Written by: Jay H.

Passwords have long been an inconvenient – but necessary – safeguard for everything in our online lives. We’re expected to use unique, complex passwords for every account or risk getting hacked. But now, Microsoft has announced that you can go passwordless with your Microsoft account.

You can completely remove the password from your Microsoft account and instead use different forms of authentication to sign in.

“Use the Microsoft Authenticator app, Windows Hello, a security key, or a verification code sent to your phone or email to sign in to your favourite apps and services, such as Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft OneDrive, Microsoft Family Safety, and more,” said Microsoft. “This feature will be rolled out over the coming weeks.”

Why go passwordless?

Weak passwords provide easy access for hackers to breach your accounts. However, using strong, unique passwords on every online account makes remembering them very difficult without the help of something like a password manager.

Moreover, most people use some sort of pattern and known words and phrases when creating passwords. For instance, Microsoft found that 15 percent of people use their pets’ names for password inspiration. This makes breaching much easier for a hacker, who can take a quick look at your social media profiles and gather the information you’d be likely to use in your passwords.

Image: Microsoft

Image: Microsoft

Even if you do manage to use strong, complex passwords for every account, hackers have techniques to get them from you. They can use phishing scams to trick you into entering your credentials into a fake website. Or your usernames and passwords could get exposed in a data breach, posted for anyone to see. As you can see, there are many problems with passwords.

How to go passwordless

Going passwordless with your Microsoft account is easy.

1. Make sure you have the Microsoft Authentication app installed and linked to your Microsoft account.
2. Navigate to your Microsoft account, sign in, and click Advanced Security Options.
3. Go to Additional Security Options, find Passwordless Account, then select Turn on.
4. Follow the prompts and approve the notification from your Authenticator app. Then, you’ve gone passwordless!

Image: Microsoft

If you ever decide you prefer using a password, you can always reenable it. Give passwordless a try and see how you like it!

If you’re interested in increasing your organization’s security, contact us today. Our network security solutions can protect your business from hackers and costly data loss. Let us develop a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy for your firm!

The post You Can Now Go Passwordless With Your Microsoft Account appeared first on Design2Web IT, Inc..

Written by: Jay H.

Microsoft’s latest operating system is officially available. Most Windows users with a compatible computer will receive a free upgrade offer from Microsoft by mid-2022. However, if your PC is compatible with Windows 11 and you’re eager to upgrade, you have a few options. Let’s go over how to install Windows 11 right now.

Should I Install Windows 11?

First, we should discuss whether or not you actually should install Windows 11. For the average user, we’d say no. Since the operating system is in its early stages, there are likely many bugs or limitations not present in Windows 11. However, if you are eager to upgrade and don’t want to wait for your upgrade offer, you have options to install Windows 11 right now.

Get Ready For Installation

Before you actually take the plunge, there are a few things you should do. First, download and run Microsoft’s PC Health Check tool to verify that your computer is actually compatible with Windows 11. If your computer is eligible for upgrading, then back up your entire system to either the cloud or an external drive such as a USB. This will keep your data safe in the unlikely case Windows 11 breaks your machine.

How To Upgrade To Windows 11

So, you’ve verified your PC is compatible with Windows 11 and have backed up your personal data. Now, you’re ready to upgrade. Let’s go over your options:

Option 1: Check For Your Upgrade Offer

Microsoft may have already extended an offer for you to upgrade to Windows 11. You can check and see if your upgrade offer is ready by doing the following:

1. Click the Start button, then type and hit Settings.
2. Click Update & Security, Windows Upgrade, then click Check for updates.

If the upgrade is ready, click the download button then follow the prompts from the installer. Soon enough, you’ll have access to Windows 11!

Option 2: Download The Windows 11 Installer Assistant

To install Windows 11 on your current device, you can download Microsoft’s Windows 11 Installer Assistant. Once you’ve downloaded and run the assistant, follow the on-screen prompts to upgrade your device to Windows 11. You can download the assistant by clicking here.

Option 3: Create Windows 11 Bootable USB or DVD

If you want to install Windows 11 from a USB stick or DVD, you can easily do so. However, this option is a little more advanced, so be advised.

Before you create the Windows 11 installation media, make sure the computers you’re going to install on:

• Have a 64-bit CPU. To check this, go to Settings > System > About and look under System Type.
• Match your current language since you’ll need to choose the same language when you install Windows 11.

Once you’ve confirmed the above prerequisites, follow the Windows 11 installer until you see the Create Installation Media option. Click it and follow the steps until you get to choose your media, either a USB flash drive or ISO file for a DVD. We recommend using a blank USB with at least 8GB of space. Do note that any content on your USB drive will be deleted.

If you decide to create an ISO file, save the file to your computer then select Open DVD burner and follow the instructions to burn the ISO file to your DVD.

Once you have your installation media of choice, follow these steps:

1. Attach the USB drive or insert the DVD into the computer you’re installing Windows 11 on.
2. Restart your computer. If your PC does not automatically boot to your media, you might have to open a boot menu or change the boot order in your computer’s BIOS or UEFI settings.
   1. To open a boot menu or access your computer’s BIOS or UEFI settings, you’ll typically need to press and hold a key immediately after you restart your PC such as F12, F2, Delete, or Esc. To determine which key you need to press, refer to your computer’s manufacturer’s website, make a Google search, or check a website such as Disk Image.
   2. If you go into your computer’s BIOS, find an option under the tabs for Boot Order, then change the USB or CD to be the first boot option. Remember to save when exiting the BIOS.
3. Once you’ve made it to the Windows 11 installer, follow the prompts to install the operating system successfully.

How To Revert To Windows 10 From Windows 11

If you decide Windows 11 isn’t for you, you can roll back to Windows 10. To do so, click on the Start menu, then type and press Reset this PC. You will find an option to go back to Windows 10.

Microsoft has pledged to support Windows 10 until October 2025, so there’s no rush to upgrade. If you’re happy using Windows 10, we advise that you stick with it, at least until Microsoft irons out any flaws in Windows 11.

If you need help installing Windows 11 for yourself or your organization, contact us today.

The post How To Install Windows 11 appeared first on Design2Web IT, Inc..

Written by: Jay H.

Like Windows 10, Windows 11 comes with Microsoft Edge. And Microsoft really doesn’t want you to set Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or anything else as your default web browser. Fortunately, you can still get out of Edge’s clutches and change your default browser to your preference. Here’s how to change your default web browser on Windows 11.

Your web browser cannot set your default browser for you; you have to manually change it in the Settings app. However, Microsoft makes it more challenging to swap default browsers in Windows 11 than in previous operating system versions.

To change your default web browser, go to Settings > Apps > Default Apps. Find your default web browser in the Set defaults for applications list, then select it.

Once you do, you’ll see a long list of file types your browser supports, like HTM, HTML, PDF, etc. Click on each option, select your preferred web browser, then hit OK. Windows will then urge you to try Microsoft Edge, and you’ll have to choose Switch anyway to continue. Do this for each option, and then you’ll have a new default web browser.

Microsoft Really Wants You To Use Edge

Microsoft complicating this process is just another way the company pushes you to use their web browser. For instance, regardless of your default web browser, the Windows “News and interests” widget uses Microsoft Edge no matter what. Microsoft wants more users of its web browser to increase its revenue.

However, Microsoft Edge is actually pretty good. Although its infamous predecessor, Internet Explorer, was notoriously slow and inadequate, Microsoft completely revamped Edge and built it off the same code as Google Chrome. You could give it a try or change your default web browser anyway.

The post How To Change Your Default Web Browser On Windows 11 appeared first on Design2Web IT, Inc..

Written by: Jay H.

Businesses worldwide use Microsoft Exchange as an email server, but the costs and knowledge required to host it on-premise can be daunting. Thankfully, small businesses like yours can enjoy the benefits of Exchange without the massive costs through Microsoft Exchange hosting services.

What Is Microsoft Exchange?

Microsoft Exchange is a messaging application that many businesses use for email, task management, calendaring, and address lists. You can also easily access all of these services from any location on nearly any device.

Some organizations choose to install Exchange on their on-premise servers, which requires costly infrastructure and maintenance. Instead, many small businesses turn to a managed IT service provider like Design2Web IT for affordable cloud-hosted Exchange services.

What Is Microsoft Exchange Hosting?

IT providers like Design2Web IT install Microsoft Exchange on their servers and make it accessible to only your business via the Internet. In this setup, the MSP is responsible for securing your data and making it accessible to you. Many MSPs also offer additional services, like data backups, greater security, server administration, and management.

Benefits Of Hosted Microsoft Exchange

1. Lower costs

Having a cloud provider host your Exchange server costs significantly less than hosting it onsite yourself. Businesses that host Exchange themselves have to pay for infrastructure (hardware, software, Windows Server OS, server systems, etc.), security solutions like antivirus and firewall, salaries for Exchange Server Administrators, and general maintenance.

With hosted Exchange, the cloud hoster instead bears the burden of these costs, allotting massive savings onto your small business. And since most hosting providers bill on a monthly, per-user basis, you have affordable, predictable costs each month.

2. Scalability

Managing new users can be difficult with an on-premise Exchange server. Additional users require more hardware and software, forcing businesses to perform costly upgrades when they run out of space.

In an Exchange server hosting solution, the plan scales as your business does. Therefore, adding new users is as simple as registering them and paying an additional fee.

3. Availability

Business continuity is essential for your SMB to operate. Any downtime halts operations and costs add up quickly. So if your on-premise Exchange servers go down, your business bleeds money until the servers come online.

Hosting providers invest significantly into their infrastructure to ensure there is almost no downtime. This not only saves you money but increases staff productivity from preventing costly downtime from ever happening.

4. Security

Your SMB may not have the budget to invest in top-notch security solutions for your email servers. However, a trusted Exchange hosting provider delivers enterprise-level security to protect your communication from all threats.

Hosted Exchange For Your SMB

Overall, a trusted Exchange hoster like Design2Web IT takes the headache out of managing your communications system. As their client, you simply have to enjoy the benefits of lowered costs, scalability, availability, and security offered by this cloud technology.

To learn more about Microsoft Exchange hosting, please contact us today.

The post Why Your SMB Should Consider Hosted Microsoft Exchange appeared first on Design2Web IT, Inc..

Image: APC

Written by: Jay H.

An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is a critical component of running a business. As the name suggests, a UPS provides continuous emergency power to your computers (or anything else plugged into it) when the power goes down, or surges occur.

Why Do I Need A UPS?

Let’s say you’ve been working on an important document for a couple of hours. You’ve been saving infrequently but haven’t saved for a while now. Suddenly, the lights – and your monitor – go out, and you lose all of the unsaved work.

Sounds nightmarish, right?

This is where a UPS comes in. When your power goes out, the UPS will immediately and automatically start running your devices without them ever losing power. Therefore, you can save your work and safely power down your computer. Many also include software that automatically shuts down the computer if you’re not at your desk.

Not only does a UPS prevent you from losing data, but most also include surge protection to keep your devices safe from power spikes and surges.

Do note, however, that a UPS isn’t intended for extended blackouts. Its purpose is to allow you to save your work and power down your device without losing data. The run time varies based on the UPS, ranging from minutes to hours.

What Are The Different Types Of UPS?

1. Standby (Offline) UPS

A standby, or offline, UPS is the most common and basic type of UPS. It lays in wait until power failure is detected and then takes control within milliseconds. This type of UPS is suitable for basic electronic equipment.

2. Line-Interactive UPS

Small businesses may depend on the line-interactive UPS to protect their infrastructure from power failures. This UPS is similar to the standby UPS but has the added capabilities to regulate voltage automatically. Therefore, this UPS is beneficial for undervoltage brownouts and overvoltage surges.

3. Online Double-Conversion UPS

The online double-conversion UPS is the most advanced type. It provides continuous power from the battery to the equipment, meaning that there is no time to switch in the event of power failure, unlike the other types of UPS. This type of UPS is essential for mission-critical business infrastructure.

What UPS Should I Get?

The answer largely depends on your needs. For instance, do you want a simple UPS to run your home office’s PC, or do you need a setup for business systems?

In choosing your UPS, you must consider several factors, including the number of outlets you need and the voltage rating (which determines the run time). You may also want outlets for other devices, including telephone, Ethernet, and coaxial cable connections, to protect them from surges.

We can help you find a suitable uninterruptible power supply based on your needs and even install it in your home or business. So, you don’t have to worry about power outages or surges damaging your equipment or deleting your data.

Contact us today and let us help you find the right technology solutions for yourself or your business.

The post What Is A UPS System And Why Do You Need One? appeared first on Design2Web IT, Inc..

Written by: Jay H.

Microsoft has finally updated and released the PC Health Check tool, giving you insight on whether or not your PC can run Windows 11. They previously released this tool alongside Window 11’s announcement, but it didn’t specify why devices were incompatible with the new system requirements.

“We acknowledge that it was not fully prepared to share the level of detail or accuracy you expected from us on why a Windows 10 PC doesn’t meet upgrade requirements,” said Microsoft in a blog post. “We are temporarily removing the app so that our teams can address the feedback.”

Updated PC Health Check tool

Now, the PC Health Check provides a detailed explanation about why your device may not meet Windows 11 system requirements.

To test, we ran the new tool on one of our computers and found that it now explains that the device needs Secure Boot, TPM 2.0, and the processor isn’t supported, as shown below.

Depending on the compatibility issues provided, you may have several options. You may be able to enable Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 for recent devices by changing some settings in your computer’s BIOS. However, hardware issues like an older processor will need to be replaced.

You can download the new and improved PC Health Check tool by clicking here.

If you need help getting your organization ready for Windows 11, contact us today.

The post Use PC Health Check Tool To Test Your PC For Windows 11 appeared first on Design2Web IT, Inc..

Written by: Jay H.

Botnets are an extensive network of PCs infected with malware controlled remotely by an attacker, known as the “bot-herder.” Think of a robot army under the control of its master. Each machine under the control of the bot-herder is known as a bot. From the attacker’s centralized position, they can easily command every computer in the botnet to attack simultaneously. Depending on the botnet’s size, anywhere from thousands to millions of bots can conduct these attacks.

How Do Botnets Work?

Before hackers can execute their attacks, they first need to build their botnet army. To develop their botnet, attackers must exploit a vulnerability to gain access to a victim’s device. Malicious actors usually accomplish this through vulnerabilities in software or websites or trick victims into installing malware on their devices. Once your device becomes infected, your computer, phone, or tablet is now under the control of the botnet’s creator.

Once the botnet’s owner is in control of your device, they usually use your machine to carry out malicious actions. Common tasks carried out by botnets include:

• Sending out masses of email spam, often including malware, to millions of users.
• Orchestrating distributed denial-of-service (DDOS) attacks to take websites down by flooding them with traffic.
• Reading and stealing the victims’ personal data.

How To Protect Yourself From Botnets

Like most malware, the best way to protect yourself from botnets is by practicing good online hygiene. Among proper measures to follow include:

• Avoid clicking on suspicious links and downloads.
• Install a reputable antivirus such as Malwarebytes.
• Always update your device’s operating system and applications when the manufacturer issues an update.
• Use a firewall when browsing the Internet.
• Work alongside a trusted managed IT service provider such as Design2Web IT to protect your business from cyberthreats.

Generally, attackers look to pick the “lowest-hanging fruit.” If you practice proper digital hygiene, you will be that much safer from attacks. Contact us today if you would like more information on keeping your business safe from cyber threats.

The post What Is A Botnet And How Does It Work? appeared first on Design2Web IT, Inc..

Written by: Jay H.

All Apple users need to update their devices immediately to patch a vulnerability discovered by Canadian researchers. A serious flaw discovered by researchers could allow technology firm NSO Group to exploit Apple devices using its Pegasus spyware, prompting Apple to issue an emergency security update for iPhones, Macs, and Apple Watches. You need to update your Apple devices right now to fix this flaw.

How Does Pegasus Spyware Work?

You may be wondering what exactly Pegasus spyware is and why it’s so dangerous. Well, a report published by Toronto-based security researchers claimed that the Israel-based NSO Group used a “zero-day, zero click” vulnerability in Apple’s iMessage code to infect a Saudi activist’s iPhone. The researchers believe that the bad actors remotely infected the activist’s device simply by sending malicious messages to the device over iMessage. Normally, victims have to download a malicious file, click a suspicious link, or otherwise perform an action for hackers to remotely install malware like Pegasus. However, this vulnerability allowed hackers to infect the activist’s phone without seeing the message or interacting with malicious files, demonstrating just how easy and dangerous this exploit is.

The spyware allows bad actors to track all activity on an infected device without the victim knowing. So, if threat actors infected your device, your calls, messages, and activities could be tracked without you even knowing.

Apple Issued Security Update

The security researchers who discovered the flaw quickly disclosed the vulnerability to Apple, which issued an emergency security update shortly after. Since the vulnerability is now publically disclosed, more hackers will look to exploit vulnerable devices without the security update. The takeaway is clear – update your Apple devices immediately.

How To Update Your Apple Devices

• iPhone and iPad: Go to Settings > General > Software Update. Then, update to iOS 14.8.
• Mac: Go to System Preferences > Software Update. Then, update to macOS Big Sur 11.6.
• Apple Watch: Go to Settings > General > Software Update. Then, update to WatchOS 7.6.2.

Stay Cyber Secure

Hackers can wreak havoc on individuals and organizations by exploiting vulnerabilities in unpatched devices. Does your organization keep its software up-to-date across all devices? Probably not. Contact us today to learn about how we can prevent data breaches in your organization through patch management and other cybersecurity solutions.

The post Update Your Apple Devices Right Now appeared first on Design2Web IT, Inc..

Written by: Jay H.

With so much on your plate as a small business owner, you may not put much thought into your business Wi-Fi. You just give your guests the Wi-Fi password, and you’re all set, right? Unfortunately not. Taking this approach could expose your business to security risks and impede the guest experience. Here are five business Wi-Fi mistakes you could be making that could cost you.

1. Weak Or No Passwords

Many businesses want to provide guests with easy access to the Wi-Fi network. So, they either set a weak password or remove it altogether. This is a huge mistake since anyone can access your network without any form of verification. Your business should have policies in place that outline what the password should be, who gets access to it, and how often it gets changed. It would be best if you aimed to change it at least once every three months.

2. Not Using All The WLAN Security Features

When setting up your WLAN, you can enable various security features to protect your business from bad actors. However, most businesses enable only some (if ANY) of these features, leaving them exposed to significant risk. If you work alongside a managed IT services provider, they can help you implement these important security features, including IP packet filtering, keyword filtering, port filtering, integrated firewall support, and more.

3. No Guest Network

While it seems simple to allow your guests to use the same Wi-Fi network that your business uses, this presents a significant security risk. Instead, you need to create a separate guest network that you reserve for guest usage only. For even more security, you can disable “SSID broadcast” on your private business network so guests cannot even see it as an available network.

4. No Network Encryption

It would be best if you encrypted your guest network with WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access II), which is the latest security standard for protecting wireless networks. This will keep your connections safe from hackers looking to intercept your traffic. It is worth getting a trusted security expert to set up your networks for complete protection.

5. Low-Quality Network Connections

We’ve all been to hotels or airports that advertised free Wi-Fi but were practically unusable due to the low-quality connection. In this digitally connected era, your customers practically expect you to have functioning Wi-Fi. If you do not, you could be doing more harm to your business than you realize.

If your Wi-Fi is slow and unreliable, you likely need to get new hardware or consult with your internet service provider. We can help you determine which hardware is suitable for your small business.

Leverage Your Business Wi-Fi

You may not realize the opportunity that your business Wi-Fi presents. With a fast, secure, and reliable Wi-Fi network, you can stand out as a business and exceed your customers’ expectations. If you would like help setting up your business Wi-Fi, contact us today.

The post 5 Business Wi-Fi Mistakes That Could Be Costing You appeared first on Design2Web IT, Inc..

Image: Microsoft

Written by: Jay H.

Microsoft has finally revealed the long-awaited Windows 11 release date. Windows 11 will become available to eligible computers on October 5, 2021.

According to Microsoft’s blog post about the announcement, this rollout will be “phased and measured.” Starting with PCs, the upgrade will then roll out to other devices based on hardware eligibility, reliability metrics, age of the device, and other factors that impact the upgrade experience. By the end of mid-2022, Microsoft expects that eligible devices will be able to upgrade to Windows 11.

Older Devices Left Behind

As you may or may not know, many (especially older) PCs will not be eligible for the upgrade. The hardware requirements eliminate PCs without 8th generation or newer Intel processors with TPM 2.0. Although Microsoft relaxed slightly on their stance and now allows older devices to install Windows 11 from a system image, they also caution that those devices would be unsupported. In other words, they won’t receive security updates, and it is inadvisable to install Windows 11 on computers this way.

“For customers who are using a PC that won’t upgrade, and who aren’t ready to transition to a new device, Windows 10 is the right choice,” said Microsoft. “We will support Windows 10 through October 14, 2025 and we recently announced that the next feature update to Windows 10 is coming later this year. Whatever you decide, we are committed to supporting you and offering choice in your computing journey.”

Experience the new Windows era

Does your organization need help to transition into the new era of Windows? Our managed IT services can seamlessly upgrade your systems after the Windows 11 release date so you don’t have to deal with the headache of upgrading each station. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.

The post Microsoft Reveals Windows 11 Release Date appeared first on Design2Web IT, Inc..