[BreachExchange] Did You Forget to Spring Clean your Technology?

[Audrey McNeil]

http://thevalleybusinessjournal.com/technology-update/item/8996-did-you-forget-to-spring-clean-your-technology/

If you are anything like me,  Spring 2016 went by in a flash. With a busy
travel schedule I never did get to my closets but the thought of business
people without a dedicated IT resource got me thinking…… what are they
doing to make sure their equipment is running up to par? Regardless of your
business type or structure you could easily argue that your computer is the
most important component to your ability to function and work efficiently.
If you haven’t done it yet, Summer may actually be a better time to assess
your environment while many people are on vacation or working less hours
with children home from school. Completing the following steps will set you
up for success come Fall when things tend to pick up again.

Ensure you are running the latest software. Running the latest software on
your system sounds easy but there is a lot of considerations. Just about
everything you use produces software updates; your browser, plug-ins such
as Java and Flash, and the often forgotten printers and scanners. Running
the latest software will allow you to utilize new improvements and keep
your system more secure. If you are not getting emails from the
manufacturers you can find them with a quick online search.

Do some actual cleaning. Your hardware and software need to be periodically
cleaned as well. Get a can of air spray to clean out your keyboard and the
vents in your desktop or laptop. Replace the batteries in your mouse and
keyboard or at the very least make sure you have extra on hand…… batteries
tend to die at the worst possible time and then you’re stuck searching for
other items to steal them from. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has
stolen batteries from a TV remote! Run a virus scan on your computer.
Malwarebytes and CCleaner have free online options.

Backups and file sharing. Have you made any changes to your system files
since the last time your backup was configured? This is a very common cause
of data loss. Users forget to update their backup configuration after
making changes or adding files to their system. If you’re utilizing a file
share system with others now is a great time to clean it up and organize it
to ensure you are working efficiently.

2017 budgeting. Yep, I said it. 2017. We are already half way done with
2016 and it is time to start thinking about hardware and software purchases
next year. More often than not, it is cheaper to purchase a new system than
it is to fix yours. What is not working for you? Where do you need to be
more productive? Utilizing newer technology can help.

Just as you take your car in for an oil change; your technology requires
periodic tune ups as well. If the tasks listed here seem daunting, it may
be time to engage an IT resource. Smooth running technology is not a
luxury, it is a requirement for conducting business effectively. Take the
time and make the investment to set yourself up for success.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.riskbasedsecurity.com/pipermail/breachexchange/attachments/20160706/64012023/attachment.html>