Is using unlicensed software really worth it?

A Queensland steel company has paid $17,500 in damages following the discovery that they were using unlicensed versions of design software Autodesk and AutoCAD. Unlicensed software creates security risks and the risk of legal action for businesses. It is well worth using legal and licensed software despite the cost. Ask us more about switching to cloud software as an alternative to help keep your business compliant with the law. Read more about the case in this smartcompany article

Java vulnerability prompts Oracle software update

Oracle has released an emergency software update to prevent hackers from taking advantage of a Java vulnerability in their Java7 plugin. The Java vulnerability allows hackers to access a users computer remotely and execute random code. The update fixes the vulnerability and is available for download here. Java is a significant security risk. Where possible it is advised you uninstall Java on your PC where it’s not needed. Please update your Java plugin now. Contact us for help with this update if needed

Why you should wait to install or update to Windows 11

Windows 11 has been officially released and that means Windows 10 users should start seeing the option to update for free showing up in Windows Update. New operating systems are exciting and I’m sure you’re also eager to try it out but you might be best to wait. As Windows 11 rolls out we have been fielding questions about what that means for their PCs, and whether they should be concerned about getting the upgrade. Here is what you should know, it has some interesting new features, but it doesn’t offer most of us meaningful improvements over Windows 10. Here’s why you shouldn’t stress about upgrading right away. Windows 11 is incomplete The biggest reason you shouldn’t rush out and try to install Windows 11 yourself is that the operating system isn’t feature-complete yet. While it’s common to see software updated with patches and new features post-release, Windows 11 is definitely not ready to be used for a lot of computers. Windows 11 isn’t a huge upgrade from Windows 10 The other big reason you shouldn’t stress about upgrading to Windows 11 is the fact that for most people, the update probably doesn’t offer meaningful improvements over Windows 10. Windows [&hellip

Paint 3D to replace Paint in latest version of Windows 10

With the latest Windows 10 update, Microsoft has set paint to be a deprecated feature, which means that it is not recommended by Microsoft anymore but is still available for anyone to use. This can happen for a wide range of reasons, but it seems that Microsoft is preparing the way for their new program Paint 3D. Paint 3D is exciting new software meant to allow easy and intuitive access to 3D modelling, designed to be simple to use and easy to learn much like Paint. Users of Paint 3D should be able to 3D print their creations with ease, adding a fun new tool to Windows’ toolkit. Paint will no longer come as a default app on windows 10, instead it will be available on Microsoft’s App Store, where users can download it for free. While paint does not have a set date to be discontinued entirely, it’s safe to say that Microsoft does not want to continue supporting it for much longer, and users will eventually have to adapt to different software

It has arrived! Petya

Supportedge have been monitoring this threat since 28 June 2017 Again None of our clients have reported this infection. What is the danger to Supportedge’s clients? This problem is an issue for Microsoft Windows systems only. The Petya attack starts by sending spam messages containing links to download a ZIP archive. The archive contains a malicious file and as well as a JPEG image. The file names are in German at this stage, the file names are made to look like resumes for job candidates, for this reason the main is HR staff in German-speaking countries. Australia has not been hit by a wave of attacks. This attack uses the same exploit in Windows that was used to spread WannaCry virus. There are notable differences between Petya and WannaCry, the largest is, WannaCry had a kill switch, Petya does not! If you are infected by Petya Your computer becomes locked and held at ransom (no access to the operating system). The top 5 countries that have been affected Germany China India Japan Russian Federation What do I do to protect myself? Call us, we will check your system and report the risk. If you’re a subscription client we have already [&hellip

Support Subscriptions

Our subscription service is designed in order to streamline your IT and keep your business running efficiently for a flat cost every week. By subscribing, we offer subscriptions for IT devices which your business relies on. These subscriptions guarantee that we will remotely monitor, maintain, manage and repair your devices for the duration of the subscription. This is IT protection for your business. When subscribing, we also offer discounts of up to 50% off of our consulting fees, and you’ll have the added benefit of simple subscription costs for the wide range of services which we provide. Some of the many benefits in choosing our subscription service include: Choose your Subscriptions: We can tailor the agreement to your business and budget by subscribing to only specific services your business needs Great Value: We offer great value for our subscribers and give discounts of up to 50% off our consulting fees for those who subscribe to more of our services Monthly billing: Monthly bill which allows for easier budgeting of our I.T services Service Improvement: Establishes an environment of communication so we can keep your systems protected Maintenance and Protection: Keeping your IT equipment protected from errors and downtime and maintained [&hellip

Advertisements Masquerading as News and Spreading Misinformation

While some online advertising will expose you to a product or service that makes your life easier, advertising in the guise of internet news is not only insincere, but it can often lead to misinformation on important issues in its quest to sell you something that you don’t need. This kind of insincere journalism is not just a phenomenon of small, sensationalist outlets, but the some of the largest broadcasters in cyberspace. Sometimes a small “Sponsored” tag, hidden near an article’s headline, is all that can warn you of the piece’s ulterior motives. Take, for example, a centerpiece from “Smart Web User” that aired on Microsoft Edge’s default home page towards the end of November, right next to breaking news about a plane crash that killed 76 people and the weather. It is a fabrication that insinuates that identity theft is something of a recent phenomenon and particularly concerning to those who own PCs that are over 6 months old, and that the best way to combat this trend, indeed the avenue recommended by “experts,” is to purchase ScanGuard, a piece of security software fighting for a place in a competitive market. Do this or you might as well stop [&hellip

Microsoft to discontinue support for XP

Microsoft will be discontinuing their support for Microsoft XP as of April 8, 2014. This means there will be no more software updates from Windows Update, leaving XP users vulnerable to viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. If you are still using XP and would like to upgrade to Vista or Windows 8, get in contact with us and we can help you out. Read more on Microsoft’s website

Opt-in or opt-out?

In the final election hours Opposition communications spokesman Malcolm Turnbull announced in an interview with ABC radio the Coalitions $10 million “Policy to Enhance Online Safety for Children.” The details of the policy sounded alot like Senator Conroy’s internet filter, which was heavily criticised and eventually abandoned last year. In the JJJ interview, Malcolm Turnbull said “What [our policy] does is essentially install that software either in the smartphone or in the modem as a default which you can switch off but then that’s at your call.” Shortly after the interview the Coalition back-peddled and announced they were not supporting an opt-out internet filter and that it was a mistake. “There was a badly worded sentence or two in the document that went out or earlier today. The fact is we think there should be commercially available filters for PC and mobile phone users to opt in to if they wish,” said Malcolm Turnbull. Read more on the Age website

Cloud Computing

The “cloud” has become a household name in the past couple of years, but what does it actually mean and what can it do for your business and home? According to info-world.com: “Cloud computing encompasses any subscription-based or pay-per-use service that, in real time over the Internet, extends IT’s existing capabilities… Cloud computing is at an early stage, with a motley crew of providers large and small delivering a slew of cloud-based services, from full-blown applications to storage services to spam filtering.” Howstuffworks.com describes what cloud computing does: “In a cloud computing system, there’s a significant workload shift. Local computers no longer have to do all the heavy lifting when it comes to running applications. The network of computers that make up the cloud handles them instead. Hardware and software demands on the user’s side decrease. The only thing the user’s computer needs to be able to run is the cloud computing system’s interface software, which can be as simple as a Web browser, and the cloud’s network takes care of the rest.” An everyday example of cloud computing, that most people have encountered, can be found within web-based email accounts like, gmail, hotmail and yahoo. Your own computer only [&hellip