FREE RESOURCES
Use these resources to learn a new skill or enhance an existing oneTCC Tuesday Tidbits Issue 393
IT Security Tip #3: Use STRONG passwords!
Thanks to powerful brute-force-attack software readily available online, hackers can try tens of millions of possible password combinations per second. For example, hacking software can guess a five-character password in under three hours. If you only use lowercase letters, it’s 11.9 seconds.
You KNOW you need to have a better password than “password” or “letmein” if you have any hope of keeping hackers out of your PC; but what does a “strong” password mean? A good password should be at least eight characters long (or longer!) and have a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols that are hard to guess. Don’t use dictionary words with proper capitalization because they’re easy to guess (like Password123#). Even though it meets the requirements we just discussed, it’s easily hacked; remember, hackers have sophisticated password-hacking software that will run 24/7/365. If you want a quick tip for remembering your password, use a phrase and insert letters and numbers into it, like $h@KeNb8ke.
These Are A Few Of My Favorite Teams
Tag your favorite Teams and they’ll appear at the top of your Favorites list for quick and easy access.
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In your Teams list, find one of the Teams or channels you work with most often.
- Select . . . to the right of the name.
- Select Favorite.
Shortcut of the Week
Pressing Ctrl+TCC Tuesday Tidbits Issue 392
IT Security Tip #2: Working from home? DON’T! Until you read this…
If you plan on catching up on some work from home AND you’re using a personal device such as a smartphone or personal laptop – DON’T! Unless your personal device is covered under our plan, you could accidentally introduce a virus to the company’s network.
ONLY devices that are under our vigilant watch of patching, updating and monitoring should be used to work remote. Side Note: We can set up a way for you to work from home securely; call our office if you would like us to set that up: (608) 755-1524.
Microsoft Teams: Tag people to get your message noticed
@Mentions call attention to your message.
In a chat or channel conversation, type @, followed by your teammate’s name or email address, and select them.
They’ll get a notification in their Activity feed about the conversation.
Shortcut of the Week
Pressing Ctrl + D opens a bookmark window for page currently viewing.
Jason’s Tech Corner
Submitted by Jason Risner – Solutions Engineer, The Computer Center
The humble USB charger is making the news again ahead of the big holiday travel season. Innocent-looking public USB “chargers” can infect your phone or mobile device with malware, or record and mirror its screen. The safest way to charge your device is to use your own charger plugged into an AC outlet. However, there are power-only cables you can buy that allow you to safely use public chargers. This article from ZDNet explains further:
Officials warn about the dangers of using public USB charging stations
https://www.zdnet.com/article/officials-warn-about-the-dangers-of-using-public-usb-charging-stations/
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 http://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
39 S. Main St. – Upper
Janesville, WI 53545
(608) 755-1524
TCC Tuesday Tidbits Issue 391
IT Security Tip #1: This will SHOCK you about bank fraud on business accounts
Did you know your COMPANY’S bank account doesn’t enjoy the same protections as a personal bank account? For example, if a hacker takes money from your business account, the bank is NOT responsible for getting your money back. (Don’t believe me? Go ask your bank what their policy is on refunding you money stolen from your account!) Many people think FDIC protects you from fraud; it doesn’t. It protects you from bank insolvency, NOT fraud.
Quick Tip: Set up e-mail alerts on your account so you are notified any time money is withdrawn from your account. The FASTER you catch fraudulent activity, the better your chances are of keeping your money. If you contact the bank IMMEDIATELY, you have a very high probability of foiling a hacker’s attack.
PowerPoint: Use your smartphone as a remote control and laser pointer
Your smartphone can be a laser pointer and remote control when you’re showing a PowerPoint presentation.
- Add the PowerPoint app to your iPhone, Android phone, or Windows phone.
- Connect your smartphone to the projector by using an HDMI adapter, or connect wirelessly by using AirPlay, ChromeCast, or Miracast.
- Advance through the slides with a touch, or emphasize key ideas with the laser pointer.
Shortcut of the Week
Pressing Ctrl + Tab or Ctrl + Shift + Tab moves between open tabs.
Jason’s Tech Corner
Submitted by Jason Risner – Solutions Engineer, The Computer Center
Disney+ has only been officially available for only a few days, and already thousands of accounts have managed to be compromised.
It does not appear to be a problem with the Disney+ website itself. One cause is malware that stole users’ usernames and passwords for Disney+. Hackers are also gaining access by using stolen passwords from other sites that were hacked. This can only happen if people reuse the same passwords on multiple websites.
This incident underscores the importance of safe password handling practices, like using separate passwords for each website and using a secure password manager like LastPass to generate and save those passwords.
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
TCC Tuesday Tidbits Issue 390
Don’t be distracted by criticism. Remember–the only taste of success some people get is to take a bite out of you.
IT Security Tip #46: Is my PCI compliance good enough to serve as a network cybersecurity audit?
We often get asked if an organization has passed their PCI compliance requirements for accepting credit cards; is there really a need for more security and compliance? The answer is yes! While the PCI architecture and requirements heavily overlap network security issues, a network security audit is going to take a deeper look into how you utilize the technology you own. Most businesses typically need to conduct a network security audit at the same time they conduct a PCI audit.
The PCI regulations have gone a long way toward making every business that accepts credit cards become more secure – it’s a threat to the payment industry to have unsecured businesses responsible for millions in fraudulent charges. A good network security audit at the same time as your PCI audit typically provides for a balanced scale when weighing security and functionality.
PowerPoint: Shortcuts to your Slide Show
You don’t need a mouse or clicker to run a slide show:
Press F5 to start from the beginning, or Shift+F5 to start from the current slide.
Press the right arrow key to see the next slide or animation. The left arrow key shows the previous slide or animation.
Press number and then Enter to go to a particular slide number.
Press Esc to end the slide show.
Shortcut of the Week
Pressing Ctrl + W closes the current window.
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 http://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
TCC Tuesday Tidbits Issue 389
Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.
IT Security Tip #45: Is It Time For Cybersecurity Planning?
The time to start planning for a security threat isn’t during a virus outbreak or immediately after you discover funds transferred within your banking accounts. Decisions and judgments made during this time are typically driven by emotion and not facts. The time to make those cyberthreat plans is now.
Things to consider when you’re planning:
- Physical access to your building(s)
- What to do with lost or stolen mobile devices
- PCI (payment card industry) compliance requirements
- Data-breach incident response
- Threat monitoring
That’s where we are here to help! Give us a call and we’ll be glad to help you evaluate your “cybersecure” plan. There are great resources out there for businesses that just don’t know where to start with cybersecurity. Take a look at www.fcc.gov/cyberplanner for a customizable guide to where to get started with operational and organizational planning.
PowerPoint: When Doing is Easier Than Explaining, Record a Screen Demo
Screen recording is a great way to create a webinar, lesson, or short demonstration.
PowerPoint puts your recording on a slide, or you can save it directly to a video file that you can share on YouTube.
Shortcut of the Week
Pressing Ctrl + F opens the find feature. Using this shortcut, you can quickly find text on the same page.
Jason’s Tech Corner
Submitted by Jason Risner – Solutions Engineer, The Computer Center
Warning! Do NOT plug space heaters into power strips!
Before plugging in your space heater this winter, be leery about using power strips. Click the link to find out why fire departments warn against them.
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 http://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
TCC Tuesday Tidbits Issue 388
The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus.
IT Security Tip #44: Should My Computer Be Encrypted?
It’s another Tuesday at the airport, and you just cleared the TSA line and went to the pretzel shop for a quick bite before you catch your plane. You sit your laptop down to get a straw and the next second…your laptop is gone. It’s not in sight, nor is the thief who stole it.
If you have a password on your laptop, that will likely prevent the thief from immediately having access to your private documents. What it doesn’t stop is someone removing the hard drive from your laptop and connecting it to another computer – suddenly your hard drive is sitting there, ready to browse – just like any other folder or drive letter.
What do you do? Encrypt it! A good first step toward protecting the hard drive of your laptop and other mobile devices is to encrypt it. With the drive encrypted, a thief can’t just pull it out, hook it up and suddenly have access to all your files. At least you’ve made it pretty hard for them to get to your data.
PowerPoint: Export Slides to Video
When you want to give a high-fidelity version of your presentation to colleagues or customers, save it as a video.
- Select File > Export > Create a Video.
- Select the video quality you want.
- Determine the timings and narration to include, and then click Create Video.
- Name the video and choose a format: either MPEG-4 Video or Windows Media Video.
Shortcut of the Week
Quickly get to the URL address bar by pressing Ctrl+L or F6 function key
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 http://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
TCC Tuesday Tidbits Issue 387
Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.
IT Security Tip #43: New Quarter, New Password
It’s a wise idea to follow the calendar year when changing passwords to your online sites, financial/banking sites and computer systems. We recommend you change these passwords at least once every three months. It’s also important you don’t reuse passwords or use the same passwords for two different resources.
If your social media account gets hacked, you don’t want the attacker to also be able to gain access to your Amazon.com and banking accounts simply because you used the same password for both sites. Maintaining separate passwords is a lot of work – but the cybersociety we live in demands it.
A good password will be composed of both lowercase and CAPITAL letters, numbers and !@#$%^ (symbols). Passwords for various sites should always be different, but they can be similar. You may use J@nu@ry1! for site A and J@nu@ry1@ for site B.
Need help in developing strong password policies? Give us a call and we’ll be happy to help.
PowerPoint: Match Colors Using the Eyedropper
With the Eyedropper, you can copy a color and then apply it to text or images on your slide so your tones and colors match perfectly!
Point the mouse at the color you want to extract, then click to transfer the color.
Shortcut of the Week
Pressing Ctrl + T opens a new tab in your browser. Ctrl + Shift + T will open recently closed tabs.
Technology Sponsor – Solo & Small Firm Conference
The Computer Center is sponsoring the technology track at this year’s Solo & Small Firm Conference from October 24 – 26 and will be attending as a guest! If you are a law firm and are attending, please be sure to say “Hello” and ask about the new book.
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 http://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
TCC Tuesday Tidbits Issue 386
All progress takes place outside the comfort zone.
IT Security Tip #42: Do you allow guests to access your WiFi network?
Do you have guest access on your company WiFi network? Or do you simply give out the same password that your employees use? If you give out your password, you’re practically opening the door for anyone to come in and steal private information, infect your private computers and even steal customer credit card data if you are processing them over the same Internet connection.
The key to providing free guest WiFi access is in segregation and security. Your WiFi guests need to be completely isolated and segregated from your private network. Your guests should not be able to reach your internal computer network, credit card terminals or other network-connected devices.
Don’t know how to enable guest WiFi access? Give us a call and we’ll help you out.
PowerPoint: Make Your Slides Sing
Just a few clicks and you’re playing music for the duration of your slide show.
- Select Insert > Audio > Audio on My PC.
- Select a music file > Insert.
- Select Audio Tools Playback > Play in Background.
The music will start automatically during your slide show.
Shortcut of the Week
When browsing the Internet, pressing the spacebar moves the scrollbar down a page. Pressing Shift+spacebar moves the scrollbar up one page.
Use channels and teams in Microsoft Teams
You can create teams (groups of people) and channels (like topic-specific chat rooms) to organize conversations in Microsoft Teams. Create a team or channel to have a conversation among your department, discuss a project, or just to share fun memes and GIFs.
See how teams and channels work in Teams
Check out this training video to learn more about the differences between teams and channels and how to set each one up.
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 http://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
TCC Tuesday Tidbits Issue 385
Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do. Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better.
IT Security Tip #41: Do you enter your PIN when you use your debit card?
We live in a mostly cashless society these days. Our parents wouldn’t have ever thought to pay for a $1.50 cup of coffee with plastic; now it’s commonplace. How you swipe that plastic, though, makes a big difference in how you are protected from your neighborhood cyberthief.
If you enter your PIN when you run a debit card transaction, STOP! Run the card as credit. Not only will you not have to enter the PIN, you’ll almost always get more anti-fraud protection should you have a problem with a purchase or if the card number is stolen. In addition, always use the card as credit when shopping online, out of town on vacation or business, or when making large purchases.
Running your transaction through the credit card network instead of the bank network offers these additional protections – plus it’s faster!
PowerPoint: Tall or Wide? You Decide!
Change the orientation of your slide to fit your content.
On the Design tab click Slide Size > Custom Slide Size. Under Orientation, choose Portrait or Landscape. Sorry, landscape and portrait can’t be mixed in the same presentation.
Shortcut of the Week
Ctrl+P is used to open a print preview of the page or document currently being viewed. On Apple computers use Cmd+P to open the print preview.
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!
- Thursday, October 10 – Protecting Client Data – Behavior vs Technology
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 http://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