Blog

Microsoft Office 365 is a trusted solution for businesses of all sizes, but some professionals are hesitant to relinquish their data.

See why security isn’t the problem when it comes to hosting your own exchange server.  

Microsoft has dominated office software for years, making it a measured way to keep communication going and ensure tasks are completed. Office 365 offers a host of benefits over traditional exchange servers provided by Microsoft though — benefits that may end up saving you more money than you think. There are a plethora of costs if you’re running your own Exchange servers, including licensing, maintenance, hardware, bandwidth, and installation. You’re also responsible for security, and it probably isn’t nearly as good as it should be.

Factoring Every Cent In

Teams running exchanges often don’t realize just how much money is devoted to storing data when that money could be better spent on new hires or more equipment. Just one mistake or website failure can have a ripple effect for months, with unknown profit losses. When something goes wrong with an on-premise server, it’s not a means of just flipping a switch to get everything back up and running. Downtime may be caused by severe underlying mistakes that can take weeks to sort out.

These expensive pieces of equipment are also notoriously temperamental. Slight drops in temperature in a room can mean significant changes in energy it takes to maintain normal functionality. Those who troubleshoot these problems continue to come across the same issues over and over again, especially when it comes to small businesses. When it comes to adequate security and encryption, just one breach or leak can cost a company thousands of dollars in government fines and lost business.

Microsoft Office 365 as the Solution

You get as much service as you want with Office 365, putting you in the driving seat as to what you spend. Paying as you go means you’ll have the flexibility to change your plan whenever you need. This means that if your business is notoriously slow during the winter months, you can decrease the amount of bandwidth until you’re swamped with customers again. You get the power of Microsoft behind you in case anything does go wrong, which means disaster recovery and security solutions are going to be significantly faster and more efficient than anything you could do.

Microsoft specializes in ensuring that servers run at their capacity, which keeps costs down for all of their customers. The investment that Microsoft makes into its infrastructure is undeniable. Their security is among the best in the world, and their resources are just as impressive. You can also buy as many or as few licenses as you want, which is helpful for businesses with fluctuating turnover or vendors. Upgrades are fast and automatic, and it can also reduce the number of passwords and login protocols for everyone who uses it.

InfiNet Solutions is the trusted choice when it comes to staying ahead of the latest cloud developments and can provide you with tips, tricks and news. Contact us at (402) 895--5777 or send us an email at [email protected] for more information.

Prevent access or use of business computers by unauthorized individuals. Laptops can be particularly easy targets for theft or can be lost, so lock them up when unattended. Make sure a separate user account is created for each employee and require strong passwords. Administrative privileges should only be given to trusted IT staff and key personnel.

Your company’s employees can form an important first line of defense against many security risks and cybercriminal attacks.

When many businesses decide to get serious about cybersecurity, they focus on technology-based solutions to counter emerging threats to data security and critical systems. Such tools are essential to making your business as secure as possible, but they overlook an important first line of defense: your employees. Studies have shown that half of all data of activity breaches occur because of human error, such as falling victim to a phishing email. Training your staff to act as a personal firewall can help boost your company’s cyber security, and there are a few easy steps you can take to achieve that goal.

Make cyber security a cornerstone of your business’ culture and integrate it into every employee’ job function.

An active security policy requires that more than just a handful of employees take part. Making cybersecurity an important piece of your company’s culture and getting everyone involved in all steps of the process, from policy creation to normal execution, will make your employees feel invested in the outcome of your security initiatives.

Create a secure process for login credentials.

The process of involving your employees in your company’s data security starts by helping them build good security habits. Banish any sticky notes with usernames and passwords, and set up a system of two-factor authentication. If possible, have your IT service provider create an enterprise-level password management system for your business that will generate and reset passwords automatically.

Make proactive security management and maintenance the foundation of your system.

Any robust security system must be based on constant software updates and security patches to help your business stay ahead of the constantly changing and evolving nature of cybersecurity threats. If your business enlists the services of a managed IT provider who can help your company keep on top of maintenance and provide support to your employees who have questions about best security practices, you’ll be a step ahead in keeping your employees engaged in the process.

Use your onboarding and offboarding procedures for employees as another line of defense.

Introducing new hires to your business’ security protocols as part of your company’s onboarding process helps ensure they are aware of all proper data security procedures from the start. At the same time, having a robust offboarding process ensures that you’re able to identify any disgruntled employees who may pose a malicious risk to your data security.

Ensure that you have a comprehensive disaster recovery plan with appropriate backups in place.

Even the best security procedures can allow for human error or other breaches to put your systems and data at risk. Having backups of your data updated daily and stored off-site can help your business recover quickly in case of a malware infection, phishing attack or another attack on your data security. Of course, having a robust recovery plan in place, so you know the correct steps to take in such instances is also important.

Worried that your business doesn’t have the appropriate security procedures in place for your employees? Our IT security experts can help you build a robust cybersecurity system. Contact us today at (402) 895--5777 or [email protected].

Used by permission

Crafting useful passwords requires the use of obscure topics, characters in place of numbers, constant variation, and other tactics

Cybersecurity is so often described as an automated process that we forget the human element. Even the most sophisticated security program is only as effective as human users allow it to be. One of the most important things we can do, or fail to do, to protect our computers is to write valid passwords. Whenever you create a code for a sensitive account, make sure to:

Opt For The Obscure

Most people base their passwords off of information from their daily lives. While this may help you remember your login, it also makes it easier for hackers to guess it, especially if the information is publicly available. You should thus never base your password off of your birthday, your address, your college, or any other information one could easily learn or guess. Instead, pick something obscure that you will nonetheless remember. One tactic is to use a quote from your favorite movie, show or literary work. If your favorite book is Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” for example, you could turn the quote “So foul and fair a day I have not seen” into a password like “sofoulsofairunseen.”

Character Conundrums

In addition to choosing obscure words and phrases for your logins, you should also replace various letters in the password with numbers or characters. The more varied your characters, the harder it is for a hacker, or even advanced algorithms, to determine what your password is. A good rule of thumb is to replace the letter a with @, e with &, f with 7, and o with 0. You can also add exclamation and question marks to the end the code, either individually or in combination.

Trading Tongues

Multilingual individuals have the opportunity to further enhance their passwords by using phrases from different languages. This includes not just human words, but also programming ones. It is highly unlikely that the hacker will both guess your phrase and know how to speak the language, let alone that they will put the two together. For best results, use two or more languages in the same password.

Vigilant Variation

Every sensitive account you open should have a password that is significantly different than the others. Thus even if a hacker is able to break into one account, it won’t be any easier for them to get into the others. In addition to varying your passwords by account, you should also change them over time. Every few months, change each account’s login to something substantially different from but just as secure as the current password. The fewer time hackers have to guess a code, the less likely they are to succeed no matter what tools they use.

InfiNet Solutions advises businesses throughout Omaha on the most valid passwords to keep their systems safe. To learn more about securing your firm’s tech, email us at [email protected] or call (402) 895--5777 today.

Used by permission

The latest version of Microsoft Outlook is designed to be a personal information manager, not just email. Learn the shortcut tricks and a user can become a power communicator very quickly.  

While many wish there might be another choice, it is unlikely that Microsoft Outlook as a user interface is going to go away anytime soon in the workplace. In this regard, those who see the long perspective focus far more on how to use Microsoft Outlook effectively versus trying to replace it. And that’s where power users are really pushing the boundaries of the tool for maximum performance and the least amount of time communicating.

Here are 12 shortcuts that really stretch Outlook for what it can do for a user:

1. Keyboard Shortcuts – Yes, there are menu commands. However, it’s those who know the keyboard shortcuts who really get things done amazingly fast. Shortcuts go direct to the function needed, and it doesn’t take long to get used to them. Beginners often just print out a cheat sheet.
2. Quick Steps – In addition to the keyboard shortcuts, Outlook has a number of Quick Steps. Started with the 2010 version, this is the macro version of shortcuts. They are customizable, so you can make personal multi-step tasks that happen with one code versus three or four menus.
3. The Clipboard Email Creator – A neat feature, one puts the text in the clipboard and then with Ctrl-V Outlook will automatically convert it into a message, calendar post, or contact entry.
4. Email Shortcuts – Outlook comes with a number of built-in sorting features for fast locating of a given email message. Learning them allows a user to control the mass of messages that come in daily.
5. Limiting Notices – A default notice in Outlook will notice every new email, but these can be limited to just high priority parties, cutting down time and focusing attention better. It’s a simple rule creation in Outlook.
6. Flagging – Ever had an important email that you needed to find later but couldn’t? Red flagging makes it easy to find a pin in a haystack of messages.
7. Template Powering – Saved email templates for commonly sent emails cuts down a great deal of time, and it protects messaging when protocols have to be followed.
8. Folders – Simple but effecting, active sorting of emails into labeled folders makes them extremely easy to find, segmenting out other emails not needed at the time.
9. Quick Message Saving – Many people use cut and paste or printing to an Adobe PDF file to save a message. Instead, one can just drag it to the desktop which changes the email to a .MSG format file, easy to open in Outlook.
10. Utilize All the Features – Outlook isn’t just email, it’s also a task-minder, calendar and journal. Don’t ignore them.
11. Use Priority Tagging – Outlook has a number of priority fields and color coding for tagging. Using these make it easy to sort and filter items for what’s critical versus fluff.
12. Natural Language – The software includes a feature where natural language can be typed in to the date field. For example, type in “Christmas” or “four days from today” and Outlook will recognize it on the calendar and implement the item.

Five IT staff members used their access to the House of Representative’s computer network to skim sensitive information, gain unauthorized access to the system and purchase unapproved items for unsuspecting members of Congress.  

A small staff that provides IT support to the House of Representatives is under investigation for dubious actions involving the government’s computer network. Five men who work as IT contractors for about 40 House Democrats and have access to lawmakers’ entire computer network are suspected of using their privilege in several ways that could be not only construed as a criminal, but that could also put the nation’s security at risk.

The actions that are being investigated by the United States Capitol Police include unauthorized access to the computer network that serves the members of the House of Representatives, obtaining sensitive information before transferring it to an external cloud server, making purchases of unapproved IT-related items for clients of the government and stealing servers and computers worth thousands of dollars.

Of particular concern is the information regarding the House of Representatives that is stored on an external cloud server and the occurrences of the House’s computer network that were unauthorized. At this writing, there are no members of Congress that are under investigation nor have there been any arrests made in this case. Members of Congress are the ones who asked the Capitol Police to begin the inquiry.

While rumors are circulating that the contractors under investigation could be linked to an organization that is using them as a front to steal sensitive information from Congress that is supposed to be secure within the internal IT computer network, police are generally refraining from commenting. However, law enforcement did urge members of Congress, as well as any staff members, to change any passwords to their email providers and any other applications they used while working within the House IT system and await further updates.

According to reports, equipment was stolen from the offices of more than 20 members of the house. The five under investigation also had their access to the House IT network terminated. In spite of earlier reports that stated that the accused were arrested, they have not been. A senior House official noted that individual lawmakers are responsible for firing those staffers who are under investigation. The official pointed out that most Congressional members are terminating the IT contractors in question. Also, sources stated that the lawmakers who were targeted by the IT staff in what has been termed as a procurement scam were unaware of any wrongdoing.

This breach underscores the necessity of ensuring that all IT networks are continually updated and tested. Need IT services in Omaha? Contact InfiNet Solutions at [email protected] or (402) 895--5777 for more information.

Used by permission

With Safer Internet Day falling on February 9th, InfiNet Solutions is offering business owners a sigh of relief.

With cyber crime rates on the rise, business professionals in every industry are always looking for the right ways to stay protected. It seems a new headline is released every week that details the debilitating hacks and attacks that business owners across the country have experienced. 2016 saw many institutions attacked including everything from Wendy’s having customer payment details exposed to high-level government bodies having their systems infiltrated.

There is absolutely no doubt that the evolving technology landscape and the accompanying cyber-threats are changing the way institutions operate. Cyber-security is no longer an afterthought – organizations now know that staying informed and being proactive is the only reliable defense. However, with the constant talk of threats, the shocking headlines and the continual reminders to make sure data is safe, business owners can quickly become overwhelmed. Business owners are busy and focused on driving growth and profitability – when it comes to ensuring internet safety, they need simple and reliable solutions that are easy to implement and monitor.

Annually, since 2012, Safer Internet Day falls on February 9th and serves as a reminder for business professionals to staying informed and secure online. Ever since its inception, the team of IT professionals at InfiNet Solutions uses Safer Internet Day as a chance to remind business owners that staying cyber-secure doesn’t have to be as intimidating as it sounds. When professionals see cybersecurity horror stories in the news, the burning questions begin: what if that happens to us? Is our data protected? Are we prepared to bounce back quickly if something did happen? The overwhelming doom and gloom can leave business owners unsure of where to start. But InfiNet Solutions is determined to change the conversation.

“At InfiNet Solutions, we have an underlying mission to empower business owners using technology.” InfiNet Solutions, Vice President and Owner, Michael Johnson says. “Safer Internet Day is a chance for us to fulfill that mission every year. Technology should always be a tool to drive business growth and should never be a window through which business can be hindered. Businesses can be attacked in so many ways, and we’ve seen it all. But there is one thing we believe in strongly: there is no way to keep a business down if they’re prepared. We’re committed to working with businesses of all kinds to assess and secure their technology landscape, and custom-build disaster recovery plans that allow for quick and seamless comebacks.

If you’d like to connect your business-minded audience with more information about how InfiNet Solutions is changing the cyber-security conversation for this year’s Safer Internet Day, and please don’t hesitate to contact Vice President and Owner, Michael Johnson to arrange an interview.

Michael Johnson, Vice President, and Owner
InfiNet Solutions
(402) 895-5777
[email protected]
www.omahaIT.com

How Do I Set My Out Of Office In Microsoft Outlook To Only Send From One Date To Another?

1. In Outlook, click on File, Info then select Automatic Replies (Out of Office).
2. Click on Send Automatic Replies and check the Only send during this time range check box.
3. Specify a start and end time for the reply to activate and deactivate using the Start time and End time fields.

Hackers go after money, information, elections — and even evidence. Learn more about how one police department lost 8 years worth of information all because of one idle click of a mouse.

The more of our lives we put on a computer, the more valuable that computer becomes. Police departments across America store information about crimes on computers, making them huge targets for cyber criminals with all kinds of agendas. The Police Department in Cockrell Hill, TX has unfortunately learned this lesson the hard way.

8 Years, Gone in a Flash

The force was obliged to admit they lost 8 years worth of evidence via press release. Someone installed ransomware on their server at the end of 2016 and requested $4,000 in exchange for unlocking the data. Instead of paying the ransom, it was decided that the files should be wiped and restored — except they weren’t able to restore most of the information. Once the department knew there was a problem, the affected server was taken offline. They believe this ensured the virus was contained to one area, and they do not believe the information was moved to an external server controlled by the hackers. Despite their proactive precautions, though, gone were years worth of videos, photos, and reports that corroborated eyewitness testimonies and linked criminals to various misdeeds.

Ramifications of Ransomware

While the press release was inevitable to stress the fact that no crucial data had been lost, the statement seems it was said solely to calm the public’s fears. Any information can be vital in cases that are reopened, or in future cases that may occur. It’s up to the police to keep that data safe, so they have all the tools they need to prevent crime. Their security was taken down by a Spam email that made its way to an employee disguised as a legitimate work email. This is a relatively common tactic used by hackers, and clearly an effective one in this case. Ransomware has been known to strike wherever computers may be with techniques becoming more advanced, as the public catches on to different kinds of scams.

Change Is in the Air

It’s no secret that those employed by local and state governments are often the last group to get the security updates and training they so desperately need. When police officers are so focused on catching people red-handed, it can be difficult for them to understand what’s going on behind a very dark and often dangerous web of wires, satellites, and keyboards. However, without more awareness and resources brought to the matter, then it’s likely these problems will continue. When it comes to protecting digital evidence, all organizations need to understand the importance and fragility of cyber safety to avoid potential disasters. Between measures like classes and encryption, both the police and the public can rest easier when it comes to keeping evidence under lock and key.

InfiNet Solutions is the trusted choice when it comes to staying ahead of the latest technology changes and can provide you with tips, tricks, and news. Contact us at (402) 895--5777 or send us an email at [email protected] for more information.

There are times in your business life when you must reassess, reevaluate, and look for outside help in keeping your business operations and IT network on track. As Omaha IT consulting specialists, we employ time-tested data and IT security strategies that take all contingencies into account, leaving no system safeguarding stone or more economical plan for the optimization of your IT unturned.

With InfiNet in your corner, you’ll receive ongoing IT consultancy as part of outsourced IT solutions that cover the widest spectrum of IT contingencies.

We understand and provide for the many challenges faced by network administrators, and as such have built our practice on being able to offer them the most versatile, scalable, and economical IT solutions possible.

How We Offer Better IT Consulting Solutions

You need better IT services in Omaha, and we have them in spades. No matter what IT network eventualities you may face, our responsive Omaha IT consultants deliver better IT solutions by way of:

• Iron-clad data and cyber security protection
• IT consulting for health care facilities provide compliance readiness assurance.
• Key strategic partners who help us help you.
• The most reliable business telephony solutions in Omaha.
• Proactive problem-solving as opposed to reactive fixes.
• Fully-scalable cloud computing services.
• A cost-controlled, all-inclusive managed IT services option that makes the most economical sense.

We offer the best IT consulting services in Omaha NE for smaller, growth-oriented organizations. We also cater to the unique needs of companies across industries who need to meet strict compliance guidelines or IT performance standards that ensure their survival as business entities.

But, enough talking about our IT network consulting capabilities. We want to hear your IT story.

Ready for an Omaha IT Consultation That Will Get You Back on Track?

Does your organization need an IT discussion that can evaluate exactly where you stand and what you need to survive catastrophic data loss or another disaster?

Let our experienced Omaha IT consultants guide you to complete IT network optimization starting with a quick and easy IT consultation. Call one of our effective InfiNet agents today at 402.895.5777 or email us at [email protected] for more details on how to get started!