Archive for News | Sarsfield Technology (page 4)

Survey Shows Insider Snooping on the Rise

Cyber-Ark Software, a security solutions company, recently released a survey showing that as much as 35 percent of people within an organization (that’s one out of three) admit to accessing corporate information without authorization. Furthermore, an alarming 74 percent claim they could circumvent the controls currently in place to prevent that access. The study polled over 400 IT administrators at the Infosecurity Europe 2009 and RSA USA 2009 conferences. While certainly a cause for concern, this is not surprising. Because of their technical knowledge and access to sensitive corporate information, internal IT staff are capable of circumventing internal policies and controls. If this is a cause for concern within your organization, don’t delay in giving us a call. We can help you secure your information and computing assets today. Related articles: Infosec 2009: Security must be built in from the start Securing business Slump prompts workplace snooping

Big IT Lessons Small Businesses Can Learn

What are the key technology lessons that small and mid-sized businesses can learn from large enterprises? Be proactive. Be prepared. Take security concerns seriously. Always watch for ways to cut costs. That just might sum up the advice that enterprise-grade IT shops would give smaller businesses about how to avoid costly IT mistakes. But what are some specific technology lessons that smaller fry can learn from the big fish? We asked the experts, and here’s a partial list: Read more at Inc Technology…

Is Microsoft Office Coming to the iPhone?

Rumors abound that we may soon see Microsoft’s Office suite on mobile devices. Some people are speculating that it may even be made available to the (gasp!) Apple iPhone . What is sure is the ubiquitous office productivity suite is making its way online , onto to the Internet cloud, and one day may even be provided free with an advertising supported model .

Are you Safeguarding your Data?

With the continuous proliferation of data and its increasing importance to business, it has become critical to implement measures to safeguard it. One such measure is to make sure you have a data protection, backup, and recovery system in place. The threat of data loss from hardware failure, malware , or disaster is very real. A little proactive effort will go a long way in ensuring the integrity and continuous availability of your critical company data. Talk to your IT consultant to find out more.

Good News for Small Businesses in the Bailout Act

Small businesses will get a helping hand with some key expenses under President Obama’s $787 billion stimulus plan, signed into law on February 17. Around $282 billion of the bill is devoted to tax cuts, including breaks for small businesses. Some of the highlights include: Small businesses will be able to more quickly deduct the cost of investments in plants and equipment from their taxable income. Small businesses will be allowed to recover alternative minimum tax (AMT) and research and development (R&D) credits faster. Small businesses will be allowed to write off up to $250,000 of capital expenditures in the year of acquisition. As a result, 2009 might be a good time to consider upgrading your technology. Your financial advisor can help you determine if any of these tax cuts apply to you. More information; A Breakdown of the stimulus package: http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/STIMULUS_FINAL_0217.html Small Business Association information on stimulus bill: http://www.sba.gov/recovery/index.html Regularly updated stimulus page at Wall Street Journal http://online.wsj.com/public/page/stimulus-package.html

The Scoop on Windows 7

Microsoft Windows 7 will be in stores October 22, but surprisingly few details of its features have been released. Thankfully, Ed Bott, a ZDNet blogger, researched it for his readers. We now know that, like its predecessor Vista, Windows 7 will ship with different editions: Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate/Enterprise, and the new Starter Edition, specifically for Netbooks. All share the same enhancements in speed, performance, and security, as well as many UI enhancements and new applications such as Internet Explorer 8 and Windows Media Player 12. The entry-level editions lack support for business-specific features such as encryption, virtualization, and the ability to join a domain, and limited customization options (lack of support for the Aero interface, for example). The premium editions feature interesting new add-ons such as support for Touch Applications. Vista customers will be happy to know that Microsoft announced an upgrade program for customers who have purchased Vista before Windows 7’s release. Want to know if Windows 7 will benefit your business? Give us a call today and we’ll help you decide. Related articles: Windows 7: The Complete Guide (Now With RC1!) [Windows 7] Microsoft: Lots to turn off in Windows 7 Windows 7 – It’s like Vista, only less annoying

New Google Service Helps Small Businesses

Google announced the release of a new Local Business Center feature called Search Dashboard that promises to help small businesses gain insight into how visitors came across their local listings. Local Business Center is a Google service that allows business owners to enhance their business listings in Google Maps and other search results. With Search Dashboard, users are able to view statistics on how local listings are found across different websites within Google. For example, it shows when website visitors clicked on driving directions included with listings as well as those visitors’ Zip Codes. Let us show you how this service can help you target ads to regions where your customers and prospects live. Related articles: The Local Business Center dashboard opens its doors (googleblog.blogspot.com) Google LBC Is A Treasure For Small Business (regulargeek.com) Google giving small businesses local search data (news.cnet.com)

Are You in Danger When Searching the Internet?

Research recently released by antivirus vendors Mcafee and Panda suggest that searching for certain key words on Internet search engines can prove dangerous.Hackers and malware authors have become adept at Search Engine Optimization and are using frequently searched key words to create sites that will rank favorably in search engines, but are a host for malware or phishing attacks. According to the report, many popular search terms are targeted, such as: lyrics downloads, free downloads, swine flu, and rihanna . Users are urged to always protect themselves by using patched systems and updated protection tools such as antivirus software. We can help you make sure you’re protected when surfing the Internet – give us a call today. Related articles: McAfee Finds Lyrics and Free Download Searches Most Dangerous Search Keywords The Riskiest Search Terms On The Internet | WebProNews Danger lurks in screensaver searches: internet security report

SMBs poised to rebound when economy turns

A new study, “ Understanding Growth Priorities of Small and Medium-sized Businesses ” conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit and sponsored by services company Verio, finds that 83 percent of small-business executives are optimistic about their potential for growth once the economy turns.More than half of the respondents believe there will be a worldwide economic upturn by the middle of next year. One-quarter expect to see the global economy begin to recover by the end of 2009 and 34% anticipate a rebound by mid-2010. An interesting insight from the study reveals the expected role of technology in the recovery. Approximately 57 percent of the executives surveyed “agree” or “strongly agree” that technology will be a huge deciding factor in their ability to emerge successfully from this recession. About 20 percent said they would invest more heavily in innovative technology to help them surpass their competitors. Are you one of them? Give us a call and we’ll help you explore ways technology can help your company grow. Related articles: Small Businesses: Hopeful of the future? Survey: SMBs poised to rebound when economy turns

Get Ready for a New Threat: Vishing

Tech-savvy criminals have thought of with a new way of scamming us out of our money. In a twist to “ phishing ” (when spoofed websites are used to trick users into surrendering passwords or credit card numbers), “vishing” is when phone calls using spoofed caller ID numbers hide the identity of the caller and trick people into surrendering sensitive information. Usually, vishing attacks play a recorded message that tells users to call a toll-free number, where they are asked via an automated attendant to punch in a credit card number or other personal information. Attacks are on the rise since with Voice over IP phone technology, caller ID spoofing is very easy to do.Protect yourself by registering your number with the National Do Not Call registry at donotcall.gov . Some criminals and unscrupulous telemarketers may ignore the list, and if you continue to get calls, it’s a tip that the offer is bogus. Contact the authorities immediately if you do get scammed, and always play it safe and don’t surrender your information to unknown sources. Related articles: Can You Trust Your Caller ID? 123Spoof Makes Caller ID Spoofing Easy 9 Simple Ways to Protect Yourself against Internet fraud