The Importance of Net Neutrality

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While we at Little Dog Tech typically avoid using our customer facing outlets for political discussion, there is a big issue afoot that we all feel needs to be addressed. This is the issue of Net Neutrality. Net Neutrality is something that keeps popping up on internet and broadcast news outlets and has been for the last few years. The topic can be daunting and difficult to understand, especially if you aren’t technologically or internet savvy. The truth is Net Neutrality affects everyone who uses the internet, in ways you may not even realize.

What is Net Neutrality? It is public facing/friendly term for the principle that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) should not be allowed to control the content you view or how quickly you can do so and must be required to treat everything on the internet the same as everything else. This concept is sometimes referred to as Internet Freedom or the Open Internet.

Why does this matter? Right now, ISPs (like Centurylink and Mediacom) are not allowed to block websites/content or force you to pay more to prioritize certain websites/services over others. This is made possible because the Internet is currently protected by the FCC as Title II service. This essentially makes the internet a standard public utility like water or power. Just like the water company can’t charge you more for watering your plants than they do if you fill a glass to drink, ISPs cannot charge you more to use Netflix than they do for you to use their own streaming video services. This also means they can’t block or censor content they disagree with. This is a good thing. This means you are getting the internet exactly as websites have intended from your ISP, and nothing you view is being blocked or slowed down by the whims of the ISP.

Why is Net Neutrality at risk and why is everyone suddenly so concerned? To answer this a brief recent precedent is useful. Prior to 2015, the internet was classified as a Title I service. This means that it wasn’t considered a utility and therefore did not fall under the Title II protections. This allowed your ISP to censor content at will, slow down (throttle) websites they didn’t like, and charge more for unnecessary or redundant services. There were many examples of this but one of the most notable is when AT&T deliberately blocked Apple Facetime on their network. They eventually relented and unblocked the service, but not before a fight and only after public outcry. Under current Title II protections, this is not allowed to occur.

In order to prevent this from happening again, talks were initiated in 2014 to reclassify the Internet as Title II. In 2015 both President Obama and the current FCC chairman signed off on the reclassification, officially making it law. However, recently there has been a huge push to re-reclassify the internet back to Title I. A bill (called the “Restoring Internet Freedom” Act) has been proposed and has already been signed off on in the House and Senate. Title I classification would give every ISP in the USA the legal right to control what you can access, and potentially force you to pay more money for the same service you already have.

You may think that competition between ISPs would help prevent this sort of abuse of power. After all, if consumers don’t like the restrictions, they can move to the next one, right? Well, MANY consumers only have one good choice for internet service in the USA so they will get stuck with what they have available. Also, once one ISP starts doing this and sets a new norm, others in the area will most likely follow suit, making restrictions a standard.

If Net Neutrality is repealed, ISPs could implement a tiered system of service, like cable channels currently are priced.

What could be if the ISPs have their way…

If this new bill passes and is ratified the internet could be greatly changed, and most likely not in a good way. For example, Mediacom or any other ISP could decide that they no longer want their customers viewing Netflix because it takes customers away from their own streaming video services. They could legally slow Netflix down until you pay more money or they could simply block it entirely. The same goes for any website or content on the internet. Facebook could become inaccessible unless you pay extra or be available only on a ‘premium tier’. Similarly, other popular websites such as Reddit, Pinterest, YouTube, news outlets, or anything else you view online could be potentially censored or affected. Creating new innovative websites with a very low budget would no longer be viable, and only large established organizations with the ability to front the necessary capital to ‘buy their way in’ to the internet would be able to create new services. This classification change would stifle the very innovation, creativity, and low barrier to entry that has allowed sites like Amazon, Netflix, Twitter, Facebook, and millions of others to start from nothing and grow to be internet powerhouses. What future service or site could we miss out on if this bill becomes law?

In summary, this bill’s name is misleading and in reality will do the opposite of what it suggests. The bill is currently at the end of a 3 month waiting period for public opinion and feedback. This is where the public needs to act, and why we felt the need to spread this information.

The FCC is taking public comment until Monday, July 17th. If you would like to contribute to these comments please go to http://www.battleforthenet.com and send them (and Congress) the provided pre-written letter (or write your own). You will also be given the option to call and speak directly with Congress and the FCC once you have sent them your letter.

Sources:
http://www.battleforthenet.com
http://whatisnetneutrality.org/timeline
https://en.wikipedia.org/…/Net_neutrality_in_the_United_Sta…
https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/open-internet (how things currently are)
https://www.fcc.gov/restoring-internet-freedom (the big bad bill)
http://www.theopeninter.net/
https://www.eff.org/issues/net-neutrality

Author Credits: Cody A Eckert, Paul Schwegler

What is the Cloud? And Where is it?

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There has been a ton of talk about the cloud. Cloud this, cloud that. But what actually IS the cloud? It’s okay if you don’t know, most people don’t understand it and even some tech people tend to wave their hands towards the sky when trying to explain it!

Since it actually has nothing to do with the white fluffy things in the sky, let’s lay it all out:
Cloud computing is about storing and retrieving your data (personal or business) within your own piece of the internet. It’s so you can access it from anywhere, just like you do a web page, and it won’t matter if your office is closed and you’re squeezing in a little work on your phone at midnight. Everything will be saved and ready to pick up when you get back to your desk. Colleagues in different locations can even collaborate on documents in real time.

If that all sounds a bit futuristic, think about how an email service like Gmail works. None of your emails are actually being stored on your hard drive or device, they’re stored on the Gmail server and you can access them anytime you like.

Your read/send/receive changes are applied instantly, remembered for next time you log in. This is a form of cloud computing. So is Netflix, where you can stream movies and TV shows on demand. All the video is actually stored on a computer somewhere else in the world and sent to your device in tiny pieces as you watch it. Netflix remembers what you watched, where you got up to, and even if you’re hopping immediately from one device to another, it still has it all ready to go.

Where is ‘cloud’ data stored?
Good question. And it’s why the term ‘cloud’ causes so much confusion. The data absolutely must be physically stored somewhere. Companies who offer cloud storage have huge warehouses dedicated to holding servers whose sole job is to send and receive data all day. And by huge, we mean HUGE.
You could get lost walking the rows of servers, just box after box for what seems like forever. The biggest server farms or ‘cloud campuses’ are still growing, but to give you an idea: they can be upwards of 1million square feet. It’s big business, literally.

In terms of location, the US and UK are popular server farm locations, but the company could also have copies of your data stored elsewhere in the world. This is so they can fulfill their redundancy guarantees – if disaster hits one location, the other still has a copy.

Having additional locations and copies also increases the speed of access. With some companies, you can choose your preferred location so that data doesn’t have to travel quite as far across the world, increasing speed even further, which of course, saves time and money. Collaboration, security, redundancy, AND savings? We’d call that a win.

Ready to take advantage of cloud computing? Give us a call at 515-422-1995

Everything You Need to Know About Facebook Privacy

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Finding the balance between Facebook privacy and Facebook fun can be challenging. It’s a double-edged sword that allows us to connect with friends no matter where they live, but it also publicly shares information that just a few years ago, we’d never dream of putting online. You can search for people based on where they went to school, town they live in, clubs they belong to, who they’re related to…but when is it too much?

Your birthday is the first piece of info collected when you sign up, and it’s great getting birthday wishes from friends and family when it appears in their newsfeed. But while Facebook is sending you balloons and funny memes, your birthday is now public knowledge. It seems harmless, but when you call your bank or other institution, what’s the first question they ask to verify your identity? Your birthday! Some password recovery systems even ask questions like ‘which high school did you go to?’ assuming this is knowledge that only you would know. Except…you’ve just publicly shared it on Facebook. Whoops!

We’ve all heard stories of people who’ve lost their jobs after less-than-wholesome pictures or statements have gone public. If you have a reputation to keep, you definitely don’t want pictures from last weekend’s private party showing up, especially if you really let your hair down. While you can’t control what others do with photos they take of you, you can control whether or not you’re tagged in them.

Fortunately, there are settings in Facebook that allow you to control who sees what information and what happens when you’re tagged. Despite what you may have heard or seen floating around in a Facebook share hoax, you do have complete control over your Facebook privacy, and it’s easy to adjust.

How to Check and Adjust Your Facebook Privacy Settings

1. See what your account looks like to an outsider
From your Facebook homepage, click your name on the blue bar at the top of the page. Click the three dots next to ‘View Activity Log’ and then select ‘View as…’

2. Run a quick privacy checkup
Click the question mark in the top right corner and choose ‘privacy checkup’.
Think about what you really need to share – do people need to know the YEAR of your birth or just your birthday? Your friends will still get the notification, and you’ll still get the balloons.

3. Edit advanced privacy
While the checkup covers the most obvious info, you can go much deeper. Click the V-shaped dropdown to the right of the question mark. Go to settings and choose privacy.

4. Adjust timeline and tagging
In the privacy settings, you can explicitly control who can tag you, who can see or share the tagged content, and what shows up on your newsfeed.

Tightening your Facebook privacy only takes a few minutes, but it can save you a whole lot of trouble in the future. If you need help with this, just give us a call at 515-422-1995

How Much Could A Ransomware Attack Cost You?

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How Much Could A Ransomware Attack Cost You?

Have you ever thought about how much your data is worth? Information is possibly the most valuable part of your business – there’s your client database, accounting software and inventory management, and of course, any intellectual property you may own.  When the ransomware, WannaCry, tore through the world recently, many businesses were suddenly forced to re-assess the value of their data: was it worth saving, and what would be the deeper cost of the attack?

Most ransomware attacks cost $150-$600 to get your files released, but that’s only IF the cyber-criminals honor the payment and actually give you the decryption key. Meanwhile, new client calls are still coming in and you may find yourself unable to operate with your systems down. Paying the ransom or restoring from an unaffected backup seems like a quick fix, but it doesn’t end there. There’s still the downtime involved to restore all your data – possibly days – and that’s a lot of lost productivity.  Plus, if word gets out that your data has been compromised, you may find confidence in your business plummets and your existing clients head elsewhere.  That $150 ransom may end up costing well over $150,000!

 

Prevent Ransomware Attacks on your Business

Keep your systems up to date: WannaCry took advantage of a flaw in older versions of Windows, one that was since patched by Microsoft. But to be protected, businesses had to be up to date with their patches AND be running a supported version of Windows. Delaying patches and updates puts your business at risk – we can help you update automatically.

Lock down employee computers: Very few staff will require full administrator access to your business network. The higher their level of permissions, the more damage a person can do – either accidentally with a whoopsie click, or by inadvertently installing malware. By locking down your employee computers, you have a better chance of containing a malware attack to non-vital systems. Our experts can design an access management plan that gives you best of both worlds: flexibility PLUS security.

Educate your workplace: Most employees believe they’re being cyber-safe but the reality is quite different. Many malicious links and embedded malware have become hard to spot in an instant – which is all it takes to click and regret. We can work with your staff to establish procedures around checking links for authenticity before clicking, awareness around verifying the source of attachments, and the importance of anti-virus scanning. We’ll help get the message through!

Have a solid backup plan: When ransomware hits, a connected backup = infected backup. Unfortunately, synced options such as Dropbox immediately clone the infected files, rendering them useless. The only safe backups will be the ones both physically and electronically disconnected, with systems designed to protect against attacks like this. Our experts can set you up with a backup system that makes recovery a breeze.

Be proactive: The best way to avoid the financial cost of a ransomware attack is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Remember, many businesses were able to watch WannaCry from the sidelines, completely unaffected and seizing opportunities while their competitors were down.

Our managed services can help protect your business against the next cyber-attack. 

Instant Search Failure in Microsoft Outlook

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Microsoft has recently identified an issue with an update for Outlook that was issued in early June. This update causes the Outlook software (NOT outlook.com) to fail when searching for messages. You may get incomplete results, or a message stating “something went wrong…” when you try to search for messages. I wrestled with this issue myself, and a few of my clients have as well, so I thought if there was anyone else out there with this issue they may benefit from this information. Here is what a Microsoft representative posted on a forum concerning this issue:

The Windows Team has developed a fix for the bug and it will ship in the Windows Updates 6/27.  Although we do not recommend uninstalling a security update removing the one applicable for the version of Windows does mitigate it.  It will likely require Windows to be restarted for the indexing to start again.  This list of the affected updates below are the ones I know of. 

KB4022719 in Windows 7 
KB4022726 in Windows 8.1 
KB4022715 in Windows 10 
KB4022725 in Windows 10  

We have also added the issue to this document to track it, https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Outlook-known-issues-in-the-June-2017-security-updates-3f6dbffd-8505-492d-b19f-b3b89369ed9b?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US.

If you do not know how to uninstall an update but want to try on your own, refer to this link for general instructions on how to uninstall a windows update. (the article references a different update number, but just search for the one listed above instead): https://www.ghacks.net/2014/12/11/how-to-remove-installed-windows-updates-and-block-them-afterwards/

Once the update is uninstalled and your computer is rebooted, open outlook. It will be slow at first since the computer is reindexing all of your mail, but let it sit and it will speed up again after an hour or more, depending on how many files and emails you have.

As much as I hate to recommend uninstalling a windows update becasue of the potential security implications, if the lack of search in Outlook is hurting your productivity you may consider this a necessary risk.

I hope this helps someone!

How To Keep Your Tech Squeaky Clean

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How To Keep Your Tech Squeaky Clean

Our tech is something we use every day, but did you know it’s also the most disgusting? Your screen may look clean, but studies show that a mobile phone can be 18x dirtier than a public restroom – ew! It gets worse (sorry)…that keyboard you tap at while eating your morning toast? It’s probably the biggest bacterial threat in your house, with about 20 000 times more germs than a toilet seat, more if you share it with children.

It’s not just sickness we’re up against, because as dust builds up inside gadgets, they also slow down, malfunction or overheat. Your device essentially chokes on ick, as vents and filters are clogged by sucking in pet hair and floating debris. Here’s how to clean your essential tech items without damaging them:

1. Skip the household cleaners: Most cleaning products are too harsh for our technology and can end up causing permanent damage. You want something that can kill germs and remove everyday grime, without scratching or leaving behind a scented residue. Your best bet is Isopropyl Alcohol. You’ll find it in the first aid section of supermarkets and pharmacies, or at the hardware store.

2. Power down completely: Turn your tech off all the way, not just sleeping, and unplug from any power sources. Switch wireless keyboards, mice, etc off underneath or remove the batteries.

3. Remove any cases or covers: Undress your device as much as you can, but leave screen protectors on (unless there’s grime underneath). If your screen protector needs replacing, have a new one ready to apply.

4. Grab a microfiber cloth: Dampen the cloth with Isopropyl Alcohol and wipe screens and external surfaces gently. Older build-up may require extra effort.

5. Go deep: You can use a toothbrush or cotton tip to clean between most crevices, but some areas will need a bit more ‘oomph’ to clear. You’ve probably seen people use vacuum cleaners on their keyboard, but these are often TOO powerful and may suck keys or internal parts loose. They also generate damaging static electricity. Another option is to use a tech-specific vacuum, but these are usually underpowered.

Insider tip: Use a can of compressed air to blow the dust out. You can get these from many stores and they come with a long nozzle so you can really get in and direct the pressure. You’ll be surprised what flies out, so it’s best to do this outside! We don’t recommend using compressed air on your computer’s internal fans though, as this can make them spin too fast and damage them.

How often you clean your tech is up to you and your lifestyle. But it’s a good idea to blow out computer internal dust at least twice a year and wiping your tech down 1-2 times per week will definitely reduce germs and grime.

WannaCry Ransomware Explained: Is Your Business At Risk?

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WannaCry Ransomware Explained: Is Your Business At Risk?

You’d be hard-pressed to miss last week’s biggest headline, the WannaCry cyber-attack sent shockwaves around the globe. Businesses of all sizes and even police departments found themselves crippled without warning.

Among the most prominent victims were many NHS hospitals in the UK, affecting up to 70,000 individual devices such as essential MRI scanners and blood-storage refrigerators. But by the time it hit the news, it was too late – either your system was protected, or it was infected. Here’s how it all went so wrong.

What is WannaCry?

The WannaCry cyber-attack was a type of malware (the collective name for computer viruses & bad juju) called ‘ransomware’. Just like the name suggests, it’s actually a demand for money. Like all ransomware attacks, WannaCry encrypts your files and holds them hostage until you pay. In this case, the price was set at $300, payable with internet currency Bitcoin, and you had 3 days to pay before it doubled. If you didn’t pay, the ransomware threatened to delete your files permanently. It’s yet unknown how much money the WannaCry hackers have earned with their latest attack, but you can be sure plenty of people have paid the ransom. Even the FBI recommends paying the ransom, especially if the ransomed files are of a sensitive nature or weren’t backed up.

 

How It Spread So Fast

It seems WannaCry may be a ‘computer worm’ that self-replicates and spreads, rather than a phishing attack that needs to be activated with a click. So far, no common trigger has been identified, as is normally the case with phishing links. WannaCry moved rapidly from system to system, spreading out through the entire network, including all connected backups and storage devices. At the same time, it spread out to infect other networks, who then spread it further, and so on. Given the nature of the internet, it was everywhere within hours.

Why Some Businesses Were Safe

WannaCry could ONLY infect systems that have fallen 2 months behind in their Windows updates. This is because it was created to take advantage of a specific vulnerability in Windows, one which Microsoft patched months ago. Without that patch, the ransomware could waltz right past the firewall, past the anti-virus and directly into the system (the NHS were reportedly running Windows XP – no longer supported). Those running Windows 10 or a fully patched, recent version of Windows were completely unaffected – the virus literally had no way in

It just goes to show the importance of staying up to date. We haven’t seen a second spike in WannaCry attacks yet, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be one. A quick update could protect your business from weeks of downtime and lost revenue, making attacks like this a non-issue.

With our managed services, we can make sure you stay up to date – and protected. Give us a call today at 515-422-1995

Why Your Windows Updates are More Important Than Ever

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Why Your Windows Updates Are More Important Than Ever

In recent news, the ransomware WannaCry swept the world, knocking out computers in an instant. It hit businesses, government and police departments and of course the NHS hospitals in the UK. It was a mess! Affected users had all their files encrypted and couldn’t get them back unless they paid a ransom of around $300. This attack was particularly bad because it took advantage of a Windows vulnerability to spread itself from network to network. What wasn’t clear in the media though, was that home users were also exposed to the attack – but only those with a vulnerable Windows installation.

One simple security patch, issued by Microsoft months before the attack was all it took to create a no-entry zone for WannaCry. This just stresses the importance of keeping your Windows up to date at all times, no matter what you use your computer for or how often.

Updates Explained
Whenever Microsoft discovers a potential flaw, they push out a small piece of software to all Windows computers running a supported version. If set correctly, your computer will check if there’s any updates or patches and install them automatically. In new versions, this usually happens when you’re shutting down or starting up, and doesn’t impact your experience at all. Unfortunately, some users will manually disable or delay their updates, creating a risky situation.

The update may include security patches, drivers or a simple tweak to address bugs or issues with Windows. Sometimes, they even include new features or applications to improve the stability of your operating system. They’re a good thing!

Not All Versions Get Updates
Some older operating systems are no longer supported, which means unless there are extenuating circumstances, Microsoft won’t issue any new updates. Not a single one – generally, if cyber criminals discover a flaw after support ends, they’re free to exploit it.  For example, Windows XP support ended in 2014, and Windows Vista just ended in April this year. The moment an operating system is retired it becomes a playground for cyber-criminals.

It’s not just Microsoft walking away from these old versions either. Third party software like the Google Chrome browser will still work, but they’ve also stopped supporting old versions with crucial updates and patches. It might seem like everything is working fine because your anti-virus isn’t pinging in alarm, but it just becomes a case of risk, upon risk, upon risk.

What to do with older Windows
As much as you’re comfortable with your older version of Windows, each time you boot up you’re exposing your system, important files and entire network. It only takes one weak entry point in the chain to allow malware into all connected devices. That could mean your photo storage, media center or even smart appliances. It’s not worth it – if you’re running Windows XP or Vista (or older), you need to update to a more modern operating system ASAP. Give us a call to upgrade your computer.

We can also monitor your system remotely and apply your Windows updates with our Managed Services packages, ensuring you are always up to date and protected. 

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