The Real Times - September 2015

Welcome

Welcome to the September 2015 edition of the Real Times

September is already here. Back to work, back to school.

We have some exciting news to share! Effective September 1, our Kenilworth office has relocated to a new facility at 30 Boright Avenue just down the street from the office we occupied for over 15 years. We look forward to continuing to serve our central New Jersey customers from our new location.

This month we have some great articles on ways to protect your business. Of particular interest is the one on the cyber extortion threat, Ransomware. Recently, cybercriminals have begun employing a new variant of the Cryptolocker/Cryptowall virus that encrypts shared files and demands payment in exchange for a key to unlock the files. Most common files targeted are accounting system files, email and shared databases. Real Time customers should have heard from their sales representative in the last month regarding adding a subscription for the Open DNS service to their anti-malware arsenal. If you haven't heard from us or after reading the article, you have any questions, please contact your Real Time Account Representative.

We hope you find the information worth your time. As always, we invite your comments and suggestions. Enjoy the late summer and remember to set your clocks back on Nov 1st. Look for the Real Times again in early November.

John Azzinaro
And the Real Time Team

	September 2015 In this issue. . .
►	Welcome
►	Ransomware: When Cybercriminals Hold Your Computer Hostage
►	How To Safely and Securely Use USB Memory Sticks
►	Getting the biggest bang for your buck as a small business owner
►	Business Continuity Tip
►	Just for Laughs

Real Time Contacts
201 512 1777

John Iaccarino, CEO -
x1031

John Azzinaro, COO -
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Bill Jacques, Vice President -
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Jim Bohlin, Vice President -
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Mike Van Pelt, CTO
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Mike Cray,
Director of Technical Services -
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Bob Larsen,
Director of Managed Print -
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Just for Laughs

Quote of the Month

I attribute my success to this - I never gave or took any excuses.

- Florence Nightingale

Ransomware: When Cybercriminals Hold Your Computer Hostage
used with permission from Norton by Symantec
by Nadia Kovacs

Ransomware is a form of malware that will lock files on a computer using encryption. Encryption converts files into another format, like a secret code and can only be decoded by a specific decryption key.

Types of Ransomware

Ransomware can present itself in two forms.

Locker ransomware will encrypt the whole hard drive of the computer, essentially locking the user out of the entire system.
Crypto ransomware will only encrypt specific, seemingly important files on the computer, such as word documents, PDFs and image files.

How To Safely and Securely Use USB Memory Sticks
used with permission from Norton by Symantec
by Nadia Kovacs

You may have noticed growing reports in the media about the dangers of using USB memory sticks. It is true, they are susceptible to being exploited like everything else, however, and these exploits aren't terribly easy to carry out by hackers. Mostly because an attacker needs physical access to your computer in order to infect it.

What Can a "Bad" USB Stick Do?

A malicious device can install malware such as backdoor Trojans, information stealers and much more. They can install browser hijackers that will redirect you to the hacker's website of choice, which could host more malware, or inject adware, spyware or greyware onto your computer. While the ramifications of these threats can range from annoying to devastating, you can stay protected from these threats.

Getting the biggest bang for your buck as a small business owner
used with permission from Microsoft for Work

Companies are always looking for places to save money without really cutting corners, but in a lot of cases, it's smarter to make investments up front that will pay dividends for a longer period of time. At other times, the best way to save money is to control expenses by buying only what you actually use. The seven tips below concentrate on different technologies and how they can save you money in the short and long term.

1. Use the cloud

The cloud is fantastic. It allows businesses to inexpensively get the resources and storage they need and adjust that usage on the fly. The cloud allows you to avoid the expense of some hardware and gives you cloud-based solutions to software that you might otherwise need to purchase and maintain yourself. For companies that need to do development or testing, the cloud can also host virtual machines.

Business Continuity Tip
Non-Weather Related Threats

While all disasters pose a serious threat, sometimes it's the ones we least expect that cause the most damage. Specifically, non-weather related disasters including burst pipes, theft, chemical spills, arson, pest infestation and more can have a serious impact on your organization. To help you prepare, check out Agility's Isolated Events Whitepaper to learn:

♦ How to think about and plan for the unexpected
♦ Types of disruptions you might experience
♦ Case studies from companies that have successfully responded to isolated incidents

Anticipating and planning for these types of events can make all the difference. Get started and prepare your organization!

Real Time Consultants, Inc. | www.rtcnt.com | 201-512-1777 | [email protected]
Headquarters 777 Corporate Drive, Suite 1, Mahwah, NJ 07430
30 Boright Avenue, Kenilworth, NJ 07033