Looking to purchase a new computer before the end of the financial year (EOFY)?
Purchasing a computer is an investment, whether for work or personal use. Although EOFY specials are readily available, remember that the cheapest device may not be the best value and the life of the device should also be factored in.
Commercial-grade computers are more reliable as they are built for increased longevity. These devices are generally found only in specialist computer stores and IT service providers. They generally come with a three-year onsite warranty as opposed to a one-year warranty requiring a return to the place or purchase.
In addition, commercial-grade computers come with Windows 11 Pro operating system, which provides some enhanced security measures which offer extra protection in case your device is lost or stolen. These computers are perfect for businesses and may also provide value to personal users.
Please visit www.cyberguru.com.au for more information.
Tips for buying a new computer
Ensuring the minimum of at least the following:
- Processor: Intel Core Ultra 5 or above
- Memory: At least 16GB
- Storage: At least 512GB SSD
- Operating system: Windows 11 Pro
- Warranty: Three-year on-site warranty
Be Scam Aware
We have seen an increase in reports of scams that appear to be from internet service providers such as Telstra and Optus. These scams request the importance of doing a task, such as resetting your password or verifying your account.
If you were to open this, a screen will appear to ask you to log in to a fake website. By entering your details, you are giving away your personal information to a hacker who may then use these to log in to your account to read and send emails and access your address book.
Email Security Recommendations for Home Users and Businesses
If you receive such an email, be vigilant and don’t take any action. We recommend home users obtain an Outlook.com or Gmail email address, which provide a higher level of security and protection against such emails. It also provides flexibility if you wish to change your internet service provider.
If you are a business using an email address provided by Telstra or Optus, we strongly recommend looking into a business-grade alternative such as Microsoft 365 and make your business look more professional by using your own domain name (such as cyberguru.com.au), and not one linked to your internet service provider.
Manage your passwords effectively
We now have more passwords than ever before. Best practice is that a password is a minimum of 18 characters long, but how can we remember that when we struggle to remember a mobile phone number? And having the same password for every website increases your chances of being hacked.
A Vault for Your Passwords
Given how hard it is to remember all these passwords, it is worthwhile considering a password manager app, which is like a vault for your passwords.
A password manager app can securely store your passwords in a safe location, ensuring you only need to remember one ‘master’ password, which is used to gain access to the passwords. Given the sensitivity of your passwords, we recommend further protecting your password manager with multi-factor authentication (MFA).
You use the password manager within your web browser to help generate and store passwords for the individual sites, which they then can automatically complete when you go to the website.
Having a password manager is more secure than storing passwords in your web browser, and is easier to use than a book, as they save your new password when you change it.
Securing your accounts with multi-factor authentication
We all have online accounts we need to protect: emails, personal and business data, superannuation and investments, entertainment sites holding concert tickets to our favourite artists, and social media containing treasured photos and memories.
With recent advancements in hacking tools, passwords can be easily guessed, especially if the same password is used for multiple accounts. One way to make these accounts more secure is to use multi-factor authentication, also known as MFA.
Why Use MFA?
MFA requires you to input an additional code as well as your password. The code can be sent to your email or mobile phone, but the best way is to use an ‘Authenticator’ app. Examples of such Authenticator apps include Microsoft Authenticator, Google Authenticator and Authy. We strongly encourage using these apps as they are more secure than email and text messages.
The Authenticator app is free to download from your mobile device’s app store. Once you have installed it, you can add your website accounts to this, referring to the website’s specific account settings which will guide you through the process.
The best part is that it is free to set up, and after the initial set-up, your account is done.
For more information, please visit Cyber Guru.
Read more stories from the Sandgate Guide print magazine here:
- Be Spellbound
- The Best Days of Their Lives
- Say Cheese
- Reaching the Pinnacle
- Closing the gender gap in STEM
- Teens Rock the Green at School’s Out Event
- Laurie’s Beach Walk
- SANDBAG Counsellors Boost Empowerment for Marginalised Communities in India
- Win A $200 City Cave Voucher
- Bracken Ridge Toastmasters
- Boondall School’s Big Bash
- Trying New Things
- Bramble Buzz: Updates from the Community
- Organic Gardening in March
- SpikyPuffer
