On May 13th, Google announced that it will offer a web-encrypted search feature to increase privacy for end-users. We've asked our computer security expert, Ben Howard, to explain how Google is able to make search more secure with its new web-encrypted search option.
Ben says that Google allows the use of SSL (Secure Socket Layer) to connect a user's browser to their search engine. The new site,
Topics: Disaster Recovery, Managed Services
All current Microsoft operating systems come configured to perform automated updates. However, most of the applications that are installed on your computer do not. Keep in mind that every application you use poses a potential risk that could allow an attacker to gain access to your system or information. So, configure your software to check for updates frequently. If it can’t be automated, make sure you check for updates to your software. Whether it’s Adobe Reader, Apple iTunes, Sun Java, Mozilla Firefox, or the latest video game, new vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered and patches are routinely being released. Update everything and update frequently.
Every application you have on your computer represents a potential vulnerability, or a way for an attacker to gain access. Consider your computer to be like a house and every application is like a window. When an application is vulnerable, it’s as if the window is open, allowing attackers easy entrance. Even when the window is close, i.e., the application is patched, the attacker can clearly see the window and can work to find a vulnerability that will open it up. If you don’t need an application, you should uninstall it. This is like removing the window and walling it in; there’s nothing there through which an attacker can even try to gain access.
Written by:
Ben Howard - MCSE, Security+, CCNA Security, NSA 4011
Topics: Disaster Recovery, Data Security
The end of a year is a time to look back and reflect on positive and negative incidents that have occurred in the past 12 months. Some people make a more general, qualitative assessment about performance, and others look at hard numbers and come to conclusions that way. Although there are many different ways of analyzing performance, it is important to ask yourself if the paradigm you’re using to assess improvement in any situation is hiding another truth. This applies all business matters, but right now we’ll focus on business IT. To demonstrate this concept, we’ll use the following example.
Topics: Disaster Recovery
Topics: Disaster Recovery
Topics: Disaster Recovery
617.938.6200