Category: Blog

Farewell iTunes: Is It Really Going Away?

Posted on by Elevate Services Group

 

What You Need to Know About Backing Up iTunes and What’s Next for Apple Music and Other Media

 

Many iTunes users were shocked on June 3 when Apple announced that iTunes would be phased out. First things first: the iTunes store won’t be going away. All of the music people have bought from the store will still be there.

 

 

What is Apple actually doing with iTunes?

 

Because people are increasingly streaming, not downloading, Apple is breaking the iTunes store up into separate segments for music, podcasts, and video/television. Each of the media will have its own app on the Catalina Mac OS.

 

What iTunes apps will be affected?

 

The iTunes store will still be available as a music store. The other media, including video/TV and podcasts are being spun off.

 

The new iTunes store will be more closely aligned with Apple’s streaming music service. Apple is looking to rebrand itself as a streaming entertainment service. Other streaming content Apple is either developing or currently offering include Apple Music (streaming), a new TV streaming service, and a magazine subscription service.

 

What will I do to save my iTunes library?

 

First, the change affects desktop computers only. If you’re using iTunes on any other device, it won’t change. Second, the change will only affect you if you’re upgrading to macOS 10.15 Catalina.

 

Apple’s iTunes change is intended to conform the way digital media is stored on desktops with all other devices. If you are upgrading to macOS 10.15 Catalina, after the change, you will locate your iTunes library using Finder.

 

If you look at one of your mobile devices, you can see what will happen – the format on your desktop in macOS 10.15 Catalina will be similar to the format for media libraries on the iPhone or iPad. Mobile IOS devices have apps for Music, Videos, and Podcasts.

 

What if I can’t find the iTunes store?

 

The iTunes store on a desktop or laptop will be located in a sidebar within Apple Music. You can use the sidebar the same way you have always used it. Individual songs and albums will continue to be available for purchase and download.

 

How can I make sure my iTunes library is backed up?

 

You can back up your Mac using Time Machine. Your iTunes library will be backed up automatically as long as the library is included and it’s a full Mac backup.

 

If you want to use Time Machine to store a copy of the library outside Apple storage, connect a storage device to your Mac. When Time Machine prompts, choose the device as the backup disk.

 

If you only want to back up your iTunes music, not your whole computer, make sure that your iTunes music is on the local computer.

 

If there are any songs you’re concerned you may have missed, choose the Account menu at the top of your iTunes screen, then choose “Purchased” and “Music.” Re-download the songs you want to make sure you have saved.

 

Next, you need to organize and consolidate your library. Click “File” on the top of the iTunes screen. Choose “Library,” then “Organize Library.” At that point, pick the first option: “Consolidate files.”

 

This puts your files together and keeps them organized while also leaving originals in place.

 

You can then use the consolidated iTunes Media folder to make a backup onto any external drive or memory device.

 

Apple’s support page on how to back up and restore your iTunes library can also help guide you through the process.

 

ITunes isn’t really going away and neither will your downloaded and purchased music. Apple is just adding streaming capabilities for music, videos, podcasts, and television. Look for the changes this fall when Apple releases Mac OS Catalina. If you won’t be upgrading to the new operating system, you will not notice any changes at all on your Mac, MacBook, iMac or Mac Pro.

You may also looking for: Your guide to choosing between technology service providers

What Is The CMO’s Role In IT For 2020 And Beyond?

Posted on by Elevate Services Group

 

 

The role of the CMO has changed dramatically in recent years, and the push for more integration of marketing and technology shows no signs of stopping. With 2020 just around the corner, it is worthwhile to look more closely at how CMOs are doing their jobs today—and what the future holds for those serving as chief marketing officers.

 

The lines between marketing and IT continue to blur, which means CMOs and CIOs are going to be getting closer and closer as time goes on. By integrating areas of expertise when necessary, CMOs and CIOs can both benefit from the changes that are coming in the future. Each will still need to be the best at what they do, but CMOs can certainly learn from their interactions with CIOs and vice versa.

 

Change is a Part of the Job for CMOs

 

It was not that long ago that CMOs focused exclusively on marketing. They were tasked with developing advertising campaigns, connecting with customers and establishing brands. The evidence of their effectiveness in these areas is all around—just look at the many brands that are household names. But in the past decade, information technology has moved along at a rapid clip and become incorporated in the public landscape in ways that no one would have predicted 30 years ago. Big data, AI, social media—the world has changed significantly, and the role of the CMO has had to change along with it.

 

Today, CMOs are as involved in technology as they are in marketing. They really do not have a choice in the matter. The way that companies interact with their customers is dictated by a variety of ubiquitous technology platforms that seem to be here to stay. And even if the big players today fail to hold their top positions, it is almost certain that others will move in to fill in the gaps. The end result is that technology is just a part of life for most people—and those people are the customers that CMOs need to reach. Doing so will likely always require a deft touch with technology from now on.

 

Developing a CMO/CIO Relationship for the Future

 

Just a few decades ago, the main interactions between CMOs and CIOs centered on very specific needs. Fixing computers, installing software, handling antivirus programs—when the marketing team had tech issues with their hardware or software, they got help from the IT department. It was unlikely that the CMO and CIO would hang out and talk about marketing technology strategy because the marketing technologies that were available were few and far between.

 

Now, though, CMOs need the help of CIOs for a large portion of their work. CMOs need to leverage tech to reach customers and establish branding, and CIOs are still the leaders in the technology sphere for businesses. While CMOs can gain some substantial proficiency with marketing technology or martech, they are unlikely to be as technologically proficient as CIOs. Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, CMOs look to CIOs to help them take full advantage of the technology tools at their disposal.

 

The developing of a close working relationship between CMOs and CIOs is going to be a major pillar of the business world in 2020 and beyond. While each executive will have their own sphere of responsibilities and expectations, those spheres will overlap in significant ways. Both need the business to succeed, and both need each other to make that happen.

 

What CMOs Will Be Doing in 2020 and Beyond

 

CMOs in the coming years are going to be tasked with performing the responsibilities of a marketing leader while also leveraging whatever technologies are available to achieve optimal results. If that sounds like a lot to take on for one person, that’s because it is. This is why CMOs are not going to be going it alone like they may have once done. They are going to require the assistance of skilled professionals who know how to provide the support necessary to achieve company objectives.

 

In practice, the role the CMO will play will be one founded in collaboration. The CMO will have company objectives to achieve and marketing objectives that will dictate the actions of the department. Making progress towards those objectives will require using various technologies to gather data, analyze data, communicate with customers, and predict future trends and more. Choosing which tech to use and how to use it to achieve business objectives is where the insight of CIOs will prove pivotal, which is why CMOs will be cooperating with CIOs regularly.

 

One of the most exciting developments for both CMOs and CIOs will be the development of cross-department expertise on both sides of the relationship. CMOs will know more about how CIOs think and what they need, while CIOs will gain a clearer understanding of how to help CMOs achieve marketing objectives. Eventually, each will be able to offer suggestions and insights that might never have developed without working together regularly. CMOs and CIOs are likely to become greater than the sum of each position, which could bring about even more substantial changes in how businesses operate and interact with consumers.

How to Keep Your Business Safe From the Dark Web

Posted on by Elevate Services Group

 

 

Assassins for hire, drugs by mail order, and fake passports: What do all these things have in common?

 

You can find them all on the dark web.

 

“Okay …” you may be thinking, “Sounds like a blast — but how does this affect me and my business?”

 

Well, most likely, you’re not surfing the dark web for fake travel documents and drugs by mail. But as it turns out, the dark web can affect you and your business. Most notably, your information can end up there — and that’s exactly where you don’t to find it.

 

Below, we’ll learn more about what the dark web is, how it came into existence, and how you can protect your business from the trouble that lurks there.

 

First Thing’s First: What Is the Dark Web?

 

The dark web began much more innocently than one might assume. In fact, at its very beginning in the late 1990s, it was the brainchild of a government entity, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL).

 

The NRL’s main goal was to cloak their online presence, effectively protecting their clandestine communications online while also anonymously monitoring the world market and getting access to hidden data without a trace. The software development stage went by the name The Onion Routing Project and resulted in the creation of Tor (The Onion Router).

 

Whether you’d call these beginnings “innocent” or not, to be sure, the NRL never anticipated their creation to morph into the toxic netherworld it is today. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the software was for government use only, but in 2004, it was open-sourced and went public, effectively creating an anonymous web browser for anyone and everyone to use.

 

What Is Tor?

 

Tor or The Onion Router is the software program used by the dark web. Normally, when you surf the web, you can be traced wherever you go because you always have an IP address trailing your clicks and searches.

 

Tor facilitates an Internet browser that messes with your device’s IP address, effectively enabling you to travel around the Internet anonymously. It does this by bouncing your IP address to a multitude of diverse locations. As a result, if someone were to attempt to track your site visits when you were using Tor, it would be an impossible challenge to pinpoint your exact location. For Tor to work, individuals from around the world “donate” their Internet browsing devices (computers, tablets, etc.) so that the bouncing IP addresses have more places to land.

 

So, the Dark Web Provides Anonymity and Privacy – How Does That Put My Business at Risk?

 

While Tor and the dark web can be used for good (namely, identity protection, which is often beneficial to whistleblowers or journalists, for example), it can also protect criminals. And it does protect criminals — lots of them.

 

Cybercrime is the number one thing going on on the dark web, and unless you have good reason to require the benefits of The Onion Router, the dark web is definitely not a place you want to find your information. This is what we mean by being wary of your business getting mixed up with the dark web.

 

There are numerous threats that the dark web poses to businesses of various sizes, industries, and backgrounds. This is where cybercriminals can learn how to obtain information such as access codes and passwords, credit card information, gift card information, customer data, and more. It’s also where they can sell such information to third parties who can then do with it what they please.

 

In other words, you should want to know the moment your company name, address, or other company-related information is noticed on the dark web because what happens next is bound to be bad.

 

How Can Businesses Protect Themselves From the Dark Web?

 

Essentially, you can protect your business from the dark web by doing two things: Ensuring a strong setup of cyber privacy practices (hiring a cybersecurity-savvy IT company) and monitoring the dark web so that you’re notified the moment your information is found there.

 

The latter can be a part of the services you outsource to your IT company because actual dark web monitoring involves getting dark web access and knowing how to accumulate, parse, normalize, validate, refine, and enrich what you acquire. If you don’t know how to do that yourself, professionals can come to your aid.

 

While the dark web may be a place that helps good journalists and few others stay hidden and anonymous, it’s predominantly a place of crime and misdeeds. Keep your business safe from the dark web by knowing the risks and taking the appropriate precautions.

Happy 4th of July Everyone!

Posted on by Elevate Services Group

Got Your Sparklers Handy?

The Fourth of July falls on a Thursday this year, but we aren’t letting the fact that it’s a weekday stop us from celebrating.

 

Of course, just because it’s a holiday, that doesn’t mean you’ll have to make do without us. You’ll be able to reach us at {phone} if any technical issues arise, and our on-call technicians will be more than happy to resolve those issues for you.

Happy 4th of July

Do You Really Need To Eject That USB Drive?

Posted on by Elevate Services Group

 

 

USB drives offer so much convenience. A little storage device as big as your finger, you can carry it around without even noticing it—and with every passing year, the amount of data they can hold grows and grows. These small storage devices are so easy and convenient to use that they are found everywhere in the business world, from desk drawers to branded swag drives on keychains. And since they are so easy to pop in and out of your USB drive, if you are like many people, you probably do not even bother to eject them before you take them out of your drive. Is there really any problem with not ejecting your USB drive properly? Unfortunately, the answer is a definite “Yes.”

 

From losing data to ruining the drive, failing to properly eject your USB drive can lead to real issues. Read on to discover the way your USB drive works and why it is so important to go through the ejection process on your computer.

Removing a USB Drive Without Ejecting—What You Need to Know

 

How USB Drives and Computers Communicate

 

Using a USB drive is such a seemingly simple task. But when you look more closely at what goes on with your drive and your computer when they interact, you will discover that the way they work together involves a lot more than just plugging in and unplugging.

 

When you plug a USB drive into your computer or laptop, the first thing that happens is the computer delivers power through the USB port to the USB drive. The drive does not have its own power source, so it requires power from the computer to operate. After the computer has supplied power, the computer and the drive must communicate with one another.

 

Proper communication between a computer and a drive requires having the right drivers installed on your computer. Fortunately, today’s drives come equipped with drivers that your computer can download to allow it to communicate with the drive—which is why modern USB drives are considered “plug-and-play.”

 

When the computer and the drive have established communication, the computer does what it needs to do to figure out what is on the drive. There are multiple steps to just this process, including reading the directory structure, Master Boot Record or Partition Boot Record (the process can vary by drive).

 

Every one of the things described above happens before you are able to see your USB drive contents on your computer—all within a matter of seconds. There are numerous other things that go on behind the scenes as you use the USB drive as well. While it may seem like the changes you make to your drive happen instantly, in reality, there are multi-stage processes occurring that may take longer than you realize.

 

Alterations to Your Drive Happen in Batches

 

As your computer is reading your drive, it is changing the information in the metadata on the files, such as changing the time and date that the file was last modified. Then, when you make changes to files, such as adding or deleting a file, the changes you make will first occur in your computer’s cache. Eventually, your computer will make the actual alterations to the information on your drive. Again, these things happen quickly, but it is important to understand that they do not happen instantly, which is one of the reasons why pulling the drive out can cause problems.

 

Other Programs May Be Using Your Drive

 

You see a very small portion of what actually happens with your computer at any given moment. While you may not be interacting with your drive right now, other programs on your computer could be doing so. For example, your antivirus and anti-malware programs could be busy scanning your drive while you are doing other things. Removing the drive while such programs are doing things on your drive can cause the files to be corrupted.

 

What Happens When You Eject the Drive?

 

Your computer and your drive have to go through a process to say goodbye just like they had a process to say hello. By pressing the eject button in your system you are telling the computer to start this process and finalize everything so that the drive can be removed safely. The computer will make sure that all of its interactions with the drive are completed before it says that you can safely remove the drive—like waiting until the antivirus is done scanning the drive.

 

Always Eject the Drive to Avoid Damaging Files or the Drive

 

Failing to properly eject your USB drive can damage files or corrupt the entire drive. That is why you always want to go through the proper ejection process. Failing to do so could cause you to lose your data on the drive or cause you to lose the ability to use the drive at all.

What Is Managed IT Services & Who Provides Services

Posted on by Elevate Services Group

 

 

As managed IT services have grown in popularity, you’ve probably heard the concept touted often as the answer to your business’s IT woes. Still, there can be plenty of mystery on the topic. What is managed IT services, exactly? How do organizations integrate managed IT services into their existing business and workflows? Also, who provides these services? In today’s business blog we’ll answer these questions and more.

 

What Is Managed IT Services Exactly?

 

Managed IT services is a broad term describing any scenario in which a company (that’s you) partners with a vendor, called a managed service provider (or MSP), to handle some or all IT responsibilities for the company.

 

The exact services that MPSs offer range pretty widely. Companies, too, vary widely in terms of their IT infrastructure and needs, as well as exactly which IT responsibilities they choose to outsource to an MSP. Some firms may contract with an MSP to handle absolutely everything about their IT infrastructure. More commonly, companies will outsource only certain portions of their IT workload.

 

It’s a little easier to understand the concept of managed IT services by looking at some examples of how they are currently being used in several types of organizations.

 

How Do Organizations Utilize Managed IT Services?

 

Businesses implement managed IT services in a whole host of ways. Here are a few examples.

 

Some companies look to a managed service provider to handle all or nearly all its IT needs. Growing small businesses, for example, may not have much (or any) in-house IT presence. They need capabilities that they don’t have, and they find it simpler and more affordable to contract with an MSP than to build out their own in-house IT team.

 

On the other end of the spectrum, a medium or large business with an established in-house IT team might look to a managed service provider to alleviate some stress on that team. A larger firm might outsource helpdesk-level support, for example. In doing so, the company would empower its in-house team. Free from the distractions of troubleshooting workstations and managing software installs, the in-house IT specialists can focus their attention on the higher-level tasks they were hired to do.

 

Businesses of any size can also look to an MSP to fill a specialized need. Some areas of IT have unpredictable costs, and others are simply cost-prohibitive for many smaller businesses to build on their own. Some areas can be difficult to hire for, too. Examples of specialized needs that can be met through managed IT services include cyber security, information security and compliance, and cloud services.

 

What Are Reasons to Choose a Managed Service Provider (MSP)?

 

Businesses who have embraced the managed IT services model do so for a wide variety of reasons. Some are unique to specific industries, but many are universal. Here are a few reasons it likely makes sense for your business to choose a managed service provider for your managed IT services needs.

 

Scaling for Growth

 

Scaling your IT infrastructure has real costs when you do it in house. You need additional equipment, additional floor space to house the equipment, and additional personnel to install, run, and monitor the equipment. Managed service providers, on the other hand, already have the equipment. They’re running servers for dozens of businesses, so they have automatic capacity when you need more. They can leverage the economy of scale in a way you can’t.

 

Growth isn’t just measured in headcount, either. Device count continues to increase, too. Employees expect to be able to interact with systems using their work computer, laptop, tablet, and phone—both on site and off. Your in-house team doesn’t have the time to support all these device issues. A managed service provider does.

 

The Talent Gap Is Real

 

If you have an in-house team, are you having trouble keeping it fully staffed with well qualified people? You’re not alone. One reason is that the US has reached full employment, making domestic hiring more difficult than ever before.

 

Another more serious reason is the digital talent gap. In 2017 (that’s before we reached full employment), 54% of companies were having difficulty finding workers with the right digital skills. It’s not gotten better.

 

Fill your business’s talent gap by partnering with an MSP. The right MSP will have the specialties you’re missing and will be able to work in harmony with your in-house team.

IT Managed Services

 

Who Provides Managed IT Services?

 

If your business is looking into working with a managed service provider, you may be asking who provides managed IT services. The good news is you have plenty of options. There are quite a few local providers offering managed IT services in every metropolitan area, and there are a few global players as well. We’ll get to that distinction, but first, a word on services offered and specialization.

 

Services Offered and Specialization

 

The first question businesses should ask is whether an MSP offers the services they need. Not every MSP has exactly the same offerings or experience, so don’t be afraid to ask pointed questions. Don’t just ask whether they offer a given service; ask how many clients they’ve served with it.

 

Some industries, like healthcare or finance, have developed specialized IT needs. Accordingly, some MSPs specialize in specific industries or technologies. In short, look for niche players if you’re in a niche industry.

 

Local vs. Global MSPs

 

Choosing a local firm means getting local, boots-on-the-ground support. The best local firms offer a wide spectrum of services, including extended hours, and have the infrastructure and personnel depth you need. You’ll get individualized attention and you’ll support your local economy.

 

Choosing a global firm like Amazon’s AWS gives you access to more raw power and, often, innovative technology others can’t match. Customer service, on the other hand, can be a bit impersonal, and fixing on-site problems can take time.

 

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a quality local managed services provider, we’re here for you. Contact us today to get started.

What Is The Fake DHS Phishing Email Going Around?

Posted on by Elevate Services Group

 

How Can You and Your Employees Avoid It?

 

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is warning about an email phishing scam that tricks users into clicking on malicious attachments that look like legitimate Department of Homeland Security (DHS) notifications.

 

The email campaign uses a spoofed email address to appear like a National Cyber Awareness System (NCAS) alert and lure targeted recipients into downloading malware through a malicious attachment.

 

 

CISA says that users should take the following actions to avoid becoming a victim of social engineering and phishing attacks:

 

  • Be wary of unsolicited emails, even if the sender appears to be known; attempt to verify web addresses independently (e.g., contact our helpdesk or search the internet for the main website of the organization or topic mentioned in the email).
  • Use caution with email links and attachments without authenticating the sender. CISA will never send NCAS notifications that contain email attachments.
  • Immediately report any suspicious emails to our helpdesk.

 

What Is A Phishing Attack?

 

Phishing attacks use email or malicious websites to solicit personal information by posing as a trustworthy organization. For example, an attacker may send email seemingly from a reputable credit card company or financial institution that requests account information, often suggesting that there is a problem.

 

When users respond with the requested information, attackers can use it to gain access to the accounts. Phishing attacks may also appear to come from other types of organizations, such as charities. Attackers often take advantage of current events and certain times of the year, such as:

 

  • Natural disasters (e.g., hurricanes, earthquakes)
  • Epidemics and health scares (e.g., H1N1)
  • Economic concerns (e.g., IRS scams)
  • Major political elections
  • Holidays

 

Why Can Email Attachments Be Dangerous?

 

Some of the characteristics that make email attachments convenient and popular are also the ones that make them a common tool for attackers:

 

  • Email is easily circulated. Forwarding email is so simple that viruses can quickly infect many machines. Most viruses don’t even require users to forward the email—they scan a users’ computer for email addresses and automatically send the infected message to all of the addresses they find. Attackers take advantage of the reality that most users will automatically trust and open any message that comes from someone they know.
  • Email programs try to address all users’ needs. Almost any type of file can be attached to an email message, so attackers have more freedom with the types of viruses they can send.
  • Email programs offer many “user-friendly” features. Some email programs have the option to automatically download email attachments, which immediately exposes your computer to any viruses within the attachments.

DHS Phishing

 

How Do You and Your Employees Avoid Being a Victim?

 

  • Be suspicious of unsolicited phone calls, visits, or email messages from individuals asking about employees or other internal information. If an unknown individual claims to be from a legitimate organization, try to verify his or her identity directly with the company.
  • Don’t provide personal information or information about your organization, including its structure or networks, unless you are certain of a person’s authority to have the information.
  • Don’t reveal personal or business financial information in an email, and don’t respond to email solicitations for this information. This includes following links sent in an email.
  • Don’t send sensitive information over the internet before checking a website’s security.
  • Pay attention to the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of a website. Malicious websites may look identical to a legitimate site, but the URL may use a variation in spelling or a different domain (e.g., .com vs. .net).
  • If you are unsure whether an email request is legitimate, try to verify it by contacting the company directly. Don’t use the contact information provided on a website connected to the request; instead, check previous statements for contact information.
  • Ask us to install and maintain anti-virus software, firewalls, and email filters to reduce some of this traffic.
  • Take advantage of any anti-phishing features offered by your email client and web browser.

 

Get New School Security Awareness Training

 

You must train your employees to be constantly vigilant to identify attackers’ attempts to deceive them. New-School Security Awareness Training will provide the knowledge they need to defend against these attacks.

 

What Is New-School Security Awareness Training?

 

More than ever, your users are the weak link in your IT security. You need highly effective and frequent cybersecurity training, along with random Phishing Security Tests that provide several remedial options in case an employee falls for a simulated phishing attack.

 

With world-class, user-friendly New-School Security Awareness Training, you’ll have training with self-service enrollment, completion logs, and both pre-and post-training phishing security tests that show you who is or isn’t completing prescribed training. You’ll also know the percentage of your employees who are phish-prone.

 

And with the end-user training interface, your users get a fresh new learner experience that makes learning fun and engaging. It has optional customization features to enable “gamification” of training, so your employees can compete against their peers on leaderboards and earn badges while learning how to keep your organization safe from cyber attacks.

 

With New-School Security Awareness Training You’ll…

 

Have Baseline Testing to assess the phish-prone percentage of your users through a free simulated phishing attack.

 

Train 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.

 

Phish your users with best-in-class, fully automated simulated phishing attacks, and thousands of templates with unlimited usage, and community phishing templates.

 

See the results with enterprise-strength reporting that show stats and graphs for both training and phishing, all ready for your management.

 

New-School Training…

 

  • Sends Phishing Security Tests to your users and you get your phish-prone percentage.
  • Rolls out Training Campaigns for all users with automated follow-up emails to “nudge” incomplete users, as well as point-of-failure training auto-enrollment.
  • Uses Advanced Reporting to monitor your users’ training progress, and to watch your phish-prone percentage drop.
  • Provides a New Exploit Functionality that allows an internal, fully automated human penetration testing.
  • Includes a New USB Drive Test that allows you to test your users’ reactions to unknown USBs they find.

 

Plus, you can access Training Access Levels: I, II, and III giving you access to an “always-fresh” content library based on your subscription level. 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.

 

Keep your business from being victimized by phishing attacks.

 

We can tell you more about New School Security Awareness training for your employees.

Tech Competence and Attorneys: New Changes You Need To Know About

Posted on by Elevate Services Group

 

If you are a lawyer or if you are hiring a lawyer, technology competence, often shortened to tech competence, is a term that you should be aware of. Recently, changes have been recommended in regards to tech competence and attorneys. Here is everything that you need to know about this topic.

 

What is Tech Competence?

 

Lawyers have always had a duty to be competent in the areas of law they practice. However, in 2012, the American Bar Association made a change to the Model Rules of Professional Conduct. The change being made was to make it clear that attorneys need to take steps to be competent in regards to technology. This change stated the lawyers need to stay competent in regards to the benefits and risks associated with technology that is relevant to their firm and line of work. Each state was free to adopt or reject this change, and to date, 36 states have adopted this change.

 

What New Changes Have Been Recommended in Regards to Tech Competence?

 

A committee met and issued a report in February of 2019 that recommended revisions be made to the current Rules of Professional Conduct in regards to technology. The changes that the committee recommended making were designed to make it clear that it is an attorney’s job and legal responsibility to ensure that they are competently representing their client. The changes that are being recommended to ensure that law firms and lawyers understand that this duty reaches into the technology that they use. The committee wanted to make it clear that it is a lawyer’s duty to ensure that client information is confidential, and as such, they are responsible for protecting against unauthorized access. Unauthorized access can occur if a database gets hacked or emails are intercepted.

 

The committee designed with making changes issued its report in February of 2019. The public was given the opportunity to comment and provide feedback through April 19, 2019. Currently, the recommendation is being reviewed by the D.C. Bar Board of Governors. Ultimately, they will decide if the recommendations should be passed on to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, who ultimately sets the rules of practice within the District of Columbia.

 

IT Services Law Firms

 

How Can Your Law Firm Ensure You Are Meeting the New Guidelines?

 

While the changes in regards to tech competence and lawyers have not yet been approved, it is expected that it will be. It is also expected that many of the 36 states who adopted the tech competence changes will follow the District of Columbia’s lead and adopted these rules. As such, you may find yourself wondering what this means for you as a law firm, lawyer or individual or business looking to hire a law firm. If you are a lawyer or law firm, you need to ensure that you are taking steps to protect any personal client information. You need to ensure your website is secure, that you are sending all confidential emails in an encrypted manner, and take steps to ensure your cloud is secure. As a client, you want to ask law firms what steps they have taken to ensure the technology they use is secure.

 

As technology advances, new changes will likely be made to tech competence and the way it impacts attorneys and law firms. Being proactive and ensuring the technology you use is secure is the best way to meet your requirements under the new guidelines.

Spoofing & Hacking: What’s The Difference?

Posted on by Elevate Services Group

 

 

Most people know not to open email attachments from senders that they do not know. Unfortunately, it is not just attachments from strangers that you have to be on the lookout for. It happens quite often that people will get emails that seem to be from known senders that have malicious attachments, or that ask for confidential information. If you get such an email—or if someone gets such an email that appears to be from you but that you did not send—does that mean that your email has been hacked? Not necessarily.

 

Hacking and spoofing are two methods that bad actors use to manipulate individuals and businesses into doing things that are against their best interests. Hacking and spoofing can appear to be the same at first glance but are actually quite different. The risks of hacking, especially for businesses, are much greater than those posed by spoofing. Neither is desirable, but you want to know the differences between the two so that you and your employees can identify potential compromises to your email accounts.

 

Hacking vs Spoofing—What You Need to Know

What does it mean when your email account has been hacked?

 

A hacked email account is something you should be very concerned with. Being hacked means that a bad actor has managed to gain full access to your email account—which could mean that they have access to more than just your email account. There are a variety of ways to hack an email account, including:

 

  • Guessing your email password (seems unlikely, but you would be surprised how simple many email passwords are, such as birthdays, anniversary dates, and other information easily obtained on social media)
  • Answering your security questions correctly
  • You entered it into a website or form (it may have been a phony website, one that offered you a free gift, or a site you visited from a link in an email)
  • You used the same password on a different site and the site used it to access your email
  • You have a spyware program on your computer that recorded you typing in your password and sent it to a hacker
  • Viruses, malware or other undesirable software is on your computer and allowed a hacker to get your email password

 

If your email account has been hacked it means you need to take immediate steps to correct the situation. The risks to your system and your company information vary based on the way that the email password was obtained. A hacker guessing the password is much less problematic than having viruses, spyware or malware on your computer. A guessed password simply needs to be changed, whereas an infected computer needs to be cleaned up before more compromises occur that may be even more damaging to your business.

 

Even if the hacker guessed the password, there is a real risk that he or she could use the email account to access other information or accounts. If you suspect your email account has been hacked you need to take immediate steps to remedy the situation, including:

 

  • Check your recent email activity to see if anything was sent that you were not aware of
  • Change your password
  • Use different passwords for every account
  • Start using a password manager to generate random, complex passwords
  • Update your system to the latest OS and update your security software
  • Run your antivirus and malware detection programs

Spoofing and Hacking

 

What does it mean when your email account has been spoofed?

 

Although spoofing can look a lot like hacking, it is actually something completely different. When your email has been spoofed, it means that someone sent an email that appeared to be from your email account but was not actually from your account. You can think of it as someone sending a letter and putting your return address on the envelope. Doing this is not too complicated with the right software. The bad actor does not need access to your email account to spoof your account.

 

Your account is safe even if you have been spoofed. However, having your account spoofed can be quite concerning, especially in a business setting. A bad actor could spoof your email and send a message to an employee asking for sensitive company information. There are a few things you can do to help prevent spoofing of your email address, including:

 

  • Do not share your email address with anyone who does not need it for business purposes
  • Do not allow employees to share your email address

 

Improving Business Email Security

 

For more information about improving email security for your business, please contact our IT services team.