Category Archives: Blog

Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

Zoom Bug With Some Macs Leaves Microphone On After Meetings

If you’re a Mac user and you also use Zoom be sure to check to see what version of Zoom you’re running.  Recently a bug in the Mac version of the software was found that could cause your computer’s microphone to remain on even after leaving a meeting.

Mac Zoom users have been complaining about the issue since December of last year (2021).

The company responded quickly and explained that the issue was a bug and trying to quell suspicion that it was intentional.  Given Zoom’s past issues with privacy violations, convincing their user base that it was a bug and unintentional was more difficult than it should have been. However the company got to work and have now fixed the issue as of version 5.9.3 which was released in January.

It should be noted that this was the company’s second attempt to fix the problem.  The first attempt was released in December (the same month that the issue was reported) but the fix found in version 5.9.1 didn’t work for everyone.

With the release of version 5.9.3, the company also issued the following statement:

“Zoom has determined that this bug did not result in audio data being transmitted back to Zoom’s platform. As always, we recommend users make sure their Zoom client is updated to the latest version.”

It’s a shame that the company had to issue such a statement but the simple truth is that they did it to themselves with their previous fast and loose policies relating to the privacy of their users.

Considering the suspicion this bug was greeted with and the fact that the company had to bend over backwards here to convince their users that it was a genuine mistake is proof that Zoom still has some work to do to regain the trust of their user base.

In any event check your version number and update as soon as you’re able if you haven’t done so already.

0
Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

5 Lesser known benefits of choosing the co-managed IT model

5 Lesser known benefits of choosing the co-managed IT model

Even companies with IT staff on their payroll can’t deny having an MSP onboard offers benefits that exceed what they get from having just an in-house team. This blog explore 5 lesser known reasons why the co-managed IT model is popular.

An extra hand during emergencies
In the event of any unforeseen emergency such as a natural disaster or a terror attack, you may need additional IT support to get things up and running again. Your IT team may not be able to do it all instantly and of course adding to your IT staff wouldn’t be an option during such times. In a co-managed IT services model you will have your MSP to support your IT team which will help you recover faster.

Especially useful when you have a small in-house IT team
For a lot of SMBs, an in-house IT team comprises one or two IT technicians who take care of all their IT needs. But what happens when they are both out of office at the same time, due to unforeseen circumstances? You can only cross your fingers and hope no major IT problem comes up. But, in the co-managed IT services option, your virtual IT team is just a call away!

24/7 Support
24/7 IT support is a luxury for most SMBs. Their in-house IT staff usually works the same hours at the business. Most managed service providers, however, offer 24/7 services at affordable costs.

You still retain control over your IT
In a co-managed services model, you are not completely entrusting your IT to an MSP, as your in-house IT team will be collaborating with your managed services provider to meet your IT needs better. Thus, you retain quite a bit of control over your IT.

You get useful IT insights
When you bring an MSP onboard, you benefit from their expertise and on-ground experience. They can advise you on the latest IT trends in your industry and help streamline your processes and IT infrastructure based on what’s effective. This kind of insight cannot be gained with an in-house IT team as they would only be working with you.

Co-managed IT model is not replacing your IT team with an MSP. It is augmenting your existing IT support setup with an MSP and leveraging their expertise to bring thought leadership IT strategies into your organization.

0
Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

Windows 11 Is Now Able To Run Some Android Apps

Recently, Microsoft announced that they were adding support for Android Apps to Windows 11.  The company first began testing that new functionality back in October of last year (2021).

Now, the public preview has been unveiled in the US, allowing users to run some Android apps acquired from the Amazon store right from their Windows 11 desktop.

For the most part, the apps available from the Amazon store are games designed for children but there are a few productivity apps also available.

If you want to venture beyond the Amazon App store, several developers and power users have already created ways of installing apps from the Google Play Store. That is along with various methods to sideload apps in Windows 11 which greatly extends and expands the App functionality.

If you’re already running Windows 11 you can start taking advantage of the new capabilities today although you will need to first launch your Microsoft Store app.

Once you do, go to “Library” and “Get Updates.”

This will download and install the latest version of the Microsoft Store App. Once that’s done, you’ll be able to install the Amazon Store app which is the trigger to also install the Windows Subsystem for Android.

This isn’t the only new Windows 11 feature available today.  If you’re an early adopter you’ll also be able to play around with the newly redesigned Windows Media player and get a first look at the re-vamped Notepad application.

Microsoft had this to say about their most recent update:

“As today’s release shows, we’re committed to delivering experiences into Windows 11 that enrich and inspire people’s lives. Over time, you’ll see us release new features into Windows 11 for end users more frequently in addition to our annual update.

We will leverage the variety of update mechanisms we have in place including servicing and Microsoft Store updates. Our goal is to deliver continuous innovation, providing you with the best experiences year-round.”

These are exciting changes indeed.  Grab the latest and start experimenting today!

0
Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

Update This WordPress Plugin Immediately To Prevent Security Risks

Do you have a WordPress site?  Do you use the PHP Everywhere plugin?

If so, you’re not alone.  More than 30,000 site owners have installed it.  It’s an excellent plugin that dramatically enhances websites using it, because it allows webmasters to place PHP pretty much anywhere on the page to display dynamic web content.

Wordfence is a global team of WordPress security analysts, threat researchers, software engineers, and support staff. Unfortunately, researchers at Wordfence have recently discovered not one, but three critical security issues with the plugin’s design that allow hackers to remotely execute code by abusing the plugin, on sites running version 2.0.3 and below.

To execute the attack all a hacker needs to do is be granted a subscriber or contributor level account on your site which is generally easy for them to do.

The three flaws are being tracked as CVE-2022-24663, CVE-2022-24664, and CVE-2022-24665.

The Wordfence crew discovered the flaws on January 4, 2022. To their credit the plugin’s authors responded quickly and released an update on January 10th 2022, which addresses the issue. Although they disclosed that the fix required a substantial rewrite of much of the plugin’s code.

Although the security flaws have been patched, unfortunately many admins aren’t as good as they could be when it comes to keeping plugins up to date. Based on stats gleaned from WordPress.org only about half of the 30,000 worldwide installs of the plugin are running the latest version.

Note that if you are using the Classic Editor on your site you’ll need to uninstall the plugin and find some other solution for PHP code embeds because the Classic Editor is being phased out and the update to PHP everywhere no longer works with it.

If you use the plugin be sure to verify that you’re using the latest version. Kudos to the plugin authors for their rapid response.

0
Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

Puma Sportswear Recently Impacted By A Data Breach

We have recently learned that Puma Sportswear was impacted by a data breach in the waning days of 2021.

It’s important to note that Puma’s networks were not attacked directly.  The attack was made against Kronos which is one of the company’s North American workforce management service providers.

In a recently filed data breach notification it was disclosed that the still unidentified attackers stole a variety of personal information belonging to Puma employees and their dependents from the Kronos Private Cloud. In addition, they deployed ransomware on the Kronos network.

The investigation into the breach is ongoing but it presently appears that nearly half of Puma’s employees were impacted.  Kronos sent a letter to all impacted individuals.  Unfortunately, the letter was terse and contained little in the way of actionable information.

The letter states:

“On January 7, 2022, Kronos confirmed that some of your personal information was among the stolen data. We notified PUMA of this incident on January 10, 2022.”

All impacted individuals have been offered two free years of Experian IdentityWorks, which includes credit monitoring, identify theft insurance, and identity restoration.

This is the second hacking incident involving Puma in recent months.  Back in August of 2021 the company’s network was breached and source code for an internal application was stolen and put up for sale on the Dark Web.

The company stressed that no customer data was compromised and that the stolen information was connected solely to the company’s employees.

This attack underscores the risks and dangers inherent in our increasingly interconnected world.  A data breach on a trusted vendor’s network can impact your company in ways you never even imagined. That means no matter how much you spend on your own IT security, you may still be vulnerable if one of the vendors you rely on doesn’t take security as seriously as your firm does.

0
1 … 46 47 48 49 50 … 236