PacketLogix, Inc.

10/03/2025

This Week’s Cybersecurity Tip of the Week, provided by PacketLogix

IT Security Tip: Is this request really from the boss?

Here’s a common scam: you get an e-mail from the boss (or your spouse, parents or other trusted person) asking you to send them a copy of employee pay stubs, tax information and files with confidential data such as social security numbers in them; or they’re asking you to transfer or ACH payment to a vendor or a different bank account.

The problem: even though it is coming from someone’s e-mail address you know and trust and LOOKS legit, there’s a chance it could be a scam. Hackers can INTERCEPT e-mail messages and modify them.

If you ever get this kind of request, DOUBLE-CHECK by calling that person to confirm. And even if it turns out to be a legitimate request, you should NEVER send confidential information like social security numbers (or attachments with this information inside of them) without taking precautions to password-protect and encrypt the message first.

If it doesn’t feel right, it’s probably not right.

Cybercrime is at an all-time high, and hackers are setting their sights on small and medium businesses who are “low hanging fruit.” Don’t be their next victim! To download this free report that reveals the most common ways that hackers get in and how to protect yourself today go to www.packetlogix.com



[email protected]

www.packetlogix.com

https://www.packetlogix.com/terrence

Rhode Island's Highly-Responsive IT Support, Computer Services, and Cybersecurity Experts For Businesses In Rhode Island

09/19/2025

This Week’s Cybersecurity Tip of the Week, provided by PacketLogix

IT Security Tip: What are Zero-Day Vulnerabilities?

In the world of Cyber Security, the term “zero-day vulnerabilities” comes up often. What exactly does it mean and why do I care about it? After all, we are a small business and surely not worth anyone’s bother to “hack.” Nothing can be further from the truth.
A zero-day vulnerability is a unique weakness in either software or hardware which has not yet been exploited by the hacking community and provides them with a brief window of opportunity to hack your systems before a fix is readily made available to you. IN other words, it is a hacker’s dream come true.

Why should you care? Ideally, you shouldn’t. You should know that we care a tremendous amount and have gone to great lengths to protect you, your employees and customers from just such an exploitation.

Let’s get back to that comment about “not being large enough for a hacker to target you.” Yes, it is true, governments and large organizations are under a 24/7 barrage of hacking attempts. What is also true is they spend millions upon millions of dollars every year just to keep up, never mind get ahead of the hackers. Hacking is a trillion-dollar business. That is true. And if you are a hacking concern you are going to look for “soft targets” or the low hanging fruit where you can make a few bucks. If you hit enough of these singles with small businesses that adds up quickly and you can make a good “living” at it. They know that most small businesses are too busy to have proper IT security hygiene and take advantage of that fact.

This is one reason all of our clients are monitored 24/7 and scanned continually for probable threats. If you have a nagging suspicion this isn’t occurring for you, we should talk.

Cybercrime is at an all-time high, and hackers are setting their sights on small and medium businesses who are “low hanging fruit.” Don’t be their next victim! To download this free report that reveals the most common ways that hackers get in and how to protect yourself today go to www.packetlogix.com



[email protected]

www.packetlogix.com

https://www.packetlogix.com/terrence

Rhode Island's Highly-Responsive IT Support, Computer Services, and Cybersecurity Experts For Businesses In Rhode Island

09/12/2025

This Week’s Cybersecurity Tip of the Week, provided by PacketLogix

IT Security Tip: Fake update prompts from popular software

All software needs to be updated on a regular basis. This includes popular programs such as adobe reader, java, and other programs that you might use on a regular basis. Since most of these programs don’t auto-update, they have to ask you to do it. The bad guys have figured this out and use trickery to present you with fake update windows that look deceptively close to the real thing but will actually give you viruses or malware if you click on them.

The best way to handle this is to either 1. Partner with an IT company that will handle 3rd party software updates automatically for you or 2. Only update this software from within the application itself. Updates can usually be found in the ‘help’ menu for most software.

Cybercrime is at an all-time high, and hackers are setting their sights on small and medium businesses who are “low hanging fruit.” Don’t be their next victim! To download this free report that reveals the most common ways that hackers get in and how to protect yourself today go to www.packetlogix.com



[email protected]

www.packetlogix.com

https://www.packetlogix.com/terrence

Rhode Island's Highly-Responsive IT Support, Computer Services, and Cybersecurity Experts For Businesses In Rhode Island

09/05/2025

This Week’s Cybersecurity Tip of the Week, provided by PacketLogix

IT Security Tip: 4 Ways to Prepare for a Data Disaster

1. Talk to Your IT Provider.
This is your go-to, and where to begin the conversation. An IT provider can provide a risk assessment, and then offer solutions to save you from data loss. Think of the spreadsheet you have been working with for months. It would be a shame if it were gone forever. How about that project you and the team have been assigned with a rapidly approaching deadline? It would be a waste of time and a hassle to recreate if the file became corrupt or were lost. In any case, selecting a Backup/Disaster Recovery (BDR) solution for servers and any workstations can help alleviate this.

2. Be a Part of the Conversation.
You know better than anyone what files you need access to for a successful day at work. Be involved in the process of backing up your data. Then, should your company fall victim to ransomware or data loss, you will know how to respond. Your IT provider will ultimately be responsible for recovering your data and maintaining your backups, of course, but knowing how to access your files while they get you back up and running may require an extra step. When the disaster recovery solution is put into place, there may also be some training available to you from your IT provider that should prove helpful.

3. Know That You Are Protected.
Work with your IT provider and your manager by learning the answer to this question: “If we fall victim to ransomware, or our company files are lost, what do we do?” With this simple question, you can prevent costly downtime and data loss. You can protect your office and coworkers from being locked out of your files indefinitely by assisting in establishing an effective disaster recovery plan and a disaster mitigation plan. When it comes to a data disruption, it’s not a question of if but when.

4. Get Security Awareness Training.
You, the end-user, possess the power to prevent an attack by identifying a phishing email and warning others. When you learn to spot a malicious phishing attempt and can assist others to do the same you become a powerful force for good! Create a culture of security and minimize the risk!

Cybercrime is at an all-time high, and hackers are setting their sights on small and medium businesses who are “low hanging fruit.” Don’t be their next victim! To download this free report that reveals the most common ways that hackers get in and how to protect yourself today go to www.packetlogix.com



[email protected]

www.packetlogix.com

https://www.packetlogix.com/terrence

Rhode Island's Highly-Responsive IT Support, Computer Services, and Cybersecurity Experts For Businesses In Rhode Island

08/01/2025

This Week’s Cybersecurity Tip of the Week, provided by PacketLogix

IT Security Tip: Is my PCI compliance good enough to serve as a network cyber security audit?

We often get asked if an organization has passed its PCI compliance requirements for accepting credit cards; is there really a need for more security and compliance? The answer is yes!

While the PCI architecture and requirements heavily overlap network security issues, a network security audit is going to take a deeper look into how you utilize the technology you own. Most businesses typically need to conduct a network security audit at the same time they conduct a PCI audit.

The PCI regulations have gone a long way toward making every business that accepts credit cards more secure, because it’s a threat to the payment industry to have unsecured businesses responsible for millions in fraudulent charges. A good network security audit at the same time as your PCI audit typically provides for a balanced scale when weighing security and functionality.

PacketLogix is offering East Bay Chamber members a Business Security Assessment at no cost to you.

To schedule your Business Security Score Assessment, go to www.packetlogix.com/terrence or call 401-227-2695



[email protected]

www.packetlogix.com

https://www.packetlogix.com/terrence

07/25/2025

This Week’s Cybersecurity Tip of the Week, provided by PacketLogix

IT Security Tip: Is my PCI compliance good enough to serve as a network cyber security audit?

We often get asked if an organization has passed its PCI compliance requirements for accepting credit cards; is there really a need for more security and compliance? The answer is yes!

While the PCI architecture and requirements heavily overlap network security issues, a network security audit is going to take a deeper look into how you utilize the technology you own. Most businesses typically need to conduct a network security audit at the same time they conduct a PCI audit.

The PCI regulations have gone a long way toward making every business that accepts credit cards more secure, because it’s a threat to the payment industry to have unsecured businesses responsible for millions in fraudulent charges. A good network security audit at the same time as your PCI audit typically provides for a balanced scale when weighing security and functionality.

PacketLogix is offering East Bay Chamber members a Business Security Assessment at no cost to you.

To schedule your Business Security Score Assessment, go to www.packetlogix.com/terrence or call 401-216-6425.



[email protected]

www.packetlogix.com

https://www.packetlogix.com/terrence

07/18/2025

This Week’s Cybersecurity Tip of the Week, provided by PacketLogix

IT Security Tip: Should your laptop be encrypted?

It’s just another Tuesday on your way to work and you stopped by your favorite busy coffee shop to get your caffeine fixed. You set your tablet down to add the cream and, when you turn back, your laptop is gone. It’s nowhere in sight, nor is the thief who stole it.

If you have a password on your laptop, it will slow the thief down; but what it doesn’t stop is someone removing the hard drive and connecting it to another computer to get access to all your files, passwords and e-mail –that’s not hard to do.

How do you protect your files? Encrypt them! With the drive encrypted, a thief can’t just pull it out, hook it up and suddenly have access to all your files. This is ESPECIALLY important if you hold or have access to medical records, credit card information or other sensitive data on your devices.

To schedule your Business Security Score Assessment, go to www.packetlogix.com/terrence or call 401-227-2695 or via email at [email protected]



[email protected]

www.packetlogix.com

https://www.packetlogix.com/terrence

07/11/2025

This Week’s Cybersecurity Tip of the Week, provided by PacketLogix

IT Security Tip: Don’t just throw out that old computer

Getting rid of old computers or servers? Did you know that the components used in technology equipment are not landfill-safe? On top of the environmental hazards, unprotected e-waste typically contains a lot of confidential and private information in the form of saved passwords, Internet history and files left on the retired computer or server.

As a first prevention step, find a local recycling facility where e-waste can be safely disposed of. And make sure to take the following #1 security precaution before you haul it off: remove and destroy the hard drives. A drill and hammer usually do the trick just fine. Alternatively, many companies that shred paper documents will also destroy your hard drives.

We offer free e-waste recycling services to our clients! Just let us know and we’ll pick up your old hardware and make sure it’s properly recycled.
Don’t forget other e-waste such as mobile phones, copy machines and any other device that ever touched your company data. Give serious thought to what data is on any device before you recycle it.

To schedule your free e-waste recycling pickup, call 401-227-2695 or send us an email at [email protected] .



[email protected]

www.packetlogix.com

https://www.packetlogix.com/terrence

07/03/2025

This Week’s Cybersecurity Tip of the Week, provided by PacketLogix

IT Security Tip: NEVER use the same password twice

A complex password is a necessity, but hard to remember. And with so many websites requiring a password these days, users often reuse the same password again and again with different sites. BAD idea.

When a big company gets hacked (like LinkedIn, for example), the criminals post and sell the username, e-mail, password and confidential information in that account. Since many people reuse the same password, hackers will try that e-mail and password combination across multiple sites, including Amazon, PayPal or other sites where you might store credit card information.

Remember, they aren’t doing this manually. They have highly sophisticated software to automate ALL of this. If you want a better way of storing and organizing UNIQUE passwords, we recommend our password management software.
The bottom line is that no matter how much of a pain it is, it is very important to have different passwords for each online account – and make sure they are TRULY unique, not just with a “1” or an “!” as an extra character.

Cybercrime is at an all-time high, and hackers are setting their sights on small and medium businesses who are “low hanging fruit.” Don’t be their next victim! To download this free report that reveals the most common ways that hackers get in and how to protect yourself today go to www.packetlogix.com

For a very limited time, at no cost to your company, we will conduct a dark web scan looking for your company’s hacked credentials for sale on the dark web. Contact Nikki Manalansan at 401-227-2695 or [email protected] for us to start your dark web scan today.



[email protected]

www.packetlogix.com

https://www.packetlogix.com/terrence

Rhode Island's Highly-Responsive IT Support, Computer Services, and Cybersecurity Experts For Businesses In Rhode Island

06/27/2025

This Week’s Cybersecurity Tip of the Week, provided by PacketLogix

IT Security Tip: Three sneaky ways to know your kids are up to no good online

Here are some little-known ways to see if your kid is doing things and visiting sites you don’t want them to:

1. They’ve deleted their browsing history. What are they hiding?

2. The ads showing up are questionable. Marketers use retargeting to get you to come back to their websites. So if you’re seeing ads that make you go “hmmmm,” that’s a sign they’ve been visiting those sites.

3. They hide when using the device. A good rule of thumb is NO devices in bedrooms, or in any room that is not out in the open.

Cybercrime is at an all-time high, and hackers are setting their sights on small and medium businesses who are “low hanging fruit.” Don’t be their next victim! To download this free report that reveals the most common ways that hackers get in and how to protect yourself today go to www.packetlogix.com

For a very limited time, at no cost to your company, we will conduct a dark web scan looking for your company’s hacked credentials for sale on the dark web. Contact Nikki Manalansan at 401-227-2695 or [email protected] for us to start your dark web scan today.



[email protected]

www.packetlogix.com

https://www.packetlogix.com/terrence

Rhode Island's Highly-Responsive IT Support, Computer Services, and Cybersecurity Experts For Businesses In Rhode Island

06/20/2025

This Week’s Cybersecurity Tip of the Week, provided by PacketLogix

IT Security Tip: Your copier is spying on you…

Modern business equipment has radically changed how we conduct everyday business. Do you realize that copiers and multifunction printers are also one of the leading causes of data breaches?

They are the one device on the network that commonly does not ever have the default password changed. After all, who would want to get in and copy your settings? There might be a different answer if you realize that quite often those copiers keep images of all pages scanned on an internal hard drive. Perfect for someone to anonymously access and steal social security records and sensitive business data.

Take steps to secure your MFP copier today. Change – or ask US to change – default passwords on ALL network-connected devices. Don’t forget this rule when the copier lease is up and a new one is installed! A few quick steps can save a lot of personal data breaches and a lot of security headaches down the road.

Cybercrime is at an all-time high, and hackers are setting their sights on small and medium businesses who are “low hanging fruit.” Don’t be their next victim! To download this free report that reveals the most common ways that hackers get in and how to protect yourself today go to www.packetlogix.com

For a very limited time, at no cost to your company, we will conduct a dark web scan looking for your company’s hacked credentials for sale on the dark web. Contact Nikki Manalansan at 401-227-2695 or [email protected] for us to start your dark web scan today.



[email protected]

www.packetlogix.com

https://www.packetlogix.com/terrence

Rhode Island's Highly-Responsive IT Support, Computer Services, and Cybersecurity Experts For Businesses In Rhode Island

06/13/2025

This Week’s Cybersecurity Tip of the Week, provided by PacketLogix

IT Security Tip: Be VERY careful of what you put in any e-mail

Never forget that e-mail constitutes a legal record and can be admissible in legal actions, not only in the courtroom, but in the court of public opinion. People sue peoples for all kinds of silly reasons. Family members get into disputes, couples get divorced, consumers sue merchants and vendors can pursue delinquent clients.

Whenever a lawyer is looking for damaging evidence, one of the first things they’ll ask for are e-mail records – and deleting them does NOT save you. Just look at what happened to Hillary!

E-mail is also not private. Employers have the right to monitor employees’ work e-mail; and if you e-mail anything to a “friend,” you have no legal right to prevent them from posting it or forwarding it.

So before you hit “send,” take a minute to make absolutely certain your e-mail doesn’t contain something you don’t want public. Pretend your boss/parent/spouse/religious leader/kids are copied on every e-mail you write. Better yet, pretend your worst enemy is…then edit before you hit “send.”

Cybercrime is at an all-time high, and hackers are setting their sights on small and medium businesses who are “low hanging fruit.” Don’t be their next victim! To download this free report that reveals the most common ways that hackers get in and how to protect yourself today go to www.packetlogix.com

For a very limited time, at no cost to your company, we will conduct a dark web scan looking for your company’s hacked credentials for sale on the dark web. Contact Nikki Manalansan at 401-227-2695 or [email protected] for us to start your dark web scan today.



[email protected]

www.packetlogix.com

https://www.packetlogix.com/terrence

Rhode Island's Highly-Responsive IT Support, Computer Services, and Cybersecurity Experts For Businesses In Rhode Island