OnSite I.T. Blog

We’ve made it to the point where humans need to prove they’re real people to access systems, and one of the most common ways to do this is through the use of CAPTCHA technology. Completely Automated Public Turing test(s) to tell Computers and Humans Apart (try saying that with your mouth full) are everywhere, yet computers still struggle to actually crack these tests, unlike other methods of security. Why are they so successful at detecting automated bots?

We live in a moment in time defined by connectivity, which also means we live in a time defined by unwanted correspondence. It’s never been easier to reach you by phone, email, and even social media—even when you don’t want to be reached. Today, we’re talking about how social media, in particular, presents opportunities for scammers to target you and your loved ones.

Your Android device can do a lot, but you also need to ensure that the devices you use aren’t putting data or privacy at risk. Today, we want to show you how to take simple steps to control your privacy and security. Anyone with a smartphone can use these tips, too, so have at it!

What happens to all the data that gets stolen by hackers during their despicable campaigns? Sometimes it gets destroyed, but more often than not, it ends up on the Dark Web, where it’s put to other nefarious purposes. Today, we want to discuss the Dark Web and why it’s so important you monitor it for your business’ data.

If we told you that someone could guess information about you just from looking at an image, what would you say? You’d probably say, “yeah, no $!#?!” but we’re not talking about minor details… we’re talking about a lot of details. Paragraphs, even—plenty enough to be concerning.

There has been a good deal of controversy about how personal data has been collected, sold, and used over the past few years. Companies of all types package and sell data to create a valuable extra revenue stream for their business, and while this should be thought of as a side effect of all the data that is created by people, it can also create some pretty difficult situations to try and navigate. Today, we’ll take a look at the data-broker loophole, how it works, and what can be done about it.

A lot of people don’t take cybersecurity and data privacy seriously enough, and that puts both them and others at risk. We’ve all gotten used to sharing personal information online—whether it’s on social media, shopping websites, or other digital services. But if we’re not careful, this can lead to big problems like hackers stealing your identity or money. When people don’t use strong passwords or turn on two-factor authentication, they leave gaps that hackers can take advantage of. These gaps don’t just affect individuals—they can lead to bigger cyberattacks that hurt entire organizations or communities.

Cybersecurity tops the list for any business’ needs, particularly when one considers just how many threats are out there today. This makes it essential that today’s businesses (yours included) put an assortment of cybersecurity tools and protections in place.

We’ve assembled a list of the ones we recommend.

Technology continues to play a major role in healthcare, especially as it has become more prominent. Through technology, the healthcare industry has been able to stabilize costs, improve access, and personalize care delivery—challenging concepts in years past. That said, these innovations come at the cost of potential issues with data privacy… issues that become more prominent as technology becomes even more advanced.

Data is pivotal in modern business operations, highly coveted by various parties. In today’s blog, we explore how everyone online seems eager to get their hands on your data.

Personally identifiable information—or PII—is critically important data for individuals and businesses, not only because operations rely on many of these data points but there are also significant circumstances for losing it. Of course, to properly protect PII, you need to know what the umbrella term of PII includes.

The vehicles of today are equipped with countless features that previously did not exist, but this also makes them vulnerable in ways that older cars simply are not. Today, we want to explore what this growing smart car trend means for the security of vehicles.

Let’s talk a little bit about deepfakes. If you aren’t aware of this technology, deepfakes are essentially synthetic media. Typically they come in the form of videos or images that use artificial intelligence (AI) to replace a person’s likeness with another’s. With deepfake technology, people can convince an audience that a person said something they didn’t say. This deliberate digital subterfuge can bring with it a whole lot of problems. This week we will outline a few of them.

Data privacy has never been such an important issue for businesses and individuals alike. In some places, calls for overarching legislation to protect consumers have often been met with significant pushback by lawmakers who are reluctant to put extra regulations on businesses, while others have passed important laws dictating how organizations handle individual data. 

A VPN—or virtual private network—is something that we recommend any business implementing any form of remote or hybrid work to have in their cybersecurity arsenal. Let’s explore why this is by examining what a VPN does, and what any business should seek out in the one they use.

Weak passwords are one of the leading causes of cybercrime, identity theft, and data breaches. Sure, it’s easy to say it, but this time we wanted to demonstrate just how easy it is to crack a wimpy password. 

We know that security is far from a small investment, but this only serves to highlight how important it can be to your business’ continued success. You might wonder why security is such an important investment if you don’t intend to suffer a data breach, and that’s precisely the point. The cost of not investing in security far outweighs the initial investment.

We frequently discuss the importance of keeping PII—personally identifiable information—secure, but what does this include? What data qualifies as PII?

Here, we’re going to lock down on a definition (and you may be surprised by what this definition covers).

We bet you’ve gone through your old files at some point to clean things up a bit by deleting files from your computer. What if we told you that deleting those files doesn’t actually delete them—at least not entirely? Let’s go over how you can securely delete your files for good while you go about replacing hardware or upgrading your technology systems.

For years you’ve heard how technology is becoming a bigger part of the healthcare delivery system and how it can help stabilize costs, provide increased access, and further personalize care delivery. As these innovations have been taking hold it has brought up serious questions about data privacy. Today, we’ll take a look at some of the changes IT has brought to healthcare and what it means for patient data privacy.