RADIO SHOW Bottom Line I.T. with Erik Jacobsen and Amy Mumby

RECORDED at ASK
February 5, 2019

Segment 1

Reminder: Microsoft to end support for Windows 7 in 1-year from today (January 15, 2020) https://thehackernews.com/2019/01/microsoft-windows-7-support.html

At just the young age of 9 years old, Microsoft is laying to rest support for its Windows 7 operating system. May it rest in peace. While some of us are glad to see Windows 7 go, there are millions of enterprises still running on it. If your business is still on Windows 7, you might be asking yourself a number of questions: What does this mean for me? What will happen if I don’t upgrade? Will my business be at risk if I don’t upgrade? With so many enterprises still running on Windows 7, it might be a good idea to look into what it will take to upgrade and how long it takes to do so before it’s too late.

Segment 2

Ransomware attack comes with malicious ransom note https://www.scmagazine.com/home/security-news/ransomware/ransomware-attack-comes-with-malicious-ransom-note/

Talk about double dipping! Can you imagine being a victim of ransomware? The pain, frustration, panic and feeling of desperation is overwhelming. In just a split second, your successful business is now being held hostage in exchange for set dollar amount. A dollar amount you most likely cannot afford. But let’s say you did pay up. One way attackers accept ransomware payment is through PayPal. So let’s say you get sent an email with the PayPal link. Bam. You just got hit with phishing email. Might as well pack up your desk and head home – right?

Segment 3

A New Era Of Click-And-Collect Technology Might Bring Amazon And Retailers Closer Together https://www.forbes.com/sites/kirimasters/2019/01/16/click-and-collect-technology-might-bring-amazon-and-retailers-closer-together/#2f879bf31b7a

You may have noticed an increase in the “buy online and pick up at the store” method that more and more retailers are offering. For many years, local retailers have turned their noses to Amazon. Amazon was always the online shopping giant that made it difficult for smaller retailers to compete against. However, the “buy online and pick up at the store” method might actually bring retailers and online retailer giants, like Amazon, together. How? A person could purchase a product from Amazon and be able to return the product to the actual store. This in turn could potentially bring in more foot traffic to the store than if the product was simply bought online.

Segment 4

Microsoft’s latest Teams features take aim at shift workers https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/09/microsofts-latest-teams-features-take-aim-at-shift-workers/

We hear all the time how technology, software and other line of business applications are used for those in an office setting. But what about those who don’t spend 8 hours behind a computer screen? Take manufacturing companies for example. The majority of their staff is on the floor as first-line workers. Rarely, if ever, are they at a computer. Microsoft acknowledges this and is taking Microsoft Teams to the next level – making the tool more mobile friendly with greater integrations with location sharing, camera use, and other communication tools which will make it easier to collaborate with other office folks and even management.

Segment 5

Government shutdown lays out "welcome mat" for hackers, security experts warn https://www.cbsnews.com/news/government-shutdown-risk-of-hackers-cybersecurity-warning/

You heard about the Government shutdown for weeks on weeks. For some, they don’t really feel the effects of the shutdown. Others are overly concerned. Some are more worried about what it means for tax season. For us techs, we have concerns about the country being more vulnerable to cyberattacks. Why? If there are fewer people working, that means there are fewer people monitoring the US’s systems. Does this mean the US is at a greater risk of data theft and cybercrime?

Segment 6 – Bottom Line Security

Fortnite had a security vulnerability that let hackers take over accounts https://www.cnet.com/news/fortnite-had-a-security-vulnerability-that-let-hackers-take-over-accounts/

If you haven’t heard of Fornite, then you’re missing out on what some people say is the greatest game ever. In 2018, Fornite had nearly 80 million players – 80 million accounts that were vulnerable. Check Point found that hackers were accessing people’s Fornite accounts without needing a password and listening in on conversations and stealing credit card information. In some cases, the hackers were able to take over the entire user account. Which you can imagine would be completely devastating. Because the game is so popular, they’ve become a big target for malware and phishing attacks. One way that Epic Games, the parent of Fornite, has addressed the security concerns is through encouraging its users to turn on two-factor authentication.