CCW Technology Computer Repair & Sales

Using the Internet is one of the most dangerous daily activities that any given person will undertake.

Admittedly, the odds of bodily harm, other than carpal tunnel, are slim.  The danger, rather, lies in the potential impact web browsing can have on your personal identity and financial standing.  Every computer connected to the Net is a target of intrusive adware, malware, viruses and phising (explained below), all of which are secretly and routinely installed onto personal computers without the owners’ knowledge.  The nefarious individuals and shady businesses behind these intrusive and invasive software programs have one purpose in mind: to collect personal information about you and make money from what they learn about you.

Collectively, adware and malware are sometimes referred to as “spyware,” a term referring to software that snoops on and records your online activities.  Some tamer viruses can also fit into this category.

Adware (short for “advertising software”) is software that collects information about your web browsing patterns and uses the information to force ads to pop up on your screen.  Annoying at best, adware can clutter a computer to such a degree that it virtually freezes your machine while you are online.

Malware (short for “malicious software”) goes a step further by changing settings on your computer and harvesting personal information about you, including credit card numbers and other important financial information.  Malware can literally prevent a computer from operating, but even worse, keylogger malware software can record every key stroke you type, and from that information steal your passwords, credit card information and even social security number.

Viruses can be even worse than malware.  Installing themselves on your computer, they can perform a number of malicious functions, including stealing files and financial data, keylogging, spreading the virus (or spam) to everyone in your email address book, and taking control of your machine for the purpose of hacking (infiltrating) other computers.  Some persons who create viruses do so expressly in an effort to hack into and gain control of your machine in an effort to cover their own tracks (computers can be traced on the Internet; routing internet data through a series of machines helps obscure the originating machine).  

Phishing is the newest twist on Internet fraud, and refers to bold and deceptive attempts by thieves to obtain your credit card numbers, social security number and other important financial information (basically, your identity) by masquerading as legitimate businesses or organizations, such as eBay, PayPal or your local bank.  Appearing in both emails and on fraudulent websites, these schemes are often very believable on the surface (just as some counterfeiters produce excellent knockoffs of $20 bills).  Phishing is a serious threat to consumers who are frequently unable to distinguish between fake and legitimate requests for information.

All in all, web browsing is a very dangerous activity because it endangers your very identity, which if stolen, could wreck your life financially.

So, how does one avoid adware, malware, viruses and phishing schemes?  The following five steps will help you have a safer web browsing experience.

1.  Use a safer web browser, such as Mozilla Firefox.  Microsoft Internet Explorer, especially used in conjunction with Microsoft Office products, is much more susceptible to adware, malware and viruses than Firefox, Opera and some other lesser known, but very good, web browsers.

2.  Whatever web browser you do choose to use, be certain to download all updates and familiarize yourself with the built-in safe surfing features, and tweak the settings to ensure a high degree of protection.  Most web browsers are now able to warn you if you are about to go to a fraudulent site (especially a phishing site) or if a download poses a possible risk.  (Note: No web browser is able to identity every fraudulent site or risky download.)

3.  Be very careful about downloading any software file off the Internet!  Adware, malware and viruses frequently “ride in” atop music, video and other files.  As a rule of thumb, do not download anything from the Net unless it is from a trusted source … and even then be diligent, as some trusted Net companies have utilized adware companies to pitch their products.

4.  Use anti-adware, anti-malware and anti-virus software religiously.  A number of reputable companies offer security software.  While most products require a subscription, some excellent software is still free (at least at this point).

If you are accessing the Net through a broadband connection, install a router between your computer and your modem; routers act as an external firewall, hiding your computer’s identification (IP address, or Internet Protocol address) from would-be intruders.

5.   Control who uses your computer.  Teenagers especially are frequently unaware that their music and video downloads can be dangerous.  In general, assume that anyone other than you using your computer does not know how to prevent adware, malware, virus and phishing.  Their lack of knowledge could endanger your identity.

Computer repair is a common need these days. A large number of us work with PCs at our places of business, and many of us have them in our homes as well. A few people are lucky enough to have the technical savvy to be able to fix most problems that arise, but that doesn’t describe most of us. There are times when we need to call on the services of a professional to get our PCs healthy again after they run into problems.

Assessing the Problem

Though there’s a good chance that you may not know what caused your PC problem, you can at least take note of what the problem is. For instance, your PC keeps freezing for no apparent reason, or it slows down so much that it becomes impossible to use it effectively. That’s a problem, so write it down. Many times, multiple problems come up at once, such as a computer that keeps freezing, shows frequent error messages, and has lost its sound at the same time. Write all this down, because it will help you choose the right computer repair service, and it will help that service diagnose and fix the issue

Who to Call

A good guideline to follow when deciding who to hire to for your computer repair is to start small and local. Ask friends or business acquaintances if there are any local shops that they’ve used when they’ve needed their PCs fixed, and ask if they were happy with the service. Smaller, local businesses are usually eager to build a loyal customer base, and they’ll often go above and beyond when it comes to customer service. They are also more likely to take the time to educate you about the issue, how they fixed it, and how you can prevent it from happening in the future. Sometimes, however, the problem might be too big, such as hard drive damage. In that case, it might be better to contact a larger company that provides a wider range of services.

Learning from the Experience

No matter who does your computer repair; do not be afraid to ask questions about their diagnosis and what they did to fix the issue. Learn from them as much as you can, and there’s a chance that you won’t need to pay for help if the problem happens again. A reputable repair service will be glad to teach you a few things; it’s just another way for them to build customer loyalty.

When it comes to computer repair, you want to make sure that you choose the right service to help you. When you do, keep their number handy; you never know when another issue will arise.

When working properly, computers enable small businesses to make big business profits; however, get booted off your computer and you’re suddenly starving. In most instances, computers usually act up due to lack of care by its owners. Here are four computer tips that’ll keep you up and running smoothly.

Tip #1 — Back up your computer’s data no less than once a month.

Too often a small business is thrust back to infancy because it didn’t take time to back up precious data; information that took hours upon hours to create. Information that’s irreplaceable, such as customer databases or employment contracts. Keep in mind you’ll want to back up your written data as well as check books such as Quicken and email address books. If your computer has a CD writer, it’s simple and quick to back up your data. Simply select the files and folders you want to back up and copy them to the writer.

Or if you have an older computer, copy your most important files to a floppy disk. Either way, don’t stop there; now take the CD or disk and store it in a fire-safe box! To expedite the process, organize your files within folders so you can quickly grab and copy one or two folders.

Tip #2 – Don’t turn off your computer every evening.

Too frequently computer users turn their computers off every evening. This is unnecessary and not recommended. A computer’s components are at their most vulnerable when turned on and off. When a computer has to heat up [turn on] or cool down [turn off] it’s at this precise moment components fail. It’s recommended you turn your computer off once or twice a week or only when necessary, such as from a power outage. However, don’t do the opposite and never turn your computer off, since many anti-virus programs require a computer reboot be performed before new virus patches take effect.

Tip #3 — Automate anti-virus software so it updates automatically no less than once a week.

Depending on your software, you may need to prompt it to update. Unfortunately, there are people with too much time on their hands who desire to attack and make your computer unusable. A computer user is not ultimately protected from viruses and spyware [pop-ups, cookies, etc.] unless you’re using a combination of anti-virus and anti-spyware software and a firewall, a piece of hardware that protects computers from being hacked. You must have all three pieces in order to ward off viruses, lurkers and attacks. What’s more, most of the attacks are very quiet. You don’t know someone is on your computer. Instead, they secretly store information, such as child pornography or music MP3s on your computer, since it’s illegal, and redirect child-porno or MP3 seekers to your computer instead of theirs.

Tip #4 — Install a firewall if you keep your computer constantly on.

Using a broadband or DSL connection dramatically increases your exposure to being hacked. It only takes an average of 15 minutes being online before a home-based computer is attacked. The only true way to protect a computer from a hacker is to install a hardware firewall. It’s a misconception that software-based firewalls ultimately defend computers. This is simply not true. Computers must have a hardware firewall for ultimate protection, such as a SonicWall or Netscreen firewall, a component installed between a home user’s cable or DSL connection and their computer.

While many small companies only call in a local computer consulting business when something computer-related breaks, there’s a lot to be gained by forging a proactive, long-term relationship with a local computer consulting business in your area.

Consider Getting Advice from a Computer Consulting Business

If you need to get advice once-in-a-while on how your computers can be better utilized, or you have a specific computer-related problem that needs to be solved, a computer consulting business is generally the way to go.

However, if computer-systems and information technology (IT) are really important to your industry and your company, outsourcing your computer-related service needs to a local computer consulting business is often a much better solution than just piecemeal, ad-hoc usage of a computer consulting business.

Hiring a Computer Consultant

Many computer consulting businesses choose to specialize and end up becoming extremely valuable to their particular area or niche. In many cases, these kinds of computer consulting businesses can know almost as much about your industry and competitive challenges as you do.

So to help your company grow and to make sure it’s not being short-sighted with its computer-related needs, consider getting advice from a computer consulting business.

Wearing Lots of “Hats” is Fine… But Don’t Let These “Hats” Blind-Sight You

Sometimes small companies already have an idea of what their computer-related needs are when they enlist the help of an outside computer consulting business.

There are several advantages to bringing in an outside computer consulting business, as opposed to trying to limp along with someone internally who just wears the “hat” of the occasional computer person.

One of the most important reasons to bring in a computer consulting business though is that a computer consultant is someone who is an expert in his or her field. This means you can have access to an expert for a fraction of the cost it would take to hire that caliber of professional on a full time basis.

In almost all cases, a computer consultant like this can troubleshoot problem much faster and much more effectively than your internal employees.

A Fresh Computer Consultant Perspective

A computer consultant or computer consulting business can also being in a fresh perspective to your company.

It’s often really helpful to have a fresh set of eyes to look at your company and its IT infrastructure. Over time, non-technical small business owners and managers have a tendency to see the same things within their own companies. A good computer consultant or computer consulting business brings a new and fresh perspective into your situation and can help you truly visualize the forest through the trees.

How Computer Consulting Businesses Help

A good computer consulting business or computer consultant is prepared to do any number of things to help your company make the most out of any business or technology challenge it faces. This may include personal coaching, training for small and large groups of employees, and leading strategy-planning meetings with key people… almost as if that computer consultant were your part-time chief information officer (CIO).

The best computer consultants will not enter into your company with a preset plan, but rather will tailor a plan according to the specific needs of your company. A good computer consulting business will have computer consultants on their staff who can quickly find out what the needs of your company are and then come up with cost-effective solutions.

The Bottom Line

In this article, you’ve been introduced to the basics of why to hire a computer consulting business and what computer consulting businesses can do for your company.