Blog/News

source: pcpro.co.uk

Three quarters of European companies are unprepared for an IT failure, according to a survey.

The survey by EMC said 74% of companies were not confident they could get up and running again after a computer failure, and more than half admitted to having lost data.

The European Disaster Recovery Survey 2011 report was based on 1,750 responses from private and public sector companies and revealed that companies were not taking the threat of system failure seriously enough.

“The survey highlights the high level of incidents where businesses have overlooked the importance of planning for events, even ordinary ones,” said Neil Fisher, vice chairman of the Information Assurance Advisory Council.

"It really doesn’t matter if the events are routine, acts of god or the result of criminal activity.”

Although disaster recovery often focuses on natural disasters or terror threats, the research claimed most failures that cost businesses were far more mundane, with hardware failure (61%), power outages (42%) and data corruption (35%) the three most prolific problems cited by respondents.

source: Netgear Threat Lab at 3:08 PM, November 23, 2011

BIOS (Basic Input / Output System) is a small program that starts when the computer first boots up. When the BIOS is loaded to run, the computer loads only the most basic hardware information; nothing about the overlaying OS is known at that time. So if the BIOS is infected, it undoubtedly, would be a very terrible thing. Anti-virus software would have a terrible time trying to remove the virus, reinstalling the system would be useless, and even replacing the hard disk would do nothing to eliminate the virus.
One of the more memorable BIOS targeting viruses was known as the CIH virus (1999). This particular virus caused tremendous damage and was named as one of the world’s top ten viruses by a number of security organizations. We recently found another BIOS virus infection spreading globally named Rootkit.Win32.Mybios.a. This virus is usually bundled with game software, tricking users into turning off their security software and subsequently attacking the BIOS, MBR (master boot record) , and windows system files.
First, the virus will drop bios.sys, flash.dll, my.sys, hook.rom and cbrom.exe in an attempt to infect the BIOS. Once the BIOS is infected, an additional ISA module called Hook.rom will be added to the BIOS. It’s role is to detect whether the MBR is infected. If it finds that the MBR is not yet infected, it will write virus code located in the BIOS into about 14 sectors in the MBR, and then save the original MBR to sector 8.
Second, when the infected part of the MBR is loaded and executed, it will execute different viral code according to the OS (Winlogon.exe (XP/2003) or wininit.exe (Win7/Vista)). When the infected executable is run, the screen displays "Find it ok! ". This behavior can also be used to determine whether the machine has been infected by the virus.
Third, when the infected winlogon.exe is loaded at run time, it will attempt to download a variety of malicious programs from a remote server.
The virus will also load my.sys. This driver will hook disk.sys and prevent anti-virus software from repairing the infected MBR.
As always, we remind users to update their virus definitions as well as system patches and do not open suspicious files and game plug-ins. We remind users to update the pattern. Do not open suspicious files and game plug-ins.

Microsoft releases security updates on the second Tuesday of every month. This week Microsoft released 7 security updates.

• 6 updates for Microsoft Windows
• 1 update for ASP.NET

Get the updates.

The vast amount of computer based systems and operations within a company or organisation can lead to large amounts of both voice and data systems being used on a daily basis for routine and regular operations. The integrated functionality of such systems and the wide reaching span of IT within a business, company, building or organisation requires that all such systems remain operational at all times for everything from phones to storage. IT support in london is imperative in making sure everything works as intended, and all systems stay up and running to facilitate operations.

Not every company can afford to maintain full time employees to work within the IT department to properly manage and maintain such operations, which is why outsourcing to an IT support company proves to be beneficial, especially when smaller firms require ongoing assistance and even guidance when it comes to making sure IT departments and components are robust enough to handle functions. The vast amount of choices in computing devices, printers, phone systems, storage systems, servers, printers, security systems and even integrated lighting, heating and air conditioning controls, all tax and operate through the primary network. This high dependence on the total operations of the entire IT system creates a complex environment which requires professional help.

A good support company is one which starts working with a firm by first coming in and assessing what is on hand, installed and being used for operations. The company then makes a determination as to any additional items that need to be added to the system to enhance operations. The support firm can also guide the company as to whether or not infrastructure changes need to be made as well, such as adding additional network cabling or replacing the networking backbone. Once the entire operation has been evaluated and repaired, the support company can then determine a schedule for continual monitoring and maintenance of the systems as a whole.

IT support company services include helping to decide and determine what new or replacement devices, peripherals, infrastructure and products are required to complete or enhance IT operations. They also troubleshoot problems when they occur, provide guidance on how products and systems operate, help train employees in how to best use all components of the IT system and work with the business or building owner on staying abreast of new technologies and determining which would be beneficial to operations.

The right support company acts as a consultant, installer, service provider and assessment company for the client and thus helps walk companies through everything related to all voice, data and communication systems. This allows for smaller companies to keep a handle on communications and also helps to ensure the IT systems contained in a business or operation work as intended and in the event something goes awry, help is provided in a fast and efficient manner. The majority of companies simply cannot operate without having a functional IT system, and having the right support company on your side is one way to help make sure you do not lose business or precious data in the event of an error, malfunction or equipment breakdown.

Barton Technology is a leading provider of outsourced IT Support & Telephone Systems to Construction, Not for Profit, Retail, Finance, Legal and Insurance SME organisations based in London, Surrey and Kent.

By Terry Duran

In today’s fast paced environment, it is difficult to understand how anyone could possibly survive without the technological advantages of a computer in their business. There was a time when business men and women wrote everything down and attempted to keep track of it, today it has been proven that (if for no other reason) a computer facilitates improved speed and accuracy in almost any business venture that gets off the ground. Through the years the computers that were initially introduced have gotten smaller and that fact seems to make repairing them, that much more difficult.

With the advent of all these computers circling in and around the business world, the need for IT support in Kent is only growing stronger. The question that some may be asking is simple, what should we expect from an IT consultant and the answer should be obvious, everything that is required to keep a computer running efficiently. Some companies (with large computer networks) actually have an entire IT department, just to ensure that their computer network continues to run efficiently.

Computers can be difficult to understand, especially if the operator is not technologically savvy, then again coming to terms with the fact that there is such a thing called a motherboard which is used to bring all the other circuits together (not to mention the CPU), may not be the easiest thing for the average user to fathom. IT (or information technology as it is sometimes called) is all about maintaining the delicate balance required to keep the hardware functioning like a well oiled machine.

Surprisingly, when it comes to IT support, maintaining the hardware is probably one of the easier tasks required on the computer network. Most computers operate on the internet and can therefore be subjected to viruses and attacks by unscrupulous individuals. An IT technician is usually responsible for setting up a system to facilitate the frequent surfing on the internet, along with protecting the various computers from being attacked, by putting procedures (and software) in place which will act as a defence to the company and its computers.

Most of today’s bigger companies have at least a dozen computers on their premises, and in most cases these computers are required to communicate with each other. This form of communication is usually facilitated through a process known as networking. An IT consultant is generally responsible for setting up and maintaining an in house network. In addition to such responsibilities, a consultant will advise your business as to which is the most effective equipment and software for the business to purchase. It is entirely up to the business owner to take this advice however in most cases the advice is heeded.

Whether your business is big enough to have its own IT support on site, or whether it decides to outsource this requirement, it is unlikely that today’s bigger companies will survive without such a service. With the right IT consultants on hand, the wonderful world of technology will continue to help today’s businesses advance into the future.

Barton Technology is a leading provider of outsourced IT Support & Telephone Systems to Construction, Not for Profit, Retail, Finance, Legal and Insurance SME organisations based in London, Surrey and Kent. If you have time, check out the useful resources section for a list of links that might interest you.

By Terry Duran

Microsoft has accused high street retailer Comet of creating and selling more than 94,000 counterfeit copies of Windows recovery discs.

The software giant has issued legal proceedings against the Comet Group for selling the alleged counterfeits to customers that bought computers loaded with Windows Vista and Windows XP.

“As detailed in the complaint filed today, Comet produced and sold thousands of counterfeit Windows CDs to unsuspecting customers in the United Kingdom,” said David Finn, associate general counsel for worldwide anti-piracy and anti-counterfeiting at Microsoft.

“Comet’s actions were unfair to customers. We expect better from retailers of Microsoft products

“Comet’s actions were unfair to customers. We expect better from retailers of Microsoft products — and our customers deserve better, too.”

According to Microsoft, the legal action charges Comet with producing the counterfeits in a factory in Hampshire and then selling the media to customers at retail outlets around Britain.

Comet response

Comet denies any wrongdoing and says it will contest the case, claiming it provided the discs as part of its customer service, and hit out at Microsoft’s decision to stop supplying recovery media.

“We note that proceedings have been issued by Microsoft Corporation against Comet relating to the creation of recovery discs by Comet on behalf of its customers,” the company said in a statement, adding that it did not think it had infringed any intellectual property.

“Comet believes its customers had been adversely affected by the decision to stop supplying recovery discs with each new Microsoft Operating System based computer,” the company said.

“Accordingly Comet is satisfied that it has a good defence to the claim and will defend its position vigorously.”

It is as yet unclear how much, if anything, Comet charged for this “service to customers”, but we have asked Comet for clarification. Comet stores were selling recovery discs for £15 when we performed a blind buying exercise in 2009, although there’s no evidence to suggest these discs were illegitimately sourced.

Microsoft said customers concerned that software was fake should visit the company’s How to tell website.
Source: PC Pro

It’s that time for those New Year resolutions. So whilst you are contemplating the easiest method of reducing those few extra pounds brought on by turkey cold cuts, why not think about trimming the fat from your computer system?

A complete onsite PC tune up, including hard disk defrag, virus/spyware check and inner dust removal is just what your PC’s need to keep them from overheating and slowing down in 2012. The better shape your systems are in the more reliable and longer they will last.

Now couldn’t be a better time either as we are offering the full tune up for only £49 plus VAT per PC, saving you over £110 (a massive 70% discount) off the usual price if you book before the end of January. The more PC’s you book the bigger your savings become.

To take advantage of this offer or for more info, simply click here and complete the online form.  One of our friendly team will then contact you to book your reserved slot. Please note we only have limited spaces and we anticipate a huge response so be quick!

Finally on behalf of all the team I’d like wish you a very prosperous new year for 2012!