Great Lakes Computer Corporation

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4 Tips for POS System Maintenance

POS SystemMany businesses are heavily dependent upon the performance of their POS system, which makes it paramount for them to take all possible steps to ensure that it is always operating in good condition. When POS systems fail due to misuse or malfunction it often results in frustrated customers leaving without a purchase, employee productivity plummeting, and your reputation taking a serious hit.

While it’s obviously not possible to eliminate all chance of a system failing, there are several practices you can incorporate into your business that will likely increase the lifespan of your POS system.

Ventilation Concerns

POS systems, like almost all pieces of technological hardware, contain hundreds of sensitive parts that are necessary to keep the device operating optimally. The presence of excessive heat that builds up in the unit as the processors operate can wreak havoc on these important components. One of the best ways to protect the system from heat damage is by placing it in an area with proper ventilation. While most systems do contain internal cooling fans, these fans often aren’t enough on their own to properly cool the unit to a safe temperature. It’s best to avoid placing the system against a wall or other obstruction that would block the flow of ventilation through the unit.

Cleaning and Inspection

Dirt and dust naturally exist in technological hardware. As the cooling mechanism provides ventilation within the unit, dust will settle in every open area and threaten to clog up your system. Other dangers include dirt or other foreign particles contaminating the components of the system and even the buildup of harmful grease in some situations. You should inspect all areas of the POS system for the presence of these factors and clean affected sections at least twice per year or establish a regular schedule.

Proper Use by Staff Members

Like all mechanical devices, POS hardware is designed to be used in a specific way and are more prone to malfunctioning and breaking down when used improperly. Since your staff members will be spending significant hands-on time with your system, it’s best to invest in substantial training programs to ensure that they are following correct procedures. Your employees use the POS system more than anyone, so they are the first line of defense when it comes to prolonging the life of the system and protecting your assets.

Expert Assistance

It’s helpful to have a partner when it comes to safeguarding your important equipment, which is why contracting with an  IT services company to inspect and repair your POS system is a necessity for many business owners. Prevention is the best cure, so work with experts who can protect your business from costly downtime due to POS malfunction.

If you’re looking to protect your POS system from possible malfunction, or if it just hasn’t been running as well lately and you think it’s time for an evaluation, contact the service professionals at Great Lakes Computer.

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How To Defend Your Network Security from 5 Wi-Fi Attacks

Network SecurityNetwork Security is serious business. There are many ways intruders can get into your network. Strong passwords are a great place to start defending your network, but you need to take it to the next level. Here are five ways Wi-Fi attacks occur and how to prevent them from NetworkWorld.

1. Lost or stolen device

When using the simple pre-share key (PSK) mode of WPA2 security, there is one global password for the entire Wi-Fi network. That password is usually saved by all of the devices that connect. If an employee leaves the organization or a Wi-Fi device is lost or stolen, you should change the password. This involves changing the password on all routers or access points, sharing the new password with all Wi-Fi users, and having them input it when they connect again. This isn’t exactly a user-friendly solution for you or the users, and you most likely won’t change the password when you probably should.

For better control and management over Wi-Fi access, use the enterprise mode of WPA2 security, which uses 802.1X authentication. Though this mode requires setting up a RADIUS server for authentication, it allows you to define individual login credentials for each Wi-Fi user, such as usernames and passwords or even security certificates. So if an employee leaves the organization or a Wi-Fi device becomes lost or stolen, simply revoke or change their specific login credential.

2. User-to-user snooping

Though you still may find the PSK mode of WPA2 useful for guest or contractor access on a separate SSID and VLAN, you can see how beneficial the enterprise mode is for your main private wireless network.

Threats don’t always come from the outside. A guest, contractor, or even an employee can snoop on wireless traffic. Though the PSK mode of WPA2 utilizes encryption to scramble the traffic, someone can decrypt the traffic and snoop on other users of the “secure” network if they have the password. This is another vital reason why the enterprise mode of WPA2 is beneficial: it stops this type of user-to-user snooping, while still allowing sharing among users if desired.

3. Sessions hijacking accounts

There are many tools that make session hijacking via poorly secured Wi-Fi quick and easy for anyone, using readily available apps. For these particular apps to work, they just need a rooted Android device and someone on the Wi-Fi to log into a website that’s not fully secure. Then the app will detect the unsecured login and the session hijack would allow the eavesdropper full access to the compromised account without having to enter a password.

Though Wi-Fi users can try to ensure they’re logging onto websites or services via a secured HTTPS/SSL connection to prevent session hijacking, sometimes the session cookie is sent over clear-text, making the user unknowingly vulnerable to this attack.

Keep in mind this type of account hijacking is only possible if the Wi-Fi is unsecured using WEP security or using the PSK mode of WPA or WPA2 security. Again, the enterprise security mode prevents user-to-user snooping, which includes preventing session hijacking of unsecured logins. This is yet another reason to utilize the enterprise mode of Wi-Fi security for your networks. But when end users are on public hotspots and other Wi-Fi networks, you may consider requiring a VPN connection to wrap your traffic in another layer of encryption.

4. Rogue access points

If someone wants unauthorized wireless access to your network, they could attempt to connect via an existing rogue access point or setup their own. Any access point that’s not properly secured could be classified as rogue.

For instance, an employee could innocently bring in a wireless router from home to help boost the Wi-Fi signal in their office but leave the access open or use their own security password. Even scarier, an outsider could come inside to find an accessible Ethernet wall port and quickly plug in their own wireless router or access point. Or if an access point is accessible to them, they could simply use the reset button to restore it to factory defaults making it broadcast wide open.

To protect against rogue access points, use a wireless intrusion detection or prevention system to help actively look for this type of vulnerability. Consider using an access point that offers some intrusion detection or prevention functionality, or consider deploying a third-party solution. You should also look for these rogue access points when performing wireless site surveys.

To help prevent employees from setting up their own wireless routers or access points, consider drafting a Wi-Fi usage policy that includes what users can and can’t do involving the wireless network. Also, educate them on the vulnerabilities and how they can help combat them.

Paying attention to physical security of the network is also important. Ensure all network equipment is secured in a locked closet or otherwise inaccessible to the public and general employees. To cut down on the likelihood of an employee or outsider having an Ethernet port to plug in a router or access point, keep tabs on all ports.

Ensure that wall ports, cable runs, patch panels, and switch ports are all labeled so you can easily identify both ends of the cables. Then you can easily check to make sure that unused ports are unplugged or disabled to help reduce unauthorized use.

5. Denial of service

Because Wi-Fi uses the airwaves, all wireless networks are susceptible to denial of service attacks. Someone inside or outside can send traffic to disrupt the wireless performance or halt the network altogether. This is because wireless encryption doesn’t apply to all management and broadcast frames, enabling someone who’s not connected or authenticated on the wireless network to send spoofed management traffic. Furthermore, no network can be completely protected against these types of attacks.

For instance, one could repeatedly send spoofed de-authentication frames to clients, continually kicking them off the network. Or a large amount of spoofed association request frames could be sent to the access point, overloading it and causing connectivity issues for all associated clients.

Though the 802.11w standard improves upon these types of vulnerabilities by adding sequencing to prevent replays and a message authentication code to detect forgeries, it cannot protect against all types of denial-of-service attacks.

Apart from using special walls, paints, and windows to help shield your building from outside rogue signals, you can use wireless intrusion detection or prevention functionality to help detect or even slow denial of service attacks.

A more innocent denial of service situation could simply be interference from neighboring wireless networks. Maybe a nearby business changes the channels of their access points or starts utilizing wider channel widths, negatively affecting your Wi-Fi. Significant interference can also come from within your organization from other types of wireless devices using 2.4 or 5GHz, such as security cams, alarm systems, cordless phones, or wireless speakers.

If you are looking for a trusted partner to oversee your network and take action in the event of an attack, contact the network security experts at Great Lakes Computer today.

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5 Tips for a Smoother Office Move

Office MovesYou’ve been successful in business and your company is growing. But with growth comes expansion. Increases in staff and equipment can quickly turn your current office space from roomy to congested. Once you find a new office space, you are faced with the daunting task of relocation. Moving is never easy, and there are bound to be bumps in the road. Here are 5 tips to help you ease the transition from Unpakt.com.

1. Plan well in advance

If possible, start planning your move 4-6 months before you actually want to make the transition in order to attend to all of the details without becoming overburdened. Once you know you’re moving into a new office, scope out the space and decide on the layout, including where everything and everyone will go. That will allow you to plan out what your needs are as far as new office equipment goes, and give employees an opportunity to do their own planning ahead for their new space. Create a map or floorplan and make it available to both employees and movers so that everyone knows the plan moving ahead.

2. Hire your moving company early

Since moving a corporate office involves a lot of equipment and details, be sure to get a full estimate and hire a full-service moving company 1-3 months ahead of time. Make sure they have experience with commercial relocation and have them give you an on-site quote for the move — or even better, get recommendations from others in your network who have moved offices before. The movers should be held to the same professional standard as anyone else you do business with.

3. Get the IT Team on board

Give your IT team three months advance notice to start planning the transfer of all things technical: equipment, internet plans, phone connections, etc. They will need to evaluate the new space for any upgrades that need to be made, either to the infrastructure or to equipment being brought to the new office. When relocating a corporate office you want your landing to be as smooth as possible on the tech side, so do the legwork well in advance.

4. Do a deep cleaning

Don’t bring things you don’t need! Shred all unnecessary papers, get rid of office furniture that has been collecting dust, and sell or donate equipment that you won’t be needing anymore. Anything you choose to donate can be used as a tax write-off, so check with your accountants to find out what sort of paper trail you need to create as you purge.

5. Order new equipment well in advance

You want to have everything you need when you move offices, so 1-2 months in advance, put in your orders for new equipment and furniture so that it will be there and ready for you to unpack and settle in. Be careful ordering too many large items though, or you’ll end up paying for their shipping twice: once to get to you, and once to be moved… again. Coordinate with your suppliers to have your purchases arrive at the new office just before you move in.

One of the biggest issues to focus on is your technology. If your computers are down, your business isn’t making money. Hiring an IT company with experience in office moves is crucial. Great Lakes Computer can help get your equipment safely packed up, transferred, and up and running in no time.

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