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Microsoft Is Working On Windows 11 Update Release

Later this year, the Windows 10 era will officially come to an end with the release of Windows 11.

The latest version of the OS promises a raft of new features that will offer a “Next Gen” experience.

Here’s a quick overview of what you can expect to see in Windows 11 when it is rolled out:

A totally redesigned Start Menu & taskbar
Unlike all prior versions of Windows, Windows 11 will feature a centered Start Menu and taskbar, making it aesthetically similar to ChromeOS. In addition to that, the Start Menu on the new OS won’t come with the live tiles you’re accustomed to. Instead, it will use static icons for all Microsoft Store apps.

If you decide you don’t want your Start Menu centered, you can revert to more traditional Windows Left Aligned menu quickly and easily, and you’ll also be able to choose from among three different Start Menu sizes.

Explorer improvements
Windows 11 will include the same File Explorer that you’re used to, but it’s getting a much needed facelift and a variety of improvements. Most of these are aesthetic in nature and designed to give File Explorer a sleeker and more modern look, with new icons and rounded corners.

Snap and widgets
Windows 11 sports four different Snap layouts, allowing you to choose between them, or switch from one to another at will. In addition to that, Microsoft is also introducing Widgets, which appears to be the successor to Window’s 10’s “News and Interests” feature. It utilizes your browsing history to create a custom news feed that updates constantly.

In addition to those things, you’ll find virtual desktop support, HDR support for color-managed, apps, a modernized, redesigned device manager, and a whole lot more.

Although there are bound to be kinks and growing pains when Windows 11 is initially released, we’re looking forward to seeing all this in action. Change is coming.

Do You Have A Business IT Strategy?

Thomas Fox is president of Tech Experts, southeast Michigan’s leading small business computer support company.

As a business owner, you already know the importance of strategy and planning.

Without it, you have no aim, no goals, and really, no direction.

While you probably spend a lot of time working on your strategy every month, quarter, or year, how much of that time is spent on your business’s IT strategy?

If the answer is “not very much”, it’s time to change that.

Your business’s IT is one of your most powerful, crucial tools in growing your business, keeping your team productive, and giving your customers a great impression of your company. [Read more…] about Do You Have A Business IT Strategy?

Human Error: The Reason Why Cybercriminals Love Email

Mark Funchion is a network technician at Tech Experts.

Defending your data network against viruses, malware, ransomware, and other threats is a never-ending battle. Some attacks can be very sophisticated, using extremely complex techniques to try and exploit even the most secure networks. However, the vast majority of threats to your network – over 80% – are delivered through a very basic method: email.

Email is a common tool that many of us use constantly at work. Oftentimes, we use it without giving much thought to what we’re doing or what we’re opening.

It’s normal for co-workers, clients, or new prospects to communicate and share files with us via email. The file can be a document, spreadsheet, PDF, etc., but the fact is that it’s common and repetitive to us.

Like anything we do frequently, we can develop muscle memory. Think about the program guide on your TV – you probably navigate the menus without thinking. After an update or a provider switch, those menus can change and you might click the wrong buttons out of habit. No harm there.

But consider making the same mistake when a document is sent to you. The message arrives, and you briefly glance at who it’s from. Maybe you recognize them, maybe you don’t. You see an attachment, and you open it out of habit. The file is infected, and in less than a second, the damage has begun.

Like it or not, the people who are attacking your systems are running a business. Like any business, they are concerned with the return on their investment. Developing high-end, sophisticated attacks takes time and skill, which is expensive to do.

However, minimal skill is required to send an email – and that process can be replicated to hundreds of thousands of users with a simple click of a button. And almost everyone working today might accidentally open an email with little to no thought.

For small businesses, having a firewall, an email filter, and anti-virus software is a must. We can help install and maintain that infrastructure. Unfortunately, the methods that attackers use to slip under your defenses are always changing.

It is important that you and your staff – the end users who do the clicking – still do your part and remain vigilant. Attackers send such a high percentage of attacks through email because of that human element. It works.

It’s essential that you fight your muscle memory and treat email like physical mail. Look at what is being sent, who it is from, and if there is anything attached. If anything seems off, do not open it. Always err on the side of caution.

Also, if you do open something you shouldn’t, it’s better to notify your IT department or provider of a potential issue so they can look at what you were sent.

Often, I have observed someone get a suspicious message, open it, notice something is not right, then forward it to a co-worker for help. By sending the message on, there is a potential to increase the scope of damage done.

Those looking to do harm and steal information will always try the path of least resistance. All the security in the world can’t stop an intruder if you open the door for them.

The same caution you take at home when an unexpected knock is heard should be how you handle all email. Consider the source and content, and if you have doubts, don’t open the message. Delete it.

Malware will never be fully eradicated – cybercriminals will make sure of that – but you can do your part to make sure you do not infect your PC or business.

Think You’re Covered For Ransomware? Best To Double Check

On May 9, European insurance giant AXA announced it will no longer provide support for ransom payments made to hackers.

While AXA appears to be the first insurer to deny ransom payments, the move could signal an impending shift in ransomware insurance coverage.

The AXA announcement comes as ransomware attacks prove an increasingly lucrative business model.

For instance, victims paid an estimated $350 million in ransom payments in 2020, over 300 percent more than in 2019. In recent high-profile cases, Colonial Pipeline paid attackers $4.4 million, and CNA Financial Corporation paid a whopping $40 million.

Meanwhile, cyber criminals continue to attack organizations across critical sectors. While the FBI and other security experts warn against paying ransoms, companies face devastating losses and even interruptions to critical care.

Cybersecurity best practices, combined with following recommended steps when an attack does occur, may provide the best protection.

Ransomware insurance coverage

Cyber insurance has become a hot topic as organizations scramble to protect themselves against losses resulting from cyber-attacks. In addition to ransom negotiations and payments, typical policies also cover legal costs, as well as costs for forensic analysis, data restoration and communications related to the breach.

However, even before the AXA announcement, many cyber insurance companies had begun to ask more from the companies they insure.

For instance, some insurers require policy holders to complete certain basic security steps. Others have begun to charge a coinsurance or limit payment to a percentage of the loss incurred.

To pay or not to pay

This evolution in cyber insurance reflects more than a move by insurers to manage their own risk. The FBI and other government agencies, as well as many cybersecurity experts, warn against paying ransoms. Researchers at cybersecurity provider Kaspersky explain that paying a ransom provides no guarantee that organizations will recover their data intact.

More importantly, paying the ransom encourages attackers to carry out more attacks. And some experts suggest that carrying cyber insurance actually makes organizations more attractive targets. Clearly, companies cannot depend on insurers to continue to shoulder the bulk of the cyber risk.

Best practices to protect against ransomware attacks

While cyber insurance still provides significant benefits, organizations must focus on cybersecurity best practices to defend against ransomware. Some of those best practices include:

Regular backups – Conduct regular data backups, including system images. Keep multiple copies of the backups, including a copy not connected to the network. And make sure to test the backups.

Keep systems and software up to date – Apply security updates to software, firmware and operating systems when they become available. This includes antivirus and other security solutions.

Develop and review an incident response plan – Having a detailed plan in place before a security incident occurs greatly increases the chance of a successful outcome.

Conduct regular cybersecurity training – While organizations can, and should, implement technology solutions, employees remain a key line of defense against cyber-attacks. Make sure users know how to recognize phishing attempts, share files safely and secure home offices.

Address third party risks – Look into the security practices of the vendors with which you do business to ensure they do not put your company at further risk.

Carefully regulate access controls – Give users only the access they need to the services and data necessary to perform their jobs. This proves even more important in a remote work environment.

A Love Letter To Microsoft Teams

We’re massive fans of Microsoft Teams, and believe it has huge advantages for most of the businesses that we support.

We all know that successful businesses have great teamwork. And with everything that’s happened over the last year, Teams has been the number one app to keep everyone working together.

Microsoft brought it out almost four years ago, in 2017. It was their answer to alternative platforms such as Slack that let you collaborate and communicate more effectively.

However, because Teams integrates with the rest of the Microsoft 365 platform, it has a real edge over Slack (the deep integration is AWESOME!).

If you’re using Slack, it also means you can cut down on yet another monthly expense and take advantage of the enterprise level security features Teams has. Here are the three things we most love about it:

Project management

Teams allows you to focus in on just the project you’re currently working on.

Information is partitioned into separate channels, so you can view messages, documents and meetings just related to a specific project.

That removes the hassle of wading through an inbox full of noise and clutter. And it’s surprising how productive that kind of focus can make you.

Easy communication

No need just to rely on email anymore. With Teams, you can post messages in channels, again with the context of the project you’re working on. It’s easy to get the attention of any colleague by giving them a @Mention. You can also arrange one to one or group video calls easily.

The interface makes it easy

Microsoft has done a really good job here. It’s intuitive and easy to use. It’s so easy to find the information you are looking for and to move between different projects. Even if you’ve never used Teams before, the interface is so intuitive you’ll pick it up right away.

If you’re not using Microsoft Teams in your business and you’d like to learn more about how it can help you better communicate internally with your team (and externally with your clients), give us a call at (734) 457-5000, or email us at info@mytechexperts.com.

Did You Know… Alexa Doubles Up As A PA?

Alexa is great for many things. She always reminds us when it’s time to take the dinner out of the oven. She gives an accurate weather forecast. And she definitely has a good grasp of our music tastes.

But did you know she can be even more useful than that? She can help with your work life and make you more productive.
If you give Alexa access to your contacts and calendar, she can make it faster to call colleagues, schedule meetings, and find someone’s contact details and email address.

She can also give you reminders for appointments and meetings, which is perfect when your head is down and you’re losing track of time.
You can also use a great service called Zapier to connect your Alexa to hundreds of other apps – some of which you may use for work already.

What are you waiting for?

Whether you’re working from home or the office, making Alexa work harder for you will make your life easier.

How Much Of Your Business Can Be Automated?

Thomas Fox is president of Tech Experts, southeast Michigan’s leading small business computer support company.

Automation is transforming the way the world works.

Businesses of all sizes are embracing huge advances in technology to help them get things done on autopilot.

Implemented well, automation will help reduce your staff’s workload, increase efficiency, reduce costs, boost the quality of customer service, and help you use new data and insights to optimize performance.

The benefits will be felt by customers as well. As your competitors start to transform their businesses through automation, expectations can quickly change. If you don’t adapt, you risk falling behind and losing customers.

Here are three of the main areas that are ripe for automation in many businesses. [Read more…] about How Much Of Your Business Can Be Automated?

Lately, Ransomware Has Added Blackmail To Its Arsenal

Mark Funchion is a network technician at Tech Experts.

At this point, ransomware is practically a lifeform – it’s constantly growing and adapting.

Originally, if you were hit with ransomware, your data was encrypted and you could pay to (hopefully) get the data restored.

If you had an effective backup solution, you could restore your data without paying and adjust your security to prevent this from happening again.

Now, many of these attackers using ransomware have upped their game. They realize that more businesses are using backups, so the chances of getting paid are lessening. To combat that, the attackers added an additional feature to their attacks: blackmail / extortion.

Not only do they encrypt your data, but they take it as well. Now, the payment is to decrypt the data AND keep it from being posted online for all to see.

If you are a business with sensitive files, this can be a real issue. Having a backup is not enough in this case; even if you don’t pay the ransom and you’re back up and running in a few hours, all your data could be shared. Worse than the hassle of recreating all your files, the lasting effects from customer data, financials, and personal information being leaked could be devastating.

This is why it’s crucial to partner with an IT provider who understands network security.

An effective and tested backup solution is important, but there’s more that you need to have in order to be protected. Your network needs to be secured with a firewall, and all your devices need to be patched regularly to limit your exposure when exploits are discovered.

Are you using 2FA? Do you know what 2FA is? Are your passwords changed regularly and are they complex? Do all users in your office use the same password? Do they share accounts?

We know it seems more efficient to have easy passwords and shared log-ins, but it’s a huge security risk.

Businesses often find it easier to give users full administrative access to their local machine and network shares too. However, in that scenario, one compromised password that has full access to everything means the attackers do not need to look any further and can “walk” right in.

Another item that too many people turn off or find annoying is User Account Control. Yes, it can be frustrating to verify your user identity when you want to make changes.

That is, until a malicious program is launched without your knowledge and the User Account Control prompt stops your network and data from being attacked. What’s worse – a few seconds’ worth of verification or a costly business disaster?

These cyberthreats will always continue to grow and evolve. They have been since we started using the Internet. If you are not in the business of technology, it is very difficult for you to adapt efficiently enough to stay secure.

That is why the right technology partner who does adapt and evolve is very important to the success of your business.

6 Low-Cost Productivity Tips To Increase Competitiveness

Increasing workplace productivity can mean the difference between a business that succeeds and a great idea that fails. When a company produces more products or delivers higher-quality customer service more quickly than the competition, it gains the advantage.

To get the most benefit out of technology, however, organizations need to match the technology solution to the business need. Start by assessing business processes to identify areas for improvement. For instance, do employees find themselves bogged down with paperwork? Or does distance hinder effective collaboration?

The following low-cost productivity tips will help address productivity problems without breaking the budget. Some cost relatively little to implement, while others pay for themselves quickly in productivity gains.

Low-Cost Productivity Tips For Remote Workers

For many employees, remote work has become a way of life. A few essential technology items can significantly boost comfort and productivity for remote workers. Here are some examples:

Desktop comfort: Start with a wireless mouse, a Bluetooth keyboard, and a laptop stand.

Headsets: Wireless headsets enable office corridor roaming on calls and generally doing two things at once. Studies show that using a headset increases productivity by up to 40 percent.

Video conferencing technology: When employees spend hours each day on video conference, the right technology makes a significant difference. Start with an external webcam and a dedicated mic. Headsets can increase sound quality, as well.

Multiple monitors: For many jobs, such as customer support, dual monitors increase productivity by streamlining the process of copying between windows and improving multi-tasking.

Fewer Meetings, More Communication

Nothing interrupts a good work rhythm more than a useless meeting. On the other hand, when teams integrate communication technology into the workflow, productivity rises.

For instance, Microsoft Teams incorporates group chat directly into its popular Office apps. This allows team members to conduct just-in-time communication without leaving the work at hand.

Put It On The Calendar

When employees get in the habit of putting everything on the calendar, they work more efficiently. And when groups share a calendar, colleagues can determine availability at a glance, even for team members in another office.

Facilitate Information Sharing

In a data-driven environment, workers require on-demand access to up-to-date information. Cloud-based document management systems make essential documents accessible anytime, anywhere. And when employees share critical documentation through centralized information repositories, people have the information they need to work effectively and reduce errors.

Automate Repetitive Tasks

The more organizations automate repetitive tasks, the more employees can focus on core business tasks. Take an inventory of bottlenecks in your organization and determine whether automation can help solve the problem.

For instance, automation can help reduce time-consuming paperwork such as invoice processing and expense tracking. Likewise, sales and marketing departments benefit from automated call logging and tools that manage social media publishing.

Use Existing Tools More Effectively

Sometimes the solution lies not in purchasing new technology, but rather in optimizing the technology already at hand.

We can also help you adjust your network management and cybersecurity systems to ensure business continuity. And we can assist you with determining optimal email settings and retention policies to streamline communications. Call us today to discuss more low-cost productivity tips.

Best Tips To Maximize Efficiency When Working From Home

A quarter of people plan to work from home either permanently or more regularly when the pandemic is over.

No surprises there. Many people feel more productive when they work from home. And three-quarters believe there are fewer distractions at home (when the kids are at school, anyway).

Here are five things we recommend you put in place for everyone who’s going to be working from home, long-term:

A dedicated working space

Trying to work in the same space as other members of the family is testing for everyone. Help your team to identify where they will work and set up a proper work environment. This will also help them draw the line on the day’s work when they leave their workspace.

Fastest possible Internet

Slow speeds are the biggest frustration. There are often options to speed up Internet speeds. Maybe you could subsidize them upgrading to a better service?

Dedicated tech

62% of home workers would like their company to provide better technology to help them stay connected to what’s going on in the business.

From a data security point of view, you’ll have a lot more control if you give team members a business device to use only for work.

Collaborative software

Whether it’s Microsoft Teams or other software, it’s so easy these days for anyone working anywhere to stay up to speed on all relevant projects.

Help them feel involved

This can be as simple as sending pizzas to everyone’s houses, so your team can have lunch together on a video call.