Thursday, June 23, 2016

Avoiding Threats in the Cloud

The cloud’s potential for storage and service options has created countless opportunities for businesses to expand or improve their offerings, without requiring costly changes to local networks. But, the cloud is not perfect, and it poses some security challenges.

Cloud-based applications can be very convenient, especially for accessing or sharing information when working remotely. However, precautions must be taken to protect sensitive information.

Here are a few steps you can take to protect your cloud assets:

Educate the masses. Cloud services are often adopted at the top levels of a business or within specific workgroups, without consulting individual department managers or IT staff. But, it’s critical that end-users understand how to safely use cloud applications before they are adopted to avoid any potential threats. Proper employee training and frequent email reminders regarding secure use of cloud-based applications or files helps to ensure the safety and security of your network and your business.

Know your cloud use. Many companies are unaware of the cloud services their employees are using. According to cloud security firm Netskope, 90 percent of all cloud applications are not sanctioned by IT. This opens the door for data breaches, data loss, and account hijacking—which, are generally regarded as the top three threats to cloud computing. Organizations and employees should be aware that simple Internet registration systems, phishing, and fraud schemes can allow a hacker to take control of your account. Thankfully, keeping firewalls updated and teaching employees about best practices regarding cloud usage can easily prevent most of these threats.

Protect your files, wherever they are. You can lock down access on mobile devices, but this won’t protect your information if it’s synced to the cloud. Instead, focus on protecting the files themselves with consistent security encryption policies to ensure control. You decide who can view, modify, or print your files, whether they are on a laptop, mobile device, or desktop computer.

As hackers continue to experiment with new ways to attack, it's important for all businesses to mitigate the risks associated with cloud computing by educating stakeholders, investing in data protection, and using encryption safeguards when possible. Cloud security is serious business, so make sure you take the time to get it right.

Contact us today at info@momnet.com to learn about cloud-based applications that can help grow your business, and the security solutions that can keep them secure.

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Are Your Passwords Strong Enough?


Modern technology has made many aspects of life more

convenient. However, as with anything else, along with the pros there are inevitably cons. With so much of our lives conducted online, hackers are waging a non-stop war in attempt to gain access to your personal information. Strong passwords are your first line of defense against troublemakers, so make sure yours are up to par.

Strong passwords include:
• At least eight characters
• Both uppercase and lowercase letters
• One or more special characters (such as $, *, !)


To create a strong password, be sure to leave out:
• Names of any kind (your name, your pet’s name, your child’s name)
• Accessible personal information like your date of birth, social security number, etc.
• Numerical sequences, such as 12345
• Words that exist in dictionaries
• The word ‘password’

Finally, protect yourself even further by changing your passwords periodically, and by creating strong login names, as well. For more information regarding IT Security visit MOM at 
www.momnet.com/Managed-Network-Services.

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Are You Protected Against Hackers?

With so much of our personal data out there thanks to ecommerce and social networking, it’s no wonder hackers and cyber criminals are able to help themselves to our information, which can have catastrophic results. Hacking can lead to such quagmires as identity theft, scams, theft, and file destruction. Is your personal and business data safe?


What can you do to protect your personal and company data against hackers and cyber crime?


Make it Strong – The first step to protect your data is having strong passwords. Use as many characters as possible, both capital and lowercase letters, and at least one number and one symbol. Leave out obvious details such as your name or date of birth. Avoid easy-to-answer security questions, ones to which the answer can be easily found online (your high school, pet’s name, favorite team, etc.). Also, don’t use the same password for all of your accounts. Having unique passwords will limit the potential damage if one of your accounts is compromised.

Back it Up – Regularly back up your files locally, making multiple copies of them to prevent against hard drive failure. This is especially important for your business, because lost business data usually adds up to lost time and money. So, make sure your backup system is fail-proof. Or, get even more backup protection by utilizing Managed IT Services, offered by many business solution providers, which will securely backup and store your data to protect against hackers and other disasters.

Secure Your Network Devices - An often overlooked area that’s vulnerable to hacking is your printing and imaging hardware. Threats aren’t just limited to outside attacks from cyberspace. People both inside and outside your organization can actually hack your devices and steal information from document images that are saved on the hard drives of your imaging devices. Your office equipment provider can help you take measures to secure these devices.

Browse Facebook Securely – Facebook accounts are frequent targets of hackers, so if you use Facebook, take advantage of the security measures provided to you. In your account settings enable ‘secure browsing’ to use an encrypted connection (https://) instead of a standard connection (http://).

Watch Where You Click – Never, ever click on a link in an e-mail from someone you don’t know. Phishing creates bogus e-mails attempting to lure you to a phony website and have you enter your username and password.

In the information age your personal data is out there; however, employing these methods will make it more difficult for hackers to get their hands on it.

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

How Secure is Your Data?

Your Confidential Data Could be at Risk


Think confidential information and documents are protected by your company’s IT security policies? Think again.


A recent survey by Harris Interactive revealed that 51 percent of survey respondents said they process confidential information through printers, copiers, and multi-function devices.

Additionally, 39 percent of employees who print, scan, or copy confidential information at work are concerned whether the information on their printing and imaging devices will remain secure.

These are valid concerns considering there is a very close link between the security of your business and your printing environments. Copiers, printers, fax machines, scanners, and multi-function devices pose a serious risk to your business’ overall security. These devices retain latent document images and text, leaving sensitive information and proprietary data extremely vulnerable to a security breach.

But, securing your print environment is easy with a Managed Print Services (MPS) Program that’s designed to assess all of your devices, provide a detailed security report, and develop a highly secure strategy for your future. Your customized plan can also include usage controls that ensure private information is only accessed by authorized users, and will also help you achieve regulatory compliance. Shrewd business owners know that security breaches damage your brand and can result in heavy fines, so this is protection that pays dividends in the long run. 



Here’s the bottom line:


An MPS solution will not only optimize your output fleet to cut costs and increase efficiency, but will also provide you with the peace of mind that your entire printing and imaging environment is safe and secure.

Contact us today, and you’ll understand why we place the highest priority on your company’s data and are committed to helping you protect your valuable information. 

To learn more about how MOM can help you with your managed print services needs, visit our website at http://www.momnet.com/Managed-Print-Services1 or click here try out our FREE PRINT SAVINGS CALCULATOR.

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT: Jump START Your Nonprofit 2016



As summer approaches, so does our 7th year of our Jump START Your Nonprofit contest! We are pleased to announce the Contest Timeline for this year. Please mark your calendars and pass this along to all of your nonprofit friends!

 Monday, July 11 - 
 Wednesday, September 14, 2016 

Registration begins on Monday, July 11, 2016. Nonprofit organizations have approximately 10 weeks to register to win an office technology makeover. Go to www.momnet.com to register online.

Online registration ends at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, September 14, 2016.

 Week of September 19, 2016 

Finalists announced. MOM’s contest review committee will select 10 finalists from each market (Cincinnati, Columbus, and Dayton) to compete in Jump START Your Nonprofit. Finalists will be posted online at www.momnet.com.

Marketing materials distributed. MOM will send jump drives of downloadable marketing material to each finalist to assist in spreading the word to encourage supporters to vote.

 Monday, September 26 - Friday, October 7, 2016 
Online voting opens. Voting will begin at 8 a.m. on Monday, September 26, 2016, and close at 5 p.m. on Friday, October 7, 2016. Nonprofit employees and their friends, families and supporters are encouraged to vote once a day at www.momnet.com.

 Week of October 10, 2016 

Winners announced. The top vote-getter in each market (Cincinnati, Columbus, and Dayton) will be named a Jump START Your Nonprofit winner. The top vote-getter in each market will receive $10,000 and will be presented with their check on Saturday, October 15, 2016 at The Rusty Ball in Cincinnati, OH.

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Five Easy Benefits that Enhance Business

Concepts such as total cost of ownership (TCO) or cost per copy (CPP) do not tell the whole story about a system’s efficiency – that is if the system incurs increased costs within different areas in the company. Even technically highly productive machines become inefficient if they are no longer used as designated, as in cases caused by company reorganization or when human resources are squandered when employees carry out tasks unsuited to their qualifications.

TCO and CPP do not tell the whole story about a system’s efficiency. The key to this problem is change management, or simply a refocus from product to customer. A vendor’s refocusing answer is increasingly becoming MPS. Vendors know that a customer is no longer satisfied with just a state-of- the-art product – they also want constant and all-around support before they are willing to undergo a long-term relationship with a vendor for their fleet. A number of manufacturers are offering MPS already to their customers. The offers include status analysis, priority identification, implementation, management and constant monitoring in the areas of consumables management, process optimization and sometimes refinancing.

Benefits to you:


  1. It is estimated that the cost of print can be as much as three percent of a company’s revenue and has even been called “the last great area of uncontrolled costs”
  2. Improved work routines alone save 20 to 30 percent of printing costs.
  3. Enhance business/work processes by adding new capabilities to this hard copy fleet.
  4. Grasp control of the fleet, identify all costs and centralize decision making.
  5. Optimize the fleet by installing the right devices in each work environment.
To learn more about how MOM can help you with your managed print services needs, visit our website at http://www.momnet.com/Managed-Print-Services1 or click here try out our FREE PRINT SAVINGS CALCULATOR.

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Ensure MPS Success with These Tips



Managed Print Services (MPS) is catching on—fast. In the never-ending attempt to gain a competitive edge and maximize profits, small- to medium-sized businesses understand the value that MPS adds to their companies.

Those who have employed MPS have seen a tremendous return on their investment, with the latest data showing that the service can cut document-related costs by up to 30 percent. Moreover, businesses can rely on their MPS provider to take care of streamlining print fleets, monitoring networks for use and performance, finding solutions to issues that may arise, and providing replacement consumables on time.

If you’ve recently introduced MPS to your business, or are considering doing so in the future, it’s important to ensure you are making the most of your services. Here are some tips to help you along the way:

State Clear Objectives – Whether you want to cut printing costs in the first six months or get your dedicated IT staff back on task this quarter, make sure that you delineate specific benchmarks with your MPS provider. These goals will allow you to measure your progress along the way and evaluate the effectiveness of your services.

Consider Scalability – Is your MPS provider concerned with the future of your business as much as you are? They should be. Taking future growth into account, and understanding its impact on your business’s print infrastructure, is something that should be discussed with your provider throughout your MPS contract. As your company grows, your vendor should take the lead to manage the scaling of your print environment.

Leverage Your MFPs – Multifunction printers (MFPs) can be found in most modern offices and offer outstanding workflow tools to help with important daily tasks—particularly for HR, legal, and accounting departments. Your MPS provider should take a thorough look at your workflow processes to gain a deeper understanding of your business’s unique needs and functions, and can recommend software tools to help you maximize productivity straight from your MFP devices.

Keep in Touch – One of the functions of MPS is to make it easier to manage your print environment. By staying in touch with your MPS provider, you can ensure you’re always getting the full value out of your services. Make sure to return your provider’s calls or emails regarding the status of your MPS goals, current outputs, hardware maintenance, and consumable supplies. Regularly speaking with your provider helps to keep benchmarks on track.

To learn more about how MOM can help you with your managed print services needs, visit our website at http://www.momnet.com/Managed-Print-Services1 or click here try out our FREE PRINT SAVINGS CALCULATOR.

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Top 5 Ways Scanning Solves Business Problems




Many businesses find it difficult to strike a balance between physical documents and the often elusive dream of going paperless. Although both physical documents and digital documents offer their own benefits and drawbacks, one of the primary concerns for businesses is how to bridge the two worlds.
By utilizing scanning solutions, your business can save time and money while closing the gap between paper and digital files. But, many businesses only use scanning as an occasional supplement to business processes, when in fact document scanning can help solve business problems altogether. Here are five practical ways scanning can improve your document processes.
  1. Simplify records management. When digital documents are stored in a central location, it makes records management easy. You’ll never waste time searching for a file again. You will be able to access any document with a few clicks and rest assured that everything is protected and secure.
  2. Prepare for a disaster. What would happen if your building caught fire, or if a hurricane flooded your storage facility? Are you confident your paper documents would survive? Paper is extremely vulnerable to natural disasters and theft, but digital documents can be backed up and protected with safeguards like passwords and user authentications. 
  3. Stop losing documents. Stop wasting time running around your office trying to track down a years-old file, or having to recreate it when you throw in the towel. By scanning your documents to digital files with easy-to-use indexing features, you ensure that you’ll always find the documents you’re looking for in a matter of seconds.
  4. Get your office space back. Imagine if you could get rid of all those filing cabinets or repurpose the storage room to include more work stations. Document scanning allows you to maximize usable office space. By converting paper documents to digital ones, you can make your workspace feel bigger and more organized. This will ultimately help with workflow and departmental organization. 
  5. Save time and money. Many businesses are put off by the initial investment it takes to scan years of paper documents and files. But savings is recouped quickly by increased office efficiency and employee productivity. You also won’t need to pay for expensive storage space any longer.
For more information on our Document Management solutions, visit our website at: 

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Properly Implementing a Scanning Solution

For companies around the world, document scanning has proved to be an invaluable asset. Converting their data into digital files and storing them electronically — and turning their offices into practically paperless environments — proves advantageous in numerous areas, including better service, faster turnaround, improved compliance, enhanced collaboration, and significant cost savings. Not to mention bidding farewell to missing or lost documents.

However, there are mistakes many businesses make when implementing a scanning solution. By simply doing your homework ahead of time and thoroughly analyzing your company and its needs, you can avoid these document scanning pitfalls.

One of the most common mistakes made by businesses when choosing a scanning solution is underestimating the size and scope of their workload. It is important to understand how your company will be utilizing document imaging, and exactly what your scanning volumes will be. Not just your average daily volume, but also taking into consideration your peak volumes during crunch times. Failing to do so can leave you ill prepared, outgunned with the wrong speed or not enough scanners.

Another trap to avoid when selecting a scanning solution is failing to involve all stakeholders within a business. Leaving end-users and departments such as IT and customer service out of the coordination of and planning for a solution is a recipe for disaster. A company can easily end up with a system that isn’t tailored to their needs or requirements, or compatible with your existing infrastructure. This can be avoided by including everyone necessary in the planning process.

Once your document scanning solution has been selected, the final major pitfall is going all in — deploying the entire solution all at once. Attempting to roll out the whole system can overwhelm a business and its staff, and result in major bottlenecks or breakdowns. A phased implementation approach is the ideal way to begin your practically paperless journey. By deploying your solution at a more reasonable pace — by department or group — you gain the additional benefit of experience to identify and implement best practices.

For more information on our Document Management solutions, visit our website at:
http://www.momnet.com/Business-Solutions/Applications/Imaging

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Creating Organizational Efficiency In Small and Medium-Sized Businesses

For small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that need to handle high volumes of paper documents and records, today's scanners and multifunctional printers (MFPs) deliver new levels of organizational efficiency. Doing a little bit of homework before you shop will help protect your investment, ensuring that you end up with the right equipment to suit your office’s needs.


WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR DIGITAL SCANNER or MFP


Prior to purchasing or leasing a digital scanner or MFP, take the time to review multiple makes and models available. Find the machine that best accommodates the needs of your company and is not more or less than you need to get the job done.

Various desktop models offer a wide range of capabilities, including document capture, to help SMBs focus on increasing productivity while improving critical business processes. With the transition toward a digital workflow, many SMBs are looking for ways to increase their overall organizational efficiency. They need a flexible, reliable document capture platform for managing critical records such as HR forms, auditing records and legal documents.

Scanners and certain MFPs with flexible paper handling capabilities support the scanning of small plastic cards, delicate onionskin paper, and lengthy documents. Users who need to share and manage their essential information across multiple locations can benefit from models with one-click output destination features, enabling them to easily scan, e-mail, file and sort documents.

The accuracy of data in scanned images is another crucial component of business process management. This is achieved through dynamic image-enhancement capabilities that effectively streamline the precision and detection of color.

Investing a limited amount of time and research will lead you to the right scanner or MFP, which can vastly improve the efficiency of your organization.

For more information about our solutions, visit our website at: http://www.momnet.com