The Datamax Thinking Blog

Does the IT staff at your school have the time to devote to forward-thinking technologies? Do you have a collaborative, meaningful partnership with your provider? 

Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “We cannot build the future for our youth—but we can build our youth for the future.”

The 4 “Cs” in education have become a fundamental representation for the National Education Association’s vision for 21st Century Education. Critical thinking, Creativity, Collaboration and Communication are all key components from the NEA to helping students of today – and tomorrow – prepare for college, for work, and for life.

Intertwined within these timeless  4 "Cs” assets today, of course, is the development of and proficiency with technology as students forge ahead in today’s digital era. For example, students must be encouraged to use technology to communicate innovatively and effectively. Additionally, technology plays a key role in effective student collaboration inside the classroom and, in some instances, across the globe.

Social engineering is really no different than any old-school scam from the past, other than modern technology is the setting (for the modern attack). 

Infamous hacker turned computer security consultant Kevin Mitnick, featured in the Werner Herzog documentary “Lo and Behold, Reveries of the Connected World,” very much embodies the dark art of the Social Engineered Attack.

Mitnick is perhaps best known for breaking into the networks of IBM, Nokia and Motorola (in the case of Motorola, he stole their source code simply by talking an employee there into emailing it to him). He also claims to have compromised computers solely by using passwords and codes that he gained by social engineering.

In other words, the one-time cyber criminal’s most dangerous weapon was his gift of gab, manipulating his victims just as a puppeteer would his marionette.

Build strong roots from within your organization: Continue to empower employees to be proactive about cybersecurity risks and encourage them to report questionable content or activity.

An old Malay proverb states that “A tree with strong roots laughs at storms.”

Today’s workforce continues to grow remotely, with Businesswire estimating that remote workers will account for 72 percent of the US Workforce by 2020.  With more bring-your-own-devices out  in the field, endpoints continue to multiply and extend further beyond a traditional office, just like  branches on a tree.

So, consider this bit of recent history ... 29% of IT professionals report their clients have encountered ransomware that specifically targeted Office 365.

I must say, I love history. For humanity's sake, I deeply hope it’s never rewritten.  I’m not entirely sure whether my interest lies in the fun and fascination of discovery, or the fear of repeating failures it documents.  One thing’s for sure, as summed up by Edmund Burke, “Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it.”  

No doubt, a truth proven over and over again.

So here’s a bit of history (2,000 years in the making) every business should consider as it prepares to compete and/or to defend its resources — the focus of this blog.

Every business needs to be secure today. Data backup and disaster recovery are key tools to keep your office safe and in business.

If you’re reading this, you understand that your business or office depends on information technology (IT) to function.

As businesses of every size rely ever more on IT, there are two functions IT performs essential to a business’ ability to function:

1. a robust, secure data network
2. continued access to vital business information and documents

No network and no access to information equals no business.

You have a lot of options on the market when you make a technology purchase. The best solution for your business isn't determined solely by the price, the feature set, or how fast the vendor gets it to your doorstep.

Every year, I learn more about copiers, document management, workflow, and, increasingly, managed IT topics.

I do my best to pass on what I learn to you.

Here are the 11 most popular posts in 2017. They cover a range of topics:

• Why you should update old equipment (while I didn’t get into it, this goes for most office technology – not just your copiers!)
• HIPAA compliance issues
• The value of PDF and automated Bates Stamping for law firms
• And some thoughts on costs

Read on for insights into those topics – and more – to get yourself ready for 2018! 

Security isn’t always top of mind, especially when it comes to your employees. Make sure you and your employees aren’t doing any of these six things.

We’ve all had that “kick yourself” moment after something you had a second thought about tragically comes to fruition. We know it could have been prevented, and it was just plain stupid not to have taken the simple steps needed to prevent the mistake.

We take a lot for granted as humans, especially when it comes to securing our data. In fact, did you know that in your office right now it’s likely that 40% of your employees have their passwords stored on their devices in a Word document? Almost half! Not so secure right? 

Despite all the cyber security threats you hear about in the news, the simple fact is that the people within your business are far more of a threat than any software application that you are using. If you’ve ever had second thoughts about your company’s cybersecurity, take a few minutes to check yourself and make sure that you are NOT doing any of the following:

If your IT partner isn't doing these four things well, it might be time to look for another partner.

How is your IT service provider doing these days? Are you happy with the job they are doing?

In a perfect world, your network is running smoothly, resting safe and sound from malware attacks, and emails and communications are pinging back and forth like a well-orchestrated symphony.

We all have certain expectations when we sign on for a service, and there is nothing worse than the anxiety you feel when they don’t meet the mark — especially when it comes to IT.

Every company is vulnerable to cybercriminals – especially SMBs because their infrastructure is usually less secure. Use data backup as part of your security strategy against ransomware.

Cybercriminals want to hold your information for ransom. And they are coming after your small to medium sized business because your networks are usually less secure than larger businesses.

Don't just take my word for it.

The FBI estimates that the “ransomware industry” was worth $1 billion in 2016. That number is expected to grow in 2017. 

The Technology Advocate provides client-focused advise grounded in the business case and tailored to address the unique needs of each organization.

Are you making good decisions about investments in your technology infrastructure? What business goals are you trying to accomplish? For many companies, the answer to both questions is a resounding "um..."

Organizations of all sizes use technology to conduct business functions ranging from simple communication to complex "big data" data analysis. Sometimes the adoption of technology is well conceived and cost effective, however all too often the acquisition and deployment of new