Security Alert : Release (5) Held Message (NBY)-LESN (click to enlarge)

It seems like not a day goes by that one of the businesses which Homeland Secure IT assists here in the Upstate of South Carolina doesn’t reach out with a question about an email they received.

Guess what? We get them too! Today’s poorly crafted attempt has a subject of “Security Alert : Release (5) Held Message (NBY)-LESN”, but if you look at it closely, you will see that there are special characters in the subject used to fool filters.

Further examination reveals the true purpose. If you hover over the “Review All Held Message results” button, it exposes the URL, which has no association to Microsoft what-so-ever.

Anyone who clicks that link without thinking, would be taken to a site that could look just like a Microsoft site and would perhaps prompt for credentials. Without thinking, the person might be tricked into entering their login information, and the site might automatically pipe that over to an authentic Microsoft site which would send a multi-factor authentication request to the person. Then that person might approve it, thinking this is all a legitimate process.

At this point, the bad actor now has the credentials, and is logged in as that person.

The human might be presented with an screen prompting them for further action, or they may be told the mail was already released and they close it out and go about their day.

Meanwhile, the bad guys are busy putting rules in place to reroute incoming email to a folder so that the human doesn’t see it, and sending email out as the user. Or they could just be laying in wait, harvesting information from the Microsoft user, for days, weeks, months.

Don’t click on random links. Always examine them.

Suspect EVERYTHING.

If your small or medium business needs assistance in the Greenville, Spartanburg, Simpsonville, or Anderson area of the Upstate, let us know. We would be happy to discuss what we can do for you from a computer, server and network sales, service and support perspective!

864-990-4748 x201 or use our contact form.

The post 365 Security Alert – Held Message first appeared on Homeland Secure IT - Business Computers, Servers and Networks.

Having non-supported Windows 10 machines on your network means your business will fail any audits required for compliance reasons, and having these unsupported systems on your network could lead to fines and legal penalties, even if it does not result in a data breach.

A breach could open you up for lawsuits and your cyber insurance denying any claims, especially devastating if it involves PCI (Payment Card Industry) and/or HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).

Should your Upstate SC based business still have Windows 10 machines on your network, we recommend immediately turning them off and updating, or replacing them. Homeland Secure IT can help with that.

We can quote you brand new Lenovo, Dell or HP based desktops or notebooks/laptops and get your existing computers data migrated to the new machines. In some cases, if the existing computer is not too outdated, we can install Windows 11 on it.

We are always happy to work with Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson area businesses, so give us a call today at 864-990-4748 x201. You can use our contact form as well.

The post Microsoft Windows 10 End-Of-Life first appeared on Homeland Secure IT - Business Computers, Servers and Networks.

It is with a huge smile that we announce the release of the Hot As A Pepper “Move It” album which John and his band have been working on for several years!

It contains mostly original songs, with one cover that features Chip McDonald, the co-founder and singer of the band who passed in 2023.

Please check it out and add it to your playlists, and share with your friends!

Here’s the title cut, “Move It” on Spotify – the entire album is on Spotify, Apple Music, Apple iTunes, Amazon Music, iTunes, Pandora, and elsewhere.

If you want a place to celebrate New Years Eve – come to 3 Friends in TAYLORS! Hot As A Pepper with the Habanero Horns will be playing until the new year comes!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from John, Pamela and Wes!

The post New music for you! first appeared on Homeland Secure IT - Business Computers, Servers and Networks.

The quota limit for your email box is NOT nearly full

Have you received an email that stated “The quota limit for is nearly full.”?

Guess what? It’s probably NOT a legitimate email notification. Let’s examine it…

The from address could be something like the example below:
“M/S/Yourdomain <joe.yun@pitt.edu>

There’s several things wrong here. That’s not your Microsoft 365 tenant, is it?

But what about that email address? That’s not a Microsoft domain. Not even close!

Then there’s the link. Hover your mouse over it and look at the URL. Notice that it has nothing to do with Microsoft at all? DO NOT CLICK IT.

If you get these types of emails, you can safely ignore them.

If you are being inundated with them, there are options available to your business that can help.

Reach out to me via our CONTACT FORM if you would like more information.

We provide managed services and computer, network and server sales, support and consultation in the Upstate and Greenville SC area for small and medium businesses.

The post The quota limit for your email is nearly full first appeared on Homeland Secure IT - Business Computers, Servers and Networks.

Yes, they look enticing, and some sure look official, but, many are designed causing you to click on a link then prompt you for your login credentials or other information, which is then used to gain access to your accounts.

Case in point:

This email claims to be from Microsoft, explaining that your password is due to expire on the day you received it.

If you hover your mouse over the “KEEP PASSWORD” link, you will be presented with the URL it would take you to if you clicked it. That is *NOT* a Microsoft site. DO NOT CLICK IT.

If you have questions about these emails, reach out to your IT service tech or a reputable computer service provider.

If you do not have one and you are in the Upstate South Carolina area, then feel free to reach out to us at Homeland Secure IT by using our CONTACT PAGE. We provide computer and network service, sales and consultation to small and medium sized businesses in Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Simpsonville and surrounding areas.

Be safe out there!

The post Microsoft Password Expiration Notice is BOGUS first appeared on Homeland Secure IT - Business Computers, Servers and Networks.

It’s 2023 and we’re still seeing clients fall for this type of scam email designed to have you click that “View Secured Document” link. There’s several giveaways from the fact that “SharedPoint” is NOT “SharePoint”, to the origin email which is from Japan instead of a Microsoft domain.
Another big clue is when you hover over the “View Secured Document” link, you will notice that it is also not an official Microsoft site:

If you have questions regarding your business security, please reach out to us via our CONTACT FORM or call 864-990-4748×201.

We provide computer, server and network sales, service and support to Upstate South Carolina small and medium businesses. Cities like Greenville, Simpsonville, Anderson, Easley, are our preferred areas due to response time, however, we also offer managed and remote services nationwide at competitive pricing.

The post It’s 2023 – Stop falling for fake Microsoft emails! first appeared on Homeland Secure IT - Business Computers, Servers and Networks.

Why? Because after years of operation, Homeland Secure IT determined it was necessary to focus on our business clients in order to provide them with the highest level or service and the fastest possible response times.

We miss working with our home users, and we understand that great local computer businesses like CDO / Computer Direct Outlet are no longer providing sales and repairs for these end users. We refer home users to a couple providers when we can.

There’s one exception to our “no home computer” rule – we do provide some limited services to the owners of the businesses and non-profits that we serve. It makes sense because their home computers are an extension of their business office.

If you are in need of computer or server sales, service or consultation, we would love to talk with you! Also, if you need assistance with your home computer and happen to own a business that we could offer our services to, then we should talk about that too!

The post Computer Repair Service in Greenville SC first appeared on Homeland Secure IT - Business Computers, Servers and Networks.

Typical emails might be telling them:

Your o365 password is expiring
You have mail that has been quarantined
An error has occurred and your mail cannot be delivered
You have pending messages that have not been sent
Your account has been suspended

And they are prompted to take action, such as following a link to keep the same password, or to reactivate their email account.

Here’s an example email that I received:

At first glance, this email would look legit to someone not paying attention. The subject (not shown) is:
Access Log-in Due Friday, July 29, 2022

That alone sounds time critical, as that is today!

It’s saying the password has expired, but I can click that big red button and KEEP SAME ACCESS.

But hold on a minute, something is wrong. Look at that FROM address. That is *NOT* a Microsoft address. And if you hover your mouse over the “KEEP SAME ACCESS” link / button, you will see the URL it is sending you to, which is also not associated with Microsoft.

If you receive this type of email and are confused, please reach out to an IT specialist.

If you are in the Greenville, Simpsonville, Easley, Anderson, Mauldin area and need a business computer consultant or service provider, Homeland Secure IT would love to talk to you. We offer answers to your questions, and resolutions to your issues for anything your small or medium business may need that is computer, server or network related!

We offer backup solutions, patch and update management, remote and on-site support and repair, as well as sales of new computers, servers and network components.

You can contact us by calling 864-990-4748 x201 or using our CONTACT FORM.

Be safe out there!

The post Fake o365 password emails still happening first appeared on Homeland Secure IT - Business Computers, Servers and Networks.

Please stop believing everything you read when you get these emails.

Look at the links before clicking them – you can hover your mouse over the link and see where it is sending you. This one is supposedly from “Office”. But it’s not. Notice the from address has NOTHING to do with Microsoft or o365. Nor does the link, which is going to a server in Turkey, and not related to Microsoft or o365.

If you are unsure, seek professional advice.

If you do not have a company that provides IT for your Greenville or Upstate SC business, you can call us at 864.990.4748 or user our contact form. We are always happy to help.

Be safe out there!

The post Your password is not expiring first appeared on Homeland Secure IT - Business Computers, Servers and Networks.

Computer Direct Outlet is apparently gone and sorely missed by many. Four other prominent computer businesses are now closed. Some are a result of the pandemic, and one is due to the owner retiring.

Homeland Secure IT is no longer doing HOME computer repair services, we opted to focus on small and medium business computers, servers and networks – sales, service and consultation. In fact, we are busier than ever working with our client base, but we still get calls about residential services weekly.

One thing we have been doing is to offer our managed services (remote services) to home users. While it’s not the same as having a service tech go to home, in 90 percent of the cases, it will allow us to keep your computer up to date with patches and updates, monitor it for signs of failure and to connect to you to fix MOST issues that require touching the machine!

We also offer Trend Micro anti-virus, cloud backup services, Microsoft o365 and more to home users who are looking for an enhanced user experience and an additional layer of protection.

That leaves the hardware – since we closed our store front, we don’t have walk-ins. If we don’t do house calls, where does that leave you? We sell computers and offer extended warranties from the original manufacturers that feature in-home service!

If that sounds like something of interest to you, then we should talk.

If you DO need someone to come to your home, we can possibly recommend someone to do so.

Reach out to us and maybe we can help you out – we hate that the Upstate has lost some of the most well established and respected computer repair businesses that dealt with home users!

-John

864-990-4748 x 201 or use our CONTACT FORM

The post Computer Repair Services In Greenville first appeared on Homeland Secure IT - Business Computers, Servers and Networks.

If you receive an email that tells you that your Microsoft Password is expiring, look at it closely and you will notice a lot of dead giveaways that it is fake.

First off, the subject might be misspelled like this one… “Acount important Update 09/11”. That should be the first red flag that something is not right.

But wait, there’s more – if you examine the from address, if it is NOT from Microsoft.com then you probably want to ignore it – “noreply@smartwaiver.com” has nothing to do with Microsoft in this case.

And if you hover over the “Keep My Password”, you will notice THAT is a bogus URL as well, not related to Microsoft.

Should you decide to click anyway, you may be taken to a malicious site. One that asks you to fill in your credentials to authenticate – doing so just gives the bad guys your login information and they can become you.

If you are running the latest updates to Chrome, you will get a notification in many cases that the site is malicious. Please heed that warning!

Remember, to keep yourself up to date, you should start with running a currently supported operating system, such as Windows 10, or even 11, or the latest releases of Apple Mac OS, or Linux. Running older versions means you may not get the latest updates.

You should insure all current updates are applied to your computers/servers for the OS and 3rd party software.

You NEED to run adequate anti-virus. We sell and support Trend Micro Business products such as Worry-Free Business Security and Services.

Backups are essential to recovering in the event you are exploited. Make sure you have proper backups made.
We recommend Servosity and offer that to our clients.

Finally – exercise caution when following links. A little common sense goes a long way.

Remember – it’s not paranoia if they really ARE out to get you!

We are happy to consult with your small or medium business for your firewall, anti-virus, patch management, backup and other security needs. Just use our contact form, or call us at 864-990-4748 ext 201

Be safe out there!

The post Microsoft probably didn’t send that PW Expiration Notice first appeared on Homeland Secure IT - Business Computers, Servers and Networks.

We’re taking off Friday the 2nd through Tuesday the 6th to celebrate our Nation’s Independence and spend time with our families. We hope you will be able to do the same!

We will be on-call if you should have an emergency, so do not hesitate to call if you cannot get a computer or server to function and need to do payroll. We’ll return your call as quickly as possible, but we may have our mouths full of ribs, or might even be consuming an adult beverage.

God bless this amazing country and you!

—
For more information about Greenville, Upstate SC based computer, server and network sales, service and consultation – 864-990-4748 or use our CONTACT FORM

The post Happy Independence Day first appeared on Homeland Secure IT - Business Computers, Servers and Networks.

Our cloud backup and disaster recovery partner, Servosity, has offered us something that may help your company during these uncertain times…

Now through August, we can provide you with Office 365 / O365 backup AND endpoint backup (your workstations, notebooks, etc) at NO CHARGE.

If you would like more information, please use our CONTACT FORM or give us a call at 864-990-4748 x201.

The post Back it on up! Something free for you! first appeared on Homeland Secure IT - Business Computers, Servers and Networks.

If we find ourselves faced with a quarantine / lock-down situation such as in China and now Italy and Iran, where our businesses may be closed by order of the authorities, what’s YOUR backup plan?

Can you remotely access your work servers or cloud services? Is it SECURE?

Remote Desktop exposed to the world is a bad idea due to multiple vulnerabilities, but a VPN (Virtual Private Network) connection can be used to access your systems in a much more secure manner.

Assuming you already have these, have you tested them?

If you don’t have the ability to remotely access your business resources, but are interested in getting this functionality implemented, please reach out to us and let’s discuss options.

You can use our CONTACT FORM or call 864-990-4748 x201 for more information. We work with Greenville and Upstate South Carolina based businesses and non-profits exclusively.

The post Preparedness for COVID-19 / Coronavirus first appeared on Homeland Secure IT - Business Computers, Servers and Networks.

Merry Christmas!!!!!

May this holiday and the new year be filled with joy and happiness, and your time spent with family & friends, not fighting with your computers and networks!

Be safe if you are road-tripping!

We will be closing the office early today, the 24th and return Friday the 27th. However, as always, should you need us for computer or network support, you can leave a message at 864-990-4748 or use our CONTACT FORM and will get back to you promptly!

If you don’t get everything you are hoping for from Santa, such as a the shiny new notebook computer, call us on Monday!

And here’s a story for you………

I first read this story on a University of Arkansas computer system sometime before 1985 and promptly typed it up and put it on my BBS (Non-Prophet BBS) for people to read. I have sent it in email, and “snail mail” for the last 34 years or so…  I still get a kick out of it.   If anyone knows the author, please contact me so I can give credit and thank them. – John M. Hoyt

‘Twas The Night Before Christmas – (VERY DATED) Computer Version

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the shop,
The computers were whirring; they never do stop.
The power was on and the temperature right,
In hopes that the input would feed back that night.

The system was ready, the program was coded,
And memory drums had been carefully loaded;
While adding a Christmasy glow to the scene,
The lights on the console, flashed red, white and green.

When out in the hall there arose such a clatter,
The programmer ran to see what was the matter.
Away to the hallway he flew like a flash,
Forgetting his key in his curious dash.
He stood in the hallway and looked all about,
When the door slammed behind him, and he was locked out.

Then, in the computer room what should appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer;
And a little old man, who with scarcely a pause,
Chuckled: “My name is Santa…the last name is Claus.”

The computer was startled, confused by the name,
Then it buzzed as it heard the old fellow exclaim:
“This is Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen,
And Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen.”

With all these odd names, it was puzzled anew;
It hummed and it clanked, and a main circuit blew.
It searched in its memory core, trying to “think”;
Then the multi-line printer went out on the blink.

Unable to do its electronic job,
It said in a voice that was almost a sob:
“Your eyes – how they twinkle – your dimples so merry,
Your cheeks so like roses, your nose like a cherry,

Your smile – all these things, I’ve been programmed to know,
And at data-recall, I am more than so-so;
But your name and your address (computers can’t lie),
Are things that I just cannot identify.

You’ve a jolly old face and a little round belly,
That shakes when you laugh like a bowl full of jelly;
My scanners can see you, but still I insist,
Since you’re not in my program, you cannot exist!”

Old Santa just chuckled a merry “ho, ho”,
And sat down to type out a quick word or so.
The keyboard clack-clattered, its sound sharp and clean,
As Santa fed this “data” into the machine:

“Kids everywhere know me; I come every year;
The presents I bring add to everyone’s cheer;
But you won’t get anything – that’s plain to see;
Too bad your programmers forgot about me.”

Then he faced the machine and said with a shrug,
“Merry Christmas to All,” as he pulled out its plug,
“And to all, a good night!”

Merry Christmas everyone!

The post ’twas the nite before Christmas – the computer version first appeared on Homeland Secure IT - Business Computers, Servers and Networks.

As I was meeting with a prospective client and telling them about our business last week, I suddenly realized that day was the 10th anniversary of Homeland Secure IT opening our doors for the first time!

We have been so busy providing sales and service to our customers that we let the date slip up on us and didn’t get to prepare a party, or even buy a bottle of champagne.

Obviously, it’s no small feat to start a business during an economic downturn and to manage to thrive through it.
Hard work, dedication and love of what we do has helped us to endure, but, we owe our success to our incredible customers who have allowed us to serve them over the years – many of them since the start!

So on behalf of Pamela, Wes & myself, THANK YOU!
Without YOU, we wouldn’t be here!

Here’s to another ten! (raising an imaginary glass of champagne)

If ever we can help with your business computer, server or network needs, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can use our CONTACT FORM, or pick up the phone and call 864-990-4748×201.

John M. Hoyt

The post We’re celebrating our 10th year! first appeared on Homeland Secure IT - Business Computers, Servers and Networks.

Exciting news!

In 2018, we stopped accepting walk-ins at our location on Mauldin Rd in Greenville SC, and began to focus our energy on what we do best, on-site, remote and managed business services. We entirely phased out home / individual services except to owners and staff of our existing business clients.

Part of that decision was directly influenced by the fact that the property management company at Augusta Pointe (Lee & Associates), leased to a client who has hired many new employees since moving in and left us with no parking for ourselves, much less our clients.

With clients not coming into our store-front, and all of us in the field more than we were at the office, we formed a new plan – to relocate our base of operations.

We’re happy to say that our transition is mostly complete!!!!

Yes, 2019 is bringing new and exciting opportunities and challenges for us, but in the end, it is better for our clients in all regards.

And yes, it’s also better for us! We’ve increased our own internet bandwidth to gigabit, upgraded our infrastructure with new VoIP phones, and implemented an entire new network from firewall to switches, to enterprise grade Wi-Fi and even bigger dual monitors. That should help ensure our own technology doesn’t get in the way of serving you.

So what really has changed for you, our client?

Besides our mailing address, the biggest change will be less distractions and the interruptions that walk-in clients bring, resulting in even faster response time.

Additionally, we’ll be using any of the time that has been freed up to continue to enhance our managed services offerings (remote maintenance & support, patch management, malware / virus protection, backup and disaster recovery).

We’ll still offer all the hands-on work at your location, repairs, preventive maintenance, deployment of new hardware, replacement of old.

We’ll still provide quick turn-around on orders of new computers, and hardware, and may even begin to drop ship directly to you to expedite that even further.

So there you have it. Our new year is already looking up, we hope yours is too!

If you have questions, or would like to schedule a consultation for your Upstate SC based business IT needs, please give us a call at 864-990-4748 x0 or use our CONTACT FORM.

-John

The post Homeland Secure IT means business! first appeared on Homeland Secure IT - Business Computers, Servers and Networks.

The new fad is to send emails that look very convincing, with links to necessary updates. These are forged to appear they come from Microsoft and yes, people fall for it.

Don’t believe everything you read. In fact, if you have questions, just reach out to your IT provider and let them verify.

Better yet, consider working with an IT services expert who can keep your business network up to date with all Microsoft patches so you never have to worry about it.

Homeland Secure IT provides these services and more to Greenville SC based businesses.

Call us at 864-990-4748 for more information or use our handy contact form.

Stay safe!

PS: Here’s a notification from Microsoft that IS authentic which also says not to believe hoax emails:

—–BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE—–

Hash: SHA256

********************************************************************

Title: Microsoft Security Update Releases

Issued: October 9, 2018

********************************************************************

Summary

=======

The following CVE been added to the October 2018 Security updates:

* CVE-2018-8292

Revision Information:

=====================

– CVE-2018-8292 | .NET Core Information Disclosure Vulnerability

– https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance

– Reason for Revision: Information published. CVE-2018-8292 has

been added to the October 2018 Security Updates.

– Originally posted: October 9, 2018

– Aggregate CVE Severity Rating: Important

– Version: 1.0

Other Information

=================

Recognize and avoid fraudulent email to Microsoft customers:

=============================================================

If you receive an email message that claims to be distributing a Microsoft security update, it is a hoax that may contain malware or pointers to malicious websites. Microsoft does not distribute security updates via email.

The Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) uses PGP to digitally sign all security notifications. However, PGP is not required for reading security notifications, reading security bulletins, or installing security updates. You can obtain the MSRC public PGP key at <https://technet.microsoft.com/security/dn753714>.

********************************************************************

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS MICROSOFT COMMUNICATION IS PROVIDED “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

********************************************************************

Microsoft respects your privacy. Please read our online Privacy Statement at <http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=81184>.

These settings will not affect any newsletters you???ve requested or any mandatory service communications that are considered part of certain Microsoft services.

For legal Information, see:

<http://www.microsoft.com/info/legalinfo/default.mspx>.

This newsletter was sent by:

Microsoft Corporation

1 Microsoft Way

Redmond, Washington, USA

98052

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The post PSA: Those Emails from Microsoft are probably fake… first appeared on Homeland Secure IT - Business Computers, Servers and Networks.

Turns out, I also received an email today from Spiceworks which addressed the exact same email…  The email looks like this:

—

From: Ciel Quan <mxwendelcs@outlook.com>

Date: July 12, 2018 at 12:43:49 PM EDT

To: “user@ourorganization.org” <user@ourorganizatrion.org>

Subject: user – password

I’m aware, <AN ACTUAL PASSWORD THE USER USED>, is your password. You don’t know me and you’re probably thinking why you are getting this e mail, correct?

actually, I placed a malware on the adult video clips (porn) web site and you know what, you visited this website to experience fun (you know what I mean). While you were watching video clips, your internet browser started out functioning as a RDP (Remote Desktop) with a key logger which provided me accessibility to your display screen and also webcam. Immediately after that, my software program obtained every one of your contacts from your Messenger, Facebook, as well as email.

What did I do?

I made a double-screen video. First part displays the video you were watching (you’ve got a nice taste : )), and second part displays the recording of your webcam.

What should you do?

Well, I believe, $2900 is a fair price for our little secret. You will make the payment through Bitcoin (if you do not know this, search “how to buy bitcoin” in Google).

BTC Address:

(It is cAsE sensitive, so copy and paste it)

Important:

You now have one day in order to make the payment. (I’ve a unique pixel within this email message, and at this moment I know that you have read this email). If I don’t get the BitCoins, I will, no doubt send your video recording to all of your contacts including close relatives, co-workers, etc. However, if I do get paid, I will erase the video immidiately. If you really want proof, reply with “Yes!” and I definitely will send out your video recording to your 9 contacts. This is a non-negotiable offer, thus do not waste my personal time and yours by responding to this email message.

—

The good news is that there is (most likely) no recording… And there’s no actual malware (most likely)… Therefore this person is totally safe (most likely).

The scammer has made this very creative post, and it’s got factual information in it to help give it some bite.  But, they didn’t get that password from malware they planted, they instead pulled it from one of the previous breaches.

So, don’t fall for this. Nobody saw you doing something you would be embarrassed by (most likely).

Here’s a link to the Spiceworks article:

https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/2147924-sextortion-scam-campaign

And another article worth reading:

https://krebsonsecurity.com/2018/07/sextortion-scam-uses-recipients-hacked-passwords/

Be careful out there!

If you do feel your business may have been affected by malware, or could be, let’s talk.  Homeland Secure IT helps businesses in the Greenville SC area. Use our CONTACT FORM or call 864-990-4748.

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You see, each year, for as long as I can remember, The Greenville News has sponsored a reader driven “Best of the Upstate” awards system. Sure, the big box stores get in there and they win, quite frequently, because lots of customers equals lots of votes. Heck, lots of employees equals lots of votes.

Anyway, we were nominated by you, and we are honored to even be nominated! It means a lot to us that you took time from your busy schedule to do that!!!!!!

But, now, the voting has begun and we’re just one of many who are up for the one award.

If you would be so kind as to give us another minute of your time to vote, we would appreciate that very much as well!

Here’s the things my family are up for:

Culture, Arts & Entertainment – Best Local Band

Services – Best Computer Service – Homeland Secure IT

Shops and Wares – Best Carpet Store – McAbee’s Custom Carpet

http://greenvilleonline.secondstreetapp.com/l/The-Best-of-the-Upstate-2018/Ballot/CultureArtsampEntertainment

Like last year, you can only vote ONCE per email address….

This is what we are after:

You can bet I am voting for our clients and friends too!   If you have been nominated and want my vote, email me… Chances are good I have already voted for you, but I don’t want to miss anyone!

Thanks so much for everything!!!!!

— John & Pamela Hoyt

The post We’ve been nominated Best of the Upstate – Best Computer Services! first appeared on Homeland Secure IT - Business Computers, Servers and Networks.

When we took our first call it was during one of the worst economic times Pamela and I had seen. Businesses were closing, the market was flooded with IT professionals looking for work.

But we didn’t let that deter us from taking the bull by the horns and trudging forward because we knew we had a good service plan, and wanted to form long-term relationships with businesses and individuals that would survive the worst of times.

Now as we look back, we can see the things we did right, and what we can improve upon.

One area that has not served our clients well is residential service. So starting June 1st 2018, we will be dropping residential services with a few exceptions:

• We will offer managed services – remote maintenance and monitoring, backup and more to home users.
• We will offer on-site premium services to current clients who have a business account with us.
• We will work with new on-site premium clients who have a home based business.

Another area that has been lackluster has been repairs at our office. Due to being in the field quite frequently, and not wanting to hire a receptionist that we would have to pay to be here (and in-turn pass that cost on to our customers), there have been far too many times when a client has come to our office to drop off a computer only to find the door locked. This is both inconvenient to them as well as frustrating!

With that in mind, we also decided that beginning June 1st, we only accept walk-in clients with an appointment.

These changes should help us to focus on the services that we excel at, and most importantly, keep our clients smiling!!!!

We look forward to more years serving you and want to hear from you if you have suggestions and recommendations on how to do that better.

If you are not a Homeland Secure IT client currently and need BUSINESS IT services, consultation or sales in the Upstate of SC, give us a call at 864-990-4748 or use our CONTACT FORM.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

– John, Pamela & Wes

The post We’re about to celebrate our NINTH YEAR! first appeared on Homeland Secure IT - Business Computers, Servers and Networks.

What does this mean for you? You could open a specially crafted document and become compromised.

Microsoft has not released a patch as of this moment so they are advising the use of Microsoft Edge for the time being. I personally prefer Google Chrome, however, that’s entirely up to you.

Bottom line – avoid IE, or if you MUST use it, as we do for banking – consider using it only for the site/s that force you to do so and set something else as your “default browser”.

Here’s some more details:

https://www.zdnet.com/article/internet-explorer-zero-day-alert-attackers-hitting-unpatched-bug-in-microsoft-browser/

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/internet-explorer-zero-day-exploited-in-the-wild-by-apt-group/

As always, if you require assistance with this or any other computer support issue for your business computer or network in the Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Pickens, Oconee County South Carolina area, just give us a call at 864-990-4748 or use our CONTACT FORM.

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The culprit was an update from Feb 16 that simply had not applied until after the machine had rebooted.

This was very frustrating for them as you can imagine, but honestly, it was just as frustrating for us. If you don’t have a keyboard and mouse you can use to manipulate the system, you cannot very well repair it.

If this happens to you, what can you do?

One solution is to plug in a device that has a different driver. Most standard keyboards & mice use the same drivers, so just swapping them around didn’t work for us, but a Microsoft wireless mouse with it’s own USB transceiver did the trick, giving us control of the machine.

Once you do have control, you can use appwiz.cpl to remove the KB4074588 and then disable Microsoft Updates before rebooting (it will reinstall itself if you don’t).

Disabling updates is a bad idea, but until this patch is fixed, to have a usable machine, it may be the easy way out.

Microsoft used to allow you to hide updates, but they removed that feature in Windows 10, then turned around and offered a tool that allows you to do the same thing – if you are technically inclined, you may want to try the troubleshooter package known as KB3073930 which gives you the ability to block or hide Windows Updates. You can find that tool here:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3073930

Fortunately for clients who use our managed services, their machines did not receive this update, saving hundreds of people from potential headaches.

If you need assistance with this problem, or you are interested in a patch management system for your business that can help keep your machines current with security patches and updates, please give us a call at 864-990-4748 extension 0, or use our CONTACT FORM.

The post Windows 10 mouse and / or keyboard stops working after reboot first appeared on Homeland Secure IT - Business Computers, Servers and Networks.

Digium A30

On February 14th, 2018, Digium announced their latest product, the A-Series IP phone, aimed at the budget-conscious business.

These phones were designed to work with your Asterisk IP PBX, including our personal favorite flavor, FreePBX. The line includes 4 models ranging from an entry level to an executive phone.

The combination of open source Asterisk and the Digium A-Series IP phones enables you to create a customized communications solution on a budget. Standard features, such as call waiting, call transfer, and auto-answer, make them an affordable option to complete to your Asterisk-based phone system. With four models to choose from, you can find the handset that is right for each of your users – from the receptionist to the CEO. Everyone in your organization will enjoy the simplicity of the A-Series IP phones for Asterisk.

Keep your project costs to a minimum without sacrificing quality. The A-Series IP phones are equipped with full-color LCD screens, HD Voice and multi-line functionality, giving you the most value for your budget. Each model supports Power over Ethernet (PoE) and features electronic hook switch (EHS) capabilities, and most models offer gigabit passthrough ports to support advanced network needs.

The D-Series will continue to fill out the Digium offerings and are supported with Switchvox.

Model features at a glance:

The Digium A-Series IP Phones for Asterisk include the following models:

• A30 – An executive-level gigabit phone with 6 line registrations, full-color LCD display, a scroll key for accessing up to 45 contacts, and 2 switched 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet ports.
• A25 – A mid-level gigabit phone with 4 line registrations, two full-color LCD displays, a scroll key for accessing up to 30 contacts, and 2 switched 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet ports.
• A22 – An entry-level gigabit phone with 2 line registrations, a full-color LCD display, and 2 switched 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet ports.
• A20 – An entry-level value phone with 2 line registrations, a full-color LCD display, and 2 switched 10/100 Mbps Ethernet ports.

Homeland Secure IT is a Digium and Switchvox partner. If your Upstate / Greenville South Carolina based business is considering a new IP based phone system, please reach out to us by calling 864-979-1224 or use our CONTACT FORM for more information.

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Whatever you do – Don’t panic…

The IT big news in 2018 has been about Meltdown and Spectre, two CPU design flaws that affect virtually every modern Intel processor with the exception of the Intel Itanium and Intel Atom prior to 2013.

These flaws affect desktop computers, notebook & laptops, tablets, mobile phones, servers and even hosted servers “in the cloud”.

What do you have to lose if you have an unpatched OS and a vulnerable processor? Literally, everything.  Between the two, data can be leaked through various means.

So what do we do?

Right now, we are told it is NOT being exploited in the wild. But there’s no guarantee that it is not happening, or will not begin to be in the very near future by opportunistic hackers ready to make a dollar or two and create havoc. So, we must do everything we can to help protect ourselves.

As soon as patches are available from your OS provider, they must be installed.  And BIOS patches from your system manufacturer must be installed if required. Unfortunately, these patches are not available for the majority of users, though they are in rapid development by manufacturers. Continuing to check may be your best bet.
If you use a patch management system like AutoTask Endpoint Manager (AEM), this may be leveraged by your IT provider to expedite the updates.

The bad news (there’s worse news?) – There may be a downside to the patches – there is a good chance that the security enhancements will cause systems to slow. Probably not enough for higher end systems users to notice, but those using the older machines or who opted to employ under-powered or budget processors may see significant changes.

In the mean-time, keeping all updates on your firewalls, workstations, servers, and using trusted software with main-stream anti-virus is wise, as well as using caution with attachments.

In reality, this is business as usual, you should always be on guard.

If you would like to know more, visit https://meltdownattack.com/ or CONTACT US if you would prefer to talk with someone in person, on the phone or in email who cares about your small and medium business security here in the Upstate of South Carolina. We can provide you with a managed services solution that will keep your computers up to date and monitored 24/7.

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