Avoiding a Virus in the New Year

SandraNet on January 10, 2017

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There are times when even the smartest and most careful people fall into a trap and are duped into pushing that “save” or “open” button, creating a Virus on their machine. The message looks plausible, but before you push the button check a few things out…

What is the URL? Does it show the page displayed is being sent from Firefox/Mozilla?
An executable file has the extension .exe. In this example, notice this is .js. This is a (java)script the site is attempting to run on your computer and it may collect personal information, or be a virus ready to spread into your system.

If any of this seems suspicious or you think it’s a scam, the best thing to do for assurance is to actually navigate to the Firefox download site. https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/?v=1
If this installer is downloaded it will be called: Firefox Setup Stub (version #).
If you have this version installed, you will be alerted to that.

What is your best course of action if this page comes up?
Close the browser, reopen it and delete all temporary internet files. This will prevent your downloading a virus.

With that, we at Sandra Network hope everyone finds a healthy and successful New Year in 2017!

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Special November Deal – Fine Tune Your Computer!

SandraNet on November 9, 2016

Thank You for Being a Loyal Customer

For that we would like to make you and any of your friends an offer for some fine-tuning for the computer.

If at this very moment, you or someone you know have clicked on a file to open it, and you have time to run a load of laundry AND catch up on your favorite television show … you are who we are looking for!

With daily use the computer stores many processes, temporary files and other non malicious files. The longer the computer is running the more piles up. At some point, you will select an application to open and it will either fail to open or it will take an inordinate amount of time to do so.

The solution to this is to contact someone to help you fine tune your computer, if you do not already know how to do this.

That being said, for the month of November, we at Sandra Network will give you a free hour of maintenance for your referral of a new customer who signs up.

If you are a new customer, there is probably more of a need for the cleanup, so we are offering two (2) hours for the price of one, then potentially set up on a schedule for monthly/quarterly or yearly maintenance to keep running smoothly.

If this is of interest to you, or you know someone who might benefit from this, PLEASE contact us at Sandra Network and we will get you productive again!

[email protected]
978-535-0202

It’s A Trap, A Scam!

SandraNet on October 19, 2016

Recently, a great many people have asked what to do if they receive calls where someone asks to connect to their computer to resolve some issue. the quick answer is: It is a Scam!

Did you already sign a contract with this company?
How do they know you signed onto your computer?
Have you recently seen any suspicious activity on your computer?

If these questions create a long list of additional questions, please DO NOT allow them access to your computer, it is a scam. Please contact us first!

This is how it tends to happen:

You are sitting around, your computer is on, but not being used and the phone rings.

“Hello this is Peggy from Microsoft, I noticed that your computer has been sending error messages. There are problems with the internet connection or phone line and this has affected your computer’s recent performance. On top of that, the broadband connection has been hacked. May I have remote access to the computer to find out what the problem is?”

Your first thoughts should be… I don’t know anyone named Peggy. WHY are they monitoring my system, I didn’t hire them and if I didn’t, who did?

These are all valid and you are correct in being suspicious of this call. This is not a technical support service, already hired (such as Sandra Network) then the scamming call should be ended immediately.

What is the best way to protect yourself?

Never give an unsolicited caller remote access to your computer. This is ALWAYS a scam!
Never give your personal, credit card or online account details over the phone unless you made the call and the phone number came from a trusted source; otherwise, this is a scam!
Receiving a phone call out of the blue about your computer and remote access is requested – hang up – even if they mention a well-known company such as Microsoft.

If you have questions or think you may have been hacked, or have given out pertinent and private information:

Please call your financial institutions and have your accounts monitored or closed.
Change your passwords for your email, login.
Call us at Sandra Network and with your permission, clean out the machine of any suspicious activity.

Last Chance for Windows 10 upgrade for 10% off labor costs

SandraNet on July 15, 2016

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Thanks for being a loyal customer.

We hope you enjoy this discount on our Windows 10 upgrade support and solutions like our previous special deal. We still have a special for support in the upgrade for 10% off labor costs, ending July 29th, 2016.

The new information that can come out from Microsoft is, it will be a subscription. There has been MUCH speculation on what is to TRULY happen in the next few last weeks for the upgrade once it is no longer free. One of the options now is a $7/mo/seat subscription.

windows-10

More Update on Windows 10

From PC Magazine, in an interview with Microsoft:

“Windows 10 Enterprise E3 for CSP is for business customers of any size (including one person) to get enterprise features and functionality on a per monthly/per seat cost,” a Microsoft spokeswoman said via email. “This new subscription model is not associated with our current upgrade offering or applicable to the Windows 10 consumer edition.”

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Now, About These Passwords…

SandraNet on June 27, 2016

In past months we have discussed not opening email that has come from an unknown source, being sure you save often and have your system backed up, and even about malware and what to do if you download it. One thing that is one of the more important things to stay on top of is your password! Read the blog to avoid using some of the common passwords as mentioned in the blog.

First things first, do NOT write it on a piece of paper and stick it under the keyboard or monitor base, or even put it in a notebook that is “easy to get to”.
It needs to be something secure and it needs to be a SECRET! It ALSO needs to not be something obvious. For example, some of the worst and common passwords of 2015 were:

123456
password
12345678
qwerty
12345
Starwars

Let’s talk about what makes a GOOD password.

Create a password of twelve (12) characters or more
Use a different password for each website you log into. Though this is cumbersome for many, it is a safe practice, preventing easy access to all accounts and personal information.
If memory is the issue, there are many password managers that store and protect the passwords
Use a Letter/Number substitution. For example, instead of using:
- Password (DO NOT USE. JUST AN EXAMPLE)
Instead use
- 9@s$w0rD (DO NOT USE. JUST AN EXAMPLE)

SandraNet Forest

One thing that may also be used to test is Password Meter. This website checks the integrity of the password and in addition shows suggestions on what could make it better than a common password on a security level.

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Did you just break the internet?

SandraNet on May 13, 2016

Where it is very unlikely you actually broke the internet, there is always the fear and anxiety that something may be very, very wrong when you are unable to access any of the websites you need at that particular moment. Is it the internet? Is it you? Is it them? Is it your provider? Who is to blame?

Well, unless you posted a photo of one of those characters from that ~~Kard***ian~~ family, chances are you have not broken the internet by “Urban Dictionary” standards. But, there are certainly factors that could cause difficulty in connecting to the ISP (Internet Service Provider). One of the first things is ALWAYS to check the light on your router, and make sure it is plugged in and connected, and none of the cables have been disconnected or sliced.

There are unfathomable miles of cables wrapped around the planet, and many of the biggest are unprotected and in a lot of cases they are underwater. Generally, this is not the cause of the inability to connect to the internet. The problems are more than likely far more simple.

A few may be:

It could be the browser is not compatible with the site.
- Have multiple browsers on your machine (Firefox, Google, IE,
  and now Edge)
- If it does not work on one browser, try a different one.
If an error comes up “Internet may not be reached”, then it is not a
browser issue.
A disconnected wire on or in the house
An outage with the ISP
- The companies usually have a phone number on the bill that may be called to determine if the designated area is down.
Potentially, there is something wrong with the network card, but start with the simple first.

If at any point there is a panic beginning to set in, give us a call and we will determine what the issue may be. Hopefully you will NOT be the one to bring down the internet for everyone else!

Windows 10 is coming, do I HAVE to install now?

SandraNet on March 14, 2016

Where the release is free and it will at some point be the only supported operating system, it is not necessary to run the update immediately. There are pop-ups daily in browsers that read the configuration of the machine and suggest you are missing something should you not update your operating system. Pay no attention, unless you really want to.

Here are a few suggestions for Windows 10 and upgrading.

Back up your machine and all of your data. This should already be a plan, but it cannot be said enough. We have plenty of ideas of backups, so if you need any, give us a call.

Check to find out if the other applications you have installed are compatible with Windows 10.

You have a month to roll back the update, should you decide you do not like it, or it is not working for you the way you had hoped.

Open the Start menu and select Settings.

Click the “Update & security” icon and select “Recovery”.

You should see a “Go back to Windows 7” or “Go back to Windows 8.1” option.

Click the Get started button to get rid of your Windows 10 install and restore your previous Windows install.

If it has been over a month, you will not have the option to run the recovery, If this is the case, you will need to use your prior operating system DVD, or download to reinstall. The product key is generally on a sticker on the top or back of your machine (depending on the brand).

Do a “Custom (advanced)” installation, and this will not save any of your files or programs, so be sure to again… back up your machine prior to the installation.

If you do not feel comfortable installing this update yourself, PLEASE call Sandra Network support line at (978) 535 – 0202 #3, and we will schedule to have a technician do it for you.

The MAJOR things to take away:

BACK-UP your hard drive BEFORE you begin the upgrade.
You can always roll back within 30 days.
If you would like, contact Sandra Network’s Support line and we will schedule a technician to do the upgrade for you 978.535.0202 #3, or [email protected]m.

How often do I have to save my work

SandraNet on January 13, 2016

Ever hear of the old hang gliding saying? “Never fly higher than you’re willing to fall?” well, you should apply the same to how much work you are willing to loose. Time is valuable, and we all know that time is money. Therefore, properly saving work files is important to avoid losing your valuable work.

If the project that I am working on is billable for clients, then I save more often. I am not willing to lose an hour of billable work, so, therefore, I would not go an hour without saving. Backups are as important as saving. If 4 hours of work has been done, and diligently saved, and then my computer crashes, then I am still back to ground zero. Personally, I save work files every few minutes, and backup every hour. In the event that saving vs. backup is confusing:

Saving your work: When you are working, nothing is written permanently to your pc. All the current work is being done in memory, which is temporary storage for all the items you are working on. Memory is flushed when you reboot your computer, so it is not permanent. When you save your work, it commits it the hard drive. The hard drive is permanent storage. It’s like taking that list in your head, and writing it down before you forget!

Backing Up:

When you backup your files, you are creating a copy of your work, and putting it somewhere else. As much as we would like to think of our computer as permanent, hardware failures happen, and data is lost. By keeping a copy in a separate location, you can retrieve your data if you have hardware failure. If you are backing up to a disk, or tape drive, the backups should never be ON TOP of the computer you are working on. In the case of building damage (fire, water, etc), your backups are going to be ruined with your computer.

Most programs (not all) do an auto-save in the event you suddenly loose power, but it is still best to intentionally saving work on your interval. Programs also have shortcuts to saving work. Some of the shortcuts or features you can look for:

AutoSave: See if your program supports AutoSave, and if the increments are configurable.
AutoBackup: Some programs, like QuickBooks, do not necessarily allow you to “save” your work, each transaction is saved to the program database individually. However, they do have a backup program that can remind you to back up your data daily or as you exit the program. Ensure you are picking an alternate location to back up to.
Keyboard shortcuts: Programs, like Microsoft Office Products, frequently have Keyboard Shortcuts to save your work. Ctrl-S is one of them.
Cloud based Backup Products: If you have contract with a cloud based backup company, or an IT company who supports and monitors backups, you should ensure you have continuous backups of all the work you have saved.

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Why do I need more than one backup?

SandraNet on January 8, 2016

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“My IT Company is crazy! They want me to have multiple backups… I use my flash drive nightly, and am ok.”

“I know I have backups, someone set it up years ago and it runs automatically… I think.”

“What, you should test your backups?”

Yes, backing up can be a pain, but unless you are willing to use all your hard work, or memories, it might be worth it. If your home or office burns down, what will you be able to retrieve if you don’t have multiple backups.

Types of data to backup:

System State:

This is a copy of the configuration of your machine. In the event of failure, sometimes the COST of rebuilding the machine and the programs is the most expensive element.

Data:

This is your documents, pictures, music libraries and company data. One should always create multiple backups for such data.

Application based backup:

Many applications have their own backup, and for restoration purposes, need the backup in their proprietary format in order to restore the data. If this is the case with the applications, you should run the application-specific backup, and then backup the data file set it produces on another medium.

Types of backups (Media)

USB Drive:

Great for second copies of data and system state and data. Do realize that after the USB Devices fall from the top of the cabinet once, they can mechanically stop working and become DOA. Not a good place for your only backup, and definitely not a good place for original files and music libraries!

Tape Drives

These have been in service for years, and still work. Unfortunately, they do rely on complicated restores of data, and offsite storage. Nothing says failure when your backup tapes are on top of the server you are backing up. Very expensive fire | storm | water victim when the tapes are ruined with the server they are backing up. Can be very expensive for both tapes and tape drives.

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I won’t click on random or suspicious links

SandraNet on January 6, 2016

Fake emails and websites will try to look like a real company’s email: all for the purpose of stealing your personal information. Passwords and account numbers are the favorite to grab, but sometimes to simply track your browsing habits and send information to the criminal’s web site. Hence it is important to check shortened links that come in emails to ensure more safety.

EBay, PayPal, Amazon are some of the favorites to spoof, because they are such common web sites. If you are getting emails from a web site like those mentioned, and you are not sure, then close the email. Open a browser, and login to the web site directly. Any email that came to you should be mentioned somewhere in the notifications area. The good news is a lot of the emails come from out of country, and the wording of the emails are sometimes a giveaway. Check for proper use of grammar and spelling. Really look at the logo in the email – is it pixelated? Or, does it look as clean as the ones on the web site.

Online Thief

How to tell if the link in the email is safe without clicking on it

Use a link scanner

Link scanners are web sites and plug-ins that allow you to enter in the URL of suspicious link and check it for safety. URLVoid is a really good one, because it uses multiple services to research.

In order to copy the link safely, without clicking on it, you can right click on the link and choose copy shortcut (IE), Copy Link (Firefox) or Copy Link Address (Chrome). You can paste this into the Link Scanner utility.

Check Shortened Links

URLVoid can’t handle shortened URLS from services like tinyURL or Bitly, Ow.ly. To check shortened links that you usually find on services like Twitter, you can use Sucuri. It will expand the shortened links and check it against a variety of services to ensure no threats are pending. In order to copy the link safely, without clicking on it, you can right click on the link and choose copy shortcut (IE), Copy Link (Firefox) or Copy Link Address (Chrome). You can paste this into the Link Scanner utility.

Hover over the link

If you hover over a link without clicking on it, you will see the full URL pop up with the links destination in the lower corner of your browser.

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Avoiding a Virus in the New Year

Special November Deal – Fine Tune Your Computer!

Thank You for Being a Loyal Customer

For that we would like to make you and any of your friends an offer for some fine-tuning for the computer.

It’s A Trap, A Scam!

This is how it tends to happen:

Last Chance for Windows 10 upgrade for 10% off labor costs

Thanks for being a loyal customer.

More Update on Windows 10

Now, About These Passwords…

Did you just break the internet?

A few may be:

Windows 10 is coming, do I HAVE to install now?

Here are a few suggestions for Windows 10 and upgrading.

The MAJOR things to take away:

I won’t click on random or suspicious links

How to tell if the link in the email is safe without clicking on it

Use a link scanner

Check Shortened Links

Hover over the link

4 Critical Security Mistakes That Put Your Organization At Risk

Address:

8 Essex Center Dr Suite 330,
Peabody, MA 01960, United States

Local Phone:

978-535-0202

Thank You for Being a Loyal Customer

For that we would like to make you and any of your friends an offer for some fine-tuning for the computer.

This is how it tends to happen:

Thanks for being a loyal customer.

More Update on Windows 10

A few may be:

Here are a few suggestions for Windows 10 and upgrading.

The MAJOR things to take away:

Types of data to backup:

System State:

Data:

Application based backup:

Types of backups (Media)

USB Drive:

Tape Drives

How to tell if the link in the email is safe without clicking on it

Use a link scanner

Check Shortened Links

Hover over the link

4 Critical Security Mistakes That Put Your Organization At Risk

Address:

8 Essex Center Dr Suite 330, Peabody, MA 01960, United States

Local Phone:

8 Essex Center Dr Suite 330,
Peabody, MA 01960, United States