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XFER has been serving the Livonia area since 1994, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support, and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.
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Mike

Tip of the Week: Adjust Windows 10’s Privacy Settings to Keep Your Information Secure

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It would be prudent to begin by saying that Windows 10 is far and away the most refined version of Windows ever created. In a lot of ways, it's like using a souped-up version of Windows 7, with a sprinkling of Windows 8/8.1 metro on top. Beneath the surface, however, is a vast information-collecting infrastructure that has many users left worried about their privacy. There are even conspiracy theories suggesting that Windows 10 is a vessel used by the NSA in order to collect all the information on every user.

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Privacy User Tips Windows 10
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Mike

The Best Way to Protect Your Network is By Performing a Thorough Assessment

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As a business owner, you understand that there are always criminals on the lookout waiting to take advantage of the slightest crack in your defenses. They want to steal from you and see you fail. Cyber security is one of the most important avenues of defense your business should take advantage of, especially considering the fact that most threats to your organization aren’t apparent until it’s too late.

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Hackers Privacy Security
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Mike

Your Computer Can Identify You Based On How You Move Your Mouse

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Any user of technology knows that it’s important to optimize security on all fronts of your business. The only problem with this is that passwords aren’t as secure as they used to be. Many businesses have moved in the direction of two-factor authentication, which requires a secondary credential in order to access an account. Did you know there’s a security method that uses your mouse’s behavior to authorize your login?

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Security Privacy Mouse
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Mike

Forget Passwords: Access Your Phone By Identifying Pics of Familiar Faces

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With all the hacking attacks we’ve seen in the news, it’s painfully obvious that using passwords just isn't enough to protect our information. We now have more security measures available than ever before. One of the more unique and effective solutions to have surfaced is Facelock, a clever solution that grants access based on how well you can identify images of your friends and family.

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Security Privacy Biometrics
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Mike

What Really Happens when Websites Collect Your Personal Data

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You might be aware that some websites collect personal data from you depending on your mobile device’s location, your browsing history, and several other factors. This information is generally used for marketing, but it could have unforeseen effects on the way you browse the Internet. It can be fairly revealing about your personality, or possibly even incriminating. Therefore, you should be aware of how this personal information is gathered from you without you even knowing it.

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Marketing Privacy Website
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Mike

Biohacking: Integration of Smart Technology with the Human Body

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Wearable technology is still emerging, but a much different type of smart tech is coming soon. At the Kaspersky Labs Security Analyst Summit, the question of whether or not embedding technology in the human body is a viable concept was discussed in detail. This is supposedly the future of smart technology.

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Security Privacy Hacking
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Mike

Hackers Reveal What Sony Movie Executives Really Think, and it’s Not Pretty

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One of the most publicized hacks we have seen is last December’s breach of Sony Pictures Entertainment by the Guardians of Peace. In addition to the hackers exposing Sony’s budget, plans for layoffs, and 3,800 SSNs, they leaked personal emails from company executives. This incident should make every business owner a little nervous.

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Hacking Privacy Security
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Mike

Can “Spaced Repetition” Be the Key to Remembering Complex Passwords?

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Is the password an outdated type of security measure? This question seems to be getting asked around quite a bit, especially with more powerful threats loose all over the Internet. Unfortunately, the fault in passwords generally lies in the fact that humans generally don’t pick passwords that are secure enough. Thanks to a new method called “spaced repetition,” it seems there might be some hope left for the password after all.

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Passwords Memory Privacy
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Mike

Tip of the Week: How to Use a Public PC Without Fear of Getting Hacked

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For business professionals needing to access sensitive information, a public PC is never the first choice. We’ve all suspected it, and now there’s government-issued proof that hackers are targeting public computers. However, don’t be deterred from using public terminals; there are ways to get around hackers and their traps.

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Privacy Remote Computing Security
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Mike

Improve Content Filtering with Google Chrome’s Safe Browsing Feature

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Malware often takes the form of certain unrecognizable web entities, which can make detecting threats tricky at times. New features in popular web browsers, most notably Google Chrome, are making progress toward identifying these threats before they cause your business harm. Chrome’s “Safe Browsing” feature is a good tool to augment your current network security practices.

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Google Privacy Internet
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Mike

DDoS Attacks Can Lead to a Lot More than an Overloaded Server

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We’ve mentioned distributed denial of service attacks (DDoS) before, and we’ve emphasized the importance of protecting yourself from threats which can cause downtime. However, we think the recent attacks by Lizard Squad take DDoS to an entirely new level.

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Security Privacy Hackers
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Mike

Is Your Healthcare Organization HIPAA Compliant?

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Technology plays a crucial role in the healthcare industry, and thanks to the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH), healthcare providers and insurance companies in the United States have to abide by a specific set of regulations when it comes to handling patient data.

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Security Health Privacy
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Mike

Two-Factor Authentication: What Does the Future Hold?

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Passwords are slowly becoming obsolete in the face of more powerful security solutions. This is especially true considering how a hacker can input millions of characters every second in an attempt to break into your account and unleash who knows what into your business’s network. While using a password is still a good idea, professionals are working tirelessly to bring the new face of two-factor authentication to light.

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Privacy Best Practices Security
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Mike

Hackers Lay Claim to 4½ Million Medical Records

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If 2014 hasn't been a legendary year for data breaches yet, it certainly is now. Community Health Systems, a hospital network for over 206 facilities across the United States, has been the target of a data breach resulting in 4.5 million records being compromised by Chinese hackers, including Social Security numbers, birthdays, names, addresses, and telephone numbers.

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Privacy Security Health
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Mike

Hairballs and WiFi Data are What the Cat Dragged In

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For Washington D.C. residents, there's a dubious threat looming in their backyards putting their personal data at risk. It's Coco, a Siamese cat wearing a high-tech collar designed for hacking WiFi networks. Have you taken the proper security measures to protect your sensitive information from feline foes like Coco?

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Security WiFi Privacy
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Mike

When it Rains, it Pours – Keep Your Cloud-Based Data Safe

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Do you see those black clouds culminating on the horizon? They represent the possibility that hackers will gain access to your cloud storage. Though it is protected a number of ways, it will not stop an experienced hacker. To them, your defenses are as transparent as those thin, wispy, cirrus clouds that are so welcome on a boiling hot summer day.

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Cloud Passwords Privacy
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Mike

How an Intimate Selfie That’s Deleted Can Be Recovered and Used for Blackmail

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When it comes time to upgrade, many smartphone users will sell off their old device in hopes of making extra cash. However, if the phone's memory is improperly wiped, an experienced hacker can use advanced tools to recover sensitive data off the used phone. Let's talk about how this happens and what can possibly be recovered by a hacker.

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Privacy Smartphones Security
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Mike

Apple’s iOS May Contain Backdoors to Leak Sensitive Information

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Apple's iOS operating system might be well known for its impressive security features, but that doesn't mean that it's invulnerable to all threats. In fact, backdoors may have been located in the operating system, which allow Apple and law enforcement agencies like the NSA to access the devices.

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Apple Security Privacy
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Mike

Escape the Phisherman’s Hook – 4 Tips to Get You off the Line

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The Internet is a vast ocean filled with all sorts of different creatures. Many are harmless, like the bottlenose dolphin, but once in a while you will encounter an aggressive shark. But no matter how powerful or intelligent these creatures are, they still wind up flopping around on the deck of some fisherman's boat. Why? Because fishermen know what they're looking for and how to capture it. The same can be said about Internet phishers.

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Hackers Security Privacy
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Mike

The Virtual Hand that Terrorizes the Cradle

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In today's connected home, Internet security needs to extend beyond the PC. Any device that's connected to the Internet needs to be password protected, secured with a firewall, and utilize available security apps. These precautions should be taken even with seemingly harmless devices like baby monitors. A family from Ohio recently learned this lesson the hard way.

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The Internet of Things Privacy Security
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