Many of us think we are experts when it comes to the wellbeing and care of our most important electronic device, your computer or laptop. Most of us don’t just get a pet, have a child, or take care of another living being without getting some advice or reading up to ensure we’re doing everything we can to ensure their safety. Why should your laptop or computer be treated any differently?

The article on the 10 dumb things that most of us have done is a quick read on how to ensure your best friend, who gives you access to the world, is kept safe from hackers, viruses, and strangers. If you think you know the advice that goes along with each item, you might be surprised. Even some of our best here were surprised with a few of these. So take five minutes out of your day to read the article and be smarter than the average user.

Click here for the full article and to read more about these ten deadly sins for your tech gadgets.

#1: Plug into the Wall without Surge Protection

#2: Surf the Internet without a Hardware Firewall and a Software Firewall

#3: Turn off the Antivirus Because It Slows Down Your System

#4: Install and Uninstall Lots of Programs, Especially Freeware

#5: Keep Your Hard Drive Full and Fragmented

#6: Open All Email Attachments

#7: Click on Everything

#8: Believe that Macs Don’t Get Viruses

#9: Use Easy, Quick passwords

#10: Don’t Bother with Backups

For fun, take the true or false test below and then read the article and see how many you have right.

“True” or “False” – Test Yourself

a. You should never open any attachment that ends in “exe” or “cmd” or “dll.”

b. Attachments ending in “doc” or “xls” or “ppt” don’t contain any executable code (see #1 above), so they are safe to open.

c. Attachments ending with “txt,” “gif,” ”jpg,” or “bmp” are safe to open.

d. You should open attachments only when they’re from someone you know.

e. You should open an attachment only when it’s from someone you know and you are expecting it.

f. You can’t open any attachment without taking some risk.

If your issue is not listed or you have other questions, give our specialists a call at (703)-790-0400 or send us an email at sales@optfinity.com.

Windows 10 offers a new built in feature called Game DVR which will allow the user to record video of ANY open windows application or software (excluding File Explorer/ Desktop). To activate this feature, simply press the Windows Key + G on an open window. A dialog box will then open asking if this is a game. Check the box yes and now you should see a bar with several different options including the Xbox icon.

To start any recording, simply click the red record button or Win + Alt + G. To stop the recording, press Win + Alt + R. You have now created a video which can be found under Libraries > Videos > Captures. There are many different settings you can enable/disable in Game DVR such as Microphone use and Hot Keys. Theare are all accessible through the Settings Menu on the recording bar indicated by the Gear Icon.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water….

For those of you who run offices with computers, you may be aware of a virus in the wild called Cryptolocker. Cryptolocker is a virus which encrypts your files and then requires you to pay a ransom to get your files back. In fact, it recently happened with this hospital. Now, that virus is attacking WordPress based websites. Instead of being unable to get your files, the website files become encrypted and the system replaces the index.php or index.html files with a version that demands payment. The author will then prove to you that your files are still attainable by giving you two of them back for free, but keeps every other document encrypted.

The ransom note displayed on your encrypted website, shown above, provides a link to a news story where an FBI spokesman advised victims to pay the ransom. The article is true, but the advice is not.

Reports from The Register show that hundreds of sites have most likely been attacked. Many of these sites are running out-of-date versions of WordPress, poorly configured or have plugins with security holes. Website owners should back up their websites regularly and make sure everything is up-to-date, patched and protected. Owners should also strengthen the authentication measures in the backend of their sites.

If you think you’ve been attacked by this ransomware or want to make sure your site is protected, give our specialists a call at (703)-790-0400 or send us an email at sales@optfinity.com.

With 2016 underway, there are a lot of technology trends that small businesses could possibly take advantage of. We have highlighted what we expect to be the top three trends:

1. Utilizing the Cloud
As businesses continue to grow and utilize more data, it might be a better move to switch from using an on-premise server to using a cloud-based system. Cloud service providers take care of keeping your files secure and know how to take care of all the technology so you don’t have to. Things to keep in mind are that switching can lead to slower internet when everyone is trying to access files or uploading large files. There are many different ways to store your files and many companies that provide cloud storage but the most important thing to keep in mind is how they are keeping your data secure.

2. Maintaining Security
Security can become very complex but when done correctly, can help protect you against ransomware and other cyberattacks that can cost you large sums of money and valuable work time. The easiest way to stay secure is to keep the most important data protected the most. Another way is to provide training to employees about what they should be doing in the office to help prevent their workstation from being attacked.

3. Mobile Technology for Small Businesses
As users become more mobile, it would seem inevitable that small businesses should also become mobile in some capacity as well. The best way to gauge which features to make mobile would be to think about how you want customers and employees to interact with your company. Small Businesses should focus on what its users will be utilizing the most. For example, a law firm doesn’t need an app to place orders but could strongly benefit from a mobile-friendly website, whereas a retailer can utilize both.

If you’re interested in learning more about the cloud, security or mobile technology for your business, give us a call at (703)-790-0400 ext 394 or send us an email at info@optfinity.com

Avoiding telemarketers can be done as easily as not answering the phone but now there is an easier way. Recent models of Android smart phones come equipped with a feature to blacklist phone numbers. Older devices won’t be equipped with this features but most of the newer models will have a similar way of blocking phone numbers. Here are three ways to block phone numbers:

Block All Incoming Calls
These steps will vary based on which device you are using but in general you will want to go open the Phone application. Then tap the three-dot menu in the top right corner, select Settings and choose Call. There will be the option Call Rejection, select it. There you will be able to reject all incoming calls by selecting Auto Reject Mode. This feature is useful if you want to stop all incoming calls but there are also ways to block specific numbers too.

Block Specific Numbers
A list of numbers that your phone blocks can be found under Auto Reject Mode by selecting the + sign in the top-right corner. An option is also available to block any unknown caller but that can stop you from getting some potentially important calls. This method is similar to a spam filter for your emails since it just helps you avoid it all together.

Blocked-Call Messages
If you’ve blocked someone’s phone number you can have your device send them a text message with whatever text you want. So when you’re too busy to answer the phone you can easily say “Sorry, I’m busy but I’ll call you back soon!” To create these messages go to Rejection Messages under the Auto Reject List