Make Sure Your IT Department Safeguards Your Technology to avoid HIPAA Security Breaches

Published on: 04:20 0

The HIPAA Security Rule was enacted in 1996, designed to establish national standards to protect individuals’ electronic personal health information (PHI) used and/or stored by a covered entity.
Many healthcare organizations have complex technology environments, thus making it difficult for healthcare providers and business associates to comply with the HIPAA Security Rule policies and procedures.
These technology environments include multiple components, such as photocopiers, mobile devices, and networks. It’s important for healthcare organizations to examine these components and asses vulnerabilities where patient data is at risk of being accessed or exposed.

Photocopiers

Most photocopiers contain hard drives that allow the copier to scan, fax, and store documents. When documents are scanned, the hard drive often stores the images. This becomes a security risk and potential liability for the healthcare organization because photocopiers are usually re-leased or sold with the previous users’ data contained on the hard drive.
When the photocopier is re-leased or sold, there’s a significant chance for disclosure of personal health information. If the protected information becomes disclosed or corrupted, healthcare providers will be held liable for the security breach.
Healthcare providers must discuss the potential security risks with their IT providers, ensuring their IT department takes part in selecting, installing, and retiring photocopiers. When the photocopier must be retired, an IT professional should make sure the hard drive is wiped of all sensitive data.

Mobile Devices

A HIPAA violation can easily result from the loss or theft of a staff member’s mobile device. With the increasing use of mobile devices in the healthcare industry, it’s important to implement adequate security safeguards. For example, the device password must be difficult for an unauthorized user to guess. Some mobile devices have optional settings for wiping information from the phone if the wrong password is entered multiple times.
In addition, avoid using email on your mobile device, such as sending sensitive information unencrypted via your mobile device. Instead, use a cloud-based encryption or VPN. Make sure apps that transfer sensitive information require physical login credentials each time the app is entered. There are also many cloud-based apps to encrypt the data being transferred to and from your device. These apps are available for both Android and Apple phones.

Networks

In the healthcare industry, most, if not all computers will be connected to a network. Networks involve many security risks. It’s important for the network to be able to defend against attacks from authorized users’ and infiltration of unauthorized information through the routers. Often, this is accomplished through the use of firewalls, hardware, and software devices that protect the network from hackers and security risks.
Firewalls are commonly used to deny access to unauthorized applications and users. Most firewalls have the ability to create audit trails or logs that keep track of access to the network. It’s a good idea to discuss firewalls with your IT provider to ensure the firewall and network safeguards are kept up-to-date and robust.

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8 Fantastic Timesaving Tips and Tricks For MS Word

Published on: 05:05 0

You’ve probably been using Microsoft Word to write documents for years, however, there’s a few lesser-known ways to get work done faster and more efficiently. Here are 8 timesaving tips and tricks for Microsoft Word:

1.     Select Text Quickly
You already know that double-clicking will select a single word, however, triple-clicking will select an entire paragraph. If you want to select an entire sentence, press the CTRL key and click on a word within the sentence. If you want to select a rectangular block of text, press the ALT key and drag your mouse to select the area.

2.     Search for Edited Words
Working on a document with multiple pages? Press the SHIFT key and F5 simultaneously to search through the recently edited words in a document. If you’ve opened a previous document, use the Shift+F5 to see what you were working on before you closed the document.

3.     Change the Case
Select a part of the document and press Shift+F3 to change the case of the selection. This alternates to change the case to uppercase, lowercase, or camel case while you’re typing a document.

4.     Write Wherever You Want
Microsoft Word offers three different alignments on the left, center, and right side of the page. However, you can write wherever you want. Simply double-click anywhere on the page to start writing in a different area.

5.     Convert to Plain Text
If you’re copying a piece of content from the web, the style and formatting will be copied onto the Word document as well. To remove the styling and formatting, select the piece of content and press CTRL+Space Bar to convert the content to plain text.

6.     Use Word’s Calculator
There’s a hidden calculator in Microsoft Word. Find Quick Access Toolbar in the Word Options and switch to All Commands then add the Calculate Command to the Quick Access Toolbar. Once you’ve enabled the calculator, write your math expression in the document, select it, and press the Calculator button to view the results in the status bar.

7.     Use the Built-In Thesaurus
There’s a built-in thesaurus on Microsoft Word. If you’re looking for a synonym, highlight the word and press Shift+F7 to view a variety of synonyms.

8.     Move Text Without Copy and Paste
There’s a convenient alternative to using copy and paste to move text from one location to another in a Word document. Simply highlight the text, press F2, and place the cursor on the spot and press enter to move the text.

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Top 10 Tips For Solving Common PC Problems

Published on: 03:33 0

The IT support department of antivirus company MYSecurityCenter conducted research on the most common computer issues suffered by British home users in 2012. Below are the top 10 most common PC problems, and some tips on solving - or even preventing - them from security expert Janus Regard Nielsen.

Prevent and Fix PC Problem

1: My computer is slow
The most common problem of all. A slow computer can cause many frustrations, but fortunately there is something you can do yourself before you replace it. There may be several reasons for a slow computer; however, the most common is lack of maintenance. Fragmented data, a corrupted registry, spyware and dozens of unnecessary programs running at the same time, easily eat at the speed and performance of your PC.
Tips: Keep track of your programs. Remove those of which you never use or shut them down when you've used them. Clean your registry with one of the many free or paid applications available for Windows. These two initiatives alone will easily be able to make your PC up to 30% faster. Also, run Disk Defragmenter and stop unwanted programs starting with Windows by running MSconfig:

2: My computer freezes
Also a common problem, but it is far more serious than a slow PC. In most cases it is caused by viruses, especially spyware that has been installed on your computer. It can enter via a click on a link to a fake website from an email or so on. Often the email is being sent from what looks like your bank, Paypal, Facebook or similar. Last year MYSecurityCenter registered an increase in malware infections coming from Facebook-related fraudsters among their customers.
The problem can also be caused by hardware - perhaps some memory you just installed - or recent software updates, including Windows Update.
Tips: Check the link you are clicking by holding the cursor over it to see the link's full address. Does it look suspicious? Never give out your passwords or credit card information to anyone, even if it seems like your bank requires you to verify your account. It's a clever phishing trick that hackers use to gain access to your money. Make sure your antivirus and anti-spyware software is updated. Most antivirus programs can be set to automatically to check for new updates. If you are sure that your computer is spyware free, the problem may be due to outdated hardware drivers. Check your hardware drivers for updated versions. Outdated drivers can cause your computer to stop responding and freeze.
If you suspect the problem is hardware related, you can try uninstalling any component you recently installed, or try removing or unplugging unnecessary hardware one piece at a time then booting your PC to see if the problem goes away. You can also try using Windows Restore to roll back to a previous restore point.

3: I forgot to backup my data
Unfortunately, backup is still an overlooked security task for many home users - until the day it is too late. Important documents, photos, music libraries and emails are automatically stored on your computer's hard drive, which is a mechanical and electrical device. When it breaks down (and it is when, not if) this data will disappear forever. Even if you have a warranty from the hard drive manufacturer, it does not cover your data, it only replaces the hard drive with a new one.
Tips: Find a solution that automatically makes backup to an external hard drive, server or cloud service. If you choose to back up to a hard drive, make sure that it is not placed near your computer as in case of fire it will also be destroyed. Backup should preferably be an automated process that operates independently of whether you remember it or not. Online backup solutions have the advantage that you can access your data from anywhere in the world. They are not affected by natural disasters, and most online services guarantees 100% security by providing backup to their backup.

4: I get bombarded with adware and my home page has changed
Many do not notice that they often accept a new toolbar when they download free programs such as Adobe Reader. For example Adobe Reader now offers the Google Chrome internet browser as part of its download. Whilst Adobe and Google are reputable companies, other free downloads may install toolbars or other applications that can contain malicious code that hijacks your browser and changes all the settings. So your home page for example is changed to another website that you can't then change back. At the same time, annoying pop-up messages with advertisements for products you've never asked for are constantly displayed on screen every time you try to browse the internet.
Tips: Read the conditions before downloading a new program and pay attention to what you allow. If damage is done, it can be difficult to remove the program. The best bet is to follow the instructions found when looking for information about the specific problem on Google. There are probably others who have had the same challenge and have described the solution on the internet. If you are not so technical, professional PC support may be the solution.

5: I cannot get online
Internet connection problems can be caused by many different things. The most common are network misconfigurations, hardware or software errors in the router, latency from your Internet Service Provider, incorrect IP address configuration, incorrect connection of network cables, firewall applications that block http traffic from your PC or temporary timeouts your ISP.
Tips: Check that the Wi-Fi is enabled on your computer - laptops often have a button, switch or Function key combination somewhere on your computer or keyboard. Check that the network icon on your computer is connected or if there is a yellow warning signal or it is disabled. If it is connected, call your network provider or get hold on someone with more knowledge on IT.
If Wi-Fi is disabled, you must check whether the cable is connected properly or if wifi is not on. If there is a yellow warning, you must reboot the router. If this does not work, try pressing Start in Windows XP, Vista or 7 and typing "cmd" into the search box and click enter. Then a black box pops up where you can type "ipconfig / release" then "ipconfig / renew". If the internet is not working now, call your ISP.

6: My computer turns off by itself
Typically this is due to dying power supply, bad cable connections, defective battery or overheating when the computer shuts down by itself to cool down.
Tips: Check first of all that the cables are properly connected. If the computer is very hot, check if the fan needs cleaning of dust. If it is a laptop, check whether your battery has deteriorated over time and may need to be replaced.

7: My smartphone will not synch with my PC
In order to ensure backup of your smartphone, it is important that you regularly synch your phone content with your computer. When synchronisation does not work as expected may be due to various factors, depending on the type of smartphone and PC. Sometimes it is required that all programs are closed, during synching or backup.
Tips: Close open applications, if required. Be sure to download or reject the proposed updates that pop up along the way, so synchronization can be done. Look for the icon of synchronization to appear and check if for example the latest photos on your smartphone have been transferred to the computer. Verify the user manual for your device.

8: My wireless network is unstable
An unstable wireless network is a very common problem. It can be caused by everything from radio waves that interfere with the signal to the router's location in the home or outdated network drivers.
Tips: If you suspect that it may be your cordless phone, the electric garage door opener or your radio that interferes with the wireless connection, it may be an idea to change the radio wifi settings or to move your router. The latter can also be a solution if you have trouble going online around the house or in the garden. You can also buy a wireless repeater to extend the signal. Also make sure that your network driver is always up to date.

9: I cannot print from the web
Most of us have had the need to print tickets or documents that we ordered or downloaded from the web. If your computer's pop-up blocker is turned on, this can cause you to not be able to print. There are also PDF documents that are rights protected by passwords and therefore not printable.
Tips: Allow temporary pop-ups. You can find legitimate programs that can break the code in a protected PDF document, but they are usually only legal to use if you or your workplace have the copyright to the document.
10: My computer makes strange noises
If your computer suddenly starts to buzz or vibrate, it can be due to a hardware failure. High, whining noises may indicate problems with the electrical components, while buzzing noises are often caused by lack of ventilation.
Tip: Clean the filter and fan for dust and make sure that all air inlets are free. If you have a laptop, you can try to uninstall and reinstall your sound drivers. If it is a desktop, it may be that the sound card needs replacement.
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How to Make a Homemade Movie Projector

Published on: 04:16 0

Instructions

Connect your DVR, DVD player or VCR to a TV with a 19- to 23-inch screen. Use the best connection possible: HDMI, component, composite or RF coaxial.

 

Build a cardboard box frame that will contain your TV screen. The frame should be the screen's height and width and about 45 centimeters long. Paint all the cardboard pieces black before taping them together. Tape the box to the screen, making sure no light escapes through any cracks.

 

 

Cut another cardboard piece the same size as the TV screen. Cut a 17-centimeter hole into the piece and attach a fresnel lens. Place this piece containing the lens into the projector frame.Place the TV upside down on a table or stand, as the lens will invert the image. Point the monitor toward a blank wall and play a video. Adjust the TV's location until the projected image is the size you want, and then adjust the lens inside the projector until the image is in focus. Connect the projector assembly to a sound system if you're not using a TV or you don't want to use the TV's speakers. Connect the video source (e.g., DVR, DVD, VCR) to a surround sound system or another speaker set.

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7 Simple Steps To Diagnose A Network Problem

Published on: 04:19 0

It is no secret that I deal with network and user issues every day within multiple corporate networks. I need to have a easy to use toolkit ready to go when I need to act fast. So my first line of defense (or troubleshooting) are built-in Windows tools.

There are a couple of basic commands to diagnose a network problem that every network admin needs to know. Let’s get down to the nitty gritty.

You have an issue with a computer on your network. It cannot connect to the internet and doesn’t have any network resources. The first thing you need to do is check the condition of the physical connection i.e. the network cable. After that is secured, I jump to a command prompt and do a IPCONFIG /all like so:

 

I check that the IP address, default gateway and subnet mask are all correct. If they are not, I make my modifications and we are back online. Too bad the problems don’t usually go away that easily.  Next up, I attempt to ping the servers by IP address using the ping command, like so:

 Now I check for DNS issues by pinging the server’s name.  If this fails, it is our internal DNS issue and I know where to move on to.

 

If I get a correct response, I try to ping a website like www.google.com. That tests external DNS resolution. If that works as well, the trouble runs deeper. I would then run a Netstat ““a and see who is connected to my machine and determine if maybe a Trojan or virus has gained control of it. 

Everything looks clean. Now I would try pathping or tracert between the machine and the internet to diagnose any remaining network problems. This one I will not show you as all the output would reveal my network settings and what not. I am not looking to create more problems!
During your tests you might conclude that another machine is using the same IP address or host name as your desktop and causing issues. For this, I would recommend using Angry Ipscanner.exe (found here here) to query for that IP address or the entire network to find the host name”¦

I have been using this application for more than a decade to diagnose network problems! If you cannot figure out what is going on and why you cannot get to the resource you are trying to, then the issue might be network-related and has nothing to do with your machine. First, check if you can get to the resource from a different machine.
Then it might be time to fire up Wireshark (which used to be called Ethereal, covered here for you old schoolers). Wireshark will listen to your network adapter for all traffic and responses. The answer is in the data but you do need to know how to read it. There are lots of good resources online or you could always come knocking at AskTheAdmin’s door with your output and ask us to help!
How would you troubleshoot a fidgety connection? Do you have any secret commands?

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What can I do to protect myself from computer viruses and Trojans?

Published on: 05:12 0

These days, practically everyone's online, downloading and exchanging files, and developers are in such a hurry to get their Web sites up or their files out that checking for a nasty bug is more of a courtesy than a requirement. If you're not careful, your computer can end up with a nasty virus that makes your files act oddly, crashes your computer, pops up bizarre messages, or worst of all, destroys your operating system.
A computer virus is the most subtle of computer problems. It usually loads itself into your computer system when you run a program to which it has attached itself. From the computer system, it'll then reproduce itself, much like a biological virus would, by attaching copies of itself to other programs on your hard drive. What it does then depends on the malevolence of its creator. Some viruses are nothing more than a practical joke. They may bring up a message like "Merry Xmas" or melt your display. Most of them though, either start destroying your system or your files immediately or on a date specified by their creators—like the much-publicized Michelangelo virus, which erases important pieces of your system on March 6. "Trojan horse" programs are similar to viruses in their effect on your system, but they can't reproduce themselves. They're usually a program disguised as something you might want to download onto your computer—for instance, a rogue, modified version of PKWare's PKZIP utility. But when you run the new program you just found, it can do anything from popping up a message to erasing your hard disk, as the rogue PKZIP utility really did.

In either case, you have to actually launch the infected program or the trojan horse for it to infiltrate your system. Though hoax e-mails, like the one about the "Good Times" virus try to make you believe otherwise, neither a virus nor a trojan horse program can do anything if you simply leave the malevolent file sitting on your hard drive.
Finding out that you copied a trojan horse onto your computer is remarkably easy. You launch the program, and the next thing you know, something completely unexpected happens—maybe your system is gone or your computer is laughing maniacally at you. But unless you notice your computer acting oddly before the virus has done its worst damage, you may very well not know you have it until it's too late.

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Small Office Phones: The Benefits

Published on: 05:37 0

Small office phones are capable of far more than simply handling calls. When your small office phones are connected to a telephony system on an Internet Protocol (IP) network, your small business can access the same tools as a large enterprise. And yet, many small office phones and IP-based phone systems are built to meet the needs and budgets of small businesses.
Advanced small office phones on IP networks help you offer better customer service, enable employees to work from anywhere, and improve collaboration. Here are just a few of the benefits small office phones can provide your business:

• Improved customer contact. With customer contact center technology combined with advanced small office phones, you can offer customers a variety of ways to contact you: phone, fax, email, or "click-to-chat."
• Enhanced mobility. Advanced small office phones, especially wireless IP phones, provide access to your data and phone network from the sales floor, warehouse, conference room, or anywhere there's a broadband Internet connection.
• Improved collaboration. Adding advanced small office phones and communications systems to your IP network gives you the tools necessary to conduct phone, video, and web conferencing through a single, easy-to-use interface.
• Reduced costs and improved productivity. IP phone systems help save you money on phone charges. A combined voice and data network simplifies installation and management, further reducing costs. Unified messaging reduces time spent managing messages. And voice and web conferencing enhances productivity while reducing travel costs.

Looking for Advanced Small Office Phones?

The affordable, entry-level Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series can provide your workforce with advanced communications tools while keeping your business's communications costs low
The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7900 Series can help make employees more productive by giving them the voice and data communications they need.

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Top 10 Home Networking Problems and Mistakes to Avoid

Published on: 04:57 0

Computer networks bring many good things into the home: more convenient Internet access, sharing of files and printers, additional home entertainment options, and so on. Yet home network technology also poses challenges. Many folks don't know where to start. Things often don't work right the first time. Sometimes, people settle for an inferior setup and never realize the full potential of their home network. The advice below helps you steer clear of these common problems.

1. Can't Decide Which Network Gear You Need
Networks can be built with different combinations of hardware and software. The sheer number of choices overwhelms most beginners, who too often jump at the first "solution" they find. However, setups that perfectly meet the needs of some families just won't cut it for others. Follow the link above to learn more about your options.

2. Network Won't Reach Certain Areas
In many homes, networks won't conveniently reach all of the areas a person needs. This fact surprises many folks. Stringing network cables to some rooms can prove impractical, of course. But even with wireless networks, "cold spots" where Wi-Fi radio signals won't reach corner bedrooms, a study, or a porch are also common. Be ready to make a few concessions in your network installation plan.

3. Computers Can't See Each Other on the Network
You've finished connecting all your network gear to the best of your ability, but nothing works. None of the devices can "see" each other or "talk" to the printer. No error messages are being displayed. You're developing a sneaking suspicion that your network is laughing at you. Relax. Take a step-by-step approach to this problem, and your network will be up and running soon.

4. Computers Can't Get on the Internet
Even when all of the devices in a home can communicate with each other, they may still fail to reach Web sites on the Internet. This, too, is a common problem when first installing a home network. After a simple check of the key network components, you'll be surfing again in no time.

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5. Special Devices Won't Join the Network
Many home networks have a "problem child," one computer or device that simply will not cooperate with the others. The device could be a specialized piece of hardware like a game console. It could be a lone wireless computer trying to join a wired network. Or it could be a computer running an old version of Microsoft Windows or running Linux. Whatever the situation, extra care and feeding may be required to get your problem child to behave.

6. Certain Network Applications Won't Function
While other aspects of a home network may work reliably, this does not guarantee success with the next new feature that comes along. Instant messaging, P2P file sharing, and online games are typical problematic applications on home networks. These apps may fail to connect to a "server" or "peer," or they may sit there like zombies and not do anything. Given time and effort, any such problems can be solved. However, solutions often require specific knowledge of how these applications work.

7. Network is Too Slow
For several reasons, a home network might not run fast enough to keep up with a family's needs. They may experience very slow Web page downloads, sluggish or unplayable network games, interminable delays in online chatting/IM applications, and other symptoms of a bad network performance problem. Know what to watch for to avoid this frustrating situation.

8. Network Connections Drop Unexpectedly
A home network may operate flawlessly for a day, a week or a month, but suddenly, at the most inopportune time, something breaks. You may have been happily listening to an Internet radio station, swapping files on a P2P network, or playing a networked game at home. Then… boom! What happened? There are several possibilities. Don't be surprised if this happens to you.

9. Office Computer Won't Join Home Network
Those who use laptop computers or PDAs at their workplace naturally might want to use those same devices at home. Technical limitations make this form of network mobility more difficult than it should be. Some folks see it as a big hassle, give up, and miss out on a major gain in their personal productivity. By carefully establishing home and work network settings (often called "profiles") on the devices, home/office network mobility can be a reality for you.

10. Network is (Too) Insecure
No, a home network won't become overly self-conscious and suffer from a lack of confidence. Many home networks are insecure, though, in the sense of data privacy. Too many homeowners fail to take a few essential steps to protect their network from attacks by outsiders. Network attacks and "hacks" are real threats; they happen every day and affect real families. Don't let them happen to yours!

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