When you’re working hard to grow your business, you can get caught up in things that take your attention away from your technology. Before you know it, your IT system isn’t up to speed because you failed to update an operating system. We don’t want this to happen. This is why we’ve provided a checklist about Windows 7, its approaching End of Life (EOL), and what you should do.

It’s Time To Upgrade From Windows 7

Extended support for Windows 7 will end on January 14, 2020. This means that Microsoft won’t provide security updates for PCs running Windows 7. This could put your IT system at risk for security and reliability issues.

We recommend that you plan your upgrade now. And, if you run a business, we advise that you skip Windows 8 and upgrade to Windows 10 Pro.

Skip Windows 8 and Migrate To Windows 10 Pro

Windows 8 product enhancements (mainstream support) ended back on January 9, 2018. And reliability and security patches will end on January 10, 2023 (the end of extended support). This may seem like a long time from now, but if you’re upgrading anyway, shouldn’t you use the most current Windows program? Windows 10 Pro offers the very latest technology, and it’s built for business use.

Windows 10 Pro Will Benefit Your Business

• Increased Security is incorporated with ongoing protections like Windows Defender Antivirus, BitLocker, a Firewall and more (at no extra cost to you).
• Windows Remote Desktop ensures that you can access your files from any PC or tablet with an internet connection.
• Automatic Cloud Storage will store and protect your Word, PowerPoint and Excel files from system crashes.
• Sign In 3 Times Faster by using Windows Hello with Facial and Fingerprint Recognition.

Take Advantage of New Features In Windows 10 Pro

• Windows Ink with Touch Screen & Digital Pen Capabilities
• Windows 10 Pro pairs with Office Documents and Other Apps
• Microsoft Edge with faster and safer web browsing, automatic form filling, type or write on webpage capabilities, and much more
• Cortana voice-activated digital assistant integrates with your calendar and other Windows apps.

You Have Two Choices For Upgrading

1. Migrate your existing machines to Windows 10 Pro.

2. Replace your old computers with new Windows 10 devices.

Consider This Before You Migrate To Windows 10 Pro

Are your current apps compatible with Windows 10? (Check Microsoft’s App Directory to be sure.)

Do your existing computers meet these system requirements?

• 1GHz processor or faster
• 1GB RAM for 32-bit; 2GB for 64-bit
• Up to 20GB available hard disk space
• 800 x 600 screen resolution or higher
• DirectX 9 graphics processor with WDDM driver

There are 2 Migration Tool Options

1. Windows Easy Transfer

• For a small number of computers or a single customized deployment.
• Transfer files and settings via a network share, USB flash drive, or Easy Transfer cable.
• Can’t use a regular USB cable to transfer files and settings

2. User State Migration Tool (USMT) 10.0

• Best for large-scale automated deployments.
• Uses .xml files to control which user.
• Accounts, files, and settings are migrated.
• Use for side-by-side migrations for hardware replacements, and wipe-and-load migrations.

Test The Quality & Performance of Your New System

Use the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ABK) to test the quality and performance of your system, and to customize Windows images for large-scale deployments.

Need Help Upgrading To Windows 10 Pro?

We’re always here to help and answer your questions

Hackers Now Using HTTPS To Trick Victims Via Phishing Scams

Everything you’ve heard about the safety of https sites is now in question. According to a recent FBI public service announcement, hackers are incorporating website certificates (third-party verification that a site is secure) when sending potential victims phishing emails that imitate trustworthy companies or email contacts.

These phishing schemes are used to acquire sensitive logins or other information by luring people to a malicious website that looks secure.

Can You Still Count On HTTPS?

The “s” in the https along with a lock icon is supposed to give us an indication that a website is secure. And your employees may have heard this in their Security Awareness Training. All training will now need to be updated to include this latest criminal tactic.

What Should You Do?

Be Suspicious of Email Names and Content

The FBI recommends that users not only be wary of the name on an email but be suspicious of https links in emails. They could be fake and lead you to a virus-laden website. Users should always question email content to ensure authenticity.

• Look for misspellings or the wrong domain, such as an address that ends in “com” when it should be “org.” And, unfortunately, you can no longer simply trust that a website with “https” and a lock icon is secure.
• If you receive a suspicious email that contains a link from a known contact, call the sender or reply to the email to ensure that the content is legitimate.
• If you don’t know the sender of the email, the FBI warns that you shouldn’t respond to it.
• Don’t click links in any emails from unknown senders.

If You Run A Business Ask Your IT Service Company About New-School Security Awareness Training For Your Employees

This will give your staff the latest information about cyber threats and exploits. They’ll learn what they need to know to avoid being victimized by phishing and other scams.

Why Use New-School Security Awareness Training?

Your employees are the weakest link when it comes to cybersecurity. You need current and frequent cybersecurity training, along with random Phishing Security Tests that provide a number of remedial options if an employee falls for a simulated phishing attack.

New-School Security Awareness Training provides both pre-and post-training phishing security tests that show who is or isn’t completing prescribed training. And you’ll know the percentage of employees who are phish-prone.

New-School Security Awareness Training…

• Sends Phishing Security Tests to your employees to take on a regular basis.
• Trains your users with the world’s largest library of security awareness training content, including interactive modules, videos, games, posters and newsletters, and automated training campaigns with scheduled reminder emails.
• Phishes your users with best-in-class, fully automated simulated phishing attacks, and thousands of templates with unlimited usage, and community phishing templates.
• Offers Training Access Levels: I, II, and III with an “always-fresh” content library. You’ll get web-based, on-demand, engaging training that addresses the needs of your organization whether you have 50, 500 or 5,000 users.
• Provides automated follow-up emails to get them to complete their training. If they fail, they’re automatically enrolled in follow-up training.
• Uses Advanced Reporting to monitor your users’ training progress, and provide your phish-prone percentage so you can see it reduce as your employees learn what they need to know.  It shows stats and graphs for both training and phishing, ready for your management to review.

Your employees will get new learning experiences that are engaging, fun and effective. It includes “gamification” training, so they can compete against their peers while learning how to keep your organization safe from cyber attacks.

Add New-School Security Awareness Training To Your Current Employee Training

The use of https is just the latest trick that hackers are using to fool victims into falling for malicious emails. Hackers have many more “up their sleeves.” This is why regular, up-to-date New School Security Awareness Training is so important for any organization.

For small businesses, information technology spending is always a balancing act. On the one hand, you need to keep to your budget to maintain financial stability and weather the unexpected. On the other hand, you are well aware of the constant tech advances happening all around you and the last thing you want is to be left behind by the competition. So, how do you determine your IT spending? The answer is, “It depends.”

Spending on IT technology needs to be based on your unique business needs. While it can be helpful to know what the average spending is for businesses, particularly businesses similar to yours in your industry, duplicating what another company does will not necessarily yield optimal results. You have a limited budget. You need to make it count. Doing so requires carefully examining your business, your options, and most importantly, your company objectives. Only when you know where you are and where you want to go can you determine exactly what you need to spend on IT.

What is Everyone Else Spending on IT?

Just because you need to define your own path does not mean you should ignore what everyone else is doing. It can be a helpful starting point to examine how much other small businesses are spending on technology. According to one study, the average spending on IT across all industries was 3.28 percent. The average came from considering a wide range of industries, with the lowest spender being construction at less than 2 percent and the biggest spender being banking and securities at 7 percent.

A study focusing on industry alone does not give a clear idea of what small businesses are spending, though. Other studies that looked at the size of the business found that small and mid-sized businesses actually spent more on IT as a percentage of their revenue than large businesses. Small businesses spend around 6.9% of their revenue on information technology, while midsized businesses spend around 4.1% of their revenue on IT. For large companies, the percentage drops to 3.2%. The smaller percentage spent by larger companies is often the result of scale—they put so much money into IT that they get better rates, perform the work in-house, etc.

How to Decide What You Should Spend on IT

The best way to choose how much to spend on IT is to ask targeted questions designed to paint a clearer picture of what your IT needs actually are. These questions should include:

What are you spending on IT right now?

Every business needs an IT budget, regardless of size. If you don’t have an IT budget, now is the time to make one. To see how much you have been spending on IT, add up your expenditures on information technology over the past year.

What are your business goals?

With so many options available, it is normal to feel a little overwhelmed when you consider information technology. Clarifying your business goals gives you perspective on your IT needs. Your IT expenditures should help you achieve specific business objectives. If the money you are spending on IT is not helping you achieve those objectives in a measurable way, it can likely be better spent elsewhere—either on different IT tools or on other areas of your business.

How is your current IT spending related to your business goals?

Each IT area that you invest money in, can and should be connected to your business objectives. Go through all of your information technology spending and verify that it is doing something for your business. If it is not working for you it is time to make some changes.

What specific IT spending can improve your ability to achieve your objectives?

There are specific areas in IT that offer leverage for your industry. You will need to identify what these are and determine how they fit into your overall strategy. Collaboration, security, data collection, marketing—what tech are you fairly certain will make a substantial impact if you add it to your business?

In what ways can you delegate or outsource the IT budgeting process?

If you are like most owners or managers, you have limited bandwidth that is already mostly consumed by running your business. Assessing your IT needs and embarking on a path to meet those needs will take time, energy and expertise. Consider who you can get to help with this process, whether internally or externally.

Are you interested in learning more about your IT options? If so, please contact our managed IT services team. We can help you clarify your IT needs.