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Industry Insights IT Solutions Managed IT Services

Major USB Security Risk

 

Security experts have issued a warning regarding this USB Security Risk threat of a vast number of devices including sticks, keyboards and many other objects.

This USB Security Risk vulnerability is called “BadUSB” and means that hackers can now start using it to infect computers.

The upside is that vulnerability only affects one manufacturer, Phison.  The downside is that Phison USB sticks can infect any device.   The vulnerability works by modifying the firmware of USB devices, hiding malicious code in USB sticks and other devices in a way that’s impossible to detect.  Even completely deleting the contents of a USB stick wouldn’t get rid of the dangerous code.

“BadUSB” can be used to force computers into thinking that a USB device is a keyboard, allowing hackers to type whatever they like on your computer. Alternatively, it can replace legitimate software installed on a computer with a corrupted version that hackers can use to control a computer. Another use for the exploit is monitoring all internet traffic through a computer, allowing a hacker to spy on what you’re doing.

How it does spread?

The BadUSB malware spreads from an infected USB device to a computer, and from an infected computer to a USB device.  Now it is possible for hackers to start infecting people using the malware.

 

 

365 iT SOLUTIONS is a leading IT consulting firm in Toronto. We provide industry leading Managed IT ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support Services and Cloud Services.

Take advantage of our Complimentary Network and Security Assessment by 365itSolutions.com

We are Tech Support Toronto!

 

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Industry Insights IT Solutions Managed IT Services

iOS 8 Plagued by Crashes

 

Were you one of the lucky ones that were first to update to iOS 8?  Well the complaints have been piling up for Apple Inc. all thanks to the continuous problems with iOS 8.

Apple has pulled the first update from iOS 8 and launched a second release that was supposed to fix some bugs on the OS but within minutes of its release, the complaints came flooding in, again.

For iPhone 6 users, Apples asks that you reinstall iOS 8.  The company offered users instructions for reinstalling iOS 8.0 through iTunes.

The highest crash rates for iOS 8 have been for older iPhones like the iPhone 5, 5C and 5S.  Apps on these machines crashed 3.3 per cent of the time.

It should be noted that the iOS 8.0.2 update was released just two days ago and has been installed by millions of iPhone and iPad users. It remains to be seen whether the demand on the update was just too much for Apple to handle as users still experience glitches.

 

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365 iT SOLUTIONS is a leading IT consulting firm in Toronto. We provide industry leading Managed IT ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support Services and Cloud Services.

Take advantage of our Complimentary Network and Security Assessment by 365itSolutions.com

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Industry Insights IT Solutions Managed IT Services

Introducing Windows 10 and Free Windows Insider

 

Do you hate Windows 8? Well you are not alone.  Windows was so unpopular that Microsoft has tried to address everything with the upcoming Windows 10.

When Windows 8 launched, our tech support team experienced an increase in IT support issues all resulting from the changes to Windows 8.

 

So what’s new in Windows 10?

  • Start Menu is finally back!

Since the beginning of time or since Windows 95, we have been programed by Microsoft to head to the Start Menu button.  Then when Windows 8 popped up, Microsoft changed the Windows and introduced the Start Screen which was a full-screen of tiles.

The Start Screen was developed touchscreens however it was very difficult to navigate for users keyboards and mice.  It is no surprise to see Microsoft bring back the Start Menu in Windows 10 plus now they have integrated it into Live Tiles.  There is also a new feature will also switch up the Start button functionality depending on if you’re using your computer with a tablet or with a keyboard and mouse.

  • Windows 8 Apps can now run in Windows

Windows 8 apps ran in a full screen mode which it made it difficult to use Windows 8 apps alongside traditional desktop Windows apps.  Now with Windows 10 you can organize those apps just like any other Windows software.  You can have title bars and you can resize them.

  • Windows 10 is capable of multitasking

Several features in Windows 10 are for multitaskers.  Task view will let you set up different desktops for different uses so you can now have a profile for school or work.  The Start Menu search bar is more powerful by integrating with web searching and command lines.  Many companies never moved off Windows 7 they has a better workflow.

  • Microsoft wants market share and cares what you think!

Microsoft is finally listening to users.   They are now introducing Windows Insider Program which will allow you give you access to a preview build of Windows 10.   Microsoft will also allow you to send feedback about your experiences.  You can watch Windows VP Joe Belfiore on YouTube talk about Windows 10 features like the new Start menu, multiple desktops, and improved multi-tasking.  You can also learn how you can be part of Windows Insider Program. Click here for the video.

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365 iT SOLUTIONS is a leading IT consulting firm in Toronto. We provide industry leading Managed IT ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support Services and Cloud Services.

Take advantage of our Complimentary Network and Security Assessment by 365itSolutions.com

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Industry Insights IT Solutions Managed IT Services

What are the Top Five Functions Businesses Outsource to Managed IT Services?

As business evolve and stay competitive, small and midsize businesses are turning to Managed IT Services and IT Support Services providers such as 365 iT SOLUTIONS to handle their IT needs.  There is a good majority of Toronto companies using Managed IT Services to help manage their business and outsource the function.

Here is a list of some of the biggest challenges Toronto businesses face and why these industry leaders use Managed IT Services to solve their challenge.

So what are the Top Five Functions Businesses Outsource to Managed IT Services?

  • Connectivity And Bandwidth – Network these days face multiple challenges such as mobility devices, BYOD, Cloud Services, Virtual Workstations and remote offices in this global economy.  Thanks to technology, SMBs are taking enterprise-grade technologies into the smallest of businesses.  Networks are now becoming complex and businesses look to Managed IT Services companies to research all possible options and recommend solutions tailored to their specific to client needs.

 

  • Network Security No matter what measures are taken to secure a network, they are always vulnerable to security external cyber-attacks.  Unfortunately, SMBs do not have the resources to keep up.  Large enterprise networks have large budgets and every security measure possible however SMBs are limited when it comes to technical resources. By using Managed IT Services, you know have an entire team of IT professionals managing your corporate security for a fraction of the cost.

 

  • 24/7 Network Monitoring You need to run your business and for businesses with no to limited in-house IT staff this add additional duties to your daily schedule.  Managed IT Services companies are always making sure network performance, availability and security are all up to par and running smoothly and securely.  Even for companies with internal IT staff means internal staff can do more in a budget and deadline-oriented environment.  It is very hard for Network Administrators to keep up with everything and when everything is a top priority, stuff tends to fall through the cracks. There’s no way a regular business can field a second and third shift therefore by partnering with a Managed IT Services partner, you will have 24/7 monitoring of your network.

 

  • Virtualization – With the rise of Cloud technology, virtualization is becoming popular and of course there is a need for technical skills to implement and manage it.  Some in-house IT departments might not have access to technical experience and this is why they turn to Managed IT Services partners to access strong technical expertise and proven experience in managing such projects.  Many projects include virtualizing desktops, servers or entire networks.  Virtualization is a great technology however projects are complex and require a great deal of expertise during deployment and ongoing management.

 

  • Disaster Recovery – Here is one of the most important items a business must focus on when protecting their business.  Disaster recovery and backup is often neglected however this is the most important item in your business.  Backup testing and off-site backup storage are not done as often as they should be therefore Managed IT Services partners provide regular local and offsite backups.  They also regularly schedule tests and store them.

 

365 iT SOLUTIONS is a leading IT consulting firm in Toronto. We provide industry leading Managed IT ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support Services and Cloud Services.

Take advantage of our Complimentary Network and Security Assessment by 365itSolutions.com

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IT Security IT Solutions Managed IT Services

Our Managed IT Services Includes Unlimited Help Desk IT Support

Why have we become a leading Managed IT Services provider in the Toronto area?  Simple, we are a true Managed IT Services provider therefore we offer our clients unlimited proactive Help Desk IT Support 24 hours a day, 365 days per year at a low fixed cost per month.

Our process is simple.  When there is an IT support issue, your staff can contact us using three methods including the management tool, email or telephone.  Our industry leading technical IT Support team members will answer handle the issue from start to finish using industry leading Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) tools.

So what does our Managed IT Services program include?

  • Proactive 24/7 Server and Network Device Remote Monitoring Using Industry Leading Tools.
  • Unlimited Remote Help Desk Support for All Corporate Users.
  • Workstations, Laptops, Tablets and Smart Devices.
  • Servers, Network Attached Storage (NAS), Storage Area Network (SAN), Network Devices.
  • Corporate Email system including Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft 365.
  • Centrally Controlled Corporate Anti-virus.
  • Local and offsite (cloud) corporate data backup and disaster recovery.
  • Complete monitoring including system performance monitoring.
  • Pro-Active Maintenance for Server, Exchange, Database, and Active Directory.
  • Website hosting and monitoring in ISO Canadian data centre.
  • VMware Administration, Monitoring and Maintenance.

 

365 iT SOLUTIONS is a leading IT consulting firm in Toronto. We provide industry leading Managed IT ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support Services and Cloud Services.

Take advantage of our Complimentary Network and Security Assessment by 365itSolutions.com

 

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IT Security IT Solutions Managed IT Services

Is Your Workstation Slow? AdBlock Plus + Firefox be sucking up resources.

Do you use Firefox and AdBlock Plus?  Have you noticed that your system is slow?  Well, they are a bad mix.

AsBlock Plus has attracted a large following.  Users find that it does what it claims by making web browsing more enjoyable and faster, while reducing the amount of data used by hiding and disabling adverts on webpages.

Mozilla suggests that enabling the plugin could result in exceptionally large amounts of RAM being consumed by the program. They found that just enabling the plugin on a 64-bit system could result in a constant additional RAM usage of 60-70 MB.  Browsing a website with a relatively generous helping of ads found that RAM usage by Firefox increased by over 200 MB with AdBlock Plus enabled (417 MB of RAM usage with the plugin, versus 194 MB without).

With some more intensive websites such as the VIM Color Scheme Test, the plugin ended up consuming nearly 2 GB of RAM at 1960 MB; without it, just 370 MB was used.

There will be a major update to AdBlock Plus.  For users who have large amounts of RAM installed on their machines, such as 8GB or more, this memory consumption may not be an issue.  But those with devices that have far less RAM installed may see more significant slow-downs.

The issue has not been noted in the Internet Explorer or Google Chrome versions of AdBlock Plus.

 

365 iT SOLUTIONS is a leading IT consulting firm in Toronto. We provide industry leading Managed IT ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support Services and Cloud Services.

Take advantage of our Complimentary Network and Security Assessment by 365itSolutions.com

Welcome to Worry-Free iT!

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IT Security IT Solutions Managed IT Services

What is Managed IT Services provider?

Managed IT Services providers are simple.  It is a proactive business IT support management approach to your IT environment.

Managed IT Services providers minimize network disruption, improves uptime, stabilizes your network and helps ensure the highest performance levels are being met while allowing you to focus on important issues, your business.

What are the benefits to 365 iT SOLUTIONS as your Managed IT Services provider?

  • Allows business owners and management to focus 100% on the business, not technology.
  • Your IT network is monitored 24/7 providing you with worry-free systems and network support.
  • Access to advance IT Support Help Desk team with unlimited remote support.
  • Disaster recovery protection of your data onsite and offsite in the cloud.
  • Integration of enterprise class tools such as Spam & Email Firewall, Corporate Antivirus and Management Tools.
  • Level predictable monthly expenses, no surprises.

 

What Makes 365 iT SOLUTIONS the Best Choice for Managed IT Services Toronto?

365 iT SOLUTIONS works hard to exceed our clients’ needs and expectations. We strictly follow industry best practices when it comes to our proactive remote monitoring and management (RMM) and professional services automation (PSA) tools and IT infrastructure systems, Canadian IT consulting team and industry leading operating procedures.

We are your IT department, not a third party partner. We handle everything IT related including offering guidance on smart technology investments and budgeting. Maintaining and managing all equipment to eliminate downtime and increase productivity. Proactively securing systems against cybercrime and unexpected disasters.

365 iT SOLUTIONS is a leading IT consulting firm in Toronto. We provide industry leading Managed IT ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support Services and Cloud Services.

Take advantage of our Complimentary Network and Security Assessment by 365itSolutions.com

Welcome to Worry-Free iT!