December 9th, 2020 by admin
SAN MATEO, CA - MPA Networks, Inc., a leading managed technology services provider (MTSP), announced today that it is educating businesses on the dramatic spike in cybercrime targeted towards small to mid-sized (SMB) businesses. Cybersecurity Ventures...
Posted in: Press Release
August 23rd, 2020 by admin
SAN MATEO, CA - MPA Networks, Inc., a leading managed technology services provider (MTSP), is helping small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) equip themselves with the necessary cybersecurity protections that every modern company needs to survive. Over...
Posted in: Press Release
June 4th, 2020 by admin
SAN MATEO, CA - MPA Networks, Inc., a leading managed technology services provider (MTSP), announced today that the company is providing home office cybersecurity for remote workers to support them through the current pandemic and beyond. According...
Posted in: Press Release
March 30th, 2020 by admin
MPA has collected tips and actual client experiences & lessons about how to stay productive, cyber-safe, and get the fastest service from us right now. What's Happening Right Now The support load continues to be heavy. Some clients did not shelter...
Posted in: Press Release
February 4th, 2020 by admin
SAN MATEO, CA - MPA Networks, Inc., a leading managed technology services provider (MTSP), is helping small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) thwart cyberattacks and protect their organizations from unnecessary downtime by addressing the most common...
Posted in: Press Release
January 16th, 2020 by admin
Protecting your data networks is one of the most important things your company can do. At MPA Networks, our experience and expertise enable us to bring the most innovative cybersecurity solutions to the table. There are numerous types of...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security, Solutions
November 2nd, 2019 by admin
SOCKS stands for Secure Over Credential-Based Kerberos Services, which is also known as SOCKets and is one of the earliest network protocol systems ever used. This protocol allows users to employ client-based applications and web servers transparently...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
October 2nd, 2019 by admin
San Mateo, CA – We're helping small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) protect themselves and their customers from DNS (Domain Name Server) attacks through innovative technology solutions. As businesses around the world continue to migrate...
Posted in: Press Release
August 5th, 2019 by admin
SAN MATEO, CA – MPA Networks, Inc., a leading managed technology services provider, announced today that they have launched a ransomware awareness campaign. The purpose of the campaign is to quickly educate business owners in understanding one...
Posted in: Press Release
June 12th, 2019 by admin
SAN MATEO, CA – May 2019 – MPA Networks, Inc., a leading managed technology solutions provider, helps local businesses protect their networks against growing global attacks. The company’s state-of-the-art cyber security technology and defense...
Posted in: Press Release
May 25th, 2019 by admin
Phishing attacks occur when communication that appears to be reputable is fraudulent. The sorts of scams are made to extract personal and sensitive information from victims such as social security numbers, addresses, bank information and more. People...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
February 5th, 2019 by admin
SAN MATEO, CA – We announced today that we are leveraging state-of-the-art cyber security techniques and tools to protect customers from cyber attacks that have become a daily occurrence in the small to mid-sized business marketplace....
Posted in: Press Release
January 29th, 2019 by admin
Your business needs a dependable and robust cybersecurity solution, plain and simple. As technology continues to advance and new threats are coming to the forefront, it is essential to have the proper security and management behind you to ensure...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
March 13th, 2018 by admin
The Mirai botnet refers to a massive-scale network of Linux-running Internet of Things devices turned into remote-controlled bots through a malware infection. Hackers can use the network to run a distributed denial of service, or DDoS, by having the infected...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
February 12th, 2018 by admin
At the end of 2017, the world learned about Spectre and Meltdown: two far-reaching security threats that exploit how CPUs work to expose protected information on nearly every recent PC, server and smartphone. Hackers can use these exploits to do things...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
February 8th, 2018 by admin
A cyberattack crisis management plan is your business's best defense for minimizing cyberattack damage after technology-based preventative measures have failed. Unfortunately for most businesses, cyberattacks are not a matter of if, but a matter of when....
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
January 29th, 2018 by admin
Financial services companies should embrace a healthy dose of caution when implementing new fintech in their business. Fintech, or any technological innovation in the financial sector, is not inherently more or less secure than any other new technology,...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security, Partners and Industries
January 16th, 2018 by admin
Hot off the tail of the massive 2017 Equifax breach that exposed personal information of 143 million customers, businesses are on high alert concerning IT security in 2018. While the IT security industry has been successful in mitigating and cracking...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
October 3rd, 2017 by admin
The 2017 Equifax hack is teaching a painful lesson about the necessity of businesses keeping up with software patches for IT security and to avoid catastrophic damage. The hack, which resulted in potentially exposing the financial information necessary...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
September 26th, 2017 by admin
With proper planning, your business can take advantage of USB flash drive technology to increase productivity, while eliminating most of the medium's inherent risk. The USB flash drives likely lying around your business offer excellent opportunities to...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security, Hardware and Software
August 29th, 2017 by admin
Adobe Flash, the web content standard the Internet loves to hate, will soon meet its ultimate demise: Adobe will finish phasing out the platform in 2020. Flash, first introduced in the early 2000s, has been on a gradual decline for almost as long as it...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
August 22nd, 2017 by admin
In July of 2017, some Windows 10 users received an error message when trying to install the Creators Update, stating, "Windows 10 is no longer supported on this PC." This first-of-its-kind problem stems from an incompatibility with a handful of Intel's...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security, Hardware and Software
August 15th, 2017 by admin
According to a 2017 published study by Advisen and Experian, one of the biggest threats facing small businesses comes from within, such as overconfidence in the organization's ability to protect itself and recover from cyber security attacks. While businesses...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
August 8th, 2017 by admin
Ransomware, a type of malware that holds a computer hostage and tries to force the victim to pay money to recover access, is a nightmare for any business, but the healthcare industry faces the more severe side of a ransomware attack. The healthcare industry...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security, Partners and Industries
August 1st, 2017 by admin
Hijacked accounts are an IT security nightmare, so it makes sense for your company to look at new technology for better ways to keep your digital assets safe. While security professionals are working out new ways to look at what account credentials are,...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security, Hardware and Software
July 25th, 2017 by admin
In June 2017, WikiLeaks released secret documents that exposed the tools the CIA uses to infiltrate public and private networks through routers. These documents have shined a light on how easy it is for someone to hack a router. This begs the question,...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security, Hardware and Software
July 11th, 2017 by admin
If your business is using 2-factor authentication, or 2FA, methods to secure your important accounts, you may need to investigate better ways to implement the practice. Security experts widely recommend using 2FA, a system which utilizes a second security...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security, Hardware and Software
July 5th, 2017 by admin
It happens in every office eventually: an employee is going about their workday and suddenly their computer or monitor won't turn on. Fortunately, there's gold in those unused desktops and laptops stuck in the storage closet. Aside from the computers...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
June 27th, 2017 by admin
Getting caught off-guard in a cyber security attack is a disaster for any business, large or small—and the frequency of attacks is only getting worse. According to the CyberEdge 2017 Cyberthreat Defense Report, hackers successfully compromised...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
May 10th, 2017 by admin
It happens to everyone: You turn your computer back on after you intended to leave the office, or come in early to get a head start on a new project, only to be greeted by a 20-minute operating system (OS) update session. This common workplace frustration...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
April 26th, 2017 by admin
Email and social media accounts provide a wealth of cyber security challenges for businesses. Hackers often look for exploits in account operations to steal information and seize control—both of which can be extremely damaging and difficult to combat....
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security, Partners and Industries
April 11th, 2017 by admin
If your business hasn't already made the switch from Windows 10's predecessors to a new operating system, it's time to make the initiative a priority. While your IT staff doesn't need to upgrade every computer in your office, it's necessary to make sure...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
March 14th, 2017 by admin
The malware infection, discovered in late January, that's been hiding out on Mac and Linux devices for more than two years doesn't mean the security floodgates are open, but it is a reminder that these devices aren't invincible. Apple is calling this...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
March 9th, 2017 by admin
Network-Attached Storage (NAS) servers are a great asset for small businesses managing data. For the uninitiated, NAS is essentially a streamlined server designed specifically for sharing files between devices. Because of their simplified...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
January 24th, 2017 by admin
Unlike most IT security threats, phishing scams attack the human element instead of the machine element. Phishing scams try to bait a person into exposing confidential information by posing as a legitimate, reputable source, typically by email or phone....
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
December 21st, 2016 by admin
Phishing attacks are a dangerous and devastating method hackers use to steal personal information and accounts—primarily by striking the user instead of the machine. According to the APWG Phishing Activity Trends Report, the first quarter of 2016 saw...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
November 23rd, 2016 by admin
In September 2016, half a billion Yahoo account users received the bad news that their names, email addresses, phone numbers, and security questions were potentially stolen in a 2014 hack. According to CNET, the Yahoo hack is the largest data breach...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
November 16th, 2016 by admin
Even seasoned IT pros have made the mistake of not backing up a device—and panicked after losing countless important files because the device failed. We may know better, yes, but that doesn’t mean we’re perfect. On the flip side, we’ve all...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
November 1st, 2016 by admin
As you probably know already, the United States experienced its largest Internet blackout in history on October 21, 2016, when Dyn—a service that handles website domain name routing—got hit with a massive distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
August 30th, 2016 by admin
Those old servers your business no longer uses—and keeps running anyway—are more than just a security risk: They’re hurting your firm’s bottom line. The term comatose server describes a functional server, connected to a network, that sits idle virtually...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
August 16th, 2016 by admin
Secure passwords and recovery strategies are an essential part of doing business in the digital age—and password manager programs can help streamline the process. Password managers store and, often, automate login credentials for individuals across...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
August 9th, 2016 by admin
There was a time when printers—in your office or home—were considered relatively "simple" office equipment: plug it in, connect it to the local network, and keep the ink fresh, and there wasn't much else to worry about. But times have changed. Today's...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security, Hardware and Software
July 12th, 2016 by admin
If you've looked over our previous posts since we've started our blog, you know how serious we are about protecting your company from everyday cyber-threats—mainly phishing, ransomware, and various other malware. Today we'd like to discuss a different...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
July 7th, 2016 by admin
It's a fair bet that one of your employees has already shown off a trendy new wearable gadget around the office. What began with Bluetooth earpieces would branch off into smartwatches, smart glasses, wrist-worn fitness trackers, and even smart clothing...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
June 29th, 2016 by admin
Readers of our blog over the past few years know we were among the first in the Bay Area to warn our customers about the growing threats of ransomware—from the emergence of CryptoLocker and CryptoWall to our federal government's startling admission...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
June 7th, 2016 by admin
One of our pet peeves with some of our new customers is that once we come in to upgrade their IT network, they're careless about disposing their old hardware—specifically, their PC hard drives. They think that by simply deleting their existing files—email,...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security, Hardware and Software
June 1st, 2016 by admin
Being the cyber-security geeks we are, we took great interest in combing through this year's California Data Breach Report, released by the Attorney General's office this past February. The report tabulates data collected from breach incidents which...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
May 24th, 2016 by admin
Those “Upgrade to Windows 10” notifications seem to be showing up everywhere, even in the middle of a weather forecast on Iowa television. What would’ve otherwise been an embarrassing interruption turned into a watercooler moment that anyone who used...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
May 11th, 2016 by admin
Smartphone users can be broken down into two camps: those who can't live without lining up to buy the latest and greatest model the day it hits the stores, and those who hold on to their tried-and-true phone until it suddenly dies one morning. There's...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
May 3rd, 2016 by admin
Today we'd like to pass along a critical security advisory to all our customers: If any of your company's Windows systems still retain Apple's QuickTime for Windows software, uninstall it immediately—as soon as you finish reading this post (if not...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
April 19th, 2016 by admin
If you've been a regular reader of our blog, you know we've spent plenty of time discussing phishing, malware, and other cybercrime. It's all part of our modern online world, and we know it will never really go away. We've talked about the tricks scammers...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
April 12th, 2016 by admin
A couple months back, we touched on the story of our normally tech-savvy friend who got tricked into allowing his desktop PC to be infected with obvious malware. At first, he had the sickening feeling that comes with a virus-infected computer—but thanks...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
April 7th, 2016 by admin
We're only a few months into 2016, but we've already seen two high-profile ransomware attacks—where cyber-crooks heavily encrypt a victim's computer files before demanding payment for a decryption key only they can provide. Two notable incidents grabbed...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
March 30th, 2016 by admin
If you think there's a new cyber-threat to worry about every week, you're probably right. The latest vulnerability to send shockwaves through the enterprise security community has been given a rather ominous acronym: DROWN, short for Decrypting RSA...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
March 23rd, 2016 by admin
Since Apple famously introduced the Macintosh over three decades ago, Mac users have been confident that their computers are virtually immune to ransomware and other malware threats which plague their Windows counterparts. But those days are over. ...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security, Hardware and Software
March 15th, 2016 by admin
Hackers can take advantage of a newer technology prevalent throughout your business to break into your network and compromise security: Internet of Things devices. Your business may have never considered that the handy new Smart Thermostats throughout...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security, Hardware and Software
March 8th, 2016 by admin
February's big story in the tech world was the conflict between Apple and the FBI over the creation of a "backdoor" to retrieve encrypted data on iPhones. The government is looking for any clue as to what—or, more specifically, who—motivated Syed Farook,...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security, Hardware and Software
February 17th, 2016 by admin
A new combination of a sophisticated password-stealing Trojan, powerful exploit kit, and content-encrypting ransomware is making its way around the Internet infecting Windows users. If it hits your business, you’re looking at a considerable loss of...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
February 2nd, 2016 by admin
How dependent have you and your employees become on public Wi-Fi outside the office? Mobile hotspots are almost everywhere now—from coffee houses and fast-food restaurants to hotels and airports (and even aboard most planes). Without Wi-Fi access,...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
January 21st, 2016 by admin
As chaos reigns across much of the Middle East, our government steadfastly insists that "the United States does not negotiate with terrorists—because it will only encourage them in the future." Meanwhile, visitors to our National Parks are warned...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
January 5th, 2016 by admin
What is the current state of your company's IT security training program—if you have one? Many companies settle for an annual group training session to broadly review the major types of cyber-threats—viruses, malware, and phishing. The problem with...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
December 16th, 2015 by admin
Before you take your teenage kids to see the new Steve Jobs biopic, ask them what Jobs' first successful product was. Don't be surprised if they answer "the iPod"! For most of their generation, the original Macintosh is ancient history. Today's Mac...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
November 24th, 2015 by admin
Earlier this year, the U.S. government revealed a massive cyber security breach which may well bump the infamous Target and Sony attacks down to "small potatoes." The database of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)—essentially a central HR...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
November 19th, 2015 by admin
IT professionals are more concerned than ever about malicious software infections since smart mobile devices hit the mainstream. Many businesses have been relatively open to the idea of integrating smart devices into their workflow as a way to...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
November 12th, 2015 by admin
Chances are you probably have a few USPS "forever" stamps that have been sitting in your desk drawer for a while. When was the last time you actually used them to "snail mail" something—a bill payment or an important letter? Most bills are paid online...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
November 5th, 2015 by admin
Weak IT security generally revolves around the following theory: "We'll keep hackers out of our network—everything's okay until something bad happens." But strong security operates from an assume breach mindset: The hackers have already infiltrated...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
October 20th, 2015 by admin
The well-publicized recent hack of the Ashley Madison website will probably earn a spot in a "Hacking Hall of Shame"—alongside the infamous Sony and Target breaches—for the sheer amount of grief it may cause millions of marriages. Most of the...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
October 16th, 2015 by admin
Online security breaches can be expensive and productivity-killing events. When a nefarious third party acquires an employee password, it’s no party at all. Many online businesses have begun using Two-Step Verification, also known as Two-Factor Authentication,...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
October 6th, 2015 by admin
The big news out of Microsoft over the past couple of months is the much-ballyhooed release of Windows 10. While “Win10” finally addresses those annoying shortcomings of its predecessor Windows 8 (as we've discussed), it still hasn't corrected a dangerous...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
September 18th, 2015 by admin
Last spring, Hillary Clinton received a barrage of criticism after it was revealed that she used a private email server during her tenure as Secretary of State—seemingly at odds with government security protocols, if not federal laws. Clinton would...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
September 11th, 2015 by admin
Once upon a time, IT administrators offered company-issued hardware to employees based upon something akin to Henry Ford's "Model T" approach: "You can have any equipment you want, as long as it's whatever we have for you." In light of the...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
September 4th, 2015 by admin
In our ever-expanding universe of high-tech acronyms, perhaps one you've recently heard is IPv6. What exactly is it? Why do some IT people embrace it as the foundation of a "new Internet," while the mere mention of it gives others an instant headache?...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
August 6th, 2015 by admin
Each month, Microsoft releases a new security bulletin. In May of 2015, forty-six vulnerabilities had been identified and fixed, spanning products such as Windows, Internet Explorer, and Office. In June, it was even more. While some of these vulnerabilities...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
July 16th, 2015 by admin
We've spent plenty of time here talking about safeguarding your company against phishing and other forms of cyber-attack. As we've discussed, the first line of defense against phishing is to make sure your employees remain vigilant by avoiding email...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
July 10th, 2015 by admin
“Disaster”: the word itself is synonymous with trauma. Of course, even after a traumatic event, there is an opportunity to rebuild. Restoring your data is a critical part of rebuilding your infrastructure and your business after a physical or virtual...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
May 28th, 2015 by admin
If you're over 40, you probably remember the original Sony Walkman—the freedom of listening to a single cassette tape in portable stereo. Even if you still have a few favorite cassette tapes packed away somewhere, where could you listen to them today?...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
May 13th, 2015 by admin
It was about a year ago that Microsoft officially ended support (most importantly, automatic security patches) for Windows XP. Particularly for business users, running a computer on XP after April 8, 2014, became about as wise as leaving keys dangling...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
April 16th, 2015 by admin
A friend called me recently to gripe about his personal email account. His ISP has done a pretty good job of virtually eliminating the annoying spam he used to receive (remember your inbox way back when?), but now he's the target of two particularly...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
April 1st, 2015 by admin
You probably know President Obama recently hosted a high-profile cyber-security summit at Stanford. The basic idea was to discuss how to expand the federal government's role in combating cybercrime against American businesses—from simple theft to outright...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
March 20th, 2015 by admin
How would you react if your company's next phone bill revealed a major cost spike—to the tune of over $100,000? It's actually happening now to small businesses across the U.S., thanks to international VoIP toll fraud—perhaps the fastest growing cyber-threat...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
March 12th, 2015 by admin
We've talked recently about the potential dangers of the rapidly expanding Internet of Things, or IoT. As we discussed, the IoT consists of embedded sensors collecting data from dozens of devices in your daily life—your car, your health and fitness equipment,...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
February 20th, 2015 by admin
You probably remember the 2001 blockbuster remake of Ocean's Eleven starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt. While George and Brad's grand scheme—robbing a secret multi-casino vault underneath the Las Vegas Strip—may have been pure Hollywood, a key element...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
January 28th, 2015 by admin
Internet of Things (IoT) devices provide a powerful way to utilize technology to enhance everyday machines in your home or office, from wrist fitness bands to refrigerators to thermostats. The ability to monitor your home security cameras while you’re...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
January 7th, 2015 by admin
The holiday season means more than shopping and gift giving. It also now marks prime season for cybercriminals and hackers around the world — and they're coming after small businesses in the U.S. "Targeting" Target—via Small Businesses You may have...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
April 30th, 2014 by admin
Serious Security Flaw Found in IE A security flaw or bug has been discovered in Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE), which affects all versions of IE from 6 to 11. This flaw allows a hacker to potentially gain access to your computer and hard drive when...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
April 11th, 2014 by admin
We don't want to inundate you with more background information about the Heartbleed bug (you've been bombarded with it across the internet and daily news since it was announced Tuesday!), but rather outline the critical takeaways and action points you...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
April 8th, 2014 by admin
Microsoft Corporation has just announced it will stop supporting Windows XP, one of the world's most popular and successful operating systems. Though Microsoft XP will not magically disappear from the desktops of anyone currently using it (which is...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security, Hardware and Software
April 4th, 2014 by admin
We have recently seen a rise in a disturbing phishing scam called email spoofing. Email Spoofing A spoof email is an email that looks as if it came from a trusted friend or acquaintance, but is actually malicious in nature. These emails are particularly...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
December 12th, 2013 by admin
Can you Spot the Malicious Emails/s?! After reading through our Cryptolocker and Ransomware blog series and learning how to identify a malicious email, it's time to put your new virus sleuthing skills to the test. Read through the list of email...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
December 4th, 2013 by admin
Continuing our blog series about Cryptolocker and Ransomware virus attacks, it is necessary we explain the basic fundamentals of identifying a malicious email or attachment. Only through education and proper awareness can we effectively avoid Ransomware...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
December 3rd, 2013 by admin
Last week, we wrote about the rise of Cryptolocker and Ransomware viruses, the new breed of malware virus infecting host computers through malicious email attachments, and spreading rapidly through its use of commercial-grade RSA encryption and Bitcoin,...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
November 21st, 2013 by admin
About half of all small business owners believe their business is too small to be a potential victim for virtual thieves and hacking. The facts, however, say something quite different. The majority of cyber attacks are actually perpetrated against...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
November 15th, 2013 by admin
CryptoLocker CryptoLocker is a new, and particularly malicious, breed of ransomware discovered only a couple months ago. CryptoLocker is a Trojan horse malware that encrypts and restricts access to the infected computer while demanding payment for...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
