How do you do your backups? Have you actually checked them to make sure they are working?

Most people do not think of backup as anything more than, "I have one".  There is really a lot more that needs to be taken into account. - How much data do I need to back up? - Do I need to back up the data, or the entire image? - How long do I need to keep the data? - How often do I need to back up? (real time, hourly, daily, weekly) - Do I have any compliance issues to address? - Are you backing up cloud services? (O365, Google apps, Salesforce, dropbox, etc...) - How long can you be down in the event of a failure? - Are you backing up Locally, to the cloud or both? - Do you just backup servers? What about your desktops? - Are you regularly testing backups? - Do you have anyone actively monitoring backups? At Bit by Bit we have a managed approach that will ensure your backups are what you need and working.  Let us know if you need more help.. 

Extend Ironclad Coverage Across your Enterprise Webinar - Recorded webinar

 Extend Ironclad Coverage Across your Enterprise Webinar

6 Ways to Cut Down on Data Usage

We've all experienced the knot in our stomachs caused by receiving the notification that we've exceeded our data limit. Well, that's ten bucks we'll never get back.  It can be painful, especially when there's only a day or two left in your billing cycle. Disheartening as this may be, there are plenty of methods available to help conserve your mobile data and spare your wallet a few unnecessary blows.

1. Take every opportunity to connect to WiFi

The first and most obvious thing to do is to make sure you're connected to WiFi as often as possible. When you're browsing the web at a cafe, the chances are they've got a WiFi network. Are you hanging out at a friend's place for awhile? See if they don't mind helping you connect to their network. As long as your devices connect to WiFi, you won't be wasting money on spent data. Make sure you set your device is to connect to trusted private networks automatically. However, when plugging in at a public area, the system may not be entirely secure when it comes to protecting your sensitive information.

2. Switch data off until you need it for something specific

Another simple yet effective method to conserve data is to switch it off entirely until you plan on using it. A lot of us tend to idly open apps or games that we might think aren't using up any data. Unfortunately, many of them are. Many of these apps have nearly full functionality without their internet component, but most of them default to going online if they have the means. The best way to prevent this is to turn off mobile data in your device's settings until confronted with something that explicitly requires an internet connection.  Switching data on and off is very simple and has the potential to make a significant difference.

3. Close all background apps

Speaking of things mercilessly siphoning precious data without our knowledge, make sure that you consistently close all of your apps! Most of the time, exiting an app by just hitting the home button doesn't close it. The app continues running in the background, potentially draining unnecessary data while your device sits in your pocket. It's important to use the function that displays which apps are currently running and kill all of the ones that you're not using. On most devices this takes no more than a few seconds, so try to make a habit of doing it every time you're about to lock your device. Not only will this conserve data, but it will significantly improve your battery life as well.

4. Download content from streaming services for offline use

One colossal offender when it comes to excessive data usage is streaming music or video on your device. Streaming typically requires higher than average internet usage, and it can drain you pretty quickly if you aren't paying attention. Fortunately, many media streaming apps like Netflix and Spotify have options to download music or video to your device so that you can access it without an internet connection. Take a look through your favorite streaming apps and see if this option is available so you can keep your favorite movies, TV shows or recording artists at the ready for streaming without worrying about consuming data.

5. Set backups and automatic updates to WiFi only

There are a couple more useful tricks to ensure that you're not exceeding your monthly data plan and incurring extra charges from your service provider. If you use cloud storage programs like Google Photos, look for a setting that makes it so that the app will only backup your content when connected to WiFi. Additionally, take a look at the settings on your app store. Here, you can either turn off automatic app updates or set updates to only happen when you connect the device to WiFi. Downloading and backing up content can be demanding on your data. WiFi is the way to go for tasks like these.

6. Always be aware of how much of your data has been used

Make sure you know exactly how much data is included in your cellular plan and monitor how much you've used throughout the month. That is done differently on different devices and carriers, but it's usually as simple as navigating to the internet settings on your device and selecting something along the lines of "view data usage." Many devices even allow you to set up notifications to let you know when you've hit certain data checkpoints. Some also offer widgets to be placed on your home screen that will tell you how much data you've used so far and when your next billing cycle begins.

Keeping up with and cutting down on data usage doesn't have to be complicated! Follow these tips to eliminate unnecessary data leeches and keep your cell phone bill as low as possible.

Need more technology help? Let me know at 877.860.5831 x190

Robert Blake

5 Easy Ways to Make Your Phone Battery Last Longer

Remember when you first got your smartphone and you were able to get almost 48 hours out of one battery charge? Well, turns out that little honeymoon phase doesn't last forever. The more use you get out of your phone, the shorter its average battery life tends to get. A dead phone can be an extreme inconvenience -- but it isn't a difficult thing to avoid. While it will likely never last quite as long as it did in its glory days, here are some helpful tips to extend your phone's battery life.

1. Figure out what's using the most power

The first order of business is to find out what exactly is draining your battery to begin with. Head on over to your phone's settings and look for the "battery" section. There are a couple handy tools worth visiting here. Most importantly, there will be a succinct breakdown of which apps or services have been using most of your phone's battery power. Take note of the top offenders -- what is it that's contributing most to your battery's dwindling lifespan? The insight provided here can help you to be conscious of the activities that are killing your battery so you can avoid them when necessary.

2. Turn off functions that aren't being used 

One of the most common culprits when it comes to excessive battery usage is having features on that aren't even being used. Functions such as WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth can be pretty sneaky when it comes to draining your power. Try to keep them off whenever possible. Turn Bluetooth off whenever you're done using an external device. Keep WiFi and GPS off if you're at work, in class or somewhere else you won't be frequently using your device (just make sure you remember to switch your WiFi back on afterward so you don't use up your data). Additionally, turn down your display brightness. Smartphone displays require quite a bit of battery power, especially when their brightness is turned up. You certainly don't have to keep it at the absolute minimum, but you'd be surprised what your eyes can adjust to once you've gotten used to keeping your display on a dimmer setting.

3. Persistently close apps that are running in the background 

A common misconception is that once an app is no longer on your screen, it is no longer running. Unfortunately, this isn't the case. Leaving an app through use of the home or back buttons usually pushes it into the background rather than closing it. Think of this as minimizing a program on your computer rather than exiting it entirely. These apps continue running (and draining your battery life) until they're closed manually. Closing apps is done differently on different devices, but try looking for a rectangle icon next to your home button or double tapping the home button itself. Once you've accessed the screen that shows all of your currently-running programs, simply swipe them out of the way to close them. This is something that you should make a habit of doing every time you lock your device.

4. Make sure your screen always gets locked 

Speaking of locking your device, it's important to make sure that you do so. It's easy to drop your phone back into your pocket, purse, etc. without remembering to lock the screen first. This means that your device is going to stay lit up while it isn't being used, taking a huge toll on your battery life. Additionally, you should adjust your display settings so that your phone screen automatically dims just a short amount of time after being used. Navigate to your device's settings and find the "display" section. In here, you'll find a setting titled something along the lines of "screen time-out" or "dim screen after 'x' number of seconds." Select the shortest option available so that even if you put your device down without remembering to lock it, the screen will still power down promptly and spare your battery power.

5. Use a power bank 

Lastly, an external power bank is an excellent investment if you have issues with short battery life. Also referred to as "external batteries" or "portable chargers," power banks allow you to charge your device on the go as long as they've got some juice in them. A lot of people don't necessarily think that they need a power bank, but you might be surprised just how much use you'll get out of it. You can even find highly rated ones at pretty low prices if you browse Amazon. At the end of the day when you charge your device, make a habit of plugging in a power bank as well. This way, your device can essentially have a second life once its internal battery gets low. 

Having a phone that dies halfway through the day can be both stressful and inconvenient. Fear not -- taking these tips into account is sure to extend its battery life.

More questions? Contact me at 877.860.5831 x190

Robert Blake

[HEADS-UP] What are “WannaMine” attacks, and how do I avoid them?

suddenly all over the news. In hindsight, it was a matter of "not if, but when".  Sophos just warned against a new hybrid worm that combines the ETERNALBLUEexploit and cryptomining. ETERNALBLUE is the infamous escaped NSA code that was used in the WannaCry worm, so the combination of this method of breaking in, followed by a cryptomining payload, has been dubbed WannaMine. WannaMine attacks aren't new, but the Sophos Support team has recently had a surge in the number of enquiries from people asking for advice about the issue. Sophos posted a 13 minute video interview, here it is. Here are the quick Questions and Answers, based on the video. Q. Is WannaMine like WannaCry? Is it ransomware that scrambles my disk? A. The name "WannaMine" is a coined term (pun intended) that refers to a malware family that uses the network spreading capabilities of WannaCry to deliver cryptominingmalware rather than ransomware. Q. What is cryptomining malware? Is it as dangerous as ransomware? A. Cryptomining is when crooks secretly get your computer to do the calculations needed to generate cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin, Monero or Ethereum; the crooks keep any cryptocoin proceeds for themselves. To make money with cryptomining, you need a lot of electricity to deliver a lot processing power on a lot of computers. By illegally installing cryptominers inside your network, the crooks therefore steal your resources to do their work. Q. Can cryptomining damage my computer? A. We've seen stories of mobile phone batteries bulging due to overheating when the device was deliberately forced to do mining calculations for hours on end. However, WannaMine doesn't run on mobile phones – it attacks Windows computers. Nevertheless, even if no permanent damage is done, you'll probably find your laptop batteries draining much faster than usual, your fans running flat out, and your laptop being noticeably hotter than usual. Also, if malware like WannaMine can penetrate your network, you are at serious risk of other malware at the same time, including ransomware. We frequently see evidence of cryptomining left behind on computers that were zapped by ransomware, so don't ignore WannaMine infections if they show up – where one crooks goes, others will surely follow. Q. If I don't own any cryptocoins and I'm not part of the cryptocurrency scene, am I still at risk? A. Yes. WannaMine malware attacks aren't trying to locate your digital cryptocurrency stash and steal it. They want free use of your computer for cryptomining calculations of their own, whether you're interested in cryptocurrency or not. Q. Can security software prevent WannaMine attacks? A. Yes. Exploit prevention software (e.g. Sophos Intercept X) can block the ETERNALBLUE attack to prevent malware like this from entering your network in the first place. Anti-virus and host intrusion prevention software (e.g. Sophos Endpoint Protection) can stop the malicious processes that allow the WannaMine attack to proceed, even if the exploit triggers at te start. Network security software (e.g. Sophos XG Firewall) can block the network activity required for malware like WannaMine to work. Q. What else can I do? A. Patch promptly, and pick proper passwords. WannaMine malware typically includes the same ETERNALBLUE exploit that was abused by WannaCry and allowed it to spread. This exploit was patched last year in Microsoft update MS17-010, so a properly patched network wouldn't be open to the exploit in the first place.  If the ETERNALBLUE hole is already closed, WannaMine can try to spread using password cracking tools to find weak passwords on your network. Sophos said: It only takes one user with poor password hygiene to put your whole network at risk. Here are three things you can do about this right now Re-test your whole network for Patch MS17-010 and make 100% sure that all machines are indeed updated Step your users through new-school security awareness training, and have them do the new Strong Passwords Module. Download the free Weak Password Test tool, and immediately scan AD for passwords that need to be beefed up. How weak are your user's passwords? Are they... P@ssw0rd? Verizon's recent Data Breach Report showed that 81% of hacking-related breaches used either stolen and/or weak passwords. Employees are the weakest link in your network security, using weak passwords and falling for phishing and social engineering attacks. KnowBe4's complimentary Weak Password Test (WPT) checks your Active Directory for several different types of weak password related threats. WPT gives you a quick look at the effectiveness of your password policies and any fails so that you can take action. WPT tests against 10 types of weak password related threats for example; Weak, Duplicate, Empty, Never Expires, plus 6 more. Here's how Weak Password Test works: Reports on the accounts that are affected Tests against 10 types of weak password related threats Does not show/report on the actual passwords of accounts Just download the install and run it Results in a few minutes! This will take you 5 minutes and may give you some insights you never expected! Download Now: or cut & paste this link in your browser: https://info.knowbe4.com/weak-password-test  Warm regards, Stu Sjouwerman Founder and CEO, KnowBe4, Inc. PS, this is also on the KnowBe4 blog, please forward to your friends: https://blog.knowbe4.com/what-are-wannamine-attacks-and-how-do-i-avoid-them