Macro Systems Blog

Proxy server is a 'tech term' that is often used, yet it is still not understood by a majority of people. Let's describe what a proxy server is, and why businesses like yours utilize them.

Whatever the size of your business is, one thing is universally true: you require IT support in at least some capacity. As more technology is added to networks of all sizes and complexities, the need to manage this technology increases. Fortunately, you don’t have to go at it alone; you have third-party outsourcing at your disposal, which can save you both time and cash..

Below is a guide created to be utilized by business owners and office managers as an educational resource to establish basic IT security best practices in the workplace. Feel free to print it out and post it in common areas.

The Internet is infamous for being full of threats, most of which are hidden behind links that appear innocent or harmless. In order to go about business safely, you need to be able to recognize which links you should click on, and which links you should avoid.

You certainly don’t need anyone to tell you that it’s very dangerous to give out information to just anyone that contacts your organization. This is imperative to keep in mind, especially considering how the majority of threats these days can be sent through email. You’ll probably come across situations where you need to consider whether or not to click on attachments, as you could potentially put your business at risk.

How much value does your business gain from its technological assets? This may seem like a simple question, but it doesn’t have a simple answer. You can implement the greatest and most current solutions, but you don’t necessarily gain value from them, or as much as similar organizations in your field. With businesses looking to cut costs and secure a profitable future, how can you make sure that IT is providing value to your business?

There will probably be a moment during your life where you absolutely require Wi-Fi and the only option will be a public connection. This may be problematic because a public Wi-Fi connection is far from secure for business purposes. A method to increase productivity without compromising security is needed for every business that has employees (especially employees working remotely), but what’s the best way to do it?

Does your organization need an antivirus solution to prevent threats from accessing your network? It’s a simple question with a simple answer, but some businesses still don’t realize the importance of having antivirus software on their computers. They might think they are immune, but cybercriminals know better; it’s glaringly obvious in the face of a data loss incident that hindsight is 20/20.

Throughout your time spent on computers, you've most likely heard the phrase “plain text” and the acronym “HTML” mentioned. If you don't know what these statements refer to, Macro Systems is here to help. Let's examine both HTML and plain text to produce a better understanding of these tech terms.

Miscommunication afflicts even the best, most organized businesses. Small businesses could be more tight-knit than your standard enterprise, but humans are vulnerable to miscommunication, and thus, can be a significant problem. Macro Systems can help your business upgrade the way that it communicates and collaborates; it all starts by considering how you can cut down on miscommunication in your office.

Cybercriminals are constantly looking for new and creative methods to steal data and information from businesses. While spam has been around for a while, phishing emails have increased in popularity because they are more effective at achieving the desired endgame. How can you ensure that phishing scams don’t harm your business in the future?

Virtual private networks are susceptible to an exploit that was recently revealed. Cisco has declared that this exploit undermines its Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) tool. If this issue isn’t patched instantly, you could find your business vulnerable via remote code exploitation.

The Internet browser is one of the most used applications for most users on their computer or mobile device. With the flood of aggressive problems, it is very helpful to realize which Internet browser is the best for keeping your data, identity, and network safe. Let's look at the five most popular Internet browsers found on desktop and laptop computers and decide which are the most reliable.

Project implementation is a tricky subject for small businesses to approach primarily due to a lack of funding or dedicated personnel. Nowhere is this more true than for technology project implementation, be it a new email server or a revamped networking infrastructure. Depending on your business’ specific situation, it’s often more convenient to simply invest in outsourcing the project management to a third party.

Passwords are unavoidable these days, whether they’re required to access an online account, or access the devices utilized to open these accounts. While both types of passwords can make for ideal security conditions, this is only the case if the passwords are strong; if your passwords can be accurately guessed by someone else, can you really label it as a security measure? New research from SplashData reveal that passwords are not being considered as much as they should be.

With the rapid rise of Bitcoin’s value, and just as unexpected decline to less than half of its highest value, cryptocurrency has been placed into the public eye. Nevertheless, cryptocurrency is only one use of blockchain technology. Below we'll look at a few of its other potential applications.

Most people love the Internet and use it almost every day. Let's review a few tips to avoid getting in trouble while browsing the Internet.

Of course the iTunes and Google Play stores have made efforts to ensure that users can securely browse their app stores, but it’s unlikely that they can find every single malicious app out there before it taints someone’s device. Consequently, you must consider the following measures to ensure that you don’t put your company in peril by downloading unsecure apps. 

As vital as the security solutions that keep a network safe are, they can be rendered futile if a cybercriminal is skilled in social engineering. Social engineering involves utilizing manipulation to gain access to protected resources. If your company and its team are vulnerable to a social engineering attack, your data security strategy is lacking an important piece. 

With businesses these days relying significantly more on mobile devices, they have to be sure that the utilization of these devices doesn’t add security issues for the business. In lieu of the prominent role smartphones play in this modern business era, it is imperative that you find out how to protect your business. Below are a few ideas on "how to lock it up or lose it."