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Macro Systems Blog

Macro Systems has been serving the Metro Washington, DC area since 1997, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.

Privacy Concerns About Messaging Apps

Privacy Concerns About Messaging Apps

If you asked most people if they are okay with their personal information being taken and used by businesses, you’d probably get a lot of "No" responses. Ironically, it seems that people will give it right over to social media programs, but you are beginning to see some pushback when using apps. WhatsApp, the messaging app owned by Facebook, known for end-to-end encryption, has told users that they will soon be forced to share their personal data with Facebook.

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Three Threats Your Employees Can Pose to Your Business

Three Threats Your Employees Can Pose to Your Business

What would you consider to be the biggest threat to your business? Cybercriminals? A natural disaster? What if I told you that it was the team members that you have employed, whether they meant to be or not? This is the hard truth that you need to prepare your business for.

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Smartwatches Could Be A Risk to Your Business

Smartwatches Could Be A Risk to Your Business

The smartwatch is one of the most popular gifts given to technology lovers; and, they have quite a bit of utility. They can help enhance communication, health, and of course provide them with a sleek accessory. One issue that people don’t often consider is how their employer has to handle the influx of smartwatches and other IoT devices that are brought to work after the holidays. Below is a discussion on how Internet of Things devices could be security risks and what a business should do about it. 

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During the Pandemic, Cyber Security is More Important Than Ever

During the Pandemic, Cyber Security is More Important Than Ever

Since the start of the COVID 19 pandemic, it has been clear that many businesses were not prepared to continue their operations remotely. This was largely due to their leadership being convinced in recent years that permitting people to work remotely would lead to a significant reduction in production, leading them to be unprepared to shift to remote functionality. Cybercriminals have taken advantage of many companies as a result. Below we discuss what needs to be accomplished to secure endpoints from afar.

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Adobe Flash is about to be Retired. Will it Impact Your Business?

Adobe Flash is about to be Retired. Will it Impact Your Business?

Once December 31st ushers in 2021, support for the once-popular Adobe Flash Player will officially end. Naturally, it isn’t every day that a 24-year-old software is taken out of commission, so it only makes sense to wonder how much this will impact businesses.

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Cybercrime Continues to Increase Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

Cybercrime Continues to Increase Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

Over the past year, entrepreneurs have focused on how to do business amid the global COVID-19 pandemic. The public health crisis has been an opportunity for all kinds of cybercriminals, and the result has been an increase in losses (compared to the second-worst period on record) by over 50 percent. Below we consider the situation, and how it is, unfortunately, getting worse.

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A Refresher on Ransomware and Why You Should Never Pay Hackers

A Refresher on Ransomware and Why You Should Never Pay Hackers

If fortune smiles on your organization, you won’t ever have to deal with what we are about to discuss: ransomware. For the past several years ransomware has been a serious problem for businesses, governments, and individuals. Listed below is a discussion about the different types of ransomware and how some people want to put a ban on ransomware payments. 

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How to Monitor Your Workers without Crossing Any Lines

How to Monitor Your Workers without Crossing Any Lines

Of all the controversial topics in the workplace, employee monitoring is among the most divisive. As an authority figure in your business, it is only natural that you would want to ensure that your team is working diligently, especially as they are working remotely. However, there are some lines that cannot be crossed you should be aware of. The concept of monitoring your employees and what cannot be done is discussed below.

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Four Vital Elements of Successful Network Security

Four Vital Elements of Successful Network Security

A modern business’ network security needs to be amongst its top priorities if it is to have any chance of operating without undue risk of data breaches and other problems. Admittedly, managing this sounds like a Herculean task, but a few relatively easy implementations can help give your security a significant advantage as you lock down your business’ future. Listed below is a review of four key components for successful Network Security.

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What You Need to Know About The New Phishing Tactic "Display Name Spoofing"

What You Need to Know About The New Phishing Tactic "Display Name Spoofing"

Having success in business usually relies on building trustworthy relationships. You have to trust your vendors and suppliers to get you the resources you require, you need to trust your staff to complete their tasks without putting your business in harm's way, and you need to trust your customers to purchase the products and services that you offer. Running counter to these necessary bonds of trust are people actively soliciting people’s time, energy, money, and attention for their own selfish purposes.

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Paying a Ransom Demand These Days Could Cost Your Business Even More

Paying a Ransom Demand These Days Could Cost Your Business Even More

Regarding ransomware, we have always stood firm in our recommendation not to pay whoever is responsible for locking down your systems. On the other hand, due to the globalized nature of technology and cybercrime, it is even more imperative that companies don’t attempt to placate their attackers with the demanded funds. Otherwise, warns the United States Treasury Department, these victimized businesses could very well pay severe fines for doing so.

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What Has Zoom Done to Enhance Its Security?

What Has Zoom Done to Enhance Its Security?

As a communication tool, the video conferencing app Zoom saw a significant bump in its popularity with both personal and business users as the coronavirus pandemic made other means of meeting no longer viable. Nonetheless, this sudden increase in its user base also revealed some serious security problems with the platform. What has Zoom has done to resolve these problems since then?

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How to Avoid a Strained Relationship With Your IT Department

How to Avoid a Strained Relationship With Your IT Department

Business relationships, especially between you and a service provider or you and a coworker, are imperative to a business’ success. On the other hand, maintaining these relationships can be difficult when there’s a good chance that your actions might create more work for another person. Listed below are some reasons why your relationship with IT may be strained, and a few tips to help fix it.

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Is Your Smart Assistant Threatening Your Privacy?

Is Your Smart Assistant Threatening Your Privacy?

Smart assistants usually appear in the office and home, so much so that the novelty seems to have finally worn off and they are now just another appliance. Like any other appliance, there are a few quirks that can be frustrating to deal with. For example, anyone living around these devices has shared a particular experience: the device registering something as a wake word that certainly wasn’t meant to be the wake word.

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Considering What Would Happen if All Data Became Exposed

Considering What Would Happen if All Data Became Exposed

What if all our personal data in existence was exposed? If every text message sent, every Internet search executed, every website viewed, everything we had ever done online, was made public? Gizmodo recently reached out to some experts for their insights. Listed below are their responses for you to consideration.

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What You Need To Know About Voice-Based Phishing

What You Need To Know About Voice-Based Phishing

Telework has become imperative for businesses to maintain themselves right now, as remote work became a hard and fast requirement in the face of the coronavirus. Nevertheless, if businesses aren’t careful, they could trade one problem for another in exposing themselves to security threats.

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What Your Business Needs to Know About Cyberattack Vishing

What Your Business Needs to Know About Cyberattack Vishing

Since the onset of the coronavirus, many companies have managed to sustain themselves via remote work, also commonly known as telework. While this strategy has permitted quite a few businesses to survive, it has also opened them up to security threats. Listed below is a focus on one such threat: vishing, or voice phishing.

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What VPNs Can and Can't Do For You

What VPNs Can and Can't Do For You

We haven't been timid about promoting the use of VPNs (virtual private networks) as a way of protecting your online security. Nevertheless, we wanted to take a bit of time to specify what a VPN can and can't do to help you.

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What the Data Says About AI-Enhanced Crimes

What the Data Says About AI-Enhanced Crimes

When we think of modern cybercrime, most people’s minds go to one of two places: some think about the annoying, misspelled emails that are clearly scams, while on the other can’t help but think about the hacks that we see in movies, where a cybercriminal manages to overcome the best the government can incorporate into their defenses.

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Don't Forget about Ransomware

Don't Forget about Ransomware

Ransomware is the most terrifying type of malware out there: it can have a variety of negative effects on a business, yet it seems to still be on the fringe of the mainstream. Listed below is a refresher course on ransomware. 

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Fairfax, Virginia 22030