Recent News

Businesses, not only individuals, have to be cautious. Scams and attempts to gain private information cost businesses billions every year. One of the latest versions of an internet phishing expedition attempts to say that your business fraudulently charged someone's credit card. They use your domain name as evidence as to how it appears on their credit card statement. Virtual~Sands received one requesting a refund for $199.00. These are the kinds of emails that Virtual~Sands...

Microsoft does not call to update your software. Recently a client contacted us saying that Microsoft called them because their software was out of date and vulnerable. This seemed suspicious, and rightly so, because Microsoft does not call about your software. Quite honestly, unless you have registered software, like Windows or Office, Microsoft does not even know who you are or your phone number. Calls like these from "Microsoft" are a scam. So it is good to be suspicious and...

If a device fails after warranty, do not bother asking for repair, Toshiba cannot help you. Virtual~Sands has been supporting and recommending Toshiba products for over twenty years. We have often found their laptops and hard drives to be some of the most reliable and best value in the industry. Times change. Solid state drives with a MTBF of around one million hours should provide reliable service for many years. Recently, however, we have had the unpleasant experience of...

What is Ransomware & How to Prevent It Many have heard of it, some have had the unfortunate time to experience it. Ransomware is malicious software that encrypts your files and requires payment to unlock your data. More than 4,000 ransomware attacks per day occurred in the first half of 2016 according to a report from the FBI. Ransomware attacks against individuals typically cost $500 in bitcoin. Ransomware attacks against businesses have ranged from $17,000 to over $150,000...

Virtual~Sands upgrades mail server. The mail server upgrade allows for better logging as well as better microsoft activesync and discovery. It has fixed issues with calendars, mac auto discovery, email headers, and a variety of other small problems. The upgrade also provides a 33% space increase for mail hosting. Contact us to learn more and discuss how we can help!

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Virtual~Sands chosen security applications rank high in review. In a recent analysis, by AV Comparatives, Total Defense scored among the best-ranked malware removal on android. http://bit.ly/2mBNaLU Total Defense (BitDefender Engine) and Vipre (ThreatTrack) are security applications selected by Virtual~Sands. Both applications scored Advanced+ on the Comparatives Real-World test for desktops. http://bit.ly/2deXMvU Part of choosing the right company to care for your...

We all get plenty of spam, but when it crosses the line to fraud and identity theft we have to be extra cautious. The attached screenshot looks normal: [image] In fact all of the links are valid and they take you to where you would expect to go except for the "Update Your Account Details." This link takes you to a deceptive site. Some browsers might alert you to this fact, but if they don't, take heed and keep your eyes open. Letting your mouse hover over the button will...

Virtual~Sands upgrades Windows Advantage Support. Advantage Support is a custom software used for monitoring and remote maintenance of client's machines without interruption to the client. It allows us to support you more consistently and with a higher level of service. There is a quick help feature that prompts an e-mail box allowing you to contact our tech support team at any time for speedy assistance. The quick help feature also takes a screen shot of your computer so we can see...

Virtual~Sands updates maintenance profile to version 4! Regular maintenance helps business and residential machines run more smoothly and economically. This is why we offer preventive care as a part of our client-centered approach. Our preventive care services include optimization, security, data protection, and physical cleaning of the machine. The maintenance profile provides a framework for consistent application of these comprehensive set of procedures. The version 4.0 update...

Virtual~Sands updates all internal servers! We care for our machines the way we care for our client's machines. Servers in all of our network centers have been brought up to maintenance level 4 for security and functionality. Our 20 years experience has shown that regular preventive care is more cost effective than replacing machines or recovering from lost data. Get in touch to discuss how we can help. Store. Protect. Deliver. That's what we do. [image] ...