Microsoft announce retirement date for Windows XP

Microsoft has today unveiled a planned retirement date for one of its most successful products, Windows XP.

The news was delivered by Microsoft chief operating officer Kevin Turner today at the Microsoft World Partner conference in Toronto. Amongst the many statistics he quoted around Microsoft's market share and comparisons with competitors' products (including a hilarious video of Apples iPhone Siri telling the audience of 16,000 attendees when asked "what is the best smartphone" that the best choice was the Nokia Lumina 800), Turner announced that April 8 2014 will not only be the 15th anniversary of windows XP , but it'll also be when "it'll be put to sleep".

With over 400 million copies in use as of January 2006, XP was eventually succeeded by Windows Vista in 2007, making XP one of Microsoft's most successful versions of Windows ever. Windows XP still has a massive installed base in the notoriously conservative corporate sector, which also means there's some seriously big money up for grabs once Microsoft cease supplying XT security updates, and corporates are forced to remove it from their desktops and notebook PCs.

It is also likely that Turner's announcement could see a flurry of competition from both the Linux camp and Apple. Both are likely to see the retirement of XP as a possible entry opportunity for their respective platforms into the lucrative enterprise market. Adding further spice into an already hot equation, Google's Chrome OS could also be sufficiently mature to enter the fray, even if at present it is still a rank outsider. Google do have a powerful story to tell around Google mail, Google apps and other cloud applications for investment wary enterprises, and 2014 is still at least 18 months away in the rapidly moving tech sector.

This hasn't exactly escaped the attention of Microsoft either, with Turner saying that the fastest way to Windows 8 will be via Windows 7. Turner went on to cite one last push on Windows 7 as a US$12 billion plus opportunity for Microsoft. Either way, Windows 8 global launch is likely to be a bigger than huge deal, and it is probable that Microsoft will kick off a massive advertising campaign around Windows 8 October launch time to build awareness of Windows 8, which should in theory span smartphones and tablets as well as PCs and other devices such as Microsoft's newly minted Surface slate computer.

Turner didn't mince his words when it came to Apple either, showing a quote that said Apple's upcoming Mountain Lion OS "...is not the future but is a patched up genetic experiment anchored in Apple's past and present successes". Turner also discussed the irony of Apple's apparent fear of change and how similar Apple has become to the Microsoft of the past. Equally biting, he said that Apple has got it wrong talking about the post PC era. Turner instead talked up what he called "PC plus", saying that content creation and consumption can easily be done on the same platform, as Windows 8 will easily span both.

Last but by no means least, Turner announced that Microsoft are building more self branded stores in the US, Canada and Puerto Rico. Whilst he made no mention of any non US store locations Turner did say that pop up stores were likely to happen around the Windows 8 launch. Here's hoping we see some in New Zealand.

By Pat Pilcher

Last Chance to Nominate Small Business Influencers is July 15: #SMBInfluencer

If you haven't already nominated business leaders, experts, companies, news channels, journalists or applications that inspire you in small business, better do so soon. The nomination period for the 2012 Small Business Influencer Awards  ends July 15.

The Awards honor the individuals and organizations that help the rest of us small business owners succeed at what we do. We follow their lead. We read their articles. We use their products and apps. In one way or another, the Influencers help us be better business owners.

There's no cost and no limit to the number of nominations you can make. You can even nominate yourself.

Nominate today for the Small Business Influencer Awards!

Once Nominations Close …

Voting begins July 16, 2012. At that point, you can vote for any Influencer once per day. We encourage you to share nominations with your contacts (especially if you've been nominated) so that they can vote too.

Oh, and save the date: the top 100 Influencers will be honored at a Gala, held in conjunction with the New York XPO, on October 17, 2012 in New York City. Everyone is invited!

Ways to Get Involved

The best way for you to get involved in the Small Business Influencer Awards is to nominate a person or brand that motivates you in small business.  It costs nothing to nominate.  Just keep that July 15 deadline in mind.

You can also follow the conversation on Twitter. Check out the hashtag #SMBInfluencer to see what people are saying about the awards, and to see the most recent nominees.

Please spread the word.  To encourage your Twitter contacts to nominate for the Small Business Influencer Awards, just  share this tweet:

There's still time to nominate for #SMBInfluencer Awards, but just barely!  Last day is July 15. http://ow.ly/cawZW 

Click to tweet the above (new window pops up).

 




New Business Idea? 15 Inexpensive Ways to Test Its Potential Success

What's one low-cost strategy for testing your new business website with a small audience?

 

The following answers are provided by the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only nonprofit organization comprised of the world's most promising young entrepreneurs. The YEC recently published #FixYoungAmerica: How to Rebuild Our Economy and Put Young Americans Back to Work (for Good), a book of 30+ proven solutions to help end youth unemployment.

1. Go With Google AdWords

Build a simple landing page with an option for an email signup. Test various keywords via AdWords and see what converts (via email signup) and what doesn't. It's a pretty simple and effective way to test a new idea or product with a targeted audience.
- Josh Weiss, Bluegala

2. Linkback With a Guest Post

Want to see how a product, service or idea is going to resonate with a market outside your current niche? Write a guest post for a popular blog in that space. See how the readers respond to your ideas. You'll get traffic sent your way, but more importantly be able to gauge whether or not that market is a good fit for your business.
- Sean Ogle, Location 180, LLC

3. Recruit Your Feedback Army

Feedback Army is a great tool for receiving feedback on your website. It's cheap and provides excellent results.
- Ben Lang, EpicLaunch

 

4. Google Consumer Surveys Deliver

Google recently rolled out Consumer Surveys that run off their ad network and allows companies to gather targeted market research. It's as simple as setting up and running an ad campaign, and it allows you to tap the vast network of Google users as test subjects.
- Lauren Fairbanks, Stunt & Gimmick's

5. Test Out Mechanical Turk

With just a little comfort in html, you can use Mechanical Turk to survey thousands of people for just 5 cents a pop!
- Derek Flanzraich, Greatist

 

6. Figure Out Facebook Ads

With Facebook Ads, you can target exactly who you want to visit your new business website - down to the age range, location, and interests. This will help keep costs down, and is a great way to build a Facebook presence too.
- Nathalie Lussier, Nathalie Lussier Media

7. Make It Happen With Meetup

Meetup is filled with groups for an incredibly wide variety of interests. If there's a group that fits your business, try contacting the organizer to see if you can talk to the group at their next event or if they might be willing to send a link to your site out to their members. You obviously don't want to be spammy, so I'd recommend focusing on pitching how your site would help them.
- Jason Evanish, Greenhorn Connect

8. Try Twitter Ads

Twitter just released their new platform for ads. If you have an American Express card, you can get $100 in free advertising to try the platform. So far it's been pretty awesome in driving traffic and followers to our Twitter account.
- Jason Smikle, TUV Mediaworks

9. Endorsed Mailing

Make friends with an entrepreneur who offers a complementary service or product to your target market. Ask her to send out a message to her email subscribers on your behalf. In the email, offer her subscribers free information (such as a report or webinar) in exchange for signing up on your website. You'll build your own list of prospects. Then, follow up, get feedback, and start making sales!
- Pete Kennedy, Main Street ROI

10. Pull Out the Private Email List

I put together a private email list of 100 people in my personal network who I greatly respect and admire. I let them know that I'll send out one email per month that includes a cool opportunity, a request for feedback, and a request for a Tweet. When I get a new business idea, I tell it first to my private email list to get their expert feedback. MailChimp is my preferred email client.
- Jun Loayza, RewardMe

11. Reach Out to Your Network

To work out kinks present in an early iteration of any website, take advantage of your personal relationships. Enlisting the help of those around you is any easy way to avoid the time-drain and costs associated with running focus groups or surveys. Moreover, your friends and family are most likely to take the time to give you thoughtful feedback.
- Michael Tolkin, Merchant Exchange

12. Use Unbounce

I've become extremely comfortable with Unbounce and recommend it to nearly everyone I talk to. Getting people to your new site is pretty simple; friends, family, social media audience, or Google/Facebook ads can all bring you eyeballs. Once they've arrived, Unbounce can give you some insight into variations of your site without making you write any code.
- Derek Shanahan, Foodtree

13. Look at LinkedIn

Message your LinkedIn network and ask for feedback. It usually nets great response and valuable information. People who intimately know you, and your abilities, are the most likely to give you the kind of feedback you need. They're also the ones most likely to call you on your crap, and you need that. Embarrassment is a lot less painful than failure.
- Brent Beshore, AdVentures

14. Land With an eNewsletter Signup

Let people know what you're going to offer and encourage them to sign up for your eNewsletter to learn more about the launch. Share the landing page on social media, through blog comments, etc. and see how many signups you receive. This is a great indicator of the demand for your product or service and can also provide feedback on your idea.
- Heather Huhman, Come Recommended

15. Pay for Testing!

There's a sense that we have to bootstrap and that testing is far too expensive. But the reality is that you can actually find experts willing to go over your site for reasonable prices - and it's well worth the expense if you can improve your site before a wide launch. Even if you're on a very tight budget, there a less-experienced professionals or even students who can help you get an edge.
- Thursday Bram, Hyper Modern Consulting



Keep Your Employees Motivated This Summer

Summer's here in full force and, no matter where your business is located, chances are your employees have caught summer fever. How can you keep employees motivated, engaged and present when beautiful summer days are calling them away?

daydreaming employee

The big essential for summer management is being realistic. Know that employees will take vacations, want random days off and, yes, stare out the window longingly at about 3 in the afternoon. That said, here are some ideas to help your team enjoy summer without leaving your business high and dry:

Offer Personal Days

Some companies only provide sick days and holidays, so employees who want to take a day off have to feign being sick. No one likes making (or getting) these phone calls. Be honest about the situation and turn your sick days into sick/personal days so employees can feel better about taking a day off.

Institute Summer Hours

If your business's workload permits, offering a schedule where employees get every Friday afternoon or every other Friday afternoon off in the summer is a huge morale-booster (and also helps eliminate those fake sick days). If your workload doesn't permit that, letting employees work four, 10-hour days with Fridays off during the summer can be a great way to give your staff more flexibility. (Make sure you are not breaking any laws with regard to overtime.)

Reward Employees With Comp Time

Comp time off is especially appreciated in the summer. Rewarding employees for their accomplishments with comp time can help motivate them to work harder.

Offer Flextime

If you don't already offer flextime, summer can be a good time to try it out. Before offering flextime, think through any problems it might cause in terms of scheduling, ensuring adequate coverage among employees. It's important to be fair and offer flextime options to all employees within a certain category. For instance, while you may not offer it to all employees unilaterally, you can't offer it to some managers and not others, or to some salespeople and not others.

Offer Remote Work Options

Depending on what your business does, it's likely many of your employees could easily do their jobs from home or outside the office at least part of the time. As with flextime, think through your remote work policy before you implement it. Let employees know that remote work is a privilege, not a right, and institute checks and balances so you know work is really getting done.

Have Fun

Even if you can't offer employees time off or the other perks mentioned above, get into the summer spirit. Hold seasonal company events like a company picnic, beach party with family members, Friday BBQ lunches or Friday afternoon ice cream sundaes.

Use Downtime Wisely

If your business slows down a bit in summer, as many do, use the time well. Take care of business tasks you don't have time for during the normal rush of the workweek. Or consider taking a vacation yourself. After all, it's not just employees who get summer fever.

Daydreaming Employee Photo via Shutterstock




Samsung tab no iPad copy but judged \'not as cool\'

Apple's claims that the Galaxy Tab by Korean rival Samsung "slavishly copies" the iPad have been rejected by a British High Court judgment.

There was some consolation for Apple, however, after the judge ruled that Samsung's designs were "not as cool" as the iPad.

"They don't have the same understated and extreme simplicity which is possessed by the Apple design," Judge Colin Birss, QC, said. "They are not as cool."

The case is part of a bitter, worldwide intellectual property row between Apple and makers of smartphones and tablets that run Google's Android mobile operating system.

The court found two main differences between Samsung's tablets and the iPad. First and "most significant", Galaxy Tabs were much thinner than Apple's designs, which were "about twice as thick as the Galaxy Tabs".

Second, the detailing on the back of Samsung's designs made them unusual in the tablet market.

"When I first saw the Samsung products in this case I was struck by how similar they look to the Apple design when they are resting on a table," he said.

"They look similar because they both have the same front screen. It stands out."

But he said "informed users" would be able to spot the difference.

Samsung, maker of the biggest rivals to the iPhone and iPad and a major supplier of parts for them, welcomed the ruling and accused Apple of "ongoing efforts to reduce consumer choice and innovation in the tablet market through their excessive legal claims and arguments".

"The court found the most vivid differences in the rear surface design, a part that allows designers a high deg-ree of freedom for creativity, as there are no display panels, buttons or technical functions," a spokesman said.

The defeat is Apple's second at the High Court in less than a week. Last Thursday it lost a dispute over "prize" technology patents to HTC, the Taiwanese Android manufacturer. The court found the patents were either invalid or that HTC had not infringed them.

Apple wouldn't comment on the judgment, but repeated earlier claims that Samsung's new products "look a lot like the iPhone and iPad" in many key ways. Apple still has design infringement claims against Samsung in American and German courts, and has 21 days to appeal the British ruling.



Microsoft revokes additional digital certificates due to encryption weakness

Microsoft has revoked more than two dozen digital certificates used to validate the authenticity of its software.

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Call for Nominations in Second Annual Small Business Influencer Awards 2012

Nominate a small business influencer here.

Once the nomination period ends, voting by the community â€" counting for 40% - will begin July 16 and run through August 5, 2012.  After that a panel of expert judges will weigh in â€" the judges' vote counts for 60%.  The top 100 champions will be honored at an Awards Gala hosted in conjunction with the New York XPO Small Business Conference on October 17, 2012 at the Javits Convention Center in New York. In addition the top 5 popular votes getters in the six categories will receive a special Community Choice award. See Official Rules for more information.

The Small Business Influencer Awards are co-produced by Small Business Trends and SmallBizTechnology.com, with title sponsor support from BlackBerry, and support from Infusionsoft, GetResponse and Vocus.  Organizational partners supporting the Awards include Vistage and PRNewswire.

“The Small Business Influencer Awards honor small business influencers across those organizations, companies and individuals who are influential to small businesses in North America through the products, services, knowledge or support they provide to the small business market,” said Co-founder Ramon Ray, Editor & Technology Evangelist of Smallbiztechnlogy.com.

“This is an Awards for the rest of us.  You don't have to be a celebrity to apply.  Whether your company is large or small, whether you are a solo entrepreneur or a journalist or an executive in a Fortune 500 company â€" all are welcome to be nominated provided you have impacted the small business market in some meaningful way,” adds Anita Campbell, Co-Founder of Small Business Influencers 2012.

You can follow the social media action surrounding the Small Business Influencer Awards on Twitter, at: @SMBinfluencer or using the hashtag #SMBinfluencer. Or visit the website at: http://smbinfluencers.com.

Media partners for the event include SmallBizLady, Egg Marketing & Communications, BizSugar, Basic Blog Tips, BizLaunch,Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, DIYMarketers, Founding Moms, MyVenturePad, Black Data Processing Associates, SCORE, Seize This Day Coaching, EntrepreneurWeek, ChamberofCommerce.com, Your Virtual Assistant, Research Access, Hawkeye Management LLC, LivePlan, Ask the Business Lawyer, Technology for Business Sake, Adrian's Network, ShoutOut Enterprises, National Network of Embroidery Professionals, Zimana and The NYC Business Networking Group.


5 Things That Make Sales Chiefs Stand Out

For many of us that have been in and out of sales, tried sales short term or are truly dedicated career sales professionals, we have all had our share of the good, the bad and the ugly  ”sales manager.”

indian chiefs

It got me thinking about what it really takes today to lead a team of salespeople through harder times, more difficult selling environments and the new marketing tools we all must use now.

There are a few stand out sales chiefs  for me over a 20+ year career in broadcast radio sales, that really inspired, coached and led me. I was a sales managers dream â€" a self motivated, committed professional from the beginning.  But I had to learn a lot about the profession of selling. I had all the intangibles â€" the personality, the creativity, the love of people, challenge and achievement.

All of these sales chiefs were successful sales people first. They lived  in the trenches and knew first hand what it meant to be on the ground. They went on to management because they had the additional, big picture, administrative, goal setting and goal executing vision and skills needed to manage others.

Not all great salespeople make great managers and not all great managers are mean't to stay in the trenches. Although great sales chiefs need to see the bigger picture, they also should never loose sight of what their sales people experience in the trenches.

Here are 5 things that make stand out sales chiefs in today's sales environment:

Intellectual Honesty
It's really not OK to sell people things they don't really need,  isn't a good fit or exaggerate expectations. Sadly, salespeople still do it everyday prodded by the wrong leadership motives. That simply isn't a good strategy or way to build long term, solid relationships. The public is way to smart for that.

A Great Salesman Versus  A Great Sales Manager
Most successful salespeople are creative, intuitive, assertive and somewhat disorganized. Great sales managers are more skilled in organization, administration, budget management, details and corporate politics.

Big Picture Vision and The Path To Get There
Seeing the numbers and the ‘how to' plan to get to and achieve those numbers takes a unique vision and an ability to articulate that to a sales team. Great sales leaders can get the best out of each individual, which then generates the best team results.

Ability to Read People
Sales is so much about intuition, instincts and the ability to read people. Every client and situation stands on it's own and should be dealt with that way.  Going in with the attitude of serving will drive the sales results much faster. Working with sellers on their ‘consultive sales' abilities can greatly impact the results and their self esteem.

Coach, Get Personal and Inspire
Great sales chiefs are cheerleaders, mentors, coaches, advocates and trainers. When times are tough or it's difficult to break through and get results, knowing the right questions to ask or areas to work on with their team is a morale builder. Coming out in front of the title, being accessible, open and authentic is a big asset in building a strong team that wants to succeed and win.  Just look at the newly crowned NBA champion Miami Heat and their coach Eric Sploestra.

Here are 25 influencial leaders in sales that demonstrate these and other ideas about sales leadership.  SellingPower.com and Justsell.com are two of the top sales websites out there today.  Check out Tim Mushey's Sell, Succeed and Lead blog.

What qualities do you need to add to become a stand out sales chief?  What qualities stand out for you in the top sales chief's you've work for?

Chief Photo via Shutterstock




New HP Technologies Are On The Table For Businesses

Not too long ago, we observed an explosion in technologies that have empowered SMBs significantly, allowing them to have the same control over their operations as a large corporation would at a smaller scale. Concepts like the Cloud and new telecommunications services (such as the portable PBX system offered by RingCentral) have greatly raised the bar on what a small business can do.

Now, HP demonstrated certain technologies particularly catering to the business market in its Global Influencer Summit 2012, which took place in Shanghai, China. The company presented an arsenal of 80 different devices, some of them sure to change the business world for the better.

Here's a list of some of the devices that HP had to show for its love for businesses around the world:

  • EliteBook Folio, ENVY Pro, and SpectreXT Pro - These devices comprise HP's new selection of ultrabooks that are hitting the market. Each of these has a wonderfully ergonomic style that makes work all the more enjoyable. The EliteBook Folio presents one of the most powerful choices, with the possibility for 16 GB DDR3 RAM. This is essential if you want a system that is light to the touch and responds instantaneously. The ultrabooks make use of Intel's Core series processors, which makes multitasking a thing to take for granted.
  • ProBook S-Series Notebook - If you're not into ultrabooks, and are looking for a little more brawn, HP released this particular notebook to call the attention of those working in or operating an SMB. The notebook comes with everything you need in a business world, such as HD video conferencing capabilities, high-end CPU muscle, and more RAM than you'll know what to do with. Assuming that you do a lot of travelling, the company has also gone through the trouble of making sure that this laptop comes with durable materials that won't easily get scratched.
  • Compaq LED Multitouch Monitor - The L2206tm monitor serves the retail and hospitality industries with a perfect fit. Its dimensions (21.5-inch diagonal) will accommodate almost any situation, especially those that call for larger grid systems. The low 5ms response time will make things move more naturally, with objects following close to the fingertip rather than lagging behind it.
  • All-In-One “Zero” Client - Basically a thin client, the HP t410 zero client allows you to connect all the components of the client to the virtualization server with one single cable. Each client comes with an 18.5-inch display, a keyboard, a mouse, and an internal stereo speaker. The “one cable” concept is to be taken literally, since the thin client also makes use of power over Ethernet (PoE), feeding the computer with electricity through the same cable it gets its Internet connectivity from. This certainly eliminates a mess otherwise created by having to deal with multiple cables sprawled all over the office floor.
  • Laser Pro MFP Printer - This is the perfect printer for the tech junkie and environmentally conscious business alike. With automatic two-sided printing, you get to shave 50 percent off of the amount of paper you use on a daily basis. Its remote printing capabilities allow you to print from a cave in the middle of Ukraine as long as you have connectivity. The color touchscreen panel is a nice aesthetic addition that makes the printer more manageable for first-time users.

Whether you're a retailer, you own an inn, or have an IT-based business, at least one of these products will definitely help you make your business more manageable, whether it be less cables lying around or a more economic printing solution. The possibilities will always become more ample if you introduce a little bit of tech magic to the office floor.



Microsoft to revoke certificates with fewer than 2048 bits

Certificates with fewer than 2048 bits are to be treated as invalid by Microsoft.

According to a security advisory from the company, from next month certificates with less than 2048 bits will be treated as invalid, even if they are currently valid and signed by a trusted certificate authority.

Microsoft Trustworthy Computing spokesperson Yunsun Wee said its experts have recommended that those using RSA keys should choose a key length of at least 2048 bits, and the update will follow these guidelines. Wee said: “We're reminding you now to allow everyone time to make necessary adjustments.”

Wee also said that in the course of normal certificate-related housekeeping, Microsoft spotted a number of digital certificates that did not meet its standard for security practices.

“Though we have no indication that those had been compromised or misused in any fashion, as a precautionary measure we've revoked them. A subset of those was in addition found to have code signing permissions, which has earned them a place in the Untrusted Certificate Store,” Wee said.

Microsoft has also released an advisory to allow system administrators to disable the Windows sidebar and gadgets on supported versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7 with one fix it click.

As Windows 8 will deprecate the sidebar and gadgets, Wee said that some Vista and Windows 7 gadgets do not adhere to secure coding practices and should be regarded as causing risk to the systems on which they're run.

Wee said: “With time running out for the sidebar and gadgets and with developers already moving on, we've chosen to deprecate the Windows gadget gallery effective immediately, and to provide a fix it to help system administrators disable gadgets and the sidebar across their enterprises.”



Quarri confirms deployment of Protect On Q at UK accounting firms

Security software company Quarri has announced deployments in two UK accounting firms.

Cambridgeshire-based Fisher Accounting and Taxation Services has selected Quarri's Protect On Q (POQ) web security solution to safeguard its electronic financial transactions. According to the company, the solution prevents end-users from copying, saving, printing or screen-capturing browser-delivered data.

Fisher Accounting is also using the solution to increase the security of its web-based financial transactions with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and corporate banking websites, in order to protect confidential information and user passwords from hackers and malicious software.

Julian Fisher, managing director at Fisher Accounting and Taxation Services, said that the need to provision higher levels of security and data leakage controls was imperative, given the sensitivity of the information it handles.

He said: “With clients across the UK and internet connectivity available everywhere, we were seeking a solution to a complicated issue. We chose Quarri's POQ because it's a comprehensive security solution that defends against both internal and external threats with anti-malware and data leakage protections. POQ assures that our sensitive data remains on our servers while allowing authorised access as needed anytime, from any endpoint, at any location.”

Laurie Coffin, vice president of marketing at Quarri, said that the company also has remote workers who typically use laptops and are unable to connect to a LAN, so have to either take print-outs of information or use a USB stick, so this was a concern for client data.

Bill Morrow, executive chairman and CEO of Quarri, said: “Forward-thinking financial organisations such as Fisher Accounting and Taxation Services are looking for innovative technologies to effectively solve security challenges and protect sensitive information, which is the lifeblood of their business.”

Coffin also said that accounting and business advisory firm Whiting and Partners has also selected POQ after consolidating its infrastructure to a centralised data centre, which left it needing to provide staff access to corporate web applications, including Outlook web access and Virtual Desktop Access, from a home or customer device.

Jim Harrison, senior partner at Whiting and Partners, said: “We've seen a lot of press about traditional security technologies failing to protect against the malware threats of today, particularly man-in-the-browser and keyloggers, so we wanted to see if we could improve our security stance.

”In choosing POQ, not only are our security levels increased significantly, but POQ's clientless approach was unique and very attractive. The fact we can secure the browser on an unknown endpoint before authentication occurs or any subsequent data is accessed means our staff can get secure access from a home or client PC.”

Coffin also said that Whiting and Partners is offering the solution to employees for secure online banking and shopping. She said: “This is total security compliance for anyone who has to follow security regulation. One of our customers is using this for secure access to a SaaS portal so it can be accessed from the browser and does not store data in the cache.”



Cost cutting in businesses affects security

Security professionals are feeling the pinch, as businesses cut back on spending.

According to a survey of 119 organisations by Tufin, companies are making cost savings at the expense of IT security. It found that 48 per cent of businesses focus their efforts on reducing expenditure at the expense of security, while 27 per cent of IT security experts said that the IT security budget is being spent on compliance issues that do not improve security.

Shaul Efraim, Tufin's vice president of marketing and business development, said he felt that these findings were concerning, as they show that the effects of the current economic environment are starting to reshape the way that IT security is deployed within organisations.

“From an audit and governance perspective, this is potentially bad news, as it means that the normal efficient business and management processes are being subverted by financial cuts. This cannot be good for any organisation over time,” he said.



Small businesses face a third of targeted attacks

A third of all targeted attacks are directed at small businesses.

According to the Symantec Intelligence Report for June, 36 per cent of all targeted attacks (58 per day) are directed at small businesses, while large enterprises consisting of more than 2,500 employees are still receiving the greatest number of attacks (69 per day).

Symantec claimed that during the first half of the year, the total number of daily targeted attacks increased at a rate of 24 per cent, with an average of 151 targeted attacks being blocked each day during May and June.

Paul Wood, cyber security intelligence manager at Symantec, said: “There appears to be a direct correlation between the rise in attacks against smaller businesses and a drop in attacks against larger ones. It almost seems attackers are diverting their resources directly from the one group to the other.

“It may be that your company is not the primary target, but an attacker may use your organisation as a stepping-stone to attack another company. You do not want your business to be the weakest link in the supply chain. Information is power, and the attackers know this, and successful attacks can result in significant financial advantage for the cyber criminals behind them. Access to intellectual property and strategic intelligence can give them huge advantages in a competitive market.”

Wood claimed that although targeted attacks are on the increase, they are still very rare. “We regard this as the next evolution of social engineering, where victims are researched in advance and specifically targeted,” Wood said.

The most targeted industry was the defence industry, which receives an average of 7.3 attacks per day. After that it is the chemical/pharmaceutical and manufacturing sectors.



Microsoft patches Internet Explorer and Windows flaws

Microsoft released nine security bulletins on yesterday's Patch Tuesday, including three rated as critical and six as important, which address 16 issues in Microsoft Windows, Internet Explorer, Visual Basic for Applications and Microsoft Office.

The critical bulletins begin with MS12-044, an update for Internet Explorer 9 that addresses two critical vulnerabilities. According to Wolfgang Kandek, CTO of Qualys, both can be triggered through a malicious web page and both allow the attacker remote code execution.

“What makes MS12-044 more interesting is that it only applies to IE 9, a clear sign that security researchers have started to shift their attention to the new version of the browser,” he said.

Microsoft said the two vulnerabilities were privately disclosed to it, and it has no indication that they are being exploited in the wild.

Jason Miller, manager of research and development at VMware, said: “We are seeing for the first time in a long time that Microsoft has gone consecutive months with a cumulative security update for Internet Explorer. Typically, we can expect an update to Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser every other month.”

Patch MS12-043 addresses one issue in the XML core services, affecting all supported versions of Windows. Andrew Storms, director of security operations for nCircle, said: “The most important patch this month is undoubtedly the XML core services bug. Microsoft issued an advisory for this bug in early June and we've already seen the exploit in a number of exploit toolkits and attacks have been reported in the wild.

“If you are paying close attention, you'll notice that the XML version five patch for the bug isn't shipping today. The fix for this version is probably not ready yet, so Microsoft decided to deliver the other patches. So far, all the attacks in the wild utilise XML version three, so this release, even though not totally complete, seems like a no-brainer.”

Miller also said that this is the most important bulletin this month, as it is a zero-day. “During the June 2012 Patch Tuesday, Microsoft released a security advisory stating they were aware of active but limited attacks against vulnerability in Microsoft XML Core Services,” he said.

“In the past week, the code for this exploit has been made public, making this patch even more important in terms of severity. With this vulnerability, a user who browses to a malicious website with Internet Explorer can result in remote code execution.”

The final critical patch is MS12-045, an update for the Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) that exists in all versions of Windows. Miller said: “Similar to the previous security bulletins mentioned, navigating to a malicious website with an unpatched system can result in remote code execution. In addition, a user opening a Microsoft Office document with a malicious embedded ActiveX control can result in remote code execution.”

The remaining patches are rated as ‘important'. Kandek said that MS12-046 deserves special attention, primarily if you have machines that are configured for Asian character input.

He said: “The bulletin addresses a remote code execution vulnerability in Microsoft Office through the IMESHARE.dll, which is used in multi-byte character input. We generally believe that Office vulnerabilities that allow for remote code execution deserve a rating higher than ‘important'.”

Ziv Mador, director of security research at Trustwave SpiderLabs, said: “If you open a perfectly good Microsoft office file (such as a .docx) that just happens to have specially crafted DLL in the same directory, an attacker can then do all kinds of nasty things such as delete files, create new accounts, etc. and if you're logged in as admin, well, then the bad guys basically own the whole box.

“If you have Visual Basic for Applications SDK, or third party applications that use MS VBA, or even one of several different versions of MS office installed you will need this update. Since this one has been seen in the wild you will want to apply this update as soon as you can."



Your Biggest Culprit to Workday Productivity

Every day is a battle for productivity when you're a small business owner or consultant. And, if we're being honest, productivity can be especially hard to hold on to during these warm summer months when BBQs and beach daydreams wreak havoc on our day.

employee updating social mediaIf you've ever sat back and wondered what happened between 9-5, a new survey from the creators of OfficeTime may interest you. Here, the time tracking site polled respondents to answer the question “where does our time go” and identified some of the biggest culprits to workplace productivity.

Earlier this year, OfficeTime announced the top 5 time killers and formally outted Email (47 percent), Procrastination (42 percent), Social Networking (36 percent), Meetings (34 percent) and Surfing the Internet (30 percent) as the top vices stealing hours from our day. This time, OfficeTime checked back in to see exactly how much time we were spending in this five time-suck areas.

Warning, the findings may scare you:

  • 64 percent spend up to 1 hour on social networking sites each day
  • 59 percent spend up to 1 hour each day surfing the Internet
  • 49 percent spend up to 1 hour each day in meetings
  • 40 percent spend an average of 1-3 hours dealing with email
  • 34 percent spend 30 minutes to 1 hour “procrastinating”

Add up the high end of those numbers and it's pretty easy to understand why some of us leave the office wondering what exactly we accomplished in the first place.

If you feel like you're not stretching your days as far as you could, below are some quick productivity tips to help you avoid some of the time traps listed above.

1. Create a Plan

Every Sunday I sit down at my computer, figure out what it is I need to get done over the next week, and create a map for the next 5-6 days on how/when each task is going to get accomplished. Sure, it's inevitable that other things will pop up and that I'll have to shift my plan, but going into the week with a set structure helps me to focus in on the work that's really important. Otherwise, it's easy to leave the week the same way you came in â€" with a pile of work still on the table because you got “side-tracked” in other areas. Know what you need to get done in your day and your week, and hold yourself accountable to that.

2. Schedule Email

It's not surprising that email is time and time again listed as the biggest culprit to productivity. In the survey noted above, 40 percent of respondents said they spend between 1-3 hours a day responding to email, and I bet you've had days where you've spent far more than that. Try to schedule set times where you respond to email so that you're not spending your whole day bobbing in and out. Maybe you handle email for an hour in the morning and then check in for 20 minutes before lunch and before you head out for the evening. Choose whatever works for you, but get to the point where you're managing your email, not the other way around. And, if possible, avoid answering email as soon as you get into the office. You'll find that being able to knock a few things off your plate first will help set momentum for the rest of the day.

This post on 7 Gmail Tips Every SMB Should Know can help you use your Gmail account smarter by taking advantage of free tools and features.

3. Find Accountability Tools

I don't know about you, but my biggest obstacle to productivity is keeping myself accountable. When you work for yourself, you don't have anyone else there to crack the whip and keep you on task. Maybe you're disciplined and don't need it or maybe you're like me and rely on tools to keep you as accountable and productive as possible.

Online time tracking tools like Harvest, Toggl, and OfficeTime (creators of the survey) can be incredibly useful for an individual or a team to help accurately track time and analyze how its spent. If you charge by the hour, these tools can also help keep track of client budgets and show them how you're spending their dollars.

If you're not a fan of line tool trackers, than maybe a trusty old egg timer is your preferred way of staying on track. I keep an egg timer on my desk and use it religiously when writing content. Whatever tool you use doesn't have to be flashy, just something that you'll be accountable to.

4. Identity & Limit Distractions

Some distractions we're well aware of â€" it's the blinking light on our smart phone, it's Twitter, or it's our favorite blog that has nothing to do with work. Having been identified, it's easy enough to curb these when we want to. Kill your Internet if you don't need it at the moment, throw your phone in a drawer where you can't see it, etc.

But there are other distractions that pop into our day that we may not realize.

Like your office messenger system (Skype, perhaps) that's filled with more conversations about lunch options than work, or that person who likes to call meetings when an email would have been more efficient. One of the perks of using an online time tracking tool is it can help you spot time sucks you may have not have noticed. If you haven't used one before, maybe try it for a few weeks simply to help you analyze how you spend your day. Maybe you'll find you're spending a third of your day in meetings or you have a friend who texts you every hour. Once you know, cut out the noise. You'd be surprise how easy fixes can add hours back into your day.

What are some of your biggest culprits to workplace productivity? Do they fall on the list or do you have other secret vices?

Updating Social Media Photo via Shutterstock




Your Small Business Could Win a Facebook Marketing Makeover From American Express Open

For the second year, American Express and Facebook are sponsoring Big Break for Small Businesses, an initiative geared toward small businesses. The winner will not only receive a Facebook makeover from one of the site's branding experts, but also $25,000 to put the advice into action.

The contest is being held on Amex's OPEN Facebook Page. SmallBizTechnology's Ramon Ray, who writes for Amex's OPEN Forum, points out that every business benefits from entering. As Ray points out, all businesses receive educational and brand-building tools, as well as $50 in Facebook advertising credits. American Express cardholders and merchants who enter will receive $100 in Facebook advertising.

But is such a makeover relevant, when some businesses have ceased Facebook advertising efforts in recent months. As the Los Angeles Times pointed out recently, ad revenue for the site fell by half in the fourth quarter of 2011, then fell even further in early 2012. Advertising revenue is now at 21.2% of what it was in 2011, according to a report by research firm IDC.

“The effectiveness of advertising on Facebook is just really terrible,” Karsten Weide, IDC vice president of media and entertainment told the newspaper. “Advertisers are realizing that Facebook isn't as effective as they first thought. They're pulling their money and taking it elsewhere.”

GM is one of the latest. In May, the automaker's global marketing chief announced the company was pulling paid ads from the site, deeming them ineffective. In recent weeks, though, Facebook has been working with GM to show how advertising on the site can pay off.

This may explain Facebook's motive for hosting the contest for a second year in a row. The site stands to gain from getting small business owners excited about advertising on the world's most popular social media network. But if Facebook users aren't clicking through, is a Facebook makeover valuable?

Still, Facebook's determined to conquer the field of advertising. The company is currently meeting with businesses to determine the best way to implement marketing campaigns that work. If this research brings success, small businesses may be poised at the beginning of a new successful marketing era for the company.

Even if advertising on Facebook isn't a business's preference, the contest will also award the winning businesses' communities with a panel of experts to help with social media efforts. This panel will teach local entrepreneurs how to best utilize social media marketing to bring in business and build brand.

To enter, small businesses need only go to www.facebook.com/OPEN and complete a brief questionnaire. From the entries, ten finalists will be chosen, with five chosen from those ten by fans of Amex's Facebook Open page. The deadline for entries is July 13.

SmallBizTechnology's Ramon Ray is the author of The Facebook Guide to Small Business Marketing, set for release in November of this year. This guide to social media marketing walks small businesses through each step of the process, from setting up a great Facebook presence to taking advantage of the site's marketing features. With help from members of Facebook's own staff, Ray helps small businesses get the most out of the ultra-popular social media network.



Oracle Announces Involver Purchase as Social Media Becomes Business Imperative

Back in the days when social media was just a way to friend your pals from college or share a funny photo, some companies might not have predicted the medium would become the marketing and business communications power it is today. But a recent announcement by tech giant Oracle of its intention to buy startup social media manager Involver, perhaps more than Facebook' s oft reported Wall Street debut, is a sign of where social media for business is headed.

The Oracle Speaks!

Getting to know you. A post from Involver president and CEO Don Beck on the company's blog puts the Oracle purchase into perspective. “The proliferation of social media has changed the way that organizations and consumers interact,” Beck writes. The Involver Blog

Finding the next big thing. Oracle's own announcement of the acquisition plays up the importance the tech giant places in social media, not just for simple marketing, but for increasing brand loyalty, connecting with potential customers, and anticipating buyers' needs. Oracle

Involver gets involved with Oracle. The partnership between Oracle and its latest acquisition Involver can be seen from another perspective. The alliance combines Involver's social media tools with the broader menu of Oracle cloud solutions, including more social options from previous acquisitions. PC Mag

Other Acquisitions

Buying into social media. In fact, Involver isn't the first social media purchase for Oracle, a company that is clearly attempting to increase social offerings as part of its online business services. In May, Oracle announced purchase of social media company Virtue for $300 million, followed by the purchase of Collective Intellect, a company specializing in social analytics. All Things Digital

Salesforce to GoInstant. And Oracle isn't the only online business software provider to be on a shopping spree for companies with social media capabilities. Salesforce.com recently announced the purchase of Nova Scotia-based startup GoInstant, which allows people in different locations to easily browse Websites together. The Wall Street Journal

Peddling influence. As part of an increasing effort not just to create social media tools but also to measure the influence of the brands that use them, Los Angeles incubator Science Inc. has announced acquisition of the Indian-based company Pinpuff, which tracks the influence of users on Pinterest and rewards them accordingly. TechCircle.in

Putting Things Together

A new kind of business. In his post about the new Pinpuff acquisition, Science Inc. CEO Mike Jones explains how social media not only aides existing businesses but also helps build new ones. Mike writes, “Part of our strategy here at Science is to build services and tools that assist influencers in building their audiences, and eventually themselves as actual businesses.” Science

Other Benefits

Coming to a country near you. Social media is becoming more than just a channel for businesses to promote their products and services. It is also becoming an important marketplace where products and services can be offered to an ever increasing community of customers. A case in point is the new Facebook App Center, now available in the US and in seven other countries. Venture Beat

Taken for a ride. Social media is even influencing such non-digital business activities as the daily work commute and other shared business trips, it seems. Commuters and long distance travelers are using social networks like Zimride.com, Ridejoy.com, Nuride.com, and others to find shared travel opportunities. The New York Times

Going mobile. Like the rest of the Web, social media no longer requires staying in one place or being tied to your PC. Google is just the latest to release a mobile app for its Google+ social network, but the fact is that almost any social network can now be used by business people on the go. Google Official Blog