Keep Control of Your Technology

We recently made a sales call to a prospective client that was serviced by a larger IT provider and were shocked by what we saw and heard. They were still using Windows 10 but had switched to a new accounting system on the advice of their accountants. You need to demand better communications and coordination from all your providers to control your technology and your business.

Right up front, I saw Windows 10 as the current operating system as I glanced around their office. I was alarmed that at this late date, it seems that nobody told them that Microsoft is ending its support for Windows 10 in October. Yes, they will most likely be able to buy a one-year subscription to get security patches, but they won’t get any performance updates, and that will really hamper their accounting program.

That’s because their accounting firm suggested they upgrade their 20-year-old accounting software, which they can’t successfully install without upgrading to Windows 11. It seemed like nobody had put the issues together for them.

They are facing basic problems that we see all the time. Without an up-to-date operating system and application software, they won’t be able to move all their files from the old system to the new. They will need to deal with multiple versions of multiple files, and it will be a messy, time-consuming (and money-consuming) task to straighten them out. Finally, and increasingly more important in today’s technological environment, they won’t have the best security available to protect their data. They could risk becoming the weak link in their business chain.

The saddest parts of all this are that their IT provider didn’t seem to have upgraded them as Microsoft moves on from Windows 10 and that their accounting firm didn’t talk to them about having the right technology to handle a system that would make their business more efficient. It’s also sad that neither seemed to be aware of the relationship between technology and app performance. We pride ourselves on being keenly aware of that relationship.

The prospective client felt like they’d been taken advantage of. If you know of a company that seems to be struggling to match its technology to its apps, we’d like to talk to them. And if you think your systems aren’t doing all they can for you, we should talk. We can help you investigate possible solutions, select the one that should best meet your needs and configure it for your operations. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to discuss it – or provide a referral.

Out with the Old, In with the New

As Microsoft winds down its tech support for Windows 10, it’s time to make a plan to migrate to Windows 11 and – if needed – the hardware to run it. It can save you money in the long run when you factor in the cost of support for Windows 10 and the efficiencies you’ll gain.

As most of you know, Windows will only offer security-related tech support for Windows 10, starting next October. It will not upgrade any performance features. Furthermore, the tech support will cost you $30 per year.

We’ve been getting a lot of calls from clients whose hardware is not up to snuff for Windows 11. Your best option, in our opinion, is to have new hardware in place for Windows 11, and as you’ve probably read in our newsletter, it goes beyond just the operating system.

Older hardware and software put software vendors in a bind. They feel a need to protect all their users, and they don’t want to leave technology systems exposed to a breach. Yet at the same time, they need to serve their customers who demand more security and better performance. If not, those customers will look for other software vendors.

Hardware has a shorter shelf life, but hanging on to a device for too long can be a disservice. As most of us work with larger files, possibly in collaboration with other users in real time, the speed and security of data transfers through the cloud has become increasingly more important. We’ve had older computers crash during file transfers, putting data at risk. Data, after all, is your most valuable asset.

We saw that value first-hand when we installed five new computers for a client. During the process, we discovered there were some missing files in obscure locations. They had not been saved to the cloud or backed up. Two of the people getting new computers had issue after issue with transferring files. We had to copy files from their old computers onto another device and then transfer them from the device to the new computers.

When you combine the cloud with software subscriptions and up-to-date hardware, you have data security with system reliability and performance. It’s where technology is heading, and we think you will fall farther behind by waiting to install and maintain new hardware.

If your hardware isn’t compatible with Windows 11, we strongly urge you to start the replacement process. Rome wasn’t built in a day, as the saying goes, but your technology can crash and burn in an instant. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to develop a plan to keep your technology up to date.

Upgrade for Security

Should you upgrade to Windows 11 and get a new computer? Microsoft and an increasingly aggressive, more sophisticated hacking environment are calling the question. For a number of reasons, our answer is a resounding “yes.”

We’ve discussed this before, but we have an increased sense of urgency about upgrading technology to improve your security. Microsoft reports that in 2015, they were detecting around 115 password attacks per second. In 2024, that number has surged 3,378% to more than 4,000 password attacks per second. We need stronger, more comprehensive security approaches than ever before, and we need them across all devices and technologies we use in our lives, both at home and at work.

Microsoft and its hardware partners developed an array of software solutions to harden your security. These solutions rely on brute power to process massive amounts of security protocols and tools to keep out bad actors. Many of these tools use artificial intelligence (AI) to find and implement security measures that require nimble, changing movements, much like you find if you’re a gamer. They also power increasingly sophisticated passkeys (such as facial recognition or other biometrics) or two-factor authentication (2FA).

Windows 11 has the software tools, but they’re either useless or toothless without the hardware to power them. To install or upgrade to Windows 11, devices must meet the following minimum hardware requirements:

  • Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with two or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or system on a chip (SoC).
  • Memory: 4 gigabytes (GB) or greater.
  • Storage: 64 GB or greater available disk space.
  • Graphics card: Compatible with DirectX 12 or later, with a WDDM 2.0 driver.
  • System firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot capable.
  • TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0.
  • Display: High definition (720p) display, 9″ or greater monitor, 8 bits per color channel.
  • Internet connection: Internet connectivity is necessary to perform updates, and to download and use some features. Windows 11 Home Edition also requires a Microsoft Account to complete device setup on first use.

These are the minimum requirements, and they can change at any time.

Is your computer compatible? If it’s more than three years old, it’s unlikely. Three years has become the lifespan for many machines because the technology changes so quickly and extensively. We recently replaced the personal computers in our family so that we could all take advantage of new computer capabilities. For personal computers, it will be a crapshoot as to how much longer you can safely go online.

For businesses, it can be to your advantage to upgrade your computers before the end of the year – though your tax advisors can give you more precise information. We can only tell you that you need to balance the cost of a new computer against the possible costs of a security breach.

We can help you in several ways.

  • We can evaluate your hardware, especially if you are still running Windows 10, and help you determine if new hardware will be cost-effective for running Windows 11.
  • We can help you select and buy computers and other systems that fit your budgets, and business needs as best as possible.
  • We can configure your new computers and systems to make sure you have the best balance of security and performance.

Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us for an appointment.

Hacked SSNs: What, Me Worry?

With apologies to Alfred E. Neuman, yes, you should worry. But you don’t need to panic, especially if you have Windows 11, a computer with a later-generation chipset and a lot of common sense.

New reports say the hacking group USDoD claimed it had allegedly stolen personal records of 2.9 billion people from National Public Data, according to a class-action lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The breach was believed to have happened in or around April, according to the lawsuit. A class-action law firm said the stolen file includes 277.1 gigabytes of data and includes names, address histories, relatives, and Social Security numbers dating back at least three decades. A post from a cybersecurity expert on X claims the records for citizens of the U.S., U.K., and Canada were sold on the dark web for $3.5 million.

Yes, that’s scary. But it’s not as dire as you think. Security breaches happen all the time because thieves find vulnerabilities in large systems and exploit them. Some thieves steal simply because they can. If they don’t try to use stolen information, you don’t have a problem. But if they do try to use stolen data, they need to know how to defeat whatever aggressive defenses exist at, say, a bank. Often, they fail.

They may try to sell the data, but if there’s no market, the stolen information languishes. If they do sell it, the data might turn out to be outdated. Finally, the buyers may be state actors. If you’re not a likely target of blackmail or in possession of interesting secrets, they may have the goods on you but not want to use them.

All you can do is harden your defenses as best you can.

Set up two-factor authentication for every online account that offers it, or use an authentication app, such as Microsoft Authenticator to secure your online accounts. If thieves haven’t intercepted your email, text messages, or phone, it’s going to be hard for them to break in.

Sign up for account alerts. Depending on your bank or card company, you can set them up for many things, including any charge outside your home country, any (or all) ATM withdrawals, or transactions over a certain amount.

If you get an alert you didn’t expect — or even one you did — don’t click links or call phone numbers in the alert. Instead, log into the account in question and find a contact number there. That will keep thieves from redirecting you to their own operations.

We can answer questions about 2FA, and we can help you set up Microsoft Authenticator. A proper set-up will prevent problems down the line. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us for an appointment.

Time for a Hardware Refresh

Windows 7 is long gone, and Windows 10 is scheduled to leave our technology world in October 2025. If you haven’t installed Windows 11 yet on all your desktops and laptops, now is the time. If your computer cannot accommodate Windows 11, it’s because it lacks a security chip that’s designed to work in the AI (artificial intelligence) environment. The longer you wait, the longer you keep that 244-day window open for someone to hide in your system. Start planning your upgrade now.

One of my secret indulgences is watching shows on air disasters on the Smithsonian Channel. One thing I’ve learned is that many disasters don’t happen because of one thing. Many small things happen over a period of time, and then the disaster happens. It’s no different with your technology systems.

Windows 11 has built-in security systems based on its NPU or Neural Processing Unit. NPUs are optimized for data-driven parallel computing, making them highly efficient at processing massive multimedia data like videos and images and processing data for neural networks. They are particularly adept at handling AI-related tasks, such as speech recognition, background blurring in video calls, and photo or video editing processes like object detection.

Video and photos are a key part of new security measures. We’re familiar with them through facial recognition. But, they require massive amounts of data and encryption to be effective. For securing NPUs, a key performance challenge is in the encryption and integrity protection for external memory. NPUs will be able to handle AI applications, from voice recognition in virtual assistants to real-time language translation and facial recognition. Facial recognition is a rapidly growing security feature that you probably use a lot to replace entering passwords when using your cell phone. Newer, higher-end cell phones have NPUs.

The bottom line for security is that the better your computer can verify a face or a voice, the more confident you can be with security. Facial recognition is widely used in 2FA (two-factor authentication), which you, your employees, and your family members should be using for every website that offers it. All of this keeps that 244-day clock from starting by preventing an intrusion.

For business applications, the speed of NPUs is just as important as security. With Windows 11, your business will be able to process more data faster – and more securely – because the software will be able to send smaller packets of data through the internet and have them reassembled at cloud servers. That aids encryption, which helps security. You can’t have it without Windows 11.

Oh, and one more thing. When old, slow Windows 10 goes away, so will all those bug fixes and security patches from Microsoft. You will be easier prey for the bad actors who will use your system to tunnel into other, larger systems and just wait there – for 244 days or whenever – to make a huge cyberattack with a big haul.

If you haven’t made the switch to Windows 11, we urge you to do it now. If you need to buy new computers to run Windows 11, don’t wait until October 2025 or even 244 days from now. Start the hardware refresh process now. We can install and configure Windows 11 to maximize its benefits for you. If you need new computers, we can help you select the ones that best meet your needs and transfer all your data and reinstall your apps. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to talk about it.

The New Outlook for 2024

Windows Mail is going away. Let us all say “hallelujah” and give thanks. And let us all start moving to the New Outlook, which is web-based and adds speed, more functionality and additional security features to the old Classic Outlook.

Beginning in 2024, new Windows 11 devices will be shipped with the new Outlook for Windows as the default mailbox application, free for all to use. The Mail and Calendar applications will remain available via download in the Microsoft Store through the end of 2024. Users can switch to the new Outlook for Windows from a toggle in the Mail and Calendar applications on existing devices. If you still want to use Classic Outlook, simply toggle it back. New Windows is part of Microsoft 365 and takes advantage of OneDrive and SharePoint.

While many of us are reluctant to leave our comfort zones, where the old Outlook or Outlook Email might reside, there are several reasons why you should make the switch.

The new Outlook will have a much longer shelf life than the old version. That’s because it’s part of the transition from desktop- or computer-based to web-based apps. Once you get used to it as an individual user or have your employees trained, everyone can settle into a more productive routine.

You’ll first notice how quickly it loads and updates email messages. We found it faster than the classic Outlook, and it streamlines how you can handle email messages and coordinate email and your calendar. You can pin emails to the top of your inbox so they are easy to find later, snooze emails to temporarily hide them, and then have them reappear when you’re ready to respond and get reminders to follow up on important conversations. You can time the schedule for sending emails so they are delivered at the best time for the recipient or undo a sent email within 10 seconds, and you can use the sweep function to clean up your inbox quickly by setting advanced inbox rules for incoming mail. With My Day view, you can see your upcoming calendar events and tasks anywhere in Outlook. Package delivery and upcoming travel dates are also automatically added to your calendar from your email confirmations, and you can view the weather forecast in your calendar at any time.

Aesthetically, you have hundreds of customization options and several key functional options. You can save attachments to OneDrive while in Outlook and open them without leaving Outlook to open your Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.

For security, the New Outlook has beefed up its spam and malware filters, and those with a Microsoft 365 subscription can also access other security features, such as encryption.

Finally, the New Outlook has much more robust search capabilities, which we’ll explain in more detail next month.

In the meantime, we invite everyone to try the New Outlook. We believe you’ll find it a more productive tool once you learn its basics. We’re available if you have any questions about its new features. Just give us a call – 973-433-6676 – or email us if you have any questions.