LSeven Solutions Blog

On September 10th, 2013, a new ransomware known as Trojan:Win32/Crilock.A began attacking computers all over the Internet, locking users out of their PCs and putting sensitive information at risk. If your computer gets it, then you're in for a world of hurt. Here are the details on what this virus does and what you can do to prevent it.

When your network's security is doing its job and keeping your business safe, it's easy to not think about it because you don't feel the heat from any threats. Just because you're not feeling the heat, however, doesn't mean you're out of the kitchen. Even if you enjoy strong security, you will still need to perform regular security maintenances.

If you use a smartphone to take personal pictures and post them to the Internet, then you may unknowingly be posting more about yourself than you want to, like where and when the picture was taken. This information in the hands of the wrong person can lead to dangerous consequences, like theft of your property, your identity, or even kidnapping.

Having a strong firewall to protect your computer is an important investment. The casual PC user may not think twice about their firewall because they use the firewall built-in with their Windows OS, but the complexity of your business demands a stronger solution.

With an increase in Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attacks and packet flooding volume, its evident that hackers are using compromised web servers for their malicious activities. By infecting servers, these dastardly infiltrators create a Zombie command-and-control center to direct their malicious activities from.

If you have been following international news headlines with stories like WikiLeaks spreading confidential documents, and recent revelations about a US surveillance scandal, it kind of feels like we are in the middle of Spy vs. Spy. As nations look for stronger security solutions to protect themselves, Russia is looking to older technology to keep their communications safe.

How vulnerable is your sensitive data on your PC to unwanted threats? Can anyone who gains access to your computer be able to easily find this data and do whatever they wish to it? If these files were encrypted and then hidden from view, you can neutralize the possibility of it happening.

Driving a powerful car can be an exhilarating experience, but if you have no idea what you're doing, it can be dangerous. This is why governments require drivers to pass a safety class before they can speed down the road encased in steel and glass. The Internet is also a powerful tool that can be exciting, beneficial, and dangerous.

While there are some startup businesses reading this that have not used anything older than Windows 7, there are other companies out there that are more seasoned and have been using their computer system for decades. Legacy companies like this may have found it difficult to open old files with newer systems; here's how to fix this using Microsoft Office.

As smartphone ownership continues to rise (175 million cellphones sold last year in the US), so too does smartphone theft. Take San Francisco, CA as an example, half of all robberies reported last year were phone-related. To help curb this trend, crime fighting agencies are seeking help from phone manufacturers in developing a smartphone kill switch.

The whole purpose of having a network infrastructure is to allow different users to access and share needed files and applications. With your data centralized to a server, you will need to have a system in place that allows certain people up-to-date permissions to access needed files from every computer. This is where Active Directory comes in.

You know that having a strong firewall is a key component to having strong network security, but do you how firewalls work? Firewalls take their name from the protective barriers that keep buildings and engines safe from fire. While it’s unlikely that your computer is in danger of incineration, a firewall does protect it from cyber-threats; here’s how!

May 4th is Star Wars Day (May the fourth be with you). In celebration of our favorite space saga, we thought that we would write about our dream job; providing IT support for the mother of all technologies, the Death Star from Star Wars.

The Internet has given us many new and exciting ways to transact business. The newest frontier is in regards to a virtual currency called Bitcoins that is unregulated and accepted by Internet users worldwide. Bitcoins may be too much of a novelty for your business to take seriously, but that does not discredit it as an interesting investment opportunity.

What do hackers look for when choosing a victim? While there are hackers out there that specialize in targeting high-profile companies and executives (a hacking method call whaling), most hackers do a broad sweep of the Internet and choose the easiest targets. If your company has weak network security, then you have a target on your back.

As an IT company, we get excited about the newest computer hardware and software. We try to convince everybody that upgrades are great, but some people cannot be shaken from their devotion to what is familiar and refuse to upgrade their tech. In our experience, here are the three biggest reasons why upgrades are avoided.

Microsoft will be dishing out multiple security updates this week, including four critical patches for Windows, Internet Explorer, Office, and SharePoint Server. Critical updates are considered Microsoft's highest threat rating, so installing these patches is important.

The Windows family of operating systems (OS) have different power-saving modes for users to take advantage of if they find themselves away from their workstation or mobile computing device. Windows 8 features three: Sleep, Hibernate, and Hybrid Sleep.

The largest and most important components of your network is your servers. Technically, you can line up your servers on a big table and they will work, but if you want to get the most out of your servers, then we recommend using a server rack.

Even if you are using the best antivirus software available, sensitive company data can still be compromised by users falling victim to phishing scams. Phishing is a tactic where scammers trick users into giving out their personal information, usually through deceptive spam e-mails. Looking to fry bigger fish, scammers are trying their luck at whaling.