Jan 19, 2017 | SMB Technology, Technology News
Technology is always evolving, with new ways to benefit always on the horizon. Like Mobility and Cloud, Internet of Things (Iot) is a shift in computing that will impact many businesses and organizations within the next few years. According to research from the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), IoT is expected to drive over 50 billion connected devices by 2020. Read on to explore why this new emerging area of technology is expected to grow at a dramatic pace. Internet of Things (IoT): Why Now? Internet of Things is driven by the ever-rising availability of computing power and storage capacity combined with the ever-lower pricing of these valuable services. Combining the availability of miniaturized low-cost sensors and chips with robust wireless network and software defined networking, the deployment of IoT is practical and affordable. What’s more, the standards for Internet Protocol v6 (IPv6) hurdle the limitation of 64-bit IP Addresses by adding 128-bit addresses to identify IP address connections. This moves the theoretical limits of connected devices from 30+ billion to over 30 trillion trillion trillion. That is a lot of connected devices compared to prior eras of computing. Isn’t Internet of Things (IoT) Just for Consumer Devices? We live in an age of consumerization of IT. This means innovations in technology are now derived from consumer applications and applied to business. In past eras of computing, innovations coming from government or universities’ investments trickled into consumers’ hands after passing through the business world. Many consumer-related devices and sensors are already deployed in the home. From climate control to smart TVs, our households are full of Internet of Things....
Jan 12, 2017 | SMB Technology, Technology News
Defending against Cyber threats is no easy task. Understanding the risks and designing a defense strategy are important steps in protecting yourself from Malicious actors and Cybercriminals. Staying current on Operating System and Application Patches, Restricting Network Access, and maintaining antivirus and malware protection are known ways to protect your network. Employee awareness and education on how to identify threats, and the importance of adhering to policies, also bolster your defense against cyber attack. If you’re not convinced, review the following Cyber threats you need to protect against. How Malicious Software (Malware) Works Malware is self-propagating software designed to infiltrate your network. This software can come in the form of a worm that will infect your network via your router via your Internet Protocol (IP) address. If it doesn’t find a hole in your network it may automatically update to scan for the next sequential IP Address, infiltrating and corrupting networks as it goes along. Avoid Malware by proactively scanning your network and keeping your network in compliance. Why Phishing Could Put You Out of Business Every year, millions of SPAM emails are sent to unwary recipients with the hope of collecting private and personal information including, account/password, privacy data and other information that can be exploited for profit. What’s more, Phishing is a popular way for Cybercriminals to distribute Ransomware, a form of malware that holds your systems hostage in exchange for payment. In the event of a data breach, your company may need to disclose the impact to customers and other stakeholders. In addition to ransom and legal fees, your company’s reputation may be on...
