Did You Feel a Drop? BUDR Pt. 2

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Remember the panicked manufacturer with a progression of computer problems that recalled the proverbial “perfect storm”? Today I’m going to sort those problems out, and recommend ways to help keep those things from happening to you. To refresh, here’s what went on with that manufacturer:

The installed version of their ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning software) was too old to receive application maintenance and support. They hadn’t wanted to interrupt their workflow, and so hadn’t upgraded the ERP in more than five years.

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When and How to Stop Google Chrome From Running in the Background

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By default, when you close Google Chrome, the browser window closes, but the application itself continues to run in the background. There are a few reasons for this.

First and foremost, this makes it faster to open a new browser window. Since Chrome is already running in the background, there is less that has to take place behind the scenes before your new browser window appears.  This makes the browser feel quick, even on slower machines.

Running in the background also allows any Chrome extensions you might have installed to continue to operate. These are applications that run within Chrome and either enhance the browser’s existing features, or add new ones. Extensions range from those that change Chrome’s background colors to those that add support for third party applications.

This behavior, however, might not always be desirable.

If you are running an older or less powerful computer, you might find that forcing Google Chrome to stop running in the background could noticeably improve the overall performance of your computer.

Similarly, if you are using a laptop, having Google Chrome running in the background could negatively impact your battery life.  By forcing Chrome to close completely, you might find you can stretch your battery life just a little further.

If you fall into one of these two categories, or would simply prefer to avoid having Chrome run in the background, you can follow the instructions below to disable this behavior.

In Google Chrome:

1. Select “Settings” in the Chrome Menu

2. Click on “Advanced” at the bottom of the settings page that appears.

3. Under the “System” heading, find the box next to “Continue running background apps when Google Chrome is closed.”

By default, the toggle button next to that text will be set to the right with a blue background.  To prevent Chrome from running in the background, simply click the button so that the toggle is to the left, with a gray background (see screenshot above).

If, in the future, you decide you would like to allow Chrome to run in the background once again, simply repeat the steps above and move the toggle back to the right.

It is time to consider upgrading from Windows 7

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There are plenty of reasons to upgrade from Windows 7 before it reaches its end of life date on January 14, 2020.  Chief among them, Microsoft has indicated that, on this date, they will stop releasing security updates for Windows 7.  This will have major implications for anyone still running Windows 7, as it will leave them exposed to any known vulnerability indefinitely.

The nature of these vulnerabilities are such that they can have a cascading effect if exploited.  For instance, a recently identified vulnerability, designated ‘CVE-2019-0708,’ makes it possible for a malicious party to execute code remotely via Remote Desktop Services. This particular security flaw exists pre-authentication, meaning that it could easily spread from system to system in a similar fashion to how WannaCry malware spread in 2017.

Microsoft has indicated an attacker could “install programs; view, change or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.”

Fortunately, Microsoft has released a series of fixes for this particular vulnerability.  Starting January 14th, however, there is no guarantee that this will be the case and, except for in the most extreme circumstances, Windows 7 security holes will not be patched by Microsoft.

It is worth noting that Windows 10 is unaffected by this recent vulnerability, making this an excellent example of how upgrading to Microsoft’s latest operating system is the best way to ensure that your computer systems remain secure.

In short, by continuing to run Windows 7 past its end of life date, you could be undermining your entire security investment by effectively leaving the door to your network wide open.

Don’t wait until the last minute.  Talk to an IT expert about upgrading to Windows 10 today.  Give us a call at 978.562.6077 and selection Option 2.  We would be more than happy to help you get the process started.

Ray Baldez and Tony Fierimonte Complete Cisco SMB Select Partner Certification

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Bryley is pleased to announce that Tony Fierimonte and Ray Baldez have completed the training and testing to become certified Cisco Small and Midsize Business (SMB) Account Representatives. These certifications augment Bryley’s expertise as a Cisco SMB Select Partner.

About this achievement, Ray Baldez said, “it proves Bryley’s knowledge of the features and specifications of Cisco’s products, and competence in delivering the highest quality, most cost-effective solutions for any business environment.” Tony Fierimonte added, “the Cisco course helped give a thorough understanding of Cisco’s capabilities through its connectivity products, rich history, and strategic outlook. This will help me serve my customers with solutions that are on-point.”

Cisco SMB Certification is an example of a tool Bryley has at hand to approach your organization’s requirements specifically — combining for you the ideal mix of brand-name equipment, like Cisco’s, software with flexible service options, and tailor-fit contracts.

The Snoopiness of Things

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The 2015 Arkansas murder case that depended on smart-home devices, made the news again as the judge in the civil case upheld his ruling that James Bates is financially liable for the death of Victor Collins. The case against the accused was built on, among other forensics, records from Amazon whose Echo device was installed by the scene of Collins’ death, as well as evidence from a so-called smart meter. The smart meter reported inordinate usage of water around the time of death, which led the police to argue that a bloody patio was hosed down.

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Avoiding the Perfect Storm

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A nearby manufacturer called Bryley panicked. The problems started with a failed upgrade to their ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning software). Because they hadn’t wanted to interrupt their workflow, the company hadn’t upgraded the ERP in more than five years. But the installed version was now beyond maintenance and support, so they bit the bullet. Only, during the upgrade there was a power fluctuation so that the upgrade did not complete. In fact no computer on the network would boot normally. In addition while trying to resolve the failed upgrade, they found a flaw in their in-house back-ups. Now the business was losing days and money to downtime.

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World Backup Day 2019

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Celebrated On March 31st

Data is essential to us all.  We rely on it complete even the most basic daily tasks, and yet it is so easy to take for granted.

World Backup Day was established to remind us of the importance of data in our lives, and why we must make a sincere effort to protect it.

Think of all the information you access every day.  Photos, documents, financial records, calendars, reminders, even shopping lists are all stored electronically.  Having all that data right there at your fingertips makes life easier than ever before.  When something goes wrong, however, and that data is gone, even the most basic tasks become nearly impossible.

That is why we encourage you to take a few minutes on March 31st each year to make sure that your data is backed up and secure.  If it is, set aside some time to check and make sure that those backups are working properly and that you have access to them.  If your data is not backed up, mark the 31st in your calendar as the day you will fix that.

For more information on how World Backup Day came about, and how it is celebrated, you should visit their homepage.

GDPR and You

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Surprised that in the last month, between two small marketing list brokers, more than a billion personal records were found to have been leaked on the internet?1

That data then gets leaked and sold to potentially hold users’ computers or reputation for ransom. Or as in a 2018 hack, of DNA tester, MyHeritage, there is the ability to sell the data to the insurance and mortgage industries, revealing DNA disease susceptibilities, thereby making the user ineligible for coverage or a loan.2

GDPR to the Rescue!

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From Farm to Bryley’s Table

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Bryley’s client, Wilson Farm, is an upscale market for farm-fresh produce, home baked goods and prepared foods. On Sunday, we took a trip to their farm stand and came home with delicious prepared gourmet dinners, fruits and treats. For our employees, we bought them a beautiful cake decorated as a present and Monday became “Cake Day” at Bryley Systems!

Wilson Farm was founded by Irish immigrants and has been in operation at its present location, Lexington, MA since 1884.

Thank you for the delicious cake!

Best Practices for Using Social Media

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A sense of belonging, a sense of community and for businesspeople, a touchpoint for customer service and the ability to market to specific demographics are among social media’s benefits. And like every technology, social media – by which I mean websites that offer sharing tools that allow people to interact (e.g. Instagram, Twitter, SnapChat, Facebook, YouTube) – have their drawbacks.

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