Category Archives: IT Support

Cloud Computing, IT Consulting, IT Outsource, IT Support, Managed IT Services, Toronto IT Support

Canadian Anti Spam Legislation

 

Canada is cracking down on spammers with its new ant spam legislation. This new legislation will be federal law and it will go into effect July 1st of this year. On this date, if your organization regularly sends newsletters, such as promotions, new offers, information, to a big majority of people, you must ask for consent. Also, your website or emailing system must employ an unsubscribe function, which the recipient can easily use to unsubscribe from your newsletters.An anti spam logo.

Should the organization continue to send out newsletters, without adhering to the new legislation, there could be serious penalties, up to $10 million dollars.

If you’d like to read more on the Canadian Anti Spam Legislation (CASL), feel free to visit the links below or contact Group 4 Networks.

http://www.deloitte.com/view/en_CA/ca/services/enterprise-risk/6e2d35360fb6c310VgnVCM2000003356f70aRCRD.htm?gclid=CMOYi83Jgb8CFVCAaQodp38Asg

http://www.law-faqs.org/wiki/index.php/Canada_Anti-Spam_CASL/Key_Provisions

http://fightspam.gc.ca/eic/site/030.nsf/eng/home

 

About Group 4 Networks

We provide Toronto and GTA businesses with IT Support, IT Consulting and Managed IT Services at a fraction of the cost that they would pay a low-level full time IT Manager. Our team eliminates the hassle of dealing with the single knowledge and abilities of a lone “computer guy.”  What makes us unique is that we proactively manage our customer’s computer networks to eliminate many of the headaches and hassles of using computers to run a business.

We guarantee our customers a response within 60 minutes or less and are the only IT service provider in the region that offers a 60-Day 100% no hassle money back guarantee on our flat rate all inclusive service plans.

 

IT Consulting, IT Outsource, IT Support, Managed IT Services, Toronto IT Support, Uncategorized

Hardware Firewalls

A WatchGuard Firewall device.
A WatchGuard Firewall device.

Last week we covered the topic on software firewalls, this week we will continue on with hardware firewalls.

Traditional routers used at home and in corporate environments have some level of security built in to them. For home users the basic firewall built into the router is usually plenty. However, third party firewall devices can be purchased, they will add complexity to the network, but they also add security.

The difference between a third party firewall and the firewall already in a router is the processing power. As data comes through the Internet, the firewall scans each transmission, looking for malicious items and to see if the data has been maliciously altered or forged.

The larger the amount of Internet activity to an organization, the harder it is for a firewall to scan through each transmission. For a company with 100 users, a traditional router with a built-in firewall would not be enough. There would be a noticeable bottleneck.

Most firewalls are very customizable and allow the network administrators to block and allow certain computers, websites, and even specific Internet traffic.

Hardware firewalls also add possibilities to allow VPN connectivity. A VPN is a virtual private network, which typically remote users use to access work data from a remote location. VPN’s are very popular amongst remote workers and are sometimes used for security purposes.

A hardware firewall can be quite expensive, easily a couple hundred of dollars and up. The difference in price are the features supplied by the firewall, the hardware specifications, as well as the amount of support the user would get, from the manufacturer.

Some firewall brands are Cisco, SonicWALL, WatchGuard and NetGear.

 

Should you want more information on hardware-based firewalls, feel free to contact Group 4 Networks.

 

About Group 4 Networks – IT Consulting

We provide Toronto and GTA businesses with IT Support, IT Consulting and Managed IT Services at a fraction of the cost that they would pay a low-level full time IT Manager. Our team eliminates the hassle of dealing with the single knowledge and abilities of a lone “computer guy.”  What makes us unique is that we proactively manage our customer’s computer networks to eliminate many of the headaches and hassles of using computers to run a business.

We guarantee our customers a response within 60 minutes or less and are the only IT service provider in the region that offers a 60-Day 100% no hassle money back guarantee on our flat rate all inclusive service plans.

Read more: http://www.g4ns.com/itblog/#ixzz34AsrOW5f

 

Cloud Computing, IT Consulting, IT Outsource, IT Support, Managed IT Services, Websites

Software Firewalls

 

A firewall is one of the most important pieces to a computer network, no matter how big or small. Everyone should have a firewall.

In this post we will be talking about software firewalls, later in the future we will talk about hardware firewalls.

A software firewall is a program, which runs in the background on a client’s computer. Some are very basic and easy to use. Some are complex and more powerful. For home users we absolutely recommend a yearly subscription based Internet security suite. Some names to look out for are Kaspersky, ESET and Avira.

Most software firewall companies also make enterprise editions of their software, which allow IT personnel to manage firewall rules and configurations from one computer, taking the configuration and management responsibility away from the user.

The software firewall operates by inspecting the network data that is incoming to the computer, as well as outgoing from the computer. If the firewall detects the data has been altered or if appears malicious, the software blocks it, effectively preventing any form of an attack.

Firewalls operate from a set of rules. The administrator can make a specific rule in the firewall to block a specific website, a specific application or to prevent two computers on the same network from communicating with each other, for whatever reason. Just as one can block certain actions, one can specifically allow a certain action. Sometimes when connecting to a printer with advanced features, the administrator may need to alter the firewall rules to allow certain data through, to access the printer’s features.

Home user based software firewalls have become very easy to use and to configure over the past few years. Not only can they prevent malicious items and websites from infecting your computer, but they now come bundled with more tools to prevent phishing scam websites from opening, as well as some encryption tools to safe guard your sensitive data.

Should you want more information on software-based firewalls, feel free to contact Group 4 Networks.

 

About Group 4 Networks – IT Consulting

We provide Toronto and GTA businesses with IT Support, IT Consulting and Managed IT Services at a fraction of the cost that they would pay a low-level full time IT Manager. Our team eliminates the hassle of dealing with the single knowledge and abilities of a lone “computer guy.”  What makes us unique is that we proactively manage our customer’s computer networks to eliminate many of the headaches and hassles of using computers to run a business.

We guarantee our customers a response within 60 minutes or less and are the only IT service provider in the region that offers a 60-Day 100% no hassle money back guarantee on our flat rate all inclusive service plans.

Read more: http://virtual-desktop.co#ixzz33Vxc8EUs

Cloud Computing, IT Consulting, IT Outsource, IT Support, Managed IT Services, Toronto IT Support

Business Contact Manager

BCM or Business Contact Manager is a tool designed by Microsoft which makes it very easy for organization to keep track of contacts, leads, accounts and etc.

BCM can be setup in two methods. The first method is to keep a local database only on one computer. The second method is more complex however it’s beneficial to everyone within the company, as the BCM database would sit on a server. The BCM database can be accessed from within Outlook using a small plugin. At the same time, if the BCM is setup to be accessible from the internet, one could access their records from anywhere.

Business Contact Manager can help you stay on top of the sales cycle. For example, you can configure your own set of rules as to how a lead should be pursued and BCM will prioritize them for you, thus saving time in a busy work day. You can also arrange your customers and products, letting you focus your attention to top customers and top-selling products. Screenshopt of BCM About Group 4 Networks – eBay Compromised, IT Consulting

We provide Toronto and GTA businesses with IT Support, IT Consulting and Managed IT Services at a fraction of the cost that they would pay a low-level full time IT Manager. Our team eliminates the hassle of dealing with the single knowledge and abilities of a lone “computer guy.”  What makes us unique is that we proactively manage our customer’s computer networks to eliminate many of the headaches and hassles of using computers to run a business.

We guarantee our customers a response within 60 minutes or less and are the only IT service provider in the region that offers a 60-Day 100% no hassle money back guarantee on our flat rate all inclusive service plans.

Read more: http://www.g4ns.com/itblog/#ixzz338g2TpAL

Cloud Computing, IT Consulting, IT Outsource, IT Support, Managed IT Services, Toronto IT Support

Keep Computer Network Safe

How To Keep Your Computer Network Safe From Crippling Pop-ups, Viruses, Spyware, & Spam, While Avoiding Expensive Computer Repair Bills

  • Do you constantly get hammered by pop-up ads that come from nowhere and interfere with using your computer?
  • Does your computer network run slow, act funny, or crash unexpectedly?
  • Are you getting tons of spam from unknown senders?

If so, then the computers on your network are probably infected with malicious programs that could end up destroying your files, stealing your company’s confidential and financial information, and rendering your computer useless.

 Don’t Be A Victim To Online Crime!

Keep Computer Network Safe – Toronto IT Support

Cyber criminals lurk everywhere and are constantly finding new ways to harm you. Even legitimate websites have sophisticated methods of snooping into your private information using cookies and spyware. If you want to make sure you aren’t their next victim, read this guide and discover:

 

  • Computer scams, threats, and rip-offs that you MUST be aware of.
  • Surefire signs that you are infected with spyware, malware, and viruses.
  • Sneaky, underhanded ways cyber criminals access your computer, and how you can stop them dead in their tracks.
  • The absolute worst type of program to install for your network’s health; if you or your employees go to these sites and indulge in these seemingly innocent activities and you’re practically guaranteed to get infected with vicious spyware and destructive viruses.
  • The single biggest cause of expensive computer repairs – and how to avoid it.
  • 6 Simple steps to keep your computer safe from pop-ups, viruses, spyware, malware, and expensive computer repair bills.

Provided as an educational service by:

Group 4 Networks

IT Consulting, IT Outsource, IT Support, Toronto IT Support, Uncategorized, Websites

BlackShades Info

Broken Internet Security
Broken Internet Security

As we have mentioned before, lately Internet security issues are on the rise and malicious hackers are making it very difficult to keep people on Internet safe from web attacks.

The latest in cyber security news brings a piece of malware that could potentially ruin lives. This malware is called “BlackShades”. BlackShades is a tool used by hackers to take complete control of your computer, just as if they were sitting in front it. The difference with BlackShades is that it can actually be bought, for a low price of $40!

BlackShades is similar to other remote desktop support applications which IT department’s use. However, BlackShades can do more than traditional remote desktop applications, for example it access devices on the victims computer, such as their webcam. This is a definite invasion of ones privacy. At the same time BlackShades can also track keystrokes as the victim is typing on the computer. With this, the attacker could gain easy access to personal information, because the victim’s password was recorded, as they were typing it.

How does one get infected with BlackShades? The same way as with any other virus.

The victims email account might have an email from someone with an attachment in the email message. Most of the time the attachment is a .zip file – a compressed file. However, inside the .zip file is a Windows program, an executable. The victim would open the file, and then it happens, the computer gets infected. However the victim will not see anything happening on the screen. The backdoor is a hidden application, running in the background. Once the computer is affected, the victim may not even suspect the infection, as BlackShades is hard to detect.

Some symptoms of BlackShades are,

  • Your cursor moves erratically without you touching it or your monitor turns off during use
  • The webcam “in use” light turns on when the camera is not in use by the user. If a Skype call is not in progress the webcam light should remain turned off.
  • Usernames and passwords for online accounts have been compromised
  • Computer files become encrypted without warning and ask for a password when attempting to open the file

To prevent infection from the BlackShades info backdoor – avoid opening emails from known and unknown people if they have .zip or .exe attachments in the message. Avoid links from suspicious accounts on social media as well, such as Twitter and Facebook. It is very easy to disguise a link and to direct it to download the virus. Finally, make sure your antivirus is updated and ensure the antivirus subscription is paid for, if you use applications such as Kaspersky or ESET.

If you need more information about BlackShades and Internet security in general, feel free to contact Group 4 Networks.

 

About Group 4 Networks

We provide Toronto and GTA businesses with IT Support, IT Consulting and Managed IT Services at a fraction of the cost that they would pay a low-level full time IT Manager. Our team eliminates the hassle of dealing with the single knowledge and abilities of a lone “computer guy.”  What makes us unique is that we proactively manage our customer’s computer networks to eliminate many of the headaches and hassles of using computers to run a business.

We guarantee our customers a response within 60 minutes or less and are the only IT service provider in the region that offers a 60-Day 100% no hassle money back guarantee on our flat rate all inclusive service plans.

Cloud Computing, IT Consulting, IT Outsource, IT Support, Managed IT Services, Toronto IT Support

Surface Pro 3

A Surface Pro Tablet with an attached snap on keyboard.
A Surface Pro Tablet with an attached snap on keyboard.

 

Tablets are fairly popular these days. There are a bunch of different models from different manufacturers of Android tablets, there’s the ever-popular iPad and iPad mini and finally the Surface tablets from Microsoft

Microsoft has created the Surface and Surface Pro tablets and made it available to the public at the same time as Windows 8 launched, in 2012. A year later Microsoft released the Surface 2 tablets, which brought improvements performance, the battery life, and had an updated screen.

Now, another year later, Microsoft has announced the Surface Pro 3. Microsoft labels it as ‘the tablet that can replace your laptop’. The improvements delivered to this year’s Surface tablet include an Intel Core i7 processor – which is Intel’s highest and fastest category. The new Surface is also lighter, and thinner and it comes with a way better and more accurate display this year. One of the issues with the original Surface Pro was the weight.

The new Surface Pro 3 will be available for pre-order on May 21st, for $799. The device will be in stores on June 20th.

Considering all the improvements, it will be interesting to see how the new Surface performs in sales, competing against Android devices and iPads. The more interesting question is, will it be a true laptop killer? Could this tablet, equipped with a snap on keyboard truly replace the conventional laptop? Only time will tell.

Should you want more information about the Surface Pro 3 or about tablets and mobile computing in general, don’t hesitate to contact Group 4 Networks.

About Group 4 Networks

We provide Toronto and GTA businesses with IT Support, IT Consulting and Managed IT Services at a fraction of the cost that they would pay a low-level full time IT Manager. Our team eliminates the hassle of dealing with the single knowledge and abilities of a lone “computer guy.”  What makes us unique is that we proactively manage our customer’s computer networks to eliminate many of the headaches and hassles of using computers to run a business.

We guarantee our customers a response within 60 minutes or less and are the only IT service provider in the region that offers a 60-Day 100% no hassle money back guarantee on our flat rate all inclusive service plans.

 

Read more: http://www.g4ns.com/itblog/#ixzz32HmmSsPn

 

 

IT Consulting, IT Outsource, IT Support, Managed IT Services, Toronto IT Support

Business Contact Manager

BCM or Business Contact Manager is a tool designed by Microsoft which makes it very easy for organization to keep track of contacts, leads, accounts and etc.

BCM can be setup in two methods. The first method is to keep a local database only on one computer. The second method is more complex however it’s beneficial to everyone within the company, as the BCM database would sit on a server. The BCM database can be accessed from within Outlook using a small plugin. At the same time, if the BCM is setup to be accessible from the internet, one could access their records from anywhere.

Business Contact Manager can help you stay on top of the sales cycle. For example, you can configure your own set of rules as to how a lead should be pursued and BCM will prioritize them for you, thus saving time in a busy work day. You can also arrange your customers and products, letting you focus your attention to top customers and top-selling products. Screenshot of BCM

IT Outsource, IT Support, Managed IT Services

Virtual Desktop – How it Works

 

Everything is delivered from the G4NS Data Centers

G4NS VOIP Hosting solutions

With Virtual Desktop, all of your applications and data are delivered and are fully supported from our secure data center Virtual Desktopfacilities . We completely remove your dependence on in-house servers, software, and help desk personnel . G4NS relieves your company of all of the mundane day-to-day IT responsibilities. In return, you get stability and peace of mind along with the features and functionality of a Fortune 500 IT department.

All you need is Internet access (or point-to-point MPLS)

If your employees can access the Internet, then your company’s resources are available. With Virtual Desktop, your employees log in directly through their Internet browser (or point-to-point MPLS). Once logged in, users can access all of their programs, data, email, and any other applications they use to do their jobs. Your employees will have secure access to everything they need no matter where, when, or how they work.

Just log in

To access your network, your employees log in at www.g4ns.com . Using their username and secure password, they are authenticated on the network and are presented with everything they need. All applications and data are hosted from our Data Centers.

Virtual Desktop Office – FREE cloud setup

Everything is External

All applications are delivered through the Internet and are run from our managed Data Centers. Despite this difference, applications work exactly as if they were running locally . All servers, applications, and files are housed within our advanced, secure Data Centers. Local computers are no longer critical since nothing runs or is saved there. You’ll benefit from improved reliability, mobility, and security as well as a far more stable environment.

Work anywhere and operate centrally

Because your employees can log in from anywhere, they’re able to work anywhere – from home, from work, or from the road . With Virtual Desktop, it doesn’t matter where or how you access the network, the experience is exactly the same. This makes it possible for users in multiple locations to all operate centrally under one “virtual roof” .

We become your Fortune 500 IT department

G4NS provides your organization with all of the functionality and stability of a Fortune 500 IT department , including a secure offsite Data Center, high-performance hardware, total IT management, an outstanding helpdesk, advanced security systems, access from anywhere, disaster recovery, an expert staff, and much, much more.

 

About Group 4 NetworksWe provide Toronto and GTA businesses with IT Support, IT Consulting and Managed IT Services at a fraction of the cost that they would pay a low-level full time IT Manager. Our team eliminates the hassle of dealing with the single knowledge and abilities of a lone “computer guy.”  What makes us unique is that we proactively manage our customer’s computer networks to eliminate many of the headaches and hassles of using computers to run a business.We guarantee our customers a response within 60 minutes or less and are the only IT service provider in the region that offers a 60-Day 100% no hassle money back guarantee on our flat rate all inclusive service plans.

Cloud Computing, IT Consulting, IT Outsource, IT Support, Toronto IT Support, Websites

eBay Compromised

eBay Compromised - We can help youInternet security attacks seem to be very popular, especially for the past few weeks. This time the victim is a company known for allowing users to buy and sell things online.

eBay has faced an intrusion by hackers. The hackers have stolen confidential information detailing all of eBay users, including their personal information. The personal information stolen contains names, addresses, usernames, and passwords. The passwords cannot be easily read as they are encrypted.

eBay is advising all of its users to change their passwords as soon as possible, to keep the integrity of their account in place.

PayPal has posted a warning on their press site was well, click here to read the posting.

 

Should you want more information about the eBay breach or more information about internet security in general, don’t hesitate to contact Group 4 Networks.

About Group 4 Networks – eBay Compromised, IT Consulting

We provide Toronto and GTA businesses with IT Support, IT Consulting and Managed IT Services at a fraction of the cost that they would pay a low-level full time IT Manager. Our team eliminates the hassle of dealing with the single knowledge and abilities of a lone “computer guy.”  What makes us unique is that we proactively manage our customer’s computer networks to eliminate many of the headaches and hassles of using computers to run a business.

We guarantee our customers a response within 60 minutes or less and are the only IT service provider in the region that offers a 60-Day 100% no hassle money back guarantee on our flat rate all inclusive service plans.