Web bugs are objects that are hidden behind websites to track you and your information.  Web bugs stay invisible so they can track any visitor to the website. They stay invisible so you cannot block them or get suspicious and leave the website.  Web bugs can be composed of scrips, images and other web-based objects. They don’t have borders and are generally transparent.

 The small size of web bugs means you probably won’t notice the small size of transfers. There are lots of sneaky ways web bugs can take your data through cookies, header information and Internet Protocol addresses.  Some bugs only track your current page but there are more sophisticated ones that can track your internet history.

 The reason web bugs were created was to gain information about internet activities for advertising and marketing. The fact that web bugs are hidden could be claimed to help internet users through not having intrusive popups.  At least web bugs can make sure you get advertisements that are relevant to your interests.

On the other hand, there is no consent from users to give their information which has caused concerns from privacy advocated.  Web bugs are often used for illegitimate purposes. For example, there is not limit on how many web bugs can be on one site. You never know who is going to buy your details on the black market.  Spam mailers often use bugs to check if you are getting the mail the send. This way they can test whether their emails are getting through the software your email host has to block spam mail.  Bugs can also increase users’ risks of getting malware on their computer as the bugs can let malware know where your weaknesses are.

When a website says they won’t share your information, they are legally in the right if a web bug distributes your information. This is because web bugs steal your information from your web browser, not the web sites.

The first thing you should do to protect yourself is to turn off third party cookies in your web browser. This should half your risk from web bugs.  You could even just turn off all cookies unless you accept them. You should also regularly clear out your internet history, cookies and cache. Make sure you don’t open emails in your junk folder unless you know exactly what they are. The email provider you use is also important. Some email providers have more protection than others.

You can also get some free add ons for your web browser to protect your browser from web bugs.

 I don’t think anyone wants a bunch of random people tracking our internet use. We all want our privacy so make sure you keep yourself protected. 

Using cloud computer enables you to provide your computing needs through the internet. It allows you to have quick and simple access to your programs and services. Cloud computing could be useful to your business.

If you are a small business, you can use cloud computing to save money and thus be able to invest more money into your core business services. It is easy for businesses to transfer to using cloud computing and thus has been popular among businesses.

The transition to cloud computing is simple as you do not need to make a large investment to gain the services you need. Cloud computing has minimal start up fees and you generally just play charges for use. Seeing as there is minimal investment involved, there is nothing to lose by trying out cloud computing for your business.

Cloud computing has also destroyed the idea of having one location where your business operates out of. This expense can be eliminated with cloud computer with your employees working on files from around the world. As long as you have an internet connection, you can be using cloud computing.

Any cloud computing service provider will normally also provide an option for cloud backup, which as discussed in previous blogs, is an incredibly safe and useful way to back up your data.

One of the best features of cloud computing is that everyone with permission to view files in your organisation can see the files as soon as they are saved. With you all working off the same server, this eliminates large wait times in order to email everyone the files. Often you might email someone a file and they will then email it back to you and then you will need to make sure you are working on the most up to date version of the file. If you are all working off the same file on your server, then anyone can make any changes to any file from anywhere and it will automatically be updated.

Cloud computing is going to be a must have tool in your belt when it comes to running business in the 21st century. 

As anyone who runs a business will be aware, your computer equipment is an important part of your operation in this modern age. The future of your business may rely on your computer systems running well. It is important for most companies that they can get 24/7 IT support.

Small businesses are often in need of IT support outside of business hours. Larger businesses often have an in house tech support department but this department might not be active out of business hours. If your department cannot be reached, it is important that you have a backup option to provide you with tech support outside of business hours.

Here are some examples of problems that could occur:

·         A power out at your local exchange means you lose access to the internet.

·         Your equipment is damaged by flames

·         Your security system malfunctions and won’t let your employees leave the building

·         If your business is online, many people may be purchasing items from your website late at night.

·         A virus enters your computer system late at night. If this isn’t dealt with ASAP it could have had a whole day to entrench itself in the system

You can choose to either have external monitoring by an IT professional or just the phone number of a company you can call when things fall apart. If you choose to get external monitoring, your IT service provider will be able to let you know as soon as a problem occurs. It is important that you plan ahead so you know what services you will need. A lot of businesses may try to cut costs with their IT support but this may come back to bite you when your system fails with computer usage and safety. Furthermore, 24/7 support can be useful as IT service during business hours can sometimes be disruptive. New companies can also benefit from 24 hour support to help with teething problems as they start up. 

One of the things you will need to be aware of as your business grows is the changing nature of your IT needs. You will need to design an IT plan that is suitable for your needs as your business grows. Today we are going to be talking about how you quickly create a plan for your present future IT needs.

1.     What are your current and future aims for your business? Deciding on the path that your business will take will help you know what IT services you will need. This way there will be a link between the design of your business and the technology you have. If you don’t have goals in your business, it will be hard to plan what future IT services you will need.

2.     What are the possibilities of where your business will go? Although you will have a plan for your business, you will need to be aware of the possibilities of where this plan might lead you. You will need to know which areas are important to your business so you can identify which areas need to be upgraded. You need to make sure that your technology will keep up with the potential growth of your business.  

3.     All of your employees and investors need to know what your IT strategy is. You won’t want to leave anyone out of the loop and everyone should be working together to implement any strategy you have. A step based guide can be helpful to keep everyone on the same page.

4.     Do an analysis of the impact of your new IP strategy. It is important that you plan for the impact your new plan will have on your business. As the plan is implemented you should keep track whether the results are in line with your proposed plan. You should keep track of what areas of your new plan are working well and what areas are under-performing.

Hopefully your new IT plan will help you grow your business further. 

Malware refers to a form of malicious software that is developed with the aim of harming a computer system. The impact of malware in a business environment can be far reaching. Therefore, for purposes of network security, businesses need to understand the importance of putting in place anti-malware strategies as defence against increasingly complex threats.

Whether it is in web content or e-mail, on desktops or within networks, all attacks rely on malware to access data on servers hence the extreme need for business IT security. Since malware threats are ever-changing and costly to deal with, all businesses should invest in network security. That way, businesses can invest in lower cost protection by detecting and stopping malware before it infects rather than high-cost solutions after a strike.

Why should we invest in protection? To begin with, malware attacks may result in the loss of revenue. This could occur as a result of a degraded performance by the system or costs that may come up as you seek to cleanse and repair an infected system. To avoid having to incur such costs, proactive business IT security is necessary.

Malware may also impact negatively on a business as it may damage the brand of an organisation. It takes quite a long time to establish a brand that customers have confidence in and when your systems fail to perform as expected, customers may eventually be dissatisfied with your services thus damaging a brand. Network security is important if this is to be avoided.

Malware can also lead to loss of information or data that may be very crucial to the day to day running of an organisation. Don’t risk losing valuable data due to a lack of preparation for these types of threats. Malware can also have devastating effects if it allows a hacker to infiltrate an organisation’s network. This is so because access to sensitive information about an organisation or its clients/partners by unauthorised persons may lead to  legal ramifications or company downfall.

Remember that the impact of malware events will vary from one organisation to another as this will depend on the level of defence that an organisation has put in place. Generally, network security and anti-virus/anti-malware systems have a great role to play in the success or failure of any business. Make sure your business is protected.

You may have heard of the term UPS before. No, I’m not talking about the postal service. UPS in IT and electronics refers to an uninterrupted power supply. An uninterrupted power supply is a device that provides power to your system in the event of a power shortage. Having a UPS is important as a power outage can damage or destroy servers. Thus, a UPS provides data security by protecting your files on your server.

A UPS also controls the shutdown of your equipment so that your devices shut down in the correct way so as not to damage the data and software stored on them. The UPS cleans the voltage to make sure you have a smooth continuous electricity supply. Without a UPS the electricity you are provided can be erratic with fluctuations in voltage and current.

Interruptions of your power supply can not only damage your hardware but cause an interruption of your business. Most businesses in this day and age cannot function without power. Even if the power outage is contained to your networking hardware, most businesses cannot function without access to the internet or local intranet. Even if your power is only down for a second, your server may take up to 20 minutes to complete its rebooting process. Furthermore, in many cases you might not suffer damage to your hardware, but you will have lost files you were working on that you hadn’t saved. Imagine if everyone in your organisation suddenly lost 20 minutes of work, this might add up to a hundreds of dollars of cost from a one second power outage.This could also result in you losing your clients through deadlines missed.

It is a lot cheaper to buy a UPS that to replace costly server equipment when your power supply is interrupted. A UPS is a must for all business computer setups.