Protect your device from prying eyes.

Our mobile gadgets are loaded with PII - personally identifiable information - and other nuggets of private data. Making matters worse, our handheld devices are easy to misplace. (Just ask the Apple employee who left his iPhone prototype at the bar . . . .)

Here's a sampling of the sensitive info that's found on most smartphones:

· Passwords to unencrypted websites (Facebook, web-based email providers, etc.)

· Wi-Fi network info

· Personal information stored in third-party apps

· Calendars and contacts

· Notes, documents, photographs, and more

In the wrong hands . . . well, let's not think about it. Fortunately, there are a few ways (requiring varying levels of effort) to protect your smartphone - and yourself - from snoops. Here are five ways to protect yourself and your information.

1) Easy. Set up a password lock:

For Android: Go to Menu > Settings > Location & Security

For Blackberry: Go to Options > Security Options > General Settings

For iPhone: Go to Settings > General > Passcode Lock

For added security, you can set up automatic wipe-out protection when someone repeatedly enters the wrong password.

2) Essential. Set up remote data-wipe capability.  If you lose your phone, this allows you to remotely erase data.

For iPhone: Go to Find My Phone

For Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone: Go to Lookout Mobile Security

3) Best practice. We know, we know. Staying current with OS updates can seem like a fulltime job. But it's worth it. These updates often include important security patches.

4) Smart. Read the fine print before installing third-party apps. What kind of information will these services collect or share? Do an overall "sniff test" before downloading anything, and make sure it comes from a reputable source (i.e., an official app marketplace).

5) Gold-star material. Install a malware detector and firewall (for Android, Windows 7, or Blackberry).

 If you have any questions or would like help securing your business SmartPhones, please contact our support department at support@networksourceone.com. 

One of the most popular (and overused) terms in the world of technology today is the "cloud".  We have people asking us daily "what exactly is the cloud?"  Well the answer is simple...and growing more complicated all the time.

The cloud started simply as a reference to the internet.  When drawing network diagrams a company's internet connection was depicted by a line connected to a cloud formation. The cloud formation represented the unknown number of paths that data could flow through the world-wide web. 

The majority of uses of the term still equate to the internet.  It is through the Internet that you can use many services or products from various companies (i.e. cloud offerings).

However, as the term becomes more popular, some companies are trying to expand the definition.  For instance, some have used the term "private cloud" in various ways.  It could mean a Wide-Area Network of connections solely owned by a particular company.  It is even being used to describe an internal company network where users get computing resources from a centrally managed location.

There are many great benefits of "Cloud computing", however, there are also limitations and risks.  Don't blindly fly into the cloud without doing your due diligence...you could encounter some thunderstorms.  If you have any questions about the structure, benefits, limitations, or risks of particular cloud offerings, please feel free to give us a call!