Matthew Schulz

Why Your Updates Are More Important Than Ever

June 7, 2017 by Matthew Schulz

Stories about hackers and virus attacks seem to be making the new almost every day and many of these news stories include tips on how you can avoid becoming a victim. One common theme among these tips is making sure your Windows operating system is up-to-date.

Everyday hackers are trying to figure out new ways to break into Microsoft Windows and once they do find a weakness, they try and find a way to spread it. This could be through a malicious email attachment or even something that spreads without your involvement.

Updates Explained

Whenever Microsoft discovers a potential flaw, they push out a small piece of code called a patch or an update to all Windows computers running a supported version. If set correctly, your computer will check if there are any updates or patches and install them automatically. In new versions, this usually happens when you’re shutting down or starting up and doesn’t impact your experience at all. Unfortunately, some users will manually disable or delay their updates or patches, creating a risky situation.

The update may include security patches, drivers or a simple tweak to address software bugs or issues with Windows. Sometimes they even include new features or applications to improve the stability of your operating system. They’re a good thing!

Not All Versions Get Updates

Some older operating systems are no longer support, which means unless there are extenuating circumstances, Microsoft won’t issue any new updates. Not a single one – generally, if cybercriminals discover a flaw after support ends, they’re free to exploit it. For example, Windows XP support ended in 2014, Windows Vista ended in April 2017 and Windows 7 ended in January 2020. The moment an operating system is retired it becomes a playground for cybercriminals.

It’s not just Microsoft walking away from these old versions either. Third party software like the Google Chrome browser will still work, but they’ve also stopped supporting old versions with crucial updates and patches. It might seem like everything is working fine because your antivirus isn’t pinging an alarm, but it just becomes a case of risk, upon risk, upon risk.

What To Do With Older Versions Of Windows

As much as you’re comfortable with your older version of Windows, each time you boot up you’re exposing your system, important files and entire network. It only takes one weak entry point in the chain to allow malware into all connected devices. That could mean your photos storage, media center or even smart appliances. It’s not worth it – if you’re running a version of Windows older than Windows 10, you need to update to a more modern operating system ASAP.

Need assistance with upgrading your computer? Need to be sure your computer is staying up-to-date with the latest updates and patches?

Revive Your Computer with an Easy Bottleneck Blitz

October 25, 2016 by Matthew Schulz

It seems to happen overnight. One day you’re logging in normally and jumping right into the action, the next day booting up takes so long you not only have time to make a cup of coffee, you could have run out to the local café for the good stuff.

This is the stage where many people throw their hands in the air and start wishing for a new computer.

Except your computer isn’t broken and doesn’t need replacing, it’s just….slow. Time-wasting, focus-losing, frustratingly slow.

Like any machine, computers have parts that wear out – particularly if they have moving parts that are in near-constant use.

The hard drive is the #1 cause of speed bottlenecks in most computers.

Traditional hard drives are made up of a stack of round magnetic platters, spinning at up to 7200 RPMs, while a read/write head on a mechanical arm whizzes back and forth.

Eventually, the platters take longer to spin up, unable to reach full throttle, and the mechanical arm becomes sluggish.

Which leaves you waiting and waiting…

The new era of hard drives is here with Solid State Drives (SSD) – and they have no moving parts.

Zero.

They’re actually a lot like your USB stick that continually takes a beating but still performs perfectly.

Making a simple upgrade to SSD can knock minutes (an eternity) off boot time, as well streamlines regular computer operations with rapid fire functionality. They’re:

Cool – Don’t generate heat, which means other components also run more efficiently
Durable – No moving parts to wear out
Compact – A little larger and thicker than a credit card
Long-lasting – You’re actually more likely to replace your entire system before the SSD wears out
Lightning fast – Data is accessed instantly
Suitable for all systems– laptops and desktops

Upgrading your tired hard drive to a super-fast SSD can be done within one day.

For only $150, we will supply and install a 250GB SSD for you, as well as clone your existing hard drive to it (Windows, programs and data).

Or if you would like a new SSD with a fresh Windows installation (optimum speed boost), we can absolutely hook you up.

Contact us and book your SSD upgrade today!

Got a Bad Case of Password Exhaustion?

October 16, 2016 by Matthew Schulz

You’re not alone! Most people use the same password everywhere – home, work, Gmail, Facebook… even for banking.

Considering how many passwords we’re expected to remember and use on a daily basis, password exhaustion is a very real thing. It’s no wonder that when yet another prompt for a password appears, users enter easily guessed combinations like ‘abcd’ or ‘password’.

Trouble is, even if your password is making the required effort, hackers are taking a daily stroll around the internet and collecting logins and passwords as they go, from either leaked details or sites with security flaws.

Then, they’ll try their luck with that login/password set elsewhere. They know more than half the internet users in the world have only one password and email combination, so the chance of gaining access to your accounts is actually quite high.

Even the big names in tech are at risk of password breaches:

360 million MySpace emails and passwords leaked.

117 million LinkedIn account details leaked.

Same password used elsewhere? Cue the domino effect!

One site breach follows another and another until hackers have nothing more to gain. The only way to break this chain reaction is to use a different password for each site.

How to Create Easily Remembered Passwords

Have a system or template for creating your own unique passwords, that you’ll be able to remember, but is not obvious to hackers.

For example:

<character> <word> <something about the site> <numbers> <character>

Becomes !K1ttyFB75!

It might seem complicated, but the above is really just based around the words ‘kitty’ and ‘FB’ for Facebook. Change the FB to something else for other sites.

What to Do If Your Password Has Been Hacked

You can check to see if any of your accounts have been compromised by entering your email into a site like

www.haveibeenpwned.com

If it alerts a breach, you need to change your passwords immediately – all of them. Use the example system above to create a new set. If you’re struggling to remember your set of passwords, consider using a secure password tracker such as LastPass (http://www.lastpass.com).

If you need help changing your passwords or setting up a secure password system, contact us today and we’ll be more than happy to help you.