As invaluable as the security solutions that protect a network are, they can be effectively rendered useless if a cybercriminal is skilled in social engineering. Social engineering is the practice of using manipulation to access protected resources. If your business and its team are vulnerable to a social engineering attempt, you are missing a critical piece of your data security strategy.
Spyware, like other malware, is a problem for any organization. Since your business generates, collects, and uses considerable amounts of data, there are plenty of organizations that want to get their hands on it. You spend so much time and money protecting your data against threats on the Internet, but what if the spyware were to just come standard on the computer you just bought?
Data security is such a core consideration of the modern business that every small effort you can take to protect your business is important. One such effort is the implementation of two-factor authentication. However, your employees may not initially feel entirely comfortable with some facets of two-factor authentication.
With the holiday season here, many people are hoping to find the best and brightest smartphone on the market to ensure that they can keep in touch with friends, family, and even clients should an emergency drag you back to the office suddenly. We’ll break down the specs of each major smartphone on the market so that you can make an educated decision about which one might be best for you.
With the growing popularity of Cyber Monday sales and the growth of all types of eCommerce, your employees are likely tempted to shop during work hours. To add to the attraction, there are a lot of promotions exclusively available to online shoppers that take place during business hours of operations. Many companies allow occasional use of company time for personal use. However, some employees are going to take advantage of this generosity and abuse the privilege.
There are many key organizations in the world that simply can’t afford to have cybercriminals and hackers interfering with their data. One of these organizations, CERN (whose acronym translates to the European Laboratory for Particle Physics), has fa
You might have only recently heard about outsourced IT services, but you might be surprised to hear that they have been around for far longer than you previously thought. Even before managed IT, however, business owners and individuals alike were usi
Dozens of surveys and reports are produced each year that evaluate digital threats and cybercrime. Not every publication applies to every business - but many of them do have some important take-aways about the best practices of handling IT. Here’s fe
Does your business have trouble keeping data on the company network? This can be an issue if your employees use their mobile devices to do work while on the go. In order to keep this from becoming an issue, you should encourage your employees to not
Each worker within an organization is delegated some sort of responsibility based on their role. Managers are responsible for managing, while human resources keep all workers accountable for their responsibilities. Yet, there are multiple responsibilities designated to all employees who use technology for their everyday duties.
When you mention the term 'disaster recovery,' most people think about the big ground-shattering events like earthquakes, fires, floods, tropical storms, etc. While these natural events are certainly disasters and devastating in their own right, smaller things can constitute as a disaster for your business, and they aren't seasonal. 99% of disasters happen in the office, most are server failures or some type of data loss.
The Internet certainly has changed the way we live, work, shop, and communicate. We may think we're superior to previous generations because of all our Internet-based technology, but we have video proof that the Internet was actually conceptualized in 1969. In many ways, our parents and grandparents were spot on with their predictions. In other ways, not so much.
We all have our preferences when it comes to how we work. Our Microsoft Outlook settings are no different.
Many people like to have their inbox set up with the reading pane to preview emails at a glance without fully opening them. This is a common practice that, unfortunately, opens up users for unwanted viruses and threats via email.
Emails sent to your inbox containing viruses or malware will install the threats when the emails are viewed in the preview pane, whether or not you've fully opened them or not.
To avoid this potential danger, simply turn off your Outlook reading pane. To do this, go to View > Reading Pane > Off.
This should be done for Outlook Web Access as well because the threat is the same.
The longest running state agent technology conference in the nation, Great Lakes Automation Day (GLAD) was presented by the Michigan Association of Insurance Agents on November 11, 2010.
The event drew over 150 agents to hear presentations from agents on the leading edge of technology, carrier technology representatives, agency IT leaders, and more. GLAD’s day-long format was topped-off with numerous vendor booths and wonderful networking opportunities.
Steve Brooks of B & B Premier Insurance Solutions kicked off the day with his keynote presentation regarding the latest tools and opportunities for agents to grow their personal lines business, despite intense competition from captive and direct agents.
Mike Steger, Communications Manager at Michigan State University, followed with a fast-paced session that highlighted 45 technology tips in a mere 45 minutes. His presentation included a slew of websites and resources, most of which are free to agents, which can be used for improving online presence, productivity, and more.
After two additional sessions and a delicious lunch, Jerry Fetty took the Kellogg Center stage to present Mobile Computing Today. Jerry discussed the latest developments and reviewed a variety of devices, emphasizing the need to understand how agents plan to work remotely in order for them to select the mobile platform and device that will allow them to be the most productive.
A concurrent Michigan NetVU user group meeting rounded out the information-packed day.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by the SMART I.T. Services and MySalesResults booths and congratulations to Ashley Whitney of Harbor Brenn Insurance Agency, winner of our raffle for an Archos 2.8 internet tablet device. We hope to see you all again at the MAIA’s Annual Convention on February 22-24, 2011 in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan!
Malicious online pop-ups are becoming more and more complex, making it harder for everyday users to decipher what is legit and what is harmful. These pop-ups go so far as to trick you into installing malware on your computer, potentially compromising personal and company data while making your computer run slow.
This webinar recording provides you with guidance for preventing the installation of malware on your computer.
An online threat becoming more and more problematic is fake anti-virus and anti-spyware software pop-ups. You may have run into these malicious pop-ups when you're surfing online. A seemingly legit pop-up appears saying, "Your Computer Has Been Infected!" The pop-up prompts you to click it to buy software to rid your computer of the infection.
However, clicking on the pop-up actually installs malware that it claims to be helping you protect against. The malware can compromise your personal data, make your PC extremely slow or unusable, and more. Worse yet, if you proceed to buy the software that the pop-up presents you, your credit card information falls into the hands of thieves.
Here are some things you can do to protect yourself:
• Do NOT click on any pop-up that advertises anti-virus or anti-spyware software, especially a program promising to provide every feature known to mankind. In general, do not click on any pop-up advertisements, as many of them are malicious.
• Use ALT + F4 to close a pop-up window... this is the only safe method for closing one.
• If a virus alert appears on your screen, do NOT touch it. Do not use your mouse to eliminate or scan for viruses, and DON'T use your mouse to close the window. Contact SMART Services immediately. Clicking anywhere on the pop-up will allow the software to install itself.
• Never open an email attachment unless you are POSITIVE about the source.
• Do not download freeware or shareware.
• Avoid questionable websites. Some sites may automatically download malicious software onto your computer.
Thank you for attending Take Your Agency to the Next Level 2010, presented by SMART I.T. Services! Check out some photos below from this seminar that took place on April 29-30, 2010.
STERLING HEIGHTS, MI (February 1, 2010) – SMART I.T. Services, Inc., an information technology services provider focused on serving independent insurance agencies, recently acquired MySalesResults, a web-based sales management tool designed specifically for independent insurance agencies.
MySalesResults will join SMART I.T Services’ set of IT services and solutions for insurance agencies, including proactive network monitoring and management, data backup and standby server, electronic document management, communications solutions, and more.
MySalesResults is designed to be a simple, effective, producer prospecting and results tracking tool. It allows producers to track and manage their prospect pipeline throughout the sales process and it allows managers to review producer sales results compared to their sales goals, by individual producer, department and agency.
Jessica Stevenson, Account Executive for MySalesResults, will continue with MySalesResults providing sales and customer support to agency customers throughout the United States and Canada.
“MySalesResults is a well proven and respected tool for agencies to manage their sales team. It is a welcome compliment to the technology services we currently offer to independent insurance agencies.” stated Jerry Fetty, Founder and CEO of SMART I.T. Services, Inc.
Hetrick & Associates Insurance Agency from Marquette, Michigan, along with Jessica Stevenson and a program developer, created MySalesResults in 2006 as a solution to streamline their sales management and tracking abilities.
“We are confident that Jerry and the SMART I.T. Services team will bring MySalesResults to the next level of success in the industry. We have brought MySalesResults from an idea, to an actual service that independent insurance agencies utilize throughout the United States and Canada. Agencies find success in MySalesResults assisting them in organizing and managing their producers, sales processes, and goals. We are also looking forward to working with Jessica and continuing as a customer of MySalesResults,” said Scott White, VP & Sales Manager of Hetrick & Associates Insurance Agency.
About SMART I.T. Services, Inc.
SMART I.T. Services, Inc. is an information technology (IT) services provider that has been serving insurance agencies since 1991. Agencies have turned to SMART I.T. Services, Inc. to reduce their IT costs, increase productivity, and gain peace of mind. Additionally, SMART I.T. Services is a Microsoft Gold Certified partner and is certified under the Managed Service Providers Accreditation Program (MSAP) by the MSP Alliance. SMART I.T. Services is also the only endorsed and recommended technology services provider of the Michigan Association of Insurance Agents (MAIA). For more information, visit SMARTservices.com.
Check out the latest edition to the SMART Services vehicle fleet - a 2009 Chevy HHR. The car is decked-out in a colorful graphic wrap that features circuits, chips, cables, and other computer components incorporated into a classic "hot rod" look.
Click here to check it out on YouTube!
The Michigan Association of Insurance Agents will be holding its annual Great Lakes Automation Day (GLAD) event on November 6, 2009 at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing, Michigan. The theme for this year's event is "Agencies in the Age of Social Media."
Do you think social media is just a fad? Come find out what the experts think about its potential benefits and the best practices to utilizing it at your insurance agency.
Speakers for GLAD 2009 include Bryant Caudill of SMART I.T. Services, Steve Anderson, and Angelyn Treautel of the IIABA's Agents Council for Technology.
Don't miss out on this great event! Visit http://www.michagent.org/more information and to register.
Everything DiSC
