As you have probably heard in the news recently, there have been several instances across the global of crypto-viruses affecting tens-of-thousands of machines worldwide. What’s scary about these crypto-viruses is that they execute without anti-virus software detection and they will encrypt all of your personal data (Pictures, Documents, Spreadsheets, etc.) on your hard drive. If you have any external drives connected or if you have any network shared drives connected, the virus will often encrypt the data in those locations as well. Once the data is encrypted, it is impossible to decrypt unless you pay a ransom to the person (or organization) that created the virus. Of course, paying the ransom doesn’t guarantee that they will provide you with the key to unlock your data. Chances are, the data is gone. A new variant of the crypto-viruses recently release is called ‘Petya’. What is especially concerning about this crypto-virus variant is that it also encrypts a portion of your hard drive that Windows looks at in order to boot up! So if this virus gets executed on your system, your computer won’t even boot up normally AND your data will be encrypted. As you can imagine, this has created an absolute nightmare for IT professionals, businesses and end-users worldwide. So the question becomes, how do I protect myself and my business from getting these types of viruses? Well, it’s fairly simple and the steps are outlined below: Windows Updates: Ensure that ALL workstations AND servers are up-to-date with the latest version of Windows updates. Many of these viruses take advantage of holes in Windows that Microsoft has recently patched. By having your systems up-to-date, will ensure a less-likely possibility of being infected by one of these bugs. Having an up-to-date system also ensures that no other bugs can affect you either. Cross Island Computers can ensure that all of your systems are up-to-date with our advanced management software. Back up: This should go without saying, but ensuring that you have a proper back-up in place for all workstations and servers is absolutely crucial. This isn’t only to help in the event you get one of these bugs, but also in the event of a hardware failure or some...
Read MoreCross Island Computers is proud to announce that we are offering Remote Management and Monitoring for businesses of any size. Here are the benefits of Remote Monitoring and Management: Allows us to proactively monitor servers for any events that may cause an issue. These include predictive failure of hard drives, as well as Windows errors. Ensure Servers and Workstations are up-to-date with the latest Windows Updates which ensure your system is secure. Monitor Servers and Workstations for any performance related issues. Full versions of MalwareBytes Professional and WebRoot antivirus for all workstations and servers. Log Me In Pro for all workstations and servers; this enables you or your staff to remotely access their office workstations in a SECURE manner that doesn’t require a VPN connection. This enables them to work remotely when needed. 24/7 Monitoring by remote help desk technicians. 24/7 Help Desk support for afterhours/overnight support* Network Monitoring* *Requires the Elite Package. We are offering these services for a very reasonable monthly fee. These services will ensure that your business will continue to operate smoothly and that any hiccups can be addressed in a timely and efficient manner – before it’s too late and hours are lost on troubleshooting. Think of this as cheap insurance to ensure minimal impacts to your business operations and workflow. Please Contact Us today to find out more and to get a quote for your business!...
Read MoreMicrosoft recently announced that it is preparing to release (to developers of course) Windows 10. This new version of Windows has many new features that seems to ‘marry’ the beloved features of Windows 7, with the ‘nifty’ features of Windows 8. If you or your business is in the market for a new computer, but it isn’t necessarily an emergency, I would wait until Windows 10 is out. Sadly, there is no ETA as to when Windows 10 will be release to the public, but I would imagine by Spring. I would recommend sticking with Windows 7, at least until 10 comes out. Windows 7 is tried and true and will carry its weight until 10 is fully released and ready to be deployed. If you are in the market for a new PC, I would definitely try to get it with Windows 7 installed. Unfortunately, many of the hardware companies are forcing Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 onto new devices. There are a few that still allow you to configure a PC with Windows 7. If you are unable to find a computer with Windows 7, then I would recommend letting us know as we may be able to downgrade you to Windows 7 (if your computer supports it). Windows 8.1 isn’t the worst thing in the world, but based on what I have seen with Windows 10, it may be best to just wait until it is released to the...
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