roquito ltd's blog

Mailbox Maintenance

Wed, 02 Jun 2021 14:00:26 GMT

Are you inundated with spam emails? Does your mailbox cause you some anxiety?

Keep your mailbox at a manageable level and declutter!

There are a few ways to get started on decluttering your mailbox of spam.

Firstly, unsubscribe from the marketing emails you no longer wish to receive. Email marketers are supposed to comply with CAN-SPAM, meaning they have to provide an unsubscribe link at the bottom of every email. Just click this link if you are sure of its origin.

Secondly, some companies use a manual email marketing flow so look out for instructions at the bottom of emails. They might say ‘reply to this email with unsubscribe or remove me’ or a similar variation.

Thirdly, some senders have a more annoying unsubscribe process, where you need to login into their system, if you can remember the password and update your email preferences. If you cannot remember the password you can set up a filter to send the incoming emails straight to your deleted items, so you don’t have to worry about them

If you are unsure or would like some help with your mailbox maintenance, please contact us for assistance

Have you backed up your Instagram data?

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 13:11:15 GMT

What would happen if you lost access to your Instagram page?

Have you ever thought what you would do if you lost access to your Instagram page, all your followers, comments and photos? It doesn't bear thinking about does it?

To make sure you have a backup of your data you can request it from Instagram. At least them you will have the peace of mind that you have a backup of your content and could restore it if the worst was to happen.

How to request a backup of your Instagram data:

Go to Settings
Then Security
Choose the Download Data option
Double check your email address is correct
Click Request Download
Instagram will email you a copy of your data within 48 hours.

If you are unsure or would like some help, please contact us for assistance

Understanding Phishing

websitebuilder@1and1.de — Sun, 01 Nov 2020 15:05:01 GMT

What is phishing and how does it affect me?

Phishing can take many forms including text messages, social media, phone calls, but is mainly used to describe an attack that arrives by email. These emails can also contain viruses that are activated when you open the genuine looking attachment.

Unfortunately, criminals have become very sophisticated in their attacks and emails are looking increasingly genuine. Common phishing emails include Amazon, HMRC, NCP Parking and PayPal.

Things to look out for when considering if an email is ‘phishing’

Is the email addressed to you or ‘friend’, ‘colleague’, ‘customer’? This can mean that the sender doesn’t actually know you
Is your name spelt correctly?
Does the sender's email look genuine? Again is it spelt correctly? If it appears to come from the business global address list, does the address actually exist? For example have you received an email from helpdesk@company.com but your company actually uses servicedesk@company.com
Thinking about your accounts, is the email address you received your Amazon (or other company) email actually the email address associated with the account? Another thought is that you are unlikely to have used your business email address to register with HMRC.
Does the quality of the email as you would expect from the company?
Are there any spelling or grammar mistakes in the email? Be weary of words such as ‘click here immediately’, ‘you have been a victim of a crime’, ‘send these details within 24 hours’
Are you being asked to supply bank details? Note that your bank or any other official source would never ask you for any personal information over email. If in any doubt call them to check directly.
If you hover over the link, does it look like it is going to take you to the place you expect?
Lastly, remember if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

What to do if you have already clicked

If you have clicked on a suspicious link or opened a suspect attachment:

Delete the email
Run a full antivirus scan on your computer and check any other instructions given from it.
It is strongly advised that you change your email password and any other important passwords to ensure your personal information is protected.

If you have received an email that looks suspicious from someone you know:

Delete the email
Advise the sender that their account may have been compromised

Always sync a backup of your important data on a personal cloud storage service like OneDrive, iCloud or Google Drive.

If you have lost any money, you need to report it as a crime to Action Fraud, this can be done by going to the Action Fraud website www.actionfraud.police.uk

For further information you can visit the National Cyber Security Centre, www.ncsc.gov.uk

Protecting your devices from viruses and malware

websitebuilder@1and1.de — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 16:21:02 GMT

Preventative measures to protect your devices

There are many ways to protect yourself and we're here to help!

Antivirus

One of the most effective ways to protect your device from viruses, trojans and spyware is to use an antivirus software

It will detect, remove or quarantine malicious files before it causes you a problem
Run a full antivirus scan regularly on your computer
Keep your antivirus software up to date to ensure protection
This can be set to auto update

Note : If you have a Windows 10 device it will come with it’s own built in Antivirus software.

Go to Windows Security to ensure it is switched on

Software updates

Software updates include fixes to any bug and security flaws found in the software

It is one of the most important things to do to keep your devices safe
Ensure you update your software when prompted
Ensure you update your operating system software when prompted
You can set your software to automatically update

Official apps

Only download apps from official stores, such as Google Play store, Microsoft store, Apple App store
Official stores will check apps for viruses and malware before they are made available for downloading

Replace out of support devices

Try and keep your devices current by replacing them when they are no longer supported by the manufacturer
This can be checked on the manufacturer’s website

Home Network Troubleshooting

websitebuilder@1and1.de — Thu, 20 Aug 2020 17:27:30 GMT

Are you are having issues with your home network?

If you are having issues with your home network, there are a few things you can try to resolve the issue yourself.

Ensure it is a network problem
Use your browser to visit multiple websites to check it is not just the website you are on causing problems
If you have an alternative browser, try the same websites on there too
Slow Internet
To improve your Internet browser performance, you can clear the cookies and Internet temporary files
Check other devices on the network
Check to see if other devices connected to your internet are working
If they are, check what they are doing, for example streaming films, downloading large files, these can cause service degradation
Checking your connection speed
Go to a website such as speedtest.net to check your internet speed
If it is too low\less than what you pay for, contact your ISP
Reboot your devices
If you have determined that you have issues on any website you go to reboot your laptop and internet router. When rebooting your router leave it off for a minute before turning it on again.
Once all your devices are back up and running, try the websites again
Also try from a different device such as a mobile phone or tablet
If none of your devices are connecting to the internet call your ISP and explain
If one is connecting and another is not, try running your antivirus software to ensure you do not have any malware that could be blocking your connection
Check your connections
If you use a network cable, check that it is securely in place at both ends
If you use wireless double check it is not switched off
Check the connections on your router, does it show activity on the connection lights?
If there are no lights, it is possible that the router is faulty, and you should call your ISP
If you have a power but nothing else, your ISP may be having issues, call them to check
Contacting your ISP
You may be able to check the service status in your area by logging into your ISP website from your mobile
Downdector.com might also prove useful to check for wider outages
Social media will also point to general outages

If you are unsure or would like some help, please contact us for assistance

Remote Working

websitebuilder@1and1.de — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 18:34:58 GMT

How to work from home efficiently

Many of us are used to working from home on the odd occasion but how many of us are used to working remotely, continuously?

With corona virus forcing this new way of working upon us, are we actually prepared for it? While social distancing is going to be with us for the foreseeable future we need to ensure our productivity and well-being form part of a healthy work life balance.

Here are our top tips for working remotely:

Designated workspace - If you can, mark a desk, area in a room or even a whole room, as a working from home room and keep home-life activities to elsewhere in your home. Keeping work and life separate as you would do going to the office for example, will help you switch off at the end of the day. We all work differently and have different requirements when it comes down to our home working, so remember if you need some music to get you through the day, that is OK, you do not have to sit in a quiet room all day.

Proper desk and chair - Ensure you have a proper desk and a good chair to sit at, it will make all the difference to your mood and comfort. If you are not sitting comfortably, for example balancing your laptop on your lap you are unlikely to be productive and it certainly won’t do your posture and body any good. If you need extra peripherals or advise please send us a message and we’d be happy to assist.

Set boundaries - Now you have your designated workspace, try to keep it tidy so that you think clearly and maintain a professional environment. This would be important if you are on video call. Ensure you stick to your normal ‘office hours’ for work and ensure these do not blur into your personal time.

Routine - Try and have a routine like you would if you were going to the office for example, breakfast and coffee\tea followed by morning team calls, email follow ups, and important tasks done before lunch if possible. Know when you are going to have your lunch break, plan if you are having lunch with your partner\child\housemate or going for a walk\run. Plan your afternoon tasks to see you through to the end of the day.

Have a list - Creating a list of things to do at the start of the day will help you try and avoid all the distractions. You’ll want to complete your list, your list of goals for the day.

Increase communication - Using video conferencing applications such as Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Zoom or Skype to stay in touch with colleagues, clients and suppliers to get the required 'face time' needed throughout the week. Staring at your screen or wall while on audio only calls could disrupt your team vibe. Having daily calls can also help increase transparency in terms of individual and team priorities. If you normally socialise with colleagues outside of the office you could always arrange a catch up after work hours with a glass of wine.

Protect your well-being - Working from home can be difficult so make sure you listen to your body and your mind. If you start to feel lonely reach out to a colleague or friend, have that all important video call. If you find your back starting to ache from sitting down too long, stand up, go for a walk, no matter how short the walk is, it will make you feel better. It is important to take regular breaks and not feel guilty about it, you would walk to the coffee machine in the office and have a chat before returning to your desk. Obviously eating healthy, getting enough sleep and exercise will also contribute to your well-being and remember to switch off at the end of your working day.

There are a lot of things we can learn about ourselves while working from home but there are also a lot of things to learn from others. Keep talking, keep networking and remember to reach out when you need to!

Password Security

websitebuilder@1and1.de — Wed, 13 May 2020 18:15:55 GMT

Setting a strong password

As we all know, we need passwords for everything these days, but did you realise that having a weak password is just as bad as having no password at all?

A weak password is one of the most common ways that allows a hacker to break into computers, they guess the password. These are generally short words that are familiar to the user (dog’s name, kids name, mother’s name) or in the dictionary, or like the examples below are the same consecutive number.

Weak passwords that appear on Forbes weakest 100 password list:

Password
111111
12345
qwertyuiop
abc123

This type of password leaves you open to being hacked for fun, financial gain or identity theft.

A strong password is one that should be hard for a person or program to discover, it should include a combination of upper and lower case characters, numbers and symbols and be at least 10 characters long. A strong password will provide essential protection from hackers wanting to steal from you.

Examples of strong passwords from a password generator:

Y5(t6&dd85s("STk
L,V6*5H[/g{N9(qK
F1ASv|J=D$Z1

However, these would be very hard to remember so you could try using phrases:

‘The first house I ever lived in was 591 Fake Street’ becomes TfhIeliw591FS
‘I Love My Piano’ becomes !Lov3MyP1ano
‘I Love My Dog’ becomes I7oveMyD0g!!

Although substitutions can also be hard to remember. Using phrases made of random common words can help make passwords incredibly hard for a computer to guess, but easy for you to remember:

Chicken1MoonStoneShower
BookBell4BedroomZebra
Record3AngelHammerLight

Laptop Maintenance

websitebuilder@1and1.de — Fri, 01 May 2020 12:23:45 GMT

Computer slowing down?

Are you finding your computer slowing down and do not know what to do about it?

Computers do not last forever and with the amount of use they are getting, especially in the current climate, you need to do what you can to prevent it slowing down and becoming unusable.

Below are a few pointers for you to check to keep your computer in tip top shape.

Check Windows Updates are up to date
Check your antivirus software is up to date and run frequently
Run the Disk Cleanup to remove temporary files and files that are no longer needed (be careful using this option, it will empty your deleted items and downloads folder if selected)
Are your computer drivers up to date? You can usually check these from the manufacturer's website or from installed programs such as the HP Assistant
Ensure you have regular restore points of your system and a backup

If you need any assistance with the above roquito is here to help. Just drop us a message.

Multi-Factor Authentication

websitebuilder@1and1.de — Fri, 01 May 2020 12:15:56 GMT

Extra Security Online

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) are the extra layer of security needed to protect your accounts online.

In today's online world, just using a password to secure your personal data is not enough to keep you safe from cyber criminals. Enabling MFA can help mitigate this risk by introducing an additional, different, layer of security to your logon process, increasing the layers of complexity attackers would need to beat to get at your secure data. MFA is a security system that verifies your identity by requiring multiple credentials. Proving access to an alternate physical thing you own, such as a mobile phone, passcode token or secure key USB. Even if your password is compromised the chances of someone hacking your account are lower as you will need all security information in one place to unlock your account. You will need to verify your account every time you log on to an MFA'd account from a different location.

In the majority of the app's you use, you will be able to go into the settings and a security option, in here you will be able to enable MFA (2FA). The best option is to use an Authenticator App rather than text or phone. These can be used as back up options if necessary. Authenticator Apps are available for Apple and Android devices, we recommend using Microsoft Authenticator or Google Authenticator, both available from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Examples of app's you can use MFA with:

Outlook
Gmail
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Paypal
Amazon
LinkedIn
Xero

If you have any issues or want to discuss your online security further, drop us a message, roquito can help.

Facebook Security

websitebuilder@1and1.de — Fri, 01 May 2020 11:04:58 GMT

Securing your Facebook account

With the growing popularity of applications that allow you to log in with your Facebook identity, it is important to keep your Facebook account secure.

Follow the instructions below to secure your account.

In your Facebook app:

Go to Settings
Select Security and Logins
You will be able to see 'Where you're logged in', if you do not recognise any of these devices click the 3 dots on the right hand side and Log Out

Continue in the Security and Logins page and scroll down to Two-Factor Authentication

Click on Edit
Under your Security Method select Authentication App (We strongly advise you use this method)
If you do not have an authentication app already installed you can download the Microsoft Authentication App or the Google Authentication App from either the Apple App or Google Play Store. You can then follow the instructions to add Facebook to it. Ensure the Authentication App is set as your default option
Also add your mobile number to receive pin codes via text message as a backup

Continue down to 'Setting up extra security', here you can receive alerts for unrecognised logins so you will know if your account has been compromised

Scroll down to 'Get Alerts about unrecognised logins'
Click Edit
Ensure you have turned this on and selected how you would like to receive your alerts.

If you are unsure or would like some help, please contact us for assistance