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Tech Bit: Windows 7 EOL

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What Does Windows End of Life Mean to my Business?

You’ve all heard the panic. Windows is cutting off support for its widely popular version 7 software. January 14, 2020 will officially mark Windows 7 End of Life. Many companies have used Windows 7 since it launched in 2009 and are still actively using it today. So, what’s the big deal? Can you just stick with Windows 7 or will your computer self-destruct?

The good news is that your computers will work just fine after the End of Life date. However, just because your computer will function doesn’t mean it’s wise to hold onto outdated software. The largest concern for Windows 7 users is security. Since updates and support will no longer be available, your device will be extremely vulnerable to cyber threats. In fact, this is a bit of a hacker’s dream. They are standing by, knowing people will neglect to update their operating system.

Windows 7 is actually already in its ‘extended support’ phase and has been since 2015! Microsoft ended mainstream support including new features and warranty claims. Yet, throughout this time, Windows has kept virus patches and security bug fixes up to date. With End of Life, that will go away. IT and security experts alike strongly suggest migrating your operating system to something current before the Windows EOL date. Theoretically, you could pay for Windows 7 extended support on each individual device, but the costs will build up faster than simply migrating. Not only that, but specific security and bug fixes will also be more expensive and charged on an individual basis.

Currently, there are a few options to choose from when it comes to Windows 7 EOL. Don’t be tempted to go to Windows 8. Though it is a newer version, it’ll only be a matter of time before you need to migrate all over again. You should transition to Windows 10. Depending on when you purchased your computer, you might be eligible for a free upgrade to Windows 10.

It’s important to begin working on this migration as soon as possible. Please reach out to us so we can take a look at the devices you are using, determine how many are utilizing Windows 7, and ensure your hardware isn’t out of date. Not all computers will be able to handle a new operating system, which could make a migration take much longer, more difficult, and costlier as you upgrade hardware. We will provide a recommended path for an upgrade with a clear budget and timeline for completion.

Overall, take some time to plan your transition. Talk to us if you need additional help or options. Most of all though, get moving now. EOL will be here in no time.

(featured image rights to TDM Group)

Email - Fraud - Phishing

Tech Bit: Phishing Pt. 2

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As technology evolves, so do phishing attempts. This makes it nearly impossible to prepare for all types of phishing attacks. In this post we will break down 2 forms of popular phishing attacks and the best way to combat them.

Breakdown of potential phishing attacks:

Credential Stealer – An attacker will make a convincing clone of an existing webpage such as a Google account login screen or Facebook login screen. The idea behind this clone of a webpage is to have a victim enter their credentials (username/password) giving the attacker access to their account. Some popular examples of this attack are account verification, sharing files on the cloud, and package delivery. All of them revolve around receiving an email marked with apparently legitimate indications it is from a real company or organization such as Amazon, Google, or UPS. All 3 examples share the same purpose of luring you to enter your login information giving access to the hackers.

Malicious attachments – In our Increasingly technology-based world, it is more likely that companies you use regularly will contact you via email. Examples such as your bank, Google, or even your anti-virus service providers. This gives hackers a whole new opportunity to attack you based on specific services you use. Hackers create emails nearly identical to the ‘Credential Stealer’ emails, with one major difference: They come with a malicious attachment. These attachments may include fake reviews of your recent bank activity. Once you click to the see your bank activity in this malicious attachment your computer can be infected with viruses or malware.

Credential Stealers and Malicious Attachments are just two attack methods. Targeting methods used by hackers include the following:

Vishing – Refers to phishing done over phone calls. Since voice is used for this type of phishing, it is called vishing → voice + phishing = vishing.

Smishing – The user is targeted by using an SMS (short message service) alert.

Search engine phishing – Refers to the creation of a fake webpage for targeting specific keywords and waiting for the searcher to land on the fake webpage.

Spear Phishing – Unlike traditional phishing, which involves sending emails to millions of unknown users, spear phishing is typically targeted in nature, and the emails are carefully designed to target a particular user.

Whaling – Similar to spear phishing, expect whaling targets a more specific and confined group. Whaling is more focused on “landing the whale” and targeting higher level executives, while with spear phishing anyone from the top or the bottom of the company is at risk.

Phishing schemes will continue to develop and update as does the surrounding technology, but there are ways to prevent the attacks described above:

The most significant thing you can do to ensure your business is taking the correct steps against phishing attacks is working with a trusted MSP. With how impossible it may seem to stay up-to-date with threats regarding technology is where your MSP should step in and be your knowledgebase for technology. Phishing prevention and protection requires a multi-layered solution. A full stacked solution can consist of a plethora of things such as scans, phishing tests, monitoring, and much more. These solutions can be custom tailored to fit your business as no business is 100% the same as another. Phishing hackers won’t care whether you are a small or large business. They will target their victims without discrimination.

Like any other security risk, it’s better to act proactively to phishing rather than reactively. Contact us today at (260) 482-2844 to begin the process of tailoring a solution specifically for you.

Our simple process to get your business secure:

1. Discovery – An initial meeting to learn more about your organization and what you do.
2. Assessment – Our engineers examine your network and policies to learn how to best project you.
3. Implementation – We deploy our solution designed specifically for your organization followed by exceptional ongoing service.

Thank you for reading!

Citations:
Preethi. “14 Types of Phishing Attacks That IT Administrators Should Watch For.” SysCloud Blog, 8 Jan. 2019, blog.syscloud.com/types-of-phishing/.

Slavin, Brad. “Top Phishing Email Attacks Worldwide in 2018.” DuoCircle, 12 Feb. 2019, www.duocircle.com/phishing-protection/top-phishing-email-attacks-worldwide-in-2018.

Wright, Jordan. “The Trouble with Phishing.” Duo.com, Duo Security , 2016.

Click below for part 1 on Phishing

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Tech Bit: Phishing pt. 1

Network security’s importance continues to grow with the ever-evolving technology industry. Ensure your network is secure ahead-of-time instead of waiting until disaster strikes. Protecting the IT infrastructure within your business increases the reliability and safety of the business. Threats to your business can come in forms such as viruses/malware, phishing attacks, password attacks, or a denial-of-service (DoS) attack, and new attacks are being created regularly. All of these will cause more than just a headache for your IT department and could end up costing your business time and money.

Phishing is one of the most common threats hitting organizations. A phishing scam is when an email is sent in an attempt to get a response in order to gain information; such as a username and password. Phishing works because email, like physical mail, is built to assume that the sender is whom they claim to be.

Typically, the scammers will attempt to create a great amount of fear or panic in a potential victim by saying things such as “an attempt to login to your email was made from some [insert random city] click this link below to reset your password”. When someone reads that tag line from an email and sees legitimate looking aspects to the email, such as a Google logo displayed on it, they are more likely to believe it without even checking the website address.

Phishing is common because it is easy to create these fake emails and it has continued to grow in recent years. According to Webroot, a company that specializes in end-point protection, over 1.5 million new phishing sites are created each month. Since a clear majority of phishing attempts come through email, anyone with an email account is a potential target for these attacks. Just because you have not been targeted yet does not mean you never will.

Here are a few things to keep in mind if you don’t believe the effectiveness of a phishing scam attempt:


• According to Cybersecurity Ventures, a world leading research group in the global cyber economy, Ransomware damages are now predicted to cost the world $11.5 billion in 2019, and $20 billion in 2021.

• According to Intel, 97% of people around the world are unable to identify a sophisticated phishing email.

• According to Cisco, 31% of people click the phishing links. Cisco saw that 17% of users enter their credentials into the phishing site as well.

Again, these attacks happen because they work. Phishing is effective because of how easy it is to send out massive amounts of emails. Sending large amounts of emails significantly increases the odds of someone clicking the link and entering their information.

Want to learn more about phishing? Give us a call at 260.482.2844 and make sure you keep an eye out for more information as this is just part 1 of our 2-part blog posts on phishing. Part 2 will go more in-depth over the specific types of attacks that people are using and what steps you should take to protect your business.

Thank you for reading!

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Welcome Blog

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Starting in 2019 Applied Technology Group will be creating a blog. This blog’s main purpose will be to provide an informative resource on what is happening in the world of technology. If you are not familiar with us as a company we provide multiple services revolving around the tech space. We primarily do IT support, phone systems, and surveillance/security systems. We are conveniently located in Fort Wayne, Indiana on Coliseum blvd. just next to Metal X. Since 1996 we have been serving the Fort Wayne area with quality, reliability, and service in mind. Be on the lookout for our upcoming blogs that will be highlighting relatable tech topics!