Cell Phone Detector Security Devices

If you are a business manager, or otherwise responsible for safeguarding your company's assets, here are five important technologies you should consider as part of your security solution.

Entrance alarms
For any business location, however large or small, security starts at the perimeter. Any possible point of entry should be equipped with an alarm system. In many cases, this works in conjunction with electronic ID cards that are issued to employees, who can use them to operate electronic locks. Electronic locks can also be used to restrict access to sensitive areas within the building, such as computer server rooms or research labs, where only authorized personnel are allowed.

Closed-circuit television
Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras are one of the most efficient and effective ways of monitoring the safety and security of business premises. Many public premises such as retail locations make a point of placing CCTV monitors prominently where would-be shoplifters will see them and, hopefully, be deterred from committing a crime. In offices and manufacturing facilities, cameras can help ensure employees are not indulging in inappropriate behavior of any kind. They can also help with employee safety in locations such as parking lots (monitoring for automobile break-ins, for example).

Motion detectors
Motion detectors can be deployed to detect the presence of unauthorized visitors in a wide variety of locations. Their advantage over security cameras is that they do not rely on the vigilance of an operator staring at a screen to spot an intrusion. Instead, any movement that triggers the detectors will set off an alarm that alerts security personnel. Motion detectors can be used to complement a building perimeter security system. Even if an intruder somehow manages to get into the building, he will set off an alarm as soon as he enters any area protected by a motion detector.

RF detectors
cell phone detector and RF detection devices identify emissions from various kinds of electronic equipment. These can be used to signal the presence of a variety of threats to security, including hidden microphones, cameras, and even GPS trackers. In some cases, it may be appropriate to use a cell phone detector, which is a type of RF detector that is specifically designed to detect cell phone transmissions in areas where these are prohibited.

Fire alarms and smoke detectors
Last, but by no means least, are precautions against fire. A fire is perhaps the most devastating disaster that can hit a business. It can completely destroy business premises, and all of the records, inventory, computer systems, and everything else that a business relies on to function. It is imperative that you install fire alarms and smoke detectors that, at minimum, meet the regulations that govern your commercial premises, and ensure that these are regularly maintained and tested.

By Mavis Black 

Why You Should Be Texting Your Call Center!

We recently had an opportunity to create an emergency notification text messaging system for a financial service application built on ShoreTel iPBX and ECC technology. The requirement was to push out text based alerts to individual or groups of ShoreTel phones based on external events. These were typically stock tick updates and very time sensitive! The requirements document also required the ability to send text messages on manually on demand. The text messages would either be created by the Receptionist entering the text into a webpage for transmittal to the select phones or group of phones; or based on the receipt of a SMS text message. The SMS message would be relayed to the ShoreTel Phone API and then passed off to a group of phones for follow up by brokers as required to satisfy the client requests.

We have long contended that SMS application will find their way into the Call Center as triggers to initiate a scheduled call back as alternative to "please hold for the next available agent". The opportunity to implement such an application was for us very exciting. Smartphones, undeniably ubiquitous, offer the possibility that customer service applications can be developed to enable customers to contact an inside "agent" without having to navigate a call tree! Why increase the number of telephone lines coming into your call center, just to put callers on hold until the next available agent can accept the call? People on hold, are people frustrated. If clients could just send a text message to the call center, targeted at the specific agent group responsible for problem or opportunity resolution, assured by return text message that they will be called at place and time certain, over all costs for all would be reduced and customer satisfaction increased. The concept of "abandoned" calls would be eliminated and real time reports, dramatically redefined!

We invision a Call Center in which there are actually very few incoming lines. The entire call center is based on Agents calling clients back based on agreed to call times defined in an incoming SMS Text message sent from a smart phone or smart phone application. The application, though functionally generic, could be made specific to a company product or service and also include the CRM links necessary for an Agent to service an account when they call the client back at the appointed time. This is a much more stream lined approach to Call Center operations in which telephone lines are optimized, Client service is customized and Agent time maximized.

There are any number of SMS gateways that can be integrated as an internal server or as a subscribed service and combined with the display functions of a ShoreTel phone to enable this scenario. Additionally, Waze can send real time location updates that can also be routed to ShoreTel phone displays. Imagine the application of location based services to SMS text messages out to the display of ShoreTel phones in a call center environment! ShoreTel does an excellent job of documenting the SDK and API interfaces necessary to support this application. In fact the standard API itself is more than useful and is demonstrated in the accompanying video.

By Peter S Buswell

Benefits of Reponsive Design

In today's world where mobile devices are fast gaining popularity and are infect replacing laptops and desktops, a large segment of users prefer to carry out most of the tasks using these. In fact so fast has been the growth rate in this segment that neither social networking platforms like Facebook nor the major e-commerce vendors can overlook this segment now. It is therefore important in these times to have the website mobile ready so as not to miss a major chunk of traffic coming visit the mobile devices. There are many ways in which a website may cater to the mobile devices but responsive design is the one
that has become most popular in recent time owing to the many benefits it accrues. In this article we will outline some of the major advantages of this approach:

1] One consolidated website that gives the same user experience as there is no need to have a separate URL with a different mobile copy of the website.

2] Since there is no need for a separate mobile copy of the website, this approach proves to be cheaper and less time taking where as to build a separate mobile site would mean investing more time and resources. This also proves to be quiet effective in terms of man hours since the administrator dos not need to manage two separate websites.

3] Maintaining the aesthetics. Responsive design allows the website to break the website vertically and fit it in according device screen size thus allowing all the images and styles to b kept intact. It also eliminates the need to cut down on images as well as using smaller sized images.

4] Major search engines like Google not only prefers but in fact recommends that the website be responsive since responsive sites use a single URL to cater to the mobile as well as computer traffic, this makes it easy for the search engines to keep track by crawling and indexing the sites. Such sites are often given preference when users search for local service specially, via mobile devices.

5] Increased conversion rate. As outlines earlier many a users nowadays prefer browsing the net using mobile devices. If such users land on a website that is not responsive, they would have a hard time browsing such a website with both vertical and horizontal scrolls. There is also a high probability that website may be rendered improperly on the device. Such users are most likely to leave the website quickly this increasing the bounce rate. Whereas for a responsive website the changes are much higher that the user will stay on and browse the website. This becomes very important in context of e-commerce websites where this may result in higher conversion rates and sales.

With this we have outlined the major benefits of responsive design as briefly as we could without beating around the bush. We hope that this will help you understand the importance of responsive design and would encourage you to adopt this yourself. So go in for responsive design and stay a step ahead of your competitors.

By A. Chaudhary

Features of a Good Tablet PC

Technology has continued to advance at a pace that is almost unimaginable. There is a new product on the market almost on a daily basis. Since the number of electronic products on the market is increasing at a very fast pace, it is becoming increasingly difficult to choose the right products to buy. This applies to all kinds of electronic products including tablet PCs. If you have prospects of buying a good tablet, you can use the following tips. First of all, find out whether the storage capacity of the item you wish to purchase is large enough. Tablets can be used to execute a good number of tasks including typing, playing music and viewing movies. A good tablet must have enough memory to store a good number of files. Before buying any electronic item, find out whether its storage capacity is exactly what you want.

Apart from memory, good tablets are supposed to have the ability to execute many tasks at a time. This is commonly referred to as multi-tasking. It is a very important to ensure that the product you are buying has the ability to execute as many tasks as possible simultaneously. This feature can enable you to do many tasks within a very short period of time. There is close relationship between this feature and the device memory. Therefore, make sure that the device you are about to buy has enough internal memory. In most cases, external memory has a little bearing on the multi-tasking abilities of most electronic devices. However, some devices can be set to manipulate the external memory when the need arises. For such devices, increasing the size of the external memory is enough to improve the multi-tasking abilities.

It is always advisable to pay particular attention to the operating system of the item you wish to buy. For tablets and many other electronic devices, the operating system has a huge bearing on their performances. Therefore, it is important to buy a tablet whose operating system is very powerful. If your knowledge on operating systems is scanty, find out from your friends or close relatives who have been exposed to a variety of operating systems. Unlike the features indicated above, the operating system affects many other functions. Some of the functions which are affected by the operating system are multi-tasking abilities, software compatibilities and software installations. The performance of any electronic device is closely related to the functions above.

The introduction of the touch sensitive feature has greatly revolutionised technology. A good tablet is one which is very sensitive and responsive to touch. Before buying any tablet PC, you have to find out from your close friends or relatives who have used the device before whether they found the touch screen of the device as sensitive and as responsive as required.

Another feature worth looking out for is the processor speed. This feature will determine the speed at which all your commands will be executed. The most vital user commands are copying, pasting, deleting and implementing new settings. It will also determine the speed at which the device will be switched on and off.

By Sharmistha Chanda

3 Simple Ways to Speed Up a Mac

Nothing beats the performance of a brand new Mac. It's quick to load up, and can tackle multiple tasks with ease. While you may do your best to keep your Mac clean, photos, documents and your iTunes library may actually be slowing things down. Here are 3 simple and proven ways to speed up your Mac.

How to Speed Up a Mac

Fine Tune Your Startup

If your Mac is slow to startup, you may have too many unnecessary apps trying to load up. Cleaning up your startup will fix the problem. Instead of waiting for your browser to load and a host of other apps, you can start using your Mac right away.

To fine tune your startup, head over to System Preferences > Users & Groups and select your username. Click on the "Login" items, and take a look at the list of apps that startup when you boot your Mac. Uncheck any apps that you don't need. This is the simplest way to speed up a Mac and one of the most effective.

Clean Up Your Hard Drive

Macs use any free hard drive space as virtual memory, so lack of hard drive space can really hinder performance. Freeing up some hard drive space can speed up Mac Pro by providing more virtual memory.

Start out by emptying your Trash and removing any unused apps on your Mac. There's a good chance that you have quite a few apps that were mistakenly installed or only used once. Deleting these from your hard drive will provide you with more space and more virtual memory.

Use the Activity Monitor

Your Mac's Activity Monitor can give you a little insight into which apps are "memory hogs." The Activity Monitor lists all of the running apps, CPU usage, RAM usage and virtual memory usage. If an app is using a considerable amount of virtual memory, you may want to get rid of it or minimize your usage of it. Make sure not to download anything from internet without seeing it properly. These can contain virus, trojan with it that can harm your mac and you might not able to recover it from this issue.

These are three simple ways to speed up your Mac, but you may also want to consider using cleaning utility tools as well. By keeping your hard drive clean and free from unnecessary apps, your Mac should run in tiptop shape at all times.

By Mansoors Shaikh 

Has Hacking Become a Matter of Life and Death?

Hackers have figured out how to break into your car's computer. After several months of research and testing, Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek will publish detailed blueprints of the techniques to attack critical systems in the Toyota Prius and Ford Escape. They will make this knowledge known through a 100-page white paper.

According to their report, a hacker can control your steering wheel or suddenly slam on the brakes at 80 miles per hour. Or they can disable your braking system at slow speeds. No matter how hard you step on the brake the car will not stop. In other cases, they can accelerate your car when driving at slow speeds.

In their demonstration, they used a laptop computer while sitting in the automobile. They did not research remote hacking because another group had already done so. However, that group is unwilling to publish their findings. It is rumored they used Bluetooth systems and wireless networks in 2011 to break into a vehicle's computer system.

Sounds like James Bond, doesn't it?

Already we are bombarded with notifications about purchasing antivirus software for our computers. Now we should be on the lookout for the same software to protect our automobiles.

This news sets up a theme for World War III. The new mercenary will be the hacker, who is frequently teased and called a nerd, living at home with his parents and sitting in his bedroom orchestrating an attack. They will be able to immobilize an entire nation by controlling vehicles. At worst, they could take the lives of many by causing accidents on highways and city streets.

While this possibility seems far-fetched or too distant in the future, technology and software vulnerabilities make it a reality. If you have On Star, it may be wise to check with them to see if they are taking measures to ensure their system can protect you. They are already set up to control your vehicle through a wireless system.

On another front, there are hackers who have figured out how to override the door locks on luxury cars like Bentleys, Porsches, Audis and Lamborghinis. The researchers were planning to present their findings at a technology trade show. Except, Volkswagen obtained a restraining order from the British high court to prohibit the researchers from presenting their findings.

For now, we may safely ride and park our automobiles. Moving forward, we will have to take precautions that have never been considered. On the other hand, it would seem those who drive the old classic cars from the days when computers were not used could be immune to this threat.

If you are not driving an old classic, you should be nice to the nerds. If the hacker/nerd becomes the vicious soldier of war, you may be first on his or her list.

By Ted Santos

Spyware - Useful Or An Intrusion Of Privacy

 Earlier, if you wanted to keep an eye on your spouse, you would have to rummage through his or her drawer and cupboard to find secret letters and keepsakes. The later decades introduced security locks and codes to help secure personal information from prying eyes. People have now started storing information on their smartphones and, more recently, tablets, in password-protected files and folders. Similar security measures can be adopted for calls and text messages.

The field of science and technology is a queer one. For every new item or facility it creates, it also offers an antidote. This explains the creation and launch of cell phone spyware.

Spyware - An Introduction

Spyware are software applications that enable users to gather confidential information about a person or organization without their knowledge. Such kinds of tracking software applications are typically used to monitor cell phone activity, but they can be used on tablet and computers as well.

The phone spyware applications are installed on a device, secretly. Once installed on the phone or computer, the spyware exports varied details including call logs, text messages sent and received, mobile internet connections, web pages browsed and the phone's physical location.

Normally the data is exported to a cloud server where the person spying can access the date for viewing.

A few highly advanced applications for telephones also allow users to listen to phone conversations, and use the phone as a microphone - someone spying can listen to a conversation in a room where the telephone is. The owner of the phone, tablet or computer does not have the slightest hint that private information is being transferred to a third-party via the tracking software application.

Types of Spyware

1) Most are in the form of concealed malware that generally tags along with free downloads or gains access to your system when you visit pornographic sites. As soon as they gain entry, they set up automatically and start leaking out private and confidential information.

2) The other type includes software applications that are purchased and installed on the device one intends to track. After the application has been successfully installed, the user only has to log in to the app website to track movements and access your information.

Who can use Cell Phone Spyware?

Spyware has earned a bad name because it is largely used by criminals and stalkers. Gathering information covertly might also not sound like a very good idea to you. However, it isn't bad if it is for the opposite person's good or the good of the people at large.

Computer and cell phone spyware were used to launch successful business marketing campaigns. By monitoring a person's use of the internet including the websites visited and the pages viewed, business owners attempted to tweak their marketing strategies and thereby reach their target audience.

Parents and spouses make up a large percent of commercial spyware users. As far as parents are concerned, the use is for a good reason. Given the amount of time children spend online, parents should keep a check on the websites their children visit, the people they contact and their whereabouts; whether they attend school regularly or spend their time elsewhere. Spouses also have the right to know to if their partner is cheating on them.

Answering the question posed in the title - useful or intrusion of privacy, it's a matter of how you use the phone spyware application! For sure though it is important to note that phone spyware available online is illegal in most countries without the consent of the user (or a warrant).

So whilst parents could potentially put the spyware on their children's telephones to protect them, if a husband puts it on his wife's phone without her knowledge this is an illegal invasion of privacy.

By Meini Listanti

Technology: A Bad Servant or Good Master?

It is indeed well known that technology has been a good servant in that it has made many contributions. Advances in healthcare, education, crime detection, greater business efficiency, improved communications, life enrichment, saved time, and given us the opportunity to have fun such as that involving the personal computer...

However (and it's a very big however), technology has also been described as a bad master for a number of disturbing reasons. So fasten your safety belts folks it's going to get bumpy; here's an overview of those disturbing reasons.

Surveillance and the police state

Following the revelations of Edward Snowden and the extent to which we are under surveillance, it confirms that like a runaway train heading for dystopia we have gone beyond the point of no return: Phone hacking, Global Positioning Satellites (GPS), smart meters of sorts, CCTV cameras (1 for every 11 people in the UK), online chat media monitoring, face recognition technology, plans for cashless societies, cars where there will be no drivers... every brave new world gadget and gismo unwittingly ensnares us.

-Every communication device is spied on. No whisper undetected...

And it doesn't end there. The human micro-chipping agenda continues developing. Then there are plans to have cars fitted with black boxes and V2 transmitters designed to record and track performance data: Monitoring speed, location, direction, gear box and break usage, driver or passenger ID.

Ford motor cars Vice President Jim Farley confessed in so many words that we are already aware of who breaks the law when and how, all this because of the GPS in your car.

Don't fall for the effrontery that these things are only there for your own safety and if you are a law abiding citizen then there's nothing to worry about...

-This glib Orwellian doublespeak belies the fact that the elite hidden powers that be with their enslavement agenda know that they're going to make some pretty darn unpopular decisions and the surveillance and control is there to deal with the anticipated backlash from those 'troublesome people.' You will not have any privacy in the Imperial government Big Brother state.

Drones

Operated by someone sat at a computer, unmanned drones will soon occupy the skies in numbers. Like something out of the Spielberg sci-fi film "Minority Report" they will have the ability to detect body movements day or night, see through walls, recognize faces, take over or spy on emails, text messages and web surfing habits...

The war machine

Armed military drones have been used to seek out and kill the enemy. What you're not told in mainstream media is that reports have come through from medics that the damage done by these drones can mean something like 30% of the deaths or serious injuries were innocent men, women and children.

Electromagnetic Frequencies (EMF's)

Vested commercial interest has tried its hardest to keep the lid on the fact that low frequency electromagnetic radiation such as that produced from cell phones and Wi-Fi can lead to some serious health problems such as depression and cancer. Evidence for this includes "The 2012 Bio-initiative Report" documenting 1000's of pages where ill health has resulted from overuse...

Killing social behaviour

It has been said that technology is killing social behaviour through real human interaction getting substituted for too many communications by emails, text messages and social media websites. Indeed, the latter does not have the qualities of the former so loneliness and for some withdrawn behaviour sets in...

Distraction

Technology has served to distract the masses. Instead of realizing the woes of the world then getting up and doing something that makes a difference many have got lost in endless distraction like those people for example addicted to computer games. Some have formed an inability to focus through too much technology usage.

The hidden powers that be know this and it's been one of their secret weapons.

Dependency

Perhaps the greatest pandemonium for the world could be if some kind of planetary situation happened that would cause the electronics to go down...

To sound off

What's needed is for more people to wake up and realize that technology is used to enslave us. Those aware need to spread the word en masse. As a result more and more awakened individuals will turn away from bad master technology then through their inner being create thoughts, feelings, emotions, meditation, affirmations and prayers... that will produce a different outcome to the one planned by the hidden powers that be.

A real intention to want to make this happen must not be underestimated. To 'spread the word' and do one's 'inner work' are the crucial ingredients needed to create a different reality that will take us into a new paradigm experience based on love, peace and light.

By Paul A Philips

Load Test Software Can Help Eliminate Problems After Website Launch

Every company in the world has a website. Customers using the internet to source products and services have increased astronomically over the years with the majority of customers that purchase in-store, still doing online research before making any purchases.

Customers are also likely to compare prices with other companies while they stand in a store, ensuring they are getting the best deals. What this means is that you need a fast loading website, which enables customers to find what they are looking for in the shortest period of time.

As with any website, there will be some problems along the way, but these can be managed and fixed before launch using load test software.

The first step is to choose the load test software you want to use. There are a number of options available, so its worthwhile doing some homework, seeing how each one compares in terms of what it checks and it's reporting and then makes a purchase. You should complete this step before you start on the website development stages; you want the load test software ready from the first stages of your design.

Whether you're developing the site yourself or you've hired a team, this type of software should be used throughout the process. You should start testing as early as possible, ensuring that the site can manage the load before you launch it to your customers.

Put a plan in place, your developer should have targets they have to meet each week. You should get a complete report as and when each target is met, helping you ensures that the site development is on track. Incorporated into this you should ensure that the developer uses the load test software you have purchased and puts the stages through the necessary testing processes as part of this weekly report.

The advantage to this is that any problems can be identified immediately and fixed; it reduces the risk of the site costing you more money in the long run. The last thing you want is to launch your site and after a couple of weeks, realize there is a problem as more and more customers visit the site. The site should be able to manage large volumes of visitors without being compromised in terms of speed and affect ability.

Focus on the load testing at all times. This should be an important part of the entire development process and can help you ensure that your site is ready when it comes to launch day. Also it will help you determine how many users can be online at any given time, if you are expecting large volumes, this software will help you ensure that your site can manage what is thrown its way.

Load test software should also enable you to run duration tests to see the system's behavior and what is its breaking point, so to speak. This will also help you determine how the system will react after a crash.

Any software you purchase should have a reporting feature, which will help you keep track of the systems progress as you move through the development stages. The advantage to this is that as and when repairs are carried out to fix identified problems, you can revert to the report to see if improvements have been made and what still requires work.

In the long run, this software is designed to help you ensure that the site you launch is ready for a large volume of customers for long durations of time. If there are any hardware, software, coding or memory issues, you can pick it up straight away and fix the problem before moving on to the next stage.

By Simon Pri

Why Saleslogix CRM Is the Way to Go

Everyone needs a way of taking care of their customers. When you want to be sure you have a step above the competition, you have to remember all of the details to your customers. This includes the important things like what they bought and when they bought it as well as some of the more intimate details, like their spouse's name and their birthday.

When you use Saleslogix CRM, you have the ability to have better interactions with your staff. There are applications built to remember the details - and even to work in the mobile environment.

The truth of the matter is more people are outside of the office than ever before. You have salesmen out on the roads more often than they are in their office. As they interact with customers, you need to be sure they have the details in front of them. Saleslogix CRM ensures this happens because they will have access to an extensive database.

You need to have a lot of flexibility. If an application is incapable of providing you with the information you need, it isn't doing its job. You could lose customers by not having the details in front of you. For example, if a customer has to repeat the same information to you each time they see you, how long do you think that is going to last?

There are too many companies using CRM programs to not use one on your own. You need to interact on a higher level with your customers and this is where Saleslogix CRM can help you. A significant amount of information will feed into the database and can meet both your IT and business needs. You will have a powerful platform that works in the cloud.

Anytime someone updates the database, your people in the field will have access to the changes. As a result, when they go to pull information about a customer, they will see all of the most up to date information - and customers will appreciate the knowledge shown by those within your company. They will remember that you were able to go the extra mile.

If you can't go the extra mile, customers are eventually going to look for someone else to do business with. In today's day and age, customers know they can have anything they want. Customer service is at the top of the list in terms of what customers want and you have to be able to deliver.

Saleslogix CRM can provide a number of reports. You can learn about individual customers, determine what other products and services they want, and even determine what your overall demographic is based upon who is in your current database of employees.

You don't have to do everything manually. You don't have to send your sales staff into the field without critical information. The moment you employ Saleslogix CRM is the moment you decide to do things differently. Information is at your fingertips thanks to the cloud and much of the reporting is automated.

Houston-based CRMatic allows you to take control of your customers with a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software system! CRMatic is Houston's premier CRM software provider because we offer a wide variety of CRM software solutions and provide the necessary consulting services to customize any system to match the way your company does business.

By Jeff Weigang

Understanding How Anti-Virus Software Works

A computer virus is a self-replicating program which installs itself on your computer without your consent. It does so by inserting itself into other programs, data files, or the boot sector of your hard drive. Once this happens, the affected areas are said to be 'infected'.

The vast majority of viruses perform some sort of harmful activity on their hosts. A virus may access your confidential information (such as your banking details), corrupt data or steal hard disk space or processing power, log your key-strokes and spam your contacts. If you are extra lucky, however, it might only display humorous, scatological or political messages on your screen.

Anti-virus software is used to detect and remove computer viruses. It consists of two basic types: signature scanners and heuristic detectors. Signature scanning is used to identify known threats, while heuristics are used to find unknown viruses.

Infected files

In the old days... less than a decade ago... most viruses were contained in executable (or program) files, ie files with extensions such as .exe or .com, so anti-virus software only had to check these kinds of files. Nowadays anti-virus software has to check a greater variety of files, including Microsoft Word documents and other non-executable (and seemingly harmless) files.

In MS Word, a macro is a set of instructions you record and associate with a shortcut or name. You can use a macro, for example, to save the text of a legal disclaimer. You can then add the text to any document you are writing (without having to retype the disclaimer) by just pressing the particular shortcut key combination or clicking the macro name.

Despite the time they can save, macros present a risk. Rogue programmers can use them to hide viruses within documents which they send as email attachments to unsuspecting victims. Once they open the attachments, the victim's computer is infected.

Nasty little programs can also be embedded in other non-executable files, so that opening these files can result in infections.

Some email programs, such as MS Outlook Express and Outlook in particular, are vulnerable to viruses embedded in the body of an email. You can infect your computer just by opening or previewing a message.

Identifying viruses

There are several methods which antivirus software can use to identify files containing viruses: signature scanning, heuristic detection, and file emulation.

Signature scanners

Signature-based detection is the most common method of identifying viruses. It involves searching the contents of a computer's boot record, programs, and macros for known patterns of code that match known viruses. Because viruses can embed themselves anywhere in existing files, the files have to be searched in their entirety.

The creators of the anti-virus software maintain the characteristics of known viruses in tables called dictionaries of virus signatures. Because thousands of new viruses are being created every day, the tables of virus signatures have to be updated regularly if the anti-virus software is to be effective when it checks files against these lists.

To avoid detection, rogue programmers can create viruses that encrypt parts of themselves or that modify themselves so that they do not match the virus signatures in the dictionary.

In practice, the signature-based approach has proved very effective against most viruses. However it cannot be used to find unknown viruses, or viruses that have been modified. To counter these threats, heuristics need to be used.

Heuristic detectors

Heuristic-based detection involves trial-and-error guided by past experience. Heuristic detectors will, for example, look for sections of code that are characteristic of viruses, such as being programmed to launch on a particular date.

The use of generic signatures is a type of heuristic approach that can identify variants of known viruses by looking for slight variations of known malicious code in files. This makes it possible to detect known viruses that have been modified.

File emulation

File emulation is another heuristic approach. It involves running a file in a sandbox, an isolated part of a computer in which untrusted programs can be run safely, to see what it does.

The actions the program performs are logged and if any of these are deemed to be malicious, the anti-virus software can carry out appropriate actions to disinfect the computer.

Memory-resident anti-virus software

Memory-resident anti-virus software installs programs in RAM that continue to operate in the background while other applications are running.

A computer's hard disk is where computer programs and files are stored, while RAM (random access memory) is the memory that programs use when they are running. When starting, a program is first loaded into RAM. Once programs have finished running they exit RAM. In addition, RAM is volatile, ie when the power is turned off everything in RAM is wiped out. By contrast, the programs and files on your hard disk remain when your computer is powered off.

Memory-resident anti-virus programs monitor a computer's operations for any action associated with viruses, such as downloading files, running programs directly from an internet site, copying or unzipping files, or attempting to modify program code. It will also be on the look out for programs that try to remain in memory after they've been executed.

When they detect suspicious activity, memory-resident programs halt operations, display a warning message, and wait for the user's OK before allowing operations to resume.

Drawbacks

Despite its undoubted benefits, antivirus software has a few drawbacks. Because it uses computer resources, it may slow your computer down a bit, though this is not usually very significant.

No anti-virus software can provide full protection against all viruses, known and unknown. Once installed, however, it can lull you into a false sense of security. You may also find it difficult to comprehend the prompts and decisions the software throws up on your screen now and then. An incorrect decision may result in an infection.

Most anti-virus software uses heuristic detection. This must be fine-tuned in order to minimise false positives, ie the misidentification of non-malicious files as a viruses.

False positives can cause serious problems. If an antivirus program is configured to immediately delete or quarantine infected files, a false positive on an essential file can render the operating system or some applications unusable. This has happened several times in recent years, even with major anti-virus service providers such as Symantec, Norton AntiVirus, McAfee, AVG and Microsoft.

Anti-virus software can also pose its own threat, because it usually runs at the highly trusted kernel level of the operating system, thus creating a potential avenue of attack. It needs to do this in order to have access to all potential malicious process and files. There have been cases where anti-virus software has itself been infected with a virus.

By Paul D Kennedy

Installed Software Vs. Cloud Software for Pet Boarders, Groomers, and Trainers

As a pet business, should you choose installed software or cloud software for managing your business data? This single decision may significantly affect not only your profitability, but also your customer's experience and your personal enjoyment of your job. Choosing the right software for your business can lead to more clients, more efficient operations, and a laid back environment for you to enjoy your pet business more!

Installed Software

With installed software, your business data is limited to your computer or network.

Most pricing models at first glance appear like a one-time only purchase, which can be at a high upfront cost, but reasonable when taking into consideration long term use. It is important to keep in mind that you will also need to purchase an annual support contract and that as new versions of the software become available, the old versions will stop being supported by the manufacturer meaning you need to purchase the new version. When considering this option; think of it more as chunk payments instead of month-to-month.

You will have control over when to update your software. Most companies send out updates every few months, which you can download manually from their website during after work hours so as not to disrupt operations during the day.

Most technologists would agree that installed software is a dying industry. It is not cheaper, not faster, and not updated as often as cloud based software.

However, if a person does not have a reliable internet connection and does not see the value in having a tablet or smartphone with a data plan, installed software may make sense.

Cloud Software

The first advantage cloud software has is mobility. Everything is online so you will be able to access your business data in real-time from any location. When you need to run errands, take a break, or go on a vacation with the family, you can still monitor your facility's activities.

Another advantage is compatibility. With cloud software, you will be able to view your business on multiple computers, tablets, and smartphones at the same time. You can use it on a PC and a MAC without having to purchase different versions -- as long as you have internet access, you can use your cloud based software. While your employees are managing a pet's profile from one device, the web browser on your device will be updated as well.

Pricing models are usually pay-as-you-go, month to month. This means that the software company must continue to earn your business month after month. This also makes the software less of a risky commitment because if you do not use or like your software then you can cancel at anytime.

Because cloud software companies take data integrity very seriously, sophisticated software will host data in a data center that is fully encrypted.

Cloud software companies will also automatically update the features and backup your data for you. There wouldn't be a need to restart your computer after updating.

Depending on the cloud-software provider you choose, your customers may also be able to book appointments with an online booking widget set up on your website. This gives you a 24/7 booking window, which is convenient for pet owners who only have time to set up appointments after working hours. Instead of automatically accepting each appointment, you also have the option to manually filter through the appointment requests before they are approved.

All in all, your software depends on how you want to run your business. Request a demo or walk-through of the software and explain your day-to-day tasks and services to the software companies you are considering. Like you, they are looking for customers with the right fit and whom are seeking services they can provide.

Compile a list of software features you absolutely need and ones you would be nice to have. This will give you a clearer vision of which software companies are worth the investment.

By Garret Tadlock

What Are the Benefits of Cloud CRM Software Applications?

Regardless whether a company is large, medium-sized or small, customer relationship management (CRM) is key. Building a customer base, and determining methods of retaining those individuals, is easier in today's marketplace, but it can still be difficult if one does not have the right tools. For small business, acquiring affordable software that make the process simpler requires managers who are familiar with current technologies and understand how to utilize them efficiently. What is the best cloud CRM software? And how can it help your business?

The internet has given software developers a platform that allows them to provide new solutions to existing problems. Since the inception of CRM, IT personnel (either virtual or actual) have been required to manage the intricacies of small business CRM. While building and maintaining customer relationships is key, it can also be costly. Fortunately, cloud CRM software has taken some of the expense out of customer maintenance.

No Internal IT Required

It is easier for a large company to absorb the costs of IT professionals. Small businesses need to watch every single dollar, so outsourcing any IT needs saves money. Unfortunately, this also limits a business in other ways. Without IT personnel ready to fix immediate issues and provide upgrades, business moves slower and time lost means potential money lost. With cloud CRM software, a company does not have to have a dedicated IT department for this part of their business. Cloud-based applications allow the business CRM to function within the structure of the internet which means that the service provider takes care of any IT needs. The business owner just needs to sit back and use the resources cloud CRM software provides to grow his or her customer base.

Streamlined Operations

Any idea takes a certain amount of time from inception to implementation, whether it has to do with CRM or not. Unfortunately, businesses do not have time to waste testing an idea and trying to determine the best fit prior to launching small business CRM. The cloud allows businesses to implement CRM quickly and pull the ideas just as rapidly if they are not working.

The Ability to Customize

Small businesses also need to be able to fit the CRM program to their specific needs without much hassle. Cloud CRM software allows the owner to tailor their customer relationship program to the product, the mission of the company, the price point or any other requirement that they may have. Some CRM programs run with reward points, others build an email list by showing customers value via a website, another may use a drip campaign. Whatever the particular type of business CRM deployed, it can easily be adapted.

Showing customers that they can both trust and buy into a company can be difficult. Establishing a relationship is easier when cloud CRM software is utilized. Dedicated IT personnel are not necessary, operations are quickly organized and the campaign can be effortlessly personalized. With these advantages, it makes sense for small business CRM operations.

By Edmund Brunetti

Avoid the Headache: Get Managed IT Solutions

You have enough on your plate when trying to run a small business. Especially if you are just starting out, you are in charge of all of the departments - sales, marketing, accounting, HR, and even IT. While you may not be ready to delegate sales or marketing out to someone else, you can get managed IT solutions to help you tremendously.

What are Managed IT Solutions?

Managed IT solutions are where you have a company handle everything that is related to IT. This can include hosting your website, providing you with a network infrastructure and even programming your phones so that they have an automatic answer feature - known as hosted telephone systems. All of this can save you a significant amount of time and let your business run smoother.

You don't want to be the one responsible for the IT of your business, even if you do know what you're doing. For example, if your website goes down for any reason, you don't want to be in your server room with a phone to your ear talking to someone on the support line. You want to be able to pick up the phone and have someone come out to fix it.

Better yet - with managed IT solutions, someone is likely monitoring your internet at all times. They will tell you when it's down and get it back up and running without you having to do anything. This is ideal because you will experience little to no downtime. Especially if you are an e-commerce business, you can't afford to experience downtime because it means consumers may not be able to place their order - and that affects your sales numbers.

What About the Expense?

The only reason that you probably haven't gotten managed IT solutions already is because you fear the cost. Somewhere along the line, you decided that it wasn't going to be cost effective. You probably don't even know how much it's going to cost and yet you've decided you can't afford it. The only way to know for sure is by calling around to a few companies, learning about the services they can provide you and what the cost is.

The expense is eventually going to pay for itself. If you don't have to sit and answer the phones (or pay someone to), then you have paid for your hosted phone solutions. If you don't experience downtime because of someone managing your internet connection, then you never have to worry about losing out on potential sales - and this will be worth some money towards the cost of managed IT solutions as well.

You can have a thriving business without doing it all on your own. The most productive way to run your business is through delegation. Let an IT company come in and have a look at your business. The areas they can help you may startle you - and help you save both time and money.

Formed in 1997 and located in Houston, Dallas and Austin Texas and in Dubai, ERGOS is an IT solutions provider that stays ahead of the curve, providing innovative IT services. We provide our clients the kind of service that we would want. ERGOS provides managed IT services, IT infrastructure, Cloud IT and business solutions that Power Your Business and empower your work force. Our three technology divisions, Managed IT Services, Cloud IT Solutions and Business Solutions (Web Hosting and Development, Search Engine Optimization, Business Process Analysis) will address all your IT needs.

By Jeff Weigang

Malsubjects and Malware: The Malicious Combination

"Malsubject" (Malicious Subject) is an unauthorized individual or subject whose activities are intended to break into an Information System (IS) with malicious intent to compromise the information's confidentiality, integrity, or availability of organizations and individuals. Malsubjects include hackers, cyber-thieves, spammers, hacktivist, and nation states among many others.

It is easier to identify these individuals in the cyber security space by one common name instead of several, such as bad actors, threat actors, bad guys, cybercriminals, and others. The term malsubject defines these individuals regardless of their intended actions. After all, their intentions are always malicious in nature, no matter who they are or what we label them.

The term "malware", or Malicious Software, is defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) Glossary of Key Information Security Terms as "a program that is inserted into a system, usually covertly, with the intent of compromising the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of the victim's data, applications, or operating system or of otherwise annoying or disrupting the victim." Malware by this definition include viruses, worms, trojan horses, or other code-based malicious entity that successfully infects a computer system.

Because "malsubject" provides an opportunity to identify all types of "cyber bad guys" with a single term, the term "malware" ought to include, in addition to malicious programs, malicious hardware (e.g. ATM and gas pump skimmers) or malicious techniques (e.g. social engineering). Malicious hardware gets inserted into a system (physically and covertly) with the intent of compromising the victim's data. Malicious techniques are also used on individuals with the purpose of tricking them into performing actions or divulging information in order to gain access to information system's data. As a result, I use "malware" in general terms to identify malicious software, hardware, and techniques used to perform cyber-attacks.

In the world of cybercrime and cyber warfare, the fight is always aimed to prevent malsubjects and malware from penetrating information systems of public and private organizations as well as individual systems. It is clear that malsubjects using selected malware can identify, target, and attack all types of IS infrastructure. Once an attack is successful, the results and consequences of these malicious actions become a series of unfortunate events played against individuals and organizations.

The latest Verizon's 2013 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) stated that the 2012 combined dataset of security incidents analyzed for the report represented the largest they have ever covered in any single year, spanning more than 47,000 reported security incidents; 621 confirmed data disclosures; and at least 44 million compromised records. Unfortunately, these security incidents will continue to become regular news as malsubjects intensify their efforts using more and more sophisticated malware. For example, the recent malsubject attack on the Target Corporation produced a breach that exposed personal information on millions of its customers.

An effective cyber defense against attacks from malsubjects requires technologies, people, and processes capable of preventing or mitigating the damage caused by their malicious activities. Effective security controls and security awareness training are the best weapons against their intrusions.

According to NIST, "using the risk management tools and techniques that are available to organizations is essential in developing, implementing, and maintaining the safeguards and countermeasures with the necessary and sufficient strength of mechanism to address the current threats to organizational operations and assets, individuals, other organizations, and the Nation".

Well implemented security controls based on appropriate risk management tools and techniques increase the odds of preventing many of the cyber-attacks currently affecting information systems and infrastructures all over the world.

In today's cyber space malsubjects span from one individual to organized crime groups and nation states capable of conducting sophisticated cyber-attacks from the most remote places in the world. All they need is a communication line to the public internet or private networks and the use of well-crafted malware to reach their targets. We might not be able to prevent them from reaching the system boundaries, but with good implementation of security controls; appropriate risk management tools and techniques; and constant security awareness training for organizational staff and the general public, we can slow down and someday we might be able to stop their advances.

By Felix Uribe

How To Choose A 3D Etching Machine

As far as the potential applications of three-dimensional printing technology go, 3D etching is one of the least accessible areas to the average layman or woman with the appropriate software and a cheap home printer. This particular strand of the technology requires a degree of expertise and precision that continues to restrict it to professionals in the sector.

Even these pros, however, are not always 100% sure of what they are doing. Much like everyone else, they are sometimes fallible. That is why they are careful to make provisions in order to ensure that the 3D etching process they set in motion goes without a hitch. One of the most important contributions they can make towards this goal is to pick the right kind of hardware for the job.

How To Pick The Right Machine

The choice of the best 3D etching machine for any given business is far from linear. Much like the purchasing process for other highly specialised items of machinery, it involves referencing, reading reviews, consulting with other industry specialists, defining the business's needs and, overall, a lot of browsing.

What this means is that printing and engraving professionals should never settle for the first or cheapest machine of this type they see on the market. Doing so may appear to make the process easier at first, but can prove costly should the hardware turn out to not at all be what they need. A little thought can go a long way in this regard, and industry professionals shopping for equipment should keep this in mind.

In order to ascertain which kind of machine is right for them, professionals should therefore start by answering a few questions regarding which materials the equipment in question will be working on, and which of the numerous 3D etching techniques it will be using. Some of these techniques have hardware built especially for them, so professionals who think - or know - they will be using these forms of the technique might be best served by seeking one of these out.

Once the technical specifications are defined, it is also important to consider the volume of output the machine will be dealing with. A small, home-based printer may do well with a desktop-sized machine, but a larger print shop is likely to need a mid-range or even industrial one. Features such as a high-speed scanner and the ability to produce large-scale objects should also be kept an eye out for.

Finally, it is important that potential buyers take the time to read reviews, procure opinions from colleagues, engage in a bit of comparative shopping, and above all check the terms and conditions of the warranties and certificates. Only by ensuring all these steps, in conjunction with the measures detailed above, can they make 100% sure that the machine they are buying is the right one for them, and not simply a waste of money.

By George Berdichevsky

Benefits of a Premium VZ Server

Companies around the world are turning to premium vz servers to help them manage their website, emails and more. These servers are an ideal solution because they reduce the need for managing a number of dedicated servers, offering an easy to use system which can be accessed with ease from every computer in the office.

The premium vz servers enable you to host a number of different domain names and email addresses in one place, this offers a cost effective solution for any company. It also reduces the amount of technical maintenance needed, reducing your software maintenance costs dramatically.

One of the main advantages to choosing this type of server is that you have less downtime, which is exceptionally important if you're hosting your website. You want your customers to have access to your site twenty four hours a day, if your site is down more than it's up, your customers will start looking elsewhere for the products and services that they require.

For companies that are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint, then the premium vz server is the ideal solution. Because it doesn't require a host of dedicated servers, it dramatically reduces energy consumption. This not only lowers your monthly energy bill, but also enables you to control your carbon footprint effectively.

Many business owners are a little concerned about using this type of method to store their information, emails and site, but these are safe and secure, they are also easy to update, often with a software package which is designed to make this process easy and secure at all times.

The aim of every company around the world is to grow, so you can get a premium vz server which can accommodate you as you start your new business venture and grow with you, accommodating your requirements and growth along the way. This is such a huge benefit for many companies, as it won't require you change providers, but rather that your provider has taken steps to ensure your server will grow with you.

Another of the major benefits to this option is speed. You want your customers to enjoy fast access to your website, you want to be able to access the server quickly and you want fast speeds at all times. These products can provide this on every computer you use to access the server. They come in different package options, enabling you to determine the size and bandwidth you need for the fastest speeds available.

One of the biggest problems companies face these days is loss of data. You have your website developed, put it online and then something goes wrong and you lose everything. This isn't only frustrating, but can cost you time, energy and money. The premium vz servers are quick and easy to backup, ensuring that should you lose relevant information or accidentally delete something you weren't meant to, you can restore it within minutes without losing anything.

Finally, a very important note and benefit about premium vz servers is that they come with customer support. If you are stuck at any stage, whether you're making changes or trying to access your server, there is always someone on hand that can help you through the process.

Knowing you have customer support behind you at all times can make a huge difference to which company you use when making your purchase. Always ensure they offer outstanding customer support at all times, this way you will always have peace of mind that you have your own on-call technician who can talk you through the process and ensure your server is running perfectly all the time.

By Ihtisham Mohammed

It's Time to Redesign Your Website

Stephen Hawking once said, "Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change." I think this quote describes the need of website redesigning. Today, redesigning a website has become very crucial to keep your website healthy. One can get high conversion rates through an up-to-date website.

Here are a few reasons to redesign your old website.

The site is outdated
It is very important to keep your website up-to-date. Many websites lose their high traffic because they have not been updated in years. Google also advises people to redesign their websites. In his recent video, Matt has laid emphasis on improving the user experience. He has advised business owners to change the website's layout, template and content. If you are in the fashion industry, you cannot use an image of 90s to attract the young generation. The fashion trends change with lightning speed. Therefore, a fashion website needs to redesign its images.

The site is not responsive
A responsive website design fits well on desktop, tablet as well as smartphone browsers. If your website is not responsive, your business is in real danger. More than 65% people in the USA use a smartphone. In order to reach many people, use responsive web design in your website. In responsive web design, a web developer uses the same code to display single site on all devices. Responsive site is a better option than creating a separate mobile site. A special mobile site uses a separate domain and looks completely different from its original site.

The site has low search engine rankings
Recently, Google released its page layout algorithm, which goes after the sites with too many ads at the top of the page. If you notice any change in the ranking of your website, redesign your website with proper ad optimization strategy. In 2012, Google rolled out a humming-bird update, which penalized site with duplicate content. If your site has lots of flash images or thin content, it is time to update your site. Adopt a robust strategy to make it SEO-friendly. Create a blog on your website to enhance its performance.

The site is slow
Users usually prefer to stay on a fast-loading site. They tend to navigate away from the site, which takes time to load. Approach a web developer to speed up your website. A fast-loading website is beneficial for SEO. It also offers a great user experience.

The site lacks content management system
Your site will scale new heights in Google if you update the content. A person, who does not have knowledge of coding, cannot make changes in the website. However, content management system (CMS) makes it easy to control your own site. You can add any information very easily in the CMS administrative panel. It uses a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) system to manage your content. Therefore, you should re-develop your website with a CMS.

By Gary S. Johnson

Cloud Computing In a Nutshell

We all heard the term 'Cloud Computing' and we've all probably said Cloud this or Cloud that at some point in time, but what is the 'Cloud' and how can it help me?
Don't you just hate it when there is a new trend and everybody is talking about it like they invented it? They'll usually use complicated verbiage to try and confuse you as much as possible into buying or overpaying for something you might not need at all or at least not at the volume they are trying to sell to you. Well, I can promise you that won't happen here.
So what is Cloud Computing? Cloud Computing is a way of using a collection of servers and storage to do what you would normally need to do but without the need to house and maintain the server(s) yourself. With the use of a 'Cloud', you can now run an entire business without ever maintaining a server or storage unit yourself or with the aid of an on-site IT professional. Some might ask, "What's so good about that?" Well, it increases efficiency, improves cash flow and a lot of other benefits I will review shortly.
Before I dive into the benefits, we need to start with knowing what a 'Cloud' is made of? Now this might get a bit boring, so let's just walk through the basics... and quickly.
First you need a platform. Since Cloud computing is basically a virtualization evolution, it needs to run on a virtualization platform. I won't dive into this because then it will just become a Wikipedia page. In short, you take multiple machines that are connected together and virtually make them into 1 machine using an application/software.
Once we chose the platform, we need to run it on some hardware. Dell, HP and IBM are currently the giants within the Enterprise IT industry that most 'Cloud Computing' uses for hardware. Due to the level at which their hardware is used, you can expect the same from their proprietary software. Most IT professionals who maintain these virtual environments will probably be most familiar with those brands since it's the most common.
The last segment is the network configuration. A Single cloud node will act like a management platform that can manage all the different zones in multiple geographic areas, from a single point.
And that is basically all you need to build a cloud. Now that we've analyzed the ingredients (only the basics so far but if you're interested in the individual components that make up the cloud let me know and I'll go over them in more detail J) let's touch on some of the benefits.
So what are some of the benefits of Cloud computing?
1. Security, mainly disaster recovery services - When you start using cloud computing, you can kiss your entire disaster recovery plan goodbye. If you have a cold site it's one thing but if you have a hot site, man you have probably spent a LOT of money! And I mean A LOT. Cloud computing will take care of most of the issues that interrupt a website and will do it faster as well. An industry average of 2.1 hours. Compared to 8 hours?! Wow.
2. Software Updates - Have you ever measured how long it takes you, as a server administrator, to run updates on all your servers? Well, days and even weeks, in accumulate. Cloud computing suppliers do the server maintenance, freeing this time so you can do something more productive for your business.
3. Flexibility - Are you running out of space? You need more bandwidth? Pick up the phone and start dialing. That's all that it will take for you to get more bandwidth or storage. No need to redesign your network with a new server purchase, deployment, and maintenance plan. Not anymore.
4. Server access - As long as you have one, you can access your data from anywhere!
5. Data Security - You lost your laptop? Someone stole your rack server? Your workstation caught fire? Bummer! But what if there was this crazy option that despite all this bad luck, your data won't be lost and is still accessible via any device that has an internet connection? See #4, now there is.
There are many more benefits, but those are the ones that are the most appealing, in my opinion.
I do believe that Cloud computing is here for the better and not so long from now, everything will be online via cloud. But it's not going to happen tomorrow and not this year. This is still a long and patient process. In the meantime there are suppliers currently providing all the equipment to create your own cloud, consultancy on how to run and maintain it, including deployment, support, mission critical on-site and backups.
Thank you for reading this long article. I hope this has helped you understand a little bit more about what is that trend called 'Cloud Computing', hopefully before you started spending.

By Yuri Aberfeld