• Watch out for “phishy” emails. The most common form of phishing is emails pretending to be from a legitimate retailer, bank, organization, or government agency. The sender asks to “confirm” your personal information for some made-up reason: your account is about to be closed, an order for something has been placed in your name, or your information has been lost because of a computer problem. Another tactic phishers use is to say they’re from the fraud departments of well-known companies and ask to verify your information because they suspect you may be a victim of identity theft! In one case, a phisher claimed to be from a state lottery commission and requested people’s banking information to deposit their “winnings” in their accounts.

• Don’t click on links within emails that ask for your personal information. Fraudsters use these links to lure people to phony Web sites that looks just like the real sites of the company, organization, or agency they’re impersonating. If you follow the instructions and enter your personal information on the Web site, you’ll deliver it directly into the hands of identity thieves. To check whether the message is really from the company or agency, call it directly or go to its Web site (use a search engine to find it).

• Beware of “pharming.” In this latest version of online ID theft, a virus or malicious program is secretly planted in your computer and hijacks your Web browser. When you type in the address of a legitimate Web site, you’re taken to a fake copy of the site without realizing it. Any personal information you provide at the phony site, such as your password or account number, can be stolen and fraudulently used.

• Never enter your personal information in a pop-up screen. Sometimes a phisher will direct you to a real company’s, organization’s, or agency’s Web site, but then an unauthorized pop-up screen created by the scammer will appear, with blanks in which to provide your personal information. If you fill it in, your information will go to the phisher. Legitimate companies, agencies and organizations don’t ask for personal information via pop-up screens. Install pop-up blocking software to help prevent this type of phishing attack.    

• Protect your computer with spam filters, anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and a firewall, and keep them up to date. A spam filter can help reduce the number of phishing emails you get. Anti-virus software, which scans incoming messages for troublesome files, and anti-spyware software, which looks for programs that have been installed on your computer and track your online activities without your knowledge, can protect you against pharming and other techniques that phishers use. Firewalls prevent hackers and  unauthorized communications from entering your computer – which is especially important if you have a broadband connection because your computer is open to the Internet whenever it’s turned on. Look for programs that offer automatic updates and take advantage of free patches that manufacturers offer to fix newly discovered problems.

It’s no secret that economic indicators point to a possible US recession in 2008. Financial markets have recently declined, driving key stock indexes to their lowest levels in more than a year. In an economic downturn, some businesses are more vulnerable to recession than others. When times get tough, people tend to tighten their belts and look for ways to fix or cut expenses and increase revenue. There are a variety of ways that businesses can leverage and better manage their IT assets to accomplish both.

As organizations look for ways to maintain productivity while fixing costs, IT Automation is one of the first areas a business should consider. Using a “managed” approach to IT service delivery leads to exploration of innovative and more cost efficient options such as remote systems management, fixed price service agreements, and higher service levels with fewer resources.

Surviving any economic decline also requires maintaining the core lifeline of the business by ensuring pro-active IT management, security, IT governance, regulatory compliance, data protection, timely customer migration and the implementation of best practices.

The Managed Service model is the ideal solution for business of all sizes to meet their budget conscious objectives, allowing businesses to focus on their business; increasing revenue, decrease staffing requirements and maintain existing equipment. An unforseen benefit is that company employess experience higher levels of support and less frustration when support is provided by experienced professionals.

Call Hawk iSolutions Group to discuss how Hawk iLAN can provide “more for less” in these troubled economic times.

E-mail driving you crazy? Every time you delete one, do five more show up? Are you finding it impossible to answer every e-mail you receive? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you’re not alone!

Some people are even declaring e-mail bankruptcy — they dump every e-mail in their inbox and start over. If that’s not an option for you, then here are 10 tips to reduce e-mail overload.

 1. Get a good spam filter. Even if it saves you just 10 minutes a day, that adds up to over 59 hours a year.   Hawk iSPAM is our spam protection service.  Our own use of Hawk iSPAM shows that 18.8% of our messages were legitimate e-mails during the year 2007.  That means that 81.2% of incoming e-mail was spam.  Because of Hawk iSPAM, our productivity is not impacted by this useless ‘junk.’  Some of our other clients who use Hawk iSPAM are finding that as much as 98% of there e-mail traffic is spam.  Can your spam filter provide details like this?

2. Cancel subscriptions to unwanted mailing lists, and opt-out of LEGITIMATE e-zines. But be careful! Trying to opt-out of spam e-mails will only alert the sender that they have a LIVE address. Also, make sure you are careful to check the “unsubscribe” or “opt-out” box when purchasing items online.

3. Ask your friends to remove you from joke groups or chain messages. Simply explain your situation and, if they are good friends, they’ll take you out of their message group.  You can set up a Yahoo e-mail account to keep your personal e-mails separate from work related e-mails.

4. Don’t post or publish your e-mail on web sites. Spammers will steal it and put it on their lists.

5. Don’t respond to every e-mail you receive. Yes, it’s okay NOT to respond to some e-mails. If it’s a group e-mail, don’t respond with “okay” or “:)” — it’s not necessary unless the sender is specifically asking you a question or requesting a response.

6. Be succinct. Restrict your messages to a few sentences. If you can’t, pick up the phone or talk in person. This will avoid the back-and-forth of e-mail conversation.

7. Take advantage of subject lines. If possible, put your question in the subject line, or your message. If that’s not possible, make your subject line very descriptive so the recipient knows what your message is about. Here’s another tip; create a set of codes with your coworkers and place them in the subject line to help them process and prioritize messages. For example, use “FYI” for informational messages. Use “AR” for action required and “URG” for urgent.

8.   Block time to answer your e-mail and fight the temptation to check your e-mail every few minutes. You will save yourself a lot of time and be far more productive.

9.   Respond to messages when you open them so you only read them once. If the e-mail requires an action step, schedule the action step and delete it from your inbox.

10. Set time aside in the morning and the evening to process your inbox. Shoot for a completely empty inbox. File messages you need to keep and set reminders for messages that require you to follow up.

When you are ready to buy a new computer, one of the first questions you may ask yourself is, “Where can I get the best deal?” Obviously you don’t want to pay more than you have to, but there are other considerations besides price that you should consider before making your decision. If you shop the local electronics superstores for weekly specials, you can easily get a standard machine at a good price. This option would work best for you if you’re not too picky or if you don’t have any special requirements for gaming, graphics, or special software requirements. If you buy over the Internet from a major manufacturer such as Dell or Gateway, you’ll get more choice and customization on the components, chip speed, RAM, hard drive size, and video components, but you’ll pay a slightly higher price. The biggest downside to buying online is that you’ll have a hard time getting technical support if something goes wrong. You face the prospect of paying someone like HiSG to fix a warranty-covered machine simply because the manufacturer is making it next to impossible to get the problem taken care of. In many cases, these companies have help desk people located in countries outside of the US, which means you might have a hard time communicating with them, or getting to a supervisor. Sometimes only a component (like the hard drive) will go bad. When this happens, you’ll have to ship the entire machine back to the manufacture and wait a couple of weeks for them to repair it and ship it back. You also run the risk of losing all your data and configurations unless you have a reliable backup. If you have special requirements, need help in selecting a machine, or if service before, during, and AFTER the sale is important, then you’ll want to buy from a local shop like Hawk iSolutions Group, Inc.

Here Are 5 Big Reasons To
Buy Your Next PC From Hawk iSolutions Group, Inc.:

 1. You’ll get a senior technician who will take time to explain your options, answer your questions,  and help you make a good buying decision based on what YOU need, not what I have to clear off my store shelves. If you buy from an electronics superstore, there’s a good chance you’ll end up talking to a teenager working on commission who doesn’t have any real technical expertise. Since they don’t offer custom-built machines, they will try to talk you into buying whatever they have in-store which may not necessarily be the best choice for your specific needs. If you buy online, you’ll get very little or no help in selecting the right combination of components and options, so this works best ONLY for those individuals who really know what they are buying.

2. Superior technical support and service after the sale. If you’ve ever dealt with a manufacturer’s technical support in the past, you know how frustrating it can be. After waiting on hold for days, you’ll end up speaking with a “technician” who doesn’t have a clue. Most of the time they’re reading from a script and taking you through a series of system checks you could have done on your own. Whenever you have a problem with a machine that you purchased from us, we’ll troubleshoot it. Plus, you won’t have to wait on hold when you call, which brings me to another point

3.  If you need technical support on a computer that you bought from us, you won’t go through “voicemail-jail” or be transferred to another country. You actually get to speak to a friendly, local technician.

4.  We’ll set up your e-mail account, Internet access, check your virus protection, set up your firewall, and other preferences and settings. When you buy from a superstore or online, it’s up to you to configure your new machine.

5.   We’ll look at your old PC to verify if it is just needs a little make-over.  Maybe you just need more memory and a video card added. If you simply want to “upgrade” your PC to save a few dollars, we will gladly do it for you, with the solution being in your best interest. This is something that no other store or online supplier will offer.The bottom line is this: if you are shopping solely on price and aren’t too picky, then watch the weekend papers for sales at your local electronic superstore. They can offer a great price on a standard machine. Usually you can save anywhere from $100—$200 buying this way. For semi-customization at a decent price, check the Internet. There are hundreds of online resellers offering PCs at competitive prices.For the best customization, service, and support after the sale, buy from Hawk iSolutions Group, Inc. You’ll pay a little bit more but we’ll make sure you get exactly what you need without any hassle or problems.  

Copyright watchdog targets illegitimate use and gets big settlements.

Michael Gaertner worried he could lose his company. A group called the Business Software Alliance was claiming that his 10-person architectural firm was using unlicensed software.

The alliance demanded $67,000 - most of one year’s profit - or else it would seek more in court.

“It just scared the hell out of me,” Gaertner said.

An analysis by The Associated Press reveals that targeting small businesses is lucrative for the Business Software Alliance, the main copyright-enforcement watchdog for such companies as Microsoft Corp., Adobe Systems Inc. and Symantec Corp.

Of the $13 million that the BSA reaped in software violation settlements with North American companies last year, almost 90 percent came from small businesses, the AP found.

The BSA is well within its rights to wring expensive punishments aimed at stopping the willful software copying that undoubtedly happens in many businesses. And its leaders say they concentrate on small businesses because that’s where illegitimate use of software is rampant.

But software experts say the picture has more shades of gray. Companies of all sizes inadvertently break licensing rules because of problems the software industry itself has created. Unable or unwilling to create technological blocks against copying, the industry has saddled its customers with complex licensing agreements that are hard to master.

In that view, the BSA amasses most of its bounties from small businesses because they have fewer technological, organizational and legal resources to avoid a run-in.

In Gaertner’s case, employees had been unable to open files with the firm’s drafting software, so they worked around it by installing programs they found on their own, breaking company rules, he said. And receipts for legitimate software had been lost in the hubbub of running his company.

“It was basically just a lack of knowledge and sloppy record-keeping on my part,” said Gaertner, who got a settlement that cost him $40,000.

In the United States, the largest software market, piracy rates have not budged since 2004. BSA critics say that is because making examples out of small businesses has little deterrent effect, because many company owners don’t realize they’re violating copyrights.

“If you were driving down the street and you got a speeding ticket, and there was no speed limit sign, it probably would be thrown out of court,” said Barbara Rembiesa, head of the International Association of Information Technology Asset Managers.

Yet the BSA is getting more aggressive. Its CEO says software licenses are not as difficult as critics contend. It has dropped an amnesty campaign.  

“The software vendors have every right to collect the license fees they’re entitled to,” said Tom Adolph, an attorney who has defended against BSA claims. “It’s the tactics of the BSA that rankle me.”

Much of the BSA’s fight against counterfeit software and illegal copying happens overseas. In countries with the highest piracy rates, like

Far more contentious, however, is its focus on forms of what it calls piracy by business users. The money harvested in these crackdowns stays with the alliance to fuel its operations.

In extreme cases, the BSA will get court approval to raid companies in search of evidence.

But there are ways to get in trouble that do not begin with intentional cheating. Companies often simply fail to follow the letter of the licensing agreements that accompany software programs. The problem is big enough that there are companies that help other businesses manage their software.

For example, if a computer gets handed down from one person in an organization to another, software on the machine needs to be deleted unless the company has multiple licenses for it. But many companies forget or don’t realize that, especially if the recipient of the machine would never need to use the previous owner’s software.

Robert Holleyman, the BSA’s CEO, countered that many companies figure out how to get their software in order.

“I don’t agree with the assumption that license management is necessarily a complex task,” he said.

Software-management gurus say the BSA could do more to assist companies - which are, after all, its members’ customers.

“Instead of just being the software police, be the police in the sense of helping old ladies across the street,” said Barbara Scott, a software consultant for Redemtech Inc. “The BSA could become more of a partner with organizations that they’re hammering as well.”

The BSA points out that under copyright law, it could collect up to $150,000 per infringed work if it prevailed in a lawsuit, or $30,000 if the incident was unintentional. By seeking less, BSA leaders say, they give violators a break.

The BSA also used to offer occasional grace periods. The BSA would alert companies to the piracy question and give them 30 days to buy licenses without penalty.

But the BSA no longer offers such amnesties.

Instead it has pushed harder for unhappy employees to “nail your boss” with anonymous tips about piracy. In 2005, it sweetened the deal, offering $50,000 rewards to whistleblowers in the U.S. It raised the limit to $1 million this year.

Gaertner, who worried his BSA encounter would crush his business, wants to rid himself of the Autodesk, Microsoft and Adobe software involved in the case. “It’s not like they have really good software. It’s just that it’s widespread and it’s commonly used,” he said. “It’s going to be a while, but eventually, we plan to get completely disengaged from those software vendors that participate in the BSA.”

New Product, New Name; Now VISTA-Compatible

WatchGuard has announced the immediate availability of a successor to their Mobile User VPN client, WatchGuard Mobile VPN with IPSec. This new VPN client includes new features and compatibility with Microsoft Windows Vista, and is also compatible with existing Firebox X Edge, Core, and Peak models, as well as Firebox SOHO 6 and Firebox III models. No upgrade to your Firebox appliance software is needed.
Operating System Compatibility: The new client is compatible with all versions of Microsoft Windows Vista (32 and 64 bit), Windows XP (32 bit only), and Windows 2000.
Firebox Compatibility: The new client is configured in exactly the same way as the previous Mobile User VPN (MUVPN) client, so no changes are required on your Firebox to begin using the new client. You also do not need to hand out new configuration profiles (commonly known by their file extension,.wgx) to your users. Only the Mobile VPN client software (and the name) have changed. Please note that this client is designed to connect only to WatchGuard devices.
New Name: The official name of the new product is WatchGuard Mobile VPN with IPSec. We changed the name to streamline our product naming conventions for all remote access methods. In future releases of firmware for the Edge, Core and Peak, you will find all remote access grouped under the heading, “WatchGuard Mobile VPN.”
All Users of Microsoft Windows Vista: If you wish to connect remote users to your Firebox-protected network, and your remote users are running any version of Vista, you will need to download, distribute, and have your Vista users install the new Mobile VPN with IPSec package.
If I don’t use Vista, do I still need to upgrade? Short answer: no. If you do not use Microsoft Windows Vista, and are currently using the MUVPN product that we are replacing, you are not forced to upgrade to WatchGuard Mobile VPN with IPSec. We will continue to provide first-level technical support on the previous product. However, if you encounter technical problems with the SafeNet-based MUVPN that we cannot readily resolve, you may be asked to upgrade to Mobile VPN with IPSec, for which we will provide full support. You may also allow some users to run the previous MUVPN and others to run new Mobile VPN client software, simultaneously, with no changes needed on your Firebox.

To acquire a copy, contact Hawk iSolutions Group, Inc. at (314)727-1174.

  If you’re like most people, you don’t think twice about performing regular maintenance on your car. You regularly change the oil, keep air in the tires, fill up your gas tank, and take it to the dealer when it needs maintenance.Yet, if you’re like most business owners, you don’t even think about doing maintenance on your computer network unless it starts running slow, crashes, or stops working. Oddly enough, computer networks require far more maintenance than a car, not only to keep them running properly, but also to protect them from an ever growing number of spyware, virus, and hacker threats.If you want to avoid problems and the expensive repair bills that follow, here’s a short list of daily, weekly, and monthly maintenance you should perform (at a minimum) to make sure your network stays secure, reliable, and running properly.

Daily Maintenance

Back Up Your Data. One of the most devastating things that can happen to you is losing files, databases, and financial information. The method you use to back up your data will be largely determined by the amount of data you need to back up, but it should be done every day. Ideally, you want to keep an off-site copy of your data in case of fire, theft, or natural disasters.

Update Your Server and Desk Top Anti-Virus. This is critical to protecting your computer network because new threats (and their patches) crop up daily. Most anti-virus software has an automatic update feature that will install updates as they become available. However, it is important to check that your anti-virus is current and functioning every day even if the automatic update feature is turned on.

Check Your Firewall. Just like anti-virus software, you must make sure your firewall is up and running 24-7 to prevent hackers from accessing your system. We recommend checking it daily.

Weekly Maintenance

Check For Operating System Security Packs and Updates. This will protect your computer network from known vulnerabilities and security “loop holes”.

Scan and Remove Spyware. Spyware is NOT harmless. Once installed it can make your system run slow, serve up an endless stream of pop up ads, monitor your web surfing habits, steal confidential information about you, and hijack your browser.

Clear Out Old Files. This would include emptying your recycle bin, emptying your “deleted items” folder in your inbox and “sent” messages you don’t need, your temporary Internet files, and any programs you are not using.

Monthly Maintenance

Run Scandisk and the Disk Defrag Utility. Scandisk will look for and repair problems on your hard drive. After running Scandisk, run the Disk Defragmenter utility. This will reorganize your hard drive so that applications and programs load and run faster and more efficiently. This should be done on the server and on the desktop machines.

Review System, Application, and Security Logs. Look for errors, problems, or other suspicious and unexpected entries.

Check Memory and Available Disk Space. Simply check to make sure your system has adequate memory installed for the current usage. Also check available disk space. A recommended amount of free space is at least 25% of the total drive size.

Run A Test Restore Of Backed Up Data. In addition to backing up your data every day, you want to test the reliability of your back ups by attempting to restore the data. I can’t tell you how many business owners were burned because they THOUGHT they were backing up their system regularly, but later discovered their back ups were corrupt or not working when they needed it most.