HTS Blog

It’s been three weeks since one of the worst IT security vulnerabilities in history was announced, and consumers are still receiving mixed messages about how to protect themselves. We usually encourage users to install software updates as often as possible, but when it comes to Meltdown and Spectre, that advice comes with an asterisk.

Keeping up with advancements in technology as a business owner is tough, especially when those advancements relate to information security. However, it doesn’t have to be. Here are a few physical security tips you can implement to protect your data before calling us!
Cover up your webcam
There must be some credibility to doing this if Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, former FBI director, James Comey, and NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden all believe their webcams could be compromised.

The Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge, and Firefox browsers may not be as safe as you think. Security researchers recently discovered that computer chips manufactured in the past two decades contain major security vulnerabilities. One can be used by hackers to gain access to sensitive data.

Fire, flood, storm, and other disasters can lead to power failure and productivity loss. Using uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for computers ensures you never lose unsaved work, but without internet, you’re practically crippled. To avoid that dilemma, we highly recommend using UPSs for your networking equipment, including cable modems, wireless access points, and routers.

Everyone has been trying to make sense of recently discovered vulnerabilities that affect almost every computer in use today. All you really need to know about the Spectre and Meltdown bugs is that they make it very easy to spy on private information stored on a computer.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) brings to mind robots that can perform tasks and think like human beings. While that's certainly possible in the future, AI today is simply an intuitive set of technology that automates business processes. It’s been around for decades, and now it’s poised to make significant improvements to VoIP technology.

Have you recently purchased new laptops or computers? Don’t get too excited. A new report proves that pre-installed software such as free trials and web browser toolbars can pose high-security risks. So if you want to maximize your new investment, here are some things you might want to know:

Tavis Ormandy, a researcher from Google's Project Zero, recently discovered that a compromised password management app, Keeper, had been installed with some versions of Windows 10. For a brief period, Keeper's browser extension, when enabled, allowed websites to easily steal login credentials.

Yet again, Microsoft has released new AI-based features for Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, and more -- a continuing trend since 2016’s launch of the Microsoft AI and Research Group. If your business is subscribed to Office 365, this article will acquaint you with the newest features!
Automatically Uncover Trends in Excel Data
Finding useful information lurking in massive tables of jumbled numbers and data can be quite a headache.

There are a number of reasons you should be wary of saving your password to a digital platform. Just look at Yahoo’s data breach in 2013, which leaked passwords for three billion people. Even when your password isn’t compromised, saving it to a browser could have serious implications for your privacy.