• Annual Electronics Recycling Event

The annual Electronics Recycling Event will be taking place at the Hanover Area High School on Saturday, June 14th, from 9:00 – 3:00.  It takes place at the Hanover Area Jr./Sr. High School, and you can drop off any of these items: Answering machines, CD Players, Camcorders, Cameras, Cell Phones, Cordless Phones, Copiers, DVD players, Duplicators, Fax Machines, Gameboy, Hard Drives, Laptops, Mainframe Computer Equipment, Microwaves, MP #3 Players, Modems, Nintendo, Notebooks, Pagers, Personal Computer-(CPU, monitors, keyboards, mouse, & peripherals), Play Stations, Printers, Printed Circuit Boards, Radios, Remote Controls, Tape Players, Satellite Receivers, Scanners, Shredders, Speakers, Stereos, Televisions, Testing Equipment, Transparency Makers, Typewriters, UPS Systems, VCR’s, Video Games, VHS Tapes, Wii, Word Processors, X-Box.

This is a great opportunity to get rid of any unused or old electronics you have.  Here is a link with a little more info on what is accepted and what is not:

http://www.luzernecounty.org/county/departments_agencies/solid_waste_management/special_collections_schedule

• Windows XP End Of Life

I wanted to remind all of our customers about the upcoming End Of Life date for Windows XP systems.  Microsoft originally released Windows XP in October of 2001, and will no longer be supporting the Windows XP operating system as of April 8^th, 2014.  There are a few different reasons why you should upgrade your computers now:

First, when Microsoft stops their support, it means there will no longer be any security updates or patches provided for Windows XP machines.  These are the monthly updates that can be set to download automatically on your PCs to protect them from security risks and viruses.  A PC that goes without updates for any period of time becomes much more open to exploits and malware.  Also, after the deadline, Microsoft will no longer provide support options or online technical content information.

Secondly, software and hardware vendors are optimizing their programs to work with Windows 7 and 8.1.  This means that many of the software programs you use will no longer be compatible with Windows XP.  You won’t be able to receive support for them if they should fail.

Third, if you are a company that must abide by HIPAA/HITECH regulations, you will need to upgrade any XP systems, as we have mentioned in our website’s blog here.  With no support from Microsoft, the Windows XP operating system will no longer be compliant with HIPAA regulations.

And lastly, it’s important to keep your PCs up-to-date, simply to keep your business running at its optimal level.  Windows XP is an older operating system and lacks some of the new functions and technological ability that Windows 7 and 8.1 have.  Your PCs may already possess the necessary requirements for an upgrade to Windows 7 or 8.1, but if not, purchasing a new computer is a good idea.  Technology is always growing, and keeping up with it means that Windows XP is no longer a viable solution for businesses.

Don’t wait until the last minute to make sure your computers are up-to-date.  Our goal is to make your computer network as efficient and secure as possible, and the best way to do this is to upgrade now.  Please feel free to call or email us if you’d like to discuss what the Windows XP End of Life news means for your company.  As always, we are here to help!

Rose

● Hackers and Phishing Emails: How to Avoid Both

It might seem like we talk a lot about antivirus software and staying on top of the latest updates for your computer, but all that talk is for a good reason.  A report was released earlier this week saying that hackers had stolen the passwords to over two million Facebook, Yahoo, Gmail, etc. accounts.  Read more on CNN.com:

“The massive data breach was a result of keylogging software maliciously installed on an untold number of computers around the world, researchers at cybersecurity firm Trustwave said. The virus was capturing log-in credentials for key websites over the past month and sending those usernames and passwords to a server controlled by the hackers.”

“Want to know whether your computer is infected? Just searching programs and files won’t be enough, because the virus running in the background is hidden, Miller said. Your best bet is to update your antivirus software and download the latest patches for Internet browsers, Adobe (ADBE) and Java.” – CNN.com

Making sure your antivirus software is up-to-date is one of the best ways to avoid getting these types of malicious programs on your computer.  If you think your network might be vulnerable, give us a call!  We are a authorized Trend Micro re-seller and can help you keep your data protected.

Another way that unscrupulous people are trying to get your personal information online is through phishing.  Phishing  is the act of attempting to acquire information such as usernames, passwords, banking details, and sometimes- indirectly- money, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.  Many times these emails are blatantly obvious in their attempts, such as the popular emails claiming to be a foreign prince who needs your assistance with smuggling large amounts of money out of their country.  But many of them can be a little trickier to recognize.  Tech Republic’s “10 Tips for spotting a phishing email” has good advice and examples to be on the watch for.  Here’s one of their tips:

“4. The message asks for personal information – No matter how official an email message might look, it is always a bad sign if the message asks for personal information. Your bank doesn’t need you to send them your account number. They already know what it is. Similarly, a reputable company should never send an email asking for your password, credit card number, or the answer to a security question.”

Head to TechRepublic.com to read the rest.  99% of the time, being able to recognize a fake email from a real one will keep you out of trouble.