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Security

BUILDING THE RIGHT IT FOUNDATION FOR SMALL(ER) BUSINESSES

Does your business rest on a solid IT foundation? And as a business owner, do you know what you need to know in order to make that determination? It's more than understandable if you don't. Unless your business is focused on information technology and products or services related to it, you've probably got little time or patience for IT issues - after all, they are complex, and you have your core business to attend to. But that doesn't change the fact that today, virtually every business depends on digital systems and services of one sort or another. Even the smallest and most technology-averse companies have been compelled to enter the digital realm on some level, if only for something as elementary as credit card processing. My many years of experience in consulting and advising small to medium-sized businesses of all types - retailers, manufacturers, professional services firms and more - ...

2023-02-16T16:01:43+00:00
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PETYA RANSOMWARE: A New Threat To ‘Cry’ About – and a Simple Prevention Tip

It was only a month ago that I wrote in this space about the world’s lucky sidestep of the intended havoc mounted by the WannaCry ransomware attack. As our clients and regular readers of this site know, Red Level takes the ransomware menace very seriously: The damage and the expense such exploits cause is real and considerable, the potential negative impact they pose is increasing, and the exact nature of the threat is constantly changing.   For IT professionals, WannaCry, Cryptolocker and their fellow travelers are a continual source of aggravation, unease, and extra work. We know we can’t afford to be complacent, even for a moment. That’s why we were unhappy, but unsurprised, to learn of the new problems caused by Petya, a ransomware variant currently wreaking havoc in Europe, Australia, and in at least one US hospital.   Like WannaCry and Cryptolocker before it, Petya functions by unbreakably ...

2023-02-16T16:01:44+00:00
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Six Big Challenges – or Opportunities – for CIOs and CEOs

A CIO’s work, it seems, is never done. For that matter, neither is the worry associated with most of it. It’s a big job, and one that seems to get bigger just about every day: New technologies, new security threats, new business challenges, and new opportunities alike conspire to consume more of our attention and more hours of our waking lives (and at worst, keeping us up at night and intruding on sleep time as well). …

2023-02-16T16:01:49+00:00
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STEAK AND SECURITY: Make Sure That Security Is Always “Well Done”

Whatever you happen to be doing, it is usually a good idea to be doing it right. That involves following the basic steps needed to successfully get from the starting line to success – steps that have usually been discovered and developed by the legions who have gone before you who have tried things out, learned from their mistakes, tried again and succeeded. Take cooking a steak as an example. There are some things you always do, and some things you definitely don’t do – say, put frosting on it, or let the dog play with it. And there are some things you MAY do – if you really know what you’re doing. The things you MAY do usually don’t take much extra effort or time, just a little more knowledge – but usually, it’s those discretionary steps that make the difference between “pretty good” and “fantastic.” So how do ...

2023-02-16T16:01:51+00:00
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Hardware As A Service: Introducing the Continuously-Improving Infrastructure

In business, it’s pretty well understood that there’s no such thing as standing still: If you’re not moving ahead, you’re being left behind. More and more, companies pursue “continuous improvement” not just as a vague goal, but as a continuous daily practice. Businesses understand that they have to constantly ramp up efficiency, quality, effectiveness and speed if they’re going to do well in our fast moving, fast changing society. Continuous improvement goals run into big problems, though, when outdated technology is holding you back. It costs a lot, though, to stay on the cutting edge: Hardware upgrades are a major capital expense, and one that it is often all too easy to stall indefinitely when budgets are a concern – sometimes until it’s too late for a company to catch up. You may know exactly what hardware and software you need in order to remain current and competitive, but that ...

2023-02-16T16:01:51+00:00
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SPRING CLEANING FOR IT – Everyone needs to do it. Might as well get some help.

Ah, spring cleaning: Just about everybody needs to do it, and almost nobody looks forward to it. Whether it’s tackling winter’s ravages in the yard, clearing out the garage, or de-cluttering the closet, it’s one of those tasks that often inspires undue dread beforehand, even when you love the results afterwards. The same holds true for IT pros – perhaps even more so than everyone else. IT “cleanup” can honestly be a daunting task. Mistakes – either of omission or commission – can have far-reaching results, and the changing nature of the technology environment means that “garbage” in the form of gear, applications and data accumulates more quickly than ever before. At the same time, it is critical to get rid of the stuff you don’t want, use, or need – because chances are, that’s where the inefficiencies, security holes, and bugs are hiding. In the run-up to Red Level’s ...

2023-02-16T16:01:52+00:00
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