Covid-19 will go down in history as one of the most devastating pandemics ever. During the pandemic, many companies opted for a work-from-home environment for employees. However, the chip industry…
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There are scammers out there, and they make sure to put in overtime during this time of year. We are all in danger of being tricked by scammers, but with…
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With the holidays upon us, everyone is traveling here and there to see friends and family. Traveling can be stressful, and everyone needs a few pointers on how to make…
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When you visit a website or use an app, your device stores certain information in a reserved space so that the next time you visit that site or app, the…
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Technology is changing so much that it’s hard to keep up. Every year new technologies are released, and many business leaders don’t know what will be important in the future.…
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Every October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month! We support CISA’s efforts to promote Security Awareness and Training, as it is an under-discussed topic in reducing risk for business. CISA, the US Government’s…
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You’ve completed your annual phishing training. This includes teaching employees how to spot phishing emails. You’re feeling good about it. That is until about 5-6 months later. Your company suffers…
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Phishing. It seems you can’t read an article on cybersecurity without it coming up. That’s because phishing is still the number one delivery vehicle for cyberattacks. A cybercriminal may want…
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Few things invoke instant panic like a missing smartphone or laptop. These devices hold a good part of our lives. This includes files, personal financials, apps, passwords, pictures, videos, and…
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Many small businesses make the mistake of skipping policies. They feel that things don’t need to be so formal. They’ll just tell staff what’s expected when it comes up and…
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There is a reason why phishing is usually at the top of the list for security awarenesstraining. For the last decade or two, it has been the main delivery method…
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How many text messages from companies do you receive today as compared to about two years ago? If you’re like many people, it’s quite a few more. This is because…
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You’ve spent years building up your reputation and business with clients who have come to trust you. They rely on your expertise in accounting to keep their company thriving. But…
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“Hybrid office” is the new buzzword you’ll hear used in business discussions. It’s the mix of having employees both working at the office and working from home. This has become…
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It’s a fact that many small and midsized businesses neglect their cybersecurity. They may do so either because they think their company doesn’t need it or because they are confused…
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The Tech Eagles team is constantly in pursuit of bettering our skills and services. During a conference in Nashville, Finance and Marketing Assistant, Rachel Montgomery and Marketing Director, Abbie Bullen had…
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At the onset of the pandemic in 2020, lockdowns put businesses’ IT flexibility to the test. Unfortunately, some crumbled, unable to keep up with the new digital demands of the…
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Whether you work remotely or in an office, the line between personal and work tasks can become blurred when working on your company computer. If you’re in front of a…
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The internet has made rapid progress, quickly moving much of life into the digital sphere. With that increased digitalization of everyday tasks, many businesses are moving toward cloud-based storage solutions…
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We keep seeing more and more words prefaced with “cyber” these days. “cyber crime” “cyber security” “cyber criminals” “cyber attacks” “cyber warfare”. Here’s one you might not have heard of:…
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In 2020, 75% of companies around the world experienced a phishing attack. Phishing remains one of the biggest dangers to your business’s health and well-being because it’s the main delivery…
READ MOREhttps://youtu.be/AjaVJELGWx0 In this short video, TJ shares a story on something that is currently taking place in the NE Tennessee area, and with it a reminder for all of us to stay alert. A well-known business is under a current…
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A few of you have asked, “How did Holston IT and Garner IT come together and create Tech Eagles?” Here is a brief attempt to encapsulate the Tech Eagles story:…
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Cybersecurity has become an increasingly common word in everyday vocabulary thanks to all the technology society relies on each day. Like many other words in the common lexicon, cybersecurity has…
READ MOREhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whAFAjrTCBA The number one way hackers come into your business is through your business email. In this short video, TJ Scott, Technical Account Manager over here at Tech Eagles will show you IronScales, our current favorite solution for combating…
READ MOREhttps://youtu.be/JdkniC-ypp4 Since Russia started its campaign against Ukraine, incidents of ransomware, phishing emails, and other cyber-related crimes have skyrocketed. Early reports are showing cyberattacks in the US against small and medium businesses are up more than 150-300% and are expected…
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When you work in healthcare, IT support should be one of your main concerns. The Healthcare Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, also known as HIPPA, guarantees each patient has…
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Many small and mid-sized businesses suffer from inadequate information technology services. Their providers don’t do a thorough job of protecting them, and then when technical issues come up, their IT…
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Let’s be honest: parenting has never been for the weak of heart. However, these days of online interaction present brand-new challenges our parents and grandparents never had to manage. Below…
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If you unexpectedly have kids at home, this short course can help! For best value, watch the videos in order.Each is only 20 minutesExtra resources are available to download, under…
READ MOREhttps://youtu.be/TRtSpLLhpew Does YouTube Care? https://youtu.be/Yg1Nl4CDA-0 Protection for 2-year-olds https://youtu.be/neRGxxttG-0 Author of “Are Your Kids Naked Online” Interview https://youtu.be/tB7936XjXOk What the Bad Guys Do https://youtu.be/bEpCdakTZSU Some Smart Phone Apps are Hiding Something! https://youtu.be/wKicwM7SA7k How Parents can Help Kids Stay Safe https://youtu.be/6MpllCK2Fbo…
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Tim, Allison, Randall & Julie attended an invitation-only conference for leaders in the cybersecurity industry. The keynote speaker was George Foreman: 2-time world champion in heavyweight boxing and world-famous…
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The bad guys keep thinking up new ways to trick us into entering our information onto their hooks instead of into trusted systems. Watch out! When shopping online,…
READ MOREHackers and scammers are always eager to get your information, but taking the proper precautions dramatically decreases your risks as a digital shopper. Here are tips to protect your info as you virtually wear Santa’s hat during this holiday season.…
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The geeks have spoken! Here are some great gift ideas for your shopping list this holiday season! Rob the Rich and Give to the Poor… or is it Rob the…
READ MOREOur clients soar like eagles because of wise investments in IT! Eagles are the King of Birds. We help our clients leverage IT to be leaders in their industries. We have a new name! This is ONLY a name change!…
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You’ve heard about Colonial Pipeline, JBS Foods, and countless more. A huge cybersecurity story hits national news at least weekly. Local cybersecurity horror stories are also on the rise. Here…
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We specialize in preparing customized medications to meet the unique needs of patients and physicians in the Tri-Cities. This process, often called “compounding,” fills needs traditional medications simply cannot. It’s…
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After a roller coaster ride over the past year and more, businesses are looking to the future. Their eyes aren’t just on recovery. Eager to make up for lost time,…
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adHFtM19krI Updates are an important but annoying part of life with information technology. Here’s a quick tip to revert your taskbar back to where it was, if you’re not a…
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If Amazon’s Alexa is part of your life, or if you are using Ring, this article is for you. Here’s the bottom line: Disable Amazon Sidewalk. Click here for a…
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Holston & Garner IT has been awarded the CompTIA Security Trustmark+ certification. Only 38 other companies in the nation have earned this distinction! This is a vendor neutral, business-level credential,…
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Every time you get in your car, you are taking the risk of being in a car accident. When we hop in our wheeled vehicles to fly down narrow strips…
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Did you hear about the HUGE raffle Girls Inc. of Bay County is hosting? The Garner branch of our company has worked with Girls Inc. of Bay County for years…
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlfchATHeC4&feature=youtu.be To check which version you have, click the three-lines icon (the “hamburger menu”) in the top right corner. For Chrome, go to Help>About Chrome. For Chromium, simply click About…
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https://youtu.be/wq2V6Djyuy0 It’s not surprising for people when the national guard is pulled in for situations like hurricane emergencies, civil disturbances, or even the inauguration a few weeks ago. But it…
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In this article, Sophos describes the value of teaching your kids proper IT Hygiene from the start. Additionally, they also go over some basic home security precautions you should be…
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https://youtu.be/CbIuIorx3lg There’s a new bug on the block. This was first reported to Microsoft last summer, but they have yet to patch it, and now it’s been published for all…
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Check out this 10-session video series we created to help parents navigate the complexities of kids online Click Here
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It’s National Technology Day!!! And the question we’re asking today is…… if you lived 100 years ago, which piece of modern technology would you miss the most? 100 years ago…
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Cybercriminals Confess: The Top 3 Tricks And Sneaky Schemes They Use To Hack Your Computer Network That Can Put You Out Of Business Cybercriminals and hackers are rarely shy about…
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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Our Team of Geeks has spoken: here are some great techy gifts for your shopping list this year![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”middle”][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]Bluetooth Speakers Built into a Hat Music Bee Bluetooth Beanie…
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Everybody gets hacked, but not everything makes the evening news. We hear about big companies like Target, Home Depot, Capital One, and Facebook getting hacked. What we rarely hear about…
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https://youtu.be/jpAmw0tQmG4 On October 29th, the FBI sent out a high-alert regarding imminent threats from a new strain of ransomware. In this webinar, Alison and TJ disclose THE best tool available…
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhhDeBM2Ics Need a quick and easy method for responding to emails? Jeff, our VP of operations takes a moment to give you a time-saving tip!
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Picture this: You get a call from a vendor that convinces you they are legit. They walk you through “helping you set up an account” and ask for your phone number…
READ MOREAre you tired of the Video Call Mad Cleaning Scramble when you participate in video calls from home? We’ve all been there. A big aspect of the impact of Covid-19 has been that we are suddenly working in the middle…
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“Technology is critical to our daily operations. From phone systems to computers, and even right down to accepting payment from customers, we have information technology threaded through every bit of our…
READ MOREOnly 109 companies in the nation had earned this award when CompTIA presented it to Holston and Garner IT. Here is CompTIA’s own description of this designation: IT companies that have earned a CompTIA Trustmark have been through a review…
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DEF CON is one of the world’s largest and most notable hacker conventions, held annually in Las Vegas, Nevada. The winning team’s picture. This year, the…
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It should hardly come as a surprise to anyone that cybercriminal activity has surged in 2020. By May of this year, the number of reported attacks had already come close…
READ MOREhttps://youtu.be/EaCeYYL6cJY What do emails and paper airplanes have in common? Alison explains in this quick video!
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The world is changing—in fact, it’s kinda turned upside down in the past few months. And, in case you missed it, cases of COVID-19 are not the only thing experiencing…
READ MORE“What kind of laptop should I buy for my student?” is a popular question we hear every year around this time. As you shop for a computer for your young learner, consider these three things: RAM, type of Drive, and…
READ MOREhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=melKkq_WNFk Let’s face it; password management can be messy. Our minds are full of important (and maybe not so important) details from our day to day lives, and for many of us, remembering passwords can be extremely difficult if not impossible.…
READ MOREhttps://youtu.be/iIGhuRzbWoE In case you missed the live event, here’s the recording! Our own Tim Meredith is on a national panel of IT experts discussing practical solutions for your business as North America re-opens and we find a new “normal”.…
READ MOREhttps://youtu.be/2nCQy4Nb0EE Sophos Article: iOS 14 flags TikTok, 53 other apps spying on iPhone clipboards Sophos Intercept X Mobile Just for clarification, the apps listed below are known to scrape clipboard data. However, there are no doubt many other insecure apps that…
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Trying to look ahead to your business needs in the months to come? The effect of the global pandemic has introduced new challenges for every industry. Business owners today are…
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Survey scams are nothing new, but NakedSecurity gives an overview of one that popped up on their radar recently. All in all, the major takeaway here is if it looks…
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A lot of businesses wait until something breaks before they fix it. And even then, they may take a “patchwork” approach to fixing the problem. They are reactive rather than…
READ MOREhttps://youtu.be/J-O94nfXJcs Bristol Library Curbside Info Alison’s Booklist The Bristol Public Library is now offering curbside pickup! Click the Bristol Library link above to find the 2 options for BPL’s curbside pickup! Additionally, we’re sharing Alison’s…
READ MOREhttps://youtu.be/3DwFKD-chZU Looking for an easy, inexpensive, secure, and efficient telehealth solution for your practice? Alison interviews Linda Powell from DocsInk. Linda shares all the details on why DocsInk might be a good fit for you! Check out the Documents below…
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Let’s be honest. Working remotely certainly has it’s perks, but staying fully engaged while on a video meeting can be incredibly difficult! The Harvard Business Review came up with 5…
READ MOREhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9F3rz7GfPys&feature=emb_title Another round of Tech Terms in plain English! People love throwing around the concept of “the dark web”. But have you ever wondered, “What on earth IS the dark web?” Guess what? Today’s your lucky day! Naked Security recently…
READ MOREhttps://youtu.be/wcNlY0FMgM0 Last month the City of Los Angeles made a major blunder when an employee sent a mass email notifying recipients of the results of a COVID 19 test and put ALL the recipients’ email addresses in the “To” column…
READ MOREWhat is social engineering? If you ask your 8-year-old, he might explain a social engineer as a really friendly train driver. Unfortunately, that is not how we’re using the phrase today! Sophos created a series a few years back wherein…
READ MORESocial distancing is leading many of us to consider getting a new pet. And why not? If you have time and place for it, a new puppy might be just the thing to get you through the COVID Crisis!…
READ MOREhttps://youtu.be/fE003Qu-nII Zoom released a new security feature April 18th–take action! Do you want data (ie, audio, video, screen shares) from your online meetings to be routed through countries whose governments can access that data? Watch this quick video to learn…
READ MOREIf you are using Zoom, you need to know these essential security habits: DO use a password—this is now the default setting when you are setting up a new Zoom meeting. Leave it that way. DO use a waiting room—this also has recently…
READ MOREHackers have noticed: The number of people now using Zoom for digital meetings has skyrocketed. Here at Holston & Garner IT, we love the Zoom platform and are happy to recommend it to our fellow business leaders. But don’t…
READ MOREToday is World Backup Day! The combination of more people working remotely + the bad guy’s boosted activity during the chaos makes it all the more important to backup your data. In this brief article, Naked Security goes through the…
READ MOREhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_6X3SdzIoA Are you wondering how to enable your employees to work securely and remotely? We are getting lots of questions regarding this; Alison addressed them in a recent webinar. If you are the owner or manager of a business and…
READ MOREIs this a good source of COVID-19 info, or is it a tool to spread Malware? You may sometimes hear the phrase, “Never let a good crisis go to waste!” That is definitely the mindset of criminals. They love the…
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There’s a saying in IT, we don’t go by IF your business has a cyberattack, but WHEN your business has a cyberattack. Data breaches have gone from being the exception…
READ MOREhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KweZK3x2sTc&feature=youtu.be So, what’s the deal with cyber insurance? In our latest webinar, Alison interviews Justin Reinmuth, CEO of Technology Risk Underwriting Group. Check it out to learn why cyber insurance is a smart addition to your business, and hear about…
READ MORERansomware is a real thing and its effects are no joke! This story features a town in Florida who lost key evidence in a drug case after a ransomware attack, thereby allowing 6 alleged criminals go free. As always, please…
READ MOREAn apparent Amazon Prime phishing attempt turns out to be something bigger and scarier! This is a good reminder from Naked Security on WordPress safety measures! If you have any concerns about cybersecurity at your home base, please contact our…
READ MORECybercriminals are getting smarter every year, making it harder and harder for victims to distinguish real messages from scams. They are also getting more focused -the target population might surprise you! Check out this article by Naked Security to discover…
READ MOREMark your calendars! Coming up in March and April, Alison will be going over her recently published whitepaper, “Digital Communication, Online Activity, Smartphones, and More: How Can We Protect our Kids and Teenagers?” And the best news? You get 4 chances…
READ MORECongratulations to our very own Alison Meredith! Alison’s recently published whitepaper, “Digital Communication, Online Activity, Smartphones, and More: How Can We Protect our Kids and Teenagers?” is now available on Amazon Kindle! Here at Holston & Garner IT, while we…
READ MOREIf You Think Your Business Is Too Small To Be Hacked … You’re A Cybercriminal’s #1 Target Many cybercriminals look at small businesses like blank checks. More often than not, small businesses just don’t put money into their cybersecurity, and…
READ MORE“Phishing, very briefly defined, is where a cybercriminal tricks you into revealing something electronically that you ought to have kept to yourself. The good news is that most of us have learned to spot obvious phishing attacks these days. The…
READ MOREEmployees Cost Way More than Computers A 2% productivity loss from even the lowest-paid employee in your company costs more than a new computer and keeping computers for five years results in over 6% productivity loss per employee! Businesses are…
READ MOREAs anybody working in IT will tell you… The most common question we get isn’t, “Why is my computer running so slowly?” or “Why is my Internet not working?” The #1 question we are asked is, “What do you charge…
READ MOREPlease take cyber threats seriously! Contact us to learn about security measures you can put in place, we’d be delighted to partner with you to protect your network. https://www.zdnet.com/article/company-shuts-down-because-of-ransomware-leaves-300-without-jobs-just-before-holidays/
READ MOREhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL3CS4VUaDw The Barter Youth Academy (BYA) is a theater program for kids Kindergarten through 12th Grade hosted by the Barter Theatre of Abingdon, VA. Alison interviews Nikki, the director of BYA, along with BYA student Phoebe! Check out our short…
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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Have you procrastinated on Christmas shopping until the last minute? We’ve got some stellar gift ideas for you! [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”middle” el_class=”imageborder”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text] Amerelle Emergency Lights For Home by…
READ MOREhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17yTOEbcVcw Alison interviews Brad Jenkins with Mountain Region Speech and Hearing! Learn how this stalwart organization is giving back to our community and how you can play a part in the Season of Giving! https://www.holstonit.com/seasonofgiving/
READ MOREOver at Holston IT we are super proud of our own Alison Meredith! Alison’s new book, YOU Are the #1 Target was launched September 12th, 2019. On the day of the launch, her book reached Amazon Best-Seller Status! Click here…
READ MOREhttps://youtu.be/kK-iQLSksjg We are launching our Season of Giving with an interview by Alison with Grace! Grace is a young book enthusiast who loves being at the Bristol Public Library. Today Grace is telling us about the library’s Christmas Tree Parade!…
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Are you crazy-busy during this holiday season? Would you like an easy way to step away from the hectic pace for a few minutes and experience something fun with your…
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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/J7CxpjzwOGU” el_width=”90″ align=”center”][vc_column_text]At the end of every calendar year we set aside some time to celebrate the great work of many of the organizations in our local community and…
READ MOREFigure out what data you have and where it’s located. This is obvious, but it makes the list because a surprising number of businesses don’t realize where all their data is located. Often, without the owner’s knowledge, employees store your…
READ MOREhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM-6zN0TLWQ https://soworldwide.org/
READ MORECan anything new be done with an electric torch? We’ve forgotten, but “electric torch” was the given name of flashlights when they were a new invention. Now they are old hat, right? No longer a news item. Not so fast! …
READ MOREhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tf9AflOrvW4 https://soworldwide.org/
READ MOREParents! Please click here to read our free report about protecting your kids! holstonit.com/protectkids
READ MOREhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyphPfQ8j4E&feature=youtu.be https://soworldwide.org/
READ MORELook at that sticker that says “#1”! Wow! Our aim to hit best seller status in multiple categories has worked! Thank you to those who have bought a copy and/or shared the news. Still time to get all our bonuses…
READ MOREThe default settings on Facebook assume you want to share everything with everyone. What, that’s not you? Then you need to change some of the default settings. Also, ICYMI, two things: Facebook is easily hacked and The facebook leadership doesn’t…
READ MORE“Isn’t a consumer-grade firewall from Best Buy good enough for my business?” We get this question several times per year (sometimes per month), and our answer is always a flat “NO.” Today, instead of writing from scratch, I’m just going…
READ MORETodd Peak, Owner Lighthouse Supply Security and Fast Response from an Expert Team of Geeks! Technology is essential to our day-to-day operations. We all rely on electronic files, which must be accurate and updated in…
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Alison Meredith will team up with other leading IT professionals, including IT Expert, Robin Robins, to release the new book, You Are The #1 Target, a collaboration of expert advice…
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It’s been a good ride. The Windows 7 Operating System has carried businesses through the past decade.A welcome replacement to Vista, Windows 7 spread happiness and efficiency into workplaces worldwide. …
READ MOREWho’s that chatting with Alison Meredith? Doug Lipp, author of Disney U: How Disney University Develops the World’s Most Engaged, Loyal, and Customer-Centric Employees. Plus the Show: Lessons learned from Doug Lipp by Alison Meredith In March, I attended a…
READ MOREWe all know the security dilemma that comes with a day of sun, sand, and waves: When it comes time to set aside your stuff and get wet, where do you put that stuff? Bury it in the sand? Ask…
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READ MOREBottom line: Change your Facebook password and check your security settings. More Info: Again today, facebook demonstrated its low commitment to security. Passwords have been insecurely stored in a way that Facebook employees can easily access them. Full story can…
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In this video, Alison talks with Executive Director Kathlyn Terry and Board Chair Dr. Theresa Burriss. Kathlyn and Theresa share how the Food Hub connects smaller farmers with bigger markets,…
READ MOREIn this video, Alison interviews Executive Director Brad Jenkins. Brad shares how the MRSHC team serves children and seniors in our community as we celebrate this season of giving. To learn more about MRSHC, click here. [vll_video id=”17yTOEbcVcw”][/vll_video]
READ MORE“I’m always impressed with the knowledgeable staff at Holston IT and grateful for all the helpful information that they have shared with me. We are always happy with the service that we receive from Holston IT.” — Clare Snyder Branch,…
READ MOREMark it in history: MMXVIII is the year of ransomware. According to the 2018 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, while malware and hacking breaches have been on a slight decline for the last year, the use of ransomware has skyrocketed.…
READ MORERansomware is on the rise. Bad guys encrypt valuable data, demanding that victims pay a ransom if they ever want to access their data again. Bad News: Ransomware Attacks are Increasing. An example of bad guys announcing their attack: Good…
READ MOREThe next time you think about “Checking In” with Facebook or Tweeting about your vacation, don’t. Burglars are now using social media sites to target homes when people are away on vacation, business or just out at dinner. One such…
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Over 50 Million Facebook Accounts Compromised: What You Need to Do NOW to Improve the Security of YOUR Facebook Account 1. On the top right side of your FB…
READ MOREHere are a few simple things you can do to prevent your server and network equipment from overheating and crashing: Tidy up the server room; a neater room will increase air flow. If you have more than one server, arrange…
READ MOREWe are often asked this question: “Do they ever catch the bad guys?” The answer is YES! Here’s a big win for the Good Guys: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/russian-national-who-operated-kelihos-botnet-pleads-guilty-fraud-conspiracy-computer-crime
READ MOREWe have been a Holston IT client since early 2017. They have consistently provided prompt service from a professional team. If I have any question—about our WiFi, computers, even our smartphones, I just ask. I get helpful answers at lightning…
READ MOREOn June 22nd, the Supreme Court cited “seismic shifts in digital technology” as part of the justification for shifting away from the third-party doctrine it outlined over four decades ago. Quick lessons in history and current events are in order.…
READ MOREThe security of your home is more important than ever before. Lawbreakers are getting bolder, and they switch up their tactics as technology advances. With that in mind, there’s a definite market for a security camera that’s both difficult to…
READ MOREWe get that question often around this time of year, and here is our reply: We do not recommend a particular make or model. We DO recommend that you buy a computer with the following specifications: Intel i5 Series Processor…
READ MOREEnjoy great food and activities while supporting a great cause: improving the treatment of speech, language, hearing, and swallowing disorders in our community. Our friends and clients, Mountain Region Speech and Hearing Center, are hosting this fun fundraiser- how many…
READ MOREHave you heard of Slack? Is your team using it? Slack has been among the best-in-class messaging apps for some time, and now has over 5 million daily users. It’s a fantastic collaboration tool. Our main concern with Slack is…
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You’re in the car on the way home from Starbucks, basking in the glow of your triple-shot, low-foam, extra-hot pumpkin spice latte when you suddenly realize your laptop has gone…
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80% of cyber-attacks involve weak passwords.1 55% of people use one password for all logins.1 With a $300 graphics card, a hacker can run 420 billion simple, lowercase, eight-character password…
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“Our time with Holston IT has been excellent. The switch from our previous IT people was very smooth and uneventful. If we ever have a glitch, which has been very…
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“While parting ways from our former IT company, we had a need to reconfigure our server. We contacted Holston IT to explain our needs, and they were able to provide…
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“We were in a situation where we were not getting responsive answers from our IT support team and, many times, fixing one problem would break something else. We were very…
READ MOREFacebook has been all over the news lately—and not to receive accolades. Here are two of the recent scandals: The Cambridge Analytica Scandal This scandal revolves around a political research firm that used people’s private information without their consent. Here’s…
READ MORE“If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It”. . . Does this apply to . . . . Your car? Or do you get the oil changed even if your car is not “broke?” Your health? Or do you go have…
READ MORE“What car did you learn to drive stick shift on?” “What is the name of your special furry friend?” “What is your favorite movie of all time?” Surely there’s no harm in responding to these and the many other polls…
READ MORERandy Serena is a Microsoft Technology Associate with A+ Certification and over 16 years of experience. He provides senior level technical support to our amazing clients.
READ MORE[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1589984045966{margin-bottom: 20px !important;}”] Advice on how to choose a good password is not in short supply. You’ve heard all this before: Use long passwords. Beatles8DaysaWeek! is more secure than 3x$T*i9 and it’s easier to remember too! Use both letters…
READ MOREThough we’re in the midst of an unprecedented rise in high-profile cybercrime incidents, it’s easy to assume that our own, low-profile businesses are safe. Sure, we think, hacking into the data stores of J.P. Morgan, the U.S. Government, or Virgin…
READ MORE[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text] Brad Jenkins, Executive Director, MRSHC “We trust the technology experts of Holston IT to keep our network secure and running smoothly.” Mountain Region Speech and Hearing Center was founded in 1974 by the Junior League and the Sertoma…
READ MORESix years ago, a crazy idea hit kinckstarter.com: an app that would predict the weather. But wait, wasn’t the market already saturated with weather apps? Thankfully, a “handful of generous strangers” thought Jack and Adam were on to something, and enabled them to go forward. Last month,…
READ MOREWhat’s up with the news about “Every Computer Chip Since 1995 is At Risk”? Is this just our media pushing a story because it’s sensational? Are various news sources echoing scary headlines simply because “Bad news sells”? Is the sky…
READ MOREDon’t be tricked! You may THINK your backups are working—but are you sure? What would happen if you suffered a major data loss and THEN discovered your backups weren’t working? It’s Halloween, and we have a Treat for you. We…
READ MOREOn a scale of 1-10 for data breaches, this one is a 10: Equifax announced on Thursday that as many as 143 million people may have had their personal information exposed.You are quite likely among them. You are quite likely…
READ MOREAs hacking hit the headlines in the last few years — most recently the global hack in May that targeted companies both large and small — insurance policies to protect businesses against damage and lawsuits have become more popular. Your…
READ MOREThe Academic Year starts soon, and that means Tax-Free Weekend Shopping is upon us. July 28-30 in Tennessee and August 4-6 in Virginia are the dates to hit the stores. Wish we could offer tax-free computers, but, sadly, we can’t. …
READ MOREIn May, the WannaCry Ransomware attack affected companies spanning the globe, shutting down hospitals, disrupting utility companies, and stalling the work of millions. WannaCry took advantage of the fact that many businesses don’t keep their patching up-to-date. Every time a…
READ MOREOn Monday, August 21, a total solar eclipse will cross the USA. Let’s hope the weather is cloudless, because the moon and sun won’t provide rainchecks to the millions of people who will travel to see their dance. This gray…
READ MOREJuly 29th at 6:30 at the Kingsport Aquatic Center Enjoy great food and activities while supporting a great cause: improving the treatment of speech, language, hearing, and swallowing disorders in our community. Our friends and clients, Mountain Region Speech and…
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“We want to move from people needing Windows . . . to loving Windows.” So said CEO Satya Nadella after taking over Microsoft. And their new Surface Studio takes a…
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Summer is here—what does that mean to you? More golf? A beach vacation? Family reunions? Business owners are particularly prone to taking their stress with them when they walk out…
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Holston IT has provided our IT support since 2012. Their team members have excellent technical skills and easily solve any network problems we have. Not only that, they are prompt…
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[row] [column span=”4″] [img src=”/files/2017/06/bill.png”] Bill Siegler, Owner Pelican Financial Group “Holston IT has removed my technology headaches and provided great service since 2012!” Bill Siegler is an Accredited Investment…
READ MOREWe’ve been busy around here! Our passion is to remove your technology headaches. Your computers should just work so that you can focus on running your business. We’re delighted that our client list is growing, which means we must grow…
READ MORE“WannaCry” is the biggest successful cyber attack in years. In Europe, tens of thousands of computers have been hit so far. Hospitals were even turning away patients because they can’t access their records. And it spread from there to many other countries—the…
READ MOREWe’ve been busy around here! Our passion is to remove your technology headaches. Your computers should just work so that you can focus on running your business. We’re delighted that our client list is growing, which means we must grow…
READ MOREWe’ve been busy around here! Our passion is to remove your technology headaches. Your computers should just work so that you can focus on running your business. We’re delighted that our client list is growing, which means we must grow…
READ MOREThe Sith Lord is about to strike – this is no time for an ordinary lightsaber. Time to pull out your own hand-made custom lightsaber… You’d be hard-pressed to find an imaginary weapon as iconic as the Star Wars lightsaber.…
READ MORERyan loved tweaking photos on his Android phone. He’d heard rave reviews from his friends with iPhones about Prisma, a new iOS app for image editing. So when he heard Prisma would soon be released for Android, he logged in…
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[row] [column span=”4″] [img src=”/files/2017/02/brandon.png”] Brandon Snodgrass, Owner/Operator Snodgrass Law Firm “I trust Holston IT wholeheartedly” [/column] [column span=”8″] by Brandon Snodgrass, Owner/Operator, Snodgrass Law Firm I need cybersecurity to…
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We frequently get asked about the timing of when a Security Risk Assessment (SRA) needs to be performed for Meaningful Use. So here is some guidance: SRA for Meaningful Use…
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[row] [column span=”4″] [img src=”/files/2017/01/marymarkland.png”] Mary Markland, Mary Markland, EA, CPA(Virginia) Owner, The Markland Group “Since 2009, Holston IT has given us outstanding, fast service!” The Markland Group serves small…
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[row] [column span=”4″] [img src=”/files/2017/01/wesley.png”] Wesley J. Harris, MD, Partner Bristol Gynecology & Obstetrics “Thanks to Holston IT, we never experience downtime, and we know our patient data is secure!”…
READ MORENearly every week, you hear a news story about a cyber-attack or a rogue virus sweeping through the country or the world. Maybe you’re a little bit skeptical: Are these viruses really a problem for you? Are these cyber-attacks really…
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[row] [column span=”4″] [img src=”/files/2017/01/jeffpic.png”] Jeff Sneed, President, Gilley, McCready, & Sneed Insurance “Holston IT increases our security and productivity!” Large enough to handle any customer and small enough to…
READ MOREAbijah is a home-educated student who is interested in photography as a career. He is learning the trade through volunteer experience, entering contests and reading books about digital photography. He recently won Second Place and an Honorable Mention in his…
READ MOREUnless your firm is directly connected to the banking industry, you may not be aware of this, but the biggest ATM-related crime that banks have to grapple with is ATM Skimming. It has become a major problem, especially for ATMs…
READ MOREThere’s a new attack vector to be worried about called “Windtalker.” It allows a hacker to take control of a WiFi hotspot and reverse-engineer keystrokes made by users who are typing via their touchscreens. While that sounds like magic, there…
READ MOREIf recent events are any indication, Botnets are going to be in the news a lot more in coming months. Less than a month ago, a massive army of hacked internet devices broke records when it attacked a French Internet…
READ MOREThe year of 2016 continues to break new records in terms of massive security breaches. According to LeakedSource, last month, hackers gained access to the FriendFinder Network, which includes the adult dating and swinger site, “Adult Friend Finder.” User accounts,…
READ MOREIf you own your own business, then odds are good that you’ve taken advantage of the “Sign in With Facebook” (or Google) API. It’s fast, it’s convenient and it’s one less thing to worry about. It gives your users an…
READ MOREBack in the good ol’ days before the rise of the iPhone, Apple devices were largely considered to be more secure than their Wintel counterparts. There was a time when Apple used this as a major plank in their marketing…
READ MOREInternet Explorer is widely regarded as one of the most security riddled browsers in the history of the internet. Microsoft had hoped that with the release of Windows 10, which included a complete overhaul of IE and a rebranding of…
READ MOREIt’s amazing how pervasive WiFi has become. These days, it’s hard to imagine life without it. The internet is everywhere. It’s always on, and you’re always connected. Unfortunately, as speeds have improved and bandwidth has increased, so too have the…
READ MORESo far as is known, no hacking attack to date has resulted in death, but the day is inevitably coming. One day in the not-too-distant future, a hacker will be charged with murder, in addition to their other crimes. The…
READ MORETech giants Google and Microsoft are at odds, thanks to a recent announcement made by Google about a vulnerability in Windows’ Operating System. Google’s longstanding policy has been to inform the company that owns the software when a security flaw…
READ MORENo matter how good, expensive or robust your security system is, your employees are always the weakest link. In fact, in some cases, your own policies might be pushing them to “rational noncompliance,” a situation in which your employees break…
READ MOREThere is some big news out of the FTC recently. The agency has announced that they are relaxing the rules governing what is and isn’t allowed under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). As of today, you can legally hack…
READ MOREThis is how something as innocuous as a thumb drive can become a major security issue. Recently, it has come to light that a soon-to-be retiring regulator at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) had downloaded work…
READ MOREWhat percentage of your employees know how to properly handle sensitive information? The answer is “probably a lot less than you think.” In a recent survey conducted by MediaPro, it was discovered that nearly 90% of employees lacked security and…
READ MOREA new FCC ruling changes the game for Internet Service Providers around the country, which limits their ability to share or sell the information they have on the people who use their services. The new rules were approved in a…
READ MOREResearchers at a cyber security company called EnSilo have found a new vulnerability in Windows PCs, and it’s about as bad as it could possibly get. The new attack vector does not exploit a bug in the code, but rather,…
READ MOREWith 5-star ratings submitted by over 43 thousand happy customers, the Echo has made itself heard in the market. The Echo is not just new, it’s the first in a new category: “Smart Speakers.” From The Economist (October 1st, p.65): …
READ MOREVine, one of the many properties owned by Twitter, is dead, after the company tried unsuccessfully to find a buyer for the struggling service. If you’re a Vine regular, you’ve probably sensed the move coming for quite some time. As…
READ MOREThere’s a new viral link making the rounds on Twitter that you should advise your staff to steer clear of. If you see a link that begins with “goo.gl,” don’t click it. If you do, not only will it crash…
READ MOREIt has been widely reported that cybercrime is one of the fastest growing types of crime on the planet today, but new statistics published by MarkMonitor’s Online Fraud Barometer indicate that it’s a lot worse than previously imagined. Close to…
READ MOREIf you’re a VDSL user, there’s good news on the horizon. Recently, Nokia has announced some amazing increases in its XG.fast speeds, achieving up to 5Gbps (about 625MB per second) over 70 meters of conventional copper telephone wire. That’s huge,…
READ MOREThe Internet of Things has been getting a lot of bad press in recent weeks. Not long ago, an army of enslaved smart devices was used to bring much of the internet in the United States to its knees for…
READ MOREYou probably noticed that at various points during a day not long ago, you couldn’t get on the internet. If you could, a lot of the sites you’re used to visiting were simply unavailable for extended periods of time. The…
READ MOREYet more evidence that the federal government’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is cracking down on HIPPA violations, the agency recently levied a hefty $2.14 million dollar fine against St. Joseph Health System for what it describes as…
READ MOREThe Linux exploit called Rowhammer is back in the news. This time, it’s targeting Android devices. If you missed the news about Rowhammer, or need a refresher, the exploit basically works like this: if you can engineer a piece of…
READ MOREQualcomm has made a bold announcement in advance of this year’s 4G/5G Summit in Hong Kong. Their newest offering, the X50, will ship in the second half of 2018, and is being billed as a 5G modem. It will feature…
READ MOREFile this one under “public service warning.” If you’re a fan and regular user of Facebook, beware of a new virus that’s making the rounds inside the social media giant. If you see a video on your wall titled “My…
READ MOREAre you a Spotify user? If so, you may have been infected. Recently, the company reported that one of its advertising partners had displayed an ad containing malware. As with most software of this type, it wrests control of the…
READ MORESome credit card companies have begun using selfies as an alternative to traditional, text-based passwords in order to provide enhanced security. No system is perfect, though, and hackers have already begun experimenting with various exploits to the new paradigm. Far…
READ MOREOnline security has become increasingly important to rank and file users in recent years, and with good reason. 2015 saw the largest number of hacks and successful data breaches in the history of the internet, and 2016 is on track…
READ MOREThe risks and dangers associated with the Internet of Things continues to grow. Unfortunately, these days, a hacking attack can actually kill. Recently, a researcher uncovered a major security flaw in an insulin pump sold by Johnson and Johnson. The…
READ MOREDid they, or didn’t they? That seems to be the central question surrounding the recent revelation reported by Reuters. According to the news story, Yahoo complied with a Federal government request to track and monitor all incoming messages, forwarding any…
READ MOREBack in September, President Obama called the news media out for their complacency. In a year marked by an extremely divisive political campaign, people have lamented the fact that many of the nation’s major news outlets are dealing in false…
READ MOREIt was supposed to be a landmark achievement for Samsung, and the start of an era of record-breaking profits. The release of the Note 7 was widely anticipated, and when it hit the shelves back in August, customers flocked to…
READ MOREResearchers at the University of Washington have developed an intriguing new technology that can actually transmit secure password signals through the body, using the fingerprint sensors and touchpads on smartphones and laptops, in what they’re calling “on-body transmission.” The signals…
READ MOREThere may be some good news where cybercrime is concerned. Increasingly, Americans are beginning to take the threat more seriously. A recently released survey conducted by TransUnion showed an unmistakable increase in awareness, which is a critical first step. Some…
READ MORESay what you will about Russian hacking group “Fancy Bear,” but they’ve definitely got a sense of style. Fancy Bear is the group widely believed to be responsible for hacking the Democratic National Committee’s servers. Now, authorities believe the group…
READ MORELaptop users in general have been unhappy with Google’s Chrome browser. There are several aspects of the software’s design that cause it to drain battery power at an alarming rate. Fortunately, the company has decided to do something about that,…
READ MOREIn a bid to increase its share of the browser market, Microsoft has made some interesting moves recently, which make its new “Edge” browser software stand out from the crowd. The most recent change is the announced addition of Windows…
READ MOREFrom the very earliest days of the PC revolution, printer manufacturers have relied on a very specific model to sell their wares. They sell the printer itself as cheaply as possible, relying on the sales of ink cartridges to make…
READ MOREOver the past few years, most of MacOS’s updates have been aimed at bringing it firmly into alignment with iOS. Gradually, we’ve seen an increasing number of iOS’s features ported over to the desktop, up to and including the overall…
READ MOREMuch has been written about the explosion in the size of the Internet of Things: a dizzying and rapidly growing collection of internet-connected objects that we use to make our lives more convenient. These days, you can find smart versions…
READ MORETraditional web hosting services are on the way out, at least where small and medium sized businesses are concerned. These are the latest findings by Clutch.co, based on a recent survey of SMBs. A staggering 95% of them say they…
READ MOREIf you’ve never heard of ClixSense, you’re not alone. It’s a website that supposedly pays its users for viewing advertisements and completing surveys online. Unfortunately, people who signed up to use the system got a whole lot more than they…
READ MOREAre you familiar with the music service, Last.fm? If you used the service at any point in 2012, your password could be compromised. This is the latest find announced by LeakedSource, which provides an online listing of data breaches from…
READ MORELonger Tweets are finally coming! Maybe. At some point. It is the company’s single most requested feature: an easing of the tight, 140-character restriction on Tweet length. And although the company has often reiterated that it was holding fast to…
READ MORETesla isn’t the first automaker whose increasingly automated vehicles have been hacked, but they are the latest. Fortunately, the hackers weren’t real hackers, but security researchers working for a firm called Keen Security Lab. The results, however, were disturbing to…
READ MORELast month, a devastating security flaw was found in iOS. The flaw that was discovered was a chained trio of zero day exploits that, if executed in the proper order, would allow a hacker to take total control over your…
READ MOREThe development of USB-C cables has generated quite a lot of excitement in the industry – even more now that there are standards in place to prevent faulty cables from being sold. This had been an issue in months past,…
READ MOREHP, a giant in the printer industry, is looking for new ways to grow its business. As hardware companies have been seeing a steady erosion of revenue, HP isn’t taking it lying down. In response, the company has finalized an…
READ MOREThousands of publicly accessible FTP servers, including a number from Seagate network-attached storage devices, have been found on the internet that have been broken into, corrupted and are currently hosting cryptocurrency-mining malware. This is according to the latest report released…
READ MORESome, perhaps even many, people might think that it would be hard to improve on the iPhone. After all, Apple’s flagship product has sold more than a billion units, so people clearly like it, but Apple has done just that.…
READ MOREGM has given the world a first: a recall of up to four million of the vehicles it has manufactured. Of course, recalls are nothing new, especially in the auto industry. However, what makes this one unique is that the…
READ MOREThe hackers have struck again, and this time, they seem to have hit the Mother Lode. Yahoo recently announced that they’ve been hacked, and that at least a half a billion user accounts may have been compromised. Yes, that billion,…
READ MOREIt’s never too early to start learning to code. There’s a lot to learn, and the field is extremely fluid and dynamic, so starting early is a sure way to get ahead of the game. Lots of companies agree with…
READ MOREDropbox is no stranger to hacking attacks, and in recent months, they’ve been made a target once again. In this instance, hackers have launched a phishing campaign aimed at Dropbox users. They send out poisoned emails that, by all outward…
READ MORESince their initial release, the smart money has been betting on the idea that SSD (Solid State Drives) would ultimately replace the aging, conventional hard drive as the storage medium of choice, especially in laptops. Why not? They’re smaller, slimmer…
READ MOREBanks are embracing technology in new and innovative ways, or at least, some of them are. One of the biggest headaches and hassles of dealing with a bank comes when you want to open a new account. There are forms…
READ MORETypically, people running some flavor of Linux have little to fear from the hacking community. By and large, Linux users have been ignored or passed by in favor of other targets. Unfortunately, not even Linux users are safe anymore. There’s…
READ MOREThere is a large and growing body of evidence that hackers and their attacks are increasing in sophistication. Hardly a month goes by that there isn’t a headline somewhere in the world about a new attack vector. The level of…
READ MOREConsumer electronics giant Samsung just released its latest update to its flagship product, the Galaxy Note 7, two weeks ago, as of the writing of this piece. The company has sold some 2.5 million units worldwide, and now, they are…
READ MOREAs you probably know by now, ransomware is a particularly insidious form of hacking attack whereby a target computer’s files are locked or held hostage in some way, and besides restoring from whatever backups you have, the only way to…
READ MOREThe story of the fall of the hacker going by the alias “Track2” is an absolutely riveting one. Track2, whose real name is Roman Valerevich Seleznev, is a thirty-one year old from Russia. His criminal enterprise thrived from 2009 to…
READ MOREIf you’re a Mac user who downloads files using the torrent software called “Transmission,” you may want to check your machine for signs of infection. It was recently discovered that a malicious copy of the torrent software had found its…
READ MOREThere have been papers written and demonstrations conducted in recent months to show how it’s possible to wirelessly log your keystrokes. All of those demonstrations have relied upon specialized gear you can make using off-the-shelf components, but given that requirement,…
READ MOREIf you’re one of the millions of Dropbox users around the world, you were probably mildly annoyed recently when you logged on to find that you were being forced to change your password on that system. It’s one part of…
READ MOREOpera does not have anything that could be described as a commanding share of the web browser market, but as one of oldest and best loved browsers in existence, the company still commands respect, and has a collection of die-hard…
READ MOREShaun Treacy, the President of MHR (Millennium Hotels and Resorts) North America, has recently sent a communication to guests who stayed at some of the company’s locations between March and June of 2016. In his letter, he warns that an…
READ MOREAn interesting and disturbing new form of Ransomware was on display at this year’s Def Con convention, in Las Vegas. So far as anyone knows, this is the first, proof of concept ransomware that targets smart thermostats. Yes, you read…
READ MOREMuch has been written in previous months about the explosion in growth of the (IOT) Internet of Things, and the security risks posed by that growth. Where PCs, laptops, and smartphones all have fairly robust security measures in place to…
READ MOREIn some important ways, the media has a tendency to distort the reality where hacking and data breaches are concerned. The stories that tend to make the headlines are the external breaches that see hackers making off with tens of…
READ MOREAlthough a number of tech companies have been working hard to create new and ever more robust security and authentication protocols, a recent survey revealed that the American public in general remains highly skeptical of the new procedures, and only…
READ MOREYou probably don’t know the name Benson Leung. He’s one of the internet’s unsung heroes, and in recent months, he’s been quietly waging a one-man war against manufacturers producing faulty USB-C chargers. Many users have reported having their smartphones fried…
READ MOREThere has been an explosive growth in companies offering private cloud as part of a broader offering of managed services, and businesses are responding positively to the trend. Interestingly, while companies are moving to embrace the private cloud and managed…
READ MORESage, LLC, a British company providing business software solutions for clients around the world, was the latest victim of a data breach. This one, however, came from inside the company itself. This is an increasingly common problem, though not as…
READ MOREWhat do you do when you get a popup window generated by some piece of software you use, informing you of a critical update? Do you stop what you’re doing right then and perform the needed update? Most people don’t,…
READ MOREAs a standard company policy, Holston IT recommends to all our clients and friends that you DO NOT use dropbox. Here is yet another example of why we have that policy: 69 MILLION Dropbox accounts were leaked in August, you…
READ MOREYou’ve probably seen the headlines. This year, hardly a week goes by that there isn’t a report of a company in some way connected to the health care industry falling victim to ransomware. If you think it feels like they’re…
READ MOREResearchers at University College London have created a fascinating algorithm that can take a sample of hand-written text, and imitate it with eerie similarity. At first glance, that might seem like a silly, or even trivial thing to spend time…
READ MOREAdobe’s beleaguered Flash player may finally be seeing its last days, at least if Google has anything to say about it. The player has been exceedingly popular, and at its peak, a vast number of websites relied on it heavily…
READ MOREMicrosoft is a company that definitely understands the need for better and more secure information systems. Like many other tech companies, they’ve been pushing hard for two-factor authentication protocols covering large swaths of their online ecosystem. Unfortunately, their approach has…
READ MORERemember not long ago, when the big credit card issuers went on at some length touting their latest advances in smart chip technology? The new tech was supposed to vastly improve the security of credit cards, rendering them virtually immune…
READ MOREThere have been a number of scams in recent years involving malware that creates false flag problems on your desktop. The faux problem is presented, along with a phone number you can call to get help resolving the issue. Consider…
READ MOREPrinting company MOO Labs has just brought the humble business card into the information age. Employing the same NFC (Near Field Communications) technology that makes it possible to make a credit card purchase without actually having to swipe your card,…
READ MOREThe unfortunate reality is that most instances of hacking occur from within a company itself. It’s true that the high profile cases that make the news are successful breaches from outside the company, but the statistics bear out the fact…
READ MOREDo you trust what your eyes tell you? If you’re looking at a computer monitor, that trust might be misplaced. At a recent DEFCON presentation in Las Vegas, researchers demonstrated how it’s possible to hack into a monitor’s firmware and…
READ MOREDoes your company rely on Oracle Systems’ Micros to handle point of sale transactions? If so, you should change your password immediately. The company has recently reported that a sophisticated Russian cybercrime syndicate has successfully breached their system, exposing the…
READ MOREIn late 2016 or early 2017, Bluetooth 5.0 will be released, and by all indications, this will be the version of the technology we’ve all been waiting for. It’s about to take a giant leap forward in terms of functionality.…
READ MOREBattery life for mobile devices is their single biggest weakness. The greatest challenge in growing and managing the exploding “Internet of Things” isn’t the devices themselves, but rather, the power required to wirelessly transmit the data they’re reporting. Energy is…
READ MORESecurity researchers from Check Point have unearthed a new vulnerability dubbed QuadRoot that leaves potentially 900 million or more Android-based smartphones vulnerable. The attack manifests when a user unwittingly installs specially designed malware which executes the attack. This is often…
READ MOREBy now, it’s a familiar story. Conventional wisdom holds that you want to use a different password on every site or service you log into and that you want to change your passwords regularly, in order to maximize security. What…
READ MORERansomware has made some inroads into the realm of smart devices, but until quite recently, Android devices were the target of choice. That seems to be changing now. Increasingly, we’re seeing iPhone users targeted by this type of attack. This…
READ MOREIn fact, your Microsoft Account Credentials are almost certainly vulnerable, but until the rise in popularity of Windows 10, it hasn’t been nearly as big an issue as it is today. The unfortunate reality is that Microsoft has known about…
READ MOREUSB drives. They’re ubiquitous. They’re everywhere. You probably have several floating around your office, or nearby. We tend to use them so often that we don’t even think about it, and that’s a potential problem. At a recent Black Hat…
READ MOREIf you have a Yahoo email account, you’re not alone. The company is one of the largest free email account providers on the internet, which unfortunately means that when they suffer a data breach, it tends to impact a lot…
READ MOREBanner Health, based in Phoenix, AZ, has the dubious honor as having been the recipient of the largest healthcare related data breach so far in 2016. The cyberattack was launched on June 17, and potentially impacts 3.7 million Banner Health…
READ MOREDoes your company currently have a formal email policy? If you don’t, you need one, and sooner, rather than later. As the first “killer app” in the world of computing, email is, to this day, one of the most widely…
READ MOREIn recent months, we’ve seen an upsurge in the number of attacks that have been executed by exploiting wireless peripherals attached to computers. Hackers can even intercept signals sent to your PC via wireless mouse and use them for their…
READ MOREPublic WiFi is ubiquitous. Pretty much anywhere you go these days, you’re going to find a free network you can connect to. Stop in to grab some coffee, free WiFi. Grab lunch at the restaurant downtown? Free WiFi. It’s everywhere,…
READ MOREThe FBI has recently shut down a particularly nefarious ad server called the AdGholas group, which used a new and innovative method of infecting computers and managed to avoid detection for several months. The hackers employed advanced steganography techniques via…
READ MOREVideo streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu Plus, and others are becoming so ubiquitous that they’re a fixture in everyday life for tens of millions of people. Unfortunately, hackers have proven incredibly adept at taking well known, popular trends…
READ MORESo what do you do when you offer an unlimited data plan and people actually take you up on your offer? Well, if you’re Verizon, you start banning them. Currently, Verizon is offering an “unlimited” plan. The problem, however, is…
READ MOREAccording to security company Infoblox, a staggering 83% of the networks they’ve studied contain some form of malicious activity. The news is as staggering as it is grim, but if there’s a silver lining to be found in the report,…
READ MOREThe annual “Cost of a Data Breach” study has been released, and the results aren’t pretty or encouraging. Between 2013 and now, the total cost to a company hit by a data breach is a staggering $4 million, which is…
READ MORESystem administrators have their hands full dealing with “Leap Seconds,” the extra second periodically added to the day by scientists working with UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), used by computer systems around the world. These leap seconds are necessary in order…
READ MOREDo you consider yourself to be a power user, where computers are concerned? Do you have one or more members of your staff you’d put in that category? If the answer to either of those questions was yes, then Seagate’s…
READ MOREIf your company deals with protected health information, then you know what a maze of regulation HIPAA rules can be. The Federal government has recently signaled just how seriously they take data breaches, by fining Oregon Health & Science University…
READ MOREIf you use Microsoft OneDrive, it’s time to review your usage rate, and perhaps start thinking of switching to a different cloud-based storage solution. When the service was first rolled out, users with a free OneDrive account got fifteen gigabytes…
READ MORESecurity researchers at the firm ESET have recently warned of a total of 8 apps found on the Google Play store. These apps, at first glance, appear to be designed to help users increase their number of followers on various…
READ MORELast July, Android users got a nasty surprise. The surprise came in the form of a new type of attack directed against smartphones. Dubbed “Stagefright,” it allowed a hacker to assume total control over the target device, simply by sending…
READ MOREHow solid is your firm’s web security? According to recent findings by the penetration expert Ilia Kolochenko, probably not very good. Kolochenko should know. He is the CEO of High-Tech Bridge, and he and his research team have just finished…
READ MOREThere’s a new technology in the area of memory and storage. MRAM. If you haven’t heard of it, you’re not alone, but it’s one of two promising up and coming technologies that stand to change the storage game forever. The…
READ MORESamsung made a surprising new product offering with little fanfare. There was so little fanfare, in fact, that you may have missed it. The company is now selling a staggering 4TB SSD with a 2.5 inch form factor, which means…
READ MOREVectra Networks has found an old, longstanding vulnerability in Windows, and it comes from a rather unexpected source. Printers. Way back in 2007, an eternity ago in the world of tech, Microsoft introduced a convenient new feature that was widely…
READ MOREBy now, the headlines will scarcely surprise anyone. Yet another business has suffered a major data breach. This time, it was Omni Hotels, a luxury hotel chain. The breach, which was discovered on May 30, 2016, began December 23, 2015…
READ MOREThe world’s hackers are branching out. No longer content to simply breach the digital fortresses that today’s businesses and governments have become, they’re now beginning to turn their attention to automobiles, too. In recent weeks, four vehicles with electronic key…
READ MOREIn the old days, before the rise of the iPad and iPhone, hackers were mostly content to leave Apple alone. They had such a tiny slice of the computer market that it was generally deemed as being more trouble than…
READ MOREIdentity theft is a large, pervasive, and growing problem. In fact, statistics show that the instances of identity theft jumped a staggering 57% last year alone, this, according to figures from the fraud-prevention service Cifas. The firm’s research into the…
READ MOREMost people engaged in legitimate business have no idea just how profitable hacking can be. Hummingbad is a case in point. Part of the “Hummer” family of Trojans, this bit of malware is the most widely installed Trojan on the…
READ MORESecurity researchers from Cisco’s Talos Group have discovered a huge and disturbing spike in spam emails containing a widely used ransomware called Zepto. In fact, the team has uncovered 137,731 such emails over just a four-day period, containing more than…
READ MORERansomware has become one of the fastest growing cybercrimes of 2016. Worse, these attacks are growing in their sophistication, and the hackers deploying ransomware have been upping their game by branching out onto different systems. As evidence, according to data…
READ MOREHard Rock Hotel & Casino has had some hard luck when it comes to data breaches. Last year, the company admitted that hackers had breached their POS (Point of Sale) credit card processing system from September 2014 through April of…
READ MOREBy now, you’ve almost certainly heard the news. Microsoft’s latest OS, Windows 10, is free for the moment, but that’s ending as of July 29. After that point, if you want to upgrade, you’ll have to pay. There is no…
READ MORERansomware is becoming an epidemic. It’s one of the fastest growing kinds of attacks we’re seeing in 2016, and the hacking community has shown a tremendous appetite for expanding the scope and scale of their operations. PCs and laptops were,…
READ MORESecurity company ForeScout has some disturbing new statistics about the state of digital corporate security. According to their research, 85% of IT professionals surveyed said they lacked confidence in their ability to spot a new device, imported by a user…
READ MOREBarclaycard, one of the giants in the industry of global payments, has some disturbing new data to share about the state of cybersecurity in small and medium-sized businesses. Less than one in five of the businesses surveyed viewed cybersecurity as…
READ MOREThe FBI has issued an official warning of a new scam the hackers are using, and it’s costing business big bucks. According to the FBI, BEC (Business Email Compromise) has already cost the business community more than three billion dollars,…
READ MOREApple recently, and very quietly, made an announcement that went largely unnoticed by technology press agents and reporters looking for juicy headline materials. It turns out that many may have missed the most important headline of them all. Namely, the…
READ MOREOne of the biggest problems about successful data breaches is the fact that if the hackers are really good, it can be quite some time before their target is even aware there’s a problem. This appears to be the case…
READ MOREThe hacking community is at it again, and they’ve once more upped the ante. It wasn’t long ago that ransomware called Ransom32 that was partially written in NodeJS, but delivered via an executable file, had been the norm, that is…
READ MOREA number of big, exciting developments were announced at Apple’s recent worldwide developer’s conference, and from the sound of it, there are a number of really exciting changes coming that will give the Apple community plenty to look forward to.…
READ MORELeakedSource provides us with yet more bad news. Hackers have breached VerticalScope, a media company that runs a number of large online communities, including several enormously popular ones including Techsupportforum.com, motorcycle.com, and AutoGuide.com. According to the company, for every record…
READ MOREIf you use a Cisco firewall or router to protect your digital assets, it’s time to check your equipment. Cisco recently released a security advisory that covers three of its popular, widely used pieces of equipment: The RV 110W Wireless-N…
READ MORENow, you have another very good reason to upgrade to Windows 10. If you refuse to do that, then at the very least, you have a very good reason to move away from versions of Windows that are no longer…
READ MOREIf you use Citrix’s “GotoMyPC” remote desktop service, you’re going to have to change your password the next time you log on. The company was hit with what it describes as a “very sophisticated attack,” and it’s not taking any…
READ MOREThe University of Calgary recently submitted to the will of hackers and ponied up $20,000 to get their files back after more than 100 computers were locked via ransomware. Almost every security expert agrees that paying such a ransom is…
READ MOREOnce more into the breach with Twitter. A company called LeakedSource claims to have gotten its hands on a database containing some 32 million Twitter passwords associated with accounts via email (rather than user name). Although per the company’s information…
READ MOREThe recent revelations about hundreds of millions of user names and passwords showing up for sale on the Dark Net from sites like Twitter, LinkedIn and MySpace has sent ripples of uncertainty through the entire digital world. If the data…
READ MOREMore and more business are migrating increasing amounts of data to the cloud. That’s generally seen as a good thing, but there’s a fly in the ointment. The cloud, which is regarded by many to be safer and generally more…
READ MOREIf you have a Samsung desktop or laptop and are still running some version of Windows 7, hold off on upgrading, at least for now. Despite having more than two years to get their drivers in order, the company still…
READ MOREAnother month, another Flash vulnerability. This time, it’s designated as CVE-2016-4171 (details here: https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/flash-player/apsa16-03.html ). This is yet another critical vulnerability, identified by Kaspersky Labs. So far, this hack has been spotted in the wild, being used in limited, targeted…
READ MORETeamViewer, the company behind a popular remote desktop platform, which allows users to share their screens, access their computers remotely, or participate in online conferences, has been hacked…maybe. A little over a month ago, the company received reports from a…
READ MOREOnline security company Check Point Software Technologies has discovered a flaw in Facebook’s chat app that allows hackers to log in and change the content of chat messages (individual messages or entire chat streams) without notifying users that changes have…
READ MOREThe push toward ever greater miniaturization has been present in the technology industry from the very beginning. Computers that once occupied whole rooms got small enough to fit onto any available desktop. PCs gave way to laptops, which are currently…
READ MOREYour employees are both your company’s greatest asset and your biggest potential security risk. In a recent study conducted by Experian Data Breach Resolution and Ponemon Institute, it was found that 55% of companies surveyed have experienced one or more…
READ MOREIf you’re one of the millions of users with an Android phone, then you already know there are a couple of different ways you can find it if you happen to misplace it. You can use the built-in search feature,…
READ MOREHave you been noticing “strange” search results when you’re surfing the web? Have your search results been taking longer than usual to appear? You may have been infected by a new, very clever bit of malware known as Redirector.Paco. There…
READ MOREWhat percentage of total internet traffic would you estimate that bots (non-human visitors) account for? Twenty percent? Thirty percent? Unfortunately, according to data released by DeviceAtlas, a company that makes software to detect the kinds of devices web visitors are…
READ MOREIf you haven’t yet heard of “KeySweeper,” you have a new threat to be on the lookout for. The KeySweeper device is built with off the shelf, Arduino components. These can be programmed for a variety of purposes, but the…
READ MOREIn recent months, Microsoft has made a number of very good, highly popular moves that have had its customers raving about its apparent change. This latest incident, however, isn’t one of those. Microsoft has been accused of resorting to malware-style…
READ MOREYou’ve probably got either a dual- or quad-core computer sitting on your desk right now, but if you love bleeding edge technology, then you’re going to want to upgrade after reading this. Recently, at the Computex trade show in Taipei,…
READ MORESecurity firm Duo Security recently published a disturbing report relating to laptop security. It found critical security flaws in laptops produced by five of the largest OEMs: Acer, Asus, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and Lenovo. If you’ve purchased, and are currently using…
READ MOREMost of us (and you know who you are) tend to be not-very-good when it comes to creating robust, secure passwords. If you’ve ever used your significant other’s birthday, your birthday, the word “password,” or the numbers “123456,” then you’re…
READ MOREYou’ve probably seen the joke email before. Something to the effect of, “If you don’t forward this message to six people within twenty-four hours, your teeth will fall out, your car will break down, and all the files on your…
READ MORENot long ago, we learned that last year’s high profile LinkedIn hack was much bigger than initially thought. When the hack occurred, the company assured its user base that it was limited in scope to some 6.3 million user accounts…
READ MORENot even dentists are safe from hackers, and if they’ve been targeted, your company could easily be targeted in much the same way. Recently, the ADA (American Dental Association) sent USB flash drives out to dental offices all over the…
READ MOREThere seems to be no end of trouble for the beleaguered Flash Player and those who use it. Not long ago, yet another critical security flaw was found in the player, designated as CVE-2016-4117 by security researchers at FireEye. As…
READ MOREIf you have an account on LinkedIn, you may recall that they suffered a data breach back in 2012. At the time, they force-reset the passwords of all users believed to be impacted. Unfortunately, it now appears that the breach…
READ MOREHow much does a “bad hire” cost your company? Probably more than you think. In a recent survey conducted by CareerBuilder, a staggering 41% of companies estimated that a bad hire cost their firm more than $25,000. A quarter of…
READ MORELet’s face it, no one likes to wait. What you may not have known, however, is that your slow internet connection could be detrimental to your health. If that raises a curious eyebrow, here’s the more complete explanation: The company…
READ MOREThere have been a lot of articles all over the web, outlining the width and breadth of various data breaches, some of which have seen the hackers make off with tens, or even hundreds of millions of consumer records which…
READ MOREAn interesting update to Google Translate just made it easier to use if you’re an Android user. Before the update, if you were reading something, and came across a language you didn’t understand, you’d have to copy the text, start…
READ MOREIt may sound like science fiction, but researchers have now proven that computer viruses can not only be transmitted via your computer’s audio system, they can even communicate with each other via that same medium. The hard-to-believe story began some…
READ MOREYou may not know the name Dag Kittlaus, but you almost certainly know his creation, Siri, which was the world’s first voice-based digital assistant. Since Siri’s creation and launch, most of the big names in the Tech world have come…
READ MOREMicrosoft has made a number of good, smart, customer-centric moves lately, especially where Windows 10 is concerned. Their latest decision to quietly kill off a feature called WiFi Sense is a continuation of that trend. If you’ve not heard of…
READ MOREYes, even the FDIC, the government agency that insures banks, is vulnerable to data breaches. In this instance, a cluster of internal breaches was reported recently as part of congressional oversight, where activities that put consumer information at risk must…
READ MOREAn old scam has recently gotten a facelift to make it less threatening, and it has proved to be devastatingly effective. You’ve probably run across scam sites offering technical support for your computer system before. Typically, they replicate the dreaded…
READ MOREIf you’ve ever booted up your computer and gotten a cryptic “drive not found” message, you’re not alone. In fact, about one third of all data loss occurs because of this very error message. Drives simply failing to appear on…
READ MOREMicrosoft won a lot of hearts and minds with their decision to make the upgrade to Windows 10 free for an extended period of time. That’s also the reason that Windows 10 has seen the fastest adoption rate of any…
READ MOREYou’ve probably heard by now that hacks and attacks are getting more and more sophisticated as time goes by. This latest malware attack, is a perfect example of this increasing sophistication in action. The simple reality is that hacks succeed…
READ MORE[row] [column span=”4″] [img src=”/files/2016/05/goodman-img.jpg” class=”aligncenter”] Mark Goodman, Goodman Jewelers “Holston IT is hassle-free: our data is secure, and our computers just work!” From Roanoke to Knoxville, only four bench jewelers are also Graduate Gemologists and CAD Designers. One of…
READ MOREADP is the world’s largest HR firm, handling tax and payroll accounts for more than 640,000 companies that collectively employ millions of people. It may be possible that your company is one of the hundreds of thousands that rely on…
READ MORENot long ago, a company called Hold Security issued a report of its rather disturbing finding. A massive database was found for sale in the dark corners of the internet, containing nearly three hundred million email addresses and passwords. This…
READ MOREThe news keeps getting worse for users still clinging to the aging Windows XP operating system. First, Microsoft itself stopped supporting the platform, no longer providing the millions of users still working with the OS with critical security patches to…
READ MOREAlex Holden is one of the good guys. You’ve probably never heard of him, but he works for Hold Security, and spends his time in the dark corners of the internet, scouting out what data the hacking community has for…
READ MOREThe numbers are in, and they’re pretty grim. Trustware has released their annual Global Security Report, which outlines the current trends in cybercrime. Chief among the findings in the report is that fully 60% of the hacking attacks the company…
READ MOREEarlier this year, Bangladesh Bank, one of the largest in the nation of Bangladesh, was successfully breached. The keen hackers made off with a staggering $80 million, when they used the bank’s system to hack into the SWIFT network, which…
READ MOREDoes your company work with health information in any capacity? If it does, be advised, HIPAA violations are real, and can cost you and your business big money. The most recent company to find itself in the crosshairs of the…
READ MOREOn the heels of the FBI’s dustup with Apple Computer, the Judiciary committee of the U.S. House of Representatives has advanced a bill to the full chamber that would give cloud-stored data and emails more than 180 days old some…
READ MOREWindows XP was, by any measure, the most successful and ubiquitous operating system of all time. To this day, now two years after Microsoft formally ended support for the platform, there are still tens of millions of computers running XP.…
READ MOREIn the recent past, regularly scheduled password changes were a common friend of network security, because people were only tracking one or two passwords. However, with most people now keeping track of 20 or more passwords between work and home,…
READ MOREHow many @’s, %’s and other crazy symbols are in your password right now? Are these crazy symbols really all that necessary? The answer is . . . yes and no. Yes, requiring us to “use at least one character…
READ MOREHere’s the hard reality: Even if you devote sufficient resources to get the best security money can buy to protect your business from hackers, you might still be at risk. The reason? Well, in addition to the fact that there’s…
READ MOREAre you, or is someone you know a driver for Uber? Have you used the rideshare service to get from Point A to Point B? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, then odds are good that…
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[row] [column span=”4″] [img src=”/files/2016/05/Mike.jpg” class=”aligncenter”] Mike Spiegler, Spiegler-Blevins & Company CPAs and Advisors “Holston IT provides the foundation for us to serve our clients!” Spiegler-Blevins provides a comprehensive suite…
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[row] [column span=”4″] [img src=”/files/2016/05/Dave.jpg” class=”aligncenter”] Dave Manahan, Strongwell “Tim Meredith’s expertise in security and virtualization is exactly what we needed!” As the world leader in pultrusion technology, Strongwell has…
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[row] [column span=”4″] [img src=”/files/2016/05/Pam.jpg” class=”aligncenter”] Pam Phillips “Since working with Holston IT, we have had zero downtime in our computer network!” Pam has been involved in the aviation industry…
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[row] [column span=”4″] [img src=”/files/2016/05/Harland.jpg” class=”aligncenter”] Harland Simpson, M.D. “Holston IT costs us less than a third of what our in-house IT manager cost, and they manage our network more…
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[row] [column span=”4″] [img src=”/files/2016/05/Brenden.jpg” class=”aligncenter”] Dr. Brenden M. Webb “Holston IT takes care of our network, so that we can focus on taking care of our patients!” Brenden earned…
READ MORE[row] [column span=”4″] [img src=”/files/2016/05/Richard.jpg” class=”aligncenter”] Richard Venable Retired CEO of NETWORKS Current Mayor, Sullivan County “I was resistant to a monthly contract, but now I see great value in Holston IT working proactively to optimize the efficiency of our…
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[row] [column span=”4″] [img src=”/files/2016/05/Chris.jpg” class=”aligncenter”] Chris Bowen “Holston IT keeps our network running smoothly, freeing us to focus on serving our clients.” For the past 28 years, Cumberland Marketing…
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[row] [column span=”4″] [img src=”/files/2016/05/lorio-img.jpg” class=”aligncenter”] Dr. Morgan Lorio “Our network is more secure and more reliable, thanks to Holston IT!” This testimonial was given by Dr. Lorio when he…
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[row] [column span=”4″] [img src=”/files/2016/05/Kim.png”] Kim Hilton, Practice Manager, Bristol Anesthesia Services,PC “Holston IT keeps our network secure and takes the hassle out of HIPAA Compliance!” Established in 1980, Bristol…
READ MOREWhen you surf the web, do you use a VPN (Virtual Private Network)? More than half a billion of the web’s users do, which is about a quarter of the web’s population, so you may be one of them. If…
READ MOREGoogle takes security more seriously than most companies, and it’s no wonder, given that the company’s Android Operating System is currently in use by more than 1.4 billion users worldwide. The latest version of Android (version 6.0, dubbed Marshmallow) includes…
READ MOREYou may not have heard much about USB-C cables, but you will. They are the future of USB connectivity, and will ultimately replace both USB-A and USB-B cables, which are the ones you’re likely using right now to connect your…
READ MOREIf you have a Windows-based PC (and you probably do), then you’ve almost certainly had the dubious honor of seeing the dreaded BSOD, or Blue Screen of Death. Unfortunately, since the first appearance of that screen, it has had a…
READ MORERemember the good old days, when all Adware did was make your web browsing experience inconvenient by bombarding you with annoying popups? Sadly, those days appear to be over. There’s a new generation of Adware that goes far, far beyond…
READ MORESo, it turns out that the “Badlock” Samba exploit wasn’t quite as bad as it was originally cracked up to be. If you haven’t heard of Badlock, you’re not alone. It made the rounds in Internet security circles, but wasn’t…
READ MOREIf your company has one or more of millions of PCs still running Windows XP, your options are collapsing around you rather quickly, making it more important than ever to finally get around to upgrading to a more current OS.…
READ MOREIt’s been a busy week at Oracle. The company has recently released a massive flurry of patches that fix a staggering 136 security issues for a wide range of the products it sells. This release comes in tandem with the…
READ MORELast year, an IoT (Internet of Things) security firm called Bastille Networks uncovered an attack from an unexpected vector. Hackers can actually take control of your wireless mouse, which has no on-board security, and use the device to spoof keyboard…
READ MOREAre you still using single factor authentication in your business? If so, you are taking an unnecessary risk. If the only thing standing between the hacking community and your company’s data is a password, then no matter how robust those…
READ MOREToy manufacturing giant Mattel was recently the target of a whaling scam that could have been both highly embarrassing and extremely costly, if not for a single stroke of luck. If you’ve not heard the term, “whaling” is a subset…
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