Tools that Can Help You Protect Your Tech Gadgets this Summer

Summer is the usual season to take holidays or a long sought after vacation to finally get the chance to relax and unwind. Of course, when we pack, we pack not only the necessities but also a part of our lives, and some of those are our gadgets. Our gadgets – usually consisting of smartphones, laptops, or tablets – or at least just one of those will always accompany us in our holiday travels.

Of course, since its summer, we also need to protect our devices inside and out. Remember that this protection includes the sand and the sun and other factors that always come with the season.

Insurance

If you have a smartphone, tablet, or laptop that has become a vital travel companion wherever you go, insurance is a really good idea. You can purchase insurance through any service provider or third-party sources such as insurance agents. Most non-life insurance policies for gadgets cover a range of eventualities including water damage and theft, and since replacing a mobile device isn’t cheap, remember to shop around in order to get the best value coverage that suits your needs.

Invest in a good case for all your gadgets

This and the above may sound low tech, but these “low tech” tools are meant to protect your technology. Our devices often travel everywhere with us and at some stage our devices can decide to slide off the table or fall from our hands, providing a heart stopping moment. If you’re concerned about your device being subjected to the elements, consider investing in a waterproof case. There are plenty of sleek and protective skins on the market for every smartphone, tablet, and even laptop, allowing you to shield your gadgets from destruction without adding serious pressure on your wallet.

Protect your Wi-Fi use

What’s one of the first things you ask when you arrive at a hotel or restaurant? More than likely it’s the Wi-Fi code, but rather than connecting your smartphone, tablet, or laptop to any old Wi-Fi network, use Wi-Fi Protected Access such as the Norton Wi-Fi Privacy app instead. This creates an encrypted, highly secure network connection you can trust. Now this time, this one is a tech tool.

Road trip tool

If you’re planning on a road trip for your vacation, a reliable GPS device can ensure you won’t get lost. But if you’re traveling through tree-lined hills, your cellular signal strength may not hold up. The weBoost Drive 4G-X can help give travellers a stronger signal on the road. It helps your smartphone work in even remote areas, it helps your data work so you can send texts, and it helps your GPS system work. For people that travel a lot or go on long road trips, it can really help you stay safe on the road. The manufacturer says it can extend your service range up to 60 percent farther than other boosters on the market and works on all cellular-connected devices in your car, including smartphones, tablets, and laptops.

How Properly Optimized Computers Can Influence Your Work Behavior

So, not only has your business or company purchased or updated to the latest and fastest PC’s and laptops possible from the budget, but you even had the technical support company you’re subscribed to get the computers to be cleaned and optimized from within.

So there’s no reason now for its users not to increase work productivity, right? However, always keep in mind that work productivity is only as good as the work behavior of your employees. However, it doesn’t hurt to have the best technology and all your computers optimized. When your employees know that you’re doing everything to keep the work computers in optimized shape, somehow this has a positive effect on employee’s work behavior.

Training your employees to be more careful and avoid distractions

Social networking such as Twitter and Facebook, watching videos on YouTube, talking in forums or chat rooms, and surfing pages unrelated to your work can all slow down your productivity. Worse is opening suspicious e-mails and clicking on fake links that opens your computer to phishing and malware. Removing these distractions from your workspace while you are working can help you stay on task more consistently and finish work faster while training your employees to have better work behavior by taking care of the computers that take care of their work.

Keep the computer properly maintained

After the work computers have been optimized, always do clean up and proper maintenance on it regularly. It will help your current computer run a little faster:

• Clean up your hardware – Cleaning the computer, mouse, and other equipment can help make things run more smoothly. For instance, a dirty mouse can be difficult to move around.

• Defragment the hard disk – As programs are added and removed from the computer, the disk places the data in different places. Defragmenting moves and organizes the data on the disk, which makes accessing the data faster.

• Upgrade hardware – Adding more RAM or upgrading other hardware such as a new SSD can help make things run faster.

• Remove viruses or other malware – If something has managed to attack your system, it can cause the computer to run slower. This shows the importance of having a proper antivirus program or anti-malware program.

Use a bigger screen if needed

Use of a bigger screen or multiple / dual screens can help increase productivity by having more things in view at once. A maximized window on a large screen can display much more of the content in a large window than a small screen. As a result, more text can be read, more graphics can be viewed, and less scrolling is needed.

Another advantage to a bigger screen is that it makes it easier to have multiple windows open and viewable at the same time on the screen. With multiple windows open, it can be easier tocopy and paste, retype, and do web design or anything that requires different windows or programs. For instance, for web developers, an HTML editor and a live preview of an open webpage side-by- side can make editing and viewing much faster.

Needed Funds for Your Business? Here are 6 Ways How

Lack of funding is one of the major reasons why most businesses fail and close out. And even if you can always go to a bank, along with your good business idea and a great name, and get a small business loan, it's still difficult in today's economy to get a solid funding for your business.

There are many ways to minimize your expenditures when you're launching and growing your business, but let's face the facts -- you need some money to make money. Surely we've heard this line many times before. Every business is going to need working capital, but you don't need to rob a bank. So here are some tips or ways to fund your business.

Get your personal finances in order

Before you start lооkіng anywhere еlѕе, lооk аt home. Thе vеrу bеѕt thіng thаt you саn dо for your business іѕ tо make ѕurе уоur реrѕоnаl fіnаnсеѕ are іn order. Ideally, уоu wаnt tо hаvе gооd сrеdіt, an еmеrgеnсу fund, аnd lоng-tеrm ѕаvіngѕ іn рlасе before you ѕtаrt a new buѕіnеѕѕ vеnturе. Thіѕ makes vіrtuаllу everything else еаѕіеr fоr уоur buѕіnеѕѕ. If уоu hаvе gооd сrеdіt, уоu hаvе a better ѕhоt at thе bоrrоwіng орtіоnѕ I’ll talk аbоut later. If уоu hаvе ѕаvіngѕ, уоu can live оn thаt untіl уоur buѕіnеѕѕ is аblе tо ѕuѕtаіn уоu.

What can you sell?

Take a lооk around. Dо уоu hаvе аnуthіng уоu саn ѕеll? Surрrіѕіnglу, ѕеllіng stuff you don’t nееd саn bе a great wау tо fund your business. Business sometimes requires ѕасrіfісе. So ѕtаrt looking аrоund іn уоur lіfе for thіngѕ уоu dоn’t need. Gоt a car рауmеnt thаt’ѕ outrageous? Sеll thе car (уеѕ, еvеn in this есоnоmу), or trаdе іt in fоr ѕоmеthіng more есоnоmісаl, аnd you’ll hаvе found a fеw hundrеd dоllаrѕ a month thаt you саn put into your business.

Start cutting back

Cutting back and lіvіng wау bеlоw уоur means іѕ ѕоmеthіng thаt саn bе dіffісult for entrepreneurs, whо аrе frequently lurеd bу thе рrоmіѕе of grеаt wealth as a result оf ѕmаll business ownership. But it’s аbѕоlutеlу сruсіаl, bоth nоw and аftеr уоu асhіеvе success, thаt уоu lіvе bеlоw your mеаnѕ. If your income gоеѕ uр, living bеlоw уоur mеаnѕ will become more аnd mоrе fun. But іt’ѕ vіtаl thаt you cut bасk аnd live есоnоmісаllу, еѕресіаllу аt the bеgіnnіng stages. Dо thіѕ, аnd уоu can find аnоthеr fеw hundrеd dоllаrѕ a mоnth tо рut іntо your business.

Build with Business

As you buіld your buѕіnеѕѕ, іt’ѕ important thаt уоu’rе prepared tо build wіth уоur business. Thаt іѕ, as уоu take оn сlіеntѕ or сuѕtоmеrѕ, mаkе ѕurе уоu put thе income gеnеrаtеd bу thаt buѕіnеѕѕ back іntо your buѕіnеѕѕ. It іѕ іmроrtаnt tо get into the habit оf paying уоurѕеlf a salary frоm your buѕіnеѕѕ, hоwеvеr іf уоu’rе bооtѕtrарріng, уоu mау nееd tо kеер thе money in thе buѕіnеѕѕ instead оf tаkіng money оut.

Borrowing

There are three places where you can find small-scale funding:

• Credit cards

Gеnеrаllу speaking, it's not recommended to get tоо dеерlу іnvоlvеd wіth credit саrdѕ. While іt’ѕ a vеrу рорulаr орtіоn fоr many small business owners аnd еntrерrеnеurѕ, sky-high interest rаtеѕ саn burу you in the lоng run. It’ѕ bеѕt tо rеѕеrvе thіѕ for short-term, tеmроrаrу needs.

• Angel investors

Angеl іnvеѕtоrѕ typically іnvеѕt іn larger businesses thаn mісrо-еntеrрrіѕе оr ѕоlорrеnеurѕhірѕ. Hоwеvеr, уоu may be аblе tо fіnd ѕоmеоnе willing tо invest, if you can show thеm a ѕоlіd fіnаnсіаl fоrесаѕt or a ѕtrоng buѕіnеѕѕ рlаn thаt іndісаtеѕ thеу’ll bе аblе tо increase thеіr mоnеу іn a rеlаtіvеlу short period оf tіmе. Be fоrеwаrnеd, thоugh, thаt іn this есоnоmу, unless уоu hаvе a рrоduсt or ѕеrvісе, ѕоmе customers оr clients, аnd a clearly-defined exit рlаn, it wіll bе hаrd to fіnd аn аngеl investor.

• Friends and family

Mоrе than hаlf of all рrіvаtе іnvеѕtіng іn ѕmаll businesses соmеѕ frоm ѕоmеоnе who іѕ related tо thе еntrерrеnеur. Thаt said, borrowing from fаmіlу соmеѕ wіth a lоt оf emotions аnd challenges, so make sure to lооk fоr ѕоmеоnе who believes іn уоu and comes wіth lіttlе оr no еmоtіоnаl baggage, аnd have a ѕоlіd repayment аgrееmеnt (if not a contract) ѕо thаt уоu both fееl соmfоrtаblе wіth thе lоаn. And mаkе рауіng thаt lоаn bасk a serious рrіоrіtу. The lаѕt thіng you wаnt іѕ tо ruіn аn important rеlаtіоnѕhір bесаuѕе you dіdn’t take repayment ѕеrіоuѕlу.

Consider part-time jobs

Some business owners keep their part-time jobs while their business is still at its infancy. Sоmеtіmеѕ thіѕ іѕ muсh-nееdеd іnсоmе whіlе a buѕіnеѕѕ іѕ growing, while other times these jоbѕ hеlр pay fоr business еxреnѕеѕ.

Fundіng a business іѕ оnе оf thе bіggеѕt сhаllеngеѕ tо mоѕt еntrерrеnеurѕ. But bу gеttіng уоur personal fіnаnсеѕ іn оrdеr, lіvіng bеlоw уоur means, ѕеllіng what you dоn’t need, fіndіng сrеаtіvе ways to bоrrоw, and getting a loan, уоu саn аdеԛuаtеlу fund your buѕіnеѕѕ, еvеn іn this economy.

5 Signs Your Computer is in Need of Immediate Optimization

Why does a computer need optimization?

Firstly, just like a car that needs an eventual tune up, a computer that needs to be optimized means it also needs a tune up. This prevents a computer from running slow or brings it back if it’s already starting to run slow.

Secondly, optimizing a computer prevents a computer from crashes. Neglecting your computer’s condition will make it prone to unexpected crashes, causing you to lose very important files and data.

Aside from a computer starting to slow down, there are 5 other signs that your computer is in need of immediate optimization:

1. Random File or Program Corruption Issues

An obvious sign of a slow-growing problem is random file and program corruption errors. Files that always worked before suddenly won’t open or only occasionally work. They may suddenly be accompanied by an error message. First, make sure your anti-virus is running and up-to-date, and then run a full system scan for malware. A virus sometimes will cause this problem. Another likely culprit is a failing hard drive, so you should check it for errors. If that doesn’t reveal the problem, look for hardware conflicts in the Windows Device Manager.

2. Occasional Boot Errors

This is a clear sign that something is wrong, usually something along the lines of “boot device not found.” Windows will fail to boot, but it might work at a later time, even immediately if you hit the reset button. This is a sign that something is wrong with your hard drive, or that your Windows installation has somehow become corrupt.

3. Poor Performance

General poor performance, from launching programs to watching videos and playing games, often results from the cumulative effects of software installed on a Windows PC. If you’re not careful, you may find you’ve installed more than your computer can handle, and it will perform poorly. Cleaning Windows might help, and afterwards get the computer fully optimized. If all else fails, you either need to re-install your operating system or the problem could be in the hardware.

4. Hardware Conflicts

Seldom, but it happens, two components in a PC will try to consume the same resources or perform the same task. This creates a hardware conflict, and it manifests itself in unusual behavior during certain tasks. An audio conflict, for example, might disable audio in some programs, but not in others. Not all conflicts will crash a PC, but some can cause instability, which leads to a Blue Screen of Death or a reboot. You can search for the problem on Windows Device Manager so you can re-install the drivers of the conflicting hardware while optimizing the whole machine.

5. Video Artifacts

When viewing any form of video, an error in that data can cause an “artifact” that appears as blocks of random color, strange lines or partially missing 3D geometry. This is a sign that your PC’s graphics processor is encountering an issue. Often the problem is excessive heat; you may just need to open your computer and give it a good cleaning while optimizing it.

Getting a Trusted VPN Provider Can Help You Secure Your Web Traffic

Let’s all be realistic about Internet privacy through ISP providers. Recently, the Republican ruled congress has made a big decision about the future of your online data, and many people aren't happy about it.

On March 28, Congress voted along party lines to kill a set of rules adopted by the Federal Communications Commission in October of last year that would have kept all Internet Service Providers or ISP’s, at bay because they needed to ask your permission before it collected certain personal information. President Donald Trump signed the resolution on April 10, turning it into law.

So does this mean your ISP now has free rein over everything you do online? Not really, but it means that it no longer needs your permission to gather data from you that passes through its servers and sell it to other companies for marketing purposes. Also, should any law enforcement or government agency demand for your data, ISP’s may cough it up without your permission?

To counter this, you can get the services of a VPN.

A Virtual Private Network or VPN allows you to connect to the Internet through a server run by a VPN provider and separate from an ISP provider. All data traveling between your computer, phone or tablet, and this “VPN server” is securely encrypted. As a result of this setup, VPN’s:

§  Provide privacy by hiding your Internet activity from your ISP. Your ISP will still receive data from you since they provide your Internet service. However, all data they receive will become encrypted, and thus, rendered unreadable.

§  Allow you to evade censorship by the government or through an ISP.

§  Allow you to “geo-spoof” your location in order to access services unfairly denied to you based on your geographical location, or hides your location when you are on holiday.

§  Protect you against hackers when using public Wi-Fi.

§  Allow you to P2P download in safety.

In order to use VPN, you must sign up for a contract for a VPN service, which typically costs between $5 – $10 a month. Note that using a VPN service does not replace the need for an Internet Service Provider, as it is your ISP that provides your Internet connection in the first place.

How do you know that a VPN is trustworthy?

§  VPN’s are expensive to run so a free VPN makes you the product and can’t be trusted.

§  Inquire from others who use VPN’s and identify which providers they trust the most.

§  A trusted VPN will have a “no tracking” and “no logs” policy, meaning that they don’t gather any data from their users.

§  Trusted VPN’s use “shared” ISP’s so they are not easily tracked.

Immediate Solutions to Some Common Computer Issues

No matter how new your rig is or how powerful its specs are, the time comes when something inside malfunctions or a software doesn’t work properly. But before you contact a technical support representative, take your best shot in solving your computer issue because there’s a chance that the problem is only minor and that it doesn’t require a professional help.

Here are some tips on how you can solve some common PC-related problems.

Try this first…

Before you do anything else, try restarting your computer. Most computer problems are solved with this simple step. This long-standing workaround can do wonders.

And while you’re at it…

Make sure that your operating system is fully updated by running Windows Update. Neglecting system updates could deprive you of important bug and performance fixes. Make sure all drivers are updated as well. You can opt to have Windows automatically update itself and install all updates so you don’t need to check on them from time to time.

Slow computer

Check if you still have plenty of free space on the hard drive that’s holding your operating system. Windows needs room to create files while your system is running. If your hard drive is maxed you’re your computer’s performance suffers. Now is the perfect time to clear some space. Delete all files that you don’t need anymore such as videos, music, and pictures. For more important files, you can transfer them to external drives as backup or burn them into DVD’s or CD’s. Microsoft’s System Configuration tool is your next-best bet for handling slow performance. Many applications launch automatically when your machine boots up and this stretches out boot time. Make a habit of filtering your startup programs to increase the speed of your PC’s boot up time. Checking the Startup Item and Manufacturer columns is the best way to figure out which potential performance-killers you can safely disable. Avoid messing with any of the services and programs that have Microsoft Corporation listed as the manufacturer. Items such as AdobeAAMUpdater, Google Update, Pando Media Booster, Spotify, Steam Client Bootstrapper, and the like can be disabled. However, do err on the side of caution, and so if you’re not sure what the program or service does, don’t disable it.

Slow Internet

Run a speed test to see what your download and upload speeds are. Ideally, they should be at least 50 percent of your ISP’s advertised speeds, with a ping under 100 milliseconds. If the speed seems solid, make sure that you aren’t inadvertently downloading or uploading anything. Many torrent downloading programs run in the background and minimize into the system tray instead of the taskbar. Also, check that your network card’s drivers are up to date, and if you haven’t updated your operating system, this might be the time. Next, try turning your modem off and on again. If it has no On/Off button, just unplug and plug it back in. If none of this helped, call your ISP and have them assist you further with your Internet connection problem.

5 Things You Need to Check Before Buying a Used Laptop

Although it's nice to have a shiny brand new laptop straight out of the box, but not everyone can afford to get one. And that's when going for a fairly used laptop is the only realistic option you have.

To reduce the risk of having a bad purchase, here are some tips that may serve as your guide on what to check for before purchasing a second-hand laptop.

1.    Know Your Needs

Before making any sort of purchase, it is important for you to know what you will be using the computer for and buy something that matches your needs. Think about the sort of applications you will need, how portable you need your laptop to be, battery life, RAM, and storage requirements.

When you spot a laptop that you want to buy, search for the make and model online and print out its specifications to find out if it matches with the product you're about to purchase. Another thing you need to take into consideration before buying one, check for reviews online and see what people are saying about the laptop and its performance over a long period of time.

2.    Inspect the Laptop Body

A thorough body check is non-negotiable. Make sure that the frame of the laptop you're eyeing to buy is free from cracks and any signs of impact. Also, check for any missing screws, loose hinges, and any other forms of irregularities.

3.    Check the Screen's Condition

The next important step is to make sure that the laptop's screen is in good working condition. Check for any dead pixel, flickering, discoloration, as well as the brightness controls if it's still working properly.

4.    Test the Keyboard and Trackpad

The keyboard and the trackpad are the most used parts of a laptop, so it's necessary for you to make a thorough checkup on these as well. Here are some additional tips:

·         Check for any broken keys, pay close attention to key travel, and see if you feel comfortable typing with the keyboard. If you're making too many mistakes, then you might want to check out other laptops.

·         Check what gestures are supported by the trackpad and then try them out (such as pinch-to-zoom, two-finger scroll, three-finger swipe, etc.). If mouse keys are present, make sure that they're easy to press.

5.    Check the Battery's Condition

In most cases, you may not be able to perform a thorough check when it comes to the battery's health. However, you can still get a rough idea of how long the battery lasts by going into the laptop's power management settings of the installed OS to see how much charge the battery can hold as well as the battery health status.

Another thing is, make sure the battery charges properly and doesn't drain too fast. Otherwise, you can ask for a discount so you can get a replacement for the battery in case it wears out soon.

What is the Most Effective Approach in Solving Difficult Computer Issues?

Before anything else, let’s break down what we deem as difficult. If difficult means your screen going blank, the computer won’t boot, or you know it’s a hardware problem, the only sensible advice we can give is that you call your subscribed technical support company. Really major and difficult problems of this level can only be solved by the professionals. Tinkering with your computer will only exacerbate the issue. This is the most effective approach and advice we can give.

Even for less difficult or even basic computer issues, if you’re not really sure what to do, then the best thing is not to do anything at all. Just pick up that phone instead.

But if you know what you’re doing, remember that many different things could cause a problem with your computer. No matter what's causing the issue, troubleshooting will always be a process of trial and error. With some cases, you may need to use several different approaches before you can find a solution, but there are definitely problems that may be easy to fix.

We recommend starting by using the following tips:

Write down the steps you’ve done

Once you start troubleshooting, you may want to write down each step you take. This way, you’ll be able to remember exactly what you’ve done and avoid repeating the same mistakes. If you end up asking your tech support company for help, it will be much easier if they know exactly what you’ve tried already.

Write down the exact error messages

If your computer gives you an error message, be sure to write down as much information as possible. You may be able to use this information later if you decide to call your tech support company.

Always check the cables

If you’re having trouble with a specific piece of computer hardware, such as your monitor or keyboard, an easy first step is to check all related cables to make sure they’re properly connected.

Restart the computer

When all else fails, restarting the computer is a good thing to try. This can solve a lot of basic issues you may experience with your computer.

Use the process of elimination

If you’re having an issue with your computer, you may be able to find out what’s wrong using the process of elimination. This means you’ll make a list of things that could be causing the problem and then test them out one by one to eliminate them. Once you’ve identified the source of your computer issue, it will be easier to find a solution or to properly inform your tech support if you decide to call them.

Remember that most computer problems have simple solutions, although it may take some time to find them. For difficult problems, a more drastic solution may be required, like reformatting your hard drive or reinstalling your operating system. If you think you might need a solution like this, we recommend consulting your professional tech support company.

Google Drive Tips You Really Shouldn't Miss

Google Drive is one of the most used cloud storage services, partly due to the fact that it is automatically integrated with every Google account. The service provides some really nice features, both for file storage, and for creating shareable, cloud-hosted documents, spreadsheets, slides, and a lot more. While Google Drive is used by a lot of people, not everyone might know all its cool features that are offered by the cloud service, and the plethora of add-ons that are available for it.

Here is a collection of some great Google Drive tricks that can be very useful to anyone who wants to make the most out of Google Drive.

View Google Drive Keyboard Shortcuts

If you are looking to expand your knowledge of the keyboard shortcuts that work inside Google Drive's web app, you can simply press "Ctrl+/" and you will be shown a card with all the different keyboard shortcuts that are available in Google Drive.

See Your Files Sorted by Size

Google Drive sorts uploaded files and folders by the "Latest Modified First" rule. This can be useful because it makes sure that the files you have uploaded the most recently are present at the top for easy access. However, if you're running low on available space on your Google Drive account, you may want to sort the files by their size, in order to determine where you can save the most.

To do this, hover your mouse on the Upgrade storage option at the bottom left panel of the Google Drive homepage. This will bring up a window with the breakdown of your usage, click on Drive, and Google Drive will sort all your files by Size.

Automatically Save Emails and Attachments to Google Drive

Save Emails and Attachments is another add-on for Google Sheets that lets you define rules based on factors such as the sender's email ID, the subject, message size, attachments, etc., and the add-on will run every hour automatically, and sync emails from your Gmail account into a spreadsheet. It also saves a copy of the email as a PDF inside Google Drive, along with any attachments in the email.

The add-on can also be run manually if required, by going into Addons > Save Emails and Attachments > Manage Rules > Run Manually.

Add Multiple Rows and Columns to Google Sheets

Google Sheets is a pretty well-rounded tool, and it provides almost every spreadsheet capability that someone might need. Combine that with the plethora of add-ons available for Google Sheets and you will see just how incredibly powerful it can get. However, Google Sheets only allows adding rows and columns one by one, but this can get tedious if you need to add multiple rows and/or columns to the spreadsheet. To resolve this, you can use the add-on called Add Rows and Columns, which allows you to add multiple rows and columns in Google Sheets with ease.

Save Web Content Straight to Google Drive

Google created a browser extension called Save to Google Drive that lets you add documents, images, links, and HTML5 audio and video files directly to Google Drive with a simple right-click.

To enable this on your desktop PC, download Google's free browser extension and authorize it on your computer. Then, right-click on the web content you want to save and then select Save to Google Drive. You'll be able to access that file on the Drive right away.

The Cost of Being Complacent on Protection Against Online Cyber Threats

Why do online cyber threats happen? The answer seems straightforward enough: An organization’s or individual’s computer security is compromised, enabling data breaches of employee records and theft of intellectual property. Moreover, it’s becoming more a question of an individual’s or IT department’s complacency on protection rather than the ability to fend off attacks. Hackers are always looking for those weaknesses in any system and complacency is certainly a weakness, a large self-inflicted breach in a defense wall, to put it bluntly.

Today’s threat environment is certainly daunting. Many online security experts have already been predicting that as of 2013 there would be at least one major data breach per month. And this outlook is somewhat conservative. In 2016 alone, there have been 411 recorded data breaches, exposing more than 11 million records. While not all incidents may qualify as “major,” they covered different sectors from healthcare to government, and have even affected basic services as in the case of the public transportation hacking in San Francisco recently.

Complacency makes defense difficult

Often, the problem begins with the defender or computer user. While it’s true that a hacker can find new ways to penetrate even the toughest defenses, this is extremely rare. Often, a hacker is handed the advantage by the user’s complacency. For instance:

§  Less than a third of computer, mobile, and tablet users install security software.

§  More than 63 percent of those with installed security software don’t even run virus checks.

§  40 percent don’t even know what safety breaches are.

§  Many mobile and tablet users use public Wi-Fi at malls for online banking.

§  More than 50 percent of Internet users are more concerned with speedy service than security. 

Businesses often feel they’re too big or too small to be in danger

Recent large data breaches confirm that even huge businesses need risk mitigation, while an insider threat can hit an organization of any size. In fact, more than half of security incidents involved a worker, former employee, or contractor. With even small businesses dependent on supply chains, the ingredients are there for a breach.

Not investing in endpoint security

Too often, businesses, big or small, just pay lip service to protecting customer data and company reputation. However, more than one-fifth of businesses of any size today lacked an enterprise resource management program, which could help with a breach. Again, it goes back to the basic complacency of “we’re not going to be targeted, anyway.”

Not vetting suppliers and failing to assign proper responsibility

Businesses are too heavily reliant on vendors and partners for credit card processing, supplies and materials, infrastructure maintenance, and consulting. Amid the growth of this ecosystem, leaders may assume that a breach caused by a contractor is not on them, despite their likely need to provide credit monitoring after such an event. This mindset can lead to the insufficient vetting of suppliers and the creation of weaknesses throughout the supply chain.

So the solution here is simple: Always stay protected. Remember the cliché, “An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of solution.” It’s a cliché worth noting. After all, what’s at stake here is your own computers and even your own business.