Recent Blog Posts

What Kind of Smart Devices Might You Have? Essentially, anything that connects to the Internet can be considered a smart device, so naturally you will have your computers, tablets, smartphones, Internet routers, and other computing hardware to worry about. It?s the other, less considered devices that are the ones you have to watch out for, like the printers, security cameras, thermostats, smart speakers, and other minor devices that you might not have considered to be security threats. Even something like a smartwatch can be exploited under the right circumstances. So, what can you do to protect your smart devices and create a safer environment on your network in general? Let?s go over a couple of simple practices you can use to protect yourself and your network while using smart devices. Set Up Your Wi-Fi Router Properly The router is not always the first thing you think of in terms of Internet security, but it?s where you should begin your efforts to protect your wireless network. A good place to start is changing your router?s default name. By default, it should include something that includes your router?s brand and model. If you leave it the way it is, you are giving hackers more clues into how they can tap into your wireless network. Furthermore, you should be using a complex password and the highest level of encryption possible. Use Multi-Factor Authentication If you want to optimize security on any connection, you should be using multiple measures. A password is simply not enough these days; you should have multi-factor authentication set up whenever possible for accounts and devices, be it a biometric proof of identity or a simple text to your smartphone. Use a Separate Wi-Fi Connection for IoT Devices If you are worried about security on your network from IoT devices, then a good option is to create a separate network for any IoT devices. This effectively partitions your connection and makes it so that the important devices and data are kept separate from the more at-risk connection, that being the IoT network. White Mountain IT Services can help your business secure its office from smart devices and other IoT devices. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.

Sit Down and Plan Your Day Out The first step happens before the day even starts, perhaps in the final half-hour before you leave your office for the day. Create a plan for the next day, including how much time you plan to spend on various tasks and what you hope to accomplish. When you have a plan (some might call this a roadmap for the day), it removes the guesswork surrounding how you are going to spend your time, and when you finish a particular task, you can effortlessly segue into the next. Break Large Tasks Into Chunks Some projects are going to be more complex than others, so it makes sense that you might want to break them down into smaller and more manageable chunks. This helps you work on the tasks in a more self-contained way and keeps you focused on the task at hand rather than worrying about what comes later on down the line. When In Doubt, Delegate Chances are that at least some of the tasks on your plate can be delegated to other staff, and as a business owner, this is a valuable skill to cultivate and develop. Delegating tasks not only removes them from your agenda, it also gives the one you are delegating a sense of ownership for that task. We understand that it can be challenging to give up control over certain tasks, but if you can free yourself from at least some of them, you will find that you have more time to focus on other tasks that actually demand your attention. Outsource When Possible Businesses always have the option to outsource certain parts of their operations so they can focus on the task at hand. One of the most common ways that outsourcing is used by businesses is technology management and IT support. Why worry about whether or not your technology is working when you are trying to focus on what your company does best? If you outsource your IT, you might find the clarity needed to take your productivity to the next level. If your business wants to delegate tasks and outsource more, White Mountain IT Services is a great place to start. We can take on the tasks of any internal IT department so you can remain focused on your business. If you are interested in our services or learning more, give us a call at (603) 889-0800.

Before we begin, it will help to teach those who may not be totally familiar with Krampus a little bit of background about him. An Introduction to Krampus As we all know, Santa Claus is the very picture of jolliness. You?d be hard-pressed to find a nicer guy out there. Everything about him, from his rosy cheeks to his big bowl-of-jelly belly really accentuates his giving personality. Krampus can be safely considered the antithesis of Santa Claus, and many of the elves at the North Pole put some real stock in the story that Krampus is ol? St. Nick?s shadow. The ugly old demon has it out for kids, especially naughty ones, and makes it his mission every Christmas to punish those on the naughty list by hitting them with the bundle of sticks he carries with him? and that?s what he does when he?s feeling forgiving. He?s also tried to do a lot worse. For every bit of friendly and kind that Kris Kringle looks, Krampus is the opposite. Tall and covered in scratchy, wiry hair, his ugly face is framed by the goat-like horns that curl from his head. Naturally, he has fangs, which don?t do much to keep his long tongue in his mouth. Matching his horns, his feet are just hooves. Again, he literally carries a collection of branches around to hit children with, and he keeps himself wrapped in chains for some reason. As you might imagine, he doesn?t exactly smell nice, either.  He?s really just a bad guy, overall. Krampus? Tactics Have Shifted Over the years, the gang up at the North Pole has done a pretty good job in minimizing how much harm Krampus has been able to accomplish, but as they?ve done so, Krampus has become sneakier. Now, in addition to going after naughty children and otherwise interfering with Santa?s delivery schedule, Krampus has actively interfered with operations at the North Pole. He?s become a fairly adept cybercriminal, using his talents to disrupt the North Pole?s supply chains and otherwise slow production of toys. He?s been known to try and phish the elves into opening his infected emails, trying to fool them with supposed ?wish lists?, or calling up the North Pole directly and posing as parents to try and add additional kids to the infamous naughty list. This is where we became involved, as the IT team up at the North Pole had more than enough to do without dealing with his incessant attacks. Here?s a transcript of one of the calls their team has caught: NORTH POLE: Hello, thank you for calling the North Pole, this is Boots. How may I direct your call? KRAMPUS: (in falsetto) Hi there, this is Timmy Johnson?s mother. I just wanted to call and let Santa know that he is being very naughty right now. NORTH POLE: Oh dear, that isn?t nice. Let me get the report started. May I have Timmy?s full name, please? KRAMPUS: (falsetto) Timothy Marcus Johnson. NORTH POLE: And his age? KRAMPUS: (falsetto) He is nine. NORTH POLE: Oh dear. Do you have Timmy?s official North Pole ID number handy? It would have been given to you shortly after he was born. KRAMPUS: Uhhhhh? NORTH POLE: Hello again, Krampus. Nice try. It should be mentioned that these calls were not […]

Where Support Costs Build Up Technology costs tend to rise rapidly once an issue is discovered. Consider the following reasons why: The technology itself could be expensive to repair or replace. The repair fee will likely include fees and travel costs in addition to the cost of the service itself. The repair is likely only focused on fixing the immediate problem, without considering if it will recur or if the would-be solution to the problem causes alternative problems.  If an issue does happen and some piece of technology fails, you are on the hook for the downtime while you wait for a technician to come around and fix the problem.  One of the major problems is that it is next to impossible to predict these kinds of expenses when trying to budget out your technology management. It makes the whole situation extremely precarious since you rely on your IT to run your business.  Managed IT Services Flips the Script Let?s go through the reasons we went through before, that would typically lead to swelling costs and exceeded budgets. This time, however, we?ll assume that you?re leaning on an MSP for your IT assistance and support. While the procurement of technology can be expensive, the Managed Service Provider (MSP) has likely developed a relationship with vendors that can help reduce the costs of purchasing new technology. Many problems can actually be resolved remotely, as the MSP takes full advantage of state-of-the-art technology that allows for networks and infrastructure to be monitored around the clock. The travel costs you would normally be on the hook for are usually unnecessary, and anything that falls within the agreement with the MSP is covered by a consistent monthly fee. In addition to fixing the problem at hand, the MSP uses their access and vantage point to identify the root cause of the issue. This means that the issue itself is resolved, preventing future intervention from becoming necessary. Your MSP will also monitor your technology for these kinds of issues, using special tools that alert them of inconsistencies and errors. Since they use remote access to do so, they can even find potential problems and proactively fix them. Even if an on-site visit is required, it may be included in the agreement, as well.  With a recurring and inclusive fee for these services, budgeting for a managed service provider is a relative breeze. Any changes you need to make (like if you add more employees to further boost your productivity) can easily be incorporated into your monthly fee, keeping costs in check. Interested in finding out more? Reach out to our team and ask about what other benefits working with us can bring! Call (603) 889-0800 today.

Yes, We Know: Part of Our Job is Preventing Data Breaches Don?t get us wrong, we?ll do everything in our power to help prevent our clients from experiencing a data breach. Having said that, there is only so much we can do to stop them. Whether we?re talking about zero-day threats, unreported software vulnerabilities, successful phishing attacks, or a lost device going unreported, there are plenty of ways that an attack can slip past even our team. So, while our services and solutions can greatly reduce the number of threats that your team is exposed to, we cannot realistically catch them all. Therefore, we wanted to discuss how you need to respond if your data is eventually breached. Of course, we?ll also get into a few best practices to help your team avoid data breaches as well. So, Your Data Was Breached? Now What? Step One: Notify Everyone Impacted Let?s make one thing clear? if your company experiences a data breach, it probably isn?t just ?your? data that was affected. Anyone whose data you have collected, from your clients to your employees to your vendors, could now be at risk. This means there are a lot of people you have to alert, just in case their data was impacted in the breach. We do mean ?have to?, as well? each of the 50 states has some kind of legislation that sets standards for data breach notification, so not doing so can land you in some very, very hot water, regardless of where you are located or where you do business. Step Two: Make Things Right with Those Affected Once you?ve discovered the breach and informed your clients of the situation, it is also on you to make amends to them. This may be to offer a complimentary service to them, or a discount. The one thing you don?t want to do is pretend that nothing happened, or gloss over the situation? particularly if the breach caused issues for them. Have a frank and honest conversation with your clientele, doing whatever you can to help them out. Step Three: Identify, Disclose, and Rectify the Issue Internally, you need to make sure you fix whatever problem enabled the breach in the first place. We can help you run a complete network audit to figure out if a problem with your network allowed someone to access your systems, or to find out if someone employed by your company let in the attack (whether or not they meant to). Once you know why the breach was possible, you need to remove the vulnerability. This may require you to update the defenses you have around your network, or to better educate your team on security procedures and best practices. Either way, you need to do whatever it takes to fix the problem, all the while keeping the affected people listed above apprised of your progress? of course, respecting everyone?s privacy. Step Four: Do Better, and Restore from Your Backup This part is simple? whatever needed to be done that wasn?t initially and allowed the breach in, make sure that you implement it into your standard procedures. Any data breach that you survive is a learning experience, if nothing else. Make sure you take advantage of it. If necessary, you?ll also need to turn to your […]