Author: rory-admin

  • What to Do When a Service You Use is Down; 5 Tips on How to Survive a Tech Outage

    What to Do When a Service You Use is Down; 5 Tips on How to Survive a Tech Outage

    If you were using any Microsoft products on Monday (March 15th) you may have been party to the outage that took down services such as Office 365 and Teams worldwide.

    The outage was caused by an Azure authentication error (you can learn more here) and lasted roughly 14 hours. Whether you experienced this particular outage or not we have all experienced an outage that took out a tech service that is critical to doing our job or supporting the systems we use every day.

    Here are our top 5 tips to surviving a tech outage that is impacting your business:

    1. First of all, don’t panic. Outages are normal in the tech world, and sometimes even necessary if it’s a planned downtime event. Usually planned events will occur at times that are less inconvenient for most workplaces (late at night typically), and you will probably get some kind of notice, so you know to expect it.

    2. Determine that the outage is outside of your control. If a service is down, it’s a good idea to determine whether it’s on your end or truly due to the service provider. If it’s a popular well-known service (such as in the Microsoft case) you can usually check Google as an outage will be news. Another good place to check is their social media pages to see if there’s any mention of the outage by their team; Twitter especially seems to be the place many businesses convey outage news.

    3. If you’ve come to the conclusion it’s not on your end, reach out to their customer service. They may be swamped if it’s a large outage but if it’s just something to do with your particular instance they can probably assist you in getting back up. If you have a technology service provider you work with they can help manage this task for you.

    4. Reach out to your tech team if you have one. If you have an in-house tech team or a technology service provider behind your business, they can troubleshoot the outage for you and determine next best steps to getting your services back up.

    5. Check the post-outage documentation. It often helps to know why an outage occurred, especially if it was due to an update that may have changed things within the service.

    Outages are a good case in point for having a tech team behind your business, they can help navigate the issue for you and if your case does need to be escalated, they will know exactly who to contact.

    If you’re on your own trying and to Google fixes it can often lead you down a rabbit hole where the recommendations may not even be relevant to your particular instance.

    In general, we don’t recommend trying to navigate severe issues on your own, especially if the affected program host critical data or systems for your business. The “fix” you try may be worse than the problem that was causing the outage in the first place.

     

    If you have been looking for a team that can support your business in navigating tech outages and more, Valley Techlogic is a seasoned technical service provider and we have plans that can fit every business. You can learn more by booking a free consultation here.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these tech articles from the last week.

    This article was powered by Valley TechLogic, an IT provider in Atwater, CA. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic.

  • The third stimulus package is expected to pass soon, what does it mean for businesses?

    The third stimulus package is expected to pass soon, what does it mean for businesses?

    The third stimulus package (dubbed The American Rescue Plan of 2021) is expected to go to the House today for a final vote – in fact by the time this article goes live it may have already – and then it is expected to be signed into law by President Biden.

    We’re all aware of the stipulations this has for individuals, with many receiving a third wave of stimulus payments in the form of $1400 for every adult and child that meets the current income criteria as well as many expecting an increase to the Child Tax Credit, but what in this bill is specifically outlined for businesses?

    The first stimulus packages included notable relief in the form of the forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (or PPP) loans. These loans offered businesses 24 weeks of paycheck protection for their employees so they could remain in business and keep their staff even as their businesses were subject to widespread closures.

    Earlier in the year we covered the benefits of the PPP and how it compared to the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program here.

    The American Rescue Plan Stimulus bill also includes many provisions for businesses just like the first two packages did, including the following:

    • $1.25 billion for shuttered venue operators
    • $7.25 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
    • $15 billion for targeted Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) advance payments
    • $25 billion for restaurants, bars, and other eligible providers of food and drink
    • And $175 million to create a “community navigator” pilot program to increase awareness of and participation in COVID-19 relief programs for business owners currently lacking access

    The Paycheck Protection Program in particular has allocated over $662 billion to businesses since being established 11 months ago, and there is sill $284 billion in funding available.

    However, the new stimulus bill did not extend the window for applying. If your business meets the criteria and you’re considering applying for this program you must do so by March 31st of this year at which time the window is scheduled to close for good.

    The current bill also has a clause to make it more available for not-for-profit businesses by including a new category entitled “additional covered nonprofit entity,” we suggest meeting with your accountant or tax preparer if you think this may apply to your business.

    If your business requires greater aid than the PPP provides for and you have no more than 300 employees, the EIDL program may be a better fit for you. An additional $15 billion in funding to that program will be made available in the next round of stimulus. This loan program applies to your business if you suffered a 30% or more loss in revenue during any 8 week period between March 2nd, 2020 and December 31st, 2021.

    There is much more to it than we can go over here but we again suggest meeting with your accountant or tax preparer if your business suffered a loss during in the 12 months since COVID-19 began (which probably applies to many if not all of us) and think one of these programs could help your business on the path to recovery and economic growth.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these tech articles from the last week.

    This article was powered by Valley TechLogic, an IT provider in Atwater, CA. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic.

  • Hardware Shortages May Continue Into 2022, So What Can Consumers Do About It?

    Hardware Shortages May Continue Into 2022, So What Can Consumers Do About It?

    COVID related hardware shortages and merchandising shortages in general are not new, since the beginning of the pandemic we have seen shortages in food, toilet paper, cleaning products and even personal protective equipment (PPE) frontline workers desperately needed to stay safe.

    Many of these shortages have been solved by an uptick in production. However, computer and electronic related shortages have been some of the worst hit and so far, the longest lasting with many experts saying we won’t see an end to them until 2022.

    At the beginning of the pandemic as schools closed and many jobs went remote the shortages when it came to laptops and desktops made sense, students and workers needed devices to continue to learn and work on.

    We saw that these shortages were solved when popular PC makers ramped up production and pushed forward new product launches to entice this entirely new market of PC consumers – many of which had abandoned bulkier hardware in favor of small and portable smart phones in years prior. It was common during this time for households to go from a single PC in the home to several.

    Now as we’ve stepped into 2021, we’re seeing shortages when it comes to the components these devices are made of. Especially when it comes to computer chips otherwise known as semi-conductors.

    We’re going to get a little technical here, a semi-conductor (or integrated chip) is a series of electronic circuits printed onto a conducting material, usually silicon. These chips form the brain of your electronic equipment. Tech News #3

    have been reported well before the pandemic hit (and are certainly be making things even worse). These silicon shortages don’t just effect PCs and laptops, cellphones, gaming equipment, even cars.

    Our growing demand for electronics has created the silicon shortage and we don’t as of yet have a solution that would allow us to keep our current breakneck pace when it comes to new electronic product launches. Many solutions center around increasing the longevity of existing products and ending planned obsolescence by allowing outside vendors to fix OEM products without voiding a customer’s warranty (as an example).

    On top of the silicon shortage, Bitcoin and Bitcoin related mining has also seen a resurgence in popularity. Powerful Graphical Processing Units (GPUs) are needed to make Bitcoin mining as efficient and productive as possible and as such we’re seeing GPUs skyrocket in price, many selling for several times their MSRP.

    It’s expected that it will take until 2022 for vendors and factories to catch up and prices to begin to stabilize. If you’re in the market for a new computer or laptop in the interim, you may find yourself in for a wait and a price hike.

    If you run or own a business, having a technology service provide like Valley Techlogic behind you can assist you in your business’s hardware needs. We have special relationships with our vendors and can use those to our customers advantage, saving them both time and money.

    If you’re a business owner located in the Central Valley and your office is due for a hardware upgrade, reach out today to find out what we can do for you.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these tech articles from the last week.

    This article was powered by Valley TechLogic, an IT provider in Atwater, CA. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic.

  • It’s Not Your Imagination, Ramsonware is On the Rise

    It’s Not Your Imagination, Ramsonware is On the Rise

    We have talked about several major ransomware events over the past year, but these were far from unique. Ransomware and cyber security events have been on the rise lately and it’s been made abundantly apparent that NO ONE is immune to them.

    From the yet to be officially validated Kia Motors attack, to the narrowly avoided disaster with a Florida Water Plant. No attack had more widespread coverage for a while (including by us) than the SolarWinds breach that seems to go deeper and deeper. These are just a few in a massive list of growing ransomware events that have happened to companies of all sizes. If you think your business is too small to be a target think again.

    According to this Datto report, one in five small businesses will experience a ransomware event. While larger businesses may be eyed as prized targets by hackers, most of the time they also have the staff and resources to put up a better defense against cyber security threats. This makes them much harder for hackers to infiltrate.

    A lackadaisical attitude towards being hit by a ransomware can cost your business big time. Ransomware extortion amounts continue to skyrocket, with the average demand in Q3 2020 being $233,817 according to the cybersecurity firm Coveware.

    If you’re thinking a demand like that could bankrupt your business, you’d be correct in that fear. 60% of small businesses will go out of business within 6 months of a cyber security attack.

    We have made an infographic with statistics on cyber security threats in 2021 so far.

    Infographic on Cyber Security

    We’re not presenting this facts to you in an effort to make you feel hopeless, there is a way to prevent an attack from hitting your business in the first place. The ONLY way to avoid a serious cyber security threat is to have proactive cyber security prevents in place. Many business owners cannot achieve this on their own.

    Cyber security prevention is an ongoing process, it’s not just installing a virus scanning software and configuring a firewall and calling it good. Business level cyber security protections can be complex to configure and manage.

    Your business has more hardware, more data and more assets to protect. Comparing it to what’s needed to protect a home PC network is apples and oranges. If you’ve just been crossing your fingers that it won’t happen to you that’s NOT a good idea, because statistically there’s a good chance that it will.

    If your business needs assistance in a cyber security plan that’s not just about checking boxes or relying on hope but actually protecting all of the valuable systems you need to run your day-to-day operations, reach out to Valley Techlogic today.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these tech articles from the last week.

    This article was powered by Valley TechLogic, an IT provider in Atwater, CA. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic.

  • Our Top 3 Ways to Get MORE from Your Business’s Technology

    Our Top 3 Ways to Get MORE from Your Business’s Technology

    Most of us rely heavily on technology to accomplish our goals, whether it be at work or at home. Computers have made so many things in life more accessible, from learning to banking to downtime (though too much idle scrolling is the antithesis of productivity).

    But have you ever stopped to think if you’re really getting the most from the technology Tech News Graphicyou use? Often we get stuck in a rut and don’t really explore what else may be out there. Your favorite tried and true software or add on has never let you down, right?

    There’s nothing wrong with using things you know and love, and most importantly trust. Any new addition to your stack should be vetted thoroughly. Especially software applications, if it looks sketchy or seems to be too good to be true then it probably is.

    So, what are the 3 things we as a technology provider recommend when it comes to getting more productivity and convenience from the technology you use every day?

    1. The first is built right into your Windows 10 operating system. With Windows 10 you can create multiple desktops with the Task View setting. Hitting the Windows Key + Tab will bring up the menu and from there you can go about creating an unlimited number of Windows Virtual Desktops (or at least as many as your RAM will support). You can organize your day through these virtual desktops, having one for work and one for your lunchbreak.
    2. Make use of the virtual calendars available to you. Whether it be through Google or Outlook, or even a source such as Calendly which makes it easy to schedule with clients and even sends text message reminders. Virtual calendars can help you organize your week, month or even year. The popup reminders will make sure you don’t miss an important meeting or event.
    3. We will always recommend utilizing automatic backups. OneDrive is built in to Windows and comes with 5 GBs of free storage. For just $2 a month you can bump that up to 50 GBs, we think it’s a small price to pay for the piece of mind it provides. If you’re working with a technology provider your backups should be one of their main priorities. Having a thoughtful and thorough backup program in place can mean the difference between getting back to work quicly and losing it all in a disaster recovery situation.

    On top of these ways to get more productivity and usefulness out of your technology, your technology provider can also help you understand the benefit and scope of the tools they are providing for your business.

    They will probably have their own stack of software they recommend and may even have tools they themselves use that they can recommend for you and your staff. It’s a good idea to have an understanding of the systems that power your business and keep it running smoothly.

    It’s our belief that transparent processes and thorough reporting helps our clients make informed choices within their business. If you would like some recommendations on tools that may help increase the usefulness of your technology, we’d be happy to help.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these tech articles from the last week.

    This article was powered by Valley TechLogic, an IT provider in Atwater, CA. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic.

  • Our Top 5 Favorite Outlook Tricks & Tips as a Technology Provider

    Our Top 5 Favorite Outlook Tricks & Tips as a Technology Provider

    As a technology provider we’re well versed in supporting the Microsoft suite of products, and Outlook especially is a business staple. Whether you have made a one-time purchase with Office 2019 or are using the subscription model plan with Microsoft 365, both products include Teams, Outlook, OnePoint, SharePoint and Word. In today’s article we will be focusing especially on Outlook and providing you with tips that will make using it that much easier.

    Our first tip could really help save the day if you miss-send an email, did you know you can actually recall an email? Just open the email you want to send and navigate to the Recall message box in Outlook.Message tab on the ribbon, click on the Action button and then click on Recall Email, if the recipient hasn’t opened the email yet it will be recalled and you can try again.

    The second one is all about efficiency. If you have a certain type of message you send routinely, you can save that message as a template for easy use. Go to File > Save As > Outlook Template to save the template. Then when you’re ready to use it again click on Items > Choose Form > User Templates and select the template you saved. You can also go to the Message tab on the ribbon and click on View Templates to view and create simple templates without formatting to use.

    If you have a long email thread you have been replying to and are finding yourself hunting through your inbox for all the links in the chain to remember what has already been said, our third tip will really help you out. If you go to View > Show as Conversation on the Ribbon all of the messages in that thread will be displayed under the most current email.

    Number four was even new to us until recently, if you hit Ctrl + Shift + N in Outlook it will pull up a sticky note function you can move around. That way if you need to take some notes as you’re parsing through your email that will be conveniently available to you, no pen and paper necessary.Outlook sticky note box.

    Our fifth tip is all about timing. If you know there’s an email you need to send out by a certain time, why not avoid the stress and worry that you may forget and schedule it while it’s top of mind? If you go to Options > Delay Delivery > Do not deliver before you can schedule the email to be sent at the exact time and day you want it to be. This is a great option for reminder type emails that you send regularly as well.

    Lastly as a bonus, here’s a list of our top 10 Outlook shortcuts that will simply make navigating Outlook easier:

    1. Create a New Message: Ctrl + Shift M
    2. Insert a File: Alt+N, A, F
    3. Send a Message: Alt + S
    4. Search for An Item: Ctrl + E or F3
    5. Reply to a Message: Alt+H, R, P
    6. Go to Your Calendar: Ctrl+2
    7. Check for New Messages: Ctrl+M or F9
    8. Go to the Home Tab: Alt+H
    9. Go to the Send/Receive Tab: Alt+J, S
    10. Forward a Message: Alt+ H, F, W

    If your office could use some assistance navigating Microsoft 365 we’re here to help, at Valley Techlogic we consider ourselves experts when it comes to Microsoft and Windows based products and can make recommendations to your business. Visit our calendar page here to schedule a consultation to learn more.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these tech articles from the last week.

    This article was powered by Valley TechLogic, an IT provider in Atwater, CA. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic.

  • 5 Remote Workforce Trends to Follow in 2021

    5 Remote Workforce Trends to Follow in 2021

    There has been a lot of debate surrounding when things will get back to “normal” and what normal will even look like, but one thing we think is here to stay is the remote workforce.

    While many jobs will go back to the office, the benefits of working from home and having a remote work staff cannot be downplayed. For the employees it has meant less time commuting to and from the office leading to an increase in the coveted work/life balance. In addition to that, many have found they can focus better away from the hustle and bustle of a busy office building and for many this has led to an increase in productivity.

    For employers there’s simply less overhead, when staff work from home all the costs associated with maintaining and running an office are no longer a factor. In fact, it’s been speculated what this may mean for the future when it comes to office building spaces and their demand.

    Tech News About Remote Workers

    There’s no doubt a great many will return to the office, and as the article we linked above mentioned, for those new to working or working in a specific field there’s a great benefit to the on the job learning that can only be facilitated in person.

    If you are finding yourself working from home at the moment, are you making the most of it? What will working from home look like in 2021? Here are 5 trends we think will make 2021 the year that really cements the viability of having a dedicated remote work staff.

    1. Having the ability to select your own work equipment. In an office setting, usually work devices are one size fits all. All the way down to the peripherals you use such as a keyboard and mouse, many employees do not get much say in what’s selected. If you work from home though, you can usually opt to use your own devices or at least your own peripherals. Picking out devices that make sense for the kind of work you do could make your job easier, which in turn will increase your productivity.
    2. Working from anywhere. A remote workforce can work from anywhere, for employers this could mean increased flexibility in hiring. While we’ll always be a proponent for supporting our local economy, sometimes finding the talent you need might be easier when you can cast a wider net.
    3. Virtual meetings aren’t going away. In the same vein as number 2, virtual meetings are here to stay. The flexibility of being able to set a quick meeting to connect with a client or customer that no one must travel for is undeniable.
    4. Online training will make expanding and maintaining your skills easier to do. Online training has always been available and popular, but that popularity has grown. From webinars to online courses, or even mini quizzes to test your existing skills on a whole range of topics. We think increased popularity and availability of online courses is one of the more positive things to come out of last year.
    5. Applications and software driven at assisting the remote workforce. This was a big one, virtual tools aimed at facilitating remote work exploded in popularity last year and we don’t think this trend is going anywhere anytime soon. Zoom and Teams are notable calls out for making remote meetings and classes possible for millions of people, but they’re at the top of a very long list and we expect that list to continue to grow in 2021.

    This is by no means an exhaustive list. There are also some risks associated with the remote workforce we do not want to downplay, however with a team of tech experts behind your business those risks can be greatly mitigated if not eliminated completely.

    Are you still trying to establish your remote workforce? Are there areas that could use some improvement, or you need advice or assistance with the cyber security aspects associated with working from home? Valley Techlogic can assist your business with these topics and more.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these tech articles from the last week.

    This article was powered by Valley TechLogic, an IT provider in Atwater, CA. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic.

    Looking for IT Services in Fresno, Modesto, Stockton, Ceres, Atwater, Merced, Visalia or Lodi? We cover all these areas and more!

  • The Solar Winds Rabbit Hole: What’s happened and what’s next?

    The Solar Winds Rabbit Hole: What’s happened and what’s next?

    In most situations where a massive hack or breach has occurred, trying to get a handle on what has been compromised or even what is still compromised can be a challenge.

    It’s unfortunately been our experience that in most cases things almost end up being worse than they initially look. Hackers are smart and if they can remain in your systems for a long time, they can get more to either use against you in a ransomware attempt or even leave breadcrumb behind to get back in your systems and hit you again.

    This is why we will always say prevention is key, but sometimes despite your very best efforts a breach occurs. We think this is certainly what has happened in the case of the massive Solar Winds breach that is still being unraveled weeks later.

    CyberSecurity NewsEven detection’s put in place by the NSA failed to detect this hack in time, and as of this week Microsoft was even included in it as it’s been exposed that some of their source code was revealed in the breach.

    Hackers grow more and more sophisticated by the day and it requires a full-scale team effort to prevent your business from either an attack aimed at it specifically, or as the case has been with Microsoft, being looped into a breach that’s occurring to a vendor you may use.

    Attacks from foreign bodies aren’t even very rare, international hacker networks are taking a growing lead in cyberwarfare. While most of these attacks are acts of espionage, if the payoff is lucrative enough hackers will strike anywhere.

    It’s unknown what the real damage from the Solar Winds hack will end up being, or what if anything will come from the exposure of Microsoft source code, but we think this should serve as a wakeup call to anyone who doesn’t take the topic of cybersecurity seriously.

    Here are some things you can begin to do to make your business more secure in 2021.

    1. Have a Hardware Firewall like SonicWall. A hardware firewall makes it easier to have universal rules for your whole network versus having to configure rules for each device.
    2. Enable Core Isolation and Trusted Platform Module (TPM) on your Windows 10 Devices. These protocols will work in tandem to help stop malware and ransomware on your Windows 10 Devices.
    3. Also Enable Group Policy Settings with the Group Policy Editor. With group policy settings you can stop employees from doing things like opening attachments or random .exe files. You can also use group policy to prevent unknown USB devices from being used on work devices. Basically, group policy can prevent a lot of the activities that lead to ransomware or malware in the first place.
    4. Use Next Level Multi-Factor Authentication with a Hardware Key. We believe strongly in Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and the next step to that could be introducing the use of hardware keys to your business, a hardware key is a token that won’t allow you to unlock a device without it. Most hardware keys will also work in conjunction with software MFA like LastPass.
    5. You should Vet your Vendors, Even the “Bigger” Ones. As this Solar Winds breach has shown us, big or small a breach can happen to anyone. While you’re working on handling cybersecurity on your end you should also question the vendors you use as to what their cybersecurity policies are and what their plan is if a breach were to occur.

    This is by no means an exhaustive list but like we usually say, starting is a great first step. If you’d like an information packet of the Cyber Security services Valley Techlogic can provide, reach out to us today! Our comprehensive Cyber Security plan addresses all these topics and many more.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these tech articles from the last week.

    This article was powered by Valley TechLogic, an IT provider in Atwater, CA. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic.

    Looking for IT Services in Fresno, Modesto, Stockton, Ceres, Atwater, Merced, Visalia or Lodi? We cover all these areas and more!

  • The average cost of hiring IT support staff examined

    The average cost of hiring IT support staff examined

    When you’re talking about IT for businesses there’s a wide range of normal, for some businesses their normal is having in-house IT staff. For many though their IT operational needs are such that having a dedicated staff devoted to the job just doesn’t make financial sense.

    Average Cost of an IT Support Person
    Click to see the full size version.

    If you look at our chart you can see that the cost of hiring one IT person is quite significant. You also must overcome the usual hiring hurdle of just finding the right person in the first place and dedicating your time to that task is something that should definitely be taken into consideration.

    The benefit of an IT support plan is someone else is doing that job for you, with the right company behind your business you will have an entire team of experienced techs available to you without having to pay a yearly salary for each one.

    Some technology service providers even offer flat monthly cost plans that come with generous or even unlimited support included. We’re proud to be one such company that offer plans that eliminate many of the billing headaches surrounding outsourcing your IT for our clients.

    While our own plans are multifaceted and cover project work, onsite and help desk support, cybersecurity and more – you may be asking what types of plans are usually available in the marketplace.

    1. Full Managed IT Department Support – This is what we offer, we cover everything you could need that’s IT related.
    2. Managed Support Services – This is where remote and help desk support is available but not onsite. Good for getting back into locked email accounts but not ideal for complicated IT issues.
    3. Managed Software as a Service (SAAS) – This is a managed service for one particular type of software. Notable examples include Google Apps, Salesforce, ZenDesk and DocuSign.
    4. Managed Networks and Infrastructure – VPNs would fall into this category, as would managed cloud services such as Amazon Web Services (AWS).
    5. Business Intelligence and Data Analytics – Consulting services that help you with your web presence and the best ways to apply technology to your business would fall into this category of managed services.

    These aren’t the only examples of IT support plans, but we feel they’re the most notable.

    Many small or medium sized business owners also avoid the issue entirely by doing their own IT. We wrote about why that may not make smart business sense here, but in a nutshell it comes down to how much you really value your time and whether your efforts spent there are the best use of it.

    We can offer advice on what the best fit is for your particular business, if you’d like to book a free 10 minute consultation you can find our calendar here. We’re offering easy virtual appointments and even if you don’t choose us, we can help you leave with a plan.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these tech articles from the last week.

    This article was powered by Valley TechLogic, an IT provider in Atwater, CA. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic.

    Looking for IT Services in Fresno, Modesto, Stockton, Ceres, Atwater, Merced, Visalia or Lodi? We cover all these areas and more!

  • The ransomware attack crippling a major repair firm that no one’s talking about

    The ransomware attack crippling a major repair firm that no one’s talking about

    Dell, Lenovo, even Apple brand computer and device repairs might be seeing major repair delays at the moment as a top repair firm they use was hit by a ransomware attack that ground their operations to a complete halt.

    This has been seemingly squashed as a news worthy event for the moment but we think customers should be made aware that if they send their desktop or laptop in for a repair at this time they face major delays in getting it back. In fact, there may be a delay in even getting a box to send the machine back in as even shipping has also been affected by this ransomware.

    Reported briefly by ItWire, this attack aimed at the security firm Symantec has taken down a number of systems across the country. From the attackers’ view point they were able to disable one of the end point protections allowing access, and to make matters worse the software was up to date at the time, leading to major questions as to how this was able to occur at all.

    CSAT, used by Dell, Lenovo, Apple and more was hit just over a week ago and customers have been facing problems ever since.

    We haven’t been able to confirm that any customer data was leaked, however, according to the ItWire article a number of screenshots of computer directories were placed online.

    If the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that governs in the UK applied in this case, these companies should have reported any exposed customer data within 72 hours. It’s possible no customer data was leaked but the scope of this apparent ransomware has us questioning whether that’s true.

    We’re uncertain if business support class customers are facing the same delays as home users however as with most things there may be a trickle-down effect.

    The ransomware that allowed this to occur was called NetWalker and it’s been responsible for 10 major breaches just this year. It’s clear to us ransomware as a service is not going anywhere soon when the payouts are so lucrative.

    Released in April 2019, the average payout on a NetWalker attack is $175,000 in bitcoin following each successful campaign. One of the highest payouts was $1.14 million from the University of California. It’s estimated the NetWalker ransomware gang has made $25 million in all.

    This latest attack shows that it’s not only a loss of data and having to pay a hefty sum that come as side effects from being hit with ransomware, the affected security firm and repair firm are also experiencing a major loss of credibility with customers that they may never fully recover from.

    You may think your business is too small to be hit with a ransomware attack, but the fact is ransomware as a service has made orchestrating these attacks easier than ever. Even a small payout of a few thousand dollars may be worth it to some individuals with low moral standing just looking for some quick cash.

    Or maybe they’re not interested in your money at all, maybe they’re interested in your data which may be more lucrative for them. Also, many hackers commit their attacks just for the thrill of it and will think nothing of dismantling your technology operations and leaving you stranded.

    We don’t think this should happen to anyone; we can help businesses located in the Central Valley beef up their cyber security provisions to stop ransomware gangs in their tracks.

    VTL Cyber Security

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these tech articles from the last week.

    This article was powered by Valley TechLogic, an IT provider in Atwater, CA. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic.

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