News/Security: CRYPTOWALL: Virus prevention in 2014

November 26, 2014 Corie Bogan Leave a comment Uncategorized
It’s a hard world online in 2014. There was a time when all you needed to be safe online was a good antivirus program. Those days are now gone because new viruses come out too fast for security vendors like Symantec to keep up with. The 100% best way to keep yourself virus-free is to have good habits: 
1. Stay away from the wrong websites. Many links to images, particularly the ones with nudity in them, will infect your PC. Some websites will automatically play code that will infect your machine as soon as you open the page in your browser so be careful.
2. Make sure that the Windows or Mac user account you do your day to day surfing in does NOT have admin rights. This will help limit the spread of a virus if you do happen to stumble across anything malicious.
3. Be wary of e-mails that contain web links or attachments that you weren’t expecting. If it’s from a friend call them and ask if they meant to send it to you. If it’s from a stranger then delete the message.
4. Keep your Operating System, Antivirus Program, and all your web plug-ins updated. If you have an agreement with Univista that includes Limited or Comprehensive Desktop Support then we do most of this for you already.
5. DO NOT CLICK ON OR IN ANY POPUP WINDOW THAT YOU ARE NOT EXPECTING! Clicking in or on the popup may give the virus permission to install on your PC and then you’re in for a potentially expensive recovery. Instead bring up your Task Manager (CTRL-ALT-DELETE keys and then select Task Manager) in Windows or your Task Manager (APPLE-OPTION-ESC) on your Mac and then end your web browser processes until you see the popup disappear.
Unfortunately, even with the best habits you will never be 100% safe because the bad guys are busy every day creating viruses like CRYPTOWARE.
CRYPTOWARE is the latest in ransom ware technology. It encrypts the files on your computer, asking you to pay a ransom to have the files decrypted. To learn more specifics please see: http://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2014-061923-2824-99.
Once infected, your files are held hostage until you pay a ransom. The only way to recover your files is to restore them from backup.
Rest assured that we are doing our best to keep you from getting infected. We are in the process of testing measures to prevent CRYPTOWARE and other viruses like it from infecting you. If you are our customer, we will be rolling it out to you very shortly. 
As always, please do not hesitate to call us at 866-832-6209. We’re here to help you with any questions or concerns you may have.

Google Fiber: What does it really mean?

April 9, 2013 Corie Bogan Leave a comment business management, internet, planning

Google Fiber is coming to Austin. This is a pretty big deal!  If you clear away all the hype of the announcement then what are we really getting with Google Fiber? 


What is it?
-Google Fiber is Google’s entry into the internet supply market. Google Fiber is cheap: $70.00 per month with a $300 install fee for synchronous gigabit access to the internet. That’s almost 1000 times faster then your current internet speeds at home. Google is also offering a FREE 5mb download x 1mb upload package for SEVEN YEARS with a $300 install fee. 

Google Fiber is WAY fast!
– Gigabit internet access is faster then anything you have ever seen. If I currently had Google Fiber I could upload all 1000+ songs in my iTunes collection in less then a minute.

Is Google Fiber just internet access?
– Google fibre does include TV services. In Kansas City, the only other region in America that currently has Google Fiber, It seems like the only major channel you can’t get is HBO. Local channels, Showtime, and ESPN are included. Here’s Kansas City’s current channel guide.  

Can I use Google Fiber at my business?
– Not at this time although Google states that they are working on a business offering.

Can I run a server?
 – According to Google’s terms and conditions: “Our Terms of Service prohibit running a server. However, use of applications such as multi-player gaming, video-conferencing, home security and others which may include server capabilities but are being used for legal and non-commercial purposes are acceptable and encouraged.”

Can I get telephone service over Google Fiber?
 – Yes – using an add on service like Google Voice or Vonage

Is my bandwidth guaranteed?
 – No. Gigabit is the MAX Speed. According to Google’s terms and conditions: 
“The advertised speed of the subscriber’s chosen Google Fiber Internet offering is the maximum speed expected to be achievable for that service offering.”
 – Google Fiber is a shared service. According to Google’s terms and conditions:
“In times of acute congestion, Google Fiber Internet service bandwidth will be fairly allocated among subscribers without regard to the subscribers’ online activities or the protocols or applications that the subscribers are using. While acute congestion is occurring, subscribers will still be able to use the lawful content, services, and applications of their choice, but this fair sharing of bandwidth may result in slower download and upload speeds and slower response times from websites and Internet-based applications and services.”

What will Google Fibre’s rollout look like in Austin and how long will it take?
-There is no better answer to this question then to look at how Google Fiber was installed in Kansas City:
  • On March 30, 2011, Google announced that Kansas City, Kansas will be the first city in America to have Google Fiber
  • From July 26th through September 9th, Kansas Citians in Kansas City, Kan. and Central Kansas City, Mo. pre-registered to indicate they were interested in bringing Google Fiber to their home.
  • Each additional neighborhood that wanted Google Fibre, a “Fiberhood”, needed to reach its pre-registration goal in order to qualify for Fiber.
  • The order of construction within each city was determined by pre-registration rankings on September 9th.
  • Starting September 13th, households were able to choose the service plan that they wanted. Anyone in a qualified fiberhood was able to sign up and choose a Fiber plan, regardless of whether they pre-registered or not.
  • To get service, qualified households had to choose their plan before construction began in their fiberhood.
  • Once Google Fiber was built in a qualified fiberhood households that signed up were contacted and installs were scheduled. 
  • As of April 1, 2013, The following cities in the Kansas City metro area are installed: Kansas City, KS and Kansas City, MO. The following cities in the Kansas City metro area are on the buildout plan: Kansas City North, MO, Kansas City South, MO, Westwood, KS, Westwood Hills, KS, Mission Woods, KS.
We can therefore assume that it will take about six months for the first Austinites to receive Google Fiber at home and if you live in Round Rock, Pflugerville, Westlake Hills, etc. then you may have a long wait.

We’ll keep you updated as we hear or experience the rollout of Google Fiber. If you have any questions in the meantime then give us a call at 512-832-6209.