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Trusted Saskatoon IT Pro's at Burnt Orange Explain How To Recognize Phishing Attacks

10. Dec 2023 Admin Saskatoon Computers & Web design, Trusted Tips

Gareth McKee and his Trusted Saskatoon IT team at Burnt Orange Solutions promise to have a one-hour response time for all your IT support needs. Honesty and respect are essential to them. They pride themselves on ensuring their clients understand IT concerns by providing a straightforward, reliable solution with exceptional service. Burnt Orange Solutions is a Trusted Saskatoon IT expert. In their latest Saskatoon IT expert tip, they share how to recognize phishing attacks to protect you and your loved ones.

 


What Is Phishing?

Phishing is an attack in which the scammer attempts to trick you into clicking on a malicious link, downloading malware, or sharing personal or sensitive information. Phishing attacks can occur via telephone, email, text, or social media platforms. Messages are often generic, and they often appear to be from a trusted, legitimate source, such as a bank or courier company. Phishing attacks are on the rise, so it is important to recognize the signs. 


What Are The Signs Of Phishing Attacks?

Spotting a phishing attack can be difficult. However, it is important to recognize those messages to ensure scammers are unable to take advantage of us. Here are some signs to look out for to recognize phishing attacks:


The Message Asks You To Share Personal Information

shark phishing for personal information

Any legitimate organization would likely never ask for personal information over the telephone, email, or text, so this should be a red flag. Scammers and cyber attackers are crafty in making their messages appear legitimate. If you are suspicious about a message you have received, it does not hurt to be cautious and contact the organization that supposedly sent the message. When contacting that organization, it is essential to use official contact information. 

The Message Involves A Threat

Scammers often utilize threats to persuade you to do what they want. Most people fear what may happen if they do not comply with the scammer's request. A common phishing attack is over the telephone, whereby scammers claim to be government organization members. They are after personal information, such as your social insurance number, and threaten fines or even that you will be arrested if you fail to comply. If you receive a threatening message that claims to be from a legitimate source, do not panic or let the scammer scare you into giving them what they want. 

The Message Comes From A Suspicious Sender

guy on laptop opening suspicious link

Phishing attempts can be difficult to spot as they appear to be from a legitimate organization. An immediate red flag is when the sender's email address does not match the organization. In terms of telephone calls or text messages, searching the sender's phone number will either confirm or deny its legitimacy. 

The Message Includes A Suspicious Link

Cybercriminals or scammers often send messages that trick victims into clicking on a link. In an attempt to steal personal information from the victim, the links are to websites that appear to be legitimate but are spoofs. If you do not click the link, the scammer cannot get what they want from you. 

Three signs of a suspicious link include: 

  • The link URL in the message does not match the legitimate organization’s website URL.
  • The message includes incorrect grammar or overuse of exclamation marks and other punctuation. 
  • The message involves logos that look ‘off” or poorly designed templates. A government organization would never send messages like this. 


Although there is no infallible way to recognize phishing attacks, knowing the signs will help protect you and your loved ones. Always remember that if something appears suspicious, it likely is. 

With predatory scams such as phishing attacks rising, we all must protect ourselves. They could fall victim to a predatory scam regardless of age or intellect. If you have any questions regarding phishing attacks, contact the IT experts at Burnt Orange IT Solutions. We can help your business mitigate risk and be prepared for any IT-related emergency.

We hope this article gave you some insight. If you want to ensure your business’s IT security, contact the Trusted Saskatoon IT professionals at Burnt Orange Solutions, and we will take IT worries off your plate.


Burnt Orange IT Solutions Products & Services:

"IT Support You Can Trust and Understand"

Burnt Orange Solutions are your Trusted Saskatoon IT Experts

Trusted Saskatoon IT Pro's at Burnt Orange Explains What Ransomware is and How To Prevent It

11. Jun 2023 Admin Saskatoon Computers & Web design, Trusted Tips

Gareth McKee and his Trusted Saskatoon IT team at Burnt Orange Solutions promise to have a one-hour response time for all your IT support needs. Honesty and respect are important to them. They pride themselves on ensuring their clients understand IT concerns by providing a straightforward and reliable solution with exceptional service. Burnt Orange Solutions are your Trusted Saskatoon IT Experts. In their latest Saskatoon IT expert tip, they  Explains What Ransomware is and How To Prevent It

Ransomware: How It Works And How To Prevent It


Ransomware is a form of malware or malicious software that encrypts files. During a ransomware attack, the attacker or cybercriminal demands a ransom (payment) from the victim to restore access to the files.  Ransom costs can be thousands of dollars and are payable to cybercriminals in the form of Bitcoin

How Ransomware Works

In order to protect your computer system from attack, it is important to understand how ransomware works. Ransomware can access a computer system in different ways. The most common way is through phishing spam, whereby attachments arrive to the victim via email disguised as a file they should trust. Once the file has been downloaded and opened, the cybercriminal has access to the victim’s computer. Often the cybercriminal or attacker will have built-in tools that trick victims into allowing them administrative access. Aside from phishing, more aggressive forms of ransomware exist that exploit computer systems without tricking the victim.

Once ransomware has taken over the victim’s computer system, the next step is to encrypt the files. In the event that files are encrypted, the only way to decrypt the files is through a mathematical key that is known by the attacker. Following encryption, the victim receives a message that dictates their files have been compromised. As a result, files are accessible only once payment is made through Bitcoin.

In order to gain the victim’s trust, the ransomware attacker may claim to be a law enforcement agency. For example, the attacker may inform the victim that their computer system is being shut down due to the presence of pirated software. In this instance, the payment is demanded in the form of a ‘fine’. For this reason, this type of trick is often successful. This is due to the fact that the victim is unlikely to report the ransomware attack. 


How To Prevent Ransomware

Luckily, there are proactive strategies to take to prevent ransomware attacks. The following tips will improve your defense against ransomware: 
  1. Keep your operating system up to date. An up-to-date operating system ensures you are less vulnerable to exploitation.
  2. Do not install software unless you are aware of exactly what it is, where it came from, and what it does.
  3. Antivirus software is crucial to detect ransomware. Whitelisting software is also necessary to prevent unauthorized applications from entering your system.
  4. Be sure to back up your files frequently, which can often be done automatically. Though this will not halt a ransomware attack, it may reduce the damage it causes.

If you have any questions regarding ransomware or how to prevent it, contact the IT experts at Burnt Orange IT Solutions. We can help your business mitigate risk, and be prepared for any IT-related emergency. 

We hope this article gave you some insight. If you want to ensure your business’s IT security, contact the Trusted Saskatoon IT professionals at Burnt Orange Solutions and we can take IT worries off your plate.

Burnt Orange IT Solutions Products & Services:

"IT Support You Can Trust and Understand"

Burnt Orange Solutions are your Trusted Saskatoon IT Experts

Trusted Saskatoon IT Pro's at Burnt Orange Discuss Technology and Your Customer's Experience

17. Oct 2022 Admin Saskatoon Computers & Web design, Trusted Tips

Gareth McKee and his Trusted Saskatoon IT team at Burnt Orange Solutions promise to have a one-hour response time for all your IT support needs. Honesty and respect are important to them. They pride themselves on ensuring their clients understand IT concerns by providing a straightforward and reliable solution with exceptional service. Burnt Orange Solutions are your Trusted Saskatoon IT Experts. In their latest Saskatoon IT expert tip, they discuss technology and your customer's experience.  

Technology and Your Customer's Experience


Customer service expectations have grown over the last few years, and Saskatoon businesses have had to adapt to meet the needs of their customers. If you have not added any technology to improve your customer’s experiences here are a few ideas for you.

49% of consumers have left a brand in the past year due to poor experience; however, the emerging technology of today can power the customer experiences of the future. In order to create a positive customer experience, fuel brand loyalty and drive sales growth, Saskatoon businesses and beyond must find the right digital tools for their business. Here are a few options:


The Cloud

The Cloud and the tools backed by this technology are very important in every business organization. As technology advances, the amounts of available sales channels increases as well. Think about it, you can make a purchase at the local retail store by walking in, phoning it in, or ordering it online. There are about eight different channels for most customer engagements. No matter what channel customers choose to use, brands need to gather, centralize and react to that data. Organizations are relying on cloud technology to manage these interactions and keep the information. The days of pen and paper don’t work as well anymore.


Chatbots

With today’s technology, i.e. smartphone and mobile search features, today’s consumers are used to immediate answers and on-demand access to the web. Most people are willing to wait up to four hours for an online response. However, approximately 90% of consumers' inquiries go unanswered by brands. In comes Chatbots. They are artificial intelligence designed to engage in conversation with human users over the internet. They are quickly taken over customer service functions for many businesses as they are able to respond to customer questions and fulfil the consumer’s desire for an immediate response.


Augmented Reality Technology and Your Customer’s Experience

90% of all information is visual, our brains are built for visual information. It takes only 13 milliseconds for the human brain to process an image. Based on this fact, it is known customers often have a difficult time, visualizing what an item will look like when they buy it and put it in their home. Augmented Reality allows a consumer to take a picture of the room, place the item in the picture and now they can visualize it in their home.

There are many ways to improve technology and your customer’s experience and we can help with that. Contact the Trusted Saskatoon IT professionals at Burnt Orange Solutions and we will take IT worries off your plate.


Burnt Orange IT Solutions Products & Services:

"IT Support You Can Trust and Understand"

Burnt Orange Solutions are your Trusted Saskatoon IT Experts

Trusted Saskatoon IT Pro's at Burnt Orange Provide Tips on How to Create Secure Passwords

11. Jan 2022 Admin Saskatoon Computers & Web design, Trusted Tips

Gareth McKee and his Trusted Saskatoon IT team at Burnt Orange Solutions promise to have a one-hour response time for all your IT support needs. Honesty and respect are important to them. They pride themselves on ensuring their clients understand IT concerns by providing a straightforward and reliable solution with exceptional service. Burnt Orange Solutions are your Trusted Saskatoon IT Experts. In their latest Saskatoon IT expert tip, Gareth shares how to create secure passwords to protect yourself online. 

HOW TO CREATE SECURE PASSWORDS


Data breaches and identity theft are on the rise. Therefore, using strong passwords is necessary to protect your accounts against cyber attacks. Here are some tips to create secure passwords and help keep your accounts unbreakable. 

To help keep your accounts unbreakable, follow these password guidelines: 

  • All passwords must be at least 16 characters or more. Longer passwords are more secure than shorter ones. 
  • All passwords must involve a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters. 
  • Different passwords must be used for each account. 
  • Passwords must never include personl information or any information that can be accessed through social media such as the names of children or pets. 
  • Passwords should never contain any consecutive letters or numbers. 

Why Password Security Is Important

Without strong passwords, hackers are able to gain access to accounts and sensitive information. Hackers use personal information such as names, addresses, and bank account information to steal money or the identity of the user. Identity theft is extremely concerning. It results in financial loss and makes it difficult for the user to get a loan or a job.

Password security is also very important for businesses. Whenever hackers gain access to sensitive information, they consequently share the data with the business’ competitors or store it for ransom.  

Other Ways To Protect Yourself Online

Besides utilizing strong passwords, there are other ways to protect yourself online including: 

  • Using a VPN – Internet Service Providers are able to track the online activity of users and can access private IP addresses. VPN stands for Virtual Private Network and is the alternative to connecting to a public Wi-Fi network. Using a VPN ensures web activity and IP addresses are not accessible to your internet provider. 

  • Identity Theft Protection – Using identity theft protection software will help protect personal information from identity theft. Identity theft protection software will flag criminal behaviour to help protect personal information. 

  • Using Antivirus Software – Antivirus software helps protect users from viruses, ransomware, and other cyber threats. Antivirus software scans for known viruses and alerts the user that their computer or phone has been compromised.

  • Using a Password Manager – Password managers encrypt usernames and passwords and require biometrics to log in. Password managers keep passwords safe and secure. 

These tips will help keep your accounts unbreakable, therefore protecting you and your business. If you have any questions regarding strong passwords to keep your accounts secure, contact the IT experts at Burnt Orange IT Solutions. We can help your business mitigate risk, and be prepared for any IT-related emergency.

We hope this article gave you some insight. If you want to ensure your business’s IT security, contact the Trusted Saskatoon IT professionals at Burnt Orange Solutions and we can take IT worries off your plate.


10 IT Management Predictions From Trusted Saskatoon IT Pro’s at Burnt Orange Solutions

19. Aug 2021 Admin Saskatoon Computers & Web design, Trusted Tips

Gareth McKee and his Trusted Saskatoon IT team at Burnt Orange Solutions promise to have a one-hour response time for all your IT support needs. Honesty and respect are important to them. They pride themselves on ensuring their clients understand IT concerns by providing a straightforward and reliable solution with exceptional service. 

Burnt Orange Solutions are your Trusted Saskatoon IT Experts and in their latest Saskatoon IT expert tip, Gareth shares 10 predictions for the future of IT Management.  

10 PREDICTIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF IT MANAGEMENT

With today’s emerging digital business opportunities, IT management needs to be aligned with business strategy in order to be responsive and adaptable. In order to compete, businesses will need IT to provide strategic value to deliver innovative products and services.

Here are ten predictions for the future of IT management from Gareth, owner of Burnt Orange Solutions  :

1. Businesses will be reliant on cloud technology to remain viable.

In the future, 98 percent of business data will be stored in the cloud rather than traditional company data centers.

2. Everything-as-a-Service dynamic will take over. 

Everything-as-a-Service (XaaS) dynamic is superior because IT is managed as an ever-changing product that is highly conducive to innovation. Cloud computing models such as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) models will become less popular.




 3.Risk management, cybersecurity, and remote work will be prioritized for businesses.

As a result of these priorities, IT networks will need to be optimized for resilience in order to support businesses with regard to these priorities.

4. China will likely be in the process of building the first 6G networks. 

Therefore, 5G wireless networks will have evolved to deliver high-bandwidth, low-latency connections to power advanced industrial internet of things (IoT).

5. Advanced edge computing will be prevalent. 

This will provide real-time local data processing which will enhance IoT systems and reduce traffic in the cloud network. Machines will be communicating and making decisions without human intervention, and mechanisms will exist that will fix problems on their own.

6. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) will be common.

VR and AR will exist in many business environments including warehouses, as well as in employee training programs of various types.

7. Sources for analytics will diversify.

Having diverse sources to obtain analytics data will improve machine learning algorithms and make for stronger predictions to form better decision making.

8. Roles such as data entry, customer service, and manufacturing will become obsolete.

Advances in AI, robotics, and automation, improve productivity and efficiency for businesses. Jobs that do not even exist yet will fill any voids.

9. Network visibility and cybersecurity will be exponentially improved.

All network endpoints will be monitored from a single interface through unified endpoint management platforms.

10. GDPR-inspired federal data privacy laws will be enacted.

These laws will exist in most industrialized nations, and compliance with these laws will make data security management a top priority for every business.

As services become increasingly automated, the primary role of IT will shift in order to support business strategies. IT’s focus will be to integrate business systems, accelerate product development, and ultimately improve customer experience for businesses. Employees will have the ability to implement their own technology solutions through low-and no-code development platforms, so IT will need to be consultants in supporting businesses navigating their own IT functions.

We hope this article gave you some insight. If you want to ensure your business’s IT security, contact the Trusted Saskatoon IT professionals at Burnt Orange Solutions and we can take IT worries off your plate.

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