The ACCENT Learning Hub

We’re living in a time where cybercrime and ransomware attacks are announced like the next big box office hit. They’re making an impact worldwide, and it’s causing many businesses to suffer downtime, loss of business, and increased costs to recover from attacks. One of the most common types of scams affecting businesses is referred to as phishing. Phishing attacks are generally emails that entice users to perform an action, like clicking a link to an infected webpage, opening a malicious attachment, or even wiring money.

Technology gives us the ability to market our businesses in many ways. One way that has been around for decades is the “on-hold” recording for your phone system. It’s one of the most underappreciated methods for showcasing your company and making sure callers have a good experience.

Cybercrime and ransomware attacks have become commonplace in society today. The impact is worldwide, causing headaches and financial troubles for many businesses and consumers. So, how do you stay safe from these threats? Here are a few tips to keep your personal information out of the wrong hands.

I got an email the other day from a friend in one of my networking groups. The subject line read, “Please sign - You have received a secure document via DocuSign.” Alarm bells went off in my mind because I was not expecting an email like this from her. Further investigation revealed that this was a “phishing” email – a kind of scam where unscrupulous individuals try to capture information by pretending they’re someone they are not.

I’m sure you’ve heard the terms “backup,” “disaster recovery,” and “business continuity.” What most business owners do not realize is that these are three separate things and without all three pieces, their business is in a vulnerable position. Data Backup First off, data backup is just copying your data onto another device. This could be a tape drive, an external hard drive, or an offsite backup. In most of these forms, your data is being stored in a raw format. This means that your applications, configurations, and network settings are not being backed up with it, so if you needed to restore, or recover, your network from the data backup, you may be down for days or weeks.

Did you make any new year's resolutions as the calendar turned over to 2019? In addition to the usual personal resolutions, such as eating healthy and spending more time with family, I encourage business owners and managers to add a few business resolutions to their list. Information technology is critical to operations for most companies and has the power to stop, or at least disrupt, business if things aren’t going well. When utilized properly, information technology can give companies a strategic advantage and help them accomplish their business goals and objectives.

It’s that time of year in California. Dry brush and Santa Ana winds put thousands of lives, homes, and businesses at risk. The recent fires remind us that wildfires can start any time and they make quick work of any area, destroying everything in their path.

As you may have heard, Microsoft will be saying its official goodbye to Windows 7 on January 14, 2020. The “end of life” of an operating system means that they will no longer be releasing any of the updates that keep it safe and secure.

You’ve just typed up your monthly email to your loyal followers and clients and you hit the magic button — send!

January 14, 2020 marks the end of support for one of the most popular operating systems for businesses – Windows 7. It was released in 2009 and has served us well, but the end is near and it’s time to start planning your transition.