This year, give yourself the gift of security.  Enlist a capable and responsible IT company to be at the ready when you need them. 

Better yet, give yourself the gift of preparedness and proactiveness.  Take the time to have your systems upgraded and cleaned up.  Create a plan of action for the New Year to extend the life of those precious machines.  Allow an IT professional to research the best equipment for your needs now and into the near future at the best price (because many are approved vendors and can get a better deal than you might). 

A viable IT company offers professional service and advice on:

• Preventative Maintenance
• Remote Patch Management
• Equipment Purchases
• Helpdesk and Support Services
• On Call for Break/Fix Issues

As you, business owner, prepare for the annual holiday party, grant vacations and leave of absences, think about who’s taking care of your business while you are out running your business.   Have you checked with your IT guy to see if he’ll be around on Christmas morning for you if need be?  A back up plan of action is always a good idea.

A&J Computers Inc. has provided Helpdesk and IT support services for 21 years. 

Julie Settle

A&J Computers Inc.

Online:

1. Keep your personal information private on social networks.
2. Install a URL scanning tool to alert you of potentially harmful web links.
3. Review your bank account and credit card statements regularly for questionable charges.
4. Review your credit report and credit score regularly.
5. Choose difficult encrypted passwords, consider using KeePass to safely store all your passwords.

On Your Computer:

1. Keep your operating system and software programs up to date.
2. Install these type software programs: anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall .
3. Back up your computer data regularly.

Below are our recommend downloads to keep your computer safe:

• Anti-Virus:  AVG Antivirus, Symantec Anti-Virus, Trend Micro AntiVirus
• Firewall:  MS Windows firewall
• Anti-Spyware:  Webroot’s Spy Sweeper
• URL Link Scanner: AVG LinkScanner
• Credit Report: Federal Trade Commission
• Credit Score: Credit Karma
• Password: KeePass

Below are additional sites listed by the NCSAM:

• Anti-Virus:  ESET NOD32 Antivirus, F-Secure Internet Security, Kaspersky Anti-Virus, Norton AntiVirus, Webroot Internet Security
• Firewall:  ZoneAlarm, Norton Internet Security
• Anti-Spyware:  PC Tools Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus 2011, STOPzilla (removal)
• Credit Report:  Equifax, TrustedID
• Credit Score: myFICO

A&J Computers offers solutions for all your IT security needs. Visit us at ajcomputers.com for more details or contact with questions.

^ Julie Settle
A&J Computers Inc.

Here’s a exceprt from an article about using someone else’s internet connection:

Perhaps the first and most notable case of an individual being arrested for illegally accessing a wireless network is that of Benjamin Smith III of St. Petersburg, FL.  In the spring of 2005, Richard Dinon noticed someone parked outside his home and obviously staring at a laptop PC.  According to Dinon, when Smith saw that he was being watched, he quickly closed the laptop. Dinon left to run some errands, but upon his return over an hour later, Smith was still outside staring at his PC.  Dinon called the police, who arrested Smith, claiming that he was illegally accessing Dinon’s wireless network. Police said Smith admitted using the network and was charged with unauthorized access to a computer network, a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

A subsequent inspection of Smith’s PC found child pornography, leading to an additional felony count of sexual performance by a child.  In June of this year, Smith pled no contest to stealing a wireless computer signal and no contest to an amended, lesser, charge of felony child abuse relating to child porn police found on his laptop computer.  According to a report in the St. Petersburg Times, “Smith’s attorney, Hubbell Losson, argued in motions that the statute outlawing unauthorized access to computers did not apply to wireless service, but Peters ruled against him.”

The key here is not that the guy was accessing the Internetor that he was parked outside the house, but that this can happen to you without your knowledge.   If you are accessing an open wireless network or someone is accessing yours, how do you know what they are doing – they could be downloading music off a file sharing site (a felony here in the United States), hacking into a restricted site (which will be traced back to your Internet connection, not their specific computer) and do you want to be caught up in whatever they are doing?   I trust my neighbors and the companies that are near me, but if they have an open Internet connection I make sure I steer away from it at all costs.  In addition to the security risk I am taking (the open wireless could be a trick to steal passwords, bank account information or infect you computer with viruses and spyware), you are putting your future in someone else’s hands.  So my recommendation is the not access that wireless network  and to make sure yours is secure as well.   Public wireless access connections (Starbucks, Barnes & Noble, etc) are OK as long as you have a firewall installed on your computer and good anti-virus/anti-spyware software.  Here’s a quick wrap up of my recommendations:

1. Don’t access an open wireless network unless it’s from a commercial service (e.g. Internet hot spots)
2. Make sure your wireless network is secure from access (most devices have an easy to follow set of steps to secure your connection)
3. If you are accessing one of the many public Internet connections available, have your firewall turned on, anti-virus and anti-spyware software installed correctly
4. If you see any suspicious activity, call the police – it’s a felony to gain access to a computer or computer network without authorization.

So stay smart, stay secure and keep your network safe.   If you are having trouble checking your wireless network, just give us a call and we can come out and check it for you.

Joe Vivona
A&J Computers Inc