Protecting Your Digital Identity - Available Technology Inc

Protecting Your Digital Identity

 

We get used to technology changing at a rapid pace, and sometimes you don't notice how things have changed until you step back and realize how dependent we are on our computers. The prolific use of the Internet is probably the most significant change in technology we have experienced (or will experience) in our lifetime.

We use the internet for everything. It is used to pay bills, reconcile our bank accounts, pay quarterly taxes and do our Christmas shopping. Cell phones deliver messages to us at the moment they are sent. There can be no disputing that email use has revolutionized communications in business. We are truly a "connected" society.

The problem is that we are all indeed connected. Those of us who would normally not come into contact with certain less-desirable elements of society are now thrown into the collective melting pot that is "the internet." And just like all societal groups, that by their nature largely follow the rules and mean no harm, there are predators there.

Everytime you pay a bill or sign up for a coupon or newsletter, a piece of your information is being submitted to a potentially unsafe source. Online banking and shopping put credit card numbers and vital security info on a database server that could be hacked by electronic criminals. Even our medical information is kept in a digital format, with the possibility of dissemination to the wrong element in our collective internet community.

To exclude ourselves from the internet and it's advantages, both personal and professional, is to some degree an irresponsible squandering of opportunities to enrich your own life and the lives of others.

Fortunately, you can take steps to protect yourself and become a less likely target for identity theft.

How Big of A Problem is It?

Everyone is taking notice, and most are concerned. The Federal Trade Commission estimates that up to 9 million Americans were victimized in this way last year. Identity theft costs victims hundreds if not thousands of dollars, and months or years of agonizing struggle to sort out the instances of fraud.

One of our own clients had their company's information used to take out a business loan. When the loan was defaulted on, the company began receiving calls to collect the bad debt. The company is still spending time and money to straighten out the aftermath of the identity theft.

How Does it Happen?

Identity thieves are looking for such information as your name, social security number, credit card numbers, birth date and so on. Once found, this information is used to make purchases or commit crimes, or the information is sold to others who will do so.

These attacks occur primarily in two forms: Phishing and Keylogging.

Phishing

Keyloggers or other viruses

"Phishing" is a term coined by computer hackers, who use email to fish the Internet hoping to hook you into giving them your logins, passwords and/or credit card information. In all these scams, the phisher first impersonates a legitimate company such as your own internet service provider, or your auction site or a financial institution. In the typical scam, you'll get an email that appears to be from a reputable company. You'll be asked to go to a special site to update your account information. This is usually a "red flag" because a reputable business should NEVER ask you to update personal account information in an email!

 

If you get one of these messages, don't panic - and don't respond. Remember this advice: Don't give your personal information to anyone you don't know. If you are concerned that the message might be genuine, call your ISP (or bank or other organization being spoofed) at a telephone number you obtain from your billing statement or through an email address the legitimate company provides.

 

Keyloggers

do not search for your personal information on your computer but literally do what the name suggests - log the keys that you press on the keyboard. Once the virus makes a record of every keystroke you enter, the information can be used to find out login names, sites you have visited, credit card numbers and passwords. Keyloggers are normally spread by viruses in downloads or emails and can also be added as attachments in advertising or spam. Howver, they could also be planted by someone with physical access to your computer. Since they are designed for stealth, keyloggers are typically hard to detect. Updated virus protection like ESET NOD32 will catch these programs before they can set up shop on your PC.

 

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Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft

 

For both Keyloggers and Phishing scams, follow these tips:

 Consider using a keyscrambler. The most popular of these is called - you guessed it - Keyscrambler. The free version of Keyscrambler encrypts each keystroke you enter to feed false information to any keyloggers that may be on your system. Google "keyscrambler" to find out more.
 Look for the Lock. Be sure that any transaction which requires you to enter sensitive information is done so in a secure environment. The lock icon on the status bar at the bottom of your browser indicates that the site you are currently viewing is encrypted, meaning that the site publisher has been verified to be who they say they are and that communication is secure.
Also, don't enter credit cards or other information in to a site unless the site address is shown as "HTTPS" rather than "HTTP" in the address bar. This ensures that data can't be read if it is intercepted.

 Updates and Antivirus. Be sure you have a good (i.e. not free) antivirus program and keep it updated. We Recommend ESET NOD32 Antivirus and have used it for years.
In addition, virus writers typically look for security flaws in your computer's operating system and exploit them. Microsoft and others are constantly looking to repair those flaws so that hackers and virus writers are not able to get through. They do this by providing security updates that you can download and install from the Internet. Update your operating system to close these security holes.

 

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General Internet Security Tips

 

Use unique passwords and keep them in memory, not on paper. Believe it or not, "passsword" or "secret" are not good passwords. A strong password has capital letters, numbers, and non standard characters like punctuation to makeit much more difficult to guess.

Be careful on wireless networks. Even if password protected, they are not bulletproof. it is a good idea to do your online transactions on a wired computer and leave the instant mesaging and facebooking for the wireless.

Don't enter passwords or other sensitive info in an email. Email is sent as clear text, and is the easiest of data to intercept, especially over a wireless network.

P2P programs like torrent downloaders and some music sharing software are a great way to get infected with a keylogger. Don't use this type of software if you can help it (and you can.)

Take extra care when accessing the internet through a public computer or kiosk. In one recent case, a man successfully installed "keylogging" software in 14 Kinko stores in the New York City area, without Kinko's knowledge or permission. Using the software, he was able to capture customers' usernames and passwords.

Follow these tips and use common sense to protect yourself on the internet. We all belong to the same collective pond, but with a little caution and responsibility we don't have to end up as prey for the barracudas.

 

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For information on any of the information in this month's newsletter, please call Available Technology at 864.232.1234 http://available-tech.net

Virus 101 -or- Malware for Beginners - Available Technology Inc.

Virus 101 -or- Malware for Beginners

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Being a computer technician isn't an entirely thankless job. Every one of us with a job to do, including garbagemen and politicians, occasionally experience intense moments of satisfaction from the faithful performance of our daily grind. That's why we keep on doing what we do.

But IT Guys (yours truly excluded) have, as time passes, developed fragile egos from the constant flip-flop from hero to scapegoat 10 times per day. In the morning it's "Hey, the computer guy's here!" and in the afternoon it's "Everything worked until YOU showed up!??"

But it's those brief realizations of childish fulfillment that keep us going. I am having a great day if someone chooses to call me a "genius" or "guru", which I quickly downplay by insisting that I am merely "digitally dominant." And yes, at the end of those kinds of days, we IT folks feel a bit like brightly-costumed defenders of the innocent with the theatrical stage-wind throwing our fluttering capes out behind us. We then stand tall and proud, and remark, "All in a day's work, Mrs. Jones, all in a day's work."

According to the SuperHero Name Generator, my super hero name is "The Elastic Sapphire Locomotive", a moniker that I hope I can live up to. This isn't easy, because all heroes of Super proportions have dark and dangerous enemies that stay up late at night coming up with new ways to expel us from our Industry Certified thrones.

Similar to comic book super heroes, computer guys and gals have not only normal, boring, annoying enemies (like Green Goblin, Sandman, the Phantom, and Penguin) but also that one foe that predictably keeps popping up, knows your weaknesses, and is always defeated, but never destroyed - our "Arch-Nemesis." For computer techs, our arch-nemesis is the computer virus.

Comic book villains come in 2 varieties, not unlike politicians. The first type works toward the ultimate goal of attaining power while advancing chaos and destroying order. The second type commits crime strictly for monetary gain. Ironically, computer viruses fall into the same 2 categories.

This month, I'll present the important info about viruses that you need to know, in a format that should be easy to comprehend even for the avid "Dick and Jane" reader.

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Types of Viruses

When your computer starts throwing up error messages, blue screens or just starts acting plain-old "weird", most people say "Must be a virus!" But do you really know the difference between a virus, a trojan, a worm or any of 10 other kinds of malicious software waiting to attack your poor innocent computer? Well, read on, and in the next 10 minutes, you will!

Most people use the terms virus, worm, and trojan as synonyms, but these terms are not the same. They all can do damage, but in different ways. And just like Spiderman always says, "Knowing your enemy is the only way to defeat him."

- A computer virus attaches itself to a program or file so it can spread from one computer to another, leaving infections as it travels. Much like human viruses, computer viruses can range in severity: Some viruses cause only mildly annoying effects while others can damage your hardware, software or files. Almost all viruses are attached to an executable file, which means the virus may exist on your computer but it cannot infect your computer unless you run or open the malicious program. It is important to note that a virus cannot be spread without a human action, (such as running an infected program) to keep it going. People continue the spread of a computer virus, mostly unknowingly, by sharing infecting files or sending e-mails with viruses as attachments in the e-mail.

- A worm is similar to a virus by its design, and is considered to be a sub-class of a virus. Worms spread from computer to computer, but unlike a virus, worms have the capability to travel without any help from a person. The biggest danger with a worm is its capability to replicate itself on your system, so rather than your computer sending out a single worm, it could send out hundreds or thousands of copies of itself, creating a huge devastating effect. For example, a worm can replicate and send itself out to everyone listed in your address book, and then to everyone in each of your contacts address books, and the manifest continues on down the line. Due to the copying nature of a worm and its capability to travel across networks the end result in most cases is that the worm consumes too much bandwidth, causing servers and individual computers to stop responding. Some worms are designed to allow a user to control your computer remotely without your knowledge or permission. This is scary stuff!

- A Trojan Horse (or Trojan) is a malicious program (Malware) that looks like something helpful but is actually out to destroy your computer. Trojans can look like coupon printing programs, music downloading software, free games or even antivirus programs, like the infamous "fakealert" trojans. Some are just annoying, doing things like changing your background or redirecting your web browser to a random search site or site with (ahem) objectionable content. Others can cause serious damage by deleting files and destroying information on your system.

A type of Trojan known as a "backdoor" trojan creates a backdoor on your computer that gives malicious users access to your system, possibly allowing confidential or personal information to be compromised. Unlike viruses and worms, Trojans do not reproduce by infecting other files nor do they self-replicate.

A subset of these 3 types of malicious software is called a blended threat. A blended threat is an attack that combines characteristics of 2 or more of the 3 types of ifections to produce a hybrid attack that can be especially hard to detect and remove. Many attacks that we remove on a daily basis fall into this category and require special tools to clean from your system.

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Who Writes These Things?

The typical virus author is male, from 14 to 24 years old. He has an intermediate knowledge of programming, since most viruses are remarkably easy to write. You can think of the guys who write malicious code as vandals, who are either trying to make money or show off to their friends. In some subcultures, whoever does the most damage gets the most credibility.

These days, though, most of the viruses are written to cause just enough trouble get you to put in a credit card number in order to make the problems go away. This is electronic extortion, and is a worldwide epidemic.

Where do these people live? According to Symantec research nearly 46 percent of all malicious attacks come from China. London comes in second place at 14.8 percent. 13% or so originate from the US.

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How do you stay clean?

Now that we know more about the threat, there are a few things that need your attention in order for your computer to stay clean and virus free.

Do your Windows Updates - Microsoft releases critical updates to plug holes that let viruses do their dirty work. Do your updates to stay secure. We reocommend doing only the critical updates, not the optional ones.

Click only on trusted sites - this can be tough to do, but with so many infections spreading through infected sites, if you can get by going to well known sites, rather than clicking on anything you find on Google, you will stay virus free longer.

Install an Antivirus and keep it updated

Use a firewall - a hardware router or a software firewall program, like ESET Smart Security will keep many intrusion attacks out, and will keep your computer from allowing malicious communication attempts to go out on the network if your computer gets infected
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Upcoming Virus Trends:
What changes can we expect in the next year?

Internet users will continue to suffer increased attacks by virus writes who want you to download their malware. Look for increased attacks through social networking sites like facebook and twitter.

Also, as the popularity of Apple products continue to grow, Mac and iPhone users--two of the most popular products by Apple--should look to protect the content they place on their devices as more attackers will devote time to create malware to exploit these devices.

With the increased use of smartphones, mobile security will also be an area of concern.

"Scareware" or fake antivirus software are also expected to make a bigger presence next year. Computers may even be "hijacked" or rendered useless by cybercriminals, who control the machines until the owners pay a ransom fee.

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Armed with an understanding of the dark nature of the forces that oppose you, go out and combat evil. With courage and fortitude you and your fearless computer companion can face and defeat any sinister digital foe.

You can even come up with your own cyber-superhero names and create an alternate identity for yourself. Choose a sidekick and start brainstorming. Here are some names to get you started:

GigaRanger and Bitboy

Mistress Vira and Technolad

The Immutable Technemesis

Digidefender and Virulad

Dr. Disinfector and the Human Viradicator

As for me, I am the "Elastic Sapphire Locomotive." And in the words of Batman, "I chose this life. I know what I'm doing. And on any given day, I could stop doing it. Today, however isn't that day. And tomorrow won't be either."


http://available-tech.net

Computer Related Stress and How to Survive It - Available Technology Inc.

Computer Related Stress and How to Survive It
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Stress? C'mon, really?

Technology is very cool. I know I'm supposed to say that because I work with it everyday, but it's true. In the last few years computers, phones and the internet have changed our lives to a degree that all of us can recognize. From elementary school students to politicians to tibetan monks, we are all connected. Ahh, there's nothing like the smell of progress in the morning!

And progress is a great thing. Technology allows us to do less in more time and finish our jobs quicker, resulting in more efficient use of resources, increased productivity, and ultimately culminating in more time spent at home with our families. Right? Anyone?

Well, not really. It is certainly true that we now have the ability to accomplish more in our workday. But as respectable American humans, we now feel that since we can do the work of 2 people, now we have to. So instead of getting our work done in 2/3 of the time it used to take, we are now expected to do 1/3 more work in the same amount of time.

I've written about this before, and I consider it to be the beginning of the "desocialization" of America. Instead of calling, I email. Why email when I can text. Get it off your plate and move on. So to counteract this trend I write long boring newsletters to be read by few and enjoyed by fewer. Still, it makes me feel better.

Alfred E. Neuman, from Mad Magazine, was the ultimate symbol of optimism for all of us in the 80's. "What, Me Worry?" was the mantra of this carrot topped cartooned symbol of contentment. let's take a page from his book (pun intended) and try to relax, despite the demands placed on us by today's society.

Our dramatically increased productivity has proportionately increase the amount of stress we experience every day. This month I want to point out some of the causes of computer related stress and what we can do to preserve our sanity, our coworkers' safety, and our poor innocent Barbie dolls. (I'll explain later.)

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Is it really a problem?

Yes. 94% of Americans use a computer 4-6 hours per day. 52% of computer users say that they spend more time in front of a computer than they do with their spouse! (Not sure if this is good or bad. You decide.)

Not surprisingly, of these computer users, 86% have described being frustrated or angry at their computer.

All of us have experienced eye strain, neck and back fatigue, headaches, repetitive stress injuries or lack of focus while at the computer. Constant stress can elevate blood pressure and lead to heart attacks or stroke. It's no secret that stress can take years off of your life.

We even have our own syndrome. Computer Stress Syndrome occurs when a user "suffers a continuous state of technical anxiety that can lead to "road rage" style behavior. Examples forthcoming:

Over the years we have experienced:

Computers thrown in swimming pools

Computers ejected from house via window

Punched laptop screens

Baseball-batted printers

Gunshot wound to the CPU (no, I'm not joking)

We also have one client that copes with computer related stress by taking their aggression out on Barbie dolls. The doll is always conveniently at hand to smash against the desk or computer, be thrown across the room or stomped on. (Sorry, Joe, but this is just too good not to write about!)

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So what causes these physical and emotional stresses?

Basically the causes fall into 3 categories

Bad Environment.

Incorrect keyboard placement, chairs that are too low or too high or offer no lumbar support and screens that are too small or dim all contribute to being physically uncomfortable when working at the computer. In addition, Office setup that faces a desk toward a window or cause the user to reach unnaturally to use a mouse or keyboard can be a serious health risk. Insufficient lighting is also a problem.

Bad Equipment:

Outdated computers are the biggest reason for computer frustration. Systems that crash frequently or are just plain slow cause great frustration to users. When talking to employees to assess morale problems, the most common problem we hear is that the equipment is frustrating to use and this contributes most significantly to the discontent of the user.

In fact, outdated or inadequate equipment is one of the top 5 reasons that employees quit their job.

Insufficient training on the hardware or software that is provided also contributes to a high stress level. For example, to select a block of text in Microsoft Word, you could simply click and drag, or you could go through the menu systems and perform the same task in 8 clicks. A user that is not trained adequately may choose the long way to do the function because he doesn't know the shortcuts. Which would be less frustrating to the user having to perform this task 25 times per day?

Bad IT Support:

Interesting stats:

94% of people use computers regularly.

62% needed tech support in the last 12 months.

90% said calling tech support was their absolute last resort.

66% of users have experience frustration or have even gotten mad during a tech support situation.

This tells me that people in general, dread asking for technical help. They will scour the web, ask a neighbor, shake their magic 8 ball or do just about anything to avoid calling the computer guy.

It also tells me that there are a lot of technicians who have horrible interpersonal skills.

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De-stress Your Life?

Here's what you can do to avoid being a statistic (or fishing your computer out of the aquarium.)

Get Comfortable

Make your workstation as comfortable as possible. Don't skimp on your chair or your desk. Get something that fits you perfectly and spare no expense. Invest in a large LCD display with high contrast to reduce eye strain. Raise the screen if it is below eye level.

Use a footrest! This much overlooked addition can really make a difference in your posture and lower back.

Get a plant! NASA researchers have proven that having a plant at your workstation reduces your stress level. So go get yourself a fern, bonsai, english ivy, cactus, venus flytrap - whatever makes you happy!

Stretch and take a break, if possible, for 5 - 10 minutes per hour. Get some fresh air. If you can't leave your desk, try closing your eyes while waiting for that file to save or that page to load.

Get Better Equipment

The absolute worst thing you can do for the reliability and longevity of your computers, monitors and printers is to buy the least expensive thing you can find. Do your research and buy the best equipment you can afford right now. You will not regret it. Your systems will be up to the task for years longer than if you cut corners. Maintain it once you get it. If you have a server, you absolutely must monitor it every month to look for signs of failing hardware or imminent software problems.

Learn how to use what you have. Identify the program you use most often, and buy an instructional book for that program. This will help you learn the smart way to use your software, and save you time and frustration in the process. The "Teach Yourself Visually" series is what we recommend to our clients. Take a look here.

I say this all the time and I'll keep saying it as long as I have the juice - BACK UP YOUR DATA! The #1 cause of computer stress is data loss.

Get Better IT!

This is where Available Technology comes in. We strive to reduce the difficulty of dealing with computer issues. Our technicians are trained to anticipate problems and deal with them before they become down-time situations.

We care about your business and know how hard it is to deal with condescending tech support guys. We deal with them too!

Our everyday desire is to make each client feel like they are the only client we have.

And we speak English fairly well.

Use your time to Develop Patience and Focus

Finally, I encourage everyone to use their time at the computer to develop an attitude of patience by maintaining focus on the job at hand. Distractions can easily make a simple task take twice as long, so when you sit down, think about why you are there and take care of business without letting email and instant messages push you onto a rabbit trail.

Follow the above tips and you can make the time you spend at the computer more productive and more enjoyable.

The more you know about the causes of stress, the better equipped you are to see it coming and sidestep it before you start buying Barbies by the case or bringing a sledgehammer to the office.

Email me your stress saving tips and I'll pass them on to our readers. Have a great month!

IT Guys: Do we Practice What we Preach? - Available Technology Inc.

Do as I say, not as I do!
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Aesop was born in 600 BC somewhere in ancient Greece. Everyone knows his fables, but few realize what an ironic and paradoxical life he led. Aesop was a slave most of his life, and was given his freedom as a reward for his intelligence and masterful storytelling. He became involved in politics and traveled for the King of Lydia.


On one trip for his employer there was a misunderstanding about a gift he had brought to the king of another land. Thinking that the king had rejected the gift, Aesop decided to return to his land, taking the rejected treasure with him. The opposing king learned of this, and thinking he was being cheated, had his servants hide a golden bowl in Aesop's luggage. After he left, they intercepted him, found the bowl and condemned him to death for sacrilege at stealing the sacred bowl of Apollo.

Shortly after, they dropped him off a cliff, which they deemed a fitting punishment for stealing a bowl.

Despite this irony-oozing end, Aesop's stories have become well known and have survived for over 2000 years. Aesop understood and appreciated the irony of a good "morality play." One of his lesser known fables is the fable of "The Young Crab and his Mother" in which a mother crab chastised her son for not walking straight ahead. The young crab said "Okay Mom, please teach me how to walk." But try as she might, she was unable to walk any way other than sideways, like a crab should.

This is the earliest story that pointed out this inconsistency of human ethics. We see this all too often. "Do as I say, not as I do." We have all had our own experiences with this, but I recently began thinking about this as it relates to the advice that computer techs give out every day.

A client asked me, as they do often after being given a number of options to solve a particular technical problem. "What do you do on your own computer?" That got me thinking. Is it really the best question to ask a computer guy, or a mechanic, or a politician, or a dentist? The mechanic's car usually doesn't run right, the cobbler's kids go shoeless, and my wife's computer is still doing "that thing" she told me about a month ago.


Anyway, I surveyed 5 of my fellow IT professionals to see what they do on their personal computers in the following areas that we preach to clients about:


· Backup your data!


· Upgrade Your Hardware and Software!


· You should use a Smart Phone!


· Use (insert search engine here)!


· Upgrade Your Internet Browser!


· Use Antivirus Software!


· Secure Your Wireless Network!


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So how did we do? I'm glad you asked!

The Results


Backup:


4 out of 5 techs I surveyed back up their data. The fifth said he never created anything important enough to back up, which made me wonder what he actually did all day.


Methods of Backup included copying data to an external drive manually, Carbonite, Acronis TrueImage, and Synctoy. The most common frequency was once per month.

Hardware / OS:


This one varies greatly, because most computer techs have more than one computer, so I asked about the primary workstation that they use at home. 3 out of 5 use Windows 7, the other 2 use Windows XP as their main operating system. The reason XP is still in the equation is that the techs (one of which is me) have accumulated software and gotten things working just well enough that changing would involve a lot of reloading and configuring.


As far as hardware goes, 4 out of 5 use desktop computers rather than laptops. The desktop users all have displays over 20", hard drives over 1TB and memory over 4GB. Our laptop user has a Macbook Pro with 17" display, on which Windows 7 is the primary operating system.

The point is that we don't hold onto hardware very long.


It was interesting to see that all of the technicians used Intel processors rather than AMD.

Phone:


This category was a little surprising. Tech guys are gadget guys and typically walk around with the flashiest new technology holstered to their belts.


2 of our 5 techs had regular old flip phones. This is shocking, because I expected to see Droids, iPhones, Windows Mobile and Blackberries galore. We had one Windows Mobile user, one blackberry, one Droid and two boring regular phones.

I am a firm believer in the value of constant communication via a personal data device, and honestly, I couldn't do my job without mine. Clients can definitely be more productive and efficient with a smartphone. This is one area where we dropped the ball.


Search Engine:


Google. Google. Google. All Google, all the time. Bing is gaining in popularity and there are still a lot of folks who are partial to Yahoo, but right now it's plain to see that technicians like Google.

Internet Browser:


2 users primarily use Internet Explorer. 2 prefer Chrome, and the other likes to use Flock for the social media aspect. If you haven't used any of these, you should check them out. You can use them all on your computer without having to commit to any of them. I was a little surprised to see no Firefox users in this list.

Antivirus:


The most surprising response I received on my surveys for this article was in the area of antivirus protection. 2 users like ESET antivirus (my favorite), one uses Panda Cloud, a cloud (internet) based antivirus scanner that is getting pretty good reviews.


What surprised me is that 2 of our techs use no antivirus software at all.


Tech #1 uses MalwareBytes Anti-Malware to scan for Trojans and spyware, but doesn't feel the need for an actual antivirus. Tech #2 says that his browsing habits don't leave much possibility for infection from rogue websites, and if he gets infected he will just reload his computer. Wow. That sounds a little like leaving your front door open because you'll just buy new stuff if someone steals what you already have.

Just for the record, always use an antivirus, whether you have a PC, a Mac, or run Linux. See our recommendations below.


Wireless Security:
So many people still have wide open wireless networks that it doesn't surprise me anymore. Even some businesses with sensitive client data on their computers neglect the need for a secure network. Once you show them the client list on their router and see 10 people connected even though they only have 5 computers do they start to think about the consequences.

Computer techs are pretty serious about wireless security. All of the techs have at least WPA (Wifi Protected Access) enabled. Keep in mind that highly secure wireless access does you no good at all if your last name is smith and your password is "smith." Use a hard to guess password with capitals and letters. (Capital letters, as in uppercase letters, not necessarily capitals of states, although I guess that could work, if you use capitals in your capitals . . . you get the idea.


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What Does it Mean?


Overall techs really believe what they are telling you. With a few exceptions, asking your technician "what would you do?" will result in a truthful, heartfelt answer. If your technician starts preaching about viruses being "no big deal", that smartphones are a fad, or that you should upgrade your hardware that is less than a year old, you should probably start looking for another computer support provider.


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So what do I recommend for all of these categories?

· Backup - Use Carbonite, Dell Online Backup or Synctoy for personal use, and if you are only concerned about saving the data, not the entire drive including the operating system. If you want to backup everything, look at Acronis home Backup. It provides an image-based backup that can be restored in minutes if your computer dies.


· HW / SW - It's only obsolete if it impedes your ability to work. Use Windows 7 if you have a choice, or check out any of the great Apple products that are out there. At least 2 - 4GBs of ram. Not sure what to get? Ask us.


· Smart Phone - Absolutely. The Android based phones are the hottest things out right now.


· Use whatever search engine you like. Google, Bing, ask.com or yahoo are all great.


· Internet Browser - If you are into Facebook and the like, check out Flock. Otherwise try them all and see which you like best. Safari, IE, Firefox, Opera or Chrome.


· Antivirus Software - We recommend nothing but ESET NOD32 antivirus. It's small and fast, and claims to have never missed an "in-the-wild" virus.


· Wireless Network Security - At least WPA or WPA2 with strong passwords.
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How did I do on the survey? Actually, pretty well . . .as far as you know.


As Aesop probably said, "Honest, people of Delphi, I don't know how that Bowl got in my footlocker!"

Be safe and be smart. Remember: Your computer should work for you, not the other way around.  Contact us at http://www.available-tech.net/ for more information.

MIke Gets his Computer Fixed - Available Technology Inc.

Caveat Emptor!
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"Caveat Emptor" is a latin term meaning "Let the Buyer Beware." It is used to describe the need for someone purchasing a product or service to have a pretty good idea of what they are getting before they sign on the dotted line. Besides sounding cool (because it's latin) it's also really good advice. So how does this apply to computers, you ask? I think I'll "Carpe Diem" and tell you!
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Most of us have had this happen:


You're working away, minding your own business, mind set on the next task to accomplish, when suddenly your computer starts making a funny noise, or turns itself off, or starts smoking. The screen goes black, and the first surge of panic sets in. You cross your fingers and repeat your most powerful mantra to coax the maligned machine into cooperation, but a press of the power button does nothing except cause your heart to sink a few more meters.

Once you realize that this isn't just a "fluke", you come to the realization that you're "going to have to get this thing fixed." So what now? Yellow pages? Big box store? Your next door neighbor's kid? How do you make the right decision for your and your computer?


When your computer or network stops working, you quickly realize how much you depend on your technology. Our daily productivity can easily slow down or even come to a halt when we can't get to our stuff.


Most of us panic because so much of our lives is our data - our documents, music and pictures that we access everyday.

So who do you trust when these issues arise? Can just anyone fix your problems, explain it like a human being and keep your data safe, all without charging you more than your house payment?


The Lay of the Land

According to "The Consumerist" about 70% of computer repair companies and consultants don't know what they are doing. They caused a simple problem with a desktop computer and called out 10 repair companies to come and fix the issue. Of the 10 companies that came out (some local, some national and even big retailers) 7 of the 10 misdiagnosed the problem. To further complicate the issue, 6 of the 10 suggested that the customer replace their computer rather than repair it.

In California, a consumer activist group took 4 identical computers into computer repair shops. The only thing wrong with the computers was that a cable had been unplugged inside of each desktop. Again, they used a combination of local and "Big Box" stores. Not surprisingly, only 1 out of the 4 found the problem. The one that correctly diagnosed the problem fixed it at no charge. For the other 3, the prices ranged from $89 to $159 to repair the WRONG problem.

And how about the safety of your data? In England last year, some Journalists brought a laptop in to a big national retailer and placed a folder on the desktop marked "confidential" and "private." They also placed files containing passwords to bank accounts in the folders, as well as some private pictures. What they found is that the technician copied the files over to his personal thumb drive for later inspection, and even attempted to gain access to the bank account using the passwords in the folder! The passwords were fake of course, but the intention was obvious.


Choosing a computer service provider


Consider the following criteria to find a reliable computer support provider:


Price
Shop price and see what the going rate is for your area. Be careful of shops that have "fixed pricing." This usually means that they have a fixed price for diagnosing, fixed price for data backup, fixed price for virus removal, etc. An hourly tech can usually do all of these for less money, by the time you add it all up.


Turnaround time
A computer service organization can be the cheapest, the fastest, or the best. They cannot be all 3. Cheaper is usually slower or not very good, and faster service is sometimes more expensive.

Data security
Use a company with a good reputation. Check with the Better Business Bureau and ask if the company has a non-disclosure policy for customer data. Look for awards won by the company or other industry recognition.

Motivation
Know who's out there and what their motivations are. The "big box" retailers and parts warehouses are there to sell you stuff. Period. They don't particularly care if your computer gets repaired as long as you buy your parts from them. The technicians at these stores are trained to upsell you on new computers. We hear this frequently and every time I see someone go into these places carrying a computer, it's all I can do to avoid chasing them down with a business card to do a "computer intervention."


Qualifications
The smaller shops are typically not qualified to do repairs or replace parts in today's high tech computers. If you have a smaller shop that you trust, or an individual that you would like to use, ask about certifications. The bare minimum certification that a technician should have before touching your computer is the CompTIA A+ certification. This doesn't mean that they are an experienced troubleshooter, but it does prove that they know a hard drive from a hole in the ground.


How do we measure up?

Available Technology employs only certified technicians. We perform service on-site or at our location and provide most services within 24 hours. We have been voted


Best of the Upstate for the last 4 years. We guarantee our work and are dedicated to the satisfaction of each customer.


Still, it never hurts to be sure, so we called around to our competitors and asked about the price, qualifications and turnaround time of a very common repair, a hard drive replacement.


Here's how we stack up:


Geek Squad
Certified Techs: No
Cost - $199 - $299 + $89 for hard drive
Time - 3 - 5 days
Total = $388




Office Depot
Certified Techs: No
Cost - $349.99 + Cost of hardware ($99)
Time - 7 - 10 days
Total = $448.99


Local Warehouse Store:
Certified Techs: No
Cost - $99/flat rate + diag fee $59 + Backup $59 + drive ($79)
Time - 3 -7 days
Total = $296


Available Techology Inc:
Certified Techs: YES
Cost - $199 + drive ($69)
Time - 24 - 48 hours
Total = $268


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If you or someone you know has a repair issue, please use Available Technology. We provide fast, professional computer service for your home or office. And we care.

So take heart if your computer is mortuus, and take up the phrase that I use to feel confirmatus when things are going malus. ManeoFortis!

Be safe and be smart. Remember: Your computer should work for you, not the other way around.

Habits of Superstitious Computer Users - Available Technology Inc.

Superstitious Much?


A few days ago, as I walked along avoiding cracks in the sidewalk and tossing my lucky rabbit's foot, I began to think about superstitions. From horseshoes to 4 leaf clovers, everyone has heard of, if not participated in, totally illogical activities, the belief in which couldn't possibly effect the results that the participant desires. For example, when I play basketball, I tie a double knot in my left shoe and a triple knot in my right. Why? Because at some point in High School after our team won a particular hard-fought game, I noticed that I had accidentally tied my shoes this way. I've done it ever since.
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The dictionary defines the word "superstition" as:


"A belief or notion, not based on reason or knowledge, in or of the ominous significance of a particular thing, circumstance, occurrence, proceeding, or the like."

So a superstition is any activity that a person illogically believes will guarantee that something desirable will happen, or more commonly, that something unpleasant will be avoided.

Common superstitions usually have no basis in truth and are largely geographically centered. In other words, we Americans (or our English ancestors) might believe that it is necessary to throw salt over your left shoulder in order to hit evil spirits in the eye, but other cultures would see us do it and laugh themselves into a coma.

Interestingly, some superstitions are nearly universal. The best one I can think of is "knocking on wood" after saying that something hasn't or won't happen. (I do this, but I'm not sure where I picked it up.) This practice can be traced back as far as ancient Egypt and earlier, and occurs in some form in almost all major cultures on the planet. The explanation that most people prefer is that the ancient belief that spirits either dwelled in or guarded trees and the evidence of tree worship date back thousands of years.


Greeks worshipped the oak as it was sacred to Zeus, Celts believed in tree spirits, and both believed that touching sacred trees would bring good fortune. Irish lore holds that "touching wood" is a way to thank the leprechauns for good luck. Pagan religions believed (and still do) in the existence of protective tree spirits. Chinese and Koreans thought the spirits of mothers who died in childbirth remained in nearby trees.

A Jewish version traces the origin to the Spanish Inquisition of the 15th century. At the time, persecuted Jews fled to synagogues built of wood, and they devised a coded knock to gain admission. Since this practice spared countless lives, it became common to "knock on wood" for good luck.


Regardless of whether you have a lucky tie, or lucky shoes, or a "mantra" to recite before a big day, you have a superstition.
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What does this have to do with computers? Well, technology is supposed to have elevated our race onto a cultural and spiritual plain that leaves no room for extra-empirical influences. To put it another way, there is no more mystery. Everything's been figured out, there is nothing new under the sun. But being amazingly evolved, complex, intellectual beings, we spend half of our precious time avoiding black cats, walking under ladders, opening umbrellas indoors or breaking mirrors. Because MAYBE . . . just maybe . . . there really IS something out there that we don't understand.
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Computer users are some of the most superstitious people on the planet. Every day they work with things that they can't see and don't understand.Working with all kinds of computer users, we have seen just how many kinds of superstitions we all cling to.

· I will never upgrade. Something will stop working if I do. It's been this way for as long as I can remember. And it's not that bad.

Of course, these folks have a point. We are all resistant to change, but in technology, the change is almost always good. Have a plan and embrace change. You'll be glad you did.

· If the computer doesn't obey, tell it again . . . and again. It has been said that the definition of insanity is doing the same things and expecting different results. My document didn't print the first 5 times, so let's try again. If only telling it louder could make a difference so it really knows you mean business.

Find and fix the problem before the problem fixes you.


· Never reboot! These people think that the computer is like a tightrope act. Or a house of cards. It's working now, so hold your breath and . . . don't . . .move. This is actually the opposite of what we recommend. Rebooting fixes about 25% of all computer problems. There's nothing that can be messed up that we can't fix so don't be scared. Reboot it!

· I'm happy with my mouse from 1994, thank you. It was good enough for my Dad, so it's good enough for me. Can you find an adapter to adapt my old technology to a slightly less-old technology? This scanner is fine. The new ones do 25 pages a minute and this one does 2, but I can wait.

Favorites are good. Comfort is good. But don't miss out on all the advantages that progress can afford.


· I'm computer illiterate! If a problem occurs, these folks are ready to take the blame. I have actually had people tell me. "The email won't work. I must have pressed the 'check mail' button wrong!"


I love telling our customers that it really isn't their fault. Believe me, of all the computer problems that we deal with, very few are actually "user error." Be confident and do as much as you need to on the computer, learn it well, and don't be afraid to realize that these are very complex machines. Sometimes things just go wrong.


Ancient Computer Rituals. A conversation with this kind of user starts like this: "I turn it on, then go get a cup of coffee. If it isn't up by the time I get back, I turn the monitor on and off. The sometimes I have to unplug the printer and plug it back in to get the computer to come up. If it makes a clicking noise I have to shut down and start over again." These people refuse to believe that the computer is basically like a toaster: You push the bread down and the toaster pops toast back up. It isn't magical. It isn't alive. It's a tool - that you can use to advance your career, grow your business, play games, whatever. But the computer does what you make it do, not the other way around. Take the time to understand what happens when you press the power button or how the peripherals like mouse and keyboard relate to the inner workings of the computer. Here's a great simple tutorial to help you learn hardware basics.

· It has a mind of its own! Users who normally have a good handle on technology can fall into this one. This happens when the computer does something totally unexpected or just plain crazy, like spitting out 100 pages of gibberish or the cursor jumps around the screen erratically. Many times this turns out to be virus related, or dust in the mouse, or a failed print job that won't go away.


Patience is the key here. Take your time, reboot and see if the problem goes away. If not, call us! We're not "Ghostbusters", but I've never seen a possessed computer yet that we couldn't exorcise.
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It's fun to laugh at, but truthfully, superstitions are a part of what makes us wonderful as a people. Even with all the change that has been seen for the last 5000 years, we are basically the same. 3D tv and iPhones and instant access to information hasn't made us any less scared of the unknown than our ancestors who have been fossils for the last millennium. I'm sure that the first humans on Earth felt that they could make it rain by doing something like pouring water over a sacred stone. And thousands of years later, I'm also sure that that's one of the things that makes us so unique in God's creation.

Call us at http://www.available-tech.net/ for more information!

Keeping Your Identity Safe Online - Available Technology January 2012

Did you ever want to disappear?

I think everyone has that thought once in a while. Wouldn’t it be nice to be invisible to phone calls, coworkers, kids, taxes and ,recently, political robo-calls? But though every once in a while, most of us would like to close our eyes and pretend no one else existed, it just isn’t practical, not to mention possible.

Several people in history have managed it. For example, Amelia Earhart, probably the most famous “disappearer” of all, vanished along with her copilot somewhere over the South Pacific in 1937. Glenn Miller, jazz musician and famous band leader, disappeared as well when his flight went over the English Channel in 1944. 3 lighthouse keepers off the coast of Scotland disappeared in 1900 and were never seen again. An opera “The Lighthouse” was written about the incident. Perhaps fittingly, Agathie Christie, the renowned mystery writer, went missing in 1926 for a total of 11 days. She reappeared, however, but offered no explanation for where she had been or why she fell out of contact.

Had these and others been alive today, they may have disappeared on purpose to avoid internet hackers and email phishing schemes. Being invisible on the internet isn’t quite possible, but you can certainly do a lot to protect yourself and your online activities.

Read on to see what you can do to be invisible to hackers avoid seeing your credit card funds disappear.

Am I really a target?

· The answer is YES. Here are a few recent breaches and statistics:

· The recent Playstation database breach exposed 70 million information records to hackers on the internet.

· Morgan Stanley Smith Barney lost 34000 investments clients’ data

· The London Health Service said that a laptop was stolen that contained the unencrypted medical records of 8.6 million patients

· Keystroke-recording Trojans were found on hundreds of computers in public libraries across the US

· 1/3 of users in the UK report being infected with malicious software in 2010

· It is estimated that 70 million Americans have enough personal information shared on the internet to have their identities stolen.

Really? I’m not really sure . . .

Believe it.

10 million ID thefts were reported in 2009. The average amount stolen was $500 per victim. The most common internet crime by far is credit card fraud. Almost everyone has had this happen or personally knows someone that has had the experience.

Arizona, Florida and California have the most incidences of credit card fraud.

Every 79 seconds an identity is stolen.

The most surprising fact concerning identity theft is that even though 85% of computer users believe that they are actively being targeted for identity and credit card theft, only 45% of people are really concerned and take steps to keep themselves protected.

I believe it! So What can I do?

Luckily, some very simple steps can greatly reduce the chance that you will be victimized.

Use STRONG Passwords

A proper password should have at least 10 characters. It should contain both upper and lower case characters. It should contain numbers and symbols.

The general rule for passwords is that if any part of the password appears in the dictionary, it is not a good password. Hacking algorithms are so good these days that even a seemingly strong password can be hacked. It’s just a matter of time before your top-secret sacred password that you’ve used for years (password1) will be compromised.

Never use a bank pin as a password, and avoid using the same passwords for everything. I know this is tempting, but don’t do it!

Someone once illustrated to me how strong their password was by telling me “It’s so long and complex that I can’t remember it!” I proceeded to look at his desktop calendar, and there in the bottom right hand corner, was the long and complicated password written down for anyone to see. After I pointed this out, he changed it to a 10 character, easier to recall, credential. So remember, if you can’t remember it, it isn’t very secure.

Minimize what you share
When choosing what to put out there on Facebook, Twitter, your Blog or your personal website, follow these simple rules:

NEVER EVER . . .
1. Share your Address with the public
2. Share your phone number with the public
3. Share your Birthday with the public

Fill out only what is necessary and skip the “optional fields.”

If the form you are filling out is not critical, or if you are signing up for a “one and done” transaction that will not require ongoing communication with the vendor, feel free to lie.

Safely Dispose of old computers
If you have old equipment that at one time held important personal information, don’t just take it to be recycled. Call us to destroy the data for you, or at least remove the hard drives from the equipment and destroy them or keep them in a secure location. Even after a drive is formatted, data can be recovered from the hard drives years later by anyone who comes across it.

Opt out of everything that is unnecessary
Take the time to remove yourself from the newsletters, coupon sites, and online subscriptions that you never take the time to read. The less communication with internet sources, the less your exposed risk will be.

Use Online Banking
You might think that it makes sense to stay away from online banking if you are trying to stay safe online, but in reality, it makes sense to check your transactions frequently. If you are using some sort of online banking you are much more likely to catch a suspect purchase quickly rather than after charges have been incurred for an entire month.

Use an Online Identity Protection Service
Although we don’t use or endorse any online identity protection service, here is a side by side comparison of the most popular services to consider.
http://www.nextadvisor.com/identity_theft_protection_services/index.php?a=2&kw=gidtpb8+protect%20your%20identity&gclid=CPSAmdSf6q0CFZMj7Aod3Xlg6Q

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If you have any questions about internet security, please call us. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have. And if you really want to disappear, you can get “How to Hide: A Practical Guide to Vanishing and Taking Your Assets With You” by David Wilkening. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-hide-david-wilkening/1100821025?ean=9781601383099

Happy Hiding!