4 Tips For Getting the Most Out of Your Technology Investment

September 11, 2019October 12, 2018 by Daniel Ihonvbere

Keeping technology simple, a culture of continuous improvement, and the Tech Prognosis IT Support service are some ways to make a good technology investment.

How many times have you purchased new software or hardware, and avoided the help menu or user manual? Experts reason that about 90 percent of all features included with software go unused! Much of this comes down to lack of training for individuals using the technology – they use what they know and need most, and avoid anything that would require study or practice to implement. It’s human nature to take the path of least resistance, but with a little motivation you could better benefit from the money spent on technology for your business.

How Businesses Can Protect Their Wireless Access Points

October 6, 2019July 19, 2018 by Daniel Ihonvbere

The current high rate of mobile users warrants that wireless access users, especially business users, should know how to protect their wireless access points.

First of all, regular business travelers, high-tech adventurers, or those who just love traveling are increasingly vulnerable to unique cyber security threats. This is even more dire in the case of business travelers because they often carry sensitive data that may be personal or business related.

And most noteworthy, this sensitive data reside on a variety of devices from laptops, tablets, and smartphones to other smart devices such as wearables and home appliances.

A recent survey of financial districts found a high percentage of Wi-Fi clients actively probing for “Free Public WiFi”, and cyber criminals create fake wireless access points (SSIDs), hoping that unsuspecting users will log into one of these.

Fraudulent SSIDs Can Lead To Wireless Access Points Attack

It can be tough to convince users — especially those challenged by shrinking travel budgets — to avoid the temptation and draw of free wireless Internet access. When employers can’t or won’t pay for unlimited wireless Internet, employees get creative. Why should they waste thankless hours waiting for planes and trains when they could be using Free Public WiFi to catch up on mail, download iTunes, or watch a little Slingbox?

10 Small Business Network Disaster Planning Essentials

September 12, 2019March 18, 2017 by techprognosis

If your critical data is important to your business and you cannot afford to have your operations halted for days – even weeks – due to data loss or corruption, then you need to read this report on disaster planning and act on the information shared.

A disaster can happen at any time on any day and is likely to occur at the most inconvenient time. If you aren’t already prepared, you run the risk of having the disaster coming before you have in place a plan to handle it.

This report will outline 10 things you should have in place to make sure your business could be back up and running again in the event of a disaster.

1. Have a Written Plan

As simple as it may sound, just thinking through in ADVANCE what needs to happen if your server has a meltdown or a natural disaster wipes out your office, will go a long way in getting it back fast.

At a minimum, the plan should contain details on what disaster could happen and a step-by-step process of what to do, who should do it and how. Also include contact information for various providers and username and password information for various key web sites.

Writing this plan will also allow you to think about what you need to budget for backup, maintenance and disaster recovery. If you can’t afford to have your network down for more than a few hours, then you need a plan that can get you back up and running within that time frame.

You may want the ability to virtualize your server, allowing the office to run off of the virtualized server while the real server is repaired. If you can afford to be down for a couple of days, there are cheaper solutions. Once written, print out a copy and store it in a fireproof safe, an offsite copy (at your home) and a copy with your IT consultant.

2. Hire a Trusted Professional to Help You

Trying to recover your data after a disaster without professional help is business suicide; one misstep during the recovery process can result in forever losing your data or result in weeks of downtime. Make sure you work with someone who has experience in both setting up business contingency plans (so you have a good framework from which you CAN restore your network) and experience in data recovery.

Provide Critical Data Security Using Locks

August 26, 2019January 4, 2017 by Daniel Ihonvbere

Sometimes the key to data security is an old-fashioned lock. Here’s some advice on protecting your customers and employees by securing sensitive data. One important tip: Lock it — Protect the information that you keep.

Lock, stock — or peril. Computer defenses can be critical, but when it comes to protecting personal information, don’t forget “old school” physical security, too.
Discourage light-fingered passersby by making sure every employee has a secure drawer or locker.
Centralize sensitive paperwork and limit access to employees with a legitimate business need.
Remind them not to leave documents out when they step away from their desks.
Shipping data offsite? Consider encrypting it and using a mailing method that will allow you to track the package en route.

Read more

Small Businesses and Dangerous Fraud Protection Assumptions

August 26, 2019June 23, 2016 by techprognosis

Small Businesses and Dangerous Fraud Protection Assumptions

The Single Most Dangerous Assumption Businesses Make About Fraud Protection That Can Cause Them To Lose ALL Their Money

Here’s a shocker to most business owners: Your bank often can NOT reclaim money stolen from your bank account due to fraud or cyber-crime. That means if money gets drafted from your business bank account from a hacker, phishing attack, identity theft or by any other means, you have little to no chance of getting it back.

This often comes as a surprise to businesses who think the FDIC will “save” them from getting their accounts wiped out, and can get the money back once taken. The reality is that the FDIC insurance is to protect you from bank failure, NOT fraud. So if your debit card or account information gets accessed by a hacker and you don’t notice it within the same day, you can pretty much kiss that money goodbye.

Recent studies have shown that 83% of small businesses take no formal measures against cyber threats even though almost half of all attacks are aimed at them.

Here are 5 essential steps you can take right now to protect your business:

How To Cut Costs With Hosted Digital Phones

April 29, 2012 by Daniel Ihonvbere

This is the Internet Age. Broadband and high-speed connections in the small to midsize business environment is now the norm as opposed to the exception it was a few years ago. What does that mean for the small and midsize business owner? Huge cost savings for one, in the area of communication. With the many offerings available today, it is not uncommon for businesses to reduce telephone costs by as much as eighty (80) percent. Here’s the rundown.

VoIP is a term that refers to Voice over Internet Protocol. It is a technology that allows phone calls to be made using high-speed Internet connections like cable, T1 or high-end DSL. Other common names for VoIP are IP, digital and Internet phones. The unique thing about digital phone technology is that it works with regular analog phones and this is important because since not everyone may have this technology in place, your calls will still be received whether the party you are calling has VoIP in place or not.