IT Security Tip #21: Rules to Keeping Your Data Safe in the Cloud

If you’re using any kind of cloud application (and these days, who isn’t?), you are right to be concerned about data privacy and security. The company hosting your data is ultimately responsible for keeping hackers out of THEIR network, but most cloud breaches are due to USER ERROR. So it’s important that you, the user, are being smart about security. Here are a few things you can easily do to improve security in the cloud:

1. Maintain a STRONG password of at least eight characters with both uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. Do NOT make it easy, such as “Password123!”. While that technically meets the requirements, a hacker could easily crack that.
2. Make sure the device you’re using to access the application is secure. This is an area where you need professional help in installing and maintaining a strong firewall, antivirus and spam-filtering software. Don’t access your cloud application with a device you also use to check social media sites and free e-mail accounts like Hotmail.
3. “Reverse”-backup your data. If the data in a cloud application is important, make sure you’re downloading it from the application and backing it up in another safe and secure location. That way, if your account is hacked or the data is corrupted, you have a copy.

Formatting Made Easy with Styles

Styles like Heading 1 let you reformat on the fly, navigate long documents, and instantly get an updatable table of contents.

For each of the main headings in your document, click anywhere in the paragraph (don’t select anything). Then go to the Home tab and select Heading 1.

Now you can apply themes, make a table of contents, and use the Navigation Pane to jump to different parts of your document.

Shortcut of the Week

You can hold down the Alt key while dragging and highlighting text in a text editor allowing you to selectively highlight text. Highlighting text this way is useful if the paragraph or other text is in a column.

The Computer Center’s Weekly Webinar Series

Take advantage of The Computer Center’s webinar series that helps you learn how to protect your small business and your employees without leaving your office!

• May 23 – The End of Windows 7: Is it Really an Issue for Your Business?
• May 30 Practical Cyber Security for Your Small Business or How to Keep the Bad Guys Out Without Breaking the Bank
• June 6 – Free Productivity Enhancing Tools Included with Office 365 That You Probably Aren’t Using in Your Business
• June 13 – Protecting Your Business and Employees from ID Theft and Phishing Scams
• June 20 – The End of Windows 7: Is it Really an Issue for Your Business?

And then at the end of June, please join us for an in-person Seminar

• June 27 – Cyber Security Seminar

Follow the link to register for more information.

Have an unfortunate co-worker that’s not getting a copy of the TCC Tuesday Tidbits? Forward them your copy. Or, better yet, have them sign up at https://computer-center.com/tidbits/

Submit your TCC Tuesday Tidbit requests and ideas to me by calling (608) 755-1524.

Sincerely,

James Pearson, President
The Computer Center
One Parker Pl, Ste. #655
Janesville, WI 53545
(608) 755-1524

IT Security Tip #20: You’ve Been HACKED! What’s the First Thing You Should Do?

No matter how diligent you are about security, there’s always a chance you can get hacked. That’s why you need to put a plan in place NOW to protect yourself and your CLIENTS, so damage is minimized. But what should you do if you find out you’ve been hacked?

First, contact your IT department (us) IMMEDIATELY. The faster we can address the attack – and determine the extent of the data, applications and machines compromised – the better your chances are of preventing much bigger problems. We’ll go to work on containing the attack and conducting a full scan of your network.

Based on what we discover, we may advise you to contact the local FBI office and your attorney. Your legal responsibilities depend greatly on the type of data accessed. For example, if medical, financial or other confidential records were stolen or accessed, you are legally responsible for notifying those individuals that their data was compromised (your attorney can best direct you on what you need to do and how to do it). 

Write, Create and Share Directly with Word Online

To quickly start a document that your colleages can contribute to, go to word.office.com, which opens Word Online, the browser version of Word.

Choose a blank page, or select a template with starter content.

To invite others, click the big blue Share button at the top of the window. You’ll see the changes they’re making when they’re editing with you.

Everyone you share with can open the document in Word Online, or in their Word app, whichever they prefer.

Shortcut of the Week

Did you know that you can highlight all or a portion of text in text editors or programs by simply using the Shift key and your mouse? Try clicking at the beginning of the text you want to highlight and then holding down the Shift key, scroll to the bottom, and click at the end of the text. You’ll see this highlights your desired selection.

The Computer Center’s Weekly Webinar Series

Take advantage of The Computer Center’s webinar series that helps you learn how to protect your small business and your employees without leaving your office!

• May 16 – What You Need to Know About Microsoft Office 365 Security
• May 23 – The End of Windows 7: Is it Really an Issue for Your Business?
• May 30 Practical Cyber Security for Your Small Business or How to Keep the Bad Guys Out Without Breaking the Bank
• June 6 – Free Productivity Enhancing Tools Included with Office 365 That You Probably Aren’t Using in Your Business
• June 13 – Protecting Your Business and Employees from ID Theft and Phishing Scams
• June 20 – The End of Windows 7: Is it Really an Issue for Your Business?

And then at the end of June, please join us for an in-person Seminar

• June 27 – Cyber Security Seminar

Follow the link to register for more information.

Have an unfortunate co-worker that’s not getting a copy of the TCC Tuesday Tidbits? Forward them your copy. Or, better yet, have them sign up at https://computer-center.com/tidbits/

Submit your TCC Tuesday Tidbit requests and ideas to me by calling (608) 755-1524.

Sincerely,

James Pearson, President
The Computer Center
One Parker Pl, Ste. #655
Janesville, WI 53545
(608) 755-1524

IT Security Tip #19: WARNING if You Handle, Process or Store Client Credit Cards

If you handle, process or store credit cards in any manner, you are required to comply with PCI DSS, or Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards. This is a set of LEGAL requirements you must abide by to maintain a secure environment. If you violate them, you will incur serious fines and fees.

Are you subject to them if you take credit card payments over the phone? Absolutely! If you have clients that pay you direct by credit card, you’re subject to these laws. However, there are various levels of security standards – but thinking you don’t process enough to matter or that “no one would want to hack us” is dangerous. All it takes is an employee writing down a credit card number in an e-mail or on a piece of paper to violate a law; and then you’ll be left with legal fees, fines and the reputational damage incurred when you have to contact your clients to let them know you weren’t properly storing or handling their credit cards.

Getting compliant – or finding out if you ARE compliant – isn’t a simple matter I can outline in a 1-2-3-step checklist. It requires an assessment of your specific environment and how you handle credit card information.

A great resource is the PCI Security Standards Council, or www.pcisecuritystandards.org. If you want assistance in figuring out if you’re complaint, call us for a free assessment. 

Listen to Your Document for Better Comprehension

Word can read your document out loud like an audio book and highlight each word simultaneously as it’s being read. Read Aloud can help you learn a new language and, along with other Learning Tools, helps improve reading skills for people with learning disabilities like dyslexia.

1. With your document open in Word, click Review > Read Aloud. Or, press Alt+Ctrl+Space on your keyboard.
2. Click Play/Pause to start and stop the narration. Select Settings   to change the reading speed.

Shortcut of the Week

Quickly increase and decrease the size of the text or fonts on a web page by holding down the CTRL key on the keyboard and scrolling up or down with the wheel on a wheel mouse.

The Computer Center’s Weekly Webinar Series

Take advantage of The Computer Center’s webinar series that helps you learn how to protect your small business and your employees without leaving your office!

• May 9 – Layers of Security: Protecting Your Small Business from Hackers and Identity Thieves Without Breaking the Bank
• May 16 – What You Need to Know About Microsoft Office 365 Security
• May 23 – The End of Windows 7: Is it Really an Issue for Your Business?
• May 30 Practical Cyber Security for Your Small Business or How to Keep the Bad Guys Out Without Breaking the Bank
• June 6 – Free Productivity Enhancing Tools Included with Office 365 That You Probably Aren’t Using in Your Business
• June 13 – Protecting Your Business and Employees from ID Theft and Phishing Scams
• June 20 – The End of Windows 7: Is it Really an Issue for Your Business?

And then at the end of June, please join us for an in-person Seminar

• June 27 – Cyber Security Seminar

Follow the link to register for more information.

Have an unfortunate co-worker that’s not getting a copy of the TCC Tuesday Tidbits? Forward them your copy. Or, better yet, have them sign up at https://computer-center.com/tidbits/

Submit your TCC Tuesday Tidbit requests and ideas to me by calling (608) 755-1524.

Sincerely,

James Pearson, President
The Computer Center
One Parker Pl, Ste. #655
Janesville, WI 53545
(608) 755-1524

IT Security Tip #18: Your Firewall is USELESS Unless…

A firewall is a device that acts like a security cop watching over your computer network to detect unauthorized access and activity – and EVERY business and individual needs one.

However, your firewall is completely useless if it’s not set up or maintained properly. Your firewall needs to be upgraded and patched on a continual and consistent basis, and security policies and configurations set. This is not something you want to try and handle on your own – you are best served by letting the pros (us!) handle that for you.

If you’re our client, we’ve got you covered. If not, call us at (608) 755-1524 for your FREE Business and Technology Assessment or visit computer-center.com/bta.

Word: Accept a Suggestion, Keep the Change

Letting everyone work with you on your document doesn’t mean you have to give up editorial control. When Track Changes is turned on, Word keeps track of what was changed, by whom, and when.

The changes are more like suggestions. Accept the changes you want to keep, reject the ones you don’t.

To turn on Track Changes, go to the Review tab and select Track Changes. Use the Accept or Reject commands on the Review tab to keep or get rid of changes.

Shortcut of the Week

You can selectively print in Windows programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, web browsers, Outlook, etc. To do this, highlight portions of text you want to print, and click the Print icon. In the printer dialog window, under Page Range, choose the Selection option.

The Computer Center’s Weekly Webinar Series

Take advantage of The Computer Center’s webinar series that helps you learn how to protect your small business and your employees without leaving your office!

• May 2 – Understanding One Drive for Business: How to Unlock the Power, Savings and Potential of Office 365
• May 9 – Layers of Security: Protecting Your Small Business from Hackers and Identity Thieves Without Breaking the Bank
• May 16 – What You Need to Know About Microsoft Office 365 Security
• May 23 – The End of Windows 7: Is it Really an Issue for Your Business?
• May 30 Practical Cyber Security for Your Small Business or How to Keep the Bad Guys Out Without Breaking the Bank
• June 6 – Free Productivity Enhancing Tools Included with Office 365 That You Probably Aren’t Using in Your Business
• June 13 – Protecting Your Business and Employees from ID Theft and Phishing Scams
• June 20 – The End of Windows 7: Is it Really an Issue for Your Business?

And then at the end of June, please join us for an in-person Seminar

• June 27 – Cyber Security Seminar

Follow the link to register for more information.

Have an unfortunate co-worker that’s not getting a copy of the TCC Tuesday Tidbits? Forward them your copy. Or, better yet, have them sign up at https://computer-center.com/tidbits/

Submit your TCC Tuesday Tidbit requests and ideas to me by calling (608) 755-1524.

Sincerely,

James Pearson, President
The Computer Center
One Parker Pl, Ste. #655
Janesville, WI 53545
(608) 755-1524

IT Security Tip #17: Don’t Just Close Your Browser!

When online accessing a banking site or any other application containing sensitive data, make sure you log out of the site and THEN close your browser. If you simply close your browser, some of the session information that a hacker can use to gain entry is still running in the background.

Get the Picture

No need to open your browser to search for clip art or pictures for your document.

1. With your cursor where you want the picture in your document, go to the Insert tab and select Online pictures.
2. Search for a picture. To find clip art, include the phrase “clip art” in your search.
3. When you find a picture you like, select it and click Insert.

Shortcut of the Week

If you want to follow a link on a webpage without closing the current page, try using Shift and clicking on the link or right click the link and select Open link in New Window. If you prefer to view the link in a new tab instead of a whole new window, you can try opening the link by pressing down your middle mouse button, or again, right click the link and select Open link in New Tab.

The Computer Center’s Weekly Webinar Series

Take advantage of The Computer Center’s webinar series that helps you learn how to protect your small business and your employees without leaving your office!

• April 25 – The 7 Layers of Security Every Small Business Must Have!
• May 2 – Understanding One Drive for Business: How to Unlock the Power, Savings and Potential of Office 365
• May 9 – Layers of Security: Protecting Your Small Business from Hackers and Identity Thieves Without Breaking the Bank
• May 16 – What You Need to Know About Microsoft Office 365 Security
• May 23 – The End of Windows 7: Is it Really an Issue for Your Business?
• May 30 Practical Cyber Security for Your Small Business or How to Keep the Bad Guys Out Without Breaking the Bank
• June 6 – Free Productivity Enhancing Tools Included with Office 365 That You Probably Aren’t Using in Your Business
• June 13 – Protecting Your Business and Employees from ID Theft and Phishing Scams
• June 20 – The End of Windows 7: Is it Really an Issue for Your Business?

And then at the end of June, please join us for an in-person Seminar

• June 27 – Cyber Security Seminar

Follow the link to register for more information.

Have an unfortunate co-worker that’s not getting a copy of the TCC Tuesday Tidbits? Forward them your copy. Or, better yet, have them sign up at https://computer-center.com/tidbits/

Submit your TCC Tuesday Tidbit requests and ideas to me by calling (608) 755-1524.

Sincerely,

James Pearson, President
The Computer Center
One Parker Pl, Ste. #655
Janesville, WI 53545
(608) 755-1524

IT Security Tip #16: Make THIS Password Different From Everything Else

You know you’re guilty of it: using the same password for everything. Believe me, I understand how annoying it is to try and remember all those passwords; and if you’re using the same password for sites that don’t share sensitive information, like a login to a news feed you like to read, then it’s generally okay.

HOWEVER, the ONE password you want to keep unique is your e-mail password. If an e-commerce site you’ve registered at or bought from gets hacked – and you’ve used the SAME password for everything to register at the site – you can pretty much bet hackers are going to gain access to your in-box. They’ll have your e-mail and your password to the e-commerce site and will use that to hack in. From there, they’ll have fertile ground for getting all your data and other passwords.

Keep an Eye on Your Word Count

Word keeps count of your words (and your characters, too). To see how many words are in your document, check the status bar at the bottom of the window.

Want to know how many words are in a portion of your document? Select some text and check the word count in the status bar.

To see the number of characters, lines, paragraphs, and other information, click the word count in the status bar to open the detailed Word Count window.

Shortcut of the Week

Did you know that you can automatically complete a URL? Just start typing the name of the page you are looking for and press Ctrl + Enter on the keyboard to automatically fill in the “www.” and “.com” portion of the URL.

For example, type: computer-center and then press Ctrl + Enter you will automatically be sent to www.computer-center.com.

The Computer Center’s Weekly Webinar Series

Take advantage of The Computer Center’s webinar series that helps you learn how to protect your small business and your employees without leaving your office!

• April 18 – Protecting Your Business and Employees from ID Theft and Phishing Scams
• April 25 – The 7 Layers of Security Every Small Business Must Have!
• May 2 – Understanding One Drive for Business: How to Unlock the Power, Savings and Potential of Office 365
• May 9 – Layers of Security: Protecting Your Small Business from Hackers and Identity Thieves Without Breaking the Bank
• May 16 – What You Need to Know About Microsoft Office 365 Security
• May 23 – The End of Windows 7: Is it Really an Issue for Your Business?
• May 30 Practical Cyber Security for Your Small Business or How to Keep the Bad Guys Out Without Breaking the Bank
• June 6 – Free Productivity Enhancing Tools Included with Office 365 That You Probably Aren’t Using in Your Business
• June 13 – Protecting Your Business and Employees from ID Theft and Phishing Scams
• June 20 – The End of Windows 7: Is it Really an Issue for Your Business?

And then at the end of June, please join us for an in-person Seminar

• June 27 – Cyber Security Seminar

Follow the link to register for more information.

Have an unfortunate co-worker that’s not getting a copy of the TCC Tuesday Tidbits? Forward them your copy. Or, better yet, have them sign up at https://computer-center.com/tidbits/

Submit your TCC Tuesday Tidbit requests and ideas to me by calling (608) 755-1524.

Sincerely,

James Pearson, President
The Computer Center
One Parker Pl, Ste. #655
Janesville, WI 53545
(608) 755-1524

IT Security Tip #15: Set Up Bank Alerts – NOW!

Here’s a tip that just might save your bacon: set up withdrawal alerts on your bank accounts. Many banks will send you an e-mail alert whenever money is withdrawn from your account via check, debit card or transfer. Setting up those alerts will allow you to spot and report fraudulent activity BEFORE the money has already been siphoned into a cybercriminal’s hands.

Effect or Affect? Word Helps You Make The Call

Word doesn’t just suggest ways to strengthen your writing – it gives you the reasons why. You make the call on what to change.

1. Right-click on any word with red or blue underlines to see the issue that Word found.
2. Pick the alternative, or choose to ignore Word’s suggestion.
3. Click See More to learn the “why” behind the suggestion.

Shortcut of the Week

You can move forward or backward between web pages just by holding down the Shift key and moving the scroll wheel on your mouse up or down.

Have an unfortunate co-worker that’s not getting a copy of the TCC Tuesday Tidbits? Forward them your copy. Or, better yet, have them sign up at https://computer-center.com/tidbits/

Submit your TCC Tuesday Tidbit requests and ideas to me by calling (608) 755-1524.

Sincerely,

James Pearson, President
The Computer Center
One Parker Pl, Ste. #655
Janesville, WI 53545
(608) 755-1524