I see more and more people being talked into extended warranties on their new devices. I have also heard horror stories from folks when they try to use the “no hassle”, “any issues, and we give you a new device” extended warranty they purchased. This well written article by Bob Rankin explains in detail why it may be better to “self insure” yourself instead of purchasing an extended warranty.
Ask Leo! Article: Are Free Email Services Worth It?
Are you using free email services like Yahoo!, Gmail, etc.? One of the biggest benefits of using them is not being “tied” to an Internet Service Provider if you decide to switch later on. Leo Notenboom, of Ask Leo! fame, has written a great article on the “cost” and risk of using free email services; it also discusses how to prepare for a disaster (loosing access to your account), and drives home the fact that there is usually no customer support for these services because they are free and revenue is not generated to provide salaries for tech support.
Social Engineering Video
It doesn’t matter how much security you put into place, we the end user tend to be the weakest link when the “bad guys” take advantage of our human nature through social engineering. They determine the best ways to get you to make a hasty decision without thinking of the security consequences. I recommend watching this Sans video that will explain the concept of social engineering in more detail. Always remember, when in doubt, contact us before clicking on something, or dialing that number to a fake tech support company. Unfortunately, this is becoming more common place with each passing day.
Sans Ouch! Newsletter – Securely Using Mobile Apps
The latest Ouch! newsletter has great information regarding how to safely and securely use apps on mobile devices. Apple devices have a more vetted system to prevent malicious apps, but even they have trouble keeping them out of the Apple app store. Android devices are open source, and the thing that makes them so popular, are also what makes their app store more vulnerable to malicious apps. The tips shared will definitely help keep your devices safer. Click here to read the newsletter.
Malwarebytes Partnership
I’ve always been a big believer in the Malwarebytes company and product. I’m proud to announce that FACS, LLC is now partnering with Malwarebytes to better service our clients. I look forward to the new opportunities this provides for both our company and our clients.
I realize version 3 has had some “bumps in the road” with the real time protection unexpectedly cutting itself off, but the latest build update seems to finally have addressed that quirk. I have been impressed with the responsiveness Malwarebytes has shown to this critical issue. If you are experiencing this problem, you should uninstall your current version, and download the latest version of the software from the Malwarebytes website. If you are still having a problem, please contact us for assistance.
Welcome to the New & Improved FACS, LLC Website!!
Welcome to the third version of our company website. What better way to celebrate our eighth anniversary in business than with a website overhaul. We are really happy with the new design, and the blogging capabilities that will allow us to better communicate with our customers more directly. We have been somewhat disappointed that only 20% of our Facebook followers actually see our posts. Hopefully, this will address that issue.