Evolve IT Blog

Technology has changed the world. It has changed individual lives, businesses, and the way people communicate with one another. The main reason for this is that technology, and the use of it, happens everywhere. In fact, the world has seen a huge spike in the addition of microprocessors to ordinary objects which allows them to communicate with the digital world. This trend is known as ubiquitous computing.

In 2015, we saw countless hacking attacks against major corporations, from health insurance providers like Blue Cross Blue Shield and Anthem, to government offices, like the United States Office of Personnel. Due to the stigma associated with hacking, we often forget that there are a lot of hackers out there who try to use their skills for good--or, at least, less awful purposes.

The Internet of Things is a trend that has been a long-time coming. Some of the devices it brings are great for productivity and efficiency, but others are still relatively useless. Regardless, it’s estimated by the IDC that global Internet of Things (IoT) spending will exceed $1.3 trillion by 2020. With such a large amount of capital being invested in IoT devices, your organization will need to know all there is to know about the Internet of Things.

WiFi and Wireless Internet connections are an integral part of any workplace infrastructure. They essentially allow workers to pick up their wireless technology, like smartphones, tablets, or laptops, and connect to a network from any location with a connection. This convenience was previously unprecedented, but now a new technology threatens to usurp WiFi’s coveted throne; Li-Fi, wireless Internet connections delivered via light.

Wireless Internet access is something that a lot of people take for granted, yet we all complain about shoddy Internet connections from time to time. Little do they know that some of the most common issues with their wireless connection could be ordinary appliances and other conflicting technologies. You might be surprised by what they are!

The Internet is etched into the very being of society, from the workplace to the home environment. It’s critical to ensure access to tools, resources, and contacts, among countless other functions. However, one place where the Internet has struggled to take foothold is in the classroom. Believe it or not, there are tons of classrooms all over the country that don’t have reliable access to the wonders of the Internet.

YouTube has been a monstrous hit for Internet video enthusiasts ever since its creation, but just recently, it was announced that YouTube now has a premium service called YouTube Red. Now you can watch viral videos and other great entertainment flicks in a whole new way. Still, this change has some people concerned over what it means for their current YouTube watching habits. What do you get with a YouTube Red subscription, anyway?

Eventually, one technology gets replaced by another and users of the older technology must upgrade, or else risk running an inefficient operation. This upgrade-or-be-obsolete scenario plays out most often with software, like with SHA1, the Internet’s most popular encryption protocol, slated to have its SSL certificates expire on January 1, 2017.

Thanks to so many people carrying camera-equipped smartphones, our society is inundated with photos like never before. For many of us, sharing and posting pictures has become second nature. Although, not everyone is aware of just how large the file size of pictures can potentially be, and why large photos can be problematic.

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month! With the number of data breaches growing every day, one has to wonder what hackers do with all of the information they steal. In some cases, the hackers go public with the information, as seen by the recent Ashley Madison and Sony hacks. Other times, however, hackers just want to use the information as a bargaining chip on the black market. The theft of passwords, usernames, Social Security numbers, and other sensitive information is a very lucrative market for hackers.

Modern society has become fully reliant upon technology. While technology has certainly done much to improve just about every facet of our lives, it also leaves us quite vulnerable to a scenario where we abruptly lose it. What would a worst-case scenario like this actually look like?

When it comes to your online presence, few tools are more valuable than your organization’s website. However, in order to have a website, you first need a domain name. There are countless domains available, but did you know that the meaning of these names has changed significantly over the past several years?

It turns out that the Internet isn’t as anonymous as it seems. This is a hard lesson learned by more than 37 million users of Ashley Madison, a website dedicated to cheating on one’s spouse. In July, the site was hacked by the hacker group, “The Impact Team,” and they’re currently threatening to expose the cheaters by going public with the database. In this particular case, Ashley Madison users should have known better--on two levels.

Like your fingerprint, your computer’s IP address holds the key to your identity. Okay, it may not be as unique as your fingerprint, and you may actually use multiple IP addresses every day, but still, your IP address says a lot about you. What do you need to know about your IP address?

Do you need a WiFi signal? If you’ve got a PC with a wireless card, then you’ve got what it takes to download Connectify and turn your PC into a WiFi hotspot. These days, with everyone being so dependent on WiFi, having an additional WiFi hotspot can come in handy.