How to Spot Phishing Emails | Chilliwack Tech Support

Your email is the gateway to the soul of your company. And hackers know it! In fact, according to a 2018 survey, 90% of cyber attacks and breaches started with a rogue email.

So, why do the bad guys specifically target email? They do it because IT companies have become so awesome! No… really! Technology protection has really improved over the years. Gateway protection has increased. Antivirus effectiveness has increased. So, now, the potential exploitable chink in a company’s armour is that 1 well-used route in… the route where a non-IT-trained human may be manning the door. All it takes is 1 click on 1 link.

Well, how do you spot a phishing email? To help you spot a potential attack, let’s look at a few examples.

The CRA are a popular agency that scammers love pretending to be, in an attempt to intimidate you into responding. They are relying on an emotional response. There are 3 red flags in this email.

1. The email address is definitely not from the CRA. Whilst they do sometimes email people, they will only ever send you a link to a page, form or publication that you ask for during a phone call or meeting with an agent. In fact, they have a great page on their website on how to avoid CRA fraud scams.

2. This email is not identifying who it was sent to specifically. (ie your name is not mentioned anywhere)

3. If you hover your cursor ( just hover… don’t click!) over the link, you will get a box pop-up showing you the actual web address if will take you to. Changes are it is NOT a legitimate site! (A quick google search from the real CRA website will verify that)

Not all scam emails are this simple, though. Some hackers are now getting better at making their email look legit. They will use logos to look more authentic or email addresses that are closer to the real thing.

It looks way slicker, but it contains the same red flags as the simpler CRA version:

1. The email address is not an Amazon one… although, it does look VERY close. A quick glance may miss the fact that there is a letter missing from the word Amazon.

2. Again, a name is missing.

3. Hovering over the link reveals a non-Amazon website.

Here is another:

Once again, the email is using logos, the content looks genuine, correct spelling and grammar is used, and they have even made the link look like a genuine one. However, hovering over that link will reveal its true destination!

The Champion-Level Phishing Emails

More recently, we have seen a new level in phishing emails that look scarily genuine.

Here is an example, that appears to come from Microsoft themselves:

Scary, right? They have even spoofed an IBM email address. (Although, keen observers will spot that an Office 365 email will come from Microsoft rather than IBM!) Once again, your greatest defence is to hover over the links to see where they go. In this case, though, you would be much better off to just go to your Outlook account itself to see if there are any stuck emails in there.

Protect Yourself

Prevention (& protection) is definitely better than cure! This can be done with having the right configuration or your email, the best security tools (anti-virus, mailbox back-up etc) and educating all staff in the dangers.

So… to recap, here are the things to look out for to spot those dodgy emails:

• Check the Sender Return Address – Does It Match the Company’s actual email? (e.g. something like Microsoft Security Team <MailTo: MichaelScott@OutlookMailMan.Com> looks close… but definitely not from Microsoft, whose email addresses end in Microsoft.com!)

• Check the message content – How is the spelling & grammar? Does it create a sense of urgency? Wanting you to take action? Asking you click links?

• Hover over URLS – Suspicious looking? (e.g. http://kjerjvitb.adomain.com/loadvirus/clickmypage.html )

• Are you expecting it?

• Don’t open attachments unless you absolutely know what it is. (Especially zip files! They are only needed for very large files like designs or presentations. A resume or similar word doc should not need to be zipped!)

• Non-executable attachments (PDF etc) can redirect to a website

• Have Backups! Backup your backups!

• Don’t Login from any link! If you do want to check your account somewhere, open a separate browser and go to the official company's website login direct.

We hope that this helps your business avoid any future disasters. Ransomware from phishing links is an increasingly common and very expensive problem..

If you are still worried about being at risk, our team will be more than happy to help. We help many Fraser Valley businesses make sure they have rights safeguards in place. We are also experienced in coming to the rescue of businesses who have fallen victim.

Access Tools for Remote Employees | Abbotsford Business Tech Support

Many businesses that we serve in Abbotsford and beyond have remote employees.

It’s become even more common since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. Here are our favourite remote access tools, and some information about each.

VPN & Remote Desktop (Microsoft)

Good for:

• people who have a desktop (NON LAPTOP) computer at the office

• people who use server applications such as SAGE or QUICKBOOKS that are installed at the office

Requires:

• VPN Firewall/ Gateway at the office

• Windows 10 Professional at the office computer

• Configuration

How it works:

• You will use your own home computer or laptop, to remotely connect to the computer at your office desk.

• You will click a VPN icon to make the secure connection

• You will then click the RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) icon to start a remote control session of your desktop computer at the office.

• It works as if you are sat at your computer

VPN only

Good for:

• people who have a laptop computer and need to access files at the office

Not good for:

• people who use server applications such as SAGE or QUICKBOOKS that are installed at the office

Requires:

• VPN Firewall/Gateway at the office

• Configuration

How it works:

• You will use your laptop, to remotely connect to the office network

• You will click a VPN icon to make the secure connection

• It works as if you are sat at your computer

Chrome Remote Desktop

Good for:

• people who have a laptop computer and need to access files at the office

• people who use server applications such as SAGE or QUICKBOOKS that are installed at the office

Requires:

• Chrome account

• Chrome installed at both the home location and the office location

• Configuration

How it works:

• You will use your home computer with your Chrome account

• You will connect to your Office computer

• It works as if you are sat at your computer

If you don’t have a VPN capable firewall, Chrome Desktop may be your best bet to get connectivity remotely.

Team Viewer may also an option, but we haven’t gone into too much depth here; partly due to personal preference, but also because to use it in a company you need to buy a license to meet their terms and conditions. 

If your company is in the Lower Mainland, you can always give us a call at 604-210-9811 or email support@wildfrogsystems.com for help.

Should You Save Money On Cheap Tech? | Lower Mainland Tech Support

“You get what you pay for”. I’m sure you have heard that expression before… probably a few times.

Well, in our experience in life, many times that is true… and sometimes it is not! Sometimes you can truly luck out when finding a bargain. However, when it comes to technology parts, the concept of “you get what you pay for” tends to be true more often that not!

Of course, the leading manufacturer and brand names are not 100% foolproof (just look at the issues Samsung have had with batteries!), and not every after-market product is a problem waiting to happen (it is common to upgrade a computer’s performance with changes in components from other brand parts like video cards, memory, SSD drives etc). The problems seem to arise, though, when the parts you are buying are being sold at that price that seems too good to be true. Do you really want to risk losing work time and important data, just to save a few bucks today?

It happens across the tech spectrum – cheap printers that then actually cost a fortune in ink costs, cheap laptops that can’t run the software someone needs and then cost more to upgrade than if the next model up would have been purchased, parts that die much earlier than their brand name counterparts.

The number one offender, in our experience, seems to be cables – particularly ones that carry power. I’m sure we’ve all seen the super-cheap phone charging cables at the dollar store, and been tempted – after all, they are usually a tenth of the price of their brand-name counterparts. Bargain! However, they come with 2 significant drawbacks – they rarely last anywhere near as long as the official brands and, with any kind of prolonged use, we have seen cases where they caused significant damage to the device they are charging, or even the user themselves!

Health Canada actually tested a number of uncertified USB chargers, that were available to buy across the country and their findings prompted an immediate recall for most of them! It is no wonder that over 100 incidents of injury from the malfunctions with these chargers were reported in Canada between 2011 and 2018.

This may be the most obvious (and well-known) example, but we have also seen the same to be true for other kinds of computer cable, and in the case of one client, the damage went beyond the cable itself…

Luckily, the burning was contained to the just the cable and device, but if it hadn’t been noticed, there is no telling how far the damage could have spread.

When it comes to charging cables, we like to stick to another popular saying – “better safe than sorry”!

If you are in the BC Fraser Valley, and need help with a hardware replacement or purchase for your business, our tech experts will be happy to give you some advice. Give us a call on 604-210-9811 or email accounting@wildfrogsystems.com .

Point-of-Sale Technologies | Abbotsford IT Services

We live in a consumer-based society. People spend money on goods and services every day. It makes sense, then, that the systems retailers use in order to process payments must meet stringent requirements - requirements that are often convoluted and difficult to understand. Furthermore, they can often use outdated technology that is inefficient, unreliable, and difficult to work with.

Thanks to innovations in the technology industry, point-of-sale (POS) systems have evolved from traditional cash registers to high-tech terminals capable of streamlining operations and improving accuracy.

We’ve installed plenty of POS systems for businesses in Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and the surrounding Fraser Valley area. Here are some things we suggest considering when installing or upgrading your POS…

DATA PROTECTION

Any systems that are used for storing credentials or accepting payments need to be optimized for security and compliance with various privacy regulations designed to protect the identities of consumers.

Many people are now switching to cloud-based POS technology. These are larger companies, withe greater budgets to invest in security, so can provide a much greater level of data encryption, and also take the responsibility away from the retailer.

EASE OF USE

For cutting down on valuable time wasted with training, particularly in retail where staff can be seasonal, an easy-to-learn POS system is essential. It is also a bonus for lowering staff frustration and therefore aiding a happier, more-productive work environment for everyone!

DOWNTIME PREVENTION

Unlike traditional cash registers, POS terminals need to be maintained by skilled technicians & support resources, who understand their intricacies. A reliable POS systems, kept in tip-top shape, reduces the probability of wasteful downtime. Look at what support comes with your POS system, and how much that support will cost you. (Also, as we say many times, it never hurts to plan a back-up situation).

TRACKING

Traditional POS systems, like the cash register, are often prone to user error due to entering in wrong prices or mishandling cash. While these threats still exist with computerized payment systems, they aren’t nearly as difficult to handle for the average user. Many POS systems have been streamlined to buttons for individual items, and can print out profit reports at the end of the day to ensure profitability. Some are also better than others for tracking inventory, and can give staff real-time data on current inventory stocks.

INTEGRATIONS

Does your POS need to talk to any other software? You may want to look at how your POS can cut work replication by seeing if it can integrate with your business accounting software, an eCommerce side of your business, appointment scheduling, or for your marketing efforts like targeted email campaigns for upcoming special offers.

WildFrog can help set up your local business for success.

Your business doesn’t have to struggle with managing your point-of-sale technology. WildFrog Systems can equip your organization with streamlined and functional terminals that are designed to maximize efficiency and improve the user experience. For more information, contact the team at 604-210-9811.

6 PC Keyboard Shortcuts You Don't Know Yet | Abbotsford Tech Services

6 PC Keyboard Shortcuts You Don't Know Yet | Abbotsford Tech Services

Ahh… keyboard shortcuts are beautiful things! I think most of us probably already know about the magic copy and paste shortcuts, but there is a whole world of shortcuts out there that you may still not know yet! Being the friendly, local neighbourhood tech-help gurus that we are, we thought we would give you a few more, to help speed up your workflow…

Back to the Desktop

Got a bunch of windows/apps open and want to get back to the desktop underneath them all? Just press the windows key and M!

See All Open Apps

Just pressing Ctrl + Alt + Tab (or Ctrl + Tab on a Mac) and you will get a screen shot of all the app windows you currently have running.

See Everything Open!

The windows key + Tab will give you an overview of all the open apps AND virtual desktops you have running.

Task Manager

Stuck with a crashed program and need to shut it down in the Task Manager? Just hit Ctrl + Shift + Escape (Command + Option + Escape on Mac)

Zoom In!

Need a close-up of something on your screen? You can magnify the area that the cursor is in with Windows and + keys, and then zoom back out with the Windows and – keys. (Alt Command & + or – on Mac)

Take a Break

Need to step away from your desk, but don’t want anyone touching or seeing what you are working on? You can lock your desktop with Windows + L.

Of course, there are many more… but that should help to start you off!

Switching Phone Systems to VoIP | Abbotsford IT Services

Many Abbotsford businesses use VoIP telephone solutions, ourselves included.

The traditional business telephone solution is showing its age. With the Internet and online technologies powering more and more business functions, organizations are finding it difficult to justify keeping the good ‘ole traditional phone line for their communications solutions. When you add to that the consideration of the initial cost of implementation and how difficult it is to scale a traditional PBX phone system to accommodate for growth, more and more businesses are looking for a more dynamic, and more flexible, solution that’s in line with their needs.

This is where cloud VoIP solutions are coming to the rescue. VoIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol, and is a type of phone that uses the internet to make a call! It can either connect to someone else who is also on an internet-capable system or switches to the conventional phone line at one end if needed.

The More Flexible Option

VoIP systems are, cheaper to implement and to manage, often allowing rapid changes to your phone system configuration on-the-fly. With all your staff on the same system, they can work from anywhere and still take advantage of the VoIP phone System.

Features of VoIP systems

Telephone service providers may often bundle services together in an attempt to offer consumers the opportunity to get more for their money, but these “cost savings” may not actually be worth it if you do not fully use all the services the package provides. With cloud VoIP, you get exactly what you pay for - no more, no less. This helps you build a solution to best align with the specific needs of your business. Plus VoIP systems still have an abundance of fancy features for you to choose from, if you need them!

Adjustable for Growth

The traditional PBX phone system is often difficult to work with, especially if your organization is constantly growing. For each new user, new phone lines and extensions have to be added to your telephony infrastructure. With a cloud VoIP solution, the phone infrastructure is much more dynamic and new users can be added easily. You don’t have to lay new phone lines or remodel your office every time you add users!

To add to that, it is very portable - meaning you can still answer your phones from wherever you have a good Internet connection. (And many VoIP providers also allow you access through mobile apps!)

The Fine Print

There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution and not everything in life is perfect. There is almost always the odd con with most systems, and VoIP is no different. VoIP systems are completely reliant on your internet bandwidth (even though they are smart enough to work out when you are not speaking and not use bandwidth in those moments) - so a good internet connection is vital. Our team have become experts in properly assessing your connectivity and working with your ISP to get the best connection.

Along with an Internet connection, the system is also completely reliant on a power source, so power outages can cause a problem. We implement batter backups to reduce this issue.

Also, if you dial 911, emergency services may not automatically be able to locate where your call is coming from, so they can divert you to the nearest dispatcher, like they can with traditional phone calls. You can, however, register an address with your number to aid this.

Also, It Can Fully-hosted and Maintained by WildFrog

Managing and maintaining a telephone system can be complex, especially if you already have other priorities, like managing your day-to-day business operations. Implementing a new system can also be daunting… however, that is why we are here! WildFrog Systems can advise you on the best system for you and provide the care needed to ensure that you get the most out of your telephone system.

To learn more about how cloud-hosted VoIP can benefit your Fraser Valley business, give us a call at 604-210-9811 or email support@wildfrogsystems.com.

Spear Phishing and How To Avoid It | IT Services in Abbotsford

You have probably already heard of phishing – after all, it is everywhere, these days. That’s why we want Fraser Valley Businesses to be aware of a specific kind - Spear Phishing.

From the good old-fashioned Nigerian prince email all the way through to the CRA phone scam (also known as voice-phishing or vishing). The scammers cast a huge, wide, net as far as they can, and wait to see if anyone bites.

Spear phishing, though, is different in that they target a specific person – usually someone in a large company with access to valuable data or finances. Before they are contacted, the scammer will take the time to do some research on their intended victim, mostly online through social media accounts etc.

Using the personal information that they have gathered, they will then contact this intended victim, making their email as personal and legit looking as they can. It may be as an application to a job that they know they are recruiting for, or a faked email from a friend claiming to have a link to a new menu from a favourite restaurant. Of course, this link or document will contain a malware-infected link or document.  Once clicked, the hacker either gains access to company data, or can plant a crypto-locker virus for ransoming.

Most spear phishing is aimed at mid-tier employees. However, there are a few brave spear-phishers who will sometimes target someone at the top of the company tree, like a CEO, CFO or senior manager. When this happens, it is called whaling.

How can your business prevent this kind of phishing?

• Education is a key one here. Making employees aware that this can happen will go a long way! Advise them to keep their social media content as private as possible (after all, that is as much for their own personal benefit as yours!).

• Make sure all employees know what to look for in fake emails (such as poor spelling and grammar, or checking link addresses before clicking them by hovering the mouse pointer to see a pop-up box of the address. If you get a link claiming to be from a certain bank or company, open a browser window and go to the bank/company website directly and compare their actual address to the one you see on the email.

• Limit data to the people who need it. If you keep data on shared drives, make sure sensitive data is housed on separate drives (eg a drive for Accounting only, a drive for customer lists only etc) and only give people access to the areas/drives they need to work.

• Keep all software, anti-virus programs and firewalls up-to-date.

• Back-up, back-up, back-up!! Back-up your data well and back-up often!!

If you are worried about your company’s potential vulnerabilities, give our team in Abbotsford a call at 604-210-9811 or email support@wildfrogsystems.com.