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October 21, 2021 In Managed IT Services By admin

What is proactive cybersecurity, and how do you implement it?

To keep cyberthreats at bay, you need proactive cybersecurity solutions in your arsenal. They identify and contain threats before they wreak havoc on your systems and cause significant productivity and financial losses. Here’s all you need to know about proactive cybersecurity and how to implement it.

What is proactive cybersecurity?

Traditional cybersecurity is reactive — your IT team or managed IT services provider (MSP) will be alerted of a cyberattack after it has happened, leaving them to alleviate the impacts. In contrast, proactive cybersecurity is preventative — it takes into account all potential threats and seeks to identify vulnerabilities so that they can be addressed before they lead to larger, downtime-causing issues.

Many organizations have adopted proactive cybersecurity measures along with reactive ones and are now reaping the benefits, including the ability to stay one step ahead of cyberthreats and improved data compliance.

How to implement proactive cybersecurity

In adopting a proactive approach to cybersecurity in your organization, you must follow these steps:

Understand the threats you’re facing
Before you can work toward preventing cyberattacks, you must know exactly what you’re up against. Seek the help of your in-house IT staff or MSP in identifying the types of attacks that are most common in your industry.
Reevaluate what it is you’re protecting
Once you have a list of the biggest threats to your organization, you need to take stock of how each can damage the various components of your network. Map out every company device that connects to the internet, what type of data they have access to (regulated, mission-critical, low-importance, etc.), and what services are currently protecting those devices.
Choose proactive cybersecurity measures to put in place
Depending on the risks and assets uncovered in steps 1 and 2, your IT team or MSP may recommend any of the following measures:

Proactive measure	What it entails
Security awareness seminars for all internal stakeholders	Train everyone from the receptionist to the CEO about effective security practices such as password management, proper mobile device usage, and spam awareness.
Updated anti-malware software or cloud-based service	Protect your data and systems against the latest and most menacing malware.
Routine software patches and upgrades	Minimize the chances of leaving a backdoor to your network open.
Web filtering services	Blacklist dangerous and inappropriate sites for anyone on your network.
Perimeter defenses (e.g., intrusion prevention systems and hardware firewalls)	Scrutinize everything trying to sneak its way in through the borders of your network.
Policy of least privilege	Limit users’ access only to the data they need to fulfill their tasks.
Data segmentation	Rank data according to sensitivity and build micro-perimeters around high-value datasets.
Full-disk encryption	Make data stored in computers and portable devices unreadable so that if these machines are stolen, the files they have inside remain secure.
Virtual private networks	Make data transmitted across unsecured connections unreadable so that intercepting it would become futile.
Strict access controls	Prevent unauthorized access to accounts by using strong passwords, multifactor authentication, and auto screen locks and logouts for idle users.
AI-powered network monitoring	Identify suspicious user and software behaviors such as employees accessing files outside their departments.

If you’re looking to implement a proactive cybersecurity strategy to protect your business’s critical systems, give our professionals a call today. We’ll assess your needs and recommend the best, most effective solutions to address them.

October 18, 2021 In Managed IT Services, Office 365 By admin

Microsoft Word Hacks And Tricks To Improve Productivity

To get different tasks done, businesses need a dependable, feature-rich productivity suite like Microsoft Office. Included in Office is Microsoft Word, a time-tested word processor that millions of organizations use. Now, Word has a refreshed look and feel and is packed with even more features for improving productivity.

Work online

Don’t have the Word app on your computer, tablet, or smartphone? Go to office.com, sign in with your Microsoft account, and open Word Online, the web version of Word. This is particularly useful for users who have limited free storage space on their devices, as the Word app can be pretty hefty in terms of storage space (2.11 GB for Windows and 1.2 GB for Mac). It allows for the same level of functionality without the storage burden.

Collaborate effectively

You and your colleagues can now edit the same Word document simultaneously and in real-time. Simply save the document to your Microsoft OneDrive account, click Share, and send the link to the file to your coworkers. People with the link can access and edit the document using the Word desktop app or Word Online.

Maintain editorial control

Use the Track Changes function of Word to monitor all edits made to your document. To turn on Track Changes, click on the Review tab, and then select Track Changes. You will then be able to view all changes made to the file by every user, and you will also have the ability to reject or accept suggestions and edits as you see fit.

Use Smart Lookup for research

The Smart Lookup feature helps you do online research while you’re working on a document — no need to open another tab and type in a query. Simply highlight and right-click the word or phrase you want to look up, and select Smart Lookup from the menu that appears. Word uses Microsoft’s Bing search engine to conduct a search on the selected word or phrase and displays the results in a pane that appears on the right side of your screen.

Format your documents

The Styles gallery contains predefined formatting options for text. You can also add your own styles or those you use frequently, to the gallery. By saving your own style preferences, you can apply them anytime without having to manually format everything. Just follow these steps:

Select the text you want to format as a new style (e.g., a heading or a certain phrase).
Specify the formatting you want on the mini toolbar that appears. For instance, click Bold and Red if you want the text to appear as such.
Click the More arrow in the lower-right corner of the Styles gallery. Select Create a Style. This will open the Create New Style from the Formatting dialog box.
Give the style a name and click OK. Your new style will appear in the Styles gallery, ready for you to use anytime.

Search and use images quickly

With Word, there’s no need to open your browser to look for images for your document. Just place the cursor in the area where you want to insert the photo, click the Insert tab, and select Online pictures (type “clip art” in the search box if that’s what you need), select an image, then click Insert.

Edit PDFs

Word’s PDF editing function allows you to make quick changes to PDF files without having to download and use a PDF editing app or software. But before you can edit a PDF file in Word, you have to convert it to a file format that Word can display. To do that, follow these steps:

Click File > Open > Browse
Choose the PDF file you want to edit, then click Open
Click OK to make a copy of the PDF file and convert its contents into a format that can be opened in Word. (Note: The original PDF will be preserved.)
Make edits to the copy of the PDF file.
When you’re done, click File > Save as > PDF

Microsoft is constantly rolling out nifty new features for its popular word processor. To stay updated on the latest Word features and functionalities, reach out to Net Activity’s Microsoft experts now.

October 12, 2021 In Managed IT Services By admin

Is Shadow IT Creating a Problem with Your Remote Workforce?

With so many people working from home these days, IT teams have less control over the devices being used to access company networks and resources. Shadow IT in the remote working environment is running rampant as people have grabbed a hodge-podge of solutions to get work home. When they can’t get what they need or find what they need with company resources, they feel forced to find other alternatives.

It’s caused a myriad of security problems. Rather than using approved communication software, such as Microsoft Teams, people flocked to Zoom for video conferencing despite some security researchers calling it a “privacy disaster” during the early days of the pandemic. Many users failed to follow company security protocols and inadvertently exposed company data and networks to unnecessary risk.

It can feel like a losing battle. Even when everything’s in place, nearly a fifth of employees admit to not following security policies all the time. When Shadow IT is being employed, it’s an even bigger threat.

The best way to deal with Shadow IT is by putting in place systems to manage, monitor, and train employees on IT security.

Managing IT in a Remote Workforce

Of course, the best approach is to use modern workplace tools, such as Microsoft 365, that provide a software suite to accommodate most business uses. When tools are tightly integrated, it makes it easier to work across apps and provides consistent data. It’s also easier to manage when everybody’s working off the same platform.

When workers are using company devices and working in the office, you have much greater control. You can restrict what software is installed. When they’re at home – especially if they’re using their personal devices – you’re giving up much of that control.

You can prevent any adverse action they take at home in a couple of ways:

Using mobile device management software that segregates personal data and applications from approved company apps
Requiring users to securely remote into their on-premises workstations and use app and access files just as if they were sitting at their desks
Completely virtualize your operations in a secure cloud environment

No matter which approach you use, you need to pay close attention to identity and access management (IAM). Using the principle of minimal privileges, users should only have access to the software and data that are necessary for them to do their job. This limits access in case an unauthorized user or threat actors gains access using their device or credentials.

IT teams should use a Zero-Trust approach for all contractors and employees, regardless of where they work. This requires an additional layer of authentication before users can connect to your network or critical applications. Consider two-factor or multifactor authentication if possible.

Monitoring Workflow for Remote Teams

Monitoring your network 24×7 to provide the visibility you need. Traffic logs can help identify which applications are running and who’s using them – or not using them. For example, if you’re company wants employees to use SharePoint for collaboration and you see that certain employees aren’t using it, you know they’re not following the procedures.

Monitoring helps you to:

Identify user behavior and traffic patterns
More easily identify threats (and respond)
Discovering unauthorized assets

When you see an increase in employee’s use of Shadow IT, in particular, it can signal one of two things:

You’re not providing the tools employees need to work productively
Employees need access and training to the tools the company does provide
Either one deserves some attention.

Training Employees on the Risks of Shadow IT

When people are working from home – and often using their own devices – it’s much more difficult for IT teams to monitor their usage. Remote workers often download free software from a variety of sources without asking for permission or thinking there’s anything wrong with doing it. Some of it contains malware. Other software might have flaws that can open your network to potential threats.

They’re also using their home internet or Wi-Fi connection and may or may not have routers or firewalls installed to filter traffic. Even if they are, they may not be configured properly. Firmware may be out-of-date or even end-of-life, which can create new attack vectors for threat actors.

Then, there’s the weak password problem. Despite the best efforts to control access, employees still use poor password security. Even if they take better precautions at work, many people aren’t doing it at home. That’s why passwords like 123456, 123456789, and password are still the most among the most commonly used passwords. This can’t continue.

Set very difficult passwords on all devices used during remote work.

A problem specific to Shadow IT is that employees may be using it to access company data, or plugging in data using a third-party application. You have no control over what happens to the data once they do or how seriously the app provider takes security. Now your data is at the mercy of an app provider that you haven’t authorized.

Not all Shadow IT is a high risk, but a lot of bad things can happen if users aren’t taking the proper precautions. You need to educate your employees on the risks their work-at-home environment poses and provide guidance on how to mitigate the threat. This includes discussing the risks of Shadow IT and what software is acceptable for use.

How big a problem is Shadow IT in today’s remote work environment? Nearly half (47%) of IT professionals surveyed said shadow IT represents a major problem for their organization. To address these issues, get started with our simple guide to securing your digital landscape here:

October 10, 2021 In Our Blogs By admin

7 Reasons To Switch To Microsoft Edge

Microsoft has just leveled the playing field for web browsers by bringing major changes to Microsoft Edge. The internet browser’s stunning new features help users stay organized and save time as well as protect their online data and identity. If you haven’t tried the upgraded browser yet, now is a great time to check it out.

1. Vertical tabs

Vertical tabs are a handy feature if you often find yourself opening dozens of tabs at once at any given time. Instead of having to hover over or click on one to see which page it’s on, you can easily find and manage your tabs on the side with a single click. You’ll never have to lose track of or accidentally close tabs again.

With the recent Microsoft Edge update, users will now be able to hide the horizontal title bar at the top of the screen so there’s additional vertical space to work with. To enable this feature, go to Settings > Appearance > Customize toolbar and select Hide title bar while in vertical tabs.

2. Tab groups

Microsoft Edge allows you to group related tabs so you can better organize your web browser and workspace. For instance, you can have all project-related tabs grouped together and designate another tab group for recreational YouTube video watching. Using tab groups is as easy as right-clicking on an open tab and selecting Add tab to a new group. From there, you’ll be able to create a label and choose a color to identify the tab group. When the tab group is set up, you can add tabs to the group by clicking and dragging.

3. Collections

Collections allows you to gather information from different sites, then organize, export, or return to it at a later time. Doing these can be especially difficult if you’re working across several sites and multiple devices. To use this feature, simply click on the Collections button and a pane will open on the right side of your browser window. Here, you can easily drag and drop web pages, text, images, videos, and other elements into a group, which you can then import to a Word document or Excel workbook.

4. Tracking prevention

Whenever you visit a site, online trackers can collect information about your internet activity, including pages you visit, links you click on, your search history, and more. Companies then use the data collected to target you with personalized advertisements and experiences.

The tracking prevention feature in Microsoft Edge is designed to keep you from being tracked by sites that you aren’t accessing directly. It’s enabled by default, and it gives you control over the types of third-party trackers to be detected and blocked, thereby enhancing your online privacy.

5. Password Monitor

Millions of online personal credentials are frequently exposed due to data breaches and sold on the dark web. To keep your online accounts safe from hackers, Microsoft developed the Password Monitor. When enabled, this feature notifies you if the credentials you’ve saved to autofill are on the dark web. It then prompts you to take action, allowing you to view a list of all the leaked credentials and then leading you to the respective site to change your password.

6. Immersive Reader

Built into the new Microsoft Edge, Immersive Reader makes reading online easier and more accessible by removing distractions on the page and creating a simplified environment that helps you to focus. This feature also gives you access to a variety of capabilities, including hearing text read aloud or adjusting the text size.

7. Easy switching

Microsoft Edge is available to download for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. What’s great is that you can easily copy or migrate your bookmarks, form fill information, passwords, and basic settings to the new Microsoft Edge with just a single click.

If you want to learn more about the latest features of Microsoft Edge and how to enjoy these benefits on your business computers, give Net Activity a call today.

October 7, 2021 In Managed IT Services By admin

5 Handy Tips For Organizing Your Desktop

Imagine a workstation with papers, folders, food, and electronics strewn all around, then having to scour through everything to find an unlabeled thumb drive containing an important sales report. This is practically the same hassle you and your staff suffer when you have cluttered desktops. Fortunately, there are a few simple things you can do to get organized again.

1. Arrange, sort, and prioritize

Before you delete everything from your desktop, think about what you really want to keep. This will vary from person to person, but most people use their desktop for storing files, folders, and apps that they want to access quickly.

Take the time to sort your files and folders. An easy way to do this is to right-click on an empty area of your desktop (where there are no icons), mouse over on View, and select Auto arrange icons. This will organize your icons into a grid format. Then, right-click on the empty space and hover your mouse over Sort by and select Date modified to arrange the icons by the date they were last opened, with the latest on top.

2. Create a folder for holding files and another for keeping app shortcuts

People often use their desktop to store downloaded files, photos, screenshots, and even email attachments, which can lead to a messy desktop.

However, you don’t need all these on your desktop. Instead, create a folder on your desktop that will serve as your dumping ground for all your nonessential files and folders. If you don’t intend to keep a file, icon, photo, etc. for long, put it in this folder. Revisit this folder every once in a while to delete the files you no longer need.

It also helps if you create a shortcut folder. When you install new programs on Windows, a shortcut icon is often automatically added to your desktop. But these desktop shortcuts should be for frequently used programs only. Create a separate folder for programs that aren’t used that often.

3. Clear out unnecessary files

Once you have your folders set up, it’s time to get rid of the clutter. If you haven’t used a file, folder, etc. in the past two months or so, get rid of it. Examine your desktop and uninstall programs you no longer use. You’ll also want to delete outdated files you no longer need and place the rest in relevant folders.

4. Use the taskbar or Start menu for apps

In Windows 10, you can pin apps to the Start menu and the taskbar. This is a great alternative to having program shortcuts on your desktop. To pin apps, open your apps list (i.e., click the Start button at the bottom-left corner of the screen) and right-click on the application you would like to pin. Select Pin to Start or Pin to taskbar for the option you want.

5. Choose a wallpaper you love looking at

An interesting way to minimize clutter is to pick a wallpaper that you enjoy looking at — whether it’s your favorite motivational quote, a photo of your family, or a picture of your dream house, car, or destination. Having an image you like serves as a reminder to keep icons to a minimum, so if you can’t see the image anymore, then you have too many icons, and it may be time to get rid of a few.

If you are looking to learn more about how to use Windows more effectively, contact us today.

October 4, 2021 In Managed IT Services By admin

The Easiest Way To Disaster-Proof Your Cyber Security

Although no one would dispute the increasing prevalence of cyber-attacks on businesses in recent years, many small-business owners believe themselves and their businesses to be immune to such attacks. Broadly speaking, many small-business owners are likely to think that cybercriminals will go after the bigger fish. However, the fact of the matter is that cyber-attacks are crimes of opportunity, and small businesses often have access to a good amount of sensitive data without many major safeguards. In other words, they’re low-hanging fruit, ripe for the picking.

Back in 2019, two-thirds of respondents to a survey about cybersecurity didn’t believe that their small to mid-size business (SMB) would fall victim to a cyber-attack. Consequently, only 9% of respondents said cybersecurity was a top priority for their business, and 60% didn’t have any sort of plan for deterring a cyber-attack. All of this, despite the fact that, according to a report from CNBC, SMBs endured 43% of reported cyber-attacks, and according to data from the Ponemon Institute and Keeper Security, 76% of SMBs in the U.S. alone reportedly endured a cyber-attack within the previous year.

Every small-business owner should have some plan for deterring cyber-attacks, so they don’t end up as another statistic. Here are a few strategies for keeping cybercriminals at bay.

Boost Your Cloud Security

Storing data in the cloud is easy and cost-effective, but you should take care to find the most secure cloud storage platforms. Not all cloud platforms make security a priority, but some do. A few of the top-rated, most secure cloud platforms, according to Cloudwards.net, include Sync.com, pCloud and Icedrive.

Secure All Parts Of Your Network

Our computers and the many smart devices hooked up to our network can become weak spots for hackers to get in. Taking steps to safeguard each device in your network with strong passwords and robust authentication measures will go a long way toward keeping the hackers at bay. In fact, one of the most basic security measures you can take for your network is to restrict access to your WiFi with a strong password.

Invest In Extra Security Measures

Virtual private networks (VPNs) and firewalls are tools that are highly effective in protecting against cyber-attacks, even if they can’t prevent 100% of them.

Pay Attention To Updates And Upgrades

When you get notified that one of the technological tools that you use has a new update, it’s easy to ignore it. However, you should commit to regularly updating and upgrading these tools because developers will often add patches to their programs that make them more secure against attacks with each update. So, it behooves business owners to regularly install updates for their tech tools.

Back Up Your Data

With one of the most common forms of cyber-attacks being ransomware attacks, where hackers will hold your company data hostage until you pay them a ransom amount, having your company data stored on multiple backups can ensure that your business won’t crumble due to your data’s inaccessibility.

Limit Employee Access To Your Network

As much as we’d wish it were true, many cyber-attacks don’t come from outside of your company. Instead, they originate from within. If you want to limit the amount of damage that someone inside your company can do in a cyber-attack, the best course of action is to limit their access to different parts of your network.

Train Your Employees

At the same time, just as many cyber-attacks occur not because of an employee’s malicious intent, but because of their ignorance. They click on a link in a sketchy e-mail and fall for a phishing scheme, volunteer their password info without thinking about it, or choose a weak password for their computer. That’s why you need to dedicate time to training your employees on best practices when it comes to security.

Set Up A ‘Security Culture’ At Your Workplace

You need to make cybersecurity a top priority, not just for your IT department, but for every department at your business. When everyone works together to protect their workplace from a cyber-attack, you have a better chance of actually succeeding.

Will protecting your business from a cyber-attack require a good amount of time and money? Absolutely. Can you afford to ignore the prevalence of cyber-attacks any longer? Statistically, no. The sad truth is that 60% of SMBs that fall victim to a cyber-attack end up shuttering within six months. Don’t put yourself in that kind of position. Instead, take your business’s cyber security seriously.