How Oversharing on Social Media Can Have Unforeseen Consequences

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Data security is an integral part of not just business operations but everyday life at this point. Most people agree that specific measures to protect data security, like verifying emails and updating antivirus software, are reasonable. However, one aspect that many people fail to consider is oversharing information on social media.

Today, we want to explore how oversharing on social media can negatively influence data security and privacy.

Oversharing on Social Media

Most people have at least one social media account as an outlet to share thoughts with friends, family, and followers alike. However, they may not consider that they can overshare information that could put them at risk of a potential cyberattack.

Here are some of the ways that oversharing can harm social media users:

• Privacy problems: Sharing too much on social media or online can risk violating your own privacy. Any information you share could be used in identity theft, scams, or other malicious activities.
• Security issues: If you share information about your location, routine, or any other plans, you might put yourself at risk of burglary or other security violations.
• Professional consequences: It’s not unusual for employers or potential employers to look at social media profiles. Sharing too much personal information or inappropriate content could affect your professional reputation and make a difference in your job search or current employment situation.
• Relationship stress: If you share too much about your relationships online, misunderstandings or arguments might settle in as a result. Do yourself a favor and keep your private matters offline.
• Emotional influence: If you focus too much on sharing details about life or seeking validation from your followers, you might experience poor mental health over time. You might compare yourself to others or experience feelings of inadequacy or a fear of missing out.
• Time costs: If you are always sharing on social media, you are losing one resource you can never get back: your time. You might miss out on a lot of real life by being consumed by social media.

With all of these factors in play, it’s easy to see how oversharing on social media can negatively impact potential opportunities.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/how-oversharing-on-social-media-can-have-unforeseen-consequences/

Managed Security Services vs Incident Response: How We Can Help You Prevent and Recover from Cyber Attacks

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The threat of cyber-attacks looms large over businesses of all sizes. With hackers becoming more sophisticated and relentless in their efforts to infiltrate valuable data, it is crucial for organizations to have robust strategies in place both to prevent such attacks and efficiently recover from them if they occur.

We’ll compare the differences between managed security services (MSS) and incident response (IR), two key elements of comprehensive cybersecurity solutions that can help protect your business against cyber threats.

Detailing how these approaches can be utilized together to create a formidable defense mechanism, ensuring the continuity of your operations while safeguarding sensitive information from malicious actors.

What are Cyber-attacks and the Types of Attacks

Cyber-attacks are malicious attempts by hackers to infiltrate computer systems or networks to gain unauthorized access, steal sensitive information, or disrupt operations.

These attacks can have severe consequences for businesses, including financial losses, damage to reputation, and compromised customer data. With the increasing dependence on technology, cyber-attacks have become a growing concern.

There are various types of cyber-attacks that hackers employ to target their victims. One common type is malware attacks, where hackers use malicious software such as viruses, worms, or ransomware to compromise systems and steal data. Another common attack is phishing, where hackers impersonate legitimate individuals or organizations through deceptive emails to trick users into revealing sensitive information like passwords or account details.

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks are another prevalent form of cyber-attack that aim to overwhelm targeted servers with a flood of traffic until they become inaccessible. Additionally, there are also social engineering attacks like spear-phishing and fake tech support scams that exploit human vulnerabilities by manipulating people into providing access or divulging confidential information.

The Threat and Impact of Cyber Attacks for Your Business

The threat and impact of cyber-attacks on businesses cannot be overstated in today’s digital world. As hackers continue to evolve their tactics and target valuable data, organizations of all sizes need to prioritize cybersecurity strategies that both prevent attacks and effectively recover from them.

Managed security services (MSS) and incident response (IR) are two essential components of a comprehensive cybersecurity solution that can help safeguard your business against the ever-increasing cyber threats.

MSS offers proactive measures for identifying vulnerabilities, implementing protective measures, and continuous monitoring of networks and systems. This approach allows businesses to stay one step ahead of potential threats by leveraging the expertise of dedicated professionals who are well-versed in the latest cybersecurity trends. MSS providers typically offer round-the-clock support and quick response times to minimize any potential damage caused by an attack.

However, IR focuses on responding to specific cyber incidents after they occur. It involves identifying the source of the breach or attack, containing it, mitigating its impact, recovering lost data or assets, and ensuring future protection against similar incidents. Incident response teams work swiftly to investigate breaches thoroughly while minimizing downtime for business operations.

Although prevention is ideal, investing in resources that aid recovery after an attack occurs is equally vital in minimizing damage to your organization’s reputation and finances.

What are MSS and How Do They Work?

MSS (MSS) are a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity that aims to protect organizations from digital threats through continuous monitoring, proactive threat detection, and efficient incident response.

MSS providers offer a range of services including network security management, vulnerability management, intrusion detection systems, and firewall administration. These services are typically delivered remotely by skilled professionals who have the expertise and resources to manage complex security infrastructure.

The key components of managed security services include threat intelligence gathering, analyzing data for signs of malicious activity or vulnerabilities in real-time, deploying effective protection measures such as firewalls and antivirus software, conducting regular audits and risk assessments to identify potential weaknesses in the system, 24/7 monitoring for suspicious activities or breaches, and timely incident response processes if an attack occurs.

MSS works by providing businesses with ongoing support from experienced cybersecurity experts who take a proactive approach towards mitigating risks. This allows businesses to focus on their core operations while benefiting from constant protection against cyber threats.

What is IR and How Does It Work?

IR is a crucial component of an organization’s cybersecurity strategy. It involves the systematic approach to managing and addressing security incidents, such as cyber-attacks or breaches. The goal of incident response is to minimize damage, contain the incident, identify the root cause, and restore normal operations as quickly as possible.

When an incident occurs, organizations with a well-established incident response plan in place can effectively detect and respond to the threat. This typically involves four key steps: preparation, identification, containment, and eradication. In the preparation phase, organizations develop policies and procedures for incident response and establish a dedicated team responsible for handling incidents. Once an incident is identified through monitoring systems or reports from users, it is immediately investigated to understand its scope and impact.

The next step is to contain any further damage by isolating affected systems or networks from others while preserving evidence for analysis. After containing the incident, organizations work towards eradicating the threat by removing malicious code or files from compromised systems or networks. Finally, there is a focus on restoring normal operations by conducting system repairs or data recovery activities.

Effective incident response relies on continuous monitoring of networks and systems coupled with prompt detection and swift action when an attack occurs.

MSS vs IR: Pros and Cons for Your Business

MSS and IR are two important components of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy for businesses. MSS involves outsourcing the management of security measures to an external provider, ensuring ongoing protection against cyber threats.

This approach offers several advantages for businesses, including access to advanced technology and expertise that may be beyond their in-house capabilities. With MSS, organizations can benefit from continuous monitoring, threat detection, and quick incident response time that helps prevent potential attacks before they cause significant damage.

On the other hand, IR focuses on responding to cyber incidents after they occur and mitigating their impact. The key advantage of having an effective IR plan is the ability to minimize downtime and quickly resume business operations following a breach or attack. IR takes a proactive stance towards incident management by providing immediate support during critical situations such as data breaches or system compromises.

Both MSS and IR have their pros and cons when it comes to protecting your business from cyber-attacks. While MSS ensures ongoing security measures through continuous monitoring and threat detection, it may require long-term contracts with external providers leading to increased costs over time.

On the other hand, IR provides post-attack assistance but might not offer real-time monitoring like MSS does since its focus lies primarily on incident response rather than prevention.

Choosing between MSS and IR depends on several factors such as budget constraints, internal resources available for managing security operations internally versus outsourcing them completely or in part. In many cases, implementing both MSS and IR together offers the best protection against cyber threats by combining proactive measures with effective incident handling capabilities.

It boils down to choosing which service would suit your business needs better; whether you require real-time monitoring of your networks or immediate response action in case of an incident occurrence.

The Cost and Value Your Business Gets from MSS and IR

MSS offers businesses a proactive approach to cybersecurity by providing continuous monitoring and management of networks, systems, and applications. This allows organizations to detect and respond to potential threats before they can cause significant damage. With MSS, businesses benefit from 24/7 monitoring, threat intelligence analysis, vulnerability assessments, and timely incident response.

IR is another essential component of a robust cybersecurity strategy. Despite preventive measures, cyber-attacks may occasionally breach an organization’s defenses. In such instances, having an effective incident response plan becomes crucial for minimizing the impact of the attack and swiftly restoring normal operations.

IR involves identifying the root cause of the incident, isolating affected systems or networks to prevent further spread of malware or compromise other resources, recovering lost data if necessary, and implementing resolutions to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The value that businesses gain from managed security services lies in their ability to stay ahead of evolving threats through constant monitoring and skilled expertise. MSS providers can significantly reduce the risk posed by cyber-attacks while ensuring compliance with relevant regulations.

For IR, the value comes primarily from its role in helping organizations swiftly recover from cyber-attacks. Minimizing downtime after such events is crucial for maintaining business continuity, reestablishing customer trust, and reducing financial losses. From forensic examinations to remediation actions, and lessons learned, it allows organizations to streamline recovery processes and strengthen their overall resilience against future incidents.

Why Managed Security Services or Incident Response are the Best Choice for Your Business

MSS and IR are two essential components of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy that can effectively protect businesses against the threat of cyber-attacks. MSS provides proactive monitoring, detection, and management of potential security risks, helping prevent attacks from happening in the first place.

MSS providers identify vulnerabilities in your systems and networks, develop customized strategies to mitigate these risks, and ensure continuous monitoring for any suspicious activities.

On the other hand, IR focuses on rapid response and recovery after a cyber-attack has occurred. In the unfortunate event that your business falls victim to an attack, having an effective incident response plan in place is crucial to minimize damage and downtime.

IR specialists possess extensive knowledge and experience in investigating breaches, containing their impact, restoring compromised systems or data, if necessary, as well as implementing measures to prevent similar incidents from recurring.

By combining MSS and/or IR within your cybersecurity framework ensures not only prevention but also efficient remediation processes should an attack occur. These services work together seamlessly to provide businesses with proactive protection while also ensuring quick responsiveness when needed most.

With hackers constantly evolving their tactics, partnering with trusted managed security service providers or incident response teams will give you peace of mind knowing that your organization is well-equipped to handle any potential threats effectively.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/managed-security-services-vs-incident-response-how-we-can-help-you-prevent-and-recover-from-cyber-attacks/

Managed Services Does a Great Job of Reducing Support Costs

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Cost is a massive issue for nearly every single business out there. You have to have a measured approach to investment to maximize the ability to create returns. One of the best ways for companies to do this in technology is to partner with a managed services provider. “Why?” you may ask. We go into three ways we can bring value in today’s blog. 

Economies of Scale

Managed service providers typically serve multiple clients, allowing them to achieve economies of scale. They can spread the costs of infrastructure, tools, and expertise across their client base, reducing the overall cost for each client. In contrast, an in-house IT department may struggle to achieve the same level of efficiency due to a limited scale of operations.

Specialized Expertise

We employ knowledgeable technicians specializing in providing IT services with expanded and diverse skills. This specialization allows them to efficiently handle a wide range of IT tasks without the need for extensive training or hiring. In-house IT departments may need to invest heavily in training or hire additional staff to cover specialized areas, which can be exponentially more expensive.

Predictable Costs and Scalability

Managed services often come with predictable, subscription-based pricing models. This allows businesses to budget more effectively, knowing the fixed costs associated with their IT services. Additionally, MSPs can offer scalable solutions, allowing businesses to adjust their services based on their current needs. In-house IT departments may face challenges in accurately predicting costs and struggle to scale up or down quickly.

These are three examples of how partnering with an MSP like COMPANYNAME can help your business. Call us today at PHONENUMBER to learn more about how our expert technicians can find and support the right technology for your business.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/managed-services-does-a-great-job-of-reducing-support-costs/

Here Are Some of the Coolest Tech from CES 2024

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January is host to the Consumer Electronics Show, or CES, which takes place in Las Vegas. It’s an opportunity for companies to show off thousands of neat ideas, concepts, and devices, and if you’re a tech nerd like us, it’s total heaven. It’s also interesting to see what trends can be seen and how they might be brought into a business or consumer landscape.

This year, we want to highlight some of our favorite new technologies.

AI is a Main Focus, Naturally

If one thing became apparent this past year, AI tools like ChatGPT are not going anywhere. They are here to stay, and technology businesses are trying to make the most of the trend. Vendors and developers rely more on AI than ever to accomplish various tasks, including cybersecurity and hacking. This idea isn’t new, as your typical business security suite already leverages AI to improve how well it protects against cyberthreats and detects physical threats. Some AI apps were even capable of detecting signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety in their children, which is pretty remarkable in a completely different way.

Some tech companies have even implemented AI into their kitchen tools, leveling up their appliances in the process. Smart fridges can now make recommendations, and Keurig-like robotic bartenders can mix a drink to your liking. For the particularly lazy, a new all-in-one laundry machine will automatically move your clean clothes from the washer to the dryer.

Walmart announced that they would be utilizing AI to shop for users automatically, and they are increasing their drone delivery technology in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area in Texas. Perhaps someday, drone deliveries will be available to most of the US.

And finally, one of the more fun but less practical options is AI-powered smart binoculars that offer bird watchers information on their quarry.

Electric Vehicles for the Future

With the automotive industry moving toward electric vehicles, seeing them at CES is no surprise. There is a larger variety of options to choose from now, too, including small two-door SUVs and pickup trucks. Since they are so environmentally friendly, seeing more options available for those who want to make the investment is good.

However, some of the most exciting options are the concepts that have yet to be built and released. In particular, Honda’s new concept, dubbed “Space-Hub,” looks more like something out of Star Trek but with even more lighting.

Another interesting one is the Indy race car with no driver seat and get this: it drives itself.

Just… why?

Multiple Screens Are Becoming More Accessible for Laptops

Using one screen to get a lot done takes a lot of work. Thankfully, there will be options for laptop users soon.

Brands like Lenovo have released dual-screen laptops, but Asus looks to join the fray with a new device with some super interesting features.

There is also a foldable portable monitor that will be available in the near future.

Flying Cars… Really?

Flying cars like those seen in science fiction are likely still a way out, but Hyundai has shown off a four-passenger, fully electric flying craft that can transport its passengers across cities. Pretty neat stuff!

Star Wars-like Droids by Samsung

Ballie, first revealed in 2020, is a small robot ball that can roll around on the floor and act as a smart speaker. Four years later, the little guy has a built-in projector and can communicate with the latest Samsung products. Pretty interesting! And good news… it’s going into production this year.

Did you see any exciting technology you’d like to pick up for yourself? Keep coming back to our blog for more great tech and tips!

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/here-are-some-of-the-coolest-tech-from-ces-2024/

Tip of the Week: Quickly Split Text Between Columns in Microsoft Excel

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Microsoft Excel is a handy tool to help businesses keep their data organized… provided it has been used accurately and to its full potential. However, it isn’t uncommon for some people to cram all the information of a record into a single cell and limit the value that Excel has to offer. Once this goes on long enough, it can feel like there’s no fixing it.

Let’s go over how you can, in fact, fix it.

Splitting Up Data is Simple with Text to Columns

Excel has a dedicated tool that helps make this process super simple. Let’s walk through how it works with a hypothetical example.

Let’s say there’s a small business comprising 15 people collaborating to serve its client base. In an Excel document, these team members are listed, along with their job titles, as follows:

Great, right? Nice and straightforward. That is, until you want to organize your team by department rather than by their first name.

Fortunately, Excel offers a simple tool that helps to fix that: Text to Columns.

How to Use Text to Columns

Let’s demonstrate the use of this tool using the above data set.

Select the data you want to divide up. Then, in the Data menu, select Text to Columns.

Select Delimited.

In the next screen, select the appropriate options. In this case, we want to separate this data by the vertical bars in the data sets.

If needed, you can identify what kind of data each column will hold so Excel will format it correctly.

Click Finish, and you should see the results:

It’s as simple as that!

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/tip-of-the-week-quickly-split-text-between-columns-in-microsoft-excel/

Smartphones Are Great, Until They Are Not

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Smartphones are a helpful tool by any measure. Still, with these devices’ widespread use, serious concerns about how they may contribute to certain negative human situations have arisen. Here are some ways smartphones can be seen as having a negative effect on people and society. 

Social Isolation

The dependence on the smartphone has become en-vogue in today’s digital landscape. Excessive use of smartphones, particularly in social settings, can lead to a person feeling isolated and ultimately weakening their real-world relationships.

Addiction and Distraction

As anyone who uses one knows, smartphones can be addictive. This leads to compulsive behaviors such as constantly checking for notifications or spending excessive time on games and other social media. This addiction can hinder the ability of people to maintain focus. 

Privacy Issues

The constant connectivity of smartphones raises privacy concerns. Issues like data breaches, location tracking, and unauthorized access to personal information can compromise individuals’ privacy.

Impact on Mental Health

Excessive smartphone use has been linked to mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances. The pressure to maintain a curated online persona can contribute to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem.

Disinformation

The rapid spread of information through social media on smartphones can contribute to the spread of misinformation and fake news. This can have significant societal consequences, including influencing public opinion and elections.

Reduced Face-to-Face Communication Skills

Over-reliance on digital communication can lead to a decline in face-to-face communication skills. This may affect an individual’s ability to navigate real-world social situations effectively.

It’s important to note that while smartphones can contribute to these issues, they also offer a number of positive contributions to society, such as improved communication, access to information, and increased connectivity. If you want to read more technology-centric articles, revisit our blog soon.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/smartphones-are-great-until-they-are-not/

The Dangers of a Misconfigured Cloud

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The cloud gives businesses more opportunities than ever to change operations for the better, but a poorly configured cloud could create more problems than it solves—including the potential for a security breach! Here are some of the most important reasons why you must configure your cloud solutions properly.

Misconfiguration Creates the First of Many Problems

Imagine for a moment that you are in the shoes of a cybercriminal. You know that in order to find a big win, you will need data in some form. You could steal the data, or you could prevent the target from accessing the data—in either event, you could potentially rake in a lot of cash.

The cloud is an ideal place to harvest data from, since it’s in an online environment and easily accessible if the configuration on the victim’s systems is not set up properly. Once you have access to one that you normally shouldn’t, it’s just a matter of using that data to launch even more attacks. You can even sell the information to other criminals to make a fee from others launching attacks against the target. This is a tactic that has grown in popularity in recent times, especially with AI now being available to criminals on subscription plans.

But Wait, It Gets Worse

It’s scary to think about a cybercriminal capitalizing on your data, but it’s not even the biggest challenge that can come from a situation like this.

In 2017, over 120 million households had data exposed through a marketing and data analytics company, basically involving just about all United States citizens. Within this 36 gigabytes of information were 248 categorized divisions, all of which outlined the types of data associated with them. While no names were involved, it was enough to allow for cross-referencing.

Furthermore, in 2018, 3.5 million records from a Los Angeles County nonprofit were exposed online, and all of this included information like employee access credentials, contact information, and notes on specific cases. This nonprofit served all kinds of needs for the county, including sensitive cases like those related to abuse, meaning that this kind of exposure most certainly violated various privacy regulations in the process.

In 2021, a cybersecurity analytics company let a database with 5 billion user records get exposed. This database included information such as names, email addresses, passwords, and vulnerability records.

And finally, we reach, most recently, 2023, where the data of 260,000 customers of an automaker spanning from 2015 to 2023 was exposed. While it’s fortunate that the automaker did not let any personally identifiable information get into the mix, the breach included important information such as in-vehicle device IDs and map data.

All of the above was due to misconfigured clouds, and if high-profile, large-scale businesses like these can fall victim to this mistake, so can you.

Let Us Help You Out

Managing your cloud and configuring it properly doesn’t have to take up all your attention. You can let us help you out! Get started today by calling COMPANYNAME at PHONENUMBER.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/the-dangers-of-a-misconfigured-cloud/

Modern Communication Problems Require Modern Solutions

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Small businesses might not be used to having high-quality or top-tier communication solutions available to them, but in today’s fast-paced business environment, they need them to keep up with the many challenges SMBs face. After all, SMBs need all the tools they can muster to outpace the competition. Let’s go over some communication tools that can help you get there.

Utilizing the Cloud

With the cloud at their beck and call, SMBs can break free from the restrictions previously placed on them by communication tools. With services and solutions like Voice over Internet Protocol, SMBs finally have a flexible and scalable solution that works specifically for their organization at any stage of development. Additionally, cloud-based tools give employees the ability to utilize their communication platforms from anywhere, making remote work a possibility for many.

Better Messaging Apps

Email is an amazing tool, and there is a reason why it has remained at the forefront of business communications, but other platforms have shown their value in the same setting; platforms like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Discord, and other instant messaging and video conferencing tools allow for real-time communication, file sharing, and integration with the many other apps your company needs to succeed. They are not meant to be a replacement for email; rather, they are supplemental tools that help employees keep their email inboxes clear and effective.

Video Conferencing for Synchronous Meetings

With remote work growing more popular in recent years, it’s no small wonder that video conferencing has also been on the rise—and for good reason. It helps businesses stay in touch with their employees and clients in much the same way face-to-face interaction would. Video conferencing is one way to connect those in different geographic locations, and it can really spice up interactions in ways that will leave a lasting impression on your clients or potential customers.

AI Communication Tools

Artificial intelligence has changed the way many businesses operate and interact with technology through automation. Certain routine tasks and data analysis procedures can leverage AI to completely change the way SMBs operate. AI can handle tasks like support through chatbot features, and it can navigate complex datasets to discover trends. It’s a great way to eliminate rote tasks that do not require much engagement on the employee’s part so they can free themselves for more valuable tasks.

Cybersecurity Policies in Communication

Cyberthreats are more dangerous than they have ever been before, and as your communications grow and evolve, so too must your security solutions. Your business needs to implement solutions such as encryption, multi-factor authentication, and security updates to keep hackers from making off with your company’s sensitive data. You should also have a plan in place to train your team on the value and purpose of security best practices to ensure they don’t fall for any suspicious attacks.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Tool Integration

The best communication tools will integrate with your company’s CRM solution to provide comprehensive analytics and reports for your customer interaction. Your business can use this information to customize its communication with customers, and with data-informed decision-making in hand, you can tailor sales calls and campaigns to maximize profits and provide the best support possible.

How It All Comes Together

With Unified Communications platforms at your fingertips, you can change the way your business communicates for the better. With a full suite of interoperable solutions, your business can utilize video communication, instant messaging, voice calls, conference calling, and so much more, all for a fraction of the cost of your current communications infrastructure.

To get started with unified communications, give us a call today at PHONENUMBER.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/modern-communication-problems-require-modern-solutions/

AI is a Security Threat You Cannot Ignore

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2023 was a banner year for AI (Artificial Intelligence), as it truly entered the zeitgeist in a way that it previously had failed to. Many companies and industries have considered ways to implement AI and make it part of their operations, while others might be fearful of it for its role in job scarcity. However, 2024 might show businesses that they should be worried about AI for a reason you might not have anticipated: AI-generated cyberthreats.

AI and Its Uses in 2024

Just to bring you up to speed, the tech world is full of technology that leverages complex algorithms and massive amounts of information. For AI, this means programs that are using existing text to generate human-like text. Basically, the software itself can train itself on the text found on the Internet, including the 300 billion words found in books, on social media platforms, in news articles, and so much more. It can then learn from this text and generate content. It can answer questions in several languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Portuguese, just to name a few.

These Large Language Models, or LLMs, are quite popular at the moment, with ChatGPT being the most household name of the bunch. Others tend to use the term AI as an umbrella term.

It’s amazing what these AI tools can do, providing users with quick ways to ask questions and get answers, brainstorm or generate ideas, or provide a task list for everything you’ve discussed with it. Software developers in particular have learned a lot from it, as it can be used to find security vulnerabilities in code.

The opposite, however, remains true, which is the crux of this problem.

Technology is Used By Both Good and Bad People

When innovation happens, people find incredible ways to use it for the good of society. Eventually, the selfish among us attempt to use it for their own personal gain and make efforts to exploit or harm others with it. Hackers are no exception; they will use modern technology to exploit the masses, and AI makes it more manageable and accessible than before.

Cybercriminals are using AI to create stronger and more powerful threats that attack vulnerabilities. Yes, developers are learning more about how to protect systems, but hackers are always going to try to push the buck on this. AI can be used to find vulnerabilities before patches are released, or to write phishing emails that get users to take action. It can even write malicious programs that can wreak havoc on businesses and individuals alike. You need to be ready to take the fight to these challenges and stay ahead of the bad people out there who want to harm your business.

For Hackers, Cybercrime is Simply a Business

There is a common misconception that hackers are lone wolf threat actors who hide in dark rooms and stare at code all day, typing viciously at their keyboard until they have “cracked the system,” whatever that means.

In reality, however, hacking and cybercrime is run more like a business than anything else.

They want to get the most profit for their efforts, and if they find that certain campaigns are lucrative, they will exploit those campaigns for all they are worth. Similarly, if something doesn’t work, they will invest time and resources into making it work.

To make matters worse, it has been discovered recently that scammers and cybercriminals are complicit in human trafficking, forcing people to work in exchange for their freedom. It’s not so out of the question that, if you receive a phone call, text message, or email from a scammer, it’s a victim of human trafficking on the other end.

There are large compounds with thousands of people who have been tricked into imprisonment by those who want to do nothing but scam and exploit others. CNN recently did an incredibly eye-opening article that is worth checking out, but be warned, there is some disturbing content.

Hackers will go to extreme lengths to leverage whatever assets they can to their advantage, including other people and technology like AI. Cybercrime is an industry all its own, full of ruthless and cutthroat individuals who want to see your business burn, and feel nothing for the people they use to do so.

Take Cybersecurity Seriously in the New Year

With AI and social engineering becoming prominent parts of cybercriminals’ strategies, you need to be ready to handle anything they throw at you. Let COMPANYNAME help; learn more by calling us at PHONENUMBER.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/ai-is-a-security-threat-you-cannot-ignore/

Simplify Your Tech: Your Ally in Seamless Data and Communication

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Staying ahead of the curve in technology is crucial for businesses and individuals. The need to streamline data management and optimize communication processes has never been more important. That’s why we are proud to introduce ourselves as your trusted partner for seamless data and communication solutions.

With cutting-edge technologies, unparalleled expertise, and unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction, we strive to simplify your tech world like never before.

Together, we can revolutionize your workspace with innovative solutions tailored specifically to meet your unique needs at every step of the way. Say goodbye to complexity and hello to simplicity with our comprehensive suite of services designed for businesses – because when it comes to navigating the complexities of modern technology, you deserve nothing but the best!

What Are Data and Communication Solutions

With our seamless data and communication solutions, we aim to be your trusted partner in this endeavor. Our expertise lies in providing cutting-edge technologies that optimize data management processes while ensuring efficient communication across all platforms.

By partnering with us, you can expect a smooth transition towards streamlined IT operations. We understand the challenges businesses face when it comes to managing and optimizing their data systems.

Whether it’s through cloud computing services or customized software solutions, our goal is to simplify your tech world by eliminating unnecessary complexities and enhancing overall efficiency.

As professionals committed to customer satisfaction, we value open lines of communication with our clients. This allows us not only to understand your unique needs but also address them effectively using innovative technological solutions designed specifically for your industry requirements.

Expert Guidance and Support for Navigating the Cloud

We understand the complexities of data management and communication solutions in the cloud, and we are here to guide you every step of the way.

Our team of experts has a deep understanding of cloud technologies and can provide personalized recommendations based on your unique needs. Whether you’re a small business looking to optimize your data storage or an individual seeking seamless communication solutions, we have got you covered.

But it’s not just our knowledge that sets us apart – it’s also our commitment to customer satisfaction. We prioritize building strong relationships with our clients, taking the time to understand their goals and challenges.

With us as your partner for navigating the cloud, you can rest assured knowing that we will be there for you whenever you need assistance or advice.

So why struggle through unfamiliar territory on your own? Let us simplify your tech world by providing expert guidance and support for all your data management and communication needs in the cloud.

Simplifying Complex Tech Challenges with Expert Solutions

From managing large amounts of data to ensuring efficient communication processes, the need for expert solutions has never been greater. That’s where we come in. As your trusted partner for seamless data and communication solutions, we’re committed to simplifying your tech world like before.

With our cutting-edge technologies, we provide innovative solutions to simplify even the most complex tech challenges. Our team of professionals understands the intricacies of data management and communication systems, allowing us to offer tailored solutions that meet your unique needs.

At every step of the way, customer satisfaction is at the forefront of our mission. We strive to not only meet but exceed your expectations by delivering efficient, reliable, and cost-effective solutions. Join us as we embark on a transformative journey towards streamlined technology processes that will propel you ahead in today’s fast-paced world.

Global Reach and Communication Made Easy

In a globalized world, the ability to communicate seamlessly across borders is vital for businesses and individuals. With advancements in technology, connecting with people from different parts of the world has become easier than ever before.

Through our state-of-the-art solutions, we offer you the means to effortlessly reach out to colleagues or loved ones on a global scale.

Our communication tools provide an array of options that cater to your specific needs, be it video conferences with international clients, remote collaborations with team members situated in various time zones, or simply staying connected with friends and family abroad.

Our data management systems allow you to streamline information flow within your organization regardless of geographical location. With robust cloud-based solutions at your disposal, storing and accessing essential files becomes hassle-free. This enables efficient collaboration among team members spread throughout the globe while maintaining unified access and security measures.

Optimizing Your Systems and Boosting ROI

At our core, we prioritize simplifying your tech world by providing seamless solutions for data management and communication. We understand that navigating this complex realm can be overwhelming; therefore, we aim to guide you through a transformative journey towards streamlined operations.

With our professional approach and expertise in technology transformation, we help unlock new possibilities while boosting return on investment (ROI) for your business.

Our commitment to staying ahead of the curve ensures that you benefit from ongoing advancements in technology delivering sustainable long-term results.

Embrace the power of simplification as we work together towards revolutionizing your tech world like never before.

Building Lasting Partnerships for a Secure and Successful Tech Future

With the increasing importance of technology in both personal and professional spheres, it is crucial to find a trusted partner who can simplify your tech world. This is where Reciprocal comes in – with our expertise, cutting-edge technologies, and unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction.

By choosing us as your partner for seamless data and communication solutions, you are embarking on a transformative journey towards streamlined processes.

Our goal is to help businesses and individuals stay ahead of the curve by providing them with state-of-the-art tools that optimize their data management and communication systems.

We understand the fast-paced nature of the business world and recognize that managing technology can be overwhelming at times. That’s why we strive to simplify your tech world like never before through our intuitive solutions.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/simplify-your-tech-your-ally-in-seamless-data-and-communication/

Inside the Database Management System

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The significance of databases for the average business is extremely important. They are an indispensable tool for seamless operations. Without an efficient database management system (DBMS), your business will not operate optimally. This month, we aim to describe the intricacies of DBMS and its pivotal role in enhancing your business.

What is a DBMS?

A database management system is software designed to create and oversee your organization’s databases. It provides functionalities to generate new databases, update tables, swiftly retrieve information, and augment the data within. Essentially, it serves as a dashboard for sorting and viewing your organizational data.

Most DBMS titles also offer tools enabling users to customize database operations to align with specific business needs. Often, a single entity manages your business databases, with the front end supporting business management titles such as customer relationship management (CRM) programs.

The Benefits of Database Management

A DBMS yields several invaluable benefits:

Improved Data Security

The DBMS not only facilitates rapid information sharing but excels in safeguarding data. By promptly responding to database queries, it provides real-time access to data while its integrated access control system ensures that only authorized parties have access, fortifying the system’s security.

Improved Data Integration

Utilizing a DBMS allows businesses to automate the analysis of how processes in one business segment impact those in another. Previously a time-consuming manual task, this process is now streamlined, delivering quicker and more accurate results.

Consistency and Regulatory Compliance

A DBMS guarantees the accuracy and consistency of your data view. Centralized data management, coupled with intrinsic privacy and security benefits, ensures compliance with data regulations, making the DBMS indispensable for organizations adhering to regulatory standards.

Improved Decision Making

Reliable data managed by a well-implemented DBMS surpasses loosely connected manual data. This translates to better data management, yielding actionable information that propels your business forward.

As data assumes paramount importance for organizations, possessing the tools and expertise to harness the potential of your business data is crucial. To better understand where databases fit in your business, how a DBMS functions, and the pivotal role data plays in business, give COMPANYNAME a call today at PHONENUMBER.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/inside-the-database-management-system/

Two Places Collaboration Improves a Business

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Enhancing collaboration is pivotal for the success of many businesses, and leveraging technology can exponentially improve collaborative outcomes. The challenge lies in identifying the most suitable collaboration tools for your organization’s specific needs. In this month’s newsletter, we will explore two categories of software that can enhance your organizational collaboration.

Project Management

Effective project management is crucial for ensuring the efficiency of business projects. Poor coordination can result in task redundancy and wasted efforts, impacting project costs. The primary advantage of project management software lies in improved communication and collaboration.

Real-Time Updates

Collaboration software serves as a centralized platform, enabling team members to communicate in real time. This minimizes delays in information relay, ensuring everyone stays consistently informed. Instant messaging, updates, and project discussions can occur seamlessly, providing project managers with a structured overview to monitor progress and assign tasks efficiently.

Document Sharing and Version Control

Project management collaboration tools include features for simultaneous document sharing and version control. This prevents confusion regarding different document versions, guaranteeing that everyone has access to the latest information. This becomes particularly valuable for remote teams working from different locations.

Communications

Open lines of communication are vital for successful collaborative efforts. The following tools facilitate collaborative efficiency.

Collaboration Apps

An all-encompassing solution for teams requiring various tools to propel business forward. This app not only features built-in task management but also integrates tools like video conferencing for dynamic communication. It makes certain that collaborators are well-informed about progress.

Voice over Internet Protocol

With rising Internet speeds, VoIP offers an enterprise-level communication platform over the Internet, bypassing traditional telephone networks. Beyond improving business communication, VoIP can significantly reduce overall communication costs by eliminating the need for expensive agreements with telecommunications companies.

At COMPANYNAME, our IT professionals collaborate with businesses in AREASERVED daily to enhance their efficiency. Contact us today at PHONENUMBER to discover how we can assist you in refining your collaborative strategies through technology.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/two-places-collaboration-improves-a-business/

You Absolutely Need a Password Manager in 2024

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It doesn’t matter who you are; your age, your occupation, your employment status, your station in life—you need to make 2024 the year you get your cybersecurity hygiene in check. What we’re going to talk about today isn’t overkill, overly complicated, or expensive. This isn’t us trying to sell you on something. In fact, this is probably the easiest New Year’s Resolution you can give yourself.

First, let me start with a really quick story.

IT Technicians are Always the Family Tech Support Around the Holidays

This isn’t personally my story, but that of another IT technician. For the sake of the story, we’ll say his name is John.

Both of John’s parents are retired. They spend a lot of time together watching television and John has always helped them out by setting up streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. The television his parents had was a few years old—it still worked, but for some reason, it stopped supporting Hulu, Disney+, and a few other services. It’s such an annoying problem, and over the years, John had tried getting his parents Fire Sticks and Chromecasts and other things that would let them watch the shows they wanted to watch.

Over Thanksgiving, John brought the kids over, and his parents claimed that they couldn’t watch Disney+. John, who had set up an Amazon Firestick on the TV so they could, asked them why not?

As it turns out, his parents were still paying for the service, but never figured out how to switch the TV inputs from cable to the Firestick, and just sort of assumed it didn’t work. Granted, this older TV wasn’t helping the situation; it was slow and overly complicated to get around, there were too many remotes, it was a big mess. John ordered his parents a new television for Christmas that had everything built-in. 

(This isn’t an advertisement or endorsement for this brand of TV, but we’ve found the TCL TVs that have Roku built right in are REALLY reliable, especially for non-technical people, in case you are wondering.)

So Christmas comes, and John is setting up the television for his parents and helping them make a Roku account, and logging them into their streaming services. 

John asks his mother for each password, and each account is using the same password, and it’s the mother’s maiden name plus the year she was born, with an exclamation mark at the end.

John stops what he’s doing and says, “Listen mom, that’s not a very secure password, and you are using it for three different services?” 

His mother replies, “Oh it’s not like Netflix and Hulu know I’m using the same password.”

John says, “Mom, that’s not the point, if one of those accounts gets compromised, other people can get into your other stuff too.”

Mom: “I don’t know anybody who knows my maiden name, and besides, it’s just Netflix. What are they going to do, watch my programs?”

This is a Dangerous Attitude to Have in 2024

Not to put down “John’s” parents. They aren’t exactly as plugged in as most of us have to be, but this way of thinking isn’t exclusive to those of us who don’t work on computers for 9 hours a day. Even so, I think a lot of people fall into this trap simply because they are too busy or preoccupied to truly think about their own cybersecurity hygiene. 

It turns out that younger generations are reported as being more likely to fall for scams and cybersecurity issues, but there is also evidence that older generations simply don’t report it when they do fall for something. 

Either way, this is a problem that doesn’t really care who is targeted. Cybercriminals don’t know your name, age, gender, or job title based on an email account or stolen credentials. They likely don’t know where you are from, what you do, or how much money you have to lose based on stolen credentials—and they likely don’t even care.

When it comes to cybersecurity, you are just a statistic.

Your Personal 2024 Cybersecurity Resolution

I promised I’d make it easy for you, that this will be the easiest New Year’s resolution you ever make for yourself. Ready?=

Get Yourself a Password Manager and Use It

You have a few options, including Keeper, Dashlane, 1Password, EnPass, Zoho Vault, and Keepass.

Here’s the thing; these password managers above are all enterprise-grade solutions. That’s a great thing when it comes to personal security too. You might think that this is overkill, but these days, having the extra protections in place just makes sense.

The biggest benefit, however, is that if you use these services in your business, you can usually get personal plans for each staff member. Keeper, for instance, costs a few dollars per user per month, but it also gives that user access to a family plan so they can secure themselves personally and give a license out to their spouse. This is a testament to just how important these organizations think cybersecurity hygiene is. 

We can help you determine the best password manager for your business—you’ll just need to call us and we can help you determine what would be the best fit, but for your personal life, any of these solutions should work great, and only cost a small yearly fee in most cases.

Once you choose a password manager, make an account, give it a strong, secure, totally unique password that doesn’t include any personal information like birthdays, pet names, anniversaries, or anything like that. Then start putting all of your accounts into it.

“But Google Chrome Saves All My Passwords!”

While this is a nice feature of your web browser, it’s never going to be as secure as a legitimate password management tool. There have been plenty of cyberattacks reported where Google Chrome passwords were exploited. It’s simply not worth the risk.

In fact, after you get all of your passwords into your password manager, you’ll want to go into Google Chrome and tell it to forget all of your passwords. 

You can do this by going into Settings > Privacy and Security and clicking Clear browsing data. Set the Time range to All time and make sure Passwords and other sign-in data is the only option selected. This will remove all stored passwords in Chrome. Obviously only do this when you are sure you’ve captured everything into your new password manager.

Change All Of Your Passwords Over the Next Few Months

This is a harder task. I did this for myself a year ago, and took a day off of work just to accomplish it. I went through every single account I have—there were over 300—and reset every single password to make it as secure and random as possible. 

Make each account a unique password using the random password generator tool in your password manager. Sure, you won’t be able to memorize your Facebook password or your Netflix password, but that’s not your responsibility anymore. That’s why you have the password manager.

Password managers can help you become more secure. Most will warn you when you reuse passwords or do things that are lazy or sloppy, so it can help you be more accountable when it comes to your online security.

It doesn’t matter how connected you are, or how small of a target you think you might be; being secure is your responsibility.

If you need help setting up a password manager, don’t hesitate to give us a call at PHONENUMBER to get started.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/you-absolutely-need-a-password-manager-in-2024/

Is Free Antivirus Free of Benefits?

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Remember the era when antivirus software, like most computer programs, came packaged in hefty textbook-sized boxes on store shelves? Fortunately, those days are over. Today, there are a myriad of antivirus options available with a very basic Google search. Having so many options can overwhelm someone looking for basic protection for themselves, so today we thought we would look at free antivirus and whether or not it can be an option. 

You often get what you pay for, so there is some built-in skepticism about free antivirus.

On one hand, any software developer can create “antivirus” software. Often, malware disguises itself as “free antivirus” or “free Internet security software”  distributed online, often using deceptive ads that give users the illusion that they’ve been breached and the software will remediate the situation. Unfortunately, it only exacerbates it and your system is saddled with malware. Most of these scams mimic established antivirus brands or name-drop Microsoft Windows to appear legitimate, but they definitely cause more harm than good.

On the other hand, there exist genuine free antivirus solutions, either entirely free or offering a basic set of features without cost. These are developed by reputable cybersecurity firms that contribute not only software but also engage in extensive research and investigative work in the realm of information security to stay at the forefront of protection.

Some of these reputable companies, in no specific order, include Acronis, Avast, AVG, Bitdefender, Eset, Kaspersky, Microsoft, Norton, Trend Micro, SentinelOne, and Sophos.

While free antivirus software performs its primary function effectively—scanning files to prevent malware—it lacks some premium features, such as the ever-necessary phishing protection and continuous monitoring. Additionally, these free versions may prompt users to upgrade, constantly. These reminders can get extremely annoying. 

When is free antivirus suitable for your computer or laptop? For personal computers with minimal sensitive data, family home computers, or travel laptops used for entertainment purposes, a reputable free antivirus solution is likely adequate. Conversely, when dealing with sensitive information, online banking, or business-related activities, upgrading to a more robust protection plan is advisable.

Businesses should always avoid free antivirus and consumer-focused premium solutions. They just aren’t robust enough and that can wreak havoc with any organization’s compliance responsibilities. Businesses should choose centrally managed antivirus systems deployed across the network, ensuring every device receives proper protection, updated virus definitions, and additional security services to combat various threats.

Unfortunately, the days of relying solely on antivirus are long gone. Organizations need comprehensive cybersecurity with layers of protection, including active threat monitoring, firewalls, data encryption, phishing prevention, and employee cybersecurity training. Achieving compliance standards while safeguarding your business requires a customized approach. Reciprocal Technologies technicians can help implement a network security solution that is just right for your organization’s needs. To learn more contact us at (317) 759-3972.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/is-free-antivirus-free-of-benefits/

How to Implement a New Year’s Resolution for Your Business

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We’d like to extend a very Happy New Year to all of our followers! The new year is a perfect time to make resolutions, particularly for your business. Let’s look at some common areas where a resolution might prove to be an effective motivator for change within your business, as well as how you can commit to it long-term.

Work Smarter, Not Harder

The old adage makes for an effective resolution, especially when you are trying to instigate some sort of change. Consider your processes and how you might make them clearer or more effective so that you can reach your desired outcomes.

The SMART goals framework is an ideal way to work toward your resolution. These goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely. Be sure to consider the exact thing that you want to accomplish, as well as a hard deadline for when you want to have achieved it by.

Get Your Team Involved

Your team has a varied set of skills, perspectives, and expertises, and you can call upon them all to ensure your goals are effective. Your employees will also feel like they have a personal stake in the goal, as you are involving and engaging them in something important.

This sense of shared responsibility will prove vital to the success of your business, and especially for committing to your resolution. To this end, select resolutions that everyone can participate in to some extent. This will provide opportunities for professional growth, as well as for employees to take ownership of their part in the whole process—all vital components of employee retention strategy.

Don’t forget to take care of your employees, too. Providing them with the wellness benefits to live a healthy and happy life, as well as work/life balance, will go a long way.

Segment Goals Into Steps

Now that you have a goal and people to help you work toward it, you can start to talk strategy. We recommend you split your goal up into smaller and more manageable steps based around the overall objective.

With these smaller parts, you take away the most overwhelming part of your goal and make it much easier to handle. You can also adjust your approach more easily, as the steps will be more fluid and flexible by virtue of being smaller.

Measure Your Progress

Making decisions is made much easier when you know whether or not they have historically been effective. Keep records of things you have changed or adjusted, then use that data to make more informed decisions that help you work toward your goals. It also helps to improve employee motivation because it shows that their efforts have been effective.

Additionally, the more perspectives you have on an issue, the better. One employee might see data in a specific way, while another might see it from a different lens. With multiple viewpoints to call upon, you can ensure that you are taking a holistic look at the goals you have on deck and adjust your approach accordingly.

Implement Technology to Facilitate Your Needs

A lot of problems and inefficiencies with businesses can be resolved with the right technology solution. This is where Reciprocal Technologies excels; we can help your business get the right technology at the right price, implemented and maintained by our expert technicians. You’ll find that we can make any technology implementation for your New Year’s resolution much easier.

Let Us Help Your Business

New Year’s resolutions are not always easy to follow, but if you approach them intelligently, and with enough support to back you up, they can be much easier to manage. To get started with technology services for a new year, reach out to us at (317) 759-3972 today.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/how-to-implement-a-new-year-s-resolution-for-your-business/

Keep Your Users Happy with Managed Technology Support Services

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Making IT decisions while balancing the user experience—including their complaints—can be exhausting. As a decision maker for your business, you have a budget to consider, as well as a timeline to manage. You’ll have to say no, which no one likes to hear, but it’s a necessary part of running your organization effectively.

How to Say No While Keeping Your Users Happy

If you want to keep your business profitable, you have to make sure you’re not hemorrhaging funds on unexpected expenses. You have to ensure that any purchases are in line with your budget, but this gets increasingly more difficult to do the more vocal your team becomes about inefficiencies or issues related to their technology.

More often than not, if a user starts to speak out about a problem they have with their technology, they have probably been dealing with that problem for a while already. Nobody likes to be the bearer of bad news, but if your company has applications that routinely fail to live up to users’ expectations, we have to say that it’s likely impacting your profits.

All that said, balancing users’ demands with your business’ needs is far from easy, and it requires a careful analysis of the cost versus the benefit.

Of course, inefficient technology can also cost your organization in lost time and productivity—and time is an asset that you cannot get back.

One way you can assuage your team’s demands is to make tech support as easy and accessible as possible, and we’re here to tell you that you can do this without costing your company an arm and a leg. When you work with Reciprocal Technologies, you can give your team access to technology professionals who can provide tech support without needing to run it through management.

Let Your Users Get IT Support On Their Terms

When you make technical support more accessible and less worrisome for your business, you’re saving them from struggling with inefficiencies. You won’t worry about the per-call costs or the hourly billable time that some companies might charge to your organization. Instead, you can enjoy several benefits, all of which make your business more profitable and less wasteful with its time and resources.

Find Faster Solutions

It’s easy to get fast help with your technology challenges. All an employee has to do is submit a ticket or call tech support. There is no need to get prior authorization, and issues can be resolved before they impact other areas of your business.

Keep Issues Less Involved

It’s important that issues involve as few people as possible, as time is of the essence and no one likes to get pulled into situations that they are just not needed to deal with.

Empower Your Employees

If you give your team the power to take action and make their experience with your business more enjoyable, they will produce better work and feel more responsible for their successes and failures. It also helps that they will know they can resolve a problem on their own without having to jump through management hoops.

Save Valuable Resources

IT services and contracts can be pricey, but comparatively speaking, working with IT management services is going to be cheaper than the alternatives—especially when you consider that these services can also be implemented in conjunction with ongoing maintenance, monitoring, and security. You can make sure that all of your support needs are taken care of with one easy expense.

Implement Managed Help Desk and Tech Support Services Today

We know you don’t have time to authorize every single technology support challenge your team faces day in and day out. Let us help you with our managed services. Learn more by calling us today at (317) 759-3972.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/keep-your-users-happy-with-managed-technology-support-services/

The Promise of Blockchain Is as a Transformative Technology

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Blockchain has increasingly become a technology you hear about, but you may not completely understand how it works. It’s often painted as a controversial technology because the corrupt behaviors of people managing cryptocurrency exchanges have put a negative sheen on the technology. The technology, however, has a wide range of applications across various industries due to its decentralized, secure, and transparent nature. Let’s take a look at a couple of the uses for blockchain. 

Cryptocurrencies and Financial Transactions

Obviously, the most noteworthy use of blockchain technology is as the underlying construct for cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. The technology enables secure, transparent, and completely decentralized financial transactions without the need for financial intermediaries that tend to siphon off a slice of that money for their own benefit. 

Another use of blockchain is as the basis for smart contracts. These self-executing contracts have the terms of the agreement directly written into code. They automatically execute and enforce the terms when predefined conditions are met. 

Supply Chain Management

Blockchain can be used to create a transparent and immutable ledger for tracking the origin, manufacturing, and distribution of products in the supply chain. This not only enhances transparency, it can effectively reduce the risk of fraud or counterfeiting. The technology also enables real-time updates and visibility into the movement of goods, helping companies optimize their supply chain processes.

Identity Management

Blockchain can be used to create a decentralized and secure identity management system. Individuals can have control over their personal information, and identity verification becomes more reliable and tamper-resistant. This can be helpful to ensure that the information collected is completely legitimate. Another really interesting use of blockchain as it regards identity is as a very strong access control mechanism. This ensures that only authorized individuals or groups have access to information and services controlled under the access control system. 

Healthcare Data Management

Blockchain, as a technology, can be utilized to create a secure and interoperable system for managing patient records. No technology available today, including encrypted databases, ensures the integrity and privacy of health data more; and it does this while allowing authorized parties to access relevant information in a way more efficient than the typical database management system (DBMS).

Blockchain is moving forward, but much of the tools developed are being created under the radar. If you think that blockchain technology can help your business do what you do better, give the IT professionals at Reciprocal Technologies a call today at (317) 759-3972.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/the-promise-of-blockchain-is-as-a-transformative-technology/

How to Make Your Conference Room the Place to Be

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The conference room for any business is bound to be pretty interesting, and it can tell you all there is to know about a business. This is why it’s especially important to ensure your conference room gives the right impression, especially if you have clients who frequent your office. Let’s go over how you can make your conference room the best it can be!

Keep it Clean

No one likes a messy conference room, so take some time to clean it up every so often, especially before important meetings. Using it for storage is well and good from time to time, but you should be able to quickly get it into a presentable state at a moment’s notice. Really, you should be trying to avoid letting it become your go-to storage space, as this habit can quickly snowball out of control. Your conference room should be a comfortable space for meetings and presentations whenever such an event occurs.

Make Sure the Wireless Works

If you’re going to have a conference room, you’ll want to make sure that your wireless network extends to it to avoid spotty connections. In fact, we recommend that you have your wireless access point located right in the conference room to practically guarantee that anyone within it has proper access. Ensure your network is segmented out so that you can grant guest access, as well, without putting the rest of your network at risk of slowdown from guest activity. We recommend that you make it easy for guests to connect to your network, providing QR codes or NFC chips that allow guests to connect with a simple scan. It also helps to have the password in plain sight, too.

Have Wireless Peripherals to Control Your Tech

Your conference room will likely have screens in use for presenting, so you can take things one step further by having wireless devices, like a mouse or a keyboard, available for use in the conference room. This will make presentations, collaborations, and other uses for the technology a lot easier to handle. You might have a mini PC set up as an endpoint, which will be connected to all of your technology. Keep in mind that this device will need to be secured and monitored the same way any other device on your network would.

Optimize for Audio and Video

Of course, there will always be times when you have a meeting and someone cannot be there physically, requiring them to remote in through video conferencing. In moments like this, you’ll want to have solid audio and video to ensure high-quality meetings. There are solutions out there that integrate with your current IT infrastructure. We’ve seen devices that sit in the middle of the table, like a phone or a small tablet, that can easily be moved around to ensure clear audio and video, as well as control over the meeting at hand. These will help everyone feel like they can contribute to your meetings.

Let’s Modernize Your Conference Room Together

A conference room is a great place to show off your business’ best features, so don’t let your technology hold you back. To change the way your business conducts meetings for the better, call us today at (317) 759-3972.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/how-to-make-your-conference-room-the-place-to-be/

VoIP Will Transform Your Business’ Communications

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With Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, your business can change the way it communicates and operates for the better. While it might seem like a fancier version of your current telephone infrastructure, it is much more than that; it’s a communications platform that is designed to be flexible, scalable, and dynamic in accordance with your business’ needs.

Let’s explore what your business stands to gain from a quality VoIP solution.

When you understand just what VoIP means for your company, its benefits stand out all the greater. Basically, it’s a phone solution that runs through your Internet rather than through your phone provider. Already, we can hear your brain circuits firing. “You mean we can avoid the phone company fees and just pay for the Internet?” That’s exactly what we’re saying, and your company could add this to a long list of savings that VoIP can bring about.

As you might expect, there is a lot of flexibility to be had from VoIP. You might be used to the restrictions and limitations of your old telephone landlines, and it might be difficult to imagine an office where you don’t have to design your workspace around access to these ports. And that’s without mentioning the folks who work remotely and can’t even use your in-house phone solution.

VoIP presents a solution to these challenges by making your phone system accessible to anyone who downloads the app to their smartphone or device. In fact, you can often access your phone system through the cloud, too, making it even more convenient. VoIP gives users the ability to use the application on their preferred device; all they need is an account, an Internet connection, and an assigned extension. You’ll be hard-pressed to find any other communication tool this flexible and scalable.

There are other ways VoIP offers value to your business as well. Consider the plethora of services that VoIP can come equipped with; traditional telephone simply cannot compete with these features. VoIP can be connected with all kinds of services that can bring your communications infrastructure into the 21st century, such as video conferencing, instant messaging, file sharing, and so on.

To learn more about how your business can benefit from VoIP, we recommend you call Reciprocal Technologies. Our technicians can provide you with advice and solutions designed specifically for your needs. Find out more by calling (317) 759-3972.

from: https://reciprocaltech.com/blog/voip-will-transform-your-business-communications/