Do you have updates waiting?

 

Tuesday June 14, 2011 was Patch Tuesday.  If your computer is not up to date, now is the time to install those Microsoft updates.   Below describes pretty much what the latest release of updates will fix.

 

16 Bulletins, 34 Vulnerabilities, Lots of Patching

Lately attackers have  focused on leveraging web and browser-based vulnerabilities to install malware via "Drive-by Downloads." So you may want to install the Critical IE updates before the others.

Microsoft has posted their June Patch Day summary, which contains 16 security bulletins, nine of which they rate as Critical. The bulletins fix around 34 vulnerabilities in many Microsoft products, including:

Severity: High

Summary:

· These vulnerabilities affects: All current versions of Internet Explorer, running on all current versions of Windows

· How an attacker exploits it: Typically, by enticing one of your users to visit a malicious web page

· Impact: In the worst case an attacker can execute code on your user's computer, gaining complete control of it

· What to do: Deploy the appropriate Internet Explorer patches immediately, or let Windows Automatic Update do it for you

Exposure:

· MS11-050: IE Cumulative Update

Microsoft warns of 11 new IE vulnerabilities in their cumulative IE update. Though these 11 flaws differ technically, most of them (eight) share the same general scope and impact. They all involve memory corruption issues having to do with how IE handles various HTML elements, such as link properties and layout memory. If an attacker can lure one of your users to a web page containing malicious web code, he could exploit any one of these memory corruption vulnerabilities to execute code on that user's computer, inheriting that user's privileges. Typically, Windows users have local administrative privileges, in which case the attacker gains complete control of the victim's computer. Attackers often leverage these type of code execution vulnerabilities to launch Drive-by Download attacks.

The remaining  issues cover less severe  information disclosure vulnerabilities.

If you'd like to know more about the technical differences between these flaws, see the "Vulnerability Information" section of Microsoft's bulletin. Technical differences aside, the memory corruption flaws in IE pose significant risk. You should download and install the IE cumulative patch immediately.

· MS11-052: IE (and Windows) VML Code Execution Flaw

IE also suffers from a memory corruption vulnerability having to do with how it parses specially crafted Vector Markup Language (VML) that references uninitialized or deleted objects. By enticing one of your users to a specially crafted web page, an attacker could leverage this flaw to execute code on that user's computer, with their privileges. As usual, if the victim has local administrative privilege, the attacker gains complete control of the victim's computer. This flaw is similar in scope to previous VML IE flaws, like the one we demonstrate in this old Wire video.

Keep in mind, today's attackers commonly hijack legitimate web pages and booby-trap them with malicious code. Typically, they do this via hosted web ads or through SQL injection and XSS attacks. Even recognizable and authentic websites could pose a risk to your users if hijacked in this way.

Solution Path:

These patches fix serious issues. You should download, test, and deploy the appropriate IE patches immediately, or let Windows Automatic Update do it for you.

MS11-050:

· Internet Explorer 6.0

o For Windows XP (w/SP3)

o For Windows XP x64 (w/SP2)

o For Windows Server 2003 (w/SP2)

o For Windows Server 2003 x64 (w/SP2)

o For Windows Server 2003 Itanium (w/SP2)

· Internet Explorer 7.0

o For Windows XP (w/SP3)

o For Windows XP x64 (w/SP2)

o For Windows Server 2003 (w/SP2)

o For Windows Server 2003 x64 (w/SP2)

o For Windows Server 2003 Itanium (w/SP2)

o For Windows Vista (w/SP1 or SP2)

o For Windows Vista x64 (w/SP1 or SP2)

o For Windows Server 2008 (w/SP2) *

o For Windows Server 2008 x64 (w/SP2) *

o For Windows Server 2008 Itanium (w/SP2)

· Internet Explorer 8.0

o For Windows XP (w/SP3)

o For Windows XP x64 (w/SP2)

o For Windows Server 2003 (w/SP2)

o For Windows Server 2003 x64 (w/SP2)

o For Windows Vista (w/SP1 or SP2)

o For Windows Vista x64 (w/SP1 or SP2)

o For Windows Server 2008 (w/SP2) *

o For Windows Server 2008 x64 (w/SP2) *

o For Windows 7

o For Windows 7 x64

o For Windows Server R2 2008 x64

o For Windows Server R2 2008 Itanium

· Internet Explorer 9.0

o For Windows Vista (w/SP1 or SP2)

o For Windows Vista x64 (w/SP1 or SP2)

o For Windows Server 2008 (w/SP2) *

o For Windows Server 2008 x64 (w/SP2) *

o For Windows 7

o For Windows 7 x64

o For Windows Server R2 2008 x64 *

* Note: These flaws do not affect Windows Server 2008 administrators who installed using the Server Core installation option.

MS11-052:

· Internet Explorer 6.0

o For Windows XP (w/SP3)

o For Windows XP x64 (w/SP2)

o For Windows Server 2003 (w/SP2)

o For Windows Server 2003 x64 (w/SP2)

o For Windows Server 2003 Itanium (w/SP2)

· Internet Explorer 7.0

o For Windows XP (w/SP3)

o For Windows XP x64 (w/SP2)

o For Windows Server 2003 (w/SP2)

o For Windows Server 2003 x64 (w/SP2)

o For Windows Server 2003 Itanium (w/SP2)

o For Windows Vista (w/SP1 or SP2)

o For Windows Vista x64 (w/SP1 or SP2)

o For Windows Server 2008 (w/SP2) *

o For Windows Server 2008 x64 (w/SP2) *

o For Windows Server 2008 Itanium (w/SP2)

· Internet Explorer 8.0

o For Windows XP (w/SP3)

o For Windows XP x64 (w/SP2)

o For Windows Server 2003 (w/SP2)

o For Windows Server 2003 x64 (w/SP2)

o For Windows Vista (w/SP1 or SP2)

o For Windows Vista x64 (w/SP1 or SP2)

o For Windows Server 2008 (w/SP2) *

o For Windows Server 2008 x64 (w/SP2) *

o For Windows 7

o For Windows 7 x64

o For Windows Server R2 2008 x64 *

o For Windows Server R2 2008 Itanium

* Note: These flaws do not affect Windows Server 2008 administrators who installed using the Server Core installation option.

Manage your Email better with Outlook 2010

 

If you haven’t already upgraded to the Windows 7 operating system, you might be interested to know that Outlook Express is not compatible with Windows 7.  So the obviously thing to do is get yourself a copy of Microsoft Office which includes Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, One Note and Word.  For the purposes of this blog, I am only going to discuss Outlook.  Outlook is very different from Outlook Express as far as features are concerned.  For that matter, Outlook 2007 is very different from Outlook 2010.  But let’s just say you want the latest version of Outlook 2010.  And even if you have been using it already, you will find that there are a few things that might make life a little easier for you if you try them out.

 

Mail Tips

If you have ever had that sinking feeling of hitting “reply all” by mistake or maybe you sent some important information to someone only to learn later that their email address was invalid?  Or maybe you sent some important information to someone only to learn later that their email address was invalid?  Microsoft Exchange 2010 and Mail Tips can help prevent these embarrassing mistakes, save you time and alleviate your frustration.  Learn about Mail Tips

 

Share your Calendar

Lawyers often want to share their calendar with staff.  With Microsoft Exchange Server you can share your calendar. Or you can publish your calendar to the web which would allow more people to see it.  Learn how to share you Calendar

 

Stop doing repetitive tasks

If you do a lot of the same things over and over when you are working with email, for example, move messages to a specific folder,  Quick Steps in Outlook 2010 can help by turning commands and procedures that you use most often into one click actions.  Learn about Quick Steps

 

Manage your conversations

You may have conversations over email where several people are discussing important issues.  With Outlook 2010 you can see your email within the context of the conversation with conversation view.  You can see the overall conversation, including your responses and also find the most recent response.  Learn about Conversations

 

Ignore all Email messages in a conversation

If you are no longer needed in an email conversation you can prevent additional responses from appearing in your inbox.  The ignore command moves the whole conversation and any future messages that arrive in the conversation to the deleted items folder. Learn how to ignore messages in a conversation

 

Let colleagues know when you aren’t around

If you have an Exchange account, when you are heading out on vacation or even just out of the office for the day, let your clients and colleagues know that you are out and when you will return with an automatic reply to their email.  How to turn on automatic replies

 

Outlook Contacts

Thanks to Microsoft Outlook Global Address List (GAL) you no longer have to keep your contacts' information stored on your computer (where it takes up space). The Global Address List tracks it all for you: phone numbers, building location, email addresses and more.

 

Upgrading to Office 2010 can make you more efficient with regard to workflow.  Keep in mind that with the Windows 7 operating system Outlook Express is no longer compatible.  When purchasing new machines, you will have to upgrade your email if you have been using Outlook Express.  Make sure you upgrade to Outlook 2010. Having an exchange server or using hosted exchange also benefits you in many ways.  For example your email gets backed up daily and you have a larger capacity to store email.  Also with hosted exchange if you lose power to your office you can still get your email on a laptop or your home computer.  If you have any questions or would like to know more about your email options, we are happy to assist you.  Give us a call at 516-762-0155.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Important Office Updates for Microsoft PowerPoint

 

Severity: High

Summary:

· These vulnerabilities affect: Most current versions of Microsoft PowerPoint for Windows and Mac (ships with Office), except for 2010.

· How an attacker exploits it: By tricking one of your users into opening a malicious PowerPoint document

· Impact: In the worst case, an attacker executes code on the user's computer, gaining complete control of it

· What to do: Install Microsoft's PowerPoint updates as soon as possible, or let Microsoft's automatic update do it for you (Mac update not available yet)

Exposure:

If an attacker can entice one of your users into downloading and opening a maliciously crafted PowerPoint document, they can exploit either of these vulnerabilities to execute code on a victim's computer.

Attackers utilize malicious Office documents in their targeted email attacks (spear phishing). User often consider Office documents as benign. Yet, criminals can easily leverage these sorts of vulnerabilities to cause malicious office documents to install malware. We recommend, you install this updates as soon as you can.

Solution Path

Microsoft has released patches for the Windows version of PowerPoint to correct these vulnerabilities. You should download, test, and deploy the appropriate patches throughout your network immediately, or let the Microsoft Automatic Update feature do it for you.

Unfortunately, Microsoft has not yet released the Mac updates yet. They don't say exactly when they plan to release the Mac update, only that they will when testing is complete.

PowerPoint update for:

· Office XP w/SP3

· Office 2003 w/SP3

· Office 2007 w/SP2

Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats

Microsoft Patch Day is here…

Microsoft released today 17 Security Bulletins.  The updates fix security flaws in Windows, Office, .NET and Internet Explorer (IE), as well as some issues in some of Microsoft’s Server and Developer software.

More than half of the updates are rated as Critical by Microsoft – Critical generally mean attackers can leverage them to execute code on your computer, and gain control of it. 

You should proactively install these Updates on Servers as Workstations as soon as possible.

Here is a link directly to the Patches:  Microsoft Security Bulletins

If you have the Microsoft Windows Update Service enabled many of these updates may automatically get installed. 

If you had our Patch Management Service you wouldn't have to worry about critical updates because they would be automatically installed for you. To find out more contact us.

Glasser Tech is a Full Service Technology Company based on Long Island, New York. We specialize in software, hardware and networking for small businesses. Our expertise is in the area of Law Office Automation. If you would like to know more about the services we offer call (516) 762-0155

Visit our Website

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Sign-up for our e-Newsletter

Current State of Social Networks

Interesting trends in Social Media by Gender, Age, Education. Wealth.

Glasser Tech is a Full Service Technology Company based on Long Island, New York. We specialize in software, hardware and networking for small businesses. Our expertise is in the area of Law Office Automation. If you would like to know more about the services we offer call (516) 762-0155

Visit our Website

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Sign-up for our e-Newsletter

Celebrating 50 Years in Space

 

The graphic below is a History of Manned Space Travel -- created by SPACE.com

Click the link to see some great pictures: Astronaut Photos from Beyond Planet Earth

Glasser Tech is a Full Service Technology Company based on Long Island, New York. We specialize in software, hardware and networking for small businesses. Our expertise is in the area of Law Office Automation. If you would like to know more about the services we offer call (516) 762-0155

Visit our Website

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Sign-up for our e-Newsletter

Mobile Phone - Interesting Stats

 

Check out some interesting trends in Mobile Phone usage.  Of the 4 Billion phones in use in the world I was surprised to find that more than 25% of them are smartphones.  Mobile Marketing is the largest growth segment in Advertising. 

Glasser Tech is a Full Service Technology Company based on Long Island, New York. We specialize in software, hardware and networking for small businesses. Our expertise is in the area of Law Office Automation. If you would like to know more about the services we offer call (516) 762-0155

Visit our Website

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Sign-up for our e-Newsletter

Your Personal Information Has Most Likely Been Exposed to a Hacker

If you have not already, you most likely will, receive an email that your information may have been compromised due to a “Security Breach” (Hacked is more appropriate). Epsilon is the company whose data was exposed.

Who is Epsilon? They are the world’s largest provider of permission-based email marketing on behalf of some of the most well known companies.

The exposure is not just limited to the companies in the image above. At this point we do not know the full extent to which companies have been affected. The current list is a who’s who in business. Here is the list as I currently know it:

Target – Best Buy – Walgreen’s - Capital One – TiVo - JP Morgan Chase & Co. – Kroger - US Bank – Citi - McKinsey & Company - Ritz-Carlton Rewards - Marriott Rewards - New York & Company – Brookstone - The College Board - Home Shopping Network (HSN) - LL Bean - Disney Destinations - Barclays Bank of Delaware

Expect more companies to be added to the list as the extent of the damage becomes known.

Why is this important? The “Bad Guys” now have your name and e-mail address as well as information about where you shop, bank, etc.. With this information they will launch a “phishing” attack. In such an attack, an email, that purports to come from a legitimate business will try to trick you into clicking and acting on the information in the email. Don’t be fooled. These emails look real.

What can happen? If you act on the “phishing” attack there are a number of possibilities. You may accidentally give out personal information. You may infect your computer with spyware. Hackers can sometimes get full control of your PC and cull data for use in other attacks. Your identity may be stolen.

What should you do? In the best of possible worlds setup a new email address and change all your online accounts to the new email address. If you don’t want to do that then you need to be extremely cautious. If an email ever requests a password change or personal information do not click the links in that email. If you get a marketing email from your favorite store with a "too good to be true" offer, you may want to think twice before clicking the links.

I could imagine them sending an email like this: “We recently had a Security Breach and your email address and information may have been compromised. Click the link to our website and update your information." Never fall for that! If you have any question then pickup the phone and call. If a number is referenced in the email do NOT call that number. Get the number from the legitimate website or a different source other than the email.

If you get suspect emails forward them to: spam@uce.gov and reportphishing@antiphishing.org

Glasser Tech is a Full Service Technology Company based on Long Island, New York. We specialize in software, hardware and networking for small businesses. Our expertise is in the area of Law Office Automation. If you would like to know more about the services we offer call (516) 762-0155

Visit our Website

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Sign-up for our e-Newsletter

IDC Crystal Ball Smartphone Prediction

IDC on Tuesday revealed their predictions for  the “worldwide” Smartphone market in 2015.  One thing true today that will be the same in 2015 is that the Android will be the clear winner. 

 

In less than three years the Android has gone from non-existent to top of the sales charts.  The Apple iPhone had almost an 18 months head-start on the Android Smartphone.  While the Windows Smartphone Operating System (O/S) was first developed more than 10 years ago they have garnered very little attention in the marketplace.  The BlackBerry was the clear winner for a long-time, but has failed to innovate substantially, (to date) recently.  Although BlackBerry still has and will have loyal fans for a long time.

 

You might be saying to yourself:  “How will the Windows Smartphone O/S be second in sales, ahead of the Apple iPhone Smartphone by 2015”?  The reason is this:  Nokia, the worlds largest cell phone maker made a deal with Microsoft to exclusively utilize the Windows Smartphone O/S in all its Smartphones.  Nokia, a longtime proponent of their Symbian platform will put all of their future resources into Windows Smartphone devices.  Note that this is for Worldwide Sales and not just the United States. Sales locally will most likely be far lower than those of other countries. This partnership between Nokia and Microsoft should push Microsoft to be more innovative than they have been in the past with their Smartphone O/S. 

It will be interesting to look back in four years to see where the market stands.  Right now the Android O/S appears to be the big winner.  Apple needs to develop a lower-end device to be competitive so, don’t count them out as well.  Let’s see if Research in Motion (RIM - BlackBerry) and  Microsoft can make any major inroads against them.

Glasser Tech is a Full Service Technology Company based on Long Island, New York.  We specialize in software, hardware and networking for small businesses.  Our expertise is in the area of Law Office Automation.  If you would like to know more about the services we offer call (516) 762-0155

Visit our Website

Serve Mobile Payments by AmEx

 

Monday American Express entered the game in the rapidly growing electronic payments arena with Serve. 

 

 

Serve allows consumers to make in many different ways. The Serve account can be funded from a bank account or a debit, credit or charge card. Payments can be made into the account online, via mobile phones or at any store that accepts American Express.  Money can also be received from other Serve accounts much like PayPal's service does.  For ultimate mobility Serve works with the Apple iPad and iPhone as well as Android Devices.  A BlackBerry App is also in the works.

 

Glasser Tech is a Full Service Technology Company based on Long Island, New York.  We specialize in software, hardware and networking for small businesses.  Our expertise is in the area of Law Office Automation.  If you would like to know more about the services we offer call (516) 762-0155

Visit our Website

Pixel QI - Innovative Display Technology

One of the main issues with display technology is that they work poorly in direct sunlight. Pixel Qi has come up with a display that works great indoors as well as outdoors. In addition to being highly readable the display can use up to 80% less power thus allowing for devices with a much greater battery life. They are licensing this technology called “Transflective 2.0” to hardware vendors. Look for devices with this innovative technology later this year.

For the latest information about Pixel Qi read their blog: http://www.pixelqi.com/blog1/

If you would like to know more about the services we offer call (516) 762-0155 Visit our Website

Microsoft Releases Security Advisory

 

This week Microsoft released a security advisory warning that one of their trusted Root Certification Authority Partners-Comodo, issued 9 fraudulent digital certificates for some very popular domains including:

• login.live.com
• mail.google.com
• login.yahoo.com
• login.skype.com
• addons.mozilla.org
• “Global Trustee”

While Comodo has already revoked the fraudulent certificates, Microsoft released a Windows update that revokes these signatures.  If you have enabled automatic updates, you may have already received it.  Otherwise be sure to click download and install it.  

 

Michael Glasser's Linked In Page    

 

 

Internet Explorer 9

Microsoft recently released Internet Explorer 9. While Microsoft Internet Explorer is still the leading Internet browser they have been rapidly losing market share to the likes of Firefox, Google Chrome and even Apple's Safari.

Interestingly Microsoft has forgone a large part of their market with this new release. Internet Explorer 9 (IE9) is only Compatible with Windows 7 & Windows Vista Computers. They chose not to provide support for all the computers running Windows XP – which is still almost about 50% of the computers running a Microsoft Windows Operating System. So for those of you running Windows XP skip the rest of this.

Top Internet Explorer 9 Features:

• Improved Performance – Implementing Hardware Acceleration IE9 is able to take full advantage of the processing power of todays computers. Websites become faster and more responsive.
• Streamlined Interface – The address bar, tabs, and navigation buttons are now on a single row.
• Tab Pinning: Tabs can be pinned to the Windows 7 task bar. Right click on the IE9 task bar icon to bring up a a menu of Pinned and Frequent Websites.
• Download Manager: Capability to manage downloaded files in a simple interface.
• Tracking Protection Lists: Allows the user to determine which websites to allow browsing tracking, and which sites to block that do not implement good privacy practices. NOTE: This feature is Off by Default. To turn it on Click Settings (The Gear Icon on the far right of the IE9 Toolbar) then Safety then Tracking Protection
• SmartScreen Filter: Verifies websites against Microsoft’s blacklist and blocks known malicious sites.
• Add-On Performance Advisor: Looks at your installed add-ons and tells you which ones are slowing your browser down the most and allows you to disable them.

Before installing IE9 check compatibility with any special websites you visit on a regular basis. Banking and Brokerage websites particularly could be of concern. I checked the LexisNexis Requirements for online Research and IE9 is not mentioned yet – this does not mean it will not work.

Internet Explorer 9 is a step in the right direction. With its new security and performance enhancements it is now on par with their main competitors Firefox and Google Chrome. I will have to use it more over the next couple of months and will reserve final judgment.

If you would like to know more about the services we offer call (516) 762-0155 Visit our Website

PCLaw and IE9

Compatibility issues with PCLaw and IE9

Microsoft has now released Internet Explorer 9. PCLaw Customers on certain older versions who upgrade their browers to IE9 will have compatibility issues that may render PCLaw inoperable.

Impacted versions of PCLaw include:

• PCLaw v. 10 SP1, SP2, SP3, SP4 and SP5 with HF1 or HF2



• PCLaw v. 9



• PCLaw v. 8



• Current unsupported versions PCLaw v.7 and earlier.




To fix this issue, we recommend that you upgrade PCLaw to v.10 SP5HF3 before upgrading to IE9 and/or uninstall IE9, which will automatically re-set the web browser to the previously installed version on the machine. We recommend that you have Internet Explorer 8.




If you need assistance upgrading your PCLaw to the current version, please contact our office at 516-762-0155.

ADOBE FLAW




An unpatched Flash Player flaw is being used in 'targeted attacks.' Adobe announced on Monday, however, that a fix will not be available until the week of 3/21/11.


There are reports that this vulnerability is being exploited in targeted attacks via a Flash (.swf) file embedded in a Microsoft Excel (.xls) file delivered as an email attachment," Adobe said in a security advisory.


If you get an "unexpected" email, with an Excel (.xls) spreadhsheet attached, do not open it. Contact the sender and verify the legitimacy.

Return to LinkedIn

Firefox Critical Update

Firefox 3.6.14 Update Corrects 11 vulnerabilities

Summary:

· These vulnerabilities affect: Firefox 3.6 x and 3.5 x for Windows, Linux and Macintosh

· How an attacker exploits it: Typically by enticing one of your users to visit a malicious web page

· Impact: Various results; in the worst case, an attacker executes code on your user’s computer, gaining complete control of it

· What to do: Upgrade to Firefox 3.6.14 (or 3.4.17), or let Firefox’s automatic update do it for you

Solution Path:

Mozilla has released Firefox 3.6.14 and 3.5.17, to correct security vulnerabilities. If you use Firefox we recommend that you download and deploy version 3.6.14 as soon as possible. If for some reason you must remain with Firefox 3.5 x, make sure to upgrade to 3.5.17.

Note: The latest version of Firefox 3.6.x automatically informs you when a Firefox update is available. We highly recommend you keep this feature enabled so that Firefox receives its updates as soon as Mozilla releases them. To verify that you have Firefox configured to automatically check for updates, click Tools=> Options=>Advanced tab=>Update tab. Make sure that “Firefox” is checked under “Automatically check for updates.” In this menu, you can configure Firefox to always download and install any update, or if you prefer, only to inform the user that an update exists.

As an aside, attackers cannot leverage many of these vulnerabilities without JavaScript. Disabling JavaScript by default is a good way to prevent many web-based vulnerabilities. If you use Firefox, we recommend you also install the NoScript extension, which will disable JavaScript (and other active scripts) by default.

               

Top Apps for Your Android Phone

Top Must have Apps for your Android Phone

Android Apps (short for Applications) are mobile software designed for running ont he Android operating systems, which is one of the most popular platforms used in cellphones, tablets and other mobile devices.

Since Android was introduced, more than 200,000 Android apps have been developed and available for download from the Android Market, the online software store developed by Google, but not all are free. To help you to get what are the best and free, we have selected some gems in each category and added them here in a single convenient list.


Best Free File Manager-Astro File Manager

Best Free Online Back up-Dropbox

Best Free Program Launcher-Apps Organizer

Best Free Tast Manager-TaskPanel XTRA

Best Free Media Player-QQPlayer

Best Free Music Player and Organizer-Astro Player Nova

Best Free Video Sharing-YouTube

Best Free Business Card Reader-CamCard Lite

Best Free Barcode Scanner-Barcode Scanner

Best Free Office Suite (viewer)-Documents to Go

Best Free Calendar-Calendar Pad

Best Free PDF Reader-Adobe Reader

Best Free E-Book Reader-Kobo

Best Free Notepad and Notebook-Springpad

Best Free Dictionary-Free Dictionary

Best Free Translator-Google Translate

Best Free Map/Navigation-Google Maps



Your phone can be a great tool to help you be efficient and productive. We hope that you find these apps useful. If you have a great app that you would like us to know about, e-mail us at solutions@glassertech.com.

Adobe Critical Updates

Adobe Releases Critical Updates for Acrobat, Shockwave and Flash Player


Severity: High

Summary:

• These vulnerabilities affect: recent versions of Adobe Reader, Acrobat, Shockwave, and Flash



• How an attacker exploits it: In various ways, but most commonly by enticing your users into visiting a website containing malicious Flash, Reader or Shockwave content



• Impact: In the worse case an attacker can execute code on your computer, potentially gaining control of it.



• What to do: If you use these popular Adobe products, you should download and install their various updates as soon as possible.

Solution Path:

If you use any of the software below, we recommend you download and deploy the corresponding updates as soon as possible, or let Adobe's automatic updater do it for you:

• APSB11-01: Upgrade to Shockwave 11.5.9.620


• APSB11-02: Upgrade to Flash 10.2.152.26


• APSB11-03: Adobe Reader for Windows and for MAC and Adobe ">Acrobat Standard and Pro for Windows and ">Pro Extended for Windows and Pro for Mac

Web Security Service

Social networking sites like Facebook, web applications like Twitter and commerce sites like craigslist and ebay present new security challenges to protect users from where they are going, what they are downloading and from anyone malicious or fraudulent with whom they are interacting online. Traditional anti-virus, web filtering and networking solutions can't keep up.




Glasser Tech Web Security Service brings safety to your network.




Glasser Tech Web Security Service protects users from malware, phishing, identity theft and other harmful activity online. The service sits between your network and the Internet to protect users as they conduct business-critical activities on the web.

• Provides comprehensive and flexible reporting, and as a result, global visibility



• Website response traffic is analyzed for untrustworthy users, and malicious programs



• Monitor and control website access and Internet use across your organization.

Our Web Security Service incorporates multiple layers of protection.

• URL Filtering: Advanced Web filtering integrates powerful URL filtering analysis, including more than 100 million active Websites across 90 categories, with real-time reputation scoring and content analysis. The database is updated daily with newly categorized sites and provides a real-time feedback loop to increase accuracy.



• Flexible Policies: Customizable rules that govern what your users are allowed to do. Each rule manages restrictions and exceptions for a group of users with control of blocking, overriding, coaching, quota-based usage throttling, rule scheduling and real-time alerts.

Advanced Threat Protection

• Script-Attack Prevention: Threat Analyzer engine performs multiple security checks to determine what exactly a specific application is trying to do and blocks malicious scripts before they enter your network.



• Anti-Malware: Object-based malware detection uses string scanning and advanced heuristic technology to block unknown Web-based viruses and spyware before they can gain access to your network.



• Anti-Virus: Signature-based anti-virus protects against previously identified viruses. The service integrates industry-leading anti-virus signatures, updated hourly, to provide a rapid response to new known security threats.

Reporting

• Access reporting anytime, anywhere. The real-time consolidated reporting offers a wealth of security, compliance and usage information that can be scheduled or accessed in real time.

Why Implement Web Security?

• Dramatically Reduces the Risk of Network Infection



• Greatly improves staff productivity

Call Glasser Tech at (516) 762-0155 or e-mail us at solutions@glassertech.com to find out how you can protect your systems and increase productivity.

Why does your business need network monitoring?

Here are Glasser Tech's top 10 reasons:

• To keep you informed

With real-time monitoring, if a failure or irregularity is detected, we can be immediately informed. Without it, you have to wait until something fails or the issue is reported to you before you can even ask for help.

• Plan for change

Network Monitoring Solutions allows us to monitor your network for problems. For example, if a piece of hardware is constantly crashing, it may be time to replace it. This would also apply to a server or particular application crashing.

• To diagnose issues

Imagine if your company's website went down. With Network Monitoring, we would be able to tell if the problem is with the website, the web server or the applications that the site runs on because Network Monitroing pinpoints the point of failure.

• Reports issues

Network Monitoring reports help us spot trends in system performance, so we can show you where your needs are for upgrades or replacements all by documenting the otherwise "unseen" work that keeps your network in top form.

• Remediate disasters

If we are immediately notified that there is an issue and the issue is going to take some time to fix, the time saved by being alerted immediately can be used to bring in a back up system to replace the current failure.

• Ensure Operation of Security Systems

With Patch management we can streamline the automation and management of your Microsoft software updates and patches.

• Keep track of your Web Applications

Network Monitoring solutions allow us to stay on top of website problems, spot issues before anyone notices and remediate the issues in a timely fashion.

• Problems get fixed without a tech coming on site

Network Monitoring offers one-click remote support for any server or workstation in your environment.

• Save your business money

Network monitoring allows for a faster fix with instant alerts. It spots small and big issues, eliminates the need for manual checks on event logs, back up systems, antivirus systems, hard disks and other devices.

The bottom line is, Network Monitoring Solutions save you money because you have less down time. Call Glasser Tech today to discuss how easily we can set you up with Network Monitoring Solutions. 516-762-0155.

Employees spending too much time on the internet?

We can help you stop cyber slacking.

Countless hours of productivity are lost due to employees spending time on the internet. You already know it’s costing you money. But what about the illegal music and/or software that they download or disreputable sites that they visit? Unmonitored employees can cost you even more money in down time because their machines have become infected with trojans or other spyware.

There are a few rules of thumb when it comes to cyber slacking in the workplace.

• You can either use tools to monitor the internet activity of your employees and based on the reports these tools generate note which sites they are visiting.



• You can spy on them directly to determine which employees are visiting which sites or..



• You can cut them off from particular sites before they can even look at them.

Let’s examine a few of the solutions we offer businesses.

If you use a tool such as Barracuda Web filter it will:

1) Block access to Web sites based on domain, URL pattern, or content category
2) Block downloads based on file type
3) Block applications that access the Internet, including IM, music services, and software update utilities Integrates with "safe search" filters built into popular images search engines
4) Provide integrated gateway and desktop spyware protection

Spector 360:

Spector 360 will automatically capture all employee Internet and desktop activity whether they are in the office, traveling or working remotely on both Windows or Mac OS.

Spector 360 records:

• email/webmail, online searches, file transfers



• Chat/instant messages, keystrokes typed, document tracking



• Websites visited, user activity, network activity and application/program use
  

Fortinet Firewalls:

These appliances are made to block websites before they can even be accessed.

Fortiguard’s global, proactive threat library delivers comprehensive protection against network, content, and application threats.

Multi-threat security research leverages intelligence from multiple security disciplines to protect against known and unknown threats.

Feedback from worldwide installed base plus cooperation with major infrastructure vendors provides broadest protection against attacks and exploits.

Real-time updates - both push and pull - keep your defenses ahead of the threats with industry-leading threat response time with optional Service Level Agreements (SLAs).

Simple setup offers true "set and forget" functionality for easier deployment and management.

Device-based licensing eliminates per-user fees for significantly lower entry and maintenance costs.

So whether you just want to be aware of which sites are taking up your employees time or you want to know which employees are slacking or you just want to cut them off from particular sites altogether, we have a solution for you. Let us know how aggressive you want to be. Cutting down on cyber slacking offers greater productivity and more money for your business. Call us at 516-762-0155.

Don't let a little error message upset you!

Your day is going great. You are being productive and getting a lot done and then all of a sudden it happens. An error message pops up on your screen. What do you do?



Step 1) READ THE MESSAGE

This is not the time to panic. Everyone gets an error message now and then. What you need to keep in mind is that if you just ignore the error message it doesn’t mean the error or problem will magically disappear. Most error messages are accompanied by further information regarding the error. Generally there is a button that is marked “details.” When you click on this button it may tell you a lot of information that you don’t understand. However, this information means something to your IT people. Write down what the message says. Too much information is often more helpful than not enough information.

If you don’t want to write it all down you can take a picture of the message by holding down the ALT Key and pressing the PRTSCR button on your keyboard. Then open your e-mail and paste the image there. This picture image of your error can now be forwarded to your IT people via e-mail.

Please note if you have the new Windows 7 operating system, there is a built in tool for screen shots that is called the snipping tool.

Step 2) TRY CLOSING ANY OPEN WINDOWS OR PROGRAMS

After everything is closed, open the program you were working in before and see if you encounter the same message.

Step 3) WHEN IN DOUBT-REBOOT

This step often cures a number of issues. It seems that recently more and more people are leaving their computers in the office on round the clock so they can log in remotely to work from home. It is a good idea that you reboot your machine when you are actually in the office. Rebooting frees up resources being used by programs that are eating up memory and temporary hard drive space. Plus this allows a technician to see if the problem you were having can be recreated after the reboot.

Step 4) ASK AROUND AND SEE IF YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE

Sometimes it is helpful for your IT people to know if it’s just one computer or every computer that is having an issue. If it’s just one computer, then there is a likelihood that there is something wrong with that particular machine. If it’s everyone, it could be a network issue.

Step 5) CHECK THE WEBSITE

If you are having issues with printing errors often you can find an answer by checking the vendor’s website. Or, you can just put the entire error into Google. When doing so, surround your error with quotation marks so that the search engine returns sites that address that particular issue.

Step 6) CALL YOUR IT PERSON

If you just can’t find a solution, call your IT representative. Your IT people have often experienced these errors while working with other clients and already know how to handle them.

Before calling your IT person, please take note of the program you are working in and provide them with as much information as possible. Sometimes, they can log onto your computer and fix your problem remotely.

Let’s face it, errors are never fun and they seem to pop up when you are your busiest. But with a little effort they can easily be resolved and you’ll be back to work in no time.

If you don’t currently have an IT company GLASSER TECH LLC would be happy to assist you. Give us a call at 516-762-0155.

Arriving in June Timeslips 2011

What version of Timeslips do you have? Any version of Timeslips older than 2009 will no longer be supported come June of this year. Now is your chance to get in on special discounts. Timeslips has been listening to user requests and here are just some of the new features for Timeslips 2011.

1. Edit slip descriptions without opening the data entry dialog. Timeslips 2011 lets you add or edit descriptions for the slips, A/R transactions and funds transactions from the list.

2. Get more use out of the Nickname 2 field. Timeslips 2011 lets you use up to 30 characters for timekeepers, clients, tasks and/or expenses to give you greater flexibility in using this field.

3. You can name PDF files when printing bills to PDF. Timeslips 2011 lets you assign custom names for bills by e-mail and statements by e-mail.

4. Restrict slip entry. Timeslips 2011 has a security option so you can completely restrict slip entry to those cleints that have the option checked.

5. More custom fields. Timeslips 2011 allows you to create up to 90 custom fields. You can also create up to 6 different groups to organize and categorize these custom fields.

6. Greater flexibility for reporting on invoice data.
Timeslips 2011 allows user defined invoice listings so you can get more detailed information on how payments and other transactions were applied to each invoice.

7. You can now accept credit or debit card payments from within the software.Timeslips 2011 allows you to now indicate the type of payment received fromt he client, which will give you greater flexibility with reporting on payment information in A/R reports.


These are just a few features of the new Timeslips 2011.

Contact us now to get the best pricing. Glasser Tech (516) 762-0155.

Spring Cleaning

It's time for a Big Spring Clean up!!

Let's face it, we are all tired of the winter season and as soon as the weather starts to turn warmer we feel more energy and get that "time to clean up and throw some stuff out" feeling.

Believe it or not, we tend to keep things a lot longer than we should and that tends to be true even in our office. When was the last time you cleaned your inbox?

Getting organized is only painful for the initial cleaning. Think of it as opening your closet and all of your stuff falling out. It may seem overwhelming at first but as you start looking things over you realize you have a lot of stuff that you just don't need anymore. A great way to organize your e-mail is to start with Sub folders. If you keep your inbox just one folder it's like throwing your newest shirt into the closet and shutting the door. You may group them in anyway that best suits you. For instance you could have them be categorized by their urgency, the type or e-mail or who its from, it's really up to you. You could break it down by cases, administrative tasks or different projects. Anyway that puts your mail into folders that make sense to you is a good place to start.

The next thing you want to do is as e-mails are coming in say to yourself should I read and delete it, mark it to be followed up on or read and file it. Taking an action on each e-mail keeps you organized.

For those pesky e-mails that come every week that you thought you wanted to sign up for but never have time to read, simply unsubscribe. If you haven't read the last 3 or 4, you probably aren't going to read the next 3 or 4. Simply open the e-mail and click on the bottom where it says unsubscribe and unsubscribe. You will cut down on a lot of unwanted material this way.

Lastly, make sure that when your e-mail starts asking you to archive that you archive when you can. Outlook offers some archiving tools to help you out. Check your company's policy to find out how long you have to keep certain e-mail.

Once you have taken the time to get organized, try to stay organized. Sub folders make searching e-mail easier because you know just where you put things. You know how good it feels to have things neat and organized. You will be surprised how good you feel when you can find important e-mails quickly because everything is where it is supposed to be.

Find, Use and Profit from all your information!

Worldox GX2 is finally here and the new features of this program are more than just a great new look. Worldox has, of course, updated their brand identity with a new logo but it's what's new to the inside of this program that's most beneficial to your document management.

Speed

You will notice right away how much faster GX2 loads and responds. Your documents are found within seconds. Plus new viewers enable faster previewing and easy capability of finding new document types like .docx and .xlsx.

No toggling

In GX2 toggling is not necessary.

Outlook can port Worldox into the right side of the Outlook window. Two applications in one window!















My Workspaces

My Workspaces allows you to share projects and files. It's a configurable zone that you control in the left side path tree pane. Through a subscription process you can create visual bookmarks to key work items. You can bookmark folders, make shareable profile group shorcuts and pre-set filtered lists for those groups. Workspaces are also great tools for organizing and sharing files for team members.













Multiple-Document Previewing


Preview allows you to view multiple documents and it is completely customizable. You can set a tab to show just the middle document or all three. This gives you new ways to navigate through and select items from the file list.

And there's more......

• Cloud Filters that help you filter by types of files


• Views: An alternative to searching


• Path tree up upgrades


• A new favorites tab for profile field table windows


• Intelligent document tab display


• A keystroke for switching work list column sort direction


• Ability to configure Send to right click menu (and toolbar) access


• Automatic word-matching in File Files search templates

Call us if you would like to find out more about Worldox GX2

This document management system can save you so much time because finding your files takes only seconds. Let us show you how this powerful tool can increase productivity for your business. Glasser Tech 516-762-0155