Articles about Small Business

Users of popular software programs are increasingly discovering that programs which are otherwise very useful are acting in a totally unacceptable manner. Note the following examples:

Adobe Reader can create 257 unique folders under c:\programdata\adobe\arm\reader_11.0.00\<username> each containing the exact same four executables:

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Modern day malware is all about stealing, whether it's data or money. That means to be effective it needs to communicate with its command and control servers.

A new technology released by cloud-based anti-malware company Percipient Networks for its Strongarm product aims to break this link without the need for VPNs or other potentially hard to implement solutions.

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Despite the widespread predictions of Armageddon that preceded June's vote on the UK leaving the European Union, new research reveals that a majority of companies in IT and computing don't see Brexit as a threat.

The research by commercial insurer RSA shows that 70 percent of small and medium businesses in IT and computing don't see Brexit as a risk. Of those surveyed 43 percent say that leaving the EU will have no impact at all, and 27 percent say it will have a positive effect on their business.

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Smaller and medium-sized businesses would rather wait a couple years longer before upgrading their systems, compared to large enterprises, a new survey by memory and storage company Crucial shows. Out of 350 IT decision makers in the UK, US, Germany and France, more than half (52 percent) say their company has a hardware refresh cycle of about three to four years.

Large organizations replace systems every two years or so (23 percent) while small organisations wait four years or more (22 percent). The reason behind upgrades is always the same -- their current systems are no longer good enough. Sometimes, businesses would opt to reimage and redeploy problematic storage drives (28 percent), and sometimes, they’d just buy new computers to replace the old and the slow ones (19 percent).

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Businesses are moving faster towards a cashless society because it's cheaper than handling "real" money. This is according to a new report by Sage, integrated accounting, payroll and payment software provider. The company’s latest report says small and medium-sized businesses are losing £9.4bn each year through cash payments.

A quarter (24 percent) say that staff members stole some cash, a third (34 percent) believe human error had them losing money, and more than half (56 percent) claim they spend at least an hour every week counting and sending money to the bank.

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We already know that ransomware is a lucrative business for the attackers. But for the victims, especially smaller businesses, it can prove devastating.

A new solution offering enterprise-class ransomware protection for small and mid sized companies is being launched by data protection specialist Datto. In the event of an attack it aims to shorten downtime, save money and reduce the impact to business, giving companies an effective and reliable alternative to paying hackers' ransoms.

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Linux-based desktop operating systems are better than Windows because they are free, right? Whoa there, folks. Neither are necessarily better or worse -- it really depends on your needs. Cost-free operating systems, such as Ubuntu and Fedora, are definitely great for home consumers looking to breathe new life into old machines. With that said, the benefits of Linux extend beyond money and cost-savings.

Linux being free is sort of misleading when it comes to business use too. While a small business with a few employees can sometimes get by without paying for support, larger companies would be crazy to go it entirely alone -- paid support is a necessity for success. Today, Canonical releases a well-designed infographic that explains the benefits of its paid support, called 'Ubuntu Advantage'.

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We are coming closer to the point where a cyber-attack will cost every large business more than $1 million. According to a new Kaspersky Lab report, a single cyber-security incident now costs a large business, on average, $861,000.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) pay ten times less, on average -- $86,500. The new report also stresses, once again, how costs go up the longer the threat remains unseen. For an SME, it will have to pay 44 percent more to recover from a week-old attack, compared to the one spotted on the first day. Among large companies, the percentage sits at 27.

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Apparently, 1.8 million of UK’s businesses have been victims of a cyber-attack, and that costs the country’s economy more than £147 billion, in the last year alone. This is according to a new report by Gareth Bacon, GLA Conservative London Assembly, entitled Safe & Secure: Protecting London’s data.

Pretty much all businesses affected by these security breaches -- 99 percent of them -- are small businesses, counting 249 employees, or less. With that in mind, the report proposes a Mayoral Standard for data security, helping London consumers and businesses protect themselves from cyber-attacks.

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Although there are many different security solutions on the market, smaller businesses often struggle to find a solution that's affordable and easy to implement.

Kaspersky Lab is targeting this SMB market with its new Endpoint Security Cloud. It's a software-as-a-service solution offers advanced functionality and proven protection but can be managed easily via simple cloud-based console with an intuitive and user-friendly interface.

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The tax paying habits of big businesses are back in the headlines now that Apple is facing a $14.5 billion bill in Ireland -- although Tim Cook vehemently disagrees. In the wake of the Irish Apple tax ruling, 71 percent of SMEs say that the UK tax system benefits big businesses and makes thing harder for the little guy.

The figures apply to the UK's micro-businesses (those with under 10 employees) and self-employed individuals, only 1 percent of whom feel the system is working for their benefit.

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The UK might be a leader in advanced technology, such as driverless cars or 3D printing, but the majority of small organizations in the country don’t believe they’ll be using advanced technology any time soon.

Those are the results of a new study by Axa Insurance.

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For smaller organizations, managing their systems can present enough of a challenge without the additional need to worry about different aspects of security.

Now a new three-way collaboration between underwriters Victor O Schinnerer & Company, SaaS data protection company Spanning, and Microsoft, is designed to help small and mid-size organizations safeguard their business and data.

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Summertime is here, and for many business folks, this means working outdoors. Sure, some employees will prefer working indoors with air conditioning, but it can be quite refreshing to sit outside and enjoy the fresh air.

If you choose to work outdoors, you obviously need a laptop -- setting up a desktop and monitor under a tree or on a picnic table is not ideal. If you need an inexpensive and lightweight business-focused laptop, Acer has you covered. The TravelMate X3 is both affordable and svelte, making it a wise choice for sitting outdoors or traveling on an airplane.

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Microsoft has launched Skype Meetings, a new and free version of its popular video and audio conferencing software designed with small businesses in mind.

The company’s latest release will feel quite similar for users already familiar with its Skype for Business solution, albeit stripped down. Whereas Skype for Business allows for meetings with up to 250 people, Skype Meetings limits the maximum participants to 10 people. However after the initial two months of using the product, that number drops down to three people.

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