6 Simple things you can do to keep you safe online and protect your business devices and information.

1. Install an antivirus and keep it up to date.

Free versions are better than nothing, but we recommend a licensed managed version to ensure maximum protection from viruses, ransomware, malware or denial-of-service attacks.

2. Do not install unauthorised software

Be wary of what you install. Unauthorised installations can lead to degraded device performance or data loss events. Removing these rights from the user’s devices will keep you protected.

3. Use unique passwords for every login.

Keep different passwords for every online platform you log into to avoid becoming a victim of hacking. Hackers steal batches of passwords, and if all are the same, you are in trouble. We recommend a strong password manager to store and guide strong passwords. That way you won’t forget. Or rather, you won’t need to remember 🙂

 

4. Use Multi-factor Authentication

While it can be annoying multi-factor authentication adds that extra level of security when logging into online platforms such as banking, email etc. After logging into your account, you must verify that you are logging in before entering your profile or account.

5. Turn Off the ‘Save Password’ Feature in Browser

It’s best to leave password protection to the experts who make password managers. Think about this. When you install a third-party password manager, it typically offers to import your password from the browser’s storage. If the password manager can do that, you can be sure some malicious software can do the same. In addition, keeping your passwords in a single, central password manager lets you use them across all browsers and devices.

6. Don’t Fall Prey to Click Bait or Phishing Scams

Part of securing your online life is being smart about what you click. Clickbait doesn’t just refer to cat compilation videos and catchy headlines. It can also comprise links in email, messaging apps, and Facebook. Phishing links pretend to be secure websites, hoping to trick you into giving them your credentials or infect your device. Only click links in emails or text messages if they come from a trustworthy source. Even then, be cautious; your trusted source might have been compromised, or the message might be fake. The same goes for links on social media sites, even in posts that seem to be from your friends. If a post seems unlike the style of your social media buddy, it could be a hack.

We can make your life easier with over 20 years of experience in keeping businesses safe. If you want to know more about how we can add value to your business, click HERE, and one of our experts will contact you within 24 hours to help you choose from one of our IT support packages.

7 Benefits of moving your business email to the cloud today!

 

1. Access your Emails from anywhere in the world at any time

You access your personal Gmail, Yahoo! or Hotmail account from anywhere at any time. So why should your work Email be any different? Hosting Email on Microsoft or Google allows everyone in your organisation to access emails from anywhere using any device. All you need is a stable working internet connection. 

2. Lower costs

On-site(on-premise) email servers require a lot of maintenance. It can get even more costly when hardware fails. Spending thousands of rands on power solutions is a thing of the past. With the cloud, you eliminate high setup costs and monthly maintenance costs. You also eliminate hardware failure and are protected against power surges and theft!

3. Increase team productivity and profitability

Businesses need and want easy and efficient ways for individuals and teams to communicate and stay on top of things. Cloud-based Email is accessible 24/7 guaranteeing flexibility and productivity for your team. Platforms such as Microsoft and Google also offer tools to chat, video call, host meetings, voice call, work on documents together online, and so much more. The cloud also provides a large storage capacity. You will never have to delete data ever again. 

4. Secure

The cloud is self-maintained. Cloud email providers ensure that the latest security updates are installed, keeping your business information safe and protected against threats. Data is also stored in multiple sites and is encrypted. So if ever your data falls into the wrong hands, it will be almost impossible to read.

5. Cloud data recovery

If at any point something goes wrong, you have the comfort of knowing that your data is always backed up and will be recovered. Cloud email providers, such as Google and Microsoft, have built-in redundancy. What this means is that you never have to worry in disaster situations. Emails, contacts, documents, and other related data can always be recovered. Losing your laptop or phone does not mean you lose all your data anymore.

6. Flexible and scalable

Adding licenses for new users or increasing storage takes seconds. You can also add or remove users and resources at the click of a button, literally.

7. Service like no other

Moving to the cloud today means that your business can flow more smoothly, reduce costs and leave you almost worry-free. The cloud is reliable and is accessible 24/7 with 99.9% guaranteed uptime.

There is also real accountability from cloud email providers. For example, MS365 and Google meet global security standards and regulations. So you can rest assured that you are compliant when it comes to data protection and storage.

 

 

The difference between Mobile Data and Fixed LTE solutions.

The difference between Mobile Data and Fixed LTE solutions.

It is exactly as the name describes it. Apart from the obvious which is, Mobile Data costs significantly more than Fixed LTE, the difference we all need to understand is that Mobile Data(LTE) goes where you go, it is “Mobile Data” whereas Fixed LTE can also be used in the location to which it is registered. This means, if you purchase a fixed LTE product to enable you to work from home, the internet connection will only work at your home. Once you move it to another location, it will stop working and in some cases, the service provider may even suspend the service.

 

As we enter the new normal of working from home, having a stable internet connection has become a necessity. Fixed LTE or Mobile data has become the “go-to” solution in areas where Fibre, Wireless, satellite or, ADSL(which is currently being phased out) connections are not available. 

 

How do you choose between Mobile data or Fixed LTE? Well first things first, There are numerous providers with whom you can sign up for a service. To choose a provider or service you need to understand a few things about your business or yourself.

  • How much am I currently spending on Data to execute my daily tasks?
  • Do I want to sign a contract or do I prefer a month to month based service?
  • Do I use the internet wherever I go? Mainly at home? Or both
  • What do I use it for?
  • Do I have an idea of how much I currently use per month?

Once you have identified the basics of the type of connection you require the next step is to research providers and check for coverage. Now be careful here, you need to be sure as to whether you require a Mobile Data Solution or a Fixed LTE solution. The reason this is important is that both solutions have different coverage maps, a coverage map will highlight whether the chosen solution can be provided in your area or not, you need to ensure that you have coverage of the chosen solution in your area. Some providers will do checks and inform you that unfortunately, you cannot sign up as your area is not covered by the service, others may take a shortcut and sign you up anyway leaving you paying for a service that does not work. Getting out of these contracts can be extremely difficult as some providers will use the excuse “you did not do your due diligence” 

 

What do I recommend?

Again, Work from home(WFH) or Working remotely has become the new normal and will be the future despite everything that is going on in the world right now. If you can work from a fixed place like home then I recommend Fixed LTE service, however, if you are someone that is always on the go then I recommend Mobile Data Service, provided that Fibre or Wireless is not available. Do not forget to ask yourself the required questions and check for coverage to help you choose the correct package with the correct solution so that you do not under or over-commit on your investment for you or your Business.

Common Causes of Data Loss

Common Causes of Data Loss

 

Everything you need to know!

 

First things first, what is data backup? In IT, data backup means to make a copy of all your users and server data and store it somewhere else so that it may be used to restore and get your business up and running to its original state after a data loss event.

Now you may find yourself asking, what data should I backup? What is a data loss event and How do I prevent Data loss? Heres’s what you need to know.

What Data Should I backup?

The data you want backup includes, Emails, word documents, signed contracts, pdf documents, presentations, invoices, payments, files and folders of software used in your business.

What is a data loss event?

A data loss event can occur in many forms. In the event of this happening to your business, you could find yourself losing time and money trying to recover and restore your lost data if it is at all possible. So what is a data loss event?

  • Human Error

As humans, we all make mistakes. Sometimes these little mistakes have big consequences. These mistakes can include permanently deleting files, folders or even text in important documents. Other causes of human error could be dropping a drink on a device which results in the hard drive or device failure, users may also format hard drives or corrupt software.

  •  Viruses and Malware

In any business, viruses can steal or delete information without you even knowing bringing your business to a standstill through email attachments, phishing attempts or external storage devices such as a USB or external hard drive. Malware can completely wreck(encrypt) all your data and systems. While a good anti-virus software may keep you safe, I find that backed up data is the only way to recover data lost from malware or viruses.

  • Hard drive damage 

Most data loss events happen because of hardware failure, and 90% of the time it is because of the hard drive which has failed. Did you know that:

  • Approximately 140 000 hard drives crash every week.
  • 60 % is due to mechanical issues
  • 40% is due to human misuse or mishandling of devices

Hard drives have a limited lifespan and will eventually stop working and can result in data loss.

 

  • Power outages and surges

Power outages can result in data loss because:

 

  • Systems and computers can shut down without warning and you can lose unsaved work.
  • It can cause existing data to become corrupted.
  • Improper shutdowns and power surges can reduce hard drive life span causing it to crash. 
  • I urge you to ensure you have power surge protectors, generators or even battery backups to save you. A data backup is the only way you can recover from a data loss caused by power outages or surges.

 

  • Theft

In today’s world, lots of businesses are allowing their team members to work remotely, be it at home or any remote location such as restaurants and other public spaces. Device theft can happen to any of us, resulting in us losing all our hard work. Keeping a data backup will ensure your data is safe and can be restored immediately to a new device. 

 

  • 25% of theft occurs in cars, buses, trains, aeroplanes, taxis.
  • 23% takes place in the office.
  • 15% in airports and hotels.
  • 12% in restaurants.

 

How do I prevent losing my data?

The best way to avoid losing your business and user data is by backing up your data(files and documents), ensuring you have at least one copy of your data stored somewhere safe that is not close to your devices or hardware.

I highly recommend cloud backup for the following reasons:

  • It is stored remotely, you can access your data from any device so long as you have an internet connection.
  • Cloud is more cost-effective as it offers more space.
  • You eliminate the risk of external storage crashing, being lost or theft.

I urge you to make sure that you are backing up your data before you become a victim of data loss.

Still unsure, get in contact with one of our who will give you a free assessment on your current data loss prevention strategies and find out more about our Synetics365 managed backup solution for you, your users and your business.