You have to be old enough to remember Abbott and Costello, and too old to REALLY understand computers, to fully appreciate this. For those of us who sometimes get flustered by our computers, please read on….
If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch, ‘Who’s on First?’ might have turned out something like this:
COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: Thanks, I’m setting up an office in my den and I’m thinking about buying a computer.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: No, the name’s Lou.
ABBOTT: Your computer?
COSTELLO: I don’t own a computer. I want to buy one.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: I told you, my name’s Lou.
ABBOTT: What about Windows?
COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?
ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?
COSTELLO: I don’t know. What will I see when I look at the windows?
ABBOTT: Wallpaper.
COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.
ABBOTT: Software for Windows?
COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?
ABBOTT: I just did.
COSTELLO: You just did what?
ABBOTT: Recommend something.
COSTELLO: You recommended something?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: For my office?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!
ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.
COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let’s just say I’m sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?
ABBOTT: Word.
COSTELLO: What word?
ABBOTT: Word in Office.
COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.
ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.
COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?
ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue ‘W’.
COSTELLO: I’m going to click your blue ‘w’ if you don’t start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: That’s right. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?
ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.
COSTELLO: What’s bundled with my computer?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?
ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge.
COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?
ABBOTT: One copy.
COSTELLO: Isn’t it illegal to copy money?
ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.
COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?
ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!
(A few days later)
ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?
ABBOTT: Click on ‘START’……………

#1 Overconfidence

User overconfidence in security products is the top threat to your network. Failure to “practice safe software” results in nuisance attacks like porn storms (unstoppable rapid fire pornographic pop-ups) and more subtle keyloggers that steal passwords. Surveys promising free stuff, result in theft of information like your mother’s maiden name, high school, etc. used to answer common security questions leading to the theft of otherwise secure data. Think before you click!

#2 Social Networking Sites

Social networking sites like Facebook are exploding in popularity. Threats range from malware (eg. viruses, worms, spyware) to scammers trying to steal your identity, information and money. Many businesses and government agencies are using these sites to communicate with clients and constituents, so simply blocking access is no longer reasonable. Defending your company while allowing employee access requires social network education for your employees and the enforcement of strong acceptable use policies. We can help you develop a policy, then monitor compliance using a Unified Threat Management device that controls and reports on network access.

#3 Attacks On Mobile Devices

Everyone is going mobile these days not just the “road warriors.” Once limited to laptop computers, mobile network devices now include PDAs, handheld computers and smart phones, with new appliances appearing in the stores every month. Mobile devices often contain sensitive data yet they are easily lost or stolen. Be sure to password protect and encrypt data on all mobile devices whenever possible. Include mobile devices in your acceptable use policy.

#4 Cloud Computing

“The Cloud,” in its most simple form, involves using the Internet to access and store your data. When you access email using a web browser, you are working in “the cloud.” Using the cloud for automated off site backup is rapidly gaining popularity and is just the beginning. Companies like Microsoft, IBM and Google envision the day when we will use inexpensive terminals instead of computers to run programs and access data located somewhere on the Internet. You need to be sure that any data you store and access across the Internet is secure not just where it is stored, but during the trip to and from the Internet.

Here is to a safe computing environment….

1. Free Up Disk Space.

If you are running Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7, the tool is called “Disk Cleanup”. These utilities find files taking up space on your hard drive that you can safely delete to free up space and improve performance.

Some of the files it will search for are:
 Temporary Internet files
 Files in the recycle bin
 Microsoft Active X controls and Java applets that were downloaded
 Windows temporary files
 Optional Windows components that you don’t use
 Programs you no longer use

In most cases, temporary Internet files are the biggest disk space bandits because your browser caches (stores) each page you visit for faster access the next time you go to that site. These files are not necessary and can safely be deleted.

How to use Disk Clean Up:
1. Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup.
2. Scroll through the dialog box that pops up and select the files you want to delete or compress.
3. When prompted to confirm that you want to perform those actions chose “yes”.

2. Defragment your drive.

When Windows stores a document, it starts to save the document in the first area of free space on your hard drive. When it runs out of room in this initial space, it fragments the file and stores the rest of it on the next space available, and so on, until the entire document is stored. When you try to open that file again, your computer has to find all of the fragments and piece them together before it will display the document. This takes longer and results in slower performance.
The Disk Defragmenter utility consolidates fragmented files and folders on your computer’s hard disk so that each file is stored on a single, adjacent space on the hard drive. This enables your system to find and access to files and folders much faster. Disk Defragmenter also consolidates your hard drive’s free space making it less likely that new files will be fragmented.
How to defragment your hard drive:
Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter.

3. Clean up the spyware on your machine.

Spyware is Internet jargon for hidden programs advertisers install on your PC without your permission to “spy” on you, gather information, and report this information about you and your online activities to some outside person.

Spyware works in the background sucking up system resources and considerably slowing down your PC’s performance. But that’s not the worst of it. In addition to slowing down your computer, it can be responsible for delivering a boatload of spam, altering your web browser, and serving up a bounty of pop up ads. In some of the more extreme cases, spyware can also steal your identify, passwords, e-mail address book, and even use your PC for illegal activities.

There are a number of programs available to keep your computer spyware free. These include Ad-aware, (http://www.lavasoftusa.com), Spybot-Search & Destroy (http://www.safer-networking.org), Microsoft Security Essentials (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads), and Spy Sweeper (http://www.webroot.com). All but Ad-aware can be used to block further infections, and they are all free except for Spy Sweeper, which is $30.

4. Add memory.

This can be a relatively cheap way to speed things up. If you have 512 megabytes or 1 gigabyte of memory in a Windows XP, you can raise that to 2 gigabytes for a real boost.

You could also upgrade the motherboard, hard drive, chip, and video card, but then you are getting into more money. If your machine is that old, you would be better off purchasing a new computer. But before you do that, try these 4 tips and see if that won’t get you a little more life out of your computer.

Happy & safe computing!!

A Surprising Fact About Your Office Copier
Nearly every printer, copier and multi-function machine manufactured after 2002 contains a hard drive that stores the images of every document you’ve ever copied, faxed, or scanned. These document images stay on that machine’s hard drive forever and can quickly and easily be reproduced with a little know-how. Surprisingly, this little fact has not received any press – until now.

A CBS Undercover Investigation
In April of this year, a reporter went undercover to a New Jersey copier warehouse that had over 6,000 used copy machines in stock for resale. This investigation reveals a shocking fact – it’s incredibly easy for a person to retrieve and reproduce every single document ever scanned, copied, or faxed through the machines available for resale.
As part of the investigation, the CBS reporter pulled 4 random machines that were available for sale and purchased them for approximately $300 each. These machines were immediately loaded onto a truck and delivered within 2 hours to this reporter’s office. Using a free application available online, he was able to access the hard drive of each machine and reproduce the documents within 30 minutes. What he uncovered was unbelievable.

Disturbing Facts Revealed By The Investigation
They discovered that one of the machines was formerly owned by the City of Buffalo, New York, Sex Crimes Division. In no time at all they were able to access over 249,000 documents that passed through that machine, including lists of sex offenders and crime data. Another machine from the Buffalo PD Narcotics Division contained a list of drug raid targets. The third machine was from a construction company. It contained blueprints of buildings, over $40,000 in check copies, as well as pages of paystubs, names, and the social security numbers of employees.
But the fourth machine was the most disturbing. It was previously owned by a New York health insurance firm and contained over 300 pages of detailed medical records including drug prescriptions, blood tests, and even a cancer diagnosis – all which blatantly violate the new HIPAA laws.

Know What Your Responsibility Is
Before you trade in, resell or dispose of any office copier, scanner or multifunction machine you MUST make sure the hard drive is wiped clean of all information as you would any computer in your office. Failure to do so could result in damaging security breaches and identity theft for your company, staff, and customers. This goes DOUBLE if you use your office machines to scan, fax, or copy social security numbers, credit cards, or medical records of any kind.

As always, we are here to assist you with all things digital. If you are getting ready to dispose of or trade in a copier, scanner, fax, or multi-function machine, give us a call. We can make sure your data is forever erased and inaccessible to criminals looking for an easy hit.

1. Go paperless! The concept of the paperless office was introduced years ago with the invention of document imaging. However, one look around your office will surely prove that was a bit of a pipedream. There are a lot of really smart reasons why you should consider converting some portion of your paper documents to electronic format IN ADDITION TO the fact that going paperless is a much greener solution. First off, finding documents will be so much easier and faster, and you won’t run the risk of important documents being misplaced, misfiled or damaged (who hasn’t spilled coffee on a critical document). If that doesn’t grab you, maybe the cost savings on paper, ink, and storage will or the fact that employees working remotely can access contracts or other paper documents in seconds, any time, day or night, from any location.

2. When not in use, turn off the juice! The computers in your office are the largest drain on electricity in your office; and considering you’re only using them for approximately 9-10 hours a day, that means you’re paying for 14-15 hours of unnecessary power. (And yes, it is a myth that turning your computer off and on regularly will cause it to wear out more quickly!) We are in the process of implementing for our IT EZ support clients who have newer workstations, automatically powering down the office overnight and bringing it back up again in the morning without any interruption or interference with your systems’ performance. This alone can save thousands on electricity. And if there is any maintenance to be done, we can take care of that remotely and power them down after we’re done.

3. Go virtual! Virtualization allows you to “run” multiple computers or servers on one “super computer.” Sometimes this is accomplished by replacing your complex, power-sucking, expensive workstations with much less expensive “thin-client” machines that require very little power or maintenance to operate.

Thousands of businesses are rapidly trading in their overblown, traditional networks for virtualization because of the incredible cost savings in hardware, software and maintenance. Plus it offers instant disaster recovery, the ability to securely work from home or the road AND it drastically reduces the amount of power needed, making it far more environmentally friendly.

4. Allow employees to work from home. More and more businesses are creating virtual workspaces for several reasons. First, allowing employees to work from home perpetually or for a couple of days a week cuts down on gas and emissions. It’s also a great retention strategy for your rock star employees. Additionally, allowing employees to work from home reduces the amount of office space needed, lowering or eliminating rent costs and utility bills. Finally, it’s a great disaster preparedness plan. In the event of a fire or natural disaster, employees can keep the doors open by working remotely.

5. Dispose of old electronics responsibly. Your computer is made with a wide variety of components, many of which are toxic. When old computers are disposed of improperly, these substances can enter the environment, causing pollution and associated plant and animal death, along with birth defects. Many of these components are also produced in unsustainable ways, causing even more environmental harm. Because these components can be recovered and recycled, throwing out an old computer is simply irresponsible. If you have old equipment, you can often donate it to a charity for a tax break. Not only will that solve the disposal problem, but you’ll save a little money too!

Want To “Green Up” Your Office?
If you want to discover how we can help you save money while being more environmentally friendly, call us for a “Going Green” audit. We’ll come onsite to review your office environment and present you with multiple ways to cut costs while going green. In many cases we can show you how to:

Drastically reduce your power usage and electric bill.
Cut your IT hardware, software and support costs by 40% to 50% through virtualization.
Cut your paper usage and all the costs around printing, storing, filing and managing all that paper.
Introduce you to more environmentally friendly choices in hardware, printers, scanners, and other devices.
Give you peace of mind that your network could be back up and running in the event of a disaster with greener and more
efficient backup solutions.

Schedule Your Audit: Email: GoGreen@BSSI.biz

I found a great article on cyber bullying & how to protect your children. It can be found at the Kim Komando Site: http://ow.ly/1HFat

Also, Kim has put together a great contract that should be signed between you and your child regarding use of the Internet. It serves as a great document to begin the dialogue with your child. If you are in education, it may even be a great tool to use as an educational activity in a classroom setting. The contract can be found at Kim Komando – http://ow.ly/1HF4V

Below is a couple of excerpts from her contract.

May you and your children “surf” smart!

——-
(1) Gadgets, phones and the Internet can be used in unsafe ways. I am making this agreement with my parents to help keep me, my family and my friends safe.

(2) My parents and I will decide when I am allowed to use the computer, cell phone, gaming systems and the Internet. I promise not to ask or fight for more time. I will only do things and visit places that they say I can.

(3) I will never tell anyone in text messages or post online that I am home alone. I won’t give out my last name, my home address or phone number, the name of my school or teachers, where my parents work or their phone numbers without getting my parents’ permission. I will never give out my friends’ screen names, e-mail addresses, names, addresses and phone numbers, and I will remind them to keep mine a secret.

(4) If anyone does anything that bothers me, I will tell my parents. I will never use bad language, say bad things about other people, or send mean messages in an e-mail, text or instant message, chat room, blog, or on a Web site. I will tell my parents if someone does that to me. If I use “secret” or “code” words online, I will tell my parents what they mean.

(5) When I use instant messaging, e-mail, chat rooms, or Web sites where people put information about themselves, I will never send or post a picture of my family or me. If I set up a blog or an online profile, I will tell my parents where it is and how they can read it.

(6) I WILL NEVER, EVER MEET WITH ANYONE I’VE TALKED TO ONLINE WITHOUT FIRST TALKING WITH MY PARENTS.

(7) If my parents ask me for my password, I will give it to them. I will NEVER give out my passwords or any of our family’s passwords to anyone, not even my friends’ or other family members.

(8) If I want to download any apps, games, movies, music, or programs, I will ask for permission. I know I must pay for most of these things. If I take them, that is stealing.

(9) I will not try to win free things or buy things on my phone or on the Internet without my parents’ permission. If I get a message that I won something, I will show it to my parents. If I get an e-mail or text asking for passwords or other secret stuff, I will ask my parents. I will not forward any e-mail or messages that tell me bad stuff will happen to me if I do not.

(10) I will not open any of my parents’ files. I will not change any settings or install any new software without my parents’ permission.

(11) I give my parents’ permission to look on the computer and my phone to see where I have gone on the Internet, the e-mail and text messages I have sent and received, the things I downloaded or what I do. If my parents installed programs that track what I do on the computer or limit where I go online or on my cell phone, I promise not to turn those programs off.

CHILD’S SIGNATURE

I have read the above and agree to follow these rules. If I do not, my parents can take away my privileges.

PARENT’S SIGNATURE

I agree to let my child use electronics so long as these rules are followed.

——-

Recently, Greg Cordle, passed the highly sought after Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). The CISSP is offered by the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium, Inc., (ISC)²®, a nonprofit organization educating and certifying information security professionals. This certification is designed for experienced professionals who are responsible for developing the information security policies, standards, and procedures and managing their implementation across an organization. Each candidate must have direct work experience in one or more of the ten test domains of the information systems security Common Body of Knowledge and pass a six hour certification exam. Greg Cordle has been working with technology for nearly 20 years and has been a Consultant with Business System Solutions, Inc. (BSSI) for the past 10 years. This certification will allow BSSI to more effectively service their clients when it comes to IT security. Congratulations Greg!

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The iPad is a device that can be related to as an oversized iPod Touch. It is now more of a media consumption device, meaning that it can play media such as videos, music, picture slideshows, and run many apps. The iPad has the potential to become more of a media creation device, once there are more Apps that are tailored for media creation. There are Apps that are developed specifically for the iPad, and it can also run the Apps that were developed for the iPhone and iPod Touch. The Apps that are designed for the iPod Touch and iPhone run smaller in the middle of the screen, this is because the Apps were designed on the smaller screen. The iPad does give the option to magnify the App to full screen, but the graphics in most of the iPhone Apps that I have ran on the iPad have been degraded when I launch them in Full Screen Mode.
The iPad has a great user interface, if you have used an iPhone or and iPod Touch you know what I am talking about. The screen is a capacitive touch screen that is made out of glass with an LCD Display behind it, but this means the device will not respond to objects such as pens and styluses. The interface allows you to use your fingers to maneuver around inside the Operating System. After a few weeks of use it becomes natural. Ask someone you know that uses an iPhone.
The iPad is not a tablet pc replacement. I see the iPad as a device that represents what a “netbook” should be. Keep in mind that the “netbooks” do have more inputs than the iPad. The iPad only has the 30 pin iPod connector as an input. The iPad also limits its users to Apps that are found in the App Store. These Apps have all gone through proper testing by Apple to check compatibility and allows Apple to control what applications can be used on the device. I feel this is a good feature this makes it so that the user cannot install an App that the iPad cannot handle. This is unlike the netbooks; I see too often when people buy a netbook and see it as a computer replacement. Then they install applications that require better hardware to run properly, such as Adobe Photoshop.
I have found one flaw in my testing of the iPad & that flaw has to do with re-joining wireless networks. When you are using the iPad on a wireless network and then put the device to sleep, I notice from time to time the device asks you to re-authenticate with the network (type in the wireless password again). This can be pretty annoying. Also keep in mind that some college universities are banning the iPad as it is interfering with their networks. I have not experienced this personally but I have read about it.
In conclusion, the iPad is a nice media device. I would not recommend using this device as a computer or tablet PC replacement.
By: Anthony DiMichele, MCTS
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