Winter is here again!

But EtherTech is keeping you out of the cold and up to date with the latest winter warmers! 🙂

“Another Internet Explorer (IE) Bug! Called Zero-Day”

Are you still stuck using IE6+? Windows XP has now been out-of-support for nearly 2 months and in that time many have had their ear to the ground waiting to hear the latest news regarding attacks on Windows XP machines. The month of May has seen a specifically aimed Windows XP attack and fix. Microsoft have changed their mind and have released a one-off security update for the most popular Windows Operating Systems; interestingly this includes a special Windows XP update. Despite Microsoft claims they were not going to support Windows XP any longer, they have now released an emergency fix.

The latest Operating System (OS) trend shows an increased slump in the number of Windows XP machines circulating in Australia and a slow rise in Windows 8.1.

This attack has targeted users operating most versions of the Internet Explorer browser (IE6 to IE11). ActiveX is used as part of IE which is disabled however there is a fix available by running windows update.  This hack only affects IE, therefore other browsers such as Google Chrome or Firefox will not be exposed to this attack.

Devices for Everyone

Touchscreen devices have been around for some time now and growing evermore popular as technology advances. It has been some years since we first witnessed Apples iPad release in 2010.
Smartphones have arguably encouraged the sales of other touchscreen devices and provided suppliers with opportunities to upsell their latest and greatest to the masses. If an organisation can introduce technology to streamline processes especially onsite with a client or in the field while servicing their equipment, then the cost to that business is invaluable. Having the ability to instantly record faults, write reports and send directly to a client, brings this sought-after technology to the forefront of some highly efficient organisations. What are we looking for in such a device anyway? Easy-to-use, quick, tough, stylish, secure, waterproof etc. the list goes on. There are now so many devices to choose from, so the right fit for you and your organisation is a looming question. If you are considering moving to tablet based devices to help streamline your organisation, please give us a call first to discuss what’s available to best serve your needs.

EtherTech Announcement:

Please be aware that as of the 1^st of July 2014 EtherTech’s technical support hourly rates are changing. We are introducing a sliding scale pricing model, where senior technician’s hourly rates will increase and conversely junior rates will be cheaper. EtherTech haven’t had a rate rise in over 5 years, but now need to increase our rates due to the ever increasing expenses we need to help cover.  For the majority of you, the only real increase will be in onsite support.

June is the month to lock in a pre-paid support pack prior to these rates increasing, so get in quick before it’s too late!
Until the next month, thanks for reading and make sure if you’re ever in the area you swing past for a coffee!