Confirm the link BEFORE you click! We all know that underlined text represents a link to a file or page. Sometimes that text shows you the address of that item… or does it? The address displayed does not always reflect the actual address of the link, so *always* confirm the link address before clicking!…
Two minutes = safer habits! With the holiday celebrations, family gatherings and perhaps some much needed rest from work pervading your thoughts, you’re probably not thinking about cybersecurity. However, I encourage you to set aside just two minutes to take this security quiz to help you start the new year with safer online habits.…
Some of your credentials are most likely on the dark web! With all of the breaches that have happened over the last several years, I can almost guarantee that some of your credentials have ended up on the dark web. If they have, then you need to change those passwords… yesterday! With one click…
Please update your Chrome browser. A ‘High Severity’ zero-day exploit was discovered that is already active in the wild. On Halloween, when kids were dressing up to score some candy and scare their friends, Google engineers generated their own fear when they released information about two security issues with the popular Chrome browser. One…
Use a Formula to Create Unique and Secure Passwords Are you using the same password for multiple sites? Please read this article to determine if creating a simple formula may help you create unique and secure passwords for each of your accounts. You know that we should create unique passwords for each account, but with…
Get your computer issue resolved faster… these important details will help identify the problem. This InfoLine article has been updated. Please refer to the new version at: https://hdf.net/help-us-help-you Please do *NOT* force your computer off by pressing and holding the power button If your computer is “acting up”, please contact us before forcing it off. …
Phishing cybercriminals are still out there… but now they are customizing the attacks! Be on the lookout for customized Phishing emails! Cybercriminals have been taking the time to research your organization and craft customized emails to impersonate specific people to trick you into sending them money, credentials or identity information. These are called Spear…
Please protect your Windows 7 computer by keeping it patched. Even though Windows 7 was released back in 2009, it still receives patches to keep it protected against new vulnerabilities. The operating system lets you know when new patches are available by displaying one or more of the icons shown below (see “What to look…
Please keep your computer running, but reboot it every couple of days to keep it running optimally. We all know that the first thing most IT support folks will ask you to do to resolve a problem is to reboot your computer (You did reboot before you called, didn’t you?). But did you realize that…
So, you’ve left your server in the office behind and you’re now connecting using Azure O365 Cloud by HDF. What now? This article is designed to help you understand the new Azure O365 Cloud by HDF, a compilation of services provided by Microsoft. This article only applies to those who use this new network. …
Explaining why software keeps needing to be patched. I was out to dinner with some friends the other night when the topic of Viruses came up. A friend asked why we need to keep patching our OS. Wouldn’t all the holes be patched eventually? I explained that despite the thousands of person hours that go into…
You are not safe from email attacks just because you work for a small business. Since most businesses are of the small to medium size, and since email attacks are so easy to implement, criminals are focusing more of their time on you. If you are a client, you have HDF & Associates implementing security…
One of Microsoft’s most successful operating systems is gradually approaching the end of its lifecycle : in 1.5 years’ time, Windows 7’s extended support will finally expire. For all customers with Windows 7 PCs, this means there will be no security updates, patches, and no more technical support from Microsoft as of January 14, 2020. More…
Please help us to help you and your organization: Be EXTRA vigilant with your computer activities! Computer researchers have recently found out that the main chip in most modern computers—the CPU—has two hardware bugs. They are really design flaws in the hardware that has been there for years. This is a big deal because it…
Please check your Windows computer to make sure you are getting critical Microsoft patches. A dangerous virus has been spreading rapidly. Because of a flaw in most Microsoft operating systems, this virus is able to attack without assistance, and if you are not protected you could lose access to all data files on your computer.…
