The Pelarious Experts provide product reviews, website reviews, tech news, and more to keep your technology sensors sharp. Take a minute to peruse SQUIB. If you like what you’re reading, subscribe to receive SQUIB by email every month.
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Pelarious provides Information Technology Support for businesses of all sizes. With a combination of expert consultation, equipment procurement, and custom solutions, as well as technical support on-site or by telephone, Pelarious is your complete IT solution.
We also offer training options through the Pelarious Professional Skills Development Center. We are an Adobe Authorized Training Center, enabling creative professionals to advance their skills in the entire Adobe Creative Suite.
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Creating Good Passwords
Let's keep everyone's information safe!
AND, if you know anyone heading back to school with a laptop or desktop computer, please impart these important rules for creating good, strong passwords.
1. A password should be at least eight (8) characters long.
2. A password should have a mix of letters, numbers and punctuation.
3. A password should NOT be made from your name, a family members name, a pet's name or something easily associated to you.
4. A password should NOT be written down. Make it memorable.
Home-Office Help
Get help for your home-office with a Pelarious partner - element15, Inc.
It is important to protect your valuable home-technology investment with professional support. element15, Inc. focuses on home-office technology solutions for Windows and Macintosh users to give superior tech support in your home.
Tones & Textures In Photoshop
Use scanned textures, low-res digital captures, and a variety of techniques for adding visual interest to your image. Get dramatic results and learn practical ways to make illustrations more realistic.
Non-Destructive Editing In Photoshop
This half-day, hands-on session is invaluable to anyone producing high-resolution final art. Learn retouching techniques and how to "find your way home" when your files need last-minute changes.
This week a group of Pelarious Experts will be heading to San Francisco to take part in the 2006 Macworld Conference & Expo to learn about new technologies and participate with other Mac users and IT professionals.
Why is this important to you? We're glad you asked! This intense week at Macworld enables your Pelarious Expert to be armed and ready with the latest tools and techniques when they return. Plus, in our next issue of SQUIB - the Pelarious Newsletter, we'll provide the highlights of Macworld that are important to you, the end user. We'll recap what's on the horizon for Mac users - info about the newest gadgets, software, and other things that made an impact at the expo. So, be on the lookout for February SQUIB!
As wireless Internet and mobile technologies become more common, it's important to learn the A-B-Cs of Wi-Fi security. Getting connected at your local coffee shop is a lot of fun and it's easier than ever, but keeping your private stuff private needs attention.
In a recent JiWire.com article, the top tips for staying safe while connecting wirelessly were the focus. Here is a quick recap of their top-ten tips:
Make sure you're connected to a legitimate access point.
Encrypt files before transferring or emailing them.
Use a virtual private network (VPN).
Use a personal firewall.
Use anti-virus software.
Update your operating system regularly.
Be aware of people around you.
Use Web-based email that employs secure http (https).
Turn off file sharing.
Password-protect your computer and important files.
If you have questions about secure Wi-Fi use, please contact Pelarious. Have fun, but be safe out there.
During a recent security scan of a client's server, I ran across some entries in a log that gave me pause. I found numerous references to failed attempts to log into the server as a privileged user.
I decided to count the failed attempts. Excluding attempts that I could trace back to local users, I was absolutely shocked when the number of log-in attempts came back in the thousands just in the past few days.
With thousands of attempts logged in such a short time, this was not simply accidental but an attack. In the IT world, we call this a "brute force" attack. Someone outside of the network is using a list of common usernames in an attempt to "luck" into access to the system. It is called "brute force" because there is nothing but perseverance on the side of the attacker. They arenâÃÂâ¢t taking advantage of fancy service exploits or known vulnerabilities. The sheer number of attacks gave me pause.
I decided to scan the logs of some other servers I administer. The next machine had just as many attacks and the one after that had even more. I decided to look at the log files on my own server. It, too, had logged thousands of break-in attempts in a few days' time.
The truth of this situation is that these people are not targeting machines that I work on, they are attacking any and every computer with a routable IP address - that is, an IP address that can be seen by every other computer on the Internet. This kind of IP address is one you would get from your cable modem or Internet Service Provider. They are running these attacks on every computer they can. There is no such thing as security by obscurity. These people are literally running these attacks "by the numbers" 1.1.1.1 first and 255.255.255.255 last, and EVERYTHING in between.
The servers I checked on had not been "hacked." No unauthorized users had gained access. Why? We insist that our clients use good passwords. That is the key to defending against these random attacks.
So, just to review, what makes a good password?
A good password is NOT a word in a dictionary. (It is quite easy to try every word in the dictionary as a password. It takes only a matter of seconds.)
A good password contains at least one upper-case letter, one number, AND one punctuation mark.
A good password is at least 8 characters long.
A good password is NOT your user name or even part of your user name.
A good password should be changed AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR.
ABOVE ALL, a good password is NOT "password."
The attacks I logged tried such user names as root, mysql, and cyrus, as well as bob, alex, and dan. It would only take one user with a weak password to give these people access to the server. From there, they can host illegal content on the Internet, turn the server into a spam machine, sift through all of the data on the server for valuable content, or all of the above.
The fact is, once these people get access to a server, they can and will do anything they want. If you are concerned about your server security, contact Pelarious to make it safe.
Pelarious, Inc. now offers affordable, secure and full-featured web and email hosting! Host your company's site on powerful and secure Linux servers. With a 99.9% uptime history, Pelarious Hosting is a reliable choice for your hosting needs. In fact, at Pelarious Hosting, we eat our own dog food. Our sites are hosted here as well.
We've Got A Plan for You :: Pelarious hosting plans are designed to be affordable AND full-featured. Choose from eight different plans to accommodate your website and hosting needs. We can even provide custom plans on request! Once your account is created, upload your website and set up reliable email via POP or IMAP from anywhere in the world. No matter which plan you choose, you'll have access to the same amazing spectrum of features. Use the included tools to create shopping carts, calendars, blogs, and webmail. Build forms, customize error pages, get direct file access, use Web stats, and set up an unlimited number of email accounts protected by Spam Assassin. This is just the beginning! The full list of features is far too long to show here.
It's All About Who You Know :: When it comes to finding a web host, you have many options. So, why would you want to choose Pelarious Hosting? It's simple. Pelarious Hosting gives you affordable, reliable, full-featured hosting services from the IT company you know and trust. From the start you will experience superior customer service. Your hosting account creation will be handled by a member of the Pelarious team. Our personalized setup enables you to get started the right way with all the information set up correctly.
Plus, you have our number. When you have a question or need help, you can call your trusted Pelarious Experts for support. Don't spend countless hours attempting to configure your account with a faceless automated phone-system that keeps you waiting.
Can Pelarious build my website? :: YES! You have a new option when it comes to designing your company website. Whether you need updates to your existing website or fresh ideas to get your site started, Pelarious has a solution for your business.
How do I get started? :: If you know what plan you want to set up, simply contact Pelarious Hosting at 314-537-1330 to speak with one of our experts. They will go through the process with you to ensure your information is recorded correctly and all the options you require are prepared right the first time. Learn more about Pelarious web hosting.
Does your company have a record of its technology assets? Pelarious can prepare this record of information through a site survey. A site survey is a comprehensive list of all the hardware and software at a specific location. The information gathered will include hardware in use and hardware not in use, software installed and software in use; specifics on networking - internal and external; and peripherals installed and in use.
A site survey report prepared by Pelarious, Inc. is extremely valuable. The report gives you an authoritative record of company technology assets for insurance purposes. It prepares you for upgrades and modifications of your office environment and identifies ways your office equipment may be used more effectively.
Contact us to set up a professional site survey for your office.
