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Entries Tagged as 'Security'

The Maxtor Online Store USA – Product Info

December 5th, 2007 · No Comments

I like these kinds of systems. However for the dental office you need more than one. You also need a well established system to take the back up drive off site.
If in the unhappy event you are told to evacuate (Huricanes wildfires and such) grab your family photos and your back up disk and hit the road.

A full-featured, portable backup and storage solution with Maxtor SafetyDrill™ for complete recovery of your PC hard drive’s contents in case of a system crash or virus/spyware attack. Features data encryption and Maxtor DrivePass™ to help safeguard the contents of your drive against unauthorized use. With up to 160GB you can automatically back up or sync your work and home computer and confidently carry your up-to-date portfolio in your pocket. A simple user-interface makes automated backup scheduling, specific file restoration, sync, security, drive and power management a snap. USB-powered for PC and Mac users. Includes 5-year limited warranty.
The Maxtor Online Store USA – Product Info [1].

[1] http://www.maxstore.com/product.asp?sku=3695717

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Tags: Security

Hard Drives: Under the Hood

November 15th, 2007 · No Comments

The average computer user only becomes aware of his or her hard drive in two circumstances: When it fills, or when it fails.
Hard Drives: Under the Hood [1].
Follow the link if you want to learn more.

[1] http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,2214377,00.asp

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Tags: Hardware · Security

Reviews by PC Magazine Network Storage

November 13th, 2007 · No Comments

Bottom Line:The Netgear ReadyNAS NV+ is an excellent combination of small-business RAID muscle, gigabit throughput, and home-oriented media features. It’s expensive, but worth the price if abundant storage, fast transfers, and RAID reliability are what you need.
Pros: Fast transfers. Supports the three major desktop OSs. Granular performance-tweaking settings. Well-behaved network client. Many features.
Cons: Some parts of setup are tricky. Attached USB hard drives must be FAT or FAT32, not NTFS. Expensive.
Netgear ReadyNAS NV+: At A Glance – Reviews by PC Magazine [1].

[1] http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,2205357,00.asp

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Tags: Hardware · Security

Combating Spyware

November 13th, 2007 · No Comments

While you may not realize that you have installed spyware, there are some signs that it exists on your computer. If you notice any changes to your Web browser that you did not make such as extra toolbars or different homepage settings, as well as changes to your security settings and favorites list, you could have spyware running on your system. Other signs of a spyware infection include pop-up ads which aren’t related to a Web site you’re viewing; you may also see advertisements when you’re not browsing the Web. Hyperlinks which do not work (or take you somewhere you didn’t expect), a sluggish system, or your system taking longer to load the Windows desktop are all signs that your computer may be infected with spyware.
Anti-spyware software packages can rid your system of these unwanted and malicious programs. Anti-spyware software works by identifying any spyware installed on your system and removing it. Much like a firewall or anti-virus program, anti-spyware software is crucial to maintain optimal protection and security on your computer and network. Two popular and free anti spyware programs are Spybot and Ad-Aware.

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Tags: Security · Websites & Internet

CrystalTalk

November 6th, 2007 · No Comments

This looks like a phone add on. However if it reduces noise would this be useful to improve voice activated charting. Interesting.

CrystalTalk™ (kris’t?l-tôk). n. Noise-canceling technology manufactured by Motorola; “a bundling of microphone noise reduction and noise adaptive speaker enhancements meant to improve the clarity and intelligibility of speech while you are in a noisy environment.” – Motorola.com
Motopure H12 = H680 + CrystalTalk – Gearlog#more [1].

[1] http://www.gearlog.com/2007/11/motopureh12_h680_crystaltalk.php#more

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Tags: Diagnostics · Hardware · Just for Fun · Security

Folder Phantom

November 6th, 2007 · No Comments

The utility linked from PC Magazine below could be useful in a dental office to hide confidential items such as patient correspondence or legal matters.

Have you ever needed to hide files from prying eyes? Perhaps you have your resumé and cover letters stashed on your machine at work,  This month’s utility, Folder Phantom, allows you to easily make folders disappear and reappear.
– Folder Phantom: Hide Your Files and Folders – Downloads by PC Magazine [1].

[1] http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,2207835,00.asp

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Tags: Administrative · Security · Websites & Internet

Computer Security

November 1st, 2007 · No Comments

For thousands of years the Great Wall of China provided security to the Chinese empire. Reportedly it was only breached twice. Both times the security was defeated not by military hordes but by bribery and individual treachery. The weak link in any security system is always the human element.
Computer technology makes everything we do in the office easier and faster. Unfortunately it can also make it easier and faster for embezzlers and thieves. Many dentists are concerned about external security. They fear computer viruses or Internet hackers.  These concerns need to be addressed however it is far more likely that the security of the office will be breached or compromised internally by people working in the office.
On the most basic level a security system isolates sensitive information and then limits access to that information to approved individuals. It is analogous to handing out office keys to employees. In theory it is possible to create perfect security for your computer system. However to do so would make the security measures so cumbersome and time consuming we would never get any work done. In the real world we compromise between efficiency and security.
In most offices, passwords are the principle method of allowing access and authorization. But oftentimes users forget their passwords. When this happens a new password needs to be assigned, involving time and effort. Another problem with passwords is the tendency for both dentists and staff – for the sake of an easy life – to lend their passwords to the other people working in the office.

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Tags: Security

Spam

October 18th, 2007 · No Comments

The latest step in the evolution of spam: the mass mailing of MP3 audio files. This trend was first detected in European mail traffic by the company’s spam analysts.
The spam circulating in MP3 files is so-called stock spam, which is designed to artificially increase the price of certain stocks by advertising them. This type of spam first appeared in August of last year and has since then become widespread. It is notable that spammers actively use a number of innovative methods when sending this type of spam in an attempt to evade detection by spam filters: for instance, stock spam was sent in the first mass mailing to use specially crafted graphics files containing background ‘noise’, and in .pdf files, which at the time could not be detected by spam filters.
From Kapersky Labs [1]

[1] http://www.kaspersky.com/press

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Tags: Security · Websites & Internet

What’s really broken with Windows Update – Trust

October 15th, 2007 · No Comments

Read the whole thing…

See, here’s the problem. To feel comfortable with having an open channel that allows your OS to be updated at the whim of a third party (even/especially* Microsoft … * delete as applicable) requires that the user trusts the third party not to screw around with the system in question. This means no fiddling on the sly, being clear about what the updates do and trying not to release updates that hose systems. While any and all updates have the potential to hose a system, there’s no excuse for hiding the true nature of updates and absolutely no excuse for pushing sneaky updates down the tubes. Over the months vigilant Windows users have caught Microsoft betraying user trust on several separate occasions and this behavior is eroding customer confidence in the entire update mechanism.
» What’s really broken with Windows Update – Trust | Hardware 2.0 | ZDNet.com [1].

[1] http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=855

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Tags: Administrative · Just for Fun · Security

What if the computer breaks?

October 8th, 2007 · No Comments

Many dentists are so afraid of a possible computer failure that they refuse to use it, just in case. That is silly. Ask yourself, what if my car breaks down on the way to the office? What if the power goes out? What if the air compressor dies? The fact is that we rely on all kinds of systems that possibly could fail. A mission critical system failure, like a power outage or a compressor breakdown could put you out of business for a short time. A computer failure is the same. However the best way to protect yourself from a computer failure is to use redundant data storage systems, make daily off site back ups and most importantly have a local computer technician who you can rely on to be there that day, to get the office back to work.

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Tags: Hardware · Security