Are You Helping Cyber Attackers?
You may be helping cyber attackers and not even know it. In a recent cyber attack that originated in China, users of Microsoft's Internet Explorer were used to attack both Google and Adobe Systems. The method of attack used a vulnerability in Internet Explorer to take control of the system and mount the attack. For more information on this story, see the eWeek.com article, Exploit Code from Google Attack Goes Public on Web.
There are a few ways to keep from being a partner to cyber attackers. One would be to keep your software updated. Microsoft issued a security update to patch this Internet Explorer so it would not have this vulnerability. Use your Microsoft Updates option to get this update and others to keep your computer safe. This is one of the best ways when you have only a single computer connecting to the Internet.
For business networks, another way is to have a firewall that prevents viruses from attacking computers on the network. It also looks for suspicious activity that would indicate a computer is participating in a cyber attack. If you are interested in a firewall with these capabilities, call me.
Protecting Your Remote Data
I came across an interesting article published by Check Point Software Technologies about protecting remote end-points. Many companies are allowing their workers to connect to the company network remotely to perform their work. Apparently, many companies are not encrypting the information! Read the entire article here.
FTC Releases Guides Concerning Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising
In October, the Federal Trade Commission released updated guidelines regarding the use of testimonials and endorsements in advertising. These guidelines have received quite a bit of attention from those who blog or participate in online forums. The updates to this guide affects the online world mainly in that it uses examples to clarify that the same rules apply to online media as it does to traditional media. The difference being that it may not be readily apparent how to apply it.
For example, someone promoting a product or service in an online forum needs to disclose their relationship with that product or service if there is one. There has been some feedback that this is extreme, but it does make since once you read the example the FTC gives.
For the complete text of the guides, go to the FTC web site and download the "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising".
Payroll System Implemented In Monterey Park
After many years of development, the payroll system has been implemented in the City of Monterey Park. The system not only supercedes their previous system in functionality, it is rock-solid in its reliability.
Steven Howard and Glenn Schunker developed the system based on many meetings with input from various cities to create a system that meets the city's needs today and tomorrow. They put a great deal of time and effort into building a superb system for the City.
Management Services Director David Dong is very pleased with the outcome of the development. His staff is able to use the system easily since they worked closely with Glenn and Steve during the development of the system. Although there are a few items to modify, the overall experience with the system is good.
For more information about the payroll system, please contact Ken Knowles at (800) 820-5254.
Virtual Phone System
It seems the latest buzz word these days is "virtual". Whether it's virtual computing, virtual networks, or some other virtual, this is supposed to be better than the actual thing that is being virtualized. One virtual we started using here at Knowles-McNiff is a virtual phone system by RingCentral, and it is working pretty good for our purposes.
The system is from RingCentral, and it works through your broadband connection. The audio is digitized and sent over the network similar to streaming media (MP3, WAV, etc.). The phones you use are made for this type of network traffic and the audio is quite good. People on the other end had no idea I was talking to them through the Internet.
You can also use your computer's speaker and microphone to create a soft phone. This is what I use at my desk, and it gives you the ability to see the calls you are about to get by using a call controller. It gives you the ability to forward the calls to another extension or to voicemail. The soft phone is free as a download from RingCentral.
Along with the ability to make and receive calls over the Internet, you also get several extensions that you can assign to other phones. These phones can be cell phones, other RingCentral phones, or any other type of phone. This gives you big system features for a low price. You have a complete PBX system without the actual equipment.
In addition, you can forward your extension to another phone, any phone, as long as it can be dialed. You can configure your extension to ring one phone, and if it doesn't answer forward the call to another phone. If that phone doesn't answer in the configured number of rings, you can have RingCentral take a message.
In a world that is becoming increasingly virtual, RingCentral stands out as a quality service that is also more productive than its physical competition. For a free trial, go to RingCentral.com
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