Don’t Overlook This - Tips to Secure Your Cloud Data

Cloud-based security is here to stay. Be it Google Drive and Dropbox are some of the most comfortable and convenient data repositories for saving your data online, allowing you easy access at any place or time where internet is available. Although the convenience seems tempting, one must look into the security concerns while moving personal and confidential data over the cloud platform.

Rule No. 1: Backup Data Locally
It is a good practice to create electronic copies of your data so that you will be able to access it wherever you are without losing the original data. It also helps in case you lose the original data or it is corrupted. It is as simple as setting up an account in the cloud and remembering the credentials.
Another option is to have a manual backup of your precious data in an external storage device, which helps you when there is no or slow internet accessibility.

Rule No. 2: Avoid Storing Sensitive Information
As everyone is aware of the discrepancies of the internet privacy and the vulnerability internet security is exposed to, it is wise to avoid your highly confidential moving up to the cloud. Mainly, it is advisable to avoid putting up documents containing passwords for any of your accounts. This way you can stay confident about keeping the files that you need to access frequently.

Rule No. 3: Use Cloud Services that Encrypt Your Data
Look for cloud service providers that safeguard your privacy by offering local encryption for your data, which provides an additional layer of security. This method will also protect your data against the service providers and administrators. It would be even better if the cloud service also guarantees encryption during the uploading and downloading phases. The additional step of encrypting and decrypting your data may take a little while longer to sync and access your files, but it is worth it.

Rule No. 4: Encrypt Data Before Moving it to the Cloud
Encrypting data here means you would be able to apply passwords and generate secret key sequences to your files before you upload them to the cloud server. If your provider does not use data encryption, you can prefer to use a cloud protection app, which will solve your purpose.

Rule No. 5: Apply Two-Step Verification
As the first line of protection, you can maintain a strong password (as suggested by the internet) for all your online accounts. Also, instead of relying on a strong password created by you years ago, try to change them frequently and not repeat it across the many online accounts on your name.

Your data is really precious and you cannot afford to allow it to be leaked. While moving to the cloud, it is necessary to follow the above tips so that your data remains safe. You also need to hire the services of a cloud service provider who has a relevant experience and good customer reviews. Net Activity, Inc. can be of great help as they have been in this business since 2002. They are a team of professionals who are proficient, trained, experienced and friendly. If you wish to know more about the services offered, contact Harry Bhatia at 2165035150 X 206 or visit

Source: http://www.netactivity.us/blog/dont-overlook-this-tips-to-secure-your-cloud-data/

Tips to Choose a VoIP Service Provider That Does IT Right

In the recent times, VoIP service providers have crowded the market and made it difficult for businesses to choose the one that would actually do what they commit to. You may have made the toughest of your decisions while moving to VoIP services from the traditional phone set up and you would definitely not expect your business to face down times due to a poor telephone network.

Promoting managed IT services that save money and provide greater functionality, is like marketing of any other service, which means that the providers must take into consideration the time-honored factors of price, promotion & distribution. With all the sophistication in their pitching styles, it is possible for you to get trapped in a non-rewarding deal. So, we have stated a few points that to help you select a reliable VoIP service provider in Ohio.

Ask to explain things & talk out of the acronyms – The telephone technology is full of acronyms. They may be comfortable using terms like VoIP and PBX but you, as they may overwhelm a customer /the SMB owner. In a confused state, you may not even understand what they are trying to explain and consequently you may miss important details of the technology you will be using thereafter.

Demand a complete solution – Do not forget that you are on the demanding side. Understand the details of how the VoIP services offered by the provider will influence their businesses. Look at what’s unique in his offerings. Also, study their previous works and customer feedback so that you get a brief about past experiences of businesses like you with the service provider.

Plan & implement wisely – Ask the provider to spend a weekend at your business set up (pre-installation planning) to understand how the present system works and where is the need to rebuild things. A good installation plan will make the configuration easy for you. It really makes a difference.

Safety must be the first commitment – A recent study revealed that about 40% of the VoIP users did not have specific plans to secure their VoIP deployments. The end-points of your VoIP systems are vulnerable to attacks right from their operating systems to internet protocols and management interfaces of VoIP phones. It sounds scary; it also means that there is a lucrative chance for those who sell VoIP security services. Check if your VoIP provider includes a security plan in his package to cut down on the cost of hiring another provider selling security services.

Training as a part of service – Plug n play does not imply installing software and leaving the rest. The automation also requires users to be trained to know how the new software will help them reduce efforts. It is a bad idea to leave users baffled on a completely new set up of devices. Ensure that your VoIP provider will train you on using the VoIP systems.

Well, if you are convinced that these tips will help you build a better VoIP network that never fails, you may consider another advice from us. Contact Net Activity, Inc. for any assistance related to VoIP services.Net Activity has been in the business since 2002. The business caters to the IT industry by providing Hosted, IP based and On Premise Phone Systems. You can visit http://www.netactivity.us/contact.html  for fairly priced quotations of VoIP services or contact Harry Bhatia at 2165035150 X 206. We welcome your suggestions too.

Source: http://www.netactivity.us/blog/tips-to-choose-a-voip-service-provider-that-does-it-right/

Look Where the Future of Internet Security is Heading to…

Hackers are getting more sophisticated and it has become tough for businesses to survive their attacks. Today, internet means a lot, rather everything to us. Things are changing at a faster rate and so will the internet. Consequently, the new interfaces will bring in unique security challenges. On the other hand, there will be a major shift in the devices used for surfing the internet. The future locality of internet connections would no longer be restricted to businesses; it will be embedded into cars, everyday appliances, clothing, and even disposable packaging. It’s going to be everywhere, making security more challenging than ever.

Thinking of the wildest guesses as to how the internet will grow, our focus should now be directed at thinking about how it can be safeguarded in the future.

Some of the precise questions to be seriously thought upon are: How important will then security be? What will it cost – as an individual & an organization? What will the unseen threats look like? How will we defend against their attacks? Let us first look at the existing elements of the internet network security. Five elements of internet security are practiced today – Architectural, Technological, Psychsociological, Procedural and Existential elements. But the question remains – Will this state of affairs last?

Though simple, internet-based attacks will prevail and some hackers will continue using the traditional means of attack, the huge leap of technological transformations invites the need of precise and advanced security procedures. Many of the common characteristics will be transcended by tomorrow’s attacks and most of them will:

•  Be untraceable
•  Survive on the Net as self-multiplying software entities
•  Not be controllable or stoppable
•  Have no discrete beginning or end
•  Persist for years, even decades, in a longitudinal attack

The ultimate problem persists – how are we going to deal with these? How will we defend against the threats and secure the data that is most important to us? Active search has already been initiated by major organizations and if they perform well on board, the networks themselves may help to improve their own immune systems. Then, destiny would be survival of the fittest networks.To avail their Internet Security,visit http://www.netactivity.us/contact.html or call Harry Bhatia at 2165035150 X 206.

Source: http://www.netactivity.us/blog/look-where-the-future-of-internet-security-is-heading-to/