Blog & Updates

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Cyber Security Tips

October 11, 2018

There has been a tremendous uptick in cyber attacks this year. We are getting at least a call per week, sometimes a couple a week, on significantly compromised businesses calling for help. The following are some common factors that we see in these cases and some tips to help improve you cybersecurity. Common Factors in Attacks Lack Two-Factor Authentication  Also referred to as 2FA, TFA, or 2 Step Verification. The fist step is the usual username and password input. The second process typically involves a code being sent to trusted personal devices (such as your phone). Some common authenticators include Google Authenticator and Apple’s two-factor authentication. Lack Brute-Force Password Guessing Protection This form of hacking consists of generating every possible combination

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Key Differences Between a Responsive Website and Having Your Own Mobile App

Key Differences Between a Responsive Website and Having Your Own Mobile App

September 24, 2018

An increasing amount of internet use has migrated from computers to mobile devices ever since smartphones hit the market big time a little over a decade ago. That’s one of the reasons that search giant Google started penalizing websites in their rankings that weren’t responsive, designed to look good on mobile as well as desktop screens.

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High-tech exhibition booth showcasing advanced data and network solutions at Twin State Technical Services trade show.

CADDIS: Display and Marketing Material Showcase

September 14, 2018

Here at Twin State Technical Service, we have been growing our graphic design and video production capabilities. If you are interested in personalized, creative work to help your business reach and connect with customers, then take a look at the work we recently created for the CADDIS convention display. Pop Up Design We work with various print vendors to make sure your material prints as expected, from business cards or 10 ft pop up displays. One Sheet handouts We will work with you to narrow down the most important information you want to communicate with potential customers into a single sheet handout.     Automated looping PowerPoint Whether you want a classic click-through presentation or an automated loop that you

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Modern technology training session at Twin State Technical Services, enhancing IT skills for businesses and professionals.

CornCon 2018

September 14, 2018

  At this year’s CornCon cybersecurity conference (https://corncon.net/) we learned about several USB devices an intruder could use to break into or even destroy a computer. The USB Killer (https://usbkill.com/products/usb-killer-v3) is a device that draws power from a USB port to charge up capacitors and then dump hundreds of volts back into the machine over the USB data lines which can permanently damage the machine. The Bash Bunny (https://hakshop.com/products/bash-bunny) was another USB device that was presented that can present itself to the host system as a keyboard and automatically begin typing commands once plugged in. This device also can present itself as a network interface which can begin capturing data even when plugged into a locked machine. From these demonstrations

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5 Powerful Ways Amazon Web Services Can Benefit Small Businesses

5 Powerful Ways Amazon Web Services Can Benefit Small Businesses

September 10, 2018

Business technology is no longer just a computer, printer, and a few office applications. Technology has become an integral part of running any business in the 21st century. From accounting software to website contact forms to secure storage and emails, companies reply on multiple IT systems daily.

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High-quality image of professionals attending a TST (Twin State Technical Services) compliance presentation on ADA website accessibility standards.

ADA Compliance for Websites

August 16, 2018

On July 26th, 2018, Rebecca Hamlette (Web Developer / Designer) gave a free seminar to discuss the importance of ADA compliance for websites. Websites Must Comply or Risk Penalties Any business available to the public must accommodate the public. This is the prevailing legal argument provided in ADA Compliance legal suits targeting businesses with an online presence. If your business is online, you must be compliant or risk penalties. Maximum Penalties First Offense: $75,000 Subsequent Penalties: $150,000 Last year 7,663 ADA Title 3 lawsuits were filed, a staggering 16% more than the year prior.   Reach a Larger Audience Millions of users struggle with visual, auditory, mobility, and cognitive disabilities that prevent them from interacting with websites like other users would.

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High-quality IT support and managed services specializing in networking, cybersecurity, and technology solutions for businesses in Twin State region.

5 Powerful Features of one of our favorite FREE apps – Microsoft OneNote

August 16, 2018

You probably already have Microsoft OneNote, but are you getting the most from it? Here are 5 features to get you started quickly or take you to the next level. 1. You can trust the search function – Dump everything to OneNote and use one search to scan through paper scans, photos, hand writing, audio I know if I save something in OneNote, I can find it anywhere and anytime with the search. I use the search from my computer or my phone to instantly filter all OneNote files, regardless of where or when it is saved. In fact, OneNote can search images (e.g., screen captures, embedded document scans, photographs, hand writing) for embedded text-content. This is really amazing, for example,

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High-quality IT support services provided by Twin State Technical Services, specializing in managed IT solutions, cybersecurity, and network management for Chicago businesses.

Integrated Marketing Course: Key Website Points

August 14, 2018

Having recently returned from an Integrated Marketing Course offered by the American Marketing Association, has motivated me to reiterate the following key website points:   What Should a Website Do? Validate: It should be clear what your business is selling within 3 seconds of a user landing on your website. Educate: Provide something of value to the user that can help them in their daily lives. Motivate: Integrate a simple and straightforward ecommerce experience or call to action for sales conversions.   Your Website Should Also: Clearly answer “Who I am”, “What I do”, and “What can you do here.” The design resonates with the target audience. The design communicates a compelling value proposition. Must be responsive Must include calls-to-action

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Top 3 Takeaways from the AWS Summit.

August 13, 2018

Cloud services is the fastest growing area in technology today. As an AWS partner, our team attended the AWS Summit in Chicago early this month to learn about the latest services and features Amazon Web Services has to offer. They learned the latest techniques in planning, designing and implementing complete cloud solutions and hybrid solutions. It was also a chance to met with our dedicated AWS Partner team in person. A few of the trends discussed at the summit were: Machine Learning and AI AWS released new Machine Learning services to help generate advanced insight into business data. IoT (Internet of Things) As more and more devices connect to the internet, AWS is a convenient and scalable way to collect

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Brett working at a school

It’s Back-to-School Time!

August 1, 2018

As the school year begins, we would like to wish the faculty and staff a good school year. It has been a pleasure working with you and we are looking forward to working with you throughout the school year and for the years to come.  

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