COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE & SECURITY BLOG

How To Turn Off Google Spam Filtering

How To Turn Off Google Spam Filtering
I really like Google G-Suite products. And unless your email needs require PGP encryption (in which case I'd recommend only ProtonMail.com), Google Mail is my go-to solution. One of the reasons I so highly value G-Suite is their best-in-class spam filtering. However, it is possible that for some users, life would be easier without this…
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Google G-Suite New Pricing

Google G-Suite New Pricing
Over the past week, the administrators of Google G-Suite service have been receiving notice of price increases. In case your slipped through the cracks, attached below is the letter in its entirety. I continue to hold that Google G-Suite for Business and G-Suite Enterprise offer among the best total value when Total Cost of Ownership,…
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Special Sale! Ubiquiti UniFi Security Gateway (New, In Box)

Special Sale! Ubiquiti UniFi Security Gateway (New, In Box)
$139 List, $120 on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Security-Gateway-USG/dp/B00LV8YZLK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544912730&sr=8-1&keywords=ubiquiti+security+gateway). $75 obo (plus shipping) MintzIT price. Integration with UniFi Controller The UniFi® Controller software conducts device discovery, provisioning, and management of the UniFi Security Gateway and other UniFi devices through a single, centralized interface. Powerful Firewall Performance The UniFi® Security Gateway offers advanced firewall policies to protect your network…
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Holiday Specials!

Holiday Specials!
MintzIT is clearing out all remaining hardware at dramatic savings. All products are new, some display models. Ubiquiti UniFi Switch 24 - 250W (No Box) $399 List price, $390 on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-UniFi-Switch-Managed-US-24-250W/dp/B00OJZUQ24/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544911083&sr=8-1&keywords=US-24-250W) $299 obo (plus shipping) MintzIT price. Advanced Port Management Each switch port offers custom settings: port name, PoE, network/VLAN configuration, and operation mode…
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Q: Why is my internet speed so slow?

Q: Why is my internet speed so slow?
A: When purchasing a broadband connection from your DSL, cable, satellite, or another provider, you are sold a package with an estimated top speed–such as 20Mbs download. But it is exceptionally rare to get this speed. We receive complaints from clients almost every day about this, asking how we can fix the slow speed problem. Unfortunately,…
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iOS 12 Released! Practical Paranoia iOS 12 Security Essentials Now Available!

iOS 12 Released! Practical Paranoia iOS 12 Security Essentials Now Available!
Apple has just released iOS 12 for iPhone and iPad–the most advanced mobile operating system ever. It is recommended that all iPhone and iPad users upgrade to take advantage of all the new features, including: Speed–Up to 200% faster FaceTime–Video and audio sharing with up to 32 people at once Notifications–Instant Tuning reduces interruptions Photos–Faster,…
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Marc L. Mintz

Marc L. Mintz
Marc L. Mintz is one of the most respected and highly sought-after IT consultants and technical trainers in the United States. With over 20 years experience, his technical support services and workshops have been embraced by hundreds of organizations and thousands of individuals. He is author of the best-selling Practical Paranoia IT Security Essentials book…
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macOS 10.14 Mojave Released! Practical Paranoia macOS 10.14 Security Essentials Now Available!

macOS 10.14 Mojave Released! Practical Paranoia macOS 10.14 Security Essentials Now Available!
Apple has just released macOS 10.14 Mojave–the most advanced computer operating system ever. It is recommended that all Macintosh users upgrade to take advantage of all the new features, including: Stacks automatically organize files on your Desktop Finder is more powerful than ever–locate a file by how it looks, instantly see all file metadata, and perform…
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Practical Paranoia for Windows 10

Practical Paranoia for Windows 10
Updated January 2016! The best-selling, easiest, step-by-step, most comprehensive guide to securing your home or business Windows 10 computers. Official workbook for the Practical Paranoia: Security Essentials Workshop. Designed for both workshop use and self-study. The entire workshop is contained within the book. Includes all instructor presentations, hands-on assignments, links to all software, security checklist,…
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Q: Would a school or business that bans personal WiFi routers be able to “scan” for them?

Q: Would a school or business that bans personal WiFi routers be able to “scan” for them?
A: WiFi routers can be scanned for by their wireless signal (the electromagnetic frequency that is easily triangulated), and can by way of device type on the network. Improperly configured, such a router could easily be a potential security vulnerability to the network and the devices connected to it. Even if properly configured, it would…
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Practical Paranoia iOS 12 Security Essentials Released! 50% Discount!

Practical Paranoia iOS 12 Security Essentials Released! 50% Discount!
Apple released iOS 12 today–the most advanced mobile operating system ever. It is recommended that all iPhone and iPad users upgrade to take advantage of all the new features, including: 50-200% performance improvement FaceTime now supports video and audio with up to 32 people at once Personal Animoji The most advanced Augmented Reality Do Not Disturb can…
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Windows 10 Guarantee

Windows 10 Guarantee
Practical Paranoia: Windows 10 Security Essentials, the best-selling, easiest, and most comprehensive guide to fully securing your home and office PC, has just received a significant update, and will be on bookshelves within 2 weeks. This update includes Windows 10 changes introduced over the past month, as well as a new chapter covering encryption of…
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Remove Adobe Acrobat “Please wait while the document is being prepared” alert

Remove Adobe Acrobat “Please wait while the document is being prepared” alert
Many of our clients have recently noticed a new alert appearing when opening files in Adobe Acrobat (both Reader and Pro). The alert reads: Content Preparation Progress. Please wait while the document is being prepared for reading." Adobe support says this alert should normally not appear, but may with large (number of pages or file size)…
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Q: I’ve been told my file has illegal characters. What is that?

Q: I’ve been told my file has illegal characters. What is that?
A. Every operating system recognizes some set of characters. In the earlier days of computing that set was called ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange). This consisted of 255 characters including a-Z, 0-9, special characters such as !, and control characters such as carriage return. And then someone realized that some places on the planet didn't use…
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Q: Will I get fired if my manager find out I sent the project file home, and they are very tight on security?

Q: Will I get fired if my manager find out I sent the project file home, and they are very tight on security?
A: This depends on your company IT Policies and Procedures. For most organizations that deal with sensitive information, that information is not permitted to leave secure controlled company IT infrastructure. Your home network and computer have not been through a security audit. It is almost certain there are significant security vulnerabilities (in 37 years of IT,…
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Q: What equipment/services do I need to set up my home office for telecommuting jobs?

Q: What equipment/services do I need to set up my home office for telecommuting jobs?
A: In large part this depends on the specific needs of the telecommuting job, but here are the basics required by any telecommuter: A reliable computer that is faster than you. If your computer is a performance/productivity bottleneck, your employer will likely notice and find someone else who can be more productive. The software mandated…
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Free Upgrade to Practical Paranoia macOS 10.13 Security Essentials

Free Upgrade to Practical Paranoia macOS 10.13 Security Essentials
Free Upgrade to Practical Paranoia macOS 10.13 Security Essentials In case you have been living in an ice cave the past few months, ransomware and hacker attacks are increasing faster than ever. A vulnerability on one computer can almost immediately lead to compromising all computers. Apple will be releasing its latest operating system–macOS 10.13, High…
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Practical Paranoia for iOS 12 Devices

Practical Paranoia for iOS 12 Devices
Updated 2018 The best-selling, easiest, step-by-step, most comprehensive guide to securing your home or business iOS iPhone and iPad. Completely revised and updated for iOS 12. Official workbook for the Practical Paranoia: Security Essentials Workshop. Designed for both workshop use and self-study. The entire workshop is contained within the book. Includes all instructor presentations, hands-on…
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Practical Paranoia for OS X 10.12 Sierra

Practical Paranoia for OS X 10.12 Sierra
Updated August, 2016! The best-selling, easiest, step-by-step, most comprehensive guide to securing your home or business OS X computers. Completely revised and updated for OS X 10.12, Sierra. Official workbook for the Practical Paranoia: Security Essentials Workshop. Designed for both workshop use and self-study. The entire workshop is contained within the book. Includes all instructor…
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My Technology OMG! Moment

My Technology OMG! Moment
Years back, Business Week magazine published a study on what personal computer IT upgrade provides the biggest return on investment. Issues such as faster cpu, more RAM, larger storage (they didn't have "faster" storage back then as we do now with SSD and Flash drives), and monitor size were evaluated. The study prompted me to…
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New, Best-In-Class Network Equipment For Sale

New, Best-In-Class Network Equipment For Sale
New, Best-In-Class Network Equipment For Sale MintzIT is clearing out our stock of new, best-in-class network equipment at great discounts. Asus RP-AC68U AC1900 Wireless Access Point New, never opened. 2 available. Currently selling on Amazon for $223 plus $21 shipping. Specs MintzIT Price: $175 plus $20 shipping. Ubiquiti UniFi AP AC Pro Access Point New. In box. 2 available.…
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Practical Paranoia macOS 10.13 1-Day Workshop

Practical Paranoia macOS 10.13 1-Day Workshop
Practical Paranoia macOS 10.13 1-Day Workshop with Marc Mintz Secure your Mac OS 10.13 computer from malware, criminals, snoops, and the whackadoodle ex. Concerned about being hacked? Your identity stolen? Your precious data stolen or encrypted? You should be. Hacking is a billion-dollar enterprise and everyone is a potential target. At risk are your personal and business messages, emails, photos,…
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Can I use a basic software solution like Apple’s Mail to manage multiple email addresses?

Can I use a basic software solution like Apple’s Mail to manage multiple email addresses?
First, I’m a bit pressed to see Apple’s Mail as a basic software solution. I believe it has hit the sweet spot of performance, features, and stability. Ignoring that, yes! Outlook, Thunderbird, and almost all (maybe all) mail clients allow for multiple accounts. Where you will see the one-account limit is with web-based email (hotmail,…
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Why did Apple change all the ports on the Macbook Pro to USB-C when you can’t connect your iPhone to it with the usual cable? Is this against Apple’s motto of simplicity and seamlessness?

Why did Apple change all the ports on the Macbook Pro to USB-C when you can’t connect your iPhone to it with the usual cable? Is this against Apple’s motto of simplicity and seamlessness?
I may well have missed the memo, but as a Certified Apple Consultant and Apple Developer, I’ve never heard that Apple had such a motto, and it is nowhere to be found in their mission statement (I may not have the current statement). When would you like Apple to move to the next generation technology?…
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