The Web Browser Wars Have A Clear Winner In 2020

It’s notoriously difficult to get reliable statistics on web browser usage.

While there are sites that purport to track such things such as StatCounter and NetMarketShare, the numbers coming from these sources have proved to be problematic and unreliable.

Enter the US Government’s Digital Analytics Program (DAP, for short).

While it doesn’t reveal anything about browser statistics worldwide, it does give us a running count of the browsers used when visiting government websites over the last 90 days, which gives us a clear view of the American browser market breakdown.

The results will probably not be terribly surprising to anyone, but in 2020, the most popular web browser is Google Chrome, with 49.3 percent of the recorded share of visits. This is a far cry from IE’s once dominant share of 96 percent back in the infancy of the web, but it’s hardly a surprise that no company has that kind of dominance anymore.

Apple’s Safari browser comes in a distant second with 31.6 percent. At a glance, this number is interesting because to this day, Macs only make up about 10 percent of the PC market. Remember though, that most web surfing is done on smartphones these days. In the US, 29.5 percent of smartphones are Apple devices, compared to 23 percent Android devices. So most of the Safari use actually comes from phones, not PCs.

The big surprise is the third place winner. Internet Explorer. Despite the fact that Microsoft has been urging people to switch to Edge, IE is still the third most widely used browser, capturing 5.7 percent of the market. IE 11 is the most popular version, but there are still some users (0.5 percent of the market) using IE 7 which has been out of support for years now.

Edge loses out to IE, capturing only 4.2 percent of the market, and bringing up the rear is Firefox, with a mere 3.6 percent. The remaining 11.3 percent of the market share is divided up between a constellation of tiny, seldom used browsers that nonetheless have niche followings.

If you use Chrome, count yourself among the mainstream. If you’re still using IE, please consider switching to a more modern, more secure browser. Seriously.

New Phishing Emails Trick Users With Convincing Security Credentials

Unit 42 is a research division of Palo Alto Networks. Their researchers have discovered a sneaky and surprisingly effective phishing campaign that appears to have been launched in January of this year (2020).

When targeted by this attack, a user will get an email containing a braded document containing the name of a legitimate cybersecurity provider.

The name of a known cybersecurity provider alone generates a certain amount of trust in the reader. In addition, the email contains a password-protected document, which naturally is the kind of security that a company in the security business would utilize.

Most of the emails contain subject lines that indicate the recipient is entitled to a refund or a free security product upgrade. That builds on the trust already established and gives the user an enticement for opening the enclosed file that has been password protected “with their security in mind.”

Naturally, nothing could be further from the truth. If the user unlocks the protected file, he or she unwittingly enables the macros embedded in the file, which will then activate and install NetSupport Manager. The manager is surprisingly a completely legitimate remote access control program but used here for nefarious purposes.

As long as it’s running quietly in the background, it gives the people who sent the email a secret inroad into the machine and the network it is connected to.

Not only is the use of a known cybersecurity firm name a sneaky bit of social engineering, but the use of a perfectly legitimate remote connection tool is as well. That is because no antivirus software on the planet would flag the tool, which gives the hackers using it in this way a completely untraceable means of gaining access to a wide range of networks.

Be on your guard against this threat. It’s insidious, and the folks behind it could do a lot of harm to your company.

Master OneNote in No Time

OneNote is a useful but underutilized program that comes with Microsoft Office. With OneNote, you can create and share digital notebooks that contain handwritten or typed notes, drawings, screen clippings, audio commentaries, and more. This takes your note-taking to another level, allowing you to integrate multimedia as well as share notes and collaborate with other users. Here’s how you can master this remarkable app.

Organize your digital notebook

While both Microsoft Word and OneNote let you create text-heavy documents, they store and display saved information differently. Word displays one document at a time, but OneNote shows you all your documents at once.

When you open the desktop version of OneNote for the first time, it shows you a default Notebook called “My Notebook.”

If you want to create another Notebook, click on the < beside the name of your current one, then choose +Notebook at the bottom of your screen.

You can customize a Notebook by separating it into subcategories called Sections, which are like dividers in a physical notebook. For instance, you can dedicate one Section for the notes regarding a particular client. Sections are shown as color-coded tabs along the top of the screen, next to the name of your Notebook. You can add more by clicking on +Section at the bottom left of your screen.

You can add individual pages to a Section by clicking +Page, and you can use this feature to separate information. For example, you can add pages pertaining to a client’s contact details, project statuses, and billing information.

You can rename your Notebook, or any Section or Page, by right-clicking on it and choosing the rename option.

Start experimenting

There’s no hard-and-fast rule to enjoy OneNote because each person’s note-taking habits are unique. The only way to find out if OneNote works for you is to try out all the features and decide which method is most effective. Here are some things you can try to get a feel of the OneNote experience.

• Add tags to your notes so you can search for them efficiently
• Instantly turn your drawings into shapes or text using the Ink to Shape and Ink to Text functions, respectively
• Solve equations by using the Ink Math Assistant (which can help you graph or solve math problems)
• Use Immersive Reader to read texts out loud
• Write on a web page in Microsoft Edge and save your annotations to OneNote

Keep in mind, however, that these work only in OneNote for Windows 10. If you’re using an older version, you’ll need to upgrade to the latest version to enjoy these benefits.

Share your OneNote

So you’ve created a detailed plan for an upcoming event complete with visual pegs and handwritten instructions, and you want to share this with your team. That’s easy as pie with OneNote. Just go to the upper right corner of your ribbon, click on the Share button, and type in the email addresses of the people to whom you wish to send your notes. You can also set the sharing permissions to either “can view” or “can edit,” giving you more control over your data.

OneNote has numerous tricks up its sleeve and it can take months for you to master all of them. Call us today, and we’ll make sure you’ll get the hang of OneNote in no time.

Are you considering ramping up your remote workforce?

As the coronavirus continues to expand across the globe, you might be considering putting more resources and business planning in building (or increasing!) your remote workforce and the technology that supports them.

Net Activity is here to support those efforts in any way that we can.  Our Modern Workspace in a Box”   Office 365-based solution was uniquely designed to support all pillars needed for working seamlessly from home, or any other remote location. It does not require any VPN and cumbersome connections.  This all-in-one IT solution includes the security, collaboration, and productivity tools you need, as well as remote helpdesk support, to keep your business running smoothly throughout this global crisis.

As we see it, a successful remote (home office) work environment should include the following 4 technology pillars when building up your remote workforce planning:

Security– Maintaining a safe and secure internet and network connection in a remote office setting might include  a VPN and firewall, as well as multi-factor authentication for online sign-on and password management In addition to our complete Microsoft Managed Security package, Modern Workspace in a Box includes:

• Safe and secure dual authentication, antivirus and anti-Ransomware protection.
• Sophos spam filtering
• Remote data wipe if any device is lost or stolen.
• Sophos Anti-Ransomware
• Sophos Spam Filtering (Beyond Office 365 spam filtering)

Collaboration-When setting up a remote office system for your employees you’ll want to make sure you have the right cloud-based meeting communication and chat platforms in place. Microsoft Teams offers an all-in-one solution, with seamless chat, meeting, and file-sharing capabilities built into the app. This allows you to simplify and streamline the apps and tools you use-no need for Zoom or Slack, for example.

In addition, Net Activity can provide an upgrade on your PBX phone systems to a Teams-compatible business phone system. Teams phone systems allow you to make and receive calls from any device (tablet, cell, office phone or videoconference) without missing a beat. All you need is an Office 365 phone license to get started.

Productivity-Any remote office setup should include all your unique company applications and software solutions, as well as a complete productivity suite like Office 365. Modern Workspace in a Box includes all apps and tools within the O365 suite in every package. In addition, you can look to tools like Power BI, Microsoft Flow and Planner to track and monitor employee performance.

Help Desk support-To maintain your business continuity and address security and other technology issues, Modern Workspace in a Box includes unlimited remote and onsite support (as needed).

If you have any questions about putting the right tools in place for a larger remote workforce-or how to support their needs- with Modern Workspace in a Box, please reach out anytime.  We are here to help.

Add hours to your day with these PC hacks

Because there are only so many hours in a workday, it’s vital to make the most of your time. If distracting websites, unorganized files, and cluttered inboxes prevent you from getting work done, consider these tips to better manage your time and stay productive at work.

Monitor productivity levels

Start by tracking how much work you complete on an average day. There are many useful apps for this. For example, Google Chrome has an extension called RescueTime, which records your most frequently visited sites and tracks how much time you spend away from your computer. Planner and Clockify are options available within the Microsoft Teams platform. These apps will provide you with a productivity rating and a detailed log of how you spend your time at work.

If you discover you’re wasting a huge portion of your time on social networking and other productivity killers, you’re more likely to make conscious adjustments on how you manage your time.

Get rid of clutter

You can also decrease distractions and increase your output by deleting old files, uninstalling unused programs, and organizing documents into appropriately labeled folders. This makes finding files easier and improves your computer’s performance as well.

As for the clutter in your email inbox, Gmail and Outlook both have features that filter out unimportant messages. Simply enable Priority Inbox on Gmail or Clutter on Outlook to get a clean, spam-free inbox.

Block sites that waste your time

Visiting non-work-related websites hinders productivity. A quick five-minute break to check your Facebook feed may not seem like much, but a few of those per day add up to a lot of time.

If you and your employees have trouble staying away from social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, it’s a good idea to block access to them using URL filters.

Alternatively, you can use apps like StayFocusd or Strict Workflow. These allow you to set a limit on how long and how often users can visit non-work-related sites.

Stay on track with to-do lists

To-do lists help you break down large projects into manageable, bite-sized tasks. Crossing things off the list is surprisingly satisfying since it gives you and your employees a sense of accomplishment and total visibility over your progress.

You can choose from a wide variety of digital to-do lists like Google Tasks or Trello. These platforms allow you to set deadlines for small tasks and write clear instructions for each. What’s more, they’re incredibly easy to use and are great for keeping track of your workflow.

Use keyboard shortcuts

Mastering keyboard shortcuts will make it easier and faster to perform simple functions. There are more than a hundred useful shortcuts, but here are the most common shortcuts you should keep in mind:

• Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V, Ctrl + X – to copy, paste, and cut selected items
• Ctrl + Z – to undo an action
• Alt + Tab – to switch between open apps
• Alt + F4 – to close the active app

For more of these, take a look at this updated list of advanced shortcuts for Windows.

In this digital age of short attention spans, focus is key to achieving business success. Drop us a line today if you’d like to know more about how tech can induce focus and improve overall productivity for you and your business staff.

4 Top Security Risks In Any BYOD Strategy and How To Avoid Them

Taking work home, or practically anywhere, has never been easier. The bring your own device (BYOD) strategy has become a popular approach for many businesses to conduct work more efficiently and flexibly.  For users, the ability to work from your personal device without the need to shift from one device to another and the ability to work from virtually anywhere is just hard to pass up. For employers, the advantage of not having to provide mobile devices for their employees while still having them connected to your main communications system really drives down cost. It surely is a win-win situation for both the employer and employees.

However, like anything else in this world, BYOD policies comes with its own set of challenges. For one, the line between personal and company-owned data will probably get skewed and the number of non-IT staff controlled devices that are connected to the company is presenting new security problems as well.

To give you more of an idea, here are the top security risks of implementing a BYOD policy:

Lost or Stolen

According to an Ernst and Young study on BYOD, about 22% of all mobile devices produced will be lost or stolen during their lifetime and about 50% of all these lost or stolen devices will never be recovered. While majority of these devices are stolen for the value of the device itself, the number of lost or stolen devices whose information were accessed is also growing. And with personal information mixed with private company information in one device, the risk of those information getting out in the open in the event of theft is now a scary possibility.

No Password Protection

A lot of users do not really protect their personal devices or the applications within their devices with passwords. Or even if they do, they tend to choose simple passwords for convenience. These devices are easily compromised in the event of theft or hacking.

Mobile App Breach

There are tons of malicious apps out there whose goal is not only to corrupt the device software, but also to hack and access private information within the device. And with your personal and company information being treated the same way, both are in danger of falling to unscrupulous groups or individuals. Aside from that, even apps that are deployed by the company itself can be a problem. Even if an app is provided by the company, if no safeguards are incorporated in the app, then it is still susceptible to attacks.

Non-Encrypted Data and Connections

Imagine your data, including voice, going through the public internet without protection or safeguards. It can be intercepted while in transit or while at rest.

So what can you do? Should you just scrap BYOD altogether? Well, there are certain ways to improve security so that you can safely implement BYOD in your company. Here are some tips:

1. Secure the mobile devices – A lot of the problems above can be addressed by securing the mobile device itself. Company should invest in a mobile device management (MDM) solution that can enforce security policies and ensure only approved devices can access your network and resources. Invest in heavy encryption as well, to protect your network infrastructure and your data as it passes through the public Internet.
2. Secure the apps in the devices – Of course, this is easier said than done. After all, you are essentially suggesting regulating the apps within personal devices of users. What you can do is encourage apps from an in-house app store that are secure.
3. Choose cloud providers that offer top-notch security and protection – For example, cloud phone system providers have highly redundant and heavily encrypted connections to protect data traffic.
4. Use mobile anti-virus programs – This will help protect the mobile device’s OS and software, plus most anti-virus tools can detect malicious apps and pages that can be harmful to the device.
5. Perform continuous risk-assessment – Identify and monitor all possible susceptibilities in your network and devices. This is not a one-time thing. Dangers to your data evolve as fast as technology improves so a continuous audit should be implemented as a best practice.

Lastly, you should also involve your employees in the discussion. After all, it is their own mobile devices that you are trying to protect and regulate. They should have a say in the matter or they will not buy in to your BYOD policy.

BYOD will help your business grow, but it comes with IT security risks that you should be prepared to handle.

Need help mitigating these BYOD risks? Call us today, and let’s find the best IT security solutions for your company.

Securing Your Email is Crucial for Your Overall Security

Email security has suffered in the past several years due to the commoditization of basic email security services. If every spam solution is the same, then they can be changed out to just about any other solution out there, removing quality and replacing it with quantity. We have seen this trend take antivirus–the fact that free antivirus exists and many people prefer it over some paid solutions is a testament to this–but will spam protection move in the same direction?

Let’s take a look at the current state of email security, and what the future holds for perhaps the most important method of business communication solutions.

Email Security is on the Rise
For a long time, businesses were focused on keeping threats out of their infrastructure through the use of solutions like firewalls that were controlled centrally. Once email servers entered the picture, these types of solutions became less valuable. Nowadays, many of the services offered by security companies are largely the same at the root level. Ultimately, the differences in email security that you’ll see between companies aren’t in the actual antivirus and spam protection features, but in the additional options and features that they come with. It’s practically necessary in order for any solution to actually stand out from others out there.

To an extent, this is a good thing, as organizations are forced to innovate rather than remain stagnant in their service offerings. This is why we always express the importance of enterprise security solutions rather than just spam protection on its own. Centralization is absolutely critical to the success of these solutions. If you have multiple solutions located all across the network, it’s not nearly as effective or efficient as it can be, and you certainly don’t get the comprehensive network security–email included–that you need to keep your organization as secure as possible.

What You Can Do
To keep your business as secure as possible for the future, you’ll need to think about how email plays a part within your business. Chances are you use it for both internal and external communications, which makes it the ideal target for scammers and spammers to infiltrate your organization. Your business needs to secure its email solution through the use of encryption and firewalls, but it should also be prepared to handle advanced attacks such as denial-of-service and directory harvesting. If you fail to secure your business from these types of threats, they could create bigger problems for your organization down the road.

Net Activity offers a comprehensive, centralized security solution in our Unified Threat Management (UTM) tool. It combines several solutions into one convenient package, including spam protection, antivirus, a firewall, and a content filter, all to mitigate and eliminate potential issues for your network security.