It’s shocking to think something as private as your credit card number could be stolen so easily…

Alberto Gonzales and three other men were indicted on Monday for stealing over 130 million credit card numbers from several Fortune 500 companies. So how did he do it? Simple. Gonzalez and his team was able to exploit end users that didn’t know how poor their security was by launching “hacking platforms” on each of their point-of-sale systems, along with the classic SQL-injection attacks. He then used malware to extract credit and debit card numbers.

The companies hit hardest were ones who had taken their security systems for granted. Makes you think twice about your network security, doesn’t it? Just think of all the money and classified information at stake…

To read the full story of this harrowing identity theft, click here.

Netgear just announced its latest product for the small business market: the ProSafe 8-Port VPN Firewall (model FVS318G). At only $139, this firewall is ideal for small businesses that need externally facing network resources like a Web server but have strict internal LAN security requirements. The new firewall also employs a software-configurable hardware DMZ port to help facilitate a server connection or another connection for a device on the network that remote users need to access.

“Our experience with the FVS318G on the network has been very positive,” said Johnny Chin, president and chief executive officer at Onesimus Enterprises, whose company participated in the beta test program. “For the price, we were impressed with the level of features offered along with enhanced security measures against outside attackers. Best of all, it’s fast enough to keep up with our high-speed broadband Internet connection, so we’re both protected and running at top speed.”

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I just got back from a Seattle Chamber of Commerce event on Social Media strategies. Tons of useful information to be had… here are a few cool tips I picked up while I was there:

• When you send out e-mail campaigns (or any marketing campaign, I suppose), include a photo. It adds a personal touch to an otherwise faceless company and generates more customer responses.
• There’s already a conversation going on that relates to your product or service. Are you a part of that conversation? Use Twitter search to find out what people are already talking about. When you get comfortable, jump in with your professional opinions. Become a part of the conversation.
• Social media is great, but it doesn’t hurt to use a physical presence as your base. Host an event, then integrate social media tools like Twitter. Even a small gathering of customers can expand to 100 times more people when you provide social media incentives.
• Twitter contests are a great way to involve customers (crowdsourcing!!) and expand your base. Example: this Twitter contest by Zappos.

Cool tools you can use:

• Twitter search – GREAT way to discover what people are interested in. Provides better results using real-time data, not some old link that’s been lying around for weeks.
• Tinker – stay on top of trends in Twitter and across the web. You can also use Tinker to create your own channels and promote your business.
• SM2 from Techrigy – this “freemium” service provides social media monitoring and analysis specifically for PR and marketing professionals.

I haven’t used these tools yet, but I plan to… if anyone has, or has any other tips on social media marketing, please share!!

Microsoft Sharepoint’s popularity is no secret. Over 17,000 companies- including General Mills, Starbucks and Viacom- use the software. Even in today’s rough economy, sales for Sharepoint continues to exceed $1 billion dollars.
If you look at the reasons behind Sharepoint’s success, you can start to see a trend in what really drives sales. As a small business, such powerful influence isn’t easily available, but it’s still worthwhile to learn and implement similar tactics.
Here are a few strategies that seem to have worked well for Sharepoint:

• Numerous applications are bundled into one package – providing customers with a one-stop solution is a great way to boost appeal.
• Ease of use – you don’t have to be tech-savvy to use Sharepoint’s most basic features. This is a good example of why it’s important to keep it simple. You’re more likely to appeal to a wider audience that way.
• Offers users all the benefits of cloud-based services, without the security risks – more and more services are being offered online, but the security risk remains a point of concern. If you can reassure customers that your product is secure, you’re that much closer to closing a sale.
• Integration with Office and Outlook – take advantage of what your customers already use and integrate your products into that. It’s much easier than trying to start carte blanche.

This list is FAR from extensive, so please feel free to add any comments or tips.

The Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce is hosting a great networking event at the Rainier Square Conference Center in downtown Seattle. The topic is “Developing a Social Media Plan for Your Business”. Two of Microsoft’s top social media experts are presenting. Here are a few things they will cover:

• The importance of a social media presence
• How to market your business online
• Which networks are most effective for your customers
• How to build relationships online, interact with customers and find social media mentors

I plan on attending, so I’ll take copious notes and report back with any juicy tips!

If you’re curious, here’s a link to the event:
Technology Thursday – Developing a Social Media Plan for Your Business

In a recent interview with WTIA, Jonathan Sposato offers advice to MBA students and small business owners in the Seattle area. I found his response to the last question posed really interesting. It makes me wonder… Is it really best for small business owners to be “generalists” as he calls them, or is it better to focus on one specialty and be the best?

To view the interview, go to http://tinyurl.com/jonathanSposato.

The recent economic downturn has taken a huge toll on small businesses, but things are starting to look up. According to recent news reports, the unemployment rate for July dropped to 9.4 percent, with only half the number of job losses compared to June. So what role do small businesses play in all this?

The success of small businesses drives our economy. Seventy percent of jobs are created by small businesses and over half of workers in the U.S. either own or work for a small business. Nearly half of small business owners believe the economic downturn caused their company to be more efficient, innovative and cultivate stronger teams.

One way that small businesses are increasing efficiency is through outsourcing. A survey conducted by oDesk reported that 41.9 percent of small businesses outsource more during a recession. Revenue for IT outsourcing grew the most in this past year, up by 12 percent in the 4th quarter of 2008.

Hopefully, the worst of this economic crisis is behind us. And on a brighter note, the lessons that small businesses have learned from this recession led to more efficient and effective business practices. How has your business weathered the economic storm? Have you learned any lessons from this?

One of the greatest challenges small businesses face is finding reliable, affordable IT support. Most small businesses don’t have the budget for a full-time IT department, so they’ve had to settle for a resident “IT guy” to solve their IT problems. But is the part-time receptionist or boss’ son really the best person for the job?
An alarming new study shows that one in four small businesses have failing IT. Another 37 percent barely passed inspection with a score of C. This is really disconcerting when you consider that a majority of small businesses rely on IT for their success.
Tech support is evolving. Emerging trends like cloud computing and SaaS provide small business solutions that are inexpensive- sometimes free. The old “break-fix” model of tech support is evolving. Is your small business evolving with it, or is it still stuck in the dark ages?

Scene: Joe S. from Accounting takes his work laptop to a nearby café. His computer automatically picks up a public wireless signal, so he sits in the corner with his cup of coffee and browses the web. He searches for an e-book on the mating habits of Parakeets, and what luck- finds one and downloads it to his PC. Then he decides to check his personal e-mail. There’s one new message. The subject line says “Mothers Day Confirmation Order”. Funny. He doesn’t remember buying his mom a present. He opens the link anyway.
The next day, Joe brings his laptop back to work and tries to power it up. No such luck. That seemingly innocent e-mail was actually a virus- the “Love” bug. The pain didn’t end there, though- oh no. When Joe S. opened the attachment in that e-mail, the virus went straight to work, sending a similar e-mail to everyone in his contact list. Many of those people were co-workers, a few of which used their work computer to open the e-mail. Within hours, the virus spread not only to Joe, but through his work.

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It’s time to recognize that techies really are using their own language. Heck, sometimes it seems like they aren’t even human anymore. The following table includes a number of terms often employed by support centers and IT Professionals alike. Familiarize yourself with these terms in order to avoid any embarrassment or to catch your tech support in the act:

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