Is identity theft just a problem for people who submit information online?
You can be a victim of identity theft even if you never use a computer. Malicious people may be able to obtain personal information (such as credit card numbers, phone numbers, account numbers, and addresses) by stealing your wallet, overhearing a phone conversation, rummaging through your trash (a practice known as dumpster diving), or picking up a receipt at a restaurant that has your account number on it. If a thief has enough information, he or she may be able to impersonate you to purchase items, open new accounts, or apply for loans.
The Internet has made it easier for thieves to obtain personal and financial data. Most companies and other institutions store information about their clients in databases; if a thief can access that database, he or she can obtain information about many people at once rather than focus on one person at a time. The Internet has also made it easier for thieves to sell or trade the information, making it more difficult for law enforcement to identify and apprehend the criminals.
How are victims of online identity theft chosen?
Identity theft is usually a crime of opportunity, so you may be victimized simply because your information is available. Thieves may target customers of certain companies for a variety of reasons; for example, a company database is easily accessible, the demographics of the customers are appealing, or there is a market for specific information. If your information is stored in a database that is compromised, you may become a victim of identity theft.

Are there ways to avoid being a victim?
Unfortunately, there is no way to guarantee that you will not be a victim of online identity theft. However, there are ways to minimize your risk:

• Do business with reputable companies – Before providing any personal or financial information, make sure that you are interacting with a reputable, established company. Some attackers may try to trick you by creating malicious web sites that appear to be legitimate, so you should verify the legitimacy before supplying any information. 
• Take advantage of security features – Passwords and other security features add layers of protection if used appropriately. 
• Check privacy policies – Take precautions when providing information, and make sure to check published privacy policies to see how a company will use or distribute your information.  Many companies allow customers to request that their information not be shared with other companies; you should be able to locate the details in your account literature or by contacting the company directly.
• Be careful what information you publicize – Attackers may be able to piece together information from a variety of sources. Avoid posting personal data in public forums. 
• Use and maintain anti-virus software and a firewall – Protect yourself against viruses and Trojan horses that may steal or modify the data on your own computer and leave you vulnerable by using anti-virus software and a firewall. (Consider getting signed up for a monthly service that monitors and fixes these problems like we do here) Make sure to keep your virus definitions up to date.
• Be aware of your account activity – Pay attention to your statements, and check your credit report yearly. You are entitled to a free copy of your credit report from each of the main credit reporting companies once every twelve months. 

How do you know if your identity has been stolen?Companies have different policies for notifying customers when they discover that someone has accessed a customer database. However, you should be aware of changes in your normal account activity. The following are examples of changes that could indicate that someone has accessed your information:

• unusual or unexplainable charges on your bills
• phone calls or bills for accounts, products, or services that you do not have
• failure to receive regular bills or mail
• new, strange accounts appearing on your credit report
• unexpected denial of your credit card

What can you do if you suspect or know that your identity has been stolen?Recovering from identity theft can be a long, stressful, and potentially costly process. Many credit card companies have adopted policies that try to minimize the amount of money you are liable for, but the implications can extend beyond your existing accounts. To minimize the extent of the damage, take action as soon as possible:

• Start by visiting IdentityTheft.gov – This is a trusted, one-stop resource to help you report and recover from identity theft. Information provided here includes checklists, sample letters, and links to other resources.
• Possible next steps in the process – You may need to contact credit reporting agencies or companies where you have accounts, file police or other official reports, and consider other information that may have been compromised.

Other sites that offer information and guidance for recovering from identity theft are:

• Federal Trade Commission – https://www.consumer.ftc.gov
• United States Department of Justice – https://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/websites/idtheft.html
• Social Security Administration – https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10064.pdf

Just making a few small changed to your desk space can maximize your performance and productivity at work. Try these simple desk hacks and see how much you improve your focus.

1. Add a Plant!
2. Purchase a better light
3. Use Peppermint Oil
4. Chew Gum
5. Use Noise Cancelling Headphones
6. Use a Gaming Keyboard
7. Have a Throw Blanket
8. Add a Letter Tray
9. Get a Stopwatch
10. Gaze into the Distance
11, Install a Notification-Blocking App
12. Get a Stress Toy

Check out the infographic for more details.

How do I detect a virus?
It’s not always obvious that your computer is infected. Some of the warning signs your PC or laptop might have a virus are:

• A very slow running computer
• Pop-up messages that appear out of nowhere and are hard to get rid of
• Computer programs starting that you don’t recognize or didn’t start up yourself
• You can hear the sound of the hard drive in constant action

Any one of these symptoms might be caused by a virus. If you’re experiencing two or three of them at the same time, that’s a strong indication that you’ve got a virus. If you haven't already, download an antivirus program now. (You can download free antivirus from AVG and have it running in just a few minutes.)
If your PC or laptop does have a virus, take the following actions (we have Mac info at the bottom):
#1 Remove the virus

• Step 1: Enter Safe Mode
  
  Do this by turning your computer off and on again. Then, as soon as you see anything on the screen, press the F8 button repeatedly. This brings up the Advanced Boot Options menu. From there, choose Safe Mode with Networking and press Enter. For now, keep your PC disconnected from the Internet.
• Step 2: Delete Temporary Files
  
  While you're in Safe Mode, you should delete your Temporary Files using the Disk Cleanup tool:
  1. Go to the Start menu
  2. All Programs (or just Programs)
  3. Accessories
  4. System Tools
  5. Disk Cleanup
  6. Scroll through the Files To Delete list, and choose Temporary Files
  Deleting these files might speed up the virus scanning you’re about to do and could even get rid of a virus if it was programmed to start when your computer boots up.
• Step 3: Download a Virus Scanner
  
  There are two types of scanners that can detect and delete computer viruses and malware: real-time and on-demand:
  • A real-time scanner, like AVG AntiVirus FREE, scans for viruses in the background while you’re using your computer.
  • An on-demand operating system scanner, like Microsoft Safety Scanner, needs to be run manually each time you want to scan.
  Using both types of scanner might be necessary to remove the virus. So if you don’t have a virus scanner installed, this is the time to reconnect to the internet and download it.
  Even if you can’t connect to the internet you might still be able to download Microsoft Safety Scanner because you started up your computer in Safe Mode with Networking.
• Step 4: Run a Virus Scan
  
  Run the on-demand scanner first, then your real-time scanner. One of them should be able to identify the virus and remove it. But running both scanners increases your odds of success.

If need be, remove a virus manually
Some viruses must be removed manually. You should only attempt this if you are experienced at using the Windows Registry and know how to view and delete system and program files. If you’re not sure, contact an IT expert like Hands of Support who specialize in removing viruses.
#2 Recover or reinstall any damaged files or software
Assuming the scan detected and removed the virus, you might need to reinstall any files or programs that were damaged by the virus.
This is where backups come in handy, and we strongly recommend you make them regularly.
#3 Improve your defenses
Keep your protection up to date
Updating your antivirus software will help protect your laptop or PC against viruses and malware. Keeping it up to date is critical because new viruses are being created all the time – so even if you bought your antivirus a month ago, it might need updating now. 
Make backups
Make regular backups of your files and store them on an external hard drive. This can help prevent the loss of important information should you get another virus. If you haven't been making backups before, now is a good time to start.
#4 Take proactive steps to prevent getting another one
Here are some quick and easy things you can do to avoid downloading a virus again:

• Install the latest software updates for Windows
• Install an antivirus program
• Back up your data regularly
• Avoid clicking on pop-up messages that claim to have detected a problem with your computer
• Be wary of opening emails from addresses you don’t recognize, especially if they contain a link or an attachment

​
Getting rid of a virus or malware on a Mac
Many Mac users think they can’t get viruses or malware. This isn’t true, even though the amount of viruses and malware targeting Mac computers is lower than for PCs and laptops.
Some well-known examples of malware for Mac computers include:

• MacDefender
• MacProtector
• MacSecurity

These names give the impression of being antivirus products but they are all malicious and designed to fool Mac users into submitting their credit card or Apple ID account details. Do not download them.
The two main risks Mac users might face are false alert messages and previously installed malware. If you see any kind of message while browsing the internet along the lines of “a problem has been detected with your Mac” – this is highly likely to be an attempt to get you to download malware.

• Ignore the message. If you did download anything from the site, quit Safari (or whichever browser you’re using), go to the Downloads folder and drag any items in there to the Trash. Then empty the Trash. Avoid visiting the website again because it’s possible it has been hacked.
• If you think malware has already been installed on your Mac – especially if you’re seeing pop-up messages asking for your Apple ID or credit card details – quit the app / software you think might be infected, launch your Activity Monitor and locate the app in question, or search for the malware named above. When you’ve identified the malware, click the Quit Process button and quit the Activity Monitor. Then go into your Applications folder and drag the unwanted software into the Trash, emptying it afterwards.
• Finally, make sure all your software and apps are up to date and that you’ve installed the latest OS fixes and updates directly from Apple.

As with a PC, it is a good idea to add protection. The right Mac software should be designed to clean up your files, free up disk space, deliver automatic virus database updates, and manage your online privacy.

Final Word
It’s critical to have the latest antivirus installed if you want to stand the best chance of removing a virus or malware and keeping your computer safe and personal data protected. If you’re not sure when you last updated your antivirus, now is the time to check and update it.

1. Update your Virus Definitions
2. Complete Data Backup
3. Do a complete Anti-Virus Scan
4. Do a Malware/Spyware Scan
5. Update Windows
6. Delete Unused Programs
7. Delete Unused Files
8. Run Disk Clean up/Defragment
9. Update Your Programs
10. Clean Dust / Organize Cords.

Hands of Support offers a monthly managed program for as low as $39.99 per month. We can keep your computer happy and running smooth, removing all hurdles that keep you from being productive. After all, most managers surveyed say its 75% more disruptive to have a computer go down than have an employee call out sick.

It may not seem like a big deal now, but the telegraph was the first way to send messages across the country in a flash. The telegraph was invented around 17 years before a President used it. But Abraham Lincoln modernized communications in the government when he forced its members to use the telegraph. Before Lincoln, if someone in the government needed to send a telegram that person would walk over to a public telegraph office just like anyone else. By 1865, the telegraph would be one of the major reasons (along with railroads and manufacturing) that the North won the Civil War.

Only a year after Alexander Graham Bell spoke the first words on the phone to Mr. Watson, Rutherford B. Hayes installed a phone in the White House. It was a direct line to the Treasury. The phone number was 1. Just the number 1. I guess that was the first "red phone" in the White House, because the country was in significant debt after the Civil War. President Obama erroneously quoted Hayes as not liking the phone. But Hayes was way ahead of the times.

This one is tough to call, but we're going to go with Harry Truman. FDR made remarks at the World's Fair in New York in 1939 that were broadcast on TVs on the fairgrounds. But the first over-the-air TV broadcast by a President was by Truman in 1947. What took so long? Even when Truman made his broadcast, there were only about 44,000 TVs in America.

It is widely agreed that the first personal computer in the White House was the Xerox Alto during Richard Nixon's term. It is highly unlikely he used it, however. Even Bill Clinton and George Bush did not use computers. 

Obama famously fought to keep his BlackBerry. It also became news that he gave a thumbs up on an iPhone prototype. I can only assume that in addition to using the first smartphone, he took the first selfie, sent the first text, and probably was the first to play Candy Crush Saga in the office, too.

When it comes to new technologies, many experts felt that 2017 was a bit of a letdown. But that doesn’t mean that 2018 won’t be a benchmark year for new technologies. Often times, that great new item in the tech world appear out of the darkness and overwhelm us in an exciting way. This could very well happen once again in the upcoming year.
With that said, let’s check out these 4 new technologies that could make news in 2018:
Computational Photography
There are lots of things going on when it comes to improving digital cameras. It is not that all those high-end sensors and incredibly fine glass lenses are in danger of getting replaced, but new software development are allowing brand new methods that improve small affordable cameras in a big way.
Every day we are seeing Smartphones get thinner and thinner, and amazingly we see that images they take just keep getting better and better. And software is the main reasons for this. Samsung and Apple have employed both software and dual lenses to offer amazing depth of field on their newest phones. In fact, we are seeing more and more professionals using iPhones for preliminary shooting because of their enhanced quality.
Augmented and Mixed Reality
Virtual reality (VR) didn’t catch on in 2017 in the way that many had hoped. But it is far from being dead, as Oculus is looking to get more people into the world of VR via a headset that is standalone and relatively cheap. But there still are a few minor issues like the lack of eye-tracking, and the tendency to cause nausea in a few people.
Mixed reality is a lot more interesting as it intends to incorporate virtual objects along with real world experiences. This will solve many problems of VR and offers new possibilities. 2017 did move the ball down in the field in these kinds of technologies.
Now Apple is looking to include augmented reality on some its new iPhone models and a ARkit for developers. Initially the iPhone’s AR capabilities will not go much beyond the Pokemon Go-style overlays on top of real-world environments, but they will be adding more sensors in the future.
Adobe
Adobe gets a bad rap. They happen to be one of the most exciting tech companies out there but that very few people consider them to be exciting. Actually, Adobe has already altered the world’s technological landscape dramatically. If there was no Photoshop, many of the social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and even Youtube wouldn’t be anywhere as interesting.
In 2017, Adobe tweaked many of its current products and gave us a taste of a few new ones. It unveiled a brand new version of Lightroom that has been embraced by the Tech community, and it killed Flash finally.
Adobe has shown a real commitment to using artificial intelligence when it can really enhance the quality of its products. Subtle changes like empowering Lightroom’s automatic settings using AI really improved a feature that wasn’t very useful into something that is pretty awesome. Photoshop is enhancing its “select subject” tool that will make the tedious masking and lassoing into something that will be obsolete whenever we try to cut main subjects from photos. And there is the new “Cloak” project that will allow for the removal of subjects and elements from videos.
And the most amazing thing will be the “VoCo” tool we saw demonstrated last year. It will be like a Photoshop designer for sound and will be capable of making a person’s voice say most anything. Yes, this is pretty terrifying to think about, but it is also quite amazing.
Smartwatches as Medical Devices
​While the Apple Watch could have been the most boring device that Apple ever created, but there is a grand plan for its future. These have paved the way for smartwatches, which aren’t boring in the least. In fact, these little devices could actually save our life someday.
Actually, 2017 was the year where Apple Watch got good. It was the year when FDA first approved a medical device accessory. This was the Kardiabandis which is an add-on that is able to detect a heart rate this is abnormal. Even further, a study from UCSF discovered that Apple’s heart monitor is capable of detecting abnormal heart rates at 97% accuracy when an algorithm known as DeepHeart was used along with this device. The very same research team found that this Apple Watch-DeepHeart combination could also detect sleep apnea at 90% accuracy, and even hypertension at 82% accuracy. What is amazing if that both of these conditions are difficult to detect using traditional methods.
So watch out for 2018, it could very well be a banner year for new technologies.
​

Hands of Support specializes in improving efficiency through the use of current and NEW technology resulting in an overall reduction in spending. Let us help you upgrade!

The results on a recently conducted survey proved that as much as we love each other, we’re starting to fall even more in love with technology. And as we use our connected devices more and more each day, our relationships are impacted, both positively and negatively, by that use.
On average, adults spend an equal amount of time at home online (38%) as they do interacting with others face-to-face. In fact, 40% of our survey respondents felt their significant other paid more attention to their own device when they were together one-on-one. You could even say that, for many, our devices have become the “other (wo)man” in the relationship.

And the same goes for blossoming relationships as well, with approximately a third (33%) of those surveyed saying they’ve had to compete with their date’s device for attention on a first date.
When it comes to setting parameters around device usage, the consensus is decidedly split, with 45% of respondents claiming they don’t set rules about device usage when together, and another 45% reporting getting into an argument with a friend, significant other, or family member over being on a device in another’s presence.
Though devices have managed to cause some minor riffs between couples, that doesn’t stop couples from sharing even when they shouldn’t. Out of those surveyed, nearly 30% of couples share passwords to social media accounts, 28% share passwords to personal email accounts, and most shockingly, more than 20% share their work-specific devices and accounts with their significant other.
So, whether you’re handing a password out to a loved one, or just using your device to stay connected to them, remember: it’s always important to make sure your devices are secure. Here are a few tips for staying safe while staying in love:

• Protect what matters. Your home is where everything happens. It’s where you relax with your significant other and enjoy time with loved ones—with and without your beloved devices at your side. That said, it’s important that it stays secure. 

• Show your passwords some love.  Ensure your passwords are secure and strong. Include numbers, lowercase and uppercase letters, as well as symbols. If you’re someone who knows the struggle with generating and remembering multiple unique passwords, use a password management solution to help you store and create complex passwords.

• Be careful with how personal you get. Take the time to remove unnecessary personal information from your devices that could compromise your security. The less personal data you have on a device, the safer your information will be.

• Focus on what really matters. We love our devices, but it’s important to disconnect every now and then to spend time with the important people in our lives, like friends and family. Don’t worry: your social networks and mobile games will be right there waiting for you when you get back.

And, of course, Hands of Support Computer Services is here to help if your efforts to stay secure weren't enough. 

Sitting at a desk all day can cause tension within your body and mind.  Here are some yoga poses to help counteract the negative effects of stress and constant sitting.

Sitting behind your desk every day can wreak havoc on your body.  Sitting can be relaxing, but it may not be the best for your health.  The negative effects of sitting for too long include back pain and potential injury, and you could face a fair amount of pain if you don’t take steps to make sure you stay healthy.
A little bit of exercise or stretching every day can go a long way.  Today’s infographic shows how to do simple yoga exercises that can help alleviate office aches and pains.  If sitting all day is getting in the way of you living a healthy and active life, try to incorporate these poses into your routine. Even if you don’t feel any back pain, yoga can be a fantastic way to relax and stay focused throughout the work day.
These office yoga exercises are designed to allow you to do them in the break room, your cubicle or at your desk. Stretching your muscles and activating your nervous system is going to help you feel better and give you the extra energy needed to get through the day.
A mere 10 to 20 minutes a day is going to have you feeling better and release built up tension. 

                                  Create periods of intense focus and reduce procrastination

1. Choose a task that deserves your full attention.
2. Set a timer for 25 minutes.
3. Work on the task - uninterrupted - unit the timer rings. Put a check mark on a piece of paper.
4. Take a 5 minute break.
5. Set the timer for another 25 minutes, again putting a check mark on a piece of paper. Record how many intervals it takes you to complete certain tasks.
6. When you complete four intervals, take a longer break of 20-30 minutes.
7. Repeat until you finish your task.

                                Complete your most challenging or unpleasant task first

1. Make a list of everything you need to accomplish.
2. Identify your frog (or frogs) and put them on the top of the list.
3. In the morning, eat that frog!

          Gather all tasks - big, small, personal, professional, immediate, long term - in one place

1. Capture all of you daily, monthly and big-picture tasks.
2. Clarify the tasks and make sure they're actionable.
3. Organize them into categories.
4. Reflect on the task list repeatedly: every week, month or even day.

                                               Organize to-do lists into the following buckets:

1. Action Steps: List specific tasks that are actionable items.
2. References: List any supplementary info/resources you need to get tasks done.
3. Back burners: List things that don't need to be done immediately.

Slow and virus infected computers slow down productivity exponentially. We can directly help your office productivity but getting your computers up to speed. Contact Hands of Support for a
​FREE Consultation.