Internet Security Tips (6)

Need advice on updating Joomla! WordPress or other websites?

An important security update (3.4.5) is due out on Thursday October 22. You are strongly advised to update immediately.

Need advice on updating Joomla! WordPress or other websites? Please contact us direct via our website www.thenorthernoffice.com #Joomla! #Philippines

A Joomla 3.4.5 release containing a security fix will be published on Thursday 22nd October at approximately 14:00 UTC The Joomla Security Strike Team (JSST) has been informed of a critical security issue in the Joomla core. Since this is a very important security fix, please be prepared to update your Joomla installations next Thursday.

Thursday, 10 October 2013 00:00

Internet Privacy Starts With You

Internet Privacy Starts With You

“Publication is a self-invasion of privacy.”-Marshall McLuhan

The Communication Theory philosopher, Marshall McLuhan, captured the very essence of today’s talk when it comes to privacy with this quote. We alienate ourselves with the emergence of different social networking sites and social applications that can be use through the internet. Private recording and photos can be easily uploaded and distributed online.

Some of them are okay but others can result into tarnishing your life’s work of building relationships and reputation. The privacy risks that the internet offers to unknowing and unvigilant users are staggering. We have identity theft, illegal use of credit card information, defamation, and blackmail or extortion. Countless people have been victimized by these scams. Many have lose their money, jobs, identities, and lives just because they posted information about themselves online. But it doesn’t mean you have to steer away from the internet. You just have to be mindful of the things you share online to avoid such risks.

Internet Privacy Opinions

Steps To Protect Your Internet Privacy

  • Use up-to-date antivirus or anti-spyware software. There are viruses created with the sole purpose of getting your personal information such as name, birthday, address, and bank accounts. · Use websites that provide security and protection when dealing with online banking and shopping. This assures you that your money is well-taken care of.
  • Have a strong password. Combine letters and numbers instead of using words and numbers that can be easily connected to you.
  • Never ever share your passwords to others unless you are sure of their trustworthiness. You can’t be too sure that others won’t do anything harmful on your account.
  • Ensure the security of your home and office wi-fi connection. This secures you that others won’t be able to access your accounts easily.
  • Avoid disclosing personal information when joining online forums and on similar sites. You can use disposable email accounts for verification purposes.

Remember to think before disclosing any personal and confidential information to others. By following these simple reminders, you are able to protect yourself from harmful effects of too much sharing of personal information online. Remember that there is a limit to what you can tell others online. Since we don’t know who is on the other side of the computer. Besides, there is nothing better than sharing personal things to those we trust. Again, as a word of advice and caution, think before you post.

Want to know more about online privacy? Contact us. The Northern Office - Innovative Marketing offers vast amount of information when it comes to the Internet. To ask for a consultation on how we can help protect you and your business’ most confidential information email us at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or give us a call at (045) 499-1082. 

By Kristin Tarr, Communications Manager atCloudFlare With the recent phishing hack on the Associated Press’ Twitter account and thecyberattack that compromised more than 50 million Living Social customers, you’re probably thinking that with all the time and energy hackers use up on high-profile attacks, that your small business is in the clear, right? Wrong. SMBs are not safe. In fact, they get hacked all the time. According to a 2012 study conducted by the National Cyber Security Alliance, nearly 40 percent of all cyber security attacks are targeted at small businesses. Compared with big enterprise companies with robust security teams and generous security budgets, small business can be an easy target for hackers. Many small businesses don’t allocate enough resources to their security systems or have little knowledge on how to stay safe from the schemes of cyber villains. So what are the holes in your system making your small business vulnerable? Here are a few we think are important: IPv6 Transition – The Internet is running out of IPv4 addresses and making a seamless transition to IPv6 is becoming more and more necessary, especially if you’re a small business. As an SMB, it’s important for your company to be technologically current and utilize services that offer gateways for conversion to avoid any customer confusion or lack of access during the switch. Two-Factor Authentication – Although two-factor authentication may seem obvious, it’s a constant potential threat that consumers don’t always think about. The absolute minimum your SMB should be doing to protect itself is turning on two-factor authentication whenever possible. It may not make your account invincible, but it adds an extra layer of necessary protection. DDoS Attacks – Don’t let your website get held hostage and lose business. SMBs are vulnerable to spambots and malicious DDoS attacks just like high profile companies. Be aware and educate yourself on best practices to avoid attacks. Phishing for Passwords – Still? Yes, phishing is still an all-too-common technique for hackers to steal your passwords, usernames and other private information by sending fake emails posing as an organization. As a small business, be cautious of any suspicious communication via email or over the phone. And, never use the same password twice – vary your passwords by using numbers, capital letters and other symbols. By following these simple tips and staying educated on the cyber security offerings available, small businesses can focus on their goals and objectives while thwarting hacker attempts and staying safe. Small businesses are the largest source of employment in the United States, and with the proper security measures, we can ensure it stays that way. Kristin Tarr is CloudFlare’s communications manager and oversees the company's marketing and thought leadership initiatives. Kristin hails from California’s Central Coast and is also a running fanatic, having run numerous half and full marathons. She graduated from CSU, Chico with a degree in Public Relations and Political Science. (Source)

Posted by John Joe Morgan

GoDaddy is an IT services and software provider to millions of online businesses. Several news reports stated that it was hacked by a twitter user Anonymous Own3r. But GoDaddy claimed that it was a Distributed Denial- of- Service Attack (DDoS). DDoS means that a certain website will be overloaded with tons of communication request that it can no longer respond to traffic. Then it collapses afterwards. This is what happened to GoDaddy which led to thousands of company accounts web hosting to go down. Series of questions have been raised on how effective is GoDaddy in providing web hosting solutions to its thousands of clients and prospects? Will it ever bounce back from this dilemma? Whereas for us how do we choose a good web hosting company who can cater of needs? Here are some factors you can consider before choosing one: 1. Value for Money. Let’s admit it we usually go for cheaper options. It’s good and very practical. Some prefer expensive offers from well-known companies because they have this certain reputation. So where do we go? Go for: ✓   Starting package first ✓   Detailed features and services ✓   Warranty ✓   Areas of expertise 2. Technical Aspect. Even if you know less about technicalities always put in mind first what you actually need. Then browse on the company services and testimonials that have the same problem as you do and what solution has been provided to them. Know: ✓   Technical Specs and Limitations ✓   Technical Support ✓   Features/ Add-Ons ✓   Hardware they use ✓  Email Features  3.  Scalability. If you finally choose the plan for your web hosting; see to it that you can stay with it. It should be established and it has a room for growth. That means that it can answer your needs even a year from now. Because technology is changing every time. In that case, GoDaddy DNS Attack could have been prevented. They should know that any time that their network suffers they need a strong control of the situation. They need back up plans so that they don’t lose their clients. Posted by John Joe Morgan

WordPress is recognized as the most widely used Content Management System with over 72.4 million different sites all over the web as of March 2012. In an average month, 352 million people view more than 2.5 million pages on WordPress. With such a large number of users and developers, it shows that WordPress is truly a reliable blogging tool that can offer lots of wonderful features to users. While WordPress has an astounding set of features to offer such as good SEO quality, automatic filters, good security and clean permalink structure, security problems can still occur especially when you try to modify your WordPress by including plugins, adding themes and performing hack activities that could cause problems to your site. But of course, you can’t avoid doing these activities especially when you want your site to be appealing and functional. But as much as possible, you wouldn’t want it to end up being vulnerable to hacks. That is why security precautions must be done. To start with, let us try to see some factors to consider for the better security of your site: 1. Username and password. It is essential to have a strong username and password. All admin users should come up with a proper custom name. It is best to delete the default admin and create a new one. Picking a secure password also increases the security of your site. To ensure the strength of your password you can refer to WP’s password strength meter and make sure you see the green color which indicates a strong password. 2. Plugins. Plugins contribute a great deal of factor on how your WordPress operates so make sure to be very careful when it comes to installing plugins. Try installing useful plugins that could increase the security level of your site such as Antivirus plugins, online backup plugins, hide login, bulletproof plugins and security checker plugins. Make sure that your plugins are always up to date. Delete those that you do not use. 3. Updates. It is important to consistently update your site. WordPress regularly creates security fixes and other new features for your site’s better functionality. If you don’t update, you won’t be able to have the fixes and features of the latest versions. Worse, you will be making your site more vulnerable to hacks. So whether it’s your plugins, themes or your entire WordPress software, always update. 4. Secure Hosting. If you are using your site for business or brand purposes, it is understood that it is essential to invest money. It is best to find a good hosting provider that applies the needed security features and support on your blog. With paid hosting, we are talking about better features, better customization tools and more advantages. Paid hosting is surely well worth your investment. 5. Database Backup. Always be ready in case something bad really happens. Backup your database regularly so you won’t lose everything in case of a crash or a hack. There are three ways to do back up: First is doing it manually, second is paying for a backup service and third is using a plugin that does the backup. It is really important to have a backup of your entire site. Remember, better safe than sorry. For more information on how to secure your WordPress site, e-mail The Northern Office Innovative Marketing at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call us at (0)45 499 1082 today.   Posted by John Joe Morgan

Google rates websites just like how people judge others based on their neighborhood. In terms of your website’s neighborhood, If your home (website) is close and associated with other beautiful well known homes, then Google will see you as one of them. On the other hand, if you’re home’s neighbors are unkempt, dodgy slums area of the web, that does not bode well for your home as Google will also see you as part of the slums. Google classifies a bad or good website not only on its content but also with the web hosting (neighborhood). If the web host has bad reputation and hosts other suspicious websites, Google will penalize all of the sites in that host and cause a drop in search engine rankings. If using a shared hosting provider, other bad websites in that web host will also drag your site down and be a reason for a penalty. Google penalties are adjustment of page rank positions for a site. A Google ban is imposed upon sites that are cloaking by adjusting the content offered to the browser based on its IP address and provide information specifically for the IP’s location from the world like weather news, etc. Before pointing at your hosting provider for the fault, you should check first the criteria of Google about determining a good website from a bad one. Take into consideration as to whether changes have occurred in rating websites, the technical guidelines and quality measurements. Finally, always evaluate a web hosting provider whether or not it has a good standing before signing up with them. Having a better host spells a difference in building your online presence for it to be appealing in the search engine ranking world. The Northern Office specializes with online marketing support which includes website hosting target specifically for corporate websites and e-commerce websites. This guarantees our clients that their neighbors are other reputable websites and organizations. For more information on The Northern Office and our website hosting services, please visit our website or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..