Company | Soulistech

Twitter For Business?

June 17, 2011 Leave a comment

After Facebook, Twitter has become one of the most widely used social networking site in the world. Placing mini blogs, or short status updates, that contain a message within 140 characters makes Twitter a unique tool for conveying messages to large populations, especially for businesses. So is the investment of time and effort worth it when it comes for businesses to use Twitter as an advertising tool or as a update channel? Let’s see…

Twitter VS Facebook

Facebook has established itself as the king of the hill when it comes to social networking. Businesses can have their business pages created and invite people to join them. These pages are generally “liked” (a like button that shows you and how many people like the page) by people seeing it from others or searching for them. They show a presence of the company in the Facebook community. Businesses can update their statuses and post videos, pictures, etc. to their page wall. This will be distributed to the walls of the people who have “liked” the page. This is an effective tool for communication and advertising.

Twitter uses the simple purpose of a short status update, within 140 characters, and conveys it to the wall (like Facebook) of the subscribers. You can choose to make your “tweets” (status updates) viewable to all or private. Businesses would probably choose the non-private option as it allows anybody to subscribe to the tweets and get the message updates, thus reaching the most people. The hard part in making an account for your business is getting people to subscribe. The number one way to make people sign on to your tweets is to become an active Twitter community member. This means that you interact with other members by sending them messages on their wall and letting people know that your active and not just a spammer. Another way to get people to subscribe is my following others. The more people you follow, the more will follow you in turn.

Special Advertising

If your company is interested in paid advertising, Twitter can be a great tool to reach the populous that you want targeted. Twitter offers something called “Promoted Tweets”. These are regular tweets that advertisers have paid to show up at the top of search results and hash tag topics (topics being discussed with a certain word tag). Promoted tweets are clearly labelled “Promoted”, yet they are treated like regular tweets. When Microsoft, for example, released Internet Explorer 9 and promoted its tweets in the Twitter world regarding the release of IE 9 its tweets regarding the web browser would show up in technology topics as well as in the Trends section. The Trends section in Twitter displays the topics that are currently a hot topic in the Twitter domain.

Twitter for Celebrities

Twitter has become a favourite amongst celebrities that communicate directly with their fans. Since many of these celebrities have millions of followers, it’s all the more becoming of paying these celebrities a lot of money to advertise your product or service by mentioning it in one of their tweets. For example, Kim Kardashian gets paid $20 000 per tweet if she is to mention a product or service by one of the advertisers. This is great advertising as stars have a heavy influence on fans and followers.

If your business can maintain its tweets stature, then Twitter is an profound place to advertise and keep in touch with your client base. However, if the routine of constantly updating statuses and keeping in touch with your followers is a daunting task, then Twitter may not be the best place to promote your business.

Filed under Exabyticals Tagged with Advertising in Facebook, Advertising in Social media, Advertising in Twitter, Business, Company, Facebook VS Twitter, how to use twitter for business, Internet, Medium Business, Small Bussiness, Social Media Business, Twitter, Twitter Business, Twitter for Business, Twitter for Celebrities

Security for Your Business – Part 2

May 25, 2011 Leave a comment

Statistics of IT Security Threats

This article is a continuation of Security for Your Business – Part 1. We will discuss various statistics related IT threats and security concerns. This article points out clearly the importance and significance of securing your IT infrastructure. Do not hesitate in anyway from ensuring proper security measures, as not doing so can lead to damage and theft of your business data.

Phishing Scams

Phishing scams come under social engineering attacks. They provide a fake e-mail or website that looks like an authentic one and tricks you into putting your username and password. Once they capture your username and password, they now have access to your bank account or whatever website they are pretending to be.

A disputed study by Trusteer showed that spear phishing a hundred LinkedIn users resulted in a failure rate of 68%. That would mean that around 30% of those targeted with phishing attempts disclosed their personal data. That is significant enough for businesses to lose a substantial amount of money once their bank account information has been captured.

Cnet interviewed Michael Barrett, chief information security officer at PayPal (online payment processor) in April, 2011. This is what he had to say regarding the question of PayPal’s weakness to phishing attempts:

“I joined PayPal almost exactly five years ago and it’s fair to say the company had not realized at that point the true significance of phishing. But since that time we’ve put in place a number of defenses against it. It probably will never go away completely as a problem, but it can be substantially minimized. We’re at No. 8 on a list of most phished sites, which is better than being No. 1. I’m not satisfied with being No. 8 and I’d really like to obliterate the crime completely, but I realize that will take another five years to get to that state. A few years ago we started digitally signing all our outbound e-mail and we worked with Yahoo and Google so if they saw e-mail that purported to come from us but wasn’t signed they would block it. That has been stunningly successful. Now we’re trying to get the whole industry to take up that type of approach. But it will take several more years of pushing to get the rest of the industry to do that.” (1)

Malware

Malware is software that is damaging to your computer in various ways. Spyware is a type of malware that infects a computer and relays information of your computer use to different parties.

In 2007, Kaspersky Labs was seeing new malware samples every two minutes, but in 2010, just three years later, that had increased to one new sample every two seconds.

This is what InformationWeek has to say about small businesses and virus threats:

“Small business respondents’ other top concerns were Trojan applications (60%), malware designed by criminals expressly to steal data (59%), data leaks (56%), spyware (55%), and fake AV (52%). Spam and phishing threats ranked lowest. Most of today’s antivirus software suites protect against many viruses and worms. But when it comes to data-stealing malware, 21% of small U.S. business respondents said that their IT department could do a better job of protecting end users. Notably, only 47% of small businesses install security software to help stop such malware, 30% offer related security policies, and 28% provide relevant education or guidance.” (2)

Some are touting Cloud resources as the answer to fighting back malware spread. That remains to be seen.

Security Breaches – Hacks

It’s interesting to note that organizations attribute 59% of all security breaches to human error. This can occur if the network administrator has failed to set up the proper security barriers, or it can occur by inadvertently giving our information that a hacker can use to compromise the system.

About half of all organizations consider IT security a top priority. This stat indicates two scenarios. One, namely that there are pockets of IT infrastructures that don’t need high security. Perhaps these are small businesses that have a wireless network setup, and they don’t see themselves as a potential target from hackers. The network is small and their data isn’t all that critical. The second is that IT security is seen as a big issue for larger organizations. They have important data that cannot be leaked and as such they are prime targets for hackers. Hackers use stolen company data to sell to competitors and it is quickly becoming a lucrative business. Larger organizations need security for their systems and that entails purchasing the right equipment and having it administered properly.

The cost of an individual data breach – including lost business and the burden of responding to the incident – in 2010 increased 13% year-over-year for U.K. companies. That roughly equals $3 million for each breach, which is quite substantial. Needless to say, every organization, small or big, should pay close attention to its IT security needs.

Viruses

Small businesses still fear the virus according to a new survey of 1,600 end users in Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and United States. Conducted by antivirus vendor Trend Micro, viruses are the leading concern for 63% of small businesses.

A CompTIA stat shows that 33% of law firms admit to experiencing a security issue such as a virus. That’s only law firms, if you total firms from other fields the number is much higher.

Conclusion

The presentation of stats and facts in this article is only intended to create an awareness of various cyber threats. Cyber security is a huge issue and should not be taken lightly.

References

(1) http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-20052310-245.html#ixzz1MvDmlGv5
(2) http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/vulnerabilities/228200171

Filed under Exabyticals Tagged with Business, Business Software, Business Solutions, Businesses, Cloud, Cloud Computing, Cloud Services, Company, Computer, Computer Security Stats, Computer Statistics, Computer Stats, Computer Threats, Computer Virus, Computers, Cyber Security, Hacking stats, Hacking Threats, Information Technology, Internet, Internet security, IT, IT Consulting, IT Security Statistics, IT Security Stats, IT Threat Statistics, IT Threats, Malware Stats, Malware Threats, Medium Business, network security, Networks, online security, security, Security for business, Service, Services, Small Bussiness, Technology, Threat, Virus, Virus Stats, Virus Threats, Viruses

Google Chromebook: The Future?

May 18, 2011 Leave a comment

Cloud Computing to the Next Level

There’s another player in the IT operating system (OS) market now, and it’s by Google. The Google Chromebook offers a web (or Cloud) OS that derives its applications from the Internet and thereby reduces the need for expensive hardware. Although the Cloud has been in existence for sometime now, Google offers a PC that is solely geared for a web interface. At the heart of the Chromebook is the Chrome web browser that acts as the portal to the whole web experience. No complications with installations, patches, or viruses as all of this is administered through the Internet with the full support of Google.

Business Mechanics

How does this benefit businesses? Google claims that businesses can save up to 70% off their IT costs by contracting Chromebooks (more or less a mini laptop) for $28/month. The supposition here is that with the tech support of Google in areas of software and hardware maintenance, businesses can dramatically reduce their costs. Is this probable? Probably not. Google’s upper bound number of 70% is obviously stretched, but there does seem to be some possibility of reducing a certain amount of IT operating costs. Businesses that rely on applications that are Windows based probably won’t jump to this side of the coin. But, businesses requiring basic office applications and portability may love this. Along side this, nobody likes to rent a laptop for an indefinite period of time. It would be cheaper for businesses to actually go out and purchase a brand new laptop than pay $28/month for ever. This generalization doesn’t apply to all business though.

New Take on I.T.

Google’s new idea is kind of interesting, but I feel it lacks the technical depth needed to win over IT professionals. It is likely to gain momentum as the whole Cloud infrastructure takes off, but there’s nothing to administer. I don’t see how IT professionals will like that. Also, what are the applications that Google is touting? Can it provide hardcore Photoshop like programs that many businesses need? Can it provide printer management in the local or remote sites? Certainly there are big holes to fill before Google can gain dominance in this area. Applications over the web or software-as-a-service isn’t for many businesses. It’s is hard to port hundreds of megabytes of data that a program requires in a fraction of a second that today’s local storage systems provide. Yes, office type apps can run, but not heavy duty programs like Adobe Premiere Pro, etc.

Filed under Exabyticals Tagged with Business, Business Computers, Business Laptops, Business Solutions, buy, Chromebook, Cloud, Cloud Computing, Cloud Services, Company, Computer, Computers, Google, Google Chromebook, Information Technology, Internet, IT, IT Consulting, Laptop, Management, Medium Business, mini-laptop, netbook, network security, Networks, purchase, rent, Service, Services, Small Bussiness, Technology, The Cloud, The Internet, The Web, Web

Easy Networking for Your Business

May 4, 2011 Leave a comment

A Networked Business

A network is basically computers and devices, like printers and servers, hooked up to each other. This allows for easy file transfer and printing of documents. If there was no network in place, files and resources would not be available to all of the computer users in the company. Networking allows resources to be distributed to all or some of the computers. It allows for user management and consolidation of files. A larger version of a network is the Internet. The Internet consists of computers, users, and resources available to all or a select number of people, i.e. e-mail, Facebook, etc.

Two Methods to Network a Business

The challenge for many small and medium businesses is how to link the computers in the network to each other. There are two ways to do this:

Wired
Wireless

The method you choose will determine how fast your network runs and the level of physical security it has. Wired is preferable in my opinion because it allows for higher speeds and adds a level of security, as I will discuss later, that is not available in wireless networks. Wireless networks, for their part, spare businesses of having to wire their offices with cables and jacks in the walls and therefore spare them also of having high costs associated with cabling their buildings.

To Go with Wire or Wireless?

As I’ve mentioned, wired networking adds a layer of physical protection. What it does is it makes it mandatory for someone to be physically present in the premises and linked to the network through a physical wire. Wireless networking on the other hand can be hacked, if proper security measures are not taken, as it broadcasts the wireless signals in and outside of the business compound. Hackers can come in their car and pick up your wireless signals and can intrude. Wireless signals aren’t broadcast everywhere, and have a range of typically 50 to 100 meters. This is the basic disadvantage of wireless networking.

Wireless networks do offer a less expensive option for businesses when it comes to networking. Foregoing cables and jacks in the wall, they give businesses flexibility in terms of physical location of computers and printers. For small businesses a wireless router should do the job as it can handle up to 25 devices sufficiently. Anything more would require a dedicated router with a dedicated wireless access point (WAP).

Personal Experience

I have done both wired and wireless network setups. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. For small businesses requiring one unit, I would recommend to go with wireless as it saves businesses the hassles mentioned above. If there is room for cabling through the walls, then wired would be my first choice.

Filed under Exabyticals Tagged with Business, Business Networking, Business Solutions, Company, Computer, Computers, Easy Networking, Information Technology, Internet, IT, IT Consulting, Medium Business, network security, Networking, Networking for Business, Networks, Printers, Resources, Servers, Service, Services, Small Bussiness, Technology, Wired Networking, Wireless Networking

Prospects of Tablet PCs

April 19, 2011 1 Comment

With the decline of first quarter PC sales in 2011, tablet PCs are becoming the new primary computing device. A recent survey conducted suggested that around 25% of computer users now use their tablet as their main device for checking email and surfing the Internet. So is it likely that the tablet PC will replace the good old desktop computer? Well, let’s have a look.

Neither a Laptop Nor a Smartphone

By far, the most popular tablet is the iPad. The price and software options make it the front runner of all tablets. That’s not to say that other tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab or the Blackberry PlayBook aren’t worthwhile. I’m sure they have certain advantages, but Apple has really seemed to have knocked their device in this category off the playing field. In the past, laptops seemed like the right solution to a portable PC. Desktops were just that, they were meant to stay on top of your desktop, whereas laptops provided the student, the travelling business man, and the IT pro desktop mobility. Laptops now out-perform lower end desktops, and with that power comes a lot of heat being generated by the hardware. Some thought that the hot bottom surface of the laptop disqualified it from being called a “laptop” as it could not be comfortably placed on one’s lap. Hence, the secondary classification called notebooks. But laptops weren’t really notebooks either. They were heavy and had a screen that popped up and blocked your view of the meeting or the class lecture. Another solution proposed: netbooks. Small, light, and exactly what we need? Not really. They too were hard to use as the keyboard was typically small and during typing the hand would hit the mouse pad and mess up everything.

Here in comes the perfect in-between: the tablet. It’s actually way lighter and has the basic functionality of a laptop and a smartphone combined. The touch interface actually solves a lot. No need for a popup screen that blocks the view. An iPad can use its smartcover to prop it up so that one can write using the touchscreen (something one needs to get used to) and it doesn’t block the view.

Functionality and Use

The tablet seems to be the true notebook as its physical form resembles that of a real notebook. Like a paper pad or portfolio, it is easy to carry around from office to office or from class to class. The essential use of a tablet for a home user would probably come under using it as a casual email checking device or quick web browsing. Its ecosystem would probably entail a kitchen, living room, family room, and bedroom. Tablets are good for e-reading as well, so a quick check of the newspaper in the kitchen or a silent read in backyard would be one of its uses. That may not seem like much, but keep in mind that a tablet is an instant-on device. There’s no boot up time like a laptop or a desktop PC. So the quick access allows users in the home to not be hindered by a delay in turning it on. Tablets can also be used for viewing photo albums. Although media players and HTPCs allow the viewing of pictures on a TV, the feel and experience of a looking at high resolution pictures on a tablet is quite reassuring, kind of like flipping through a real photo album.

There are a host of business apps that allows creation from AutoCad to tracking statistics of sales and profit on the device. I believe development will yield better functionality and use in the coming years as tablets progress from their infancy to a wider range of implementations. I am setting forth a note taking process for my IT consulting business. My handwritten notes will be taken on my iPad and I will sync them with Google Apps. Here, I’m involving a digital process of record keeping and utilizing the Cloud at the same time. EMR systems are allowing doctors to take their notes on a tablet device and sync it with their server database as well as online Cloud storage. The flexibility of tablets is huge.

Future of Tablets

The prospects of tablet PCs seems to be bright. From the medical field to academics to professional business use, tablets will set a new paradigm in human interaction with technology. Tablets did make an early appearance in the year 2001, but they didn’t cook up a stir due to Microsoft’s lack of user interface cohesion. This rebirth, incited by Apple, seems to be more promising.

Filed under Exabyticals Tagged with Apple, Business, Business Software, Business Solutions, Cloud, Cloud Computing, Company, Computer, Computers, Desktop, EMR, Galaxy Tab, HTPC, Information Technology, Internet, iPad, IT, IT Consulting, Laptop, Management, Media Player, Medium Business, Networks, PC, Photo Album, PlayBook, Service, Services, Slate, Small Bussiness, Smartphone, Tablet, Tablet PCs, Tablets, Technology, TV

IPV6 – The New Internet Scheme

April 18, 2011 1 Comment

Believe it or not, the Internet has run out of addresses. This means we need to transition to a new addressing scheme, IPv6, that facilitates our growing need for Internet addresses and that helps our businesses grow. To access company networks and the Internet, each device or computer is assigned a logical address. That basically means that the address assigned to the computer or device (ie. smartphone) is temporary and can be easily assigned to any other device regardless of physical location. The Internet addressing scheme is known as IP – Internet Protocol. We’ve been using version 4 of the IP addressing scheme ,also known as IPv4, for quite some time.

IPv4 Limitations

The main problem with IPv4 is that there aren’t enough addresses for all the computers and Internet devices in the world, and that can result in lost connectivity. An IPv4 address is composed of 32 bits, or 32 ones and zeros. Any combination would result in a specific address. These 32 bits are represented in decimal form in the following notation as an example: 192.168.1.101. This results in a total theoretical base of 4,294,967,296 addresses that can be used. Since, we have run out of these addresses we need a new scheme that provides us with more addresses. This new scheme is called IPv6.

IPv6, The Savior

IPv6 uses 128 bits and that gives us 212˄8 (approximately 340 undecillion or 3.4×103˄8) addresses. That’s enough for 5×10˄28 addresses for each of the 6.8 billion people alive (as of this writing). This, for now, solves our problem with the limited addresses that IPv4 yields. This also saves us from using NAT (Network Address Translation) technologies, which usually results in security problems for devices inside the company network. The IPv6 protocol header is more efficient for routing of network data than the IPv4 header. This results in more efficient processing of data. Mobility with IPv6 is better than IPv4; as it allows mobile devices to move between networks while keeping the same IP address.

How to Transition to IPv6

IPv6 is installed on all new Microsoft Windows operating systems. This includes Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008. The network infrastructure itself also needs to be IPv6 capable. This means that the routers and layer 3 switches need to upgraded in order to process the extra address bits of IPv6. There are a number of techniques that you can use to gradually shift your business to using IPv6 from IPv4. Names and a brief description of each transition scheme is listed below:

Dual-Stack
This technique uses both IPv6 and IPv4 at the same time. Each network devices is usually capable of both protocol versions. If not, then it only communicates with those devices that are of its own protocol version. This method of transition is meant to slowly transfer control from IPv4 dependant devices to IPv6 devices.

4to6
These are IPv4 addresses that are mapped to an IPv6 address. The last 32 bits of the IPv6 contain the IPv4 address. This allows both IPv6 and IPv4 to run at the same time.

Tunneling
Tunneling involves encapsulating an IPv6 into a IPv4 header. The network uses two IPv6 points on an IPv4 infrastructure to transmit the data. There are many types of tunneling methods such as 6to4, Teredo, and ISATAP.

As you can see, there are a number of benefits and ways to transition your business from IPv4 to the new IPv6 addressing scheme. There is some security concern regarding IPv6 and the use of unidentified addresses to generate SPAM. IPv4 addresses that generate SPAM are blacklisted and are usually blocked, but since IPv6 opens up a new lot of available addresses, this can be used to generate SPAM. Although, eventually the IPv6 addresses would also be blacklisted, it may take sometime. Nevertheless, the transition to IPv6 is continuing, albeit at a slow and gradual pace, and the new avenues that it opens up for placing new devices on the growing Internet will be needed for some time to come.

Filed under Exabyticals Tagged with Business, Business Software, Business Solutions, Cloud, Cloud Computing, Cloud Services, Company, Computer, Computers, Cyber Security, Information Technology, Internet, Internet Address, Internet Protocol, Internet Scheme, IPv4, IPv6, IPv6 Transition, IT, IT Consulting, Management, Medium Business, network security, Networks, online security, security, Service, Services, Small Bussiness, SPAM, Technology

Is Software Piracy Ethical?

April 12, 2011 1 Comment

We’ve heard of the legend of Robin Hood, the lone vigilante who steals from the rich and gives to the poor. The right being done by the granting of provisions not available to the poor from those who have more. Right or wrong, this same ethical issue faces many people in the digital and technological world. There are thousands of hackers, even underground groups, that pirate software and distribute it through torrents and news groups to the world at large. Software IT giants such as Microsoft are unable to keep up with the rate of how their software is being pirated, and small companies like RAR Labs are facing a harsh stream of cuts in profits by hackers who hack and distribute their software.

Is It Stealing?

For centuries stealing was considered an act where a physically tangible property was robbed of from someone else. Item X belonged to person A, but person B unlawfully and physically obtained item X. This was the classical notion of stealing. Now, in the digital age, we have intellectual rights and laws that are meant to protect a person’s idea, a physically intangible item. Physically intangible material X is now the property of person A and person B cannot copy or use it in any manner unless granted permission by person A. So this raises the question, does stealing only apply to physically tangible materials? Some think so -the hackers. There are many people who freely distribute software and use it because they hold the notion that “stealing” only applies to physical things. Software to them is immaterial and therefore doesn’t qualify as “stealing”. I’ve heard the argument from a religious leader who stated that if a person has the ability to reproduce a patented item, it is not sinful or “immoral” as that person used his or her intelligence and skill to make it. He or she did not physically snatch something away. This can turn into a long argument as you can see, but it does leave us with a poignant dilemma: is software piracy “stealing”?

Taking From The Rich and Giving to The Poor

If piracy is stealing, what does that mean for the millions of people worldwide who depend and rely on pirated software to write their homework, their reports, listen to music, watch movies, and run their businesses on pirated software? Many of these people cannot afford to buy a $400 Microsoft Office suite or pay $30 for a Blu-ray movie. I know of small business start-ups that need graphic software to run their design business, but can’t afford the expensive licensing fees that range from $500 to $3000. From operating system costs to making PDF documents, licensing fees are expensive and are limited to a certain amount of workstations, usually one. The fact is, that it wouldn’t have been possible for businesses and normal underpaid workers to carry on had it not been for pirated software. In effect, software piracy makes businesses, and businesses make software companies. It’s a symbiotic relationship.

Does Pirated Software Help Software Makers?

There are people who seem to think that pirated software actually helps propel proprietary software forward by giving it the mass following it needs to succeed. Legitimate questions arise in this case that ask “Would Microsoft Word be so ubiquitous if it wasn’t for piracy?” A statistic from Microsoft puts software piracy at:

“According to Microsoft business group president Jeff Raikes, speaking to the Morgan Stanley Technology conference in San Francisco , they estimate that 20% to 25% of software is pirated in the US alone.” (1)

Some estimates place that as having upwards of 50 million Americans using pirated software. Certainly software makers know this, and among the pirated users are some who actually end up paying for the software. According to some, Bill Gates has even hinted to the fact that ‘software theft can help build market share more quickly’. Charles Piller of Los Angeles Times shares an interesting perspective about how software piracy actually helps in making Microsoft a standard:

“The proliferation of pirated copies nevertheless establishes Microsoft products as the software standard. As economies mature and flourish and people and companies begin buying legitimate versions, they usually buy Microsoft because most others already use it.” (2)

Microsoft has even admitted that software piracy prevents free, open-source alternatives such as Linux from chipping away at Microsoft’s monopolies, especially in developing nations. (3)

I leave the question to you. Is software piracy ethical?

References

(1) http://www.autotelic.com/no_really_-_windows_is_free
(2) http://labnol.blogspot.com/2006/04/network-effect-software-piracy-helps.html
(3) http://labnol.blogspot.com/2006/04/network-effect-software-piracy-helps.html

Filed under GPIT Tagged with application stealing, applications, Business, Business Software, Business Solutions, Company, Computer, Computers, crack, crack software, cracking, Cyber Security, Digital piracy, Digital stealing, Digital theft, hack, hack software, Hacker, hacking, Idea theft, Intellectual Property, Intellectual theft, Internet, is piracy ethical, is piracy good, IT Consulting, IT theft, Piracy, Pirate, program stealing, program theft, programs, Service, Services, Small Bussiness, Software, Software Piracy, software stealing, Technological theft, Technology, Threat

The New Grounds for Cybertheft

April 5, 2011 Leave a comment

Theft used to be limited to stealing of physical goods or the classic burglar robbing the bank for cash. Now the concept of theft has radically changed as the digital age advances and the lines between the physical and virtual become blurred. Most people know cybercrime for its stealing of people’s money from their bank accounts through hacking, but new reports, from companies like McAfee, indicate that cybertheives are targeting intellectual data such as company trade secrets, proprietary patents, and valuable company information.

Personal Information Still Hot

The market for hacked bank accounts and personal information is still hot. Links have been made to the mafia and underground street gangs that use that information to do identity theft – posing as someone else with forged documents. Most of this information is available on IRC chat rooms, where anyone can join the low-profile chat sessions and scroll through lists of credit card numbers, social insurance numbers, and various sensitive personal information being sold for nominal amounts. Believe it or not, stealing of personal information is quite easy. Sniffers and packet grabbers can easily be used to catch data from wired and wireless networks. Social engineering is even easier as people are duped into giving their information thinking that they are accessing a real website, while they’re only accessing a fake website created to capture personal information.

Intellectual Theft

The more lucrative market for cybertheft is based on stealing company secrets. Proprietary information such as patents, company plans, R&D information, etc are all areas where higher level of hacking is occurring. Doug Cooke, director for sales engineering for McAfee Canada, said that while companies do good in protecting credit card information,

“…they don’t do as well in protecting intellectual capital like trade secrets.”(1)

This information can be sold to competitors both national and international. This leads us to a whole different discussion about how hacking is used against competitors on a regular basis to edge the other out, but what Cooke does say about this new level of cybercrime is that:

“We think cybercriminals are now researching the companies they want to go after.”(2)

This is scary news for any business. Not only are these hackers targeting trade secrets, they are precision planning their attacks, and that means more damage for the companies being attacked. This type of crime seems far easier to get away with as compared to credit card theft where the credit card companies actually try to hunt down the cybercriminals.

Small and medium business can protect themselves to a large extent by using proper procedures to guard their network. Although most networks can be broken into, having better security measures does help reduce the impact of an attack. For this, I would refer you to my article series on Security which you can access here: http://soulistech.com/2011/03/25/security-for-your-business-part-1/

References
(1) http://www.echannelline.com/usa/story.cfm?item=26699
(2) http://www.echannelline.com/usa/story.cfm?item=26699

Filed under GPIT Tagged with Business, Business Software, Business Solutions, Cloud, Cloud Computing, Cloud Services, Company, Computers, Cyber Security, Cybercrime, Cybertheft, Hacker, Information Technology, Intellectual Property, Intellectual theft, Internet, Internet security, IT, IT Consulting, Management, Medium Business, network security, Networks, online security, security, Server, Service, Services, Small Bussiness, Technology, Threat, Threats

What’s the Deal with Macs?

April 4, 2011 Leave a comment

I’m often confronted with businesses that do not know quite what to make of the Apple revolution. They don’t understand the difference between a Mac and a PC and are baffled by the hype surrounding Macs. It’s kind of like the war on Afghanistan, PC vs Mac is a vague and ambiguous fight. I have serviced networks where Windows and Mac work together, but their use totally depends on the work environment and the type of business being conducted. I hope to detail here the differences between a Mac and a PC and which one is more suitable for you.

The Difference in Operating Systems

PCs mostly run Windows, while Macs run their own type of operating system known as Mac OS X. The difference between the two systems boils down to two things: the OS (operating system) and the hardware platform. Mac OS X is derived from Unix, which makes it similar to Linux. Windows is based off of DOS (Disk Operating System) and follows a different directory structure than a Mac. Both OS’s cannot run the same programs. Macs can only install programs that are designed for Macs, and PCs can only run programs designed for Windows. This major difference is where a lot of problems happen for businesses. There are a lot more applications written for Windows than there are for Macs. Most businesses want the versatility of running most of the programs, and since Windows offers that versatility it makes sense to operate with PCs.

When people ask me about Macs, I tell them that they are smooth running machines that look great, but when I tell them about the software limitations, then they seriously begin to double think their decision on a Mac. I know that Macs are having a lot more software made for them now; however, in comparison to Windows, it’s still quite lacking.

The Hardware Difference

Macs use a customized form factor that enables them to come out with sleek looking computers. Repair is also higher for Macs than it is for PCs as the parts and technicians cost more. The specially designed hardware has drivers specially built into Mac OS X. Windows cannot handle the hardware of a Mac. That doesn’t mean you can run Windows on a Mac. Mac OS X Snow Leopard comes with a program called Boot Camp, which allows you to install Windows on a Mac through a boot environment of Mac OS X. The drivers for the Windows OS come on the Snow Leopard disc; basically, Boot Camp creates the environment for running Windows in a native way.

I have seen some people do a workaround and get Mac OS X to run on a PC, but that is a very intricate process, and not recommended for business use. Mac OS X doesn’t have the driver library to support PC hardware.

In the end, the deals with Macs are that they are sleek, good looking, function well in terms of providing a solid user experience, but their minority status limits the array of software that can be installed and used. Businesses that use Macs for graphic designing, find it more applicable to their needs, while PCs offer the same, if not more, of an experience for less of a cost. Don’t forget that Apple computers typically retail for prices higher than regular old PCs.

Filed under Exabyticals Tagged with Apple, Apple Computers, Business, Business Software, Business Solutions, Cloud, Cloud Computing, Cloud Services, Company, Computer, Computers, iMac, Information Technology, Internet, iPad, iPad 2, IT, IT Consulting, Mac, Macintosh, Macs, Management, Medium Business, Microsoft, Networks, Service, Services, Small Bussiness, Technology, Windows

Virtualization For Businesses

April 3, 2011 Leave a comment

One of best ways to streamline business infrastructure is to use a process called virtualization. Virtualization basically reduces the need for physical hardware as it uses software environments to create and share hardware resources. On one physical desktop computer you can run multiple operating systems, each sharing the hardware of the desktop computer to give portals to “virtual” computers.

Benefits of Virutalization

What benefit does this serve? Well, firstly, it reduces the need to purchase individual computing hardware and allows a single structure of hard disks, memory, and video graphics to be used in multiple environments within a single core operating system – Windows, for example. This saves money as you only need to purchase one physical computer. What you can do with the virtual machines, that use software applications like Microsoft’s Virtual PC or VMWare Workstation, is to run multiple servers for your company. Domain controllers, each serving a specific purpose, can all be handled on one physical machine. This also reduces the physical imprint as there s less required space.

Safe Environment for Testing

Another benefit that virtualization holds is that it allows new software to be tested in a secured environment. Since a virtual computer does not affect the operation of the host OS (operating system), it makes for a great tool to test different OS’s and applications alike. If you wanted to see how Ubuntu would work, but didn’t want to erase your current computer configuration, you could simply create a virtual machine and load Ubuntu on it and see if you like it or not. Also, you could test certain software to see how it works or to see if there are any conflicts with any other software configurations. Say, you wanted to see how Microsoft Office 2010 worked, you could install it on a virtual machine and test it out.

Backup and Restore Virtualized Data

The ease of transport of virtual machines makes it a great way to backup and restore computer images in a short amount of time. If the location of one virtual machine needs to shift to a physically different computer, all that is needed is to the virtual machine file along with its virtual disk file and you can setup that computer in minutes on the other machine. This can serve as an effective tool in disaster recovery where one physical machine goes down, and another is used to host the virtual machine files.

Hardware Resource Sharing

Virtual machines share the hardware resources. This means that the physical RAM, hard drive, and graphics adapter is shared amongst the virtual machines. Virtual disks are files that the virtual machines use to store data on their hard drive. There are usually options that allow you to allocate a fixed amount of hard drive space for each virtual machine and some even allow you to set a capacity, but only use as much as is needed and thereby using less actual disk space.

Legacy Systems Support

Virtualization also comes in handy when you need to keep an instance of a legacy system running. For example, some of your software is only compatible with Windows 98, but you’ve moved onto newer OS’s, you can create a virtual machine that runs Windows 98 and allows you to run your legacy applications.

I’ve used virtual machines for training and testing purposes. Virtual machines are great when you’re studying for courses like MCITP, where you need multiple servers and workstations. One single computer can handle the whole virtual network and there’s no worry in messing things up. I would highly recommend the use of virtual machines so that your company can benefit from the advantages outlined above.

Filed under Exabyticals Tagged with Apple, Backup, Benefits of Virtualization, BlackArmor 420, BlackArmor 440, Business, Business Software, Business Solutions, Cloud, Cloud Computing, Company, Computer, Computers, Cyber Security, External Drive, File Server, Gmail, Google, Hacker, IBM, Information Technology, Internet, Internet security, IT, IT Consulting, Management, Medium Business, NAS, network security, Networks, online security, security, Service, Services, Small Bussiness, Technology, Threat, Threats, Update, Update Software, Upgrade, Upgrade Software, Virtual Machines, Virtual PC, Virtual Server, Virtualization, VMWAre, Watson, When to upgrade software, Yahoo!

← Older posts

Soulistech