Security

Energy Efficient Ways to Automate Your SMBs Security

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By Kate Lee, Marketing Specialist at My Alarm Center, a residential and small business alarm monitoring service provider. The company’s flagship service, MyHome, offers mobile home control and monitoring, the newest technology available in the market.

At one time or another, we have all experienced the feeling of vulnerability concerning security systems in our place of business. Nobody wants to be that co-worker who leaves a door or window open for a potential intruder to gain access to the building, costing your business hundreds or even thousands of dollars in stolen property and office equipment, not to mention putting an employee’s health at risk.. Such worry can easily be eliminated by making the switch to automating your businesses security system.

Securing your business is important for many reasons, but how can you do this while also saving money and energy?

Automating your business’s security system can save you money and protect your office when you’re out. . The latest in security technology integrates automation systems that are easily customized to your business’s busy schedule. These security systems save energy by allowing you to control your business’s cameras and other appliances remotely while monitoring them via the internet.

Many of the newer systems on the market today end up paying for themselves several times over as a result of the energy costs savings. Newer security devices allow you to remotely turn off exterior lights, control the thermostat, and adjust camera and surveillance settings.  Being able to automate security systems — and even lighting and temperature control within the office after peak hours — can shave substantial dollars from your monthly electric and heating bills. Installing a remotely-operated security system and surveillance system can also eliminate the cost of having on-premises security personnel –an expense which can add up greatly over time.

The following energy efficient products will allow you to remotely secure your business while also saving energy… and undue stress.

Night Owl LION-4500 Four-Channel Video Surveillance System 

Whether you are away on business or the office is closed, this video surveillance system allows you to remotely monitor the activities of your business.  Placing your cameras in strategic locations grants you the ability to track anything that goes on in and around your business. Video footage is fed through the internet so anywhere with a Web connection can serve as your “eye in the sky.” Whether your business is on the top floor of a high-rise or a warehouse in the suburbs, these cameras allow you to observe every aspect of your business on a daily basis.  This product helps save energy by allowing you to record during specific times of the day rather than leaving surveillance on during all hours of the day.

Mini 2-Inch Spy Camera DVR with Screen

Unlike traditional security cameras which alert would-be-intruders to their presence, affording them an opportunity to circumvent an alarm system, this system is rather James Bond-esque as it captures audio and video footage while going completely undetected. Place this camera inside your office or above side doors and alternate entrances to track any suspicious activity around your office.  This camera has instant play-back and live video features and will allow you to capture any intruder’s noises and actions without alerting them to the fact that they are being watched.

4-Pack Mini Magnetic Contact Alarms

No matter the size or location of your business, this product can offer powerful protection for any office space.  Place these tiny alarms near any window or door and you will be immediately alerted when they are opened. This will make you aware of when people are coming and going and help ensure every window and door is closed before leaving the office.  Not only will this increase your security, but it’s battery-powered system can save you on energy costs.

We know how time consuming running a business can be. With the endless meetings and client trips, the security of your office space should be one less worry. Automating your security system with the aforementioned products can help keep you and your co-workers safe, not to mention save your business energy and money!

Ten SMB Secret Tips for the Apple iPhone

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by Jonathan Zschau

1.      Be prepared to act fast. If you want the new iPhone, be prepared to act fast on the date of release. After the announcement of the iPhone 4 pre-orders sold out within a matter of hours and those who procrastinated got left out in the cold. Pay attention to Apple news sources and pre-order your new iPhone as early as possible.

2.   Avoid the lines: order online and deliver to your home. There are going to be lines around the block for the new iPhone. Don’t let fear of expensive shipping fees or late deliveries stop you from buying online. Apple has a great track record for getting new iPhones delivered to customers on time and delivery is free.

3.   Buy from alternative sellers. If Apple’s pre-ordering system gets bogged down, buy from Verizon or AT&T. Whenever you buy from authorized retailers your new iPhone will come with the same one-year limited warranty and will be fully serviceable at Apple locations. Be aware, however, that return policies and procedures may differ from Apple’s so you should take a moment to read the retailer’s return policy.

4.   Sell your old iPhone. If you’re upgrading from an old iPhone consider selling your old one for cash on eBay, Craigslist, or other channels such as sellyourmac.com. There’s plenty of demand and a used iPhone can fetch as much as a few hundred dollars. You can also trade in your iPhone with companies like Gazelle.com, which offers hundreds of dollars for well-kept models.

5.   Buy with a credit card that offers additional protection. Many credit card companies (such as American Express) offer additional protection plans on purchases made with their cards. As long as you pay off your card balance so you don’t accrue interest or other fees that offset the benefit, it may be a good idea to take advantage of this service.

6.   Hold off on AppleCare. AppleCare is Apple’s own service plan, which it offers for most of its products. The iPhone AppleCare plan currently costs $69 and can be obtained at any time for up to one year after purchase. Apart from the additional telephone technical support available beyond the 90-day complimentary period, there is little benefit to buying AppleCare before the one-year limited warranty is about to expire. Consider saving a date 11 months after you purchase your iPhone and decide then. It’s a waste of $69 if your phone gets lost, stolen, or damaged in a way that would void coverage (for example, by water damage).

7.   Invest in a good case. Whether or not to equip your iPhone with a case is a matter of personal preference and risk assessment. If you do decide to buy a case take some time to read the reviews and choose one that is both aesthetically pleasing and offers sufficient protection for the types of environments you envision taking your iPhone into.

8.   Learn iOS5. The iPhone 5’s operating system, iOS, is just as important—if not more—than the new hardware features in the iPhone 5. All smartphones, not just the iPhone, are capable of far more than most users give them credit for. Take time to read up on the capabilities of the iOS and pay particular attention to the new features.

9.   Do your research and read the reviews. Whatever iPhone(s) Apple releases this fall it’s important to research whether a new iPhone is really right for you. Online Mac sites are a great place to start because writers will be covering Apple’s release and sharing ideas and opinions for weeks before and after the announcement.

10. Look out for defects and be an informed consumer. Always be on the lookout for defects and get them addressed when they first arise. Stay informed by keeping up to date on problems, issues, bugs and breakdowns other Mac users may be having through Mac web sites (such as Cult of Mac.com).

About the Author:

Jonathan Zschau is not your average Mac enthusiast. He is a Boston-based attorney, a consumer rights advocate, a regular columnist for a popular Mac blog site called Cult of Mac. Two years ago, Jonathan got Apple to agree to replace his MacBook with a brand new model—free of charge. In his new book, Buying and Owning a Mac, he shares what he has learned about how consumers can get what they need and want from Apple.

“It’s a little-known secret,” he says, “but you have the ability to make Apple bend over backwards for you. The onus is on you, the consumer, to make it happen. It’s your job to be an informed and proactive consumer—an advocate for your own interests and rights.”

Buying and Owning a Mac: Secrets Apple Doesn’t Want You to Know is available at bookstores online in print, PDF, EPUB, and Kindle formats

Top 10 Threats to SMB Data Security and Privacy

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by Ann Noder of Pitch Public Relations

Without the benefits of a large scale IT department, many SMBs have to operate their critical software on computers that are old, slow, and insecure. myID.com has 10 real threats facing small businesses… and inexpensive or free ways to fix them. myID.com is a new service from SafetyWeb.com that protects personal information and shields from identity theft with real-time alerts. Here are the top 10 threats to business.

Top 10 Threats to Data Security and Privacy for SMBs:

1. Data Breach Resulting From Poor Networking Choices

Cisco. Sun. These are enterprise-level networking choices that are found in large IT departments around the world. The price tags, however, price small or medium business (SMB) out of the market. If these SMBs have networks at all, they may use networking devices targeted at home users. Some may forgo the use of routers at all, plugging directly into the Internet. SMB owners can block most threats by using a quality router, like a NETGEAR or Buffalo brand router and making sure to change the router password from the default.

2. Data Breach Resulting From Improper Shredding Practices

Dumpster diving identity thieves target businesses that throw out paperwork without shredding it. Most home shredders will suffice for small businesses in a pinch, but a commercial shredder is a wise investment if private information is printed and shredded daily.

3. Identity Theft Resulting From Public Databases

Individuals, especially SMB owners, often publish lots of information about themselves in public databases. SMBs are registered with the county clerk, telephone numbers are in the phone book, many individuals have Facebook profiles with their address and date of birth. Many identity thieves can use information searchable publicly to construct a complete identity.

4. Identity Theft Resulting from Using a Personal Name Instead of Filing a DBA

Sole-proprietors that do not take the time to file a Doing Business As application are at a far higher risk of identity theft due to their personal name, rather than their SMB business names, being published publicly.

5. Tax Records Theft Around Tax Time

SMBs must ensure that tax returns are dropped off at the post office and refunds are collected promptly from the mailbox. Identity thieves often steal tax returns from an outbox or mailbox.

6. Bank Fraud Due To Gap in Protection or Monitoring

SMB owners know that it is vital to balance their accounts every month to ensure that checks are not being written out of business funds by embezzlers, but many SMBs rarely, if ever, check what kind of credit accounts have been opened under the business name. Monitoring services like myID.com can alert SMB owners when new credit accounts are opened fraudulently.

7. Poor E-mailing Standards

Many SMBs treat e-mails as confidential communications, but this is far from the case. They are available to a number of people other than the recipient. It’s more appropriate to treat e-mails as postcards, rather than sealed letters.

8. Failing to Choose a Secure Password

In fact, many security experts are recommending the use of a pass phrase, rather than a pass word. Pass phrases are several words long, at least three, and are far more secure than passwords. A pass phrase like “friday blue jeans” can be typed far quicker than a complicated password, and it doesn’t need to be written down on a post-it.

9. Not Securing New Computers or Hard Drives

SMBs that had their IT system professionally installed may opt to upgrade a computer or two by themselves. This is strongly discouraged on a business network, as new computers must be professionally secured or else they pose a serious threat and an entry point for hackers.

10. Social Engineering

Social engineers are individuals that call and claim they are from another organization. They may even claim to be with a firm that a SMB owner does business with. If someone you do not know calls on the phone, be sure that it is the person you think it is before revealing passwords or confidential information.

Find out what is going on in the Tech Army World.

What are the Top 10 Money Making Missions?
What other companies have joined and what do they do?

How do I join the Tech Army Organization ?

Security Cameras in Business

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Here’s another good tip about placing security cameras: Place security cameras in your document center where records are being copied or documents are being shredded. Do you think I am being over cautious? Well two points if I may: The first point is to refer to my story on March 29 2010: Why you should treat the temp well or the $14,465.63 postage stamp.

Here’s another true story I encountered in my business career. I did not see this one first hand, but arrived shortly after the incident and had this story related to me by people in the know. A few years ago, a local clinical lab had some disgruntled employees. It seems that a well liked employee was terminated for stealing some toilet paper (seriously she was stealing T.P.). This greatly enraged some of her friends. It also seems that this clinical lab was not playing completely by the Medicare rule book. One practice was that doctors (and only doctors) could assign a diagnoses code or ICD 9 code. In order to speed the process, this lab had employees that either rewrote or added missing codes. The disgruntled employees were made aware that the government gave out large cash rewards for cases that it could prosecute for violations. One night under the excuse of “working late to process some claims” a team of disgruntled employees who had been collecting records for a number of months used the companies own copying and mailing facilities to reproduce and send out the “doctored records.” This company lost millions of dollars in fines from the government. The team of disgruntled employees became millionaires including the woman terminated for stealing toilet paper! If you would like to learn more about security cameras for your business try this fine firm for your business security camera needs or call 877-422-1907 to learn more about it.

Looking for a GeoVison Security Camera System to help secure your small or medium business? Call www.CameraSecurityNow.com today at 877-422-1907 for a free phone consultation. Ask about the new Hybrid DVR/NVR surveillance solutions.

Protect Your Small Business with Camera Security Now

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Though property crime rates are on the decline, more than 1 in 8 households were victims of property crime in 2008. Small businesses are prone to theft and other property crime like households, because there is the perception that they are more likely to get away with burglarizing a small business than a larger business. There are many ways to protect your business from property crime, like criminal conviction checks, past employment verification, and employee education (more theft protection tips), but security cameras are often the most effective method.

CameraSecurityNow offers surveillance solutions to businesses of all sizes. You can secure your small business with a CCTV or IP system for less than $5000. To learn more, read the full article on camera security.

Looking for a GeoVison Security Camera System to help secure your small or medium business? Call www.CameraSecurityNow.com today at 877-422-1907 for a free phone consultation. Ask about the new Hybrid DVR/NVR surveillance solutions.

Carbonite Launches Carbonite Pro for SMBs

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Carbonite has launched an online data backup service, aimed specifically at small and medium businesses. Carbonite Pro allows your SMB to back up-data automatically but without the per-PC fees other businesses charge. It’s compatible with external hard drives, priority support, and according to the company, “any office manager” can use the administrative tools.

The dashboard at the heart of Carbonite Pro makes system management super easy. There, you can see important information, including the back-up status of every computer in your office, how much data is backed up and which computers are not backed up. It’s also easy to install. An automatic invitation feature allows you to invite which users you want to join and they can click through email instructions to install. You can choose to back-up your files automatically or manually. If you do find yourself in a situation that causes lost or damage files, the Restore Wizard will guide you, step-by-step through the recovery process. And you won’t lose time as you do it because your computer is still usable in the meantime.

Add as many computers as you want or need to your account. You’ll receive access to unlimited phone, email, and chat tech support. Also, the program will not slow down your computer or internet connection.

You don’t have to be a security or encryption expert to use it either. Just like online banking, Carbonite encrypts your files before they are copied to their servers and transmitted over encrypted lines. This means that while being stored at the company’s data centers, no one can view them. Using an online server is much safer than using external hard drives or tapes because there are no gaps that leave your data vulnerable, it can’t be damaged or lost, and you can’t lose data due to human error.

Carbonite is currently offering a free one-month trial at their website, http://www.carbonitepro.com/. Simply sign up for a free account and start inviting your employees. If you like it, enter your payment information and your service will continue, without interruption, with monthly billing. How much you pay will depend simply on how many GB of storage you need, ranging from $10 a month for up to 20 GB to $250 a month for 300-499 GB of data.

Looking for a GeoVison Security Camera System to help secure your small or medium business? Call www.CameraSecurityNow.com today at 877-422-1907 for a free phone consultation. Ask about the new Hybrid DVR/NVR surveillance solutions.