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July 2015
In this issue…
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Greetings!
Now that the Blackhawks Stanley Cup victory is behind us and the celebrations have slowed down we can turn our attention back to the matters at hand. This edition of the bi-monthly newsletter once again turns its attention to security and the need to be technologically vigilant.
At a recent security seminar attended by LaSalle Consulting Partners consultants it
was noted that the number one target of hackers is organizations that have health care and medical related records on their networks. This is due to the high resale value of such records – more so than credit card information.
The upcoming Windows Server 2003 End of Support makes now an opportune time to reevaluate your technology environment to ensure the security of your customer, client, and participant data, as well as the safety of your organization. The US Department of Homeland Security previously issued a cybersecurity alert because no patches will be available for critical security vulnerabilities discovered after public support for Windows Server 2003 ends on July 14, 2015. Leading technology research advisory company Gartner also sounded the alarm over potential security risks that loom ahead due to the end of Windows 2003 support.
Please contact us if we can assist with your technology security needs.
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Microsoft’s Office Apps for Android Devices
Alex Zurek, LaSalle Consulting Partners, Inc. Staff Consultant |
Android users can now download and take
advantage of the Microsoft Office applications Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. The apps are available for free in the Google Play Store. Android device users are now able to share documents and collaborate with others through such services as Microsoft OneDrive for Business, Microsoft SharePoint, Google Drive, and Dropbox for Business.
Unfortunately, there is one caveat to the Microsoft release. In order to run the Office apps, devices must contain at least 1GB of RAM and the OS cannot predate Android 4.4 KitKat. These limitations mean that nearly half of Android
users will be unable to benefit from the convenience offered by Word, PowerPoint, and Excel apps.
Still, the newfound ability to share and edit Office documents on-the-go will undoubtedly increase the productivity of users whose devices meet the software requirements. |
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Hello World: Windows 10 Available on July 29
used with permission from Microsoft
by Terry Myerson |
| Today, I’m excited to share the availability date for Windows 10. In fact, I thought I’d let Cortana, the world’s most personal digital assistant, share the news. You can ask Cortana for the answer! Or if you don’t have a Windows phone or a PC running the Windows 10 Insider Preview handy — you can hear it for yourself here.
Through the feedback and testing of over four million Windows Insiders, we’ve made great progress on Windows 10 and we’re nearly ready to deliver this free upgrade to all of our Windows customers. Watch the video about Windows 10 Feature Highlights here. |
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Could Your Business be Exposed? If You’re Running Windows Server 2003, Listen Up!
used with permission from Microsoft |
| You built your business with your own hands. Running, and growing, your business often means long days and late nights.
Wouldn’t you do anything to protect it?
Microsoft has announced that on July 14, 2015 support is ending for Windows Server 2003. If your business is running on this legacy server after July 14, 2015, you could be at risk.
Your business and your employees could be affected. If your business-critical applications—such as payroll, accounting, HR, inventory, email and CRM—are running on Windows Server 2003, your business is at risk. |
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Low-Tech Ways to Protect Your Business
used with permission from HP Technology at Work |
| Pop quiz: what’s a simple thing you can do to improve your business’ IT security? Update your antivirus software? Use secure passwords? Here’s one that many small- and medium-sized businesses rarely think about: enhance your physical security.
While often an afterthought, physical IT security is no small matter. Of the over $48 billion lost yearly in the U.S. as a result of data breaches, 28 percent resulted from stolen laptops or other portable devices [1]. In all, 60 percent of business failures can be attributed to internal theft [2].
But protecting your IT investments from theft or damage doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, many measures are relatively inexpensive and easy to set up. To help you get started, here are six of the most effective—and simple—physical security measures you should consider. |
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Start Here with Windows 10
used with permission from Microsoft for Work |
| Windows 10 is the productivity software that individuals and corporations have been asking for. It has been built collaboratively with customers, and embraces its history while learning from the past to create something that’s both functional and familiar. With this combination, Windows 10 is the operating system that takes us from the modern day into the future.
The different facets of Windows 10 fall into three categories: what’s back, what’s familiar, and what’s new. |
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Firm News |
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►HIPAA Risk Assessment Service
To address the growing need for HIPAA security compliance and better serve our clients we have partnered with HIPAA Secure Now (HSN). HSN goes beyond technical safeguards and provides a complete compliance service which includes the Security Risk Assessment, custom written policies and procedures, training for employees, and many more features via an online portal. HSN compliments and builds on LaSalle Consulting Partners’ existing HIPAA expertise to provide a comprehensive service which enables organizations with HIPAA compliance mandates to assess current compliance, address identified risk, and maintain ongoing compliance.
►Calibre CPA Group 2015 Annual Labor Update
In his past business life, LaSalle Consulting Partners firm President Frank Zurek was a partner at a national CPA firm that specialized in Labor Unions and Taft-Hartley Funds. A number of his former partners went on to start Calibre CPA Group. On July 9, Calibre CPA Group will be hosting their 2015 Annual Labor Update at the DoubleTree hotel in Oak Brook, IL. Calibre has been gracious enough to extend an invitation to clients and friends of LaSalle Consulting Partners, Inc. regardless of whether you are a current Calibre client. Frank will be attending, as this promises to be a very informative program.
For more information and to register please click here. We hope to see you there!
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can do well, I say let him do it.
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—Abraham Lincoln |
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LaSalle Consulting Partners, Inc.
200 W Madison St | Suite 940 | Chicago, IL 60606
312-361-3326
www.lpartnersinc.com
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| LaSalle Consulting Partners, Inc. provides the information in this newsletter purely as a public resource of information which is intended, but not promised or guaranteed, to be correct, complete, or up-to-date. This newsletter is not intended to be a source of solicitation of legal advice nor should it be the sole basis for technology decisions. The reader should therefore not consider this information to be an invitation for a consultant-client relationship, should not solely rely on information provided herein, and should always seek the advice of competent counsel especially related to HIPAA compliance matters before making decisions or taking any actions |
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