855-556-4677 www.azcompit.com
MARCH 2019
Empowering Small Practices to Deliver the Best Care
IT
World famous cryptographer Bruce Schneier once said, “Only amateurs attack machines; professionals target people.” The reason is simple. While technology improves all the time, humans are prone to making mistakes. A hacker has no idea how sophisticated a defense system will be until they make an effort to penetrate it. However, they know exactly how to prey on unsuspecting employees to bring a computer network to its knees. People make mistakes. It’s one of the basic facts of life and certainly something you’ve experienced as a business owner. No matter how many failsafes you put in place, your employees will eventually leave the building without arming the alarm system. No matter how many times you make it a company-wide mandate to clean your dishes, somebody will still leave a crusty plate in the sink. However, when it comes to mistakes that compromise your cybersecurity, you don’t always have a chance to fix them. When small businesses get hacked, they have over a 50 percent chance of closing within six months. It makes absolutely no sense that employers don’t spend time training their teams on how to behave safely online. In an effort to help you understand why training is so essential, I want to detail three ways hackers use human vulnerability to penetrate networks and access private information. When you see things from a hacker’s perspective, it’s easy to see why humans are the easiest targets. SOCIAL ENGINEERING In the world of computer science, social engineering refers to the process by which a hacker exploits a person into giving up confidential information, most commonly through phishing emails. Using cues that a user finds comfortable and familiar, a cybercriminal places a nefarious link within an innocent-looking email. At their worst, phishing emails look like an elementary school attempt to mimic an official message. At their best, however, they can be extremely convincing. JUST MACHINES And Some of Those Humans Are Your Employees HACKERS ATTACK HUMANS, NOT
The best way to defend against social engineering is training. If an employee doesn’t understand the threat of phishing, there’s no reason for them to be skeptical of emails they receive. You can even set up pseudo-phishing tests to let you know which team members are most susceptible to clicking on something they shouldn’t. FAILURE TO UPDATE AND COMPLY Like it or not, some of your employees are going to try to bypass any safe internet measures you implement. According to cybersecurity firm Dtex Systems, 95 percent of businesses have one such employee on staff. It’s important to make sure all employees follow whatever security rules you establish. There’s no worse fate than suffering a preventable attack because one person thought it was no big deal to install Facebook Messenger on a company laptop. The biggest compliance issue is updating apps and software. Many people regard updating as a nuisance, even though it rarely take longer than a few minutes. These updates contain the latest security fixes, which are a crucial line of defense. Without them, you make your system a target for hackers. THE PROVERBIAL INSIDE MAN Even worse than employees who don’t regard the rules as important are those who act intentionally against the interests of your company. In the vast majority of cases, people who sell confidential login credentials or other private information are disgruntled employees who are angry about being fired. To keep this from happening, deactivate accounts the second somebody is no longer an employee. These favored methods for hackers prove just how essential employee training is for proper cybersecurity. We can help your team learn the tools and gain the awareness required to deter criminals. It’s part of our job. –Byron Adams
855-556-4677 AZCOMP Technologies www.azcompit.com • 1
Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.TheNewsletterPro.com
Passwords subsection, you’ll find alerts regarding the strength and uniqueness of your passwords. The app can even tell you if you’re using the same password for multiple accounts. It’s an awesome way to get a quick snapshot of a crucial aspect of online security. SCREEN TIME MONITORING For the past few versions of its mobile operating system, Apple has included features that allow users to be more mindful of their device usage. The latest is Screen Time, which can be found in the Settings app. It allows users to monitor how much time they spend on their phones down to time spent on specific apps. When you realize you’re wasting too many hours using an app, you can set limits that will disable it once you’ve been on it for a prescribed amount of time. BETTER APPLE MUSIC SEARCH Those who choose Apple Music over Spotify often lament that they have the better platform stuck under an inferior user experience. Apple has taken steps to remedy this concern, most notably in the form of a better search function. You can now search songs by lyrics, which is incredibly useful when trying to find the title of a tune stuck in your head. AWESOME, UNHERALDED IPHONE FEATURES Ways to Get More From Your Phones NEED NETWORKING OR COMPUTER HELP?
If you have an iPhone, you run the iOS operating system. Now in its 12th official iteration, the current iOS has an array of excellent features most users overlook. While Memojis are a ton of fun, they aren’t necessarily making your device more useful. These underused capabilities, on the other hand, certainly will. DOCUMENT SCANNING It may not be a glamorous or hyper-revolutionary innovation, but Apple’s integrated document scanner in the Notes app flat out works. To use it, simply tap the “+” icon above the keyboard while in the app, click “Scan Document,” and hover your camera above the document you wish to scan. Once uploaded, you’ll be able to easily read, edit, and save the document. It’s perfect for people who need to digitize documents on the go. PASSWORD STRENGTH ASSESSMENT If you’ve never opened the Passwords & Accounts section of your settings, iOS 12 gives you a very good reason to. In the Website & App SPOTLIGHT ON SHANNON TRUJILLO
Shannon Trujillo joined AZCOMP a little over six months ago. Since coming aboard, she’s been impressed with our company culture and the friendliness of her teammates. “Everyone is so nice,” she says. “The atmosphere here is just incredible. It’s a great place to come to work.” As a support technician, Shannon spends most of her day on the phone assisting our customers. “I love being able to help people resolve their issues. That’s my favorite part of my job,” she reveals.
Call our direct support line: 480-730-3055 Create a support ticket via email: ithelp@azcomp.com
Learn more about how to get unlimited computer and networking support at AzCompIt.com. DOWNLOAD OUR FREE REPORT
Protect Your Data What every small business owner must know about protecting & preserving their
“What every small business owner must know about protecting and preserving their company’s critical data and computer systems” covers the essential information you need to know to keep your network safe. If you aren’t up- to-date on the latest in security, your network will be at risk.
Outside of work, Shannon focuses her time on two major passions: animals and the outdoors. She loves to get away for a hiking or camping trip whenever she can. Though she may be one of the newest members of our team, Shannon already feels like an old friend. If you ever need to reach out to us for assistance, she will be more than happy to take the call. Shannon is a huge asset to our company, and we’re so happy to have her at AZCOMP. She’s a rising star on our support team and our reigning Indo Balance Board Competition champion.
company’s critical data & computer systems!
If you depend on your computer network to run your business, this is one report you DON’T want to skip!
This report is available for free at AzCompIt.com/Protect. Download it today to ensure your computer systems are as secure as possible. With this report, you’ll have peace of mind knowing you can spend time on spring-cleaning without worrying about the safety of your network and data.
2 • 855-556-4677 AZCOMP Technologies www.azcompit.com
RAY DALIO’S ‘PRINCIPLES: LIFE AND WORK’ Business Lessons From an Investment King While the $1,200 price is no small ask, the prestige and pedigree of a turntable designed to last lifetimes will surely have people lining up on release day. For those with a tighter budget, Technics also announced a cheaper SL-1500C model. Expect both to make serious waves this year, especially as vinyl continuously grows more popular. As it turns out, the old really does become new again. THE TECHNICS SL-1200 MK7 Amid all the rollable TVs, customizable LED displays, and other future- facing tech at CES 2019, one particular piece of equipment stole headlines: the Technics SL-1200 MK7. Those who don’t spend their days digging through dusty bins of old records may not know how big of a deal this announcement is, but it’s enough to send vinyl nerds into a frenzy. That’s because there is no turntable more revered than the SL-1200. It’s been namechecked in songs by A Tribe Called Quest, but it’s also been off the market for a decade, which makes its return all the more noteworthy. When Panasonic revived the Technics brand in 2016, they did so with an audiophile turntable priced well above what the average DJ could afford. The backlash was swift and severe, with naysayers claiming Technics had abandoned their core audience. Therefore, the arrival of a new SL-1200 was welcomed with open arms. A Return to Form for the World’s Most Beloved Turntable through Giving Pledge, he also knows that life isn’t all about money. Dalio combines his professional and personal insights in “Principles: Life and Work,” which is one of the must-read business books of the past five years. “Principles” begins with something akin to a brief autobiography, but Dalio isn’t interested in providing readers with the full scope of his life or recounting poignant memories. Instead, this section of the book, titled “Where I’m Coming From,” seeks to provide context and perspective on the principles that follow. Once the groundwork is laid, Dalio takes readers through his principles and gives examples of how they’ve played out in real life. “Principles are fundamental truths that serve as the foundations for behavior that gets you what you want out of life,” he writes. Among Dalio’s core tenets is an adherence to “Radical Truth” and “Radical Transparency” in leadership. Few people have achieved as much in their careers as Ray Dalio. Even fewer have done so without losing their footing in the real world. This down-to-earth quality is one of the characteristics that makes “Principles” such a refreshing read. As the founder of the megasuccessful hedge fund Bridgewater Associates and one of the world’s 100 richest people, Ray Dalio knows a thing or two about business success. As somebody who has pledged to donate more than half of his $18 billion fortune to charity
THE DRUNK ELEPHANT DIFFERENCE
“I have no background in the industry, and I never envisioned myself being an entrepreneur,” Tiffany Masterson, founder of Drunk Elephant, told Fashionista last year. Despite her lack of experience — or perhaps because of it — Masterson has created one of the most buzzed-about brands of 2019. Drunk Elephant is a skin care brand that’s challenging established industry leaders and their emergent competitors. Their success comes in large part from a transparent approach that’s light on buzzwords and heavy on facts. While many so-called alternative skin care companies will market themselves as “all natural,” Drunk Elephant takes a different approach. They are more concerned with biocompatibility, which is the ability for compounds to be safely absorbed into the skin. They’ve identified a list called the “Suspicious 6,” which comprises commonly used ingredients the company believes have no place in their products. These ingredients — essential oils, drying alcohols, chemical screens, fragrances/dyes, and sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) — often do more harm than good, hence Drunk Elephant’s insistence on ignoring them. Another core tenet of Drunk Elephant’s business model is favoring quality over quantity, which will come as a refreshing change to anyone who’s shopped for cosmetics and beauty products before. Their entire product line fits on one web page. Not only does it make it easy to find what you need, but it also won’t lock you into the paralysis that comes from having too many choices that basically seem the same. Clarity of packaging and purpose is just as important to Drunk Elephant as clarity regarding ingredients. These traits have a consumer focus that’s rare in the skin care industry — and that’s by design. Masterson’s outside status allowed her to create a company that worked for its customers first and foremost. “It didn’t even occur to me to look at other brands or try to compete or copy or emulate. I had it all in my head, and it was coming from my gut,” Masterson said. Turns out, it’s working. A No-Nonsense Approach to Skin Care
855-556-4677 AZCOMP Technologies www.azcompit.com • 3
Give us a call! 855-556-4677 www.azcompit.com
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
2500 S. Power Rd., Ste. 117 Mesa, AZ 85209 i nside this issu e
The Human Element in Cybercrime PAGE 1 Are You Getting the Most From Your iPhone? PAGE 2 Meet Shannon Trujillo PAGE 2 How Drunk Elephant Skin Care Is an Ethical Facelift PAGE 3 The Most Anticipated Turntable of the 21st Century PAGE 3 AZCOMP Leadership Library: ‘Principles’ PAGE 3 Chasing the Mavericks Inside of Us PAGE 4
By Natasha A ROCKET TAKES FLIGHT
AZCOMP’s fifth core value, “We Chase Mavericks,” inspires us to see challenges as opportunities. The name of the value may come from the world of surfing, where big waves are both a challenge and an opportunity, but its spirit can be seen in so many stories of human triumph. I recently came across the journey of Charlie Jabaley — aka Charlie Rocket. He was brave enough to chase a challenge inside his own mind and body. Before he turned 30, Charlie Jabaley became a millionaire. As a successful hip-hop mogul with wads of cash and a glamorous lifestyle, Charlie had everything a young person could possibly dream of. But what he didn’t have was his health. Charlie was the self-proclaimed “chubby kid” growing up and struggled with weight issues. “I was gaining weight,” he writes in a Runners World story about his experience, “but I was also always on a diet … I got so big I didn’t want to leave the house.”
Charlie had another pressing concern that spurred him to address his weight issues once and for all: a brain tumor. While benign, the tumor started to grow again in 2016, forcing Charlie to make a decision. “I picked the most difficult thing in the world I could imagine to accomplish,” he says. “[It was] something so big and so bold that when I told people I was gonna do it, I was forced to follow through.” That something was an Ironman triathlon. Charlie created a “superhero alter ego,” Charlie Rocket, to help propel him to his goal. In March of last year, Charlie completed his Ironman, but he hasn’t stopped there. He used his story as the basis for a fan-made Nike ad that went viral, earning over 1 million views. His goal now is to continue to work on his health. “I’m still on my journey,” he notes. “Still about 30 pounds overweight.” Charlie uses his story to help others chase their own Mavericks and turn their challenges into opportunities. We should all follow his example.
4 • 855-556-4677 AZCOMP Technologies www.azcompit.com
Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.TheNewsletterPro.com
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs