry standards, and best practices, which allows them to provide tailored solutions that meet the specific needs of their clients. They also have experience working with a variety of industries and can leverage that experience to provide unique insights and recommendations that would be difficult to obtain from an internal IT department. By partnering with an MSP, businesses can ensure that they have access to top-tier IT professionals without having to worry about the cost and time associated with recruiting and training them. Secondly, an MSP can provide a level of reliability and stability to a company's IT infrastructure that would be difficult to achieve with an internal team alone. MSPs offer a range of services that can help prevent and mitigate IT issues before they become major problems. For example, MSPs can perform regular system maintenance, apply security patches and updates, and perform proactive monitoring to identify and address potential issues. By outsourcing these tasks to an MSP, businesses can ensure that their IT systems remain up-to-date and secure, while also minimizing the risk of downtime that could lead to lost productivity and revenue. Thirdly, an MSP can help businesses save money on IT-related expenses. Many businesses choose to work with MSPs because they offer a cost-effective alternative to hiring an internal IT team. MSPs typically charge a fixed monthly fee for their services, which can be much more affordable than paying for a full-time IT staff. Additionally, MSPs can help businesses save money by identifying inefficiencies in their current IT systems and recommending more cost-effective alternatives. For example, an MSP may suggest moving some of a business's operations to the cloud, which can be more cost-effective than maintaining on-premise servers. Fourthly, an MSP can provide businesses with access to the latest and most innovative technology. MSPs are often at the forefront of new technology trends and are constantly exploring new ways to improve their services. By partnering with an MSP, businesses can benefit from the latest tools and solutions without having to invest significant time and resources into researching and implementing them on their own. Finally, an MSP can provide businesses with peace of mind. With an MSP handling their IT needs, businesses can focus on their core operations and leave the technical details to the experts. MSPs can provide round-the-clock support, which means that businesses can rest assured that their IT systems are in good hands at all times. Additionally, MSPs typically offer service level agreements (SLAs) that guarantee a certain level of service and support, which can provide businesses with an added layer of assurance. In conclusion, a managed service provider is necessary for businesses because it can provide them with access to expertise, reliability, cost-effectiveness, innovation, and peace of mind. As businesses continue to rely more on IT infrastructure to carry out their operations, the importance of partnering with an MSP will only continue to grow. By choosing the right MSP, businesses can benefit from a range of services that can help them achieve their IT goals and stay competitive in today's ever-changing marketplace.