What Does Your Website Have to Do with the Chinese Army?

If the recent report released by the Pentagon is any indication, the cyber war between the United States and China is hotter than ever. The headline quote from the report, which confirmed the years-long suspicions of many network security specialists stated, “In 2012, numerous computer systems around the world, including those owned by the U.S. government, continued to be targeted for intrusions, some of which appear to be attributable directly to the Chinese government and military”.

The report added that the purpose of the cyber attacks is to gain access to sensitive information and intellectual properties from industries related to defense programs in the United States. Further accusations include the Chinese military’s backing of and involvement with one of the most notorious assemblage of hackers in the world, known as the “Comment Crew”, which over the last 7 years has stolen data from over 140 organizations and businesses across a spectrum of 20 industries.

So, to answer the question, “What does your website have to do with the Chinese Army?”, if you’re running a retail operation that sells apparel, probably not much. On the other hand, if your business has anything to do with the military complex in the United States, your business may be more at risk than you think. Whether your business is supplying an incremental piece of the puzzle for military-related domestic travel, the bulk of the technology behind a missile guidance system, or something in between, there is a chance that your research, data, and intellectual property may have the attention of outside groups that don’t necessarily have your business’ best interests in mind.

How to help the IT team make sure you computer runs great

Everyone realizes that your PC and your SmartPhone are indispensible tools that you need to effectively do your job.  After all, you rely on them to connect to customers, suppliers and team members; perform tasks and to access other resources including the Internet. The ability to maintain them and keeping the system running smoothly and efficiently have been shown to be a key job performance indicator for every knowledge worker.

Keep in mind that the company owns the computer

It’s important to remember that your company owns the PC. And because the company owns the system, it has the right to regularly install patches and updates. Installing updates is one way the company makes sure your computer and the network are running as smoothly as possible. It’s common for the IT department to hear users complain about the various patches and updates being installed on their computers. But remember, that this is the best way for the company to be sure that both your computer and the network stay secure.

There are 7 other things that are “best practices” for maintaining your computer.

1. Install only software that is properly licensed.  Before you install anything on your computer you need to make sure that your company owns a license for it. Software that you purchased yourself is probably OK, but installing something that you got from a friend will more than likely be a license violation. It’s illegal and could pose a serious problem. And, keep in mind, that software that was purchased for ‘home use’ may not be legally installed at the office. The best policy is to get permission from the IT department before installing anything.
2. Do not install different software versions. Just because you like Office 2003 better than you do 2010, you shouldn’t install the earlier version on your computer. That goes not only for Office, but other applications as well. It’s possible that the version you like is incompatible with other important business applications. And, it may be, that the IT department cannot update and patch the earlier version or get technical support for it from the publisher.
3. Tell the IT department when hardware isn’t working properly. It’s always best to have the IT department make any necessary repairs to your systems. You shouldn’t try to fix things yourself. One possible problem is that your own fixes could lead to other network compatibility issues. The best thing is to contact the Help Desk and let them provide the assistance you need to both diagnose and correct any problems. The IT department may have already seen this problem before and they have a documented fix for it. And, by letting the IT department know about the problem allows them to track common issues.
4. Let IT know if you need anything. By making reasonable requests and giving the IT department the time they need to plan, can help them respond to your needs and those of other members of the organization better.  Otherwise, you can easily end up with software or hardware that doesn’t exactly meet your needs.
5. Don’t download software over the Internet from a site you don’t know and trust. When you do this you can be putting yourself and the organization at risk by installing software that may be insecure, could cause other networking incompatibilities or that contains some form of malware or spyware.
6. Be extra careful with suspicious emails. A virus can easily be hidden as a downloadable file that is attached to an incoming email. If you receive an email from someone you don’t know or if it has strange text or otherwise looks suspicious, you should contact the IT department. Opening it could cause problems not only for you but your coworkers too. And if it does happen to contain a virus, the IT department can start to look for similar emails sent to others and take steps to block future ones.
7. Online Support. There are a lot of online resources to help you resolve IT issues. With Microsoft products, here are a few resources that could be helpful.

• Microsoft Office Online Assistance Center
• Microsoft Knowledge Base
• Windows 7 Solutions Center
• Windows Vista Solution Center
• Windows XP Solution Center
• Windows Help & How-to

Choose a work approved Smartphone or pocket PC

These devices can be a great productivity booster especially for those of you who work on the road or away from the office a lot. If you are going to buy your own device, check with the IT department to get a list of support devices. Buying a product that is on their “compatibility list” will make it much easier when you get ready to connect to the network and obtain support when you need it.