VoIP Features
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Top five VoIP features for SMBs and SMEs

When it comes to up-to-the-minute business operations, connectivity is key. Your customers need to be able to find out about you (Hello, great website!), but they also need to be able to contact you. And this is where a great phone system comes in.

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is a phone technology that allows your business to receive and make phone calls using the internet (instead of over traditional fixed lines). As well as being incredibly cost-effective, it also comes with a side-serve of great features to boost your business connectivity, productivity and growth.

VoIP features: Find me, Follow me

With VoIP, you don’t need to be sitting at your office desk, waiting for the phone to ring. You can be … anywhere in the world! As long as you’ve got internet access and your laptop, tablet or phone, VoIP calls can reach you.

 

With the ‘Find me, Follow me’ dual application, your VoIP call-forwarding software will automatically try one number after another to track you down until you answer the call (or your voicemail kicks in). The beauty of this system is that the call routes from a single virtual number, connecting wherever you need it, while leaving your own private numbers, well, private.

VoIP features: automated attendant

Give your front desk staff some of their time back with an auto-attendant! Rather than an actual person answering and transferring call after call, an automated attendant acts in their stead, forwarding calls to the correct department or staff member. This virtual-receptionist feature also means your incoming caller only has to explain why they’re calling once – directly to the person they need to speak to.

VoIP features: hold music

We know, we know – hold music is the pits! But did you know that researchers have shown that more than 50% of callers will hang up in less than a minute if they’re showered with silence, compared to little more than 10% who are subjected to hold music? Leads hanging up and going elsewhere is not what you want, so remember that a little ditty can go a long way.

VoIP features: call reporting

Yes, you read that right – real-time call reporting. This is the kind of data that’s worth its weight in gold dust. Call analytics can provide a slew of data ready to be harnessed for the good of your company (and your customers). When are you busiest? Are there times when call waits are just too long? Are the bulk of your calls coming from one area (possibly indicating that your marketing in that region is hitting the spot or that you need to start marketing in other neighbourhoods)? This kind of business data can inform major company decisions – with facts rather than hunches or assumptions.

VoIP features: Voicemail transcription to email

Listening to voicemail after voicemail is tedious work. After all, there’s no way to check on the priority of each call without actually listening to the caller speak. Who should you call back first: the first caller or the fifteenth?

 

VoIP voicemail to email provides an emailed transcript of each phone message, meaning you can quickly glance through your messages to rank their importance without listening to them word by word. This one is a definite win for productivity!

Looking for Geelong VoIP solutions?

Geelong Technology Group are the experts in providing VoIP services and local support to businesses in Geelong, Ocean Grove, Barwon Heads, Torquay, Bellarine Peninsula, Surf Coast, Golden Plains, Colac and Warrnambool.

If you’re looking to upgrade from an old phone system or scale an existing comms package – we can help. Our specialist team can provide a customised VoIP solution that delivers a business-ready communications environment that meets your company’s needs at a cost-effective price. You can even contact us today for a FREE consultation. So what are you waiting for?

desk set up
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Ergonomics and productivity: How your desk set-up effects your work

Imagine a place where you’re going to spend somewhere in the order of 1440 hours (or more) a year. You’d want those hours to be comfortable, right? And not too detrimental to your health? 

 

Welcome to … your desk set-up!

 

Yes – if you’re a desk-jockey of any stripe, you’re more than likely to spend more than a thousand hours a year sitting (or possibly standing) at this small piece of real estate. So, what can you do to make those hours comfortable and productive?

Key workspace ergonomics

When it comes to your desk set-up, there are a few key areas that you need to get right to ensure your health and well-being: your chair, your desk height, your monitor height, the ease to which you have access to your tools of the trade, and your lighting. You may not notice these things in isolation, but an uncomfortable chair, a messy desk or glare on your computer screen can wear you down over time.

Ergonomic tips and hints for your desk set-up

Every individual is going to have different needs when it comes to their workspace, but there are some key things to hone in on:

 

  • Adjust your chair and desk height so your forearms and thighs are roughly parallel to the floor, with your feet flat.
  • Position your monitor 40 to 75cm away, and ensure the top of the monitor is level with, or slightly below, your eye level.
  • If possible, aim to spend at least some of your day standing – preferably at an adjustable or dedicated standing desk. (Sitting, after all, is the new smoking.)
  • If you do have to sit – and we probably all have to at some point! – invest in a chair that provides good lumbar support and that adjusts to meet your seat depth, chair height and recline-ability requirements.
  • Place your mouse and keyboard close enough to your body that you’re not reaching for them (elbows by your sides, people!), and type with your wrists flat or angled downwards.
  • Keep bric-a-brac, personal memorabilia, tchotchkes, curios, ornaments, bibelots and whatnot to a minimum. (A cluttered desk = a cluttered mind!) Store things you need daily (a pen, notebook or water bottle, for instance) within reach and everything else off your desk.
  • Aim for natural light whenever possible (it improves mood, focus and sleep!), but ensure your monitor is not reflecting the sun’s glare.
  • Invest in some foliage plants – biophilia is big right now, and with good reason – indoor plants have been shown to boost productivity by as much as 15%.

Ergonomic computer equipment to meet your desk set-up needs

 

If your monitor is small and outdated – or you need a second monitor to boost your workplace productivity, the dedicated Geelong Technology Group sales team are standing by to help. We can also advise on the best desktop computer to meet your needs or assist with comfort-boosting accessories such as wrist rests, ergonomic keyboards, or rollerball or trackball mice.

 

Servicing Geelong and its surroundings, including Ocean Grove, Barwon Heads, Torquay, Bellarine Peninsula, Surf Coast, Golden Plains, Colac and Warrnambool, the experts at GTG are looking forward to providing comfortable solutions to help out with the next 1440 hours of your working life!

 

Give us a call or drop by our specialised service centre and showroom to chat in person:

 

📞 1300 GET GTG (1300 438 484)

📧 support@geelongtechnology.com.au

📍 166 Francis St, Belmont

Microsoft 365 on Laptop
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Five Incredible Microsoft 365 Tips and Tricks

So, you’re just making the leap to Microsoft 365 from Office 2013? Or you’ve been using the 365 suite for a while now but know you’re not getting everything out of it that you could? Let’s take a look at some handy hints to help you get the most out of your subscription:

1. Access free stock images in Microsoft 365

Yes! You read that right – free! In Word, Excel and PowerPoint, you can access a veritable treasure trove of images (along with stickers, cartoon people, illustrations and icons) at the click of a button (or two!). Simply head to Insert > Pictures > Stock Images and use the tabs to click through the media options.

2. Use ‘search’ to find functions instantly

Skip the menu bar and discover the function or command you need by typing a few letters into the ‘magnifying glass’ search box. For instance, start typing ‘wor’ in Word and your ‘Best Action’ will be Word Count. But just in case you were looking for ‘Insert WordArt’ – that will be an option, too. In Excel, start typing ‘fil’ and you’ll be able to instantly add or remove filters. Keep going to ‘fill’ and you’ll have fill colours available. Every function you need is there at your fingertips!

3. Speed up your standard-text emails with Quick Parts

If you find yourself typing the same text into every second email, you’ll love this one! To create a ‘Quick Part’, highlight the text in an email you want to use next time (and the time after that!) and then, via the Insert menu, click ‘Quick Parts’ and ‘Save Quick Part’. The next time you want to add that saved text, just use the same menu and insert your saved Quick Part. No more typing out directions to the office 20 times a day!

4. Freak out less with a ‘Focused Inbox’ 

Streamline your email handling by making full use of Outlook’s ‘Focused’ and ‘Other’ folders. Keep actionable items at the top of your to-do list in your Focused folder, while backburner messages are easily accessible in ‘Other’, without cluttering up a busy day. And if something in ‘Other’ suddenly becomes a top priority? Just right-click the message and select ‘Move to Focused’ (or vice versa back to ‘Other’).

5. Leverage the power of OneNote

OneNote is a digital note-taking application. It allows you to store links, save photos and drawings, brainstorm with colleagues and, if you’re using a device with touch capability, write or draw directly onto your note pages. Furthermore, because it automatically syncs your notes to the cloud, you can use it on any device, anywhere. Essentially, imagine a bookcase full of notebooks, all of them with unlimited (and endlessly customisable) pages that you can instantly access and that you can also allow others to access wherever they happen to be in the world. Possibilities galore!

Take your IT support to the next level

Geelong Technology Group has got great tips and hints for all sorts of tech – from upgrading your software to buying new hardware to business server and networking solutions. Whatever your IT requirements, we’re here to help.

Contact us on ☎ 1300 GET GTG (1300 438 484) for more information, or drop by 166 Francis St, Belmont, to view our range of Windows and Apple products and to chat with our friendly team. 

Microsoft Office 2013 End of Life – what you need to know
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Microsoft Office 2013 End of Life – what you need to know

Still comfortably using Office 2013? It’s time to upgrade, we’re afraid!

Support for Office 2013 will end on 11 April 2023. Less than six months away! And, just in case you were hoping for a stay of execution, Microsoft Support has stated: ‘there will be no extension and no extended security updates.’ But what does this mean for the Office 2013 individual or business user on the ground?

What does ‘end of life’ actually entail?

Most Microsoft products have a support lifecycle that lasts for a fixed number of years. Office 2013 users have now had five years of Mainstream Support, followed by close to five years of Extended Support. When this support concludes in April next year, Microsoft will no longer provide:

 

  • phone or chat technical support for user difficulties
  • security fixes for identified vulnerabilities
  • bug fixes or updates for software issues. 

 

After the EoL date, people running Microsoft Office 2013 will still be able to access and use the software, but there will be no further updates or security patches. Continued use of the software without this technical support may lead to performance or reliability issues (with the possibility of increased downtime) and increase the likelihood of security breaches by cybercriminals.

Upgrade options for Office 2013 users

With the increased risk of data security breaches, we highly recommend you upgrade Office. Microsoft offers the choice of on-premises or cloud-based upgrades:

 

  • Office 2021 is an on-premises, one-time purchase home or business solution tailored for PC or Mac. This option includes Microsoft support free for the first 60 days. If you’re just upgrading one or two computers, have no need for cloud storage, and just use the basic Office functions (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), you may prefer the Office 2021 option.
  • Microsoft 365 is a subscription-based suite that allows access to Office productivity apps via the cloud – making it easy to share and collaborate on documents and to work from whichever device you have available, whether that be PC, laptop, tablet or mobile. With 1TB of cloud storage, this option is Microsoft’s ‘future-proof’ upgrade, as you’ll always have access to the latest versions of Microsoft products and features as they’re released.

Benefits of upgrading from Office 2013

Just a reminder that upgrading from Microsoft Office 2013 is well worth your time and money. Updating your software will provide:

  • decreased IT costs (no custom fixes for end-of-life programs and the ability to scale up users with Microsoft 365 without setting up additional servers)
  • improved compliance (keep up-to-date with compliance regulations with the latest security patches)
  • stronger cybersecurity (those security patches will also help you defend against the newest cybersecurity threats).

Need a hand with your Microsoft Office migration?

If you’re an individual or business still using Microsoft Office 2013, it’s time to leap into the future (or at least the present!). Talk to Geelong’s IT specialists for more information or to assist you with the transition. Geelong Technology Group is a leading managed IT services provider and our team can simplify and facilitate the migration process – kickstarting your business productivity, fueled by the full benefits of up-to-date software.

Proudly servicing Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula, the Surf Coast, and surrounding regions, GTG is here to help. Give us a call today on 1300 GET GTG (1300 438 484) or stop by our showroom at 166 Francis St, Belmont.

managed IT services
By admin IT Support • 0 Comments

Starting a new business 101

Let’s for a moment assume you have the business idea (the kind of idea that comes along once in a lifetime). You’ve done your market research and chosen a business model. You’re ready for the going-solo responsibility and you’ve transcended the existential fear. Essentially, you’ve just about got all your ducks in a row to become an SMB owner. But what now? What tasks need to be ticked off to ensure not only that your business is a success, but also that it will be ready to run smoothly from the get-go?

 

Note: It’s important to clarify that there is no one-size-fits-all model for starting a new business, but the following steps will help to organise your ideas and iron out important details.

1. Write your business plan

There are 1000s of books and websites that will help you construct a business plan, but know that this is not a step you want to miss. A strong business plan sets out what you want to achieve and how you’re going to achieve it. Your business plan should address the problem(s) your business solves, your target audience(s), SWOT analysis and a financial plan. In writing your business plan, you should also choose your business structure – whether you’re planning on being a sole trader, a company, a partnership etc.

2. Choose a business name and register your business

Your business name is important! If you choose well, your business name will quickly identify who you are, what you do, and the image that you’re communicating, as well as help your customers find you online. The very best names are descriptive, different, short and snappy – not necessarily an easy recipe – but worth taking the time over.

 

Once you’ve chosen your name, you’ll need to register it (unless your business name is the same as your own name). You’ll also need to apply for an ABN. Depending on the nature of your business, you may also need to attend to tax registration, look into any licences or permits (such as a restaurant or café licence, for instance, or a licence to discharge trade waste) and possibly protect your business name with a trade mark.

3. Prepare your business finances

This will include setting up a business bank account, applying for financing or grants, and securing investors (if necessary). It will also involve learning how to organise your finances – managing your cash flow, your budget, your payments and invoices. It may help to secure the services of a bookkeeper or to invest in an accounting software package.

4. Purchase your business hardware and software

This is (what we consider!) the fun part. Whether you’re starting small, or hitting the ground huge, you’re going to need some tech. Purchasing the right equipment for your needs now – and with an eye toward future growth – is imperative. From desktops, printers and landline phones for the office, to laptops, tablets and mobiles for out-and-about business, you’ll want your tech investments to work smart for your company.

 

Other IT options to consider when starting a business include how you’ll access the internet, networking capabilities, cloud storage and cybersecurity solutions. Geelong Technology Group can help you with these – we even offer managed IT services!

5. Sort out your business admin

Starting a business is no small feat, and just as it takes a village to raise a child, so too it can take some outsourcing to raise and support a successful SMB. Beyond items that you’ll need to organise – such as business insurance – some business administration items that you can consider sending out-of-house (but still tethered firmly as part of your ‘team’) include managed IT services, accounting, and digital marketing and promotion.

Contact Geelong Technology Group for all your new business IT needs

As Geelong’s best business IT support company, we’re here to help seed and grow your business! We can advise you on the best tech to suit your requirements. We can build the best IT network solution for your situation. And we can provide ongoing support in the form of managed IT services and cybersecurity monitoring. 

 

Servicing Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula, the Surf Coast and surrounding regions, GTG are your business IT specialists: contact our experienced team on ☎ 1300 GET GTG (1300 438 484) or email support@geelongtechnology.com.au and let’s get working together!

network
By admin IT Support • • 0 Comments

Setting up your small business computer network

When it comes to setting up a small business, there are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of decisions to make. One of the most important is what your computer network will look like, and how it will operate. Functionality and simplicity should be key drivers in all of your networking decisions – whether you are just starting out or looking to update your existing network to meet the growth requirements of your business.

Part 1: Assess your requirements (now and into the future)

So, at the moment there’s just the three of you (or five, or 10) – and you know you need a network to share access to the internet and company printers, and to files from one another’s computers. If you add staff in the next six or 12 or 18 months, will your office and your proposed network have the space to accommodate them? Thinking and planning ahead may save a lot of time, effort and money down the track.

Part 2: Decide on your networking needs

When it comes to networking, the main choices are wired, wireless or hybrid:

Wired networks have great advantages in terms of reliability, speed and security, but installation can be tricky depending on the physical layout of your office – ethernet cables will need to be installed, and once they’re in place the location of your devices is (relatively) set in stone. Understanding your business floor plan and mapping out your hardware and equipment is incredibly important if you’re going to go with wired technology.

Wireless networks are the option of choice for many businesses because of their greater flexibility. No cables mean you are free to wander the office with your laptop – working from the couch or the lunchroom table as you please. No cables also means lower installation costs. Wireless technology, however, is often slower than wired tech, and can be affected by physical interference (walls, pipes etc).

Hybrid networks, using a combination of wired and wireless connections, give the best of both worlds – speed and security via ethernet if required or the freedom to roam using wireless access if your team members need a breather on the couch!

Part 3: Talk to the Geelong computer network specialists and put it all together

Remember that there are security and data protection risks when it comes to networking, and we highly recommend that you speak to an expert before you start purchasing and installing your modem/router/adapter/firewall/switch/cable/access point etc. (not to mention your computers and printers!).

At Geelong Technology Group we can work with you to understand your networking needs and then build the best IT network solution for your unique situation – whether you’re just starting out or you need a scalable overhaul. Our technicians have decades of experience assisting businesses of all sizes to create the computer networks that work for them. We can also help out with data back-up solutions, security setup and maintenance, and remote access for those employees working from home.

Don’t put up with wi-fi dropouts, snail-paced buffering or redundant technology – give us a call and overhaul your productivity today! Servicing Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula, the Surf Coast and surrounding regions, GTG are your business IT solution specialists. Contact our experienced IT technicians on ☎ 1300 GET GTG (1300 438 484) or email support@geelongtechnology.com.au

gaming
By admin IT Support • • 0 Comments

Ready, Set, Game: Setting up your PC for gaming

Setting up for gaming on a PC is one of those ‘how long is a piece of string’ exercises – you could cobble together what you need from what you have, or you could head towards the stratosphere and join international gamer/YouTube phenomenons who allegedly spend upwards of $100,000…

We kind of hope you sit somewhere closer to the former option (because let’s face it, that kind of spend is a bit crazy), but we also acknowledge that the PC remains the best platform for gaming, so let’s explore what you might need:

Ergonomics

Whatever your budget, the ultimate gaming setup still needs to address the issues that concern any PC user – namely an ergonomic workstation setup. Indeed, when you consider how easy it is to get involved in a game and for hours to pass in the blink of an eye, having the right setup for your body’s health is even more important.

Start your setup with a desk that you can comfortably fit your legs under and onto which you’ll be able to rest your forearms easily (with your elbows at a 90-degree angle and your wrists in a straight-line position). Next, and possibly most importantly, is your chair: if you’re going to be spending a lot of time gaming, an investment in a gaming chair is also an investment in your posture and spinal health. A great gaming chair has a high-back design to cradle your whole body, height-adjustable armrests, and height-adjustable head and lumbar cushions. Other game-chair features may include memory-foam construction, deep-recline functionality, and breathable materials.

Hardware for gaming

Unlike consoles, games released for PCs (and we’re talking hundreds of thousands of titles) have different tech requirements, with some far more demanding than others. If you’re investing in a new setup, it’s a great idea to do a little research first – considering your processor, graphics card, RAM, and storage requirements against the types of games you’re planning to play.

The processor is the heart of your setup, determining performance, while the GPU (graphics processing unit) creates the beautiful face to your games, with high-end graphics cards allowing high frame rates, thus making higher resolutions playable without any lag. There are plenty of pre-built PC options available that will allow a great gaming experience, or you can pick and choose your individual requirements and go for a custom-built gaming PC.

Beyond the box, the next most important piece of gaming hardware is your monitor (or, in many cases, monitors). After all, how better to appreciate the detailed graphics of your favourite games than on a high-resolution monitor? As well as resolution (and the actual screen size), other things to consider when purchasing a gaming monitor include refresh rate, response time, colour accuracy, and available ports (and cost!).

Accessories for gaming

Okay, so this is where you can really start to have a little fun with your PC gaming setup. Accessories to consider include:

  • a gaming headset (look for comfort, durability, true stereo sound or simulated surround sound, and a microphone for team-based games; options include wired or wireless)
  • a gaming keyboard (comfort, responsiveness, and reliability should come first here, but decisions will need to be made regarding switch types, full-sized or tenkeyless (TKL), backlit or no, and wired or wireless)
  • a gaming mouse (with options including wired or wireless, various hand grips, RGB lighting, programmable buttons, and even weights you can add or remove to improve your gaming accuracy)

You can also go above and beyond with additional speakers (for true surround sound), a webcam (if you plan to stream your gameplay), customisable lighting to attach beneath your desk or behind or above your monitor, a cable management tray or box, and blue light reduction glasses (to reduce eyestrain and to avoid messing with your sleep patterns too much).

Contact the Geelong PC gaming specialists

From a pre-built PC on a budget to a high-end, liquid-cooled custom-build, the team at Geelong Technology Group can help with all of your PC gaming needs. After all, we have staff members who enjoy their gaming as much as you do (if not more!) and we have the experience and knowledge to put together the perfect setup for the games you want to play.

Call us today for the best gaming system setups in Geelong and surrounding areas, including Ocean Grove, Barwon Heads, Torquay, the Bellarine Peninsula, the Surf Coast, Golden Plains, Colac, and Warrnambool. 

☎ 1300 GET GTG (1300 438 484)

📍 166 Francis St, Belmont

password manager
By admin IT Support • 0 Comments

Should I use a password manager? Simple answer: Yes

According to a 2021 article in The Guardian, ‘the tyranny of passwords’ may be coming to an end – well, at least some time in the next ‘two to five years. Biometrics (including not only fingerprint IDs and face recognition, but more sci-fi stuff such as tech that recognises the shape of your ears, how you hold your phone and move, and even breath detectors) will eventually save our overburdened brains from remembering if we used mYpa$$w0rD or MyP@ssWORd (please don’t use either of these!). In the meantime, however, how best to navigate the password conundrum of easy to remember/easy to crack versus impossible to remember? The answer is a password manager. Indeed, a good password manager can be your first and best defense against being hacked (as long as you are also avoiding phishing/smishing scams).

What IS a password manager?

When it comes to the safety of your accounts online, you should use a strong and UNIQUE password for each app or website you use. (Reusing the same or similar passwords across websites is a serious NO-NO, security-wise.) Apparently, on average, that’s around 190 passwords per person. Possible? Possibly… Likely? Not at all. This is where a password manager comes in. A password manager is a software application that acts like a digital vault, securely storing your login credentials, which are then encrypted with one master password. Once you’ve set up a password manager account, you only need to remember the one (strong and unique) master password. A good password manager will also generate strong passwords on your behalf, and provide auto-fill services, saving you from entering details such as postal addresses or credit card numbers each time you require them.

Password managers can be desk-top based (that is, storing your passwords locally on a device, such as your laptop), or cloud-based, whereby your encrypted passwords are stored on the service provider’s network (and can thus be accessed from any device, as long as you have an internet connection). Depending on the password manager chosen, your master password can generally also be further strengthened by enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) and/or biometric authentication on your account.

Choosing a password manager

There are plenty of password managers out there – some free, some available via annual subscriptions. Options (in no particular order) include KeePass, Bitwarden, LastPass, 1Password, Dashlane, Zoho Vault, Keeper, and RoboForm, among scores of others. Differences can lie in whether they offer MFA or biometric authentication, whether they allow you to share passwords with trusted family and friends, and even whether they feature data breach scanners – scouring the dark web to check if any of your logins appear online.

To choose a password manager, ensure the manager uses industry-standard AES 256-bit (military-strength) encryption, as well as ‘zero-knowledge architecture’ (whereby your passwords are encrypted prior to leaving your device). Check as well that your chosen manager works across all of your devices (syncing between your computers and phones, if required). You can also take advantage of free and/or trial options in order to try a couple of different password managers to find the one that’s right for you.

Remember: once you’ve chosen a password manager, you need to protect your account with a master password (or a ‘passphrase’), which needs to be super strong and memorable. Once your account is activated, it is best practice to further protect it with MFA. Extra security can be applied by allowing access to the password manager only from registered, trusted devices.

Need more information? Contact Geelong’s IT security specialists

Alongside your chosen password manager, you should also ensure your antivirus software is up to date, check your overall cybersecurity, and always double-check the legitimacy of any apps or extensions you’re planning to install.

With decades of IT experience helping homes and businesses in Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula, the Surf Coast, and surrounding regions, the Geelong Technology Group team are well versed in IT security and protection – if you have any questions about password managers or any cybersecurity concerns, don’t hesitate to get in touch:

☎ 1300 GET GTG (1300 438 484)

📧 support@geelongtechnology.com.au

📍 166 Francis St, Belmont

computer_cookies_what_are_they
By admin Computer Security • IT Support • • 0 Comments

HTTP cookies, web cookies, internet cookies, browser cookies: What are computer cookies?

They don’t involve raisins or chocolate chips, but they are bite-sized: the computer version of cookies might not be as tempting as the IRL version, but can certainly come in handy. Essentially, computer cookies are small slices of information that enable convenient and personalised web browsing. These small packets of data are generated by a web server and sent to a web browser that stores the cookies for a predetermined period of time. 

What are computer cookies used for?

Generally, cookies are there for web-browsing benefits (although they do also free up storage space on servers). They are used for:

  • Session management to ‘remember’ individual login information and user actions or preferences.
  • Personalisation to customise a user’s experience, often through targeted advertising.
  • Tracking within shopping sites to track items that users view (or have viewed previously) and to record items in a shopping cart while a user browses further. Without these cookies, every time you visited a new page within a site, your shopping cart would revert to ‘empty’.

Different types of HTTP cookies 

Get to know your main two types of cyber-world cookies:

Session Cookies

These computer cookies are short-lived. They last just for the period of time that you are navigating a website – once you exit a site, the session cookie is deleted. These particular cookies are only ever stored in Random Access Memory, never written to the hard drive.

Persistent Cookies

Rather than expiring when a website is exited or a browser closed, longer-lasting cookies – or persistent cookies – expire only after a specified length of time or after a specified date. These cookies are used for two main purposes – authentication and tracking.

  • Authentication cookies help manage user sessions by tracking when a user logs in and under what name. They can also ensure that the correct user information is delivered to the correct user.
  • Tracking cookies log multiple visits to a site over time – building up a picture of a user based on what they browse when they return to a site. This information can be used for targeted advertising, but can also help users by retaining details such as log-in credentials.

Managing your computer cookies (and any cookie concerns)

Computer cookies consist of information that is sent out and back without being changed. This unaltered data cannot infect your computer with viruses or malware. Unfortunately, some internet nasties may be disguised as cookies (known as ‘super cookies’ – which many browsers will be able to block). Some cyberattacks can hijack cookies, enabling access to a user’s browsing sessions.

Cookies are an optional part of your internet experience. However, banning all cookies may make some websites difficult to navigate. Different browsers store their cookies in different places, but all will allow you to remove cookies already stored. Plus, allow you to choose how future cookies are collected or stored. (Generally, the cookie section of a browser is found under Settings > Privacy.)

Choose Geelong’s IT experts for your internet security

Regardless of how you manage and govern cookies, it’s best to remain vigilant and clean up your cookies regularly. If you are concerned about your online security when it comes utilising cookies, or if you’re not 100% confident regarding the online security of your business, Geelong Technology Group is here to help.

With our extensive experience and comprehensive cybersecurity solutions, we can assess your current situation and recommend actions to ensure your business is safeguarded against cyber threats in the future, so get in contact today. 

1300 GET GTG (1300 438 484)

📍 166 Francis Street, Belmont

smishing
By admin Computer Security • IT Support • • • • 0 Comments

What is smishing? SMS phishing attacks and protection tips

When it comes to cybercrime, there’s always something new on the horizon, hoping to catch us unawares. One of the latest is ‘smishing’ or SMS phishing. It’s fast becoming an ever-increasing problem for both individuals and businesses.

 

Definition of smishing

SMS phishing is essentially a form of phishing attack undertaken through text or SMS messages. The messages often contain an urgent notification regarding banking or courier services or an offer for a free product. They aim to manipulate people into turning over sensitive data such as bank account details, credit card numbers, account passwords, or access to a business’ computer systems.

 

How does smishing work?

Smishing works much like email phishing. It uses social-engineering tactics to appeal to our desire to have things work smoothly (Oh no! There’s a problem with my bank account!), to help others (A message from a bushfire relief charity? Sure, I’ll help out!) or to help ourselves (Eighty percent off a new phone? Heck, yeah!). Unfortunately, because text messages seem more personal,  we may be more likely to click a link in an SMS than we would nowadays in an email.

Utilising trust (scammers pose as legitimate organisations), context (lots of people are expecting packages around Christmas, for instance), and emotion (we must act now!), cybercriminals write messages that will generate action. In this case, the clicking of a link within the text message. This malicious link may either trick you into downloading malware onto your phone that then masquerades as a legitimate app (into which you enter your personal details) or takes you to a fake site, again requesting your sensitive data. These apps and websites are often well disguised and look ‘legitimate’, tricking the unwary.

 

How can we avoid smishing attacks?

As more and more mobile phones are used for work, SMS phishing has become not only a consumer threat, but also a business threat. Avoiding smishing attacks is paramount. But how do we do this? First, we need to lose any false confidence we have in text message safety – smartphone security DOES have its limitations, and CAN be compromised. 

So, the best way to remain safe? Follow the golden rule and do nothing. That is, always err on the side of caution and don’t click on links in text messages.

Of course, sometimes we may have clicked a link in a hurry or in error, and some messages may include legitimate links, so how can we manage the risk?

  • If you have clicked on a link that you now believe may be suspect, DO NOT give any personal details.
  • If you believe it may be a legitimate message, but you’re not sure, navigate to the official business webpage via a separate browser or call the company using a number that you look up independently of the text message. (And remember, legitimate institutions are extremely unlikely to request login information or account updates via SMS.)
  • Don’t reply to messages that look suspect, even to text ‘Stop’ – this will indicate your number is active and may prompt further smishing attempts.
  • Only ever download apps from an official app store.
  • Utilise multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever possible. A password inadvertently provided via a phishing attempt may still be useless to a cybercriminal if the second level of verification/authentication is required.
  • Report possible smishing attempts to the ACCC Scamwatch.

 

Need more information?

At Geelong Technology Group, our experienced IT professionals are here to help you avoid smishing messages, phishing emails, and other cyber-related scams or attacks. Helping homes and businesses in Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula, the Surf Coast, and surrounding regions with their online security is what we love to do, so give us a call today on 1300 GET GTG (1300 438 484) or drop into our showroom at 166 Francis Street, Belmont.