One area is email.  Any email with a link in it should be considered suspicious.  If you get an email that appears to be from your bank and they want you to click on a link to verify information, don’t click the link, call the bank.  It is so much easier to make a quick phone call than it is to recover from identity theft.  Also, just because an email comes from a friend, you can not assume the link is safe.  Make it a rule not to click on a link from an email.  If you think the link is valid, just open a web browser and navigate to the web page of the vendor that is referenced in the link and navigate to the desired location from there.  If the location does not exist, there is a good chance the link is malicious.

Another area that is a common cause of malware infections is pop-up windows on web pages.  Often times you may get a pop-up message that uses a scare tactic of some sort.  For example it may say it has found infections on your computer and you need to click a button to remove the infection.  These windows should be closed using the task manager (press Ctrl-Alt-Delete) and not by clicking any buttons in the window including the x in the corner.

A third area that is a common cause of malware infections is illegal file-sharing services.  There is little quality control in the world of illegal file-sharing.  It is very easy for a hacker to name a malware installer with a popular song name or movie name to get a user to download the infection.  Do not use these illegal file-sharing services.

Malware is rampant in todays highly connected world.  The best defense is user education and cautious Internet use.

Two key area’s where these can be very beneficial to an employer is with Internet access and computer use.

An Internet Acceptable Use policy will set the guidelines that tells employees what they are and are not allowed to do when accessing the Internet at your office.  A good policy will prohibit employees from using the Internet for any illegal practices and will also prohibit items that use up a lot of bandwidth that is critical for the daily operations of a business.

A Computer Acceptable Use Policy will set the guidelines that tells employee’s what they are and are not allowed to do with their company computer.  Many employees like to install their personal software or download and try software on their company computer.  This is counter productive for employers because it may waste company time and run the risk of infecting a computer and causing down time.  A good policy will prohibit employees from installing any software on their company computer without prior authorization and will also explain proper use and maintenance rules to help prevent down time.

Your computer or network is not a car. It’s not the resale price of the hardware that determines it’s value, it’s the contents of the hard drive. As you know, your documents, pictures, databases, email, etc, etc are what really make your computers or servers worth something.

You’ve heard the lecture many times and probably tried to remind yourself to do something about backups. So you configured some backup software and scheduled it to automatically backup for you and then you went on your way and forgot all about it, assuming that the $$$ you spent is going to insure the potential loss of all that time and money you’ve spent on that important data. Well, even if you had data protection insurance, receiving a claim payment would not bring back lost data if your backup wasn’t working.

Once running, most backup software does what it claims to do. The important part is making sure it is running on schedule, that it is running without errors, that the backup destination is properly configured and has enough storage space and that the destination is in a safe place. If your data is important then pay attention to those items. If you don’t have the time or inclination to do that then pay someone to do it for you and require accountability and reporting to make sure everything is working as planned. You won’t regret giving proper backups the attention they deserve once you experience your first data loss and you’re able to successfully recover your data.

Just like driving a car without following safety guidelines could sooner or later result in a bad day, so too can operating your computer or network without a properly functioning backup system (along with other “risky” computer use behavior) bring similar results.

Let’s keep it safe people!

Synergent Networks is a specialist in providing IT support and services including:

• on-site server backup
• telephone support
• email support
• consulting for new software and hardware
• spyware and virus removal
• anti-virus monitoring and updating
• and more…

The new website will be able to facilitate those who are in need of support and will allow them easy access in communicating with our support staff. Along with the new look and feel of the website we have also included a blog in order to keep our customers updated on the latest technology, industry news and company news.

Please feel free to leave your comments, feedback and suggestions on what you think of our new website. You can also contact us at 435-673-1655