Sterling IT Solutions

10/17/2025

Finding old files on your computer can be headache inducing.

Here’s how to quickly solve that.

If you’ve ever needed a quote, invoice, or report from a year or two ago, and had no clue where it ended up, this will help.

Most people scroll through folders or rely on vague file names. But Windows actually has an advanced search feature built in that can save you heaps of time.

You can search by file type, keywords, or even the date you last touched it.

Try these in Windows File Explorer:

🔍 kind:=document date:2023
Shows all documents modified in 2023.

🔍 "client proposal" ext:.docx
Finds Word documents with that phrase in the file name or content.

🔍 modified:this week
Shows any file that was updated this week.

You can also combine filters to narrow things down even more. It works across your whole computer or just inside a specific folder, and it's super handy for shared drives.

It’s fast, accurate, and already built into Windows File Explorer.

10/17/2025

AI adoption, trade tariffs, and rising costs top enterprise risk lists. Gartner calls them the biggest challenges of Q2 2025.

Escalating trade tensions, AI risks, and cost pressures dominate the emerging enterprise risk 2025 landscape, highlighting CISO challenges.

10/16/2025

EaseUS Todo Backup 2025 shines with AI features, straightforward UI, and strong recovery�no pricey sub required. A smart pick for IT.

The best free and paid backup software for your Windows system, disks, and data.

10/15/2025

Wired reports that smart speakers now offer personalized sound profiles based on listening habits. Clever for home office users to adjust audio without asking.

© 2025 Condé Nast. All rights reserved. WIRED may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the pri...

10/14/2025

Meta's new suite of safety tools helps parents manage screen time and content for teens. This is great for families and small businesses juggling device policies.

CNET is the world's leader in tech product reviews, news, prices, videos, forums, how-tos and more.

10/13/2025

Zero-days jumped 46%, ransomware hits ~20x daily, and IP cameras are common entry points. Now is the time to secure every device on the network.

Ransomware, zero-days, and OT attacks dominate the 2025 cybersecurity threat trends, exposing risks across IT, IoT, and healthcare networks.

10/12/2025

Hackers don’t need to break into your business to access your systems. They just need to break into the software you use.

It’s called a supply chain attack, and it’s becoming more common.

Instead of targeting your business directly, cybercriminals go after the vendors, platforms, and tools you rely on, like your accounting software, email service, CRM, or even browser plugins.

Once they’re in, they can use that trusted connection to move sideways into your systems.

Even if you do everything right, a weak link in your supply chain can still put your data, operations, or clients at risk.

Here’s how to protect yourself:

✔️ Keep your software updated
Outdated tools are the easiest way in. That includes cloud apps, browser extensions, and any third-party plugins your team uses.

✔️ Pay attention to vendor alerts
If a service you use announces a security patch or breach notice, don’t ignore it. Even small updates can close serious gaps.

✔️ Use MFA on admin accounts
Especially for anything cloud-based. If a vendor’s systems get compromised, MFA can still block access to your accounts.

✔️ Review who has access to what
Every quarter, check which users and apps have permissions across your systems. Remove what’s no longer needed, especially for staff or tools that are no longer active.

✔️ Limit the blast radius
Where possible, segment your systems. Don’t give full access to tools or people that don’t need it. The less they can touch, the less damage they can do if something goes wrong.

✔️ Vet new tools before installing them
That free Chrome extension might not be so harmless. Always check where it’s from, what data it touches, and whether it’s been reviewed or vetted.

✔️ Build a plan for what to do if a vendor gets hit
Don’t wait for it to happen. Know who you’d contact, how you’d keep things running, and what data might be exposed.

Need help assessing your vendor risk or tightening things up? We do that. Just give us a shout.

10/12/2025

90% of leaders feel stretched thin, as AI expands attack surfaces. Nearly half report burnout. Teams need smarter tools + support.

67% of respondents say their cyber risk practices are moderately mature; 83% report having a formal program, according to BitSight.

10/11/2025

AI phishing, triple-extortion ransomware, and supply-chain hacks dominate 2025. Time to double down on training, backups, and vendor security.

Here are the top five threats keeping CISOs up at night in 2025 and what CISOs can do about them.

10/10/2025

Wired explores what's behind the current "chip shortage 2.0" and what it means for everyday device availability from PCs to printers. Smart insight for planners.

© 2025 Condé Nast. All rights reserved. WIRED may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the pri...

10/09/2025

Free Wi‑Fi might cost you more than you think.

You sit down at a café, open your laptop, and connect to “Cafe Guest WiFi.”

Seems normal, right?

Thing is, anyone can name a Wi‑Fi network whatever they like.

It’s dead simple for a hacker to set up a fake Wi‑Fi hotspot called “Cafe WiFi” or “Airport_Free_WiFi”…

And wait for you to connect, watch what you type, steal login details, or install malware without you knowing.

This happens in co-working spaces, hotels, airports, even the café down the road. It takes less than 60 seconds for them to grab what they need.

That’s not something you want to happen to you.

So, here’s how to stay safe when you’re working in public:

✔️ Use your mobile hotspot instead whenever possible
✔️ If you must use public Wi‑Fi, connect through a VPN
✔️ Never access sensitive systems (banking, admin panels, email accounts) on open networks
✔️ Always double-check the exact network name with staff before connecting

If your team works on the go, this is something worth keeping in mind.

10/09/2025

Do you know how to spot a deepfake? This article outlines 5 simple red flags. A great quick guide for users and teams to guard against disinformation.