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Have you heard of "zero trust" networks?

Zero trust has been defined as an "information security model that denies access to applications and data by default" - even if you are within the organization. You may be thinking, "but, how do you get work done?" (Hint: internal tools programmed by your IT team!)

This article outlines that journey from the IT team's perspective (which involves a bit of time and planning) - and they even call out some Managed Service Providers by saying, "learning to NOT trust takes time, too, especially for IT teams who want to implement none of it."

is an exception to this outlook - we would love to implement a zero trust environment for every business in the CSRA! What hinders setup is often either a business' lack of funding for (or undervaluing of) security measures or a "surely we won't be a target" mentality.

Your business, with no security in place, is likely already a target. If you need help navigating anything from basic security steps all the way to zero trust architectures, give us a call!

Asked and answered: What’s the first step in zero trust? Like ‘Lord of the Rings,’ ‘John Wick 4,’ and the mall, zero trust is about Journeys.

A lot of our community is still resurfacing from the destruction that came from Hurricane Helene - and we'd like to lend them a hand!

We've partnered with BIT Services and United Way of Aiken County, Inc. to organize a Community Clean Up Day TOMORROW at 8:15am. Please meet us at United Way (159 Morgan St.).

Drinks, snacks, and lunch will be provided to volunteers!

Please join us if you can - we'd love the help!

Here's a friendly reminder to set your clocks back one hour this Sunday, November 3rd for daylight saving time!

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/10/20/daylight-saving-time-2024/75722035007/

It's the last day of , so we have to get in all the tech facts we can, AND it's Halloween, so let's make them extra spooky!

Did you know "the global average cost of a data breach in 2024 [was 4.88 million]—a 10% increase over last year and the highest total ever?"

What about the fact that "breached data stored in public clouds incurred the highest average breach cost at 5.17 million?"

These stats come from IBM's annual Cost of a Data Breach Report - although some of it can feel like tech jargon, there is a lot to learn "from the experiences of 604 organizations and 3,556 cybersecurity and business leaders."

Cost of a data breach 2024 | IBM Get the Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024 for the most up-to-date insights into the evolving cybersecurity threat landscape.

Small and medium businesses and non-profits are ripe targets for cybercrime - so "why do 68% of non-profits have NO documented policies or practices for what to do in the wake of a cyberattack?"

Read more about this in our recent blog post, and remove some "unknown unknowns" from your business' IT strategy.

The Unknown Unknowns of Cybersecurity Cybersecurity threat issues should no longer be an “unknown unknown” to business owners. Rather, these should be part of your regular risk assessment.

Without getting too technical, we all need to clear our web browser cache every once in a while - especially if web pages have trouble loading.

To help you on the troubleshooting journey, follow the steps to clear your cache outlined for each browser at the link below. You can also use a keyboard shortcut if browsing on Internet Explorer, Edge, Google Chrome, or Firefox.

Keyboard Shortcut: "While in your browser, press Ctrl + Shift + Delete simultaneously on the keyboard to open the appropriate window."

If you do these steps and continue to have issues, of course there could be more going on - give us a call and we'll be happy to assist further!

How to Clear the Cache and Cookies in Your Web Browser Why Clear Cache and Cookies? Clearing the cache and cookies from a web browser is an important first-step for almost any troubleshooting for internet browsing. The 'cache' is a tool used by your internet browser to speed up the page loading process. However, sometimes it can cause a problem when

Hopefully your business email has some safeguards in place, but have you considered how you use your personal email?

If you use personal email to conduct business and there are no policies in place, then WHEN a threat actor gains access, they will also have potential access to "shared corporate documents, calendar entries, and conversations between colleagues." They may even gain access to any business contacts there too.

Read the full story here to see ways you can prevent this kind of business (and personal) email compromise.

How to protect an exec’s personal email Good passwords, mobile app management, and verification procedures, for starters.

Between phone calls and texting, emails, social media, and 1,000s of different apps, we live in a time of constant communication - this was not always the case...

This marks the 163rd anniversary of the first transcontinental telegraph - this line "served as the only method of near-instantaneous communication between the east and west coasts during the 1860s." Prior to this telegraph line, many were still relying on the Pony Express.

For comparison, the Pony Express claimed to have the fastest delivery rate with letters arriving within 10 days. The telegraph line "immediately made the Pony Express obsolete, which officially ceased operations two days later."

First transcontinental telegraph - Wikipedia The first transcontinental telegraph (completed October 24, 1861) was a line that connected the existing telegraph network in the eastern United States to a small network in California, by means of a link between Omaha, Nebraska and Carson City, Nevada, via Salt Lake City. It was a milestone in elec...

Long story, short: Don't let a critical emergency open your eyes to the need for IT coverage...

Long story, article-sized length: Read our recent blog post to learn the benefits of preparing for IT emergencies ahead of time with the help of a Managed Service Provider.

Why SMBs Come to Us…and Why You Should Come Earlier Often, potential clients come to us seeking Managed IT services when their business experiences a notable IT event, or when some significant step in…

Is your iPhone slow to load new pages - haunted by the websites of yesterday? If so, here's a simple tip...

It may be time to clear your cache! "Clearing your cache removes the website data your phone stored locally to prevent having to download that data upon each new visit."

When that locally stored data from cached websites doesn't "match the latest version of a web page, you're essentially looking at a ghost of that page."

A simple trick (and treat) to get your phone moving faster is to clear your cache - this article outlines how to do this on Safari, Chrome, and Firefox.

Clear Your iPhone Cache So You Aren't Haunted by the Ghosts of Web Pages Why you should clear your iPhone cache and exactly how to do it in ​Chrome, Safari and Firefox.

As individuals and businesses still recover from damages caused by recent hurricanes, cyberattacks are increasing. Why?

Prior to hurricane Helene, CISA warned that "fraudulent emails and social media messages—often containing malicious links or attachments—are common after major natural disasters."

Both individuals and businesses wanting to help lend a hand can be tricked by things like fraudulent disaster relief websites, an increased sense of urgency on email requests, and more. If your business does not have a disaster recovery plan in place, now is the time to implement one.

Let us know if we can help!

CISA Warns of Hurricane-Related Scams | CISA Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Microsoft Outlook saving us all from some needless stress!

Pop Quiz: What was "the first spreadsheet computer program for personal computers?"

Released on October 17, 1979 (45 years ago today), VisiCalc was a software program developed for the Apple II computer for use as a digital spreadsheet. This release helped turn "the microcomputer from a hobby for computer enthusiasts into a serious business tool."

As a side note, a huge percentage of sales for the 1979 Apple II computer can be attributed to VisiCalc, with many purchasing the "$2,000 (equivalent to $8,400 in 2023) Apple computers to run the $100 software!"

Although the software company behind VisiCalc is long gone, many celebrate today as Spreadsheet Day!

VisiCalc - Wikipedia VisiCalc ("visible calculator")[1] is the first spreadsheet computer program for personal computers,[2] originally released for the Apple II by VisiCorp on October 17, 1979.[1][3] It is considered the killer application for the Apple II,[4] turning the microcomputer from a hobby for computer enthusi...

Do you know the differences between IT and cybersecurity?

If you don't, then you're in luck! Our recent blog post outlines the differences in an easy to understand way. You know what else is easy to understand? Why all businesses need both!

With the cyber threat environment we all face, having an IT Managed Service provider that offers basic IT AND cybersecurity is essential. Do you know if your business is covered for both?

The Differences Between IT and Cybersecurity Most people assume that the term “IT” encompasses cybersecurity. This assumption leads SMB owners, in particular, to make some mistaken assumptions about…

If you want to send highly sensitive information to your team, like a secret family recipe or the notes from that management meeting, then this is for you...

Your first step is to encrypt a Microsoft Word document with a password - to do this, follow the steps below:

"Go to File > Info > Protect Document > Encrypt with Password.

Type a password, press OK, type it again, and press OK to confirm it.

Save the file to make sure the password takes effect."

Once saved, send the file to your team, and separately offer them the password - only if they are allowed to know that the secret ingredient is cinnamon, or that it sounds like that management meeting could have been a phone call.

Protect a document with a password - Microsoft Support How to password protect a Word document to prevent unauthorized access.

Did you know this October marks the 21st Cybersecurity Awareness Month?

In honor of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Microsoft has put together a "Be Cybersmart Kit" that is a helpful resource for training your team on security best practices!

You can follow the link below to review their material, but if this seems like an overwhelming task on top of your regular responsibilities, we understand. Our clients have access to in-person and digital training opportunities as needed, and we'd love to help you too!

Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Microsoft resources for security teams | Microsoft Security Blog For Cybersecurity Awareness Month, download the Microsoft Be Cybersmart Kit for resources to educate teams on security best practices.

If these are your "strong IT security policies," we need to talk!

To avoid writing sensitive login information down, we recommend getting a "password manager" to house all passwords - these tools offer many perks, including securely sharing passwords with others in your business. Reach out if you'd like help navigating the sea of IT programs and tools!

29 years ago today, MIT's Media Lab organized an event to celebrate their 10th anniversary...

"A Day in the Life of Cyberspace" was meant to be an online festival of sorts - a virtual event to "encourage people to think about the development of cyberspace and its impact on their own lives, and to send in writings and pictures about their experience with this new world."

The World Wide Web is so much a part of life, it can be hard to remember a time without it - do you have any early web-surfing stories that sound outdated today?

https://www.computerhistory.org/tdih/october/10/ -day-in-the-life-of-cyberspace-published

https://www.media.mit.edu/events/10-10/

October 10: A Day in the Life of Cyberspace Published | This Day in History | Computer History Museum What Happened on October 10th   october 10, 1995 A Day in the Life of Cyberspace Published The Media Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology chronicled the World Wide Web in its A Day in the Life of Cyberspace project. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, the Media Lab invited submiss...

Why is it important for technology to have "a seat at the table?"

In our recent blog post, we highlight the reasons for pulling up the proverbial chair for IT - one of them is the fact that "IT has become increasingly involved (even tangled, sometimes!) in every part of a business’s life."

Keep reading to see how businesses can respond to tech demands AND meet employee needs!

Give IT a Seat At the Table Spoiler alert: businesses of all sizes are presently struggling to create and sustain effective IT solutions, in part because IT is not viewed as…

Do you think faster when speaking vs. typing? Do you just need to get words on a page, but you want to pace back and forth while speaking for dramatic effect? is here for you.

Microsoft Word has a built-in speech to text feature! If you're ready for your lengthy monologue, open up Word, and follow their steps below:

"1. Select Home > Dictate.

2. Start talking. As you talk, text appears on your screen. Insert punctuation by saying the name of the punctuation mark you want to add.

3. Select Dictate to stop the dictation."

Cool tips in Word for Windows - Microsoft Support Training: Switch to Word from Docs. Learn how to get started with this guide.

If you like good news stories, this one has natural habitat restoration efforts AND underwater robots...

Team members from Reefgen, a small business "building robots to reverse the degradation of marine ecosystems," recently navigated the polluted waters of Washington's Puget Sound to help restore "kelp and eelgrass beds."

According to reports, "seagrass meadows and kelp forests are disappearing from the nearshore. In Washington, eelgrass has vanished from key areas around the San Juan Islands and in certain bays and inlets in Puget Sound." This is not just a problem for Washington, though. These habitats are disappearing worldwide.

With the expense involved with training scuba divers and "planting operations need[ing] to move quickly to take advantage of low-tide conditions," an underwater robot became a goal to use "technology as a force multiplier." The best part? These initial tests are going well, and the planted eelgrass looks to be healthy weeks later.

Do you need to use technology as a "force multiplier" in your business? Ask us how we can help!

Meet Grasshopper, an underwater robot helping restore critical eelgrass meadows Reefgen's Grasshopper robot is ready for deploying into Washington's Puget Sound where it's helping with an eelgrass restoration effort. (Reefgen Photo)

Need some deep thoughts to kick start your brain this morning? This is a good place to start on a Friday, but also an important one...

We mentioned William Shockley last week on , so let's dig in a little deeper!

Today marks the 74th anniversary of the patent awarded to "John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Shockley" for the transistor - what does a transistor do?

Hailed as "one of the basic building blocks of modern electronics" on Wikipedia, the transistor is "used to amplify or switch electrical signals and power" - this is key for practically all electronics, from computers to electric vehicles and wind turbines!

October 3: Transistor Inventors Receive Patent | This Day in History | Computer History Museum What Happened on October 3rd   october 3, 1950 Transistor Inventors Receive Patent The US Patent Office issued a patent to John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Shockley for the transistor. The three AT&T Bell Laboratories researchers had successfully tested the first of their devices two year...

Can AI "skyrocket profit margins of businesses that use it?" Can it truly "produce magical unicorns?"

All these answers and more can be found in our recent blog post! In all seriousness, AI tools can be used in a variety of helpful ways - from marketing and customer service to data entry and analysis.

Read through our post and see what you think - can your business benefit from some guidance navigating a sea of AI tools? We're happy to help!

3 Simple Ways To Save Time Using AI What AI tools will be useful to you depend significantly on your industry and your specific goals. Your best bet to get started is…