Click here for our latest newsletter
. Windows 11 upgrade is just around the corner, are you ready?
Social Security Numbers Leaked
Recently, National Public Data, a company that aggregates data to provide background checks, has confirmed there was a massive data breach involving Social Security numbers and other personal data on millions of Americans.
2.9 billion records including names, addresses, birthdays and Social Security numbers were stolen.
If you want to read more about the breach, click here.
How to check if your data was stolen
Cybersecurity firm Pentester has obtained a copy of the stolen data and created a site where you can see if your data was stolen. The site asks for first and last name, state, and birth year. Don’t give out any more information than that.
Check if your information has been leaked here: https://npd.pentester.com
What to do if your data has been stolen
One thing you can do to protect yourself is to freeze your credit – don’t just monitor it. Go to each of the credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion), create accounts and freeze your credit. Refer to this website to learn how to freeze your credit. This is a free service. The credit bureaus will offer you other services for a fee but freezing your credit is free. That’s what we’ve done. You can also check your credit report and make sure you recognize all the types of credit you have.
It’s impossible to prevent breaches of this type from happening. They happen to all kinds of companies that have your information. You can protect the information you have control over. Contact us for more information about securing your accounts/devices.
Turn on Two Factor Authentication (2FA)
Turn on two factor authentication (also called Multi-Factor Authentication) on every account you own. Passwords are no longer safe “enough.” Online security breaches are happening all too often these days.
What is two factor authentication? It is securing your accounts with two levels of security. One level is the password and the next level is a code texted to your smartphone. This prevents someone who has a password from getting into an account. You probably already do this on various accounts that require it such as your bank and Apple ID. Some accounts like Gmail and Amazon offer 2FA but don’t require it. You should turn it on these accounts.
If you need help setting up 2FA/MFA, please contact us.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Business Continuity Plan
As novel coronavirus (COVID-19) diagnoses continue to increase around our area and the world, Thames Computer Consulting is committed to providing a safe environment for our clients and ensuring business continuity, to the best of our abilities. We are confident that we can provide continuing service during this time.
Thank you for your continued trust in us.
We are currently taking the following measures of precaution:
We are implementing a remote only policy with a no contact drop off/pick up location for repairs that require hands on work.
We can remotely help you with any issue you have.
If you need to bring us your computer, we will arrange an appointment with you where you will leave your device in a protected area. For laptops, we will wipe down the keyboard and trackpad with alcohol and use our own keyboard and mouse. For desktops, we will wipe the box with alcohol, use our own keyboard, mouse and monitor and then wipe it down again before returning it to you.
We want to protect you as much as we want to protect ourselves.
Do you need to remote into a work computer?
If you need help setting up remote connection to another computer, please let us know. We have a variety of ways we can set that up for you.
We will continue to monitor news from the World Health Organization, among other sources and guidelines, and are committed to reassessing the situation and adjusting our plans accordingly.
We wish you all good health and thank you for continuing to place your trust in us. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or inquiries.
What to do before calling Tech Support
People often call because some piece of technology is not working for them. We all know how frustrating that can be. Often, the fix is something simple. Here are some things to try before calling for help:
1. Shut down the computer/phone/printer/tablet. Turn it back on. Simple, right? This one easy step can fix many problems especially if you haven’t turned the device off and on again in awhile. Printers rarely get turned off and on so they are receptive to this action.
2. If your internet isn’t working, turn off the modem/router and turn it back on. This can be a tad tricky depending on if you have a modem/router combination or you have 2 separate devices. If you have a modem/router combination, there should be an on/off switch on the back of the modem/router. If there isn’t, pull the power cord out, wait 10 seconds, and then plug it back in.
If you have a separate modem and router, unplug both devices from power. (please tell me you can figure out which is the power cord). Plug in the modem first. Wait 2 minutes until all the lights are on or flashing. Then plug in the router. Try your internet again. This works even if one device is not connecting but all other devices are.
3. OK, this one is embarrassing but please make sure it’s “plugged in” or the battery hasn’t run out. No more needs to be said.
4. Got an error message? Take a picture with your smartphone. Those cryptic error messages can sometimes be very helpful in solving or at least diagnosing the problem with your computer.
5. If your printer isn’t working, try these steps:
- Turn off the printer. Unplug it from power. Wait 2 minutes. Plug it back in and turn it back on.
- If it’s wireless, reset your modem/router as described in Step 2.
- If it’s connected by a USB cable, disconnect the cable from the computer and reconnect it.