Thursday
Aug102023

S3 Ep147: What if you type in your password during a meeting?

Thursday
Aug102023

Windows 11 August Patch Tuesday update fixes display and brightness issues

What you need to know

  • Microsoft released Patch Tuesday updates for Windows 11 this week.
  • PCs running Windows 11 version 22H2 will receive an update to Build 22621.2134.
  • The update includes several improvements and security fixes, but it does not have any new features.

To learn more click here.

Tuesday
Aug082023

CryptoRom Fraudsters Utilizing AI Chat Tool to Scam Users: Sophos

In a concerning development, cybersecurity firm Sophos has reported that CryptoRom fraudsters are adopting new tactics, including incorporating an AI chat tool similar to ChatGPT, to deceive unsuspecting users into scams.

To learn more click here.

Friday
Aug042023

Electronic Signatures for Government Contracts

Paperless practices have increased the efficiency levels of many government departments and agencies. Much digital data is being transmitted today between government agencies, businesses, and citizens. With all this data being shared and all the privacy issues it could affect, the government must ensure that all transactions are secure to avoid the possibility of fraud and data loss.

Have Electronic signatures for Government contract been proven effective?

Electronic signature solutions have been proven to be effective in government contracts. In the past, it’s been difficult to send documents between agencies and departments. Paperless processes combined with electronic signature solutions, however, can help reduce time and costs while streamlining workflow.

Electronic signature solutions have facilitated government contracting processes. Electronic signatures can be used by governments for many types of contract work such as tender agreements and procurement. They can be used to sign action orders and tender agreements, in addition to federal and state contracting. Using digital signatures not only streamlines the process but also offers greater security and trust for government agencies.

While electronic signatures are not an absolute necessity, they do offer secure, auditable, and convenient ways to process vital documents. While they can improve government workflows, they can also make operations more efficient.

E-signature solutions are generally a good choice for government agencies. They make receiving and sharing documents much easier. Unlike pen and paper, digital signature solutions are simple to use and are stored in electronic form. The best part is that you can even access government websites to view, complete, and sign forms. And because they don’t require hard copies anymore, this becomes less of a security concern for citizens to worry about.

The 2000 ESIGN Act established electronic signatures as legal. Previously, courts had not applied the requirements for “writing” consistently to the law. However, in ESIGN, the law stated that consumers consented to the use of electronic signatures because they knew they were signing a document with their digitally signed identity. That’s a big deal for the consumer, and it also means that a digitally signed document is more secure than a physical one.

What government agencies should look for in an e-signature solution

When your government agency chooses an e-signature platform, you should be on the lookout for:

  • A reliable vendor with a track record of success. Select a strong platform designed for enterprise-level requirements that invests in digital transformation and meets the needs of mobile citizens.
  • A simple-to-use solution that can be used out of the box. Pick an easy solution to implement as your organization will get more use out of it.
  • A solution that integrates with your existing software with no additional cost. Additional fees or coding may be required. Some integrated solutions may not be suitable for all users. Again, when in doubt, simpler is always better.
  • Support for a wide range of legal issues and requirements. Look for a vendor that can offer legal assistance. Compliance requires a thorough understanding of the laws.
  • A trusted vendor with a track record of security. Your data and documents should be kept safe by your solution anywhere they go.
Wednesday
Aug022023

Introduction to ZTNA

Wednesday
Jul262023

How different industries use digital signatures

The adoption of technical standards for digital signatures has lagged behind the passage of legislation, but the benefits of the technology are numerous and far-reaching. Adopting these standards has allowed businesses to save on storage costs, speed up processes and minimize errors. For example, healthcare organizations can reduce the number of documents stored in their physical facilities, while pharmaceutical companies can eliminate the need for costly re-keying. Moreover, automotive and media industries benefit from electronic signatures because they are more secure and easily transferable between systems.

The adoption of electronic signatures in these industries is becoming commonplace. For instance, an organization’s legal department needs signatures for contracts and invoices. While it’s time-consuming to print, distribute, and sign documents, electronic signatures enable instant approval and automatic storage in the cloud. This means that organizations can focus on their projects without spending hours on tedious paperwork. Furthermore, electronic signatures enable faster workflow while minimizing the risk of human error.

Electronic signature usage is widespread in many industries. They have many benefits, including increased security, improved workflows, and a reduced carbon footprint. The use of e-signatures has exploded since the introduction of the EU eIDAS Regulation. These services are now being adopted by most industries, including media companies, who need to deal with a large amount of paperwork in a certain period.

Many organizations are using digital signatures to streamline their workflow and protect the integrity of essential documents. These are some of the most common digital signature uses in 2021.

Government

Because of their security and low cost, digital signatures are being used more frequently by governments. Government offices can introduce new bills and tax returns, manage contracts, manage ID cards, and do many other tasks much faster. Government organizations handle a lot of sensitive information, and the bolstered security of digital signatures mitigates any possibility of it falling in the wrong hands. This speeds up the entire process and decreases risk of unwanted leaks.

Legal

Some of the most sensitive documents in any country is handled by legal firms or legal departments of businesses. Digital signatures have significantly reduced labor and paper costs. This is where sensitive documents can be preserved.

Healthcare

Digital signatures have greatly improved the administrative process of healthcare and treatment. Digital signatures make admission easier and reduce time to care for hospitals and clinics.

Military

Digital signatures have made the military a more secure sector in many countries. Security and compartmentalization of information has improved tenfold as a result.

Manufacturing

Digital signatures is used by manufacturing companies to speed up processes. This allows for better product design and increases production and sales.

Finance

The pinnacle of modern banking is paperless banking, easy loans, and contracts. Digital signatures make all this possible.

Cryptocurrencies

Blockchain authentication is complicated because cryptocurrencies are complex in nature. Digital signatures are used to verify the authenticity of transactions and help to prove ownership.

Monday
Jul242023

ASUS has committed to manufacturing NUC's 10th thru 13th Gen

On July 10th, Intel announced it will stop direct investment in the Intel® Next Unit of Compute (NUC) product line, and instead pivot our strategy to enable our ecosystem partners to continue NUC Systems innovation and growth. At that time, we said that our priority was ensuring a smooth transition for NUC customers, and we would be sharing additional details in the coming weeks.

We are happy to share that on July 18th, Intel and ASUS, a multinational computer hardware and consumer electronics company, announced that they have agreed on a term sheet for a non-exclusive license for ASUS to manufacture, sell, and support 10th through 13th Gen NUC systems.

Furthermore, ASUS will be licensed to develop future NUC system designs to continue NUC innovations.

As previously communicated, customers can continue to order Intel NUC products via distribution through September 1, 2023. Intel will complete shipping orders by September 30, 2023. Intel will publish a formal Product Change Notification (PCN) for the affected products including timelines for EOL process.

Tuesday
Jul182023

COpilot in Teams - Inside Microsoft Teams S7 E9

Monday
Jul172023

Sophos Endpoint: Sophos File Scanner

Friday
Jul142023

Sophos Email: Impersonation Protection

Thursday
Jul132023

What's new in Tasks in Teams

Wednesday
Jul122023

Sophos Think You Know Ransomware?: Ep. 3 Weapons and Warriors

Monday
Jul102023

Sophos Think You Know Ransomware?: Ep. 3 Weapons and Warriors

Friday
Jul072023

Sophos Think You Know Ransomware?

Thursday
Jul062023

Start quickly with Templates in Planner

Wednesday
Jul052023

Sophos Reintroduces You to Free Time - BBQ

Monday
Jul032023

NDR Queries by Karl Ackerman - Sophos

Friday
Jun232023

Explanation of Power BI Licensing

I recently have had a need to learn more about Power BI licensing and I found this YouTube video that really explains it pretty well.

Friday
Jun162023

Using Dictation Function in Microsoft Office Desktop Apps

I have been finding myself using the dictation function, especially inside Word and OneNote, a lot more recently. 

Dictation is a feature in Office 365 that allows you to use your voice to create content in Office apps. You can dictate text, punctuation, and even formatting commands. Dictation is available in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, and Publisher.

To use dictation, you need to have a microphone and a reliable internet connection. You also need to be signed into Office 365.

To start dictation, open an Office app and click on the "Dictate" button in the toolbar. The Dictate button is a microphone icon. Once you click on the Dictate button, your microphone will turn on and you can start speaking.

As you speak, the text will appear on the screen. You can use your voice to dictate text, punctuation, and even formatting commands. For example, you can say "period" to insert a period, or "bold" to bold the text.

You can also use dictation to create tables, lists, and other types of content. For example, you can say "table" to create a table, or "list" to create a list.

When you are finished dictating, click on the "Stop Dictation" button in the toolbar. The Stop Dictation button is a square with a red X in it.

Dictation is a great way to quickly create content in Office apps. It can be especially helpful if you are unable to type, or if you want to be able to create content while you are on the go.

Here are some tips for using dictation effectively:

  • Speak clearly and slowly.
  • Use natural pauses to indicate when you want to insert a new line or paragraph.
  • Use the Dictate commands to insert punctuation and formatting.
  • Review your work carefully after you have finished dictating.

Dictation is a powerful tool that can help you to be more productive in Office 365. By following these tips, you can learn to use dictation effectively and create content quickly and easily.

Here are some additional things to keep in mind when using dictation:

  • Dictation works best in quiet environments.
  • If you have a strong accent, you may need to speak more slowly or clearly.
  • Dictation is not perfect, so you may need to edit your work after you have finished dictating.

Overall, dictation is a great way to save time and be more productive in Office 365. If you have a microphone and a reliable internet connection, I encourage you to try it out.

Thursday
Jun152023

Workflow: Using OneNote as a Task Manager

One of the nice things about using OneNote as a task manager is the ease of being able to manipulate the information that you're putting into your task list. You can’t do that on paper!

I begin by selling up the section as a month/year heading. For example June 2023 would be my sectional heading. I then create separate pages for each day of the week labeling each page in the following way to make it easier for me to work with: 20230610 Saturday Task List.

I also create a floating page for Monthly Projects that I move with my current day page to keep the two together. I use the Monthly Projects for a reminder of ongoing things that I need to deal with that I can pull into a Day Task List as I work on them.

I keep a couple of other informational pages with the Monthly Project Sheet for quick referencing as well. It makes it easier for me to answer questions as they arise by keeping those listing easily accessible.

Since I create anywhere from 28 to 31 pages for the days in the month it is easier to create the first seven days and copy them as a group and adjust the information as needed once they are pasted back into the monthly section to create all the pages that I need. I also change the date on each page to match the date of the page. (Just the quirkiness in me)

This whole process only takes about 10 minutes to complete. A typical page layout is shown below.

I typically work on my task list either the night before or in the morning when I start my day. It usually entails me bringing any unfinished tasks from the previous day over to be worked on. I add on any new tasks that may have come in via email or Teams communications. I also receive task functions from workflow notifications that I have created in our ticketing system to be included in the list. I then slide the task up and down list to place them in the order in which I want to attack the list. I will use tabbing to keep subtasks underneath a major heading to keep a project together (as you see in the example above). I use the check box function to mark off when the task is completed on the list.

What are the benefits of doing this in OneNote? There are several. First, because of the freeform nature of the application it can bend to my needs on a daily basis. Second, Search Notebooks allows a word search though all of your notebooks through one search bar. Third, Organization, being able to manipulate the data from day to day and within a day to reorder information and change it makes for a quick and easy control of the data that you are working with.

Let me know if this type of article is one that you would like to see more of.