Great Lakes Blog

October 3, 2017 By Bob Martin

Cyber Security Awareness Month: 7 Simple Steps to keep You Cyber Safe

Hooray! October is here and that means it’s National Cyber Security Awareness Month. You may not be as excited as us, but you should still do your part and be aware of how you interact online. The more interconnected we become online, the more windows of opportunity created for cybercriminals. So let’s do our part to stop them by following some simple security steps when working online.

From Stop.Think.Connect.:

Lock down your login: Your usernames and passwords are not enough to protect key accounts like email, banking and social media. Strengthen online accounts and use strong authentication tools – like biometrics, security keys or a unique, one-time code through an app on your mobile device – whenever offered.
Keep a clean machine: Keep all software on internet-connected devices – including personal computers, smartphones and tablets – current to reduce risk of infection from ransomware and malware.
When in doubt, throw it out: Links in email, tweets, posts and online advertising are often how cybercriminals try to compromise your information. If it looks suspicious, even if you know the source, it’s best to delete or, if appropriate, mark as junk.
Back it up: Protect your valuable work, music, photos and other digital information by making an electronic copy and storing it safely. If you have a copy of your data and your device falls victim to ransomware or other cyber threats, you will be able to restore the data from a backup.
Own your online presence: Set the privacy and security settings on websites to your comfort level for information sharing. It is OK to limit how and with whom you share information.
Share with care: Think before posting about yourself and others online. Consider what a post reveals, who might see it and how it might affect you or others.
Personal information is like money. Value it. Protect it.: Information about you, such as purchase history or location, has value – just like money. Be thoughtful about who gets that information and how it is collected by apps, websites and all connected devices.

If you are concerned that your valuable business data is not as protected as it should be, contact us at Great Lakes Computer Corporation in Northeast Ohio. We have been serving the IT needs of businesses locally and nationwide for over 30 years. We offer a range of data security related services, from antivirus to backup and recovery to cloud computing. We can find a solution that works for you.

September 28, 2017 By Bob Martin

Hackers Build Backdoor into CCleaner App

cybersecurity A new hack has been announced and it’s affecting over 2 million users. The infected application is called CCleaner and it’s one that even we have mentioned in the past because it’s free and works well to run file clean up to remove clutter from your hard drive. But, as with so many other breaches, when you’re dealing with free software, sometimes you get what you paid for.

From a Forbes article:

It has 2 billion downloads and claims to be getting 5 million extra a week, making the threat particularly severe, researchers at Cisco Talos warned. Comparing it to the NotPetya ransomware outbreak, which spread after a Ukrainian accounting app was infected, the researchers discovered the threat on September 13 after CCleaner 5.33 caused Talos systems to flag malicious activity.

Further investigation found the CCleaner download server was hosting the backdoored app as far back as September 11. Talos warned in a blog Monday that the affected version was released on August 15, but on September 12 an untainted version 5.34 was released. For weeks then, the malware was spreading inside supposedly-legitimate security software.

The malware would send encrypted information about the infected computer – the name of the computer, installed software and running processes – back to the hackers’ server. The hackers also used what’s known as a domain generation algorithm (DGA); whenever the crooks’ server went down, the DGA could create new domains to receive and send stolen data. Use of DGAs shows some sophistication on the part of the attackers.

The Chief Technology Officer at the parent company, Avast, says there is no reason to fear. They launched an automatic update to users that downloaded the infected version of the software in the last couple of weeks. This should also serve as a warning for users that have disabled automatic updates that you should take a moment to install your immediately.

They also believe that they stopped the attack before any significant data was stolen, believing that the hackers intended a second phaase of attack that was thwarted by quick detection and remediation.

If you’re uncertain about how effective your current cybersecurity solution is, contact us. We offer a range of antivirus and monitoring services, as well as backup and recovery (which may be the best solution to cybercrime there is).

September 26, 2017 By Bob Martin

The Why, What, When, & Who of Preventative Maintenance

it maintenance We are all guilty of losing track of the last time we cleaned our printer jets or dusted our PC fans. Preventative maintenance is one of those tasks that quickly gets lost in the shuffle. When we get a new piece of hardware, we vow this time will be different, but it never is. Preventative maintenance will help us get the most out of our capital investments. Let’s make those dollars stretch as long as they can.

Why Do I Need Preventative Maintenance?

Because we rely on our IT hardware to work when we need it. When it fails, there are costs that we incur – costs to repair, costs to replace, down time, wasted staff time, poor customer experience to name a few. Without proactively caring for your machines, you are more likely to experience unexpected down time and shorter equipment life. Unless you have a money tree stashed away, these aren’t costs a business can dismiss. Protecting your investments and keeping your IT hardware up and running is critical to your bottom line.

What Is Preventative Maintenance?

The exact details of a maintenance service call will vary with the type and model of machine being serviced. There are some commonalities across machines, including updating drivers and cleaning out dust and debris. For servers, it means examining data usage, checking backups, and cleaning up user accounts. For PCs, it means cleaning up hard drives, ensuring back ups are in order, scanning for viruses. For printers, most require new parts such as transfer rollers, fusing assemblies, and feed rollers on a periodic basis. Preventative maintenance handles all of these functions.

When Do I Need Preventative Maintenance?

Each machine has its own schedule. That makes regular maintenance even more complex. I can assure you that regular maintenance should be done more than you’re doing it now. You expect your laptops and printers to work when you need them, and without fail. But we are hard on our IT and often don’t follow the recommended guidelines for maintaining them. They are often operating at decreased function due to this lack of attention. This means we are losing bits of time here and there as processing slows and we may not even notice it. All those bits of time start to add up. Hiring an IT repair expert can free you from the burdens of this daunting task.

Who Can Help Me with Preventative Maintenance?

Those with in-house IT departments rely on their staff to handle these tasks. But, could your IT staff create more value by focusing on forward-thinking IT projects to help grow your business over putting out fires? The answer is yes.

If you are an SMB and are handling your printer and server maintenance yourself, stop wasting your time! There are IT maintenance and repair companies that can do it for you. Whether you sign on for contract maintenance or buy time in blocks, there are options for you. Maintenance services can save money in the long run because a skilled technician should be able to spot any glaring problems and correct them before the machine becomes unusable – a circumstance that will interfere with workflow and therefore, with the SMB’s bottom line.

Great Lakes Computer Corporation specializes in IT hardware repair and maintenance. We can repair your servers, printers, PCs, and POS Systems. GLC uses only Original Equipment Manufacture (OEM) parts and trained / certified computer repair technicians.

We offer multiple “levels” of IT service types, coverage types, and service levels. This program can be “customer designed” to meet any requirement and provides for complete coverage against equipment hardware failures.

September 21, 2017 By Bob Martin

The Obvious and Unseen Savings of Managed Print

If you leave kids alone in a kitchen to make themselves dinner, there is likely to be some unexpected use of food and utensils and plenty of unnecessary waste. When it comes to printing, if left unsupervised, your staff will do the exact same. It’s easy to be wasteful when it’s not you footing the bill, which is why you need a Managed Print program. Managed Print Services (MPS) are intended to effectively control the costs and monitor the efficiencies of a highly uncontrolled and costly business function. Here is a quick list of costs, obvious and less so, that a managed print program can save you.

Hard Cost Savings (These can represent a 30-40% reduction of current costs)

Print Supplies. Toner, ink, fusers, etc. all add up in terms of cost. MPS can offer toner at discounted rates over office supply depots due to economies of scale in ordering. They can replace your supplies as needed, instead of you stocking them up in house. Then, when a machine gets outmoded, you don’t have a stockpile of toner that is now worthless.

Identification of Unnecessary Printing. MPS will track your printing remotely. This gives them information like who is printing and how much they’re printing. The users that have their own printers are tremendous material wasters because while they use them less, they cost the business the same amount in toner, power, and maintenance as any other machine. MPS helps identify where waste is occurring and establish plans to reduce it which can save you money.

Service and Maintenance. Keeping your printers running optimally means regularly scheduled maintenance. In the event of an issue, repairs take time too. On average, up to 50% of help desk calls are print-related. MPS can eliminate that time waste and extend the life of your IT investment.

Soft Cost Savings (These can represent another 10-20% reduction of costs)

Administration of Print Supplies. That toner isn’t ordering and replacing itself. Someone has to take the time to recognize it’s empty, order it, receive it, and install it.

Maximize Usage. Your IT hardware is rarely utilized within its recommended usage guidelines (think of the kids in the kitchen example). By monitoring print activities, your staff will be held accountable for what they’re printing. Knowing they’re being monitored will go a long way in discouraging unnecessary printing and misuse of company resources.

Giving “Phil” His Time Back. You may have an in-house IT person who can help you with printer issues. But, everytime he’s called to do that, he is losing time he could be spending on forward-thinking IT projects that can help improve the business. The less time he spends fighting fires, the more time he has to innovate. If you don’t have an IT person, you have a “Phil”. This is the person that has the misfortune of a basic working knowledge of how to repair printers and computers that everyone in the office calls on when they have an issue. Phil, no doubt, has an actual job function that he is being pulled from every time someone asks. Let’s give Phil his time back!

Driver Maintenance. Hardware drivers need updated to function effectively. These updates are particularly critical if your printer exists on a network. Your printers are just as susceptible to cyber attack as your computers and servers. Updating drivers takes time.

Great Lakes Computer is a trusted Managed Print Provider.

Managed Print Services bring control and cost savings to your print activities. We offer a Managed Print service that can potentially cut your print expense in half. Begin with a free assessment for 30 days. We can see look at your print use and decide if managed print makes sense for your operations.

The Managed Print service by GLC includes Toner along with repair and maintenance services, all for about the same amount you’re paying for an OEM Toner alone!

What you can expect:

• All inclusive plan: everything is included except the paper (i.e. toner, maintenance kits, all parts, labor, etc)

• Lower print costs with 10 – 30% savings on overall printing costs

• The program is billed on a “per page” basis, which means how much you pay per month will depend upon how much you print

• Preventative printer maintenance to increase uptime and reduce printer repair service calls

• Automated print supply ordering and trouble notification

• Less IT involvement with printing problems

• Precise management of print resources to control and reduce print cost

• Your printers are monitored remotely, enabling us to catch problems early and resolve them more efficiently. We monitor the toner level of a printer, any errors that are generated, as well as the page count. GLC can then produce various reports with information that gives you a better overview of your print operations, plus insights as to how you can further reduce your costs.

September 19, 2017 By Bob Martin

Why the Manufacturing Industry Wins with Managed Services

Manufacturing operations rely on IT for just about everything. When you have machines doing your work, you rely on other machines to control them. IT is part of production, logisitics, supply chain, customer interaction, and more. If it’s a large organization, as manufacturing companies tend to be, there will likely be multiple locations as well and the data needs to be available between them. Focusing on making your widget while also ensuring all that critical IT is running effectively is a daunting task. Taking advantage of managed services can help. Here’s how.

- Focus on the Future.As a manufacturing company, you likely already have an in-house IT staff, so why would you outsource any IT function? Because your team spends more time fire fighting than proactively working on the next big thing. It’s generally accepted that an IT person spends half their time dealing with printer-related issues. The next big chunk is spent on OE-related issues (that’s Operator Error).
  If you have an IT expert on staff, did you hire them because they were great at fixing printers or rebooting the Wi-Fi? Probably not. But, those that understand how IT systems work tend to be targeted at every turn by users who aren’t tech savvy. Managed services can include network monitoring for connectivity issues, or print supply monitoring for when the toner runs low. Your IT team can get back to focusing on projects that will grow your revenue versus keeping you afloat.
- Enabling a Cloud Shift.The cloud is where data processing is happening. If you are resisting it, you probably have a shelf full of VHS tapes somewhere too. It’s not a fad, it’s a better way to work. (Read this article for all the reasons why: 8 Ways a Complete Cloud Solution Wins) However, migrating your data and apps to the cloud can be time consuming and complex. A managed service provider (MSP) can ensure your cloud shift is effective and reduce the likelihood of downtime during the transition.
- Active Monitoring and Reporting. When it comes to IT failures or maintenance, are you proactive or reactive? Actively monitoring the state of your IT can enable you to prevent downtime which can save your business money and prevent production delays. Regular maintenance and performance monitoring can also extend the life of your IT equipment. In manufacturing, it’s vital for you to oversee the performance of your production line, not the IT involved in it. An MSP can ensure you spend your time managing your production, not worrying about your hardware.
- Data Security Threat Detection and Prevention. In today’s online world, data security breaches are a daily occurence. Do you have the resources to devote an in-house person to full-time cybersecurity? That’s what today’s business environment demands. An MSP can provide up-to-date protection and 24/7/365 detection and remediation of threats.

Managed IT service providers combine highly trained, qualified professionals with the advanced skills and experience to remotely monitor and manage IT infrastructures in the cloud or on a manufacturer’s premises. Many have the capability to manage infrastructure on a global scale, so that a manufacturer with international locations can benefit from consistent standards across all sites.

Great Lakes Computer is a trusted Managed IT Services Provider. We offer a range of managed services from network monitoring to cloud computing to managed print. We have the knowledge and expertise to ensure your IT is there to support your manufacturing operations.

September 14, 2017 By Bob Martin

What to Do in the Wake of the Equifax Security Breach

data security The Equifax breach is a big one. The company holds the credit reports of over 143 million US consumers, and those reports have all our most valuable information. They are suggesting that you should not wait to determine if your information was breached to take action to prevent identity fraud. You should start with the assumption that you are a victim.

Now what?

Backstory

The breach lasted from mid-May through July. The hackers accessed people’s names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and, in some instances, driver’s license numbers. They also stole credit card numbers for about 209,000 people and dispute documents with personal identifying information for about 182,000 people. And they grabbed personal information of people in the UK and Canada too.

What Do I Do Now?

Here are some steps from the Federal Trade Commission to take to help protect yourself after a data breach:

- Check your credit reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — for free — by visiting annualcreditreport.com. Accounts or activity that you don’t recognize could indicate identity theft. Visit IdentityTheft.gov to find out what to do.
- Consider placing a credit freeze on your files. A credit freeze makes it harder for someone to open a new account in your name. Keep in mind that a credit freeze won’t prevent a thief from making charges to your existing accounts.
  Monitor your existing credit card and bank accounts closely for charges you don’t recognize.
- If you decide against a credit freeze, consider placing a fraud alert on your files. A fraud alert warns creditors that you may be an identity theft victim and that they should verify that anyone seeking credit in your name really is you.
- File your taxes early — as soon as you have the tax information you need, before a scammer can. Tax identity theft happens when someone uses your Social Security number to get a tax refund or a job. Respond right away to letters from the IRS.
- Visit Identitytheft.gov/databreach to learn more about protecting yourself after a data breach.

The key to catching an identity thief is vigilance. Paying attention to your credit reports and unusual financial activity can help you minimize the potential damage a thief can do.

Data Security is Critical

As providers of IT related services, we know that data is the most valuable asset a business can have. Security breaches are becoming a common state of affairs, between ransomware, malware, and phishing attacks. You, and your staff, must follow best practices for data security to ensure your company and client data is protected.

Great Lakes Computer can help you get the protection you need. We offer a wide range of security products from antivirus to HIPAA compliance assessments. Contact us today to ensure your data has best-in-class protection.

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Cyber Security Awareness Month: 7 Simple Steps to keep You Cyber Safe

Hackers Build Backdoor into CCleaner App