Issue: # 4

September.2007

Computer Tech Tips

Are you protected against viruses and identity theft?

It's a well-known fact that there are hundreds of thousands of viruses lurking in computers and computer networks. With the help of the Internet, infection rates have drastically increased over the last 10 years. On a daily basis, our technicians diagnose computers and computer networks with viruses and other malicious software. 

The latest viruses and malicious software is increasingly becoming more than just a nuisance that slows your computer down and deletes files.  Viruses today include some that can intercept, record, and send your keystrokes to waiting servers around the world so hackers can gain access to passwords, financial information and other personal records. Some allow your computer to be remotely accessed through the Internet creating risks for identity theft and corporate espionage.

If you have a virus scanner, be sure to regularly scan your hard drives, network drives and e-mail boxes. Also, it's imperative to keep your virus software up-to-date by subscribing to receive the virus definitions. At Computer Sights, we recommend the Avast! anti-virus program which is available free for non-commercial use (click here to download). If your office network is not protected, give us a call or send us an e-mail for our recommendations.

Surveillance Technology

Your own electronic taddle-tale!

Did you know that the latest surveillance systems can contact you on your cell phone or e-mail if something is out of place? Old surveillance systems just simply recorded video images from security cameras installed around your home or business.   

Thanks to technological advancements and convergence of the surveillance industry with the computer industry, the newest systems can be setup to alert you when there's movement in a room at times when there shouldn't be such as while you're on vacation, during work or after hours at your office.  The newest systems can even alert you if something is missing or out-of-place, such as a piece of expensive artwork or an antique car for instance. Instant alerts can be sent to your cell phone or to an e-mail address so you can login through the Internet to see exactly what's happening real-time!

A GeoVision system is one of the systems that we carry that offers these features and more. Our retail showroom allows you to take a look at all of our systems so you can choose the best one for your specific needs. Stop in and take a look (directions/hours).

Internet Technology

Emerging service providers offer a valuable service.

If you've ever lost data due to a hard drive failure, system crash, computer theft, or a virus, you know the value of keeping regular backups. It's important to keep good backups of your critical data such as documents, accounting and financial information, customer records, digital photos, digital music or any other critical files.

Now that broadband cable or DSL access is the most commonly-used method to connect to the Internet, new service providers offering on-line backups have emerged. These services allow you to download a piece of software that you can configure to backup your critical data on a regular basis. The software does an initial backup and then does incremental backups which saves time on subsequent backups because only the files that you've modified get sent to the servers. Be sure to choose a backup provider that encrypts your data to keep it secure from prying eyes. Also, find one that compresses the files before storing it since most providers charge by the amount of data you are using on their servers.  We have partnered with Accurate Data Storage to provide our clients a reliable, secure and affordable on-line backup service. For additional information, visit their website or give us a call to discuss the best solution for your needs.