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TWO BLOKES AND A MIC!

TWO BLOKES AND A MIC!

By Ramin Keyvan and Dan Hinde

Weekly episodes of useful hints, tips, recommendations to help business owners make better decisions about what products, services etc. to use to help their companies grow.
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HAS A.I. BECOME SENTIENT?

TWO BLOKES AND A MIC!Jul 04, 2022

00:00
24:52
TBAAM -- HIRING GOOD PEOPLE IS REALLY HARD!

TBAAM -- HIRING GOOD PEOPLE IS REALLY HARD!

It has become very difficult to hire good people these days. Why? There are some good reasons. 


Join us for this discussion and let us know if you agree.  


We mention one of our favorite YouTubers on this episode, Simon Sinek. 


You can find his channel here:  https://www.youtube.com/user/SimonSinek 


Thanks as always for joining us!  


Ramin and Dan, 

Two Blokes and a Mic!

Aug 22, 202230:05
HAS A.I. BECOME SENTIENT?

HAS A.I. BECOME SENTIENT?

Has AI become sentient?


Someone at Google recently thought so. Google did not agree.  


What do you think? How can we use technology to make our lives easier? What happens if things go wrong? Are you prepared to do things on your own?  

Let us know!  

Thanks for watching!  

Ramin and Dan Two Blokes and a Mic!  #IsAISentient

Jul 04, 202224:52
TBAAM -- WHATEVER HAPPENED TO CUSTOMER SERVICE?

TBAAM -- WHATEVER HAPPENED TO CUSTOMER SERVICE?

Whatever happened to taking care of customers and making sure they were happy with our product and service offerings? 

In today's episode we discuss the decline and fall of customer service as everyone blithely marches off the "Automation" and  "Chat Bot" cliff!   


Let us know what you think.  


Thanks as always!  

Ramin and Dan Two Blokes and. Mic!  

#customerservice #personaltouch #takecareofpeople

Mar 26, 202218:44
TBAAM -- SAAS MONITORING AND WHY YOU WANT IT

TBAAM -- SAAS MONITORING AND WHY YOU WANT IT

Another layer of security you can use to protect your company's data in the cloud: SAAS Monitoring.

In today's episode we describe, define and discuss what SAAS Monitoring is and how it can help you stay safe out there.

Thanks for watching!

Ramin and Dan

Two Blokes and a Mic!

#NETWORKSECURITY #CYBERSECURITY #DLP #DATASECURITY

Feb 28, 202219:19
TBAAM -- ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE!

TBAAM -- ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE!

Two Blokes and a Mic is back! After a crazy end of 2021 and a very busy January 2022, we are back with our fist episode in some time.

In this episode we discuss the things we have learned in recent months about the things that actually matter in life.

Please watch and let us know what you want us to discuss this year. We plan to put out one video a week so we will be able to talk about a large number of subjects of interest to you!

Thanks for watching!

Dan and Ramin

Two Blokes and a Mic!

Feb 07, 202212:16
TBAAM -- BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT - 23RD STREET INVESTORS INTERVIEW

TBAAM -- BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT - 23RD STREET INVESTORS INTERVIEW

This week we have our good friend Nancy Chillag of 23rd Street Investors on the show giving us a primer on how real estate syndication works and why you might be interested.  

Nancy Chillag is an attorney, CPA and real estate broker. She had her own law firm for over 25 years and retired in 2013. Nancy has always invested in real estate, but after retiring from the practice of law she dove in full time to her passion. She is the founder and CEO of 23rd Street Investors, a company that helps high income professionals (like lawyers) create multiple income streams through passive real estate investing.   

https://www.23rdstreetinvestors.com 

Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/23rd-street-investors/ 

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/23rdStreetInvestors 

#multifamilysyndication #multifamilyinvesting #realestate #multifamilyrealestate #multifamilyinvestor #apartmentsyndication #multifamily #realestateinvesting #passiveincome #apartmentinvesting #realestateinvestor #cashflow #syndication #multifamilyinvestors #passiveinvesting #investing #commercialrealestate #investor #entrepreneur #realestatesyndication #nocompromise #execute

Sep 13, 202130:04
TBAAM -- WHY YOU NEED TO STANDARDIZE EVERYTHING!

TBAAM -- WHY YOU NEED TO STANDARDIZE EVERYTHING!

STANDARDIZE EVERYTHING!!! 

Yup...that's what we are telling everyone! Why? 

Watch video for the details. It is perhaps one of the most important and overlooked "things" that business owner need to pay attention to.  

Thanks as always for your time and attention! 

Dan and Ramin Two Blokes and a Mic! 

#businessbuilders #relationships #followup #takecareofyourclients #standardization #scalability

Jun 12, 202115:43
THE IMPORTANCE OF RELATIONSHIPS AND TIME

THE IMPORTANCE OF RELATIONSHIPS AND TIME

SO! What are the two most important possessions you have as a business owner?

Take a listen to this episode and we will let you know how you can improve your business by taking care of these two particular items!

Let us know your thoughts at info@twoblokesandamic.com.

Thanks as always for your time and attention!

Dan and Ramin

Two Blokes and a Mic!

#businessbuilders #relationships #followup #takecareofyourclients #businessowner #entrepreneur #marketing #success #branding #entrepreneurship

Jun 10, 202114:15
TBAAM -- RANSOMWARE AND CYBERSECURITY.....AGAIN!

TBAAM -- RANSOMWARE AND CYBERSECURITY.....AGAIN!

OK! PAY ATTENTION! THIS IS SERIOUS! PLEASE TAKE THE ADVICE IN THIS VIDEO TO HEART. IT IS REALLY, REALLY, IMPORTANT!  

Here we are again beating the "do the basics to keep yourself and your data safe" drums again! It's getting bad out there people! Please take this advice to heart and share it with your friends and neighbors!  

Stay safe out there!  

Below are the links to the best VPN providers out there:  

ExpressVPN - Best VPN Overall : https://www.expressvpn.com/  

NordVPN - Best Encryption: https://nordvpn.com/ 

Surfshark - Best VPN for Torrenting: https://surfshark.com/ 

IPVanish - Best VPN for Android: https://www.ipvanish.com/ 

CyberGhost - Best VPN for Mac: https://www.cyberghostvpn.com/ 

Hotspot Shield - Best VPN for Netflix: https://www.hotspotshield.com/ 

Private Internet Access - Best VPN for Windows: https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/ 

Tunnelbear - Best Free VPN: https://www.tunnelbear.com/  

Thanks for watching! 

Dan and Ramin 

Two Blokes and a Mic!  

#phishing #cybersecurity #hacking #malware #cyberattack #cybercrime #ransomware #security #infosec #hacker #hackers #informationsecurity #ethicalhacking #cybersecurityawareness #cyber #internet #datasecurity #technology #instagram #windows #privacy #firewall #spyware #dataprotection #metasploit #linux #microsoft #bhfyp

May 20, 202125:44
TBAAM -- MICROSOFT 365 -- WHAT IS IN THOSE BUNDLES?

TBAAM -- MICROSOFT 365 -- WHAT IS IN THOSE BUNDLES?

Microsoft 365 offers a lot of bundles and options. But what do you get for the money? We unpack the mystery of Microsoft's marketing. Below is a link to their comparison webpage so you can check it out for yourself.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/business/compare-all-microsoft-365-business-products

As always, please like and subscribe to our channel and click on that Bell icon so you know when we release new content.

Thanks for your time and attention!

Ramin and Dan

Two Blokes and a Mic!

#Microsoft #Office365 #Microsoft365 #exchangeserver #exchangeonline #microsoftteams #microsoftoutlook #microsoftazure

Apr 21, 202117:45
TBAAM -- SPLASHTOP BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT (V2)

TBAAM -- SPLASHTOP BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT (V2)

NOTE: The original version had a bit of noise and static at 11:56. This version has been cleaned up.   

SPLASHTOP BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT!  

We are very pleased to have Victor Chin, Director of Product at Splashtop, a premier remote access service provider.  Victor leads product development at Splashtop. He has been at Splashtop for over 13 years and in the engineering and development industry for over 25 years, including companies such as Intel and HP.  

We have a great discussion about Splashtop, its history as a company, its current offerings, and a glimpse into the forthcoming roadmap.  

Join us as we dive deep into Splashtop!  

WELCOME VICTOR!!  

You can find the latest Splashtop features here: https://www.splashtop.com/splashtop-new-features-q1-2021  

You can find industry specific case studies here: https://www.splashtop.com/case-studies  

You can find Splashtop compliancy declarations here: https://www.splashtop.com/compliance  

As always, please take a look, let us know what you think, click on the Bell icon so you know when we have released a new video and subscribe to our channel. It really helps us out!  

Thank you so very much for you time and consideration! 

Let us know your comments below. We want to hear from you!  

Thanks!  

Dan and Ramin 

Two Blokes and a Mic!  

#remoteaccess #VPN #soc2 #GDPR #CCPA #PCI #HIPAA #FERPA #COMPLIANCE #phishing #cybersecurity #hacking #malware #cyberattack #cybercrime #ransomware #security #infosec #hacker #hackers #informationsecurity #ethicalhacking #cybersecurityawareness #cyber #internet #datasecurity #technology #instagram #windows #privacy #firewall #spyware #dataprotection #metasploit #linux #microsoft #bhfyp #dataprivacy

Apr 01, 202131:20
TBAAM  SPLASHTOP BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT AND INTERVIEW

TBAAM SPLASHTOP BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT AND INTERVIEW

SPLASHTOP BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT!  

We are very pleased to have Victor Chin, Director of Product at Splashtop, a premier remote access service provider.  

Victor leads product development at Splashtop. He has been at Splashtop for over 13 years and in the engineering and development industry for over 25 years, including companies such as Intel and HP.  

We have a great discussion about Splashtop, its history as a company, its current offerings, and a glimpse into the forthcoming roadmap.  

Join us as we dive deep into Splashtop!  

WELCOME VICTOR!!  

You can find industry specific case studies here: https://www.splashtop.com/case-studies 

You can find Splashtop compliancy declarations here: https://www.splashtop.com/compliance 

As always, please take a look, let us know what you think, click on the Bell icon so you know when we have released a new video and subscribe to our channel. It really helps us out!  

Thank you so very much for you time and consideration! 

Let us know your comments below. 

We want to hear from you!  

Thanks!  

Dan and Ramin 

Two Blokes and a Mic!  

#remoteaccess #VPN #soc2 #GDPR #CCPA #PCI #HIPAA #FERPA #COMPLIANCE #phishing #cybersecurity #hacking #malware #cyberattack #cybercrime #ransomware #security #infosec #hacker #hackers #informationsecurity #ethicalhacking #cybersecurityawareness #cyber #internet #datasecurity #technology #instagram #windows #privacy #firewall #spyware #dataprotection #metasploit #linux #microsoft #bhfyp #dataprivacy

Mar 29, 202131:23
TBAAM -- TECH NEWS FOR THE WEEK OF 12MAR2021

TBAAM -- TECH NEWS FOR THE WEEK OF 12MAR2021

CHROME UPDATES, STARLINK IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND MORE!  

Take a listen and let us know if you have any questions at all!  

Link to Starlink website: https://starlink.com/ 

Stay safe out there!  

Thanks for watching! 

Dan and Ramin Two Blokes and a Mic!  

#phishing #cybersecurity #hacking #malware #cyberattack #cybercrime #ransomware #security #infosec #hacker #hackers #informationsecurity #ethicalhacking #cybersecurityawareness #cyber #internet #datasecurity #technology #instagram #windows #privacy #firewall #spyware #dataprotection #metasploit #linux #microsoft #bhfyp

Mar 15, 202114:37
TBAAM  DATA PRIVACY IN THE AGE OF FACEBOOK AND IPHONES

TBAAM DATA PRIVACY IN THE AGE OF FACEBOOK AND IPHONES

Our first video of 2021!  

Data Privacy....IT'S A THING!  

We discuss how you can best protect yourself and your private data from the likes of FaceBook and other data miners. This is important!  

As always, please take a look, let us know what you think, click on the Bell icon so you know when we have released a new video and subscribe to our channel. It really helps us out!  

Thank you so very much for you time and consideration! Let us know your comments below. We want to hear for you!  

Thanks! 

 Dan and Ramin Two Blokes and a Mic!  

#phishing #cybersecurity #hacking #malware #cyberattack #cybercrime #ransomware #security #infosec #hacker #hackers #informationsecurity #ethicalhacking #cybersecurityawareness #cyber #internet #datasecurity #technology #instagram #windows #privacy #firewall #spyware #dataprotection #metasploit #linux #microsoft #bhfyp #dataprivacy

Mar 03, 202124:04
TBAAM -- PHISHING FOLLOW UP!

TBAAM -- PHISHING FOLLOW UP!

OUR LAST VIDEO OF 2020…FINALLY UPLOADED!  

HERE IN OUR FINAL 2020 VIDEO, DAN AND I TALK ABOUT HOW TO KEEP YOURSELF SAFE IN THE TIME OF MASS ATTEMPTS TO GET ACCESS TO YOUR NETWORKS AND YOUR DATA.  WE TALK ABOUT HOW TO KEEP YOUR NETWORKS SAFE BY TRAINING YOUR PEOPLE TO AVOID THE TEMPTATION TO CLICK ON EVERYTHING THAT POPS UP IN THEIR INBOX!  

WE TALK AT LENGTH ABOUT SECURITY TRAINING AND HOW TO GO ABOUT ROLLING IT OUT ACROSS YOUR ENTERPRISE.  

AS PROMISED THE LINKS TO OUR ORIGINAL “GONE PHISHING” EPISODE IS BELOW:  

https://youtu.be/JqF-Q11VBps   

ALSO, HERE IS THE LINK TO KNOWBE4’S WEBSITE:  Https://knowbe4.com/ 

AND THEIR PRICING PAGE:  https://www.knowbe4.com/pricing-kevin-mitnick-security-awareness-training AS ALWAYS, 

PLEASE LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK AND WHAT ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE US TO PRODUCE FOR YOU.  

THANKS AS ALWAYS FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION!  

DAN AND RAMIN TWO BLOKES AND A MIC!  

#phishing #cybersecurity #hacking #malware #cyberattack #cybercrime #ransomware #security #infosec #hacker #hackers #informationsecurity #ethicalhacking #cybersecurityawareness #cyber #internet #datasecurity #technology #instagram #windows #privacy #firewall #spyware #dataprotection #metasploit #linux #microsoft #bhfyp

Mar 01, 202121:52
THE INTERNET IS FOREVER!

THE INTERNET IS FOREVER!

 Everything you do on the internet has a very, very long life, so think long and hard about what you are saying and posting. It makes a difference!  

So watch and be warned and be educated! It is important!  

Thanks for watching!  

Please like and subscribe to our channel.  

Ramin and Dan 

Two Blokes and a Mic!  

#changeyourpassword #carefulwhatyoupost #youarebeingtracked #phishing #cybersecurity #hacking #malware #cyberattack #cybercrime #ransomware #security #infosec #hacker #hackers #informationsecurity #ethicalhacking #cybersecurityawareness #cyber #internet #datasecurity #technology #instagram #windows #privacy #firewall #spyware #dataprotection #metasploit #linux #microsoft #bhfyp

Jan 25, 202119:15
TBAAM -- HYLYT HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

TBAAM -- HYLYT HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

Sometimes, a product or service comes along that actually changes the way you do things in a very positive manner. Such a product is HyLyt from Sociorac (https://hylyt.co/).

This is a product that can bring all of your inbound and outbound communications, intelligently, into one easy to use interface.

Please watch, and take a look their website and let us know your thoughts!

Thanks for watching and thank you Rajat Singhania for taking the time to be on our show!

Dan and Ramin

Two Blokes and a Mic!

Jan 11, 202132:33
TBAAM  HAPPY HOLIDAYS YEAR IN REVIEW

TBAAM HAPPY HOLIDAYS YEAR IN REVIEW

#HAPPYHOLIDAYS #YEARINREVIEW   

Happy holidays from Dan and Ramin. 

Thank you for your time and attention over the past few months. 

This is a quick review of what we have done this year and what we have planned for the upcoming months.  

From our homes to yours:  Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Take care of yourselves and let's have some fun in 21!  

Sincerely,  

Ramin and Dan 

Two Blokes and a Mic!

Dec 26, 202017:00
TBAAM -- GONE PHISHING!

TBAAM -- GONE PHISHING!

PHISHING!

No, it has nothing to do with putting a worm on a hook and angling for fish. It has to do with trying to trick you into divulging pertinent information about yourself via electronic communications.

So listen and be warned and be educated! It is important!

Thanks for listening!

Please like and subscribe to our channel.

Ramin and Dan

Two Blokes and a Mic!

#phishing #cybersecurity #hacking #malware #cyberattack #cybercrime #ransomware #security #infosec #hacker #hackers #informationsecurity #ethicalhacking #cybersecurityawareness #cyber #internet #datasecurity #technology #instagram #windows #privacy #firewall #spyware #dataprotection #metasploit #linux #microsoft #bhfyp #computersecurity

Nov 10, 202014:40
TBAAM  ARE YOUR HR POLICIES STANDARDIZED

TBAAM ARE YOUR HR POLICIES STANDARDIZED

#HR #POLICIES #PROCEDURES #ONBOARDING #OFFBOARDING #ITSUPPORT 

Are your HR Policies standardized? Does your HR department work closely with hiring managers and your IT department?  

If not, here is why you need to make this a priority in your organization now! 

Please let us know if you have any questions or comments.  

Thanks for watching! 

Ramin and Dan 

Two Blokes and a Mic!

Nov 02, 202014:22
TBAAM -- LEO MANZIONE -- BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT

TBAAM -- LEO MANZIONE -- BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT

Leo Manzione...Business Coach Exrtraordinaire! 

We have the great pleasure of interviewing someone who is very good at what they do....and what he does is help business owners comprehend their weaknesses, their strengths and how to make their businesses work for them, instead of the other way around!  

Please help us welcome Leo to the Two Blokes and a Mic studio and we look forward to having him back for other episodes in the very near future!  

Thanks for listening! 

Two Blokes and a Mic! 

Ramin and Dan

Oct 26, 202028:45
TBAAM  WHY DOES MY ISP WIFI SUCK?

TBAAM WHY DOES MY ISP WIFI SUCK?

This is a question we get a lot from our clients who are working from home and who are trying to get reliable performance from the wifi connection on their ISP modem.   There are some network basics that if you actually implement, you will have a much better experience while on the internet.  Take a listen here and let us know what you think. What have been your experiences? Good, bad or indifferent.  As always, thank you for your time and your support!  Cheers, Dan and Ramin Two Blokes and a Mic!

Oct 12, 202016:39
TBAAM -- FUN FACT FRIDAY #4

TBAAM -- FUN FACT FRIDAY #4

Another complete waste of your time by Dan and Ramin at Two Blokes and a Mic!

Enjoy and let us know what you think.

Thanks!

Ramin and Dan

Two Blokes and a Mic!

Sep 22, 202022:51
TBAAM -- MFA AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT

TBAAM -- MFA AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT

MFA -- MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION What is it and why is it important to you and your organization?  We explain all in this video.  Please like, subscribe and let us know what you think.  THANKS FOR WATCHING!  Ramin and Dan Two Blokes and a Mic!

Sep 19, 202013:36
TBAAM -- FUN FACT FRIDAY #2

TBAAM -- FUN FACT FRIDAY #2

FUN FACT FRIDAY #2!!  

WORMHOLES, THE VOID OF SPACE AND STRANGE LAWS FROM THE EASTERN SEABOARD!  

Come join us for another episode the strange, weird and the absurd!  

HUMAN TRAVERSABLE WORMHOLES:  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24196052  

GOOGLE CAREER CERTIFICATES:  https://grow.google/certificates/  

As always please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE and let us know what else you want us to talk about.  

Thanks very much!  

Dan and Ramin Two Blokes and a Mic!  

You can find this episode and all the others as PodCasts at: https://anchor.fm/tbaam/ 

We are on all the major PodCast platforms for your convenience!

Sep 08, 202020:12
TBAAM -- WHY IS CUSTOMER SERVICE SO IMPORTANT NOW?

TBAAM -- WHY IS CUSTOMER SERVICE SO IMPORTANT NOW?

Customer Service!  

It has always been important. But during the time of COVID-19 it has become even more important. 

Many companies think that support is that ugly thing that costs them money but during this lock-down, how you respond electronically to your clients is going to determine if you thrive at the end of 2021 OR NOT!  

Please watch and let us know how you are improving your customer service game.   

As always please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE and let us know what else you want us to talk about.  

Thanks very much!  

Dan and Ramin 

Two Blokes and a Mic!  

You can find this episode and all the others as PodCasts at: https://anchor.fm/tbaam/ 

We are on all the major PodCast platforms for your convenience!

Sep 08, 202018:03
FUN FACT FRIDAY NUMBER 1

FUN FACT FRIDAY NUMBER 1

From butt shaped robots to frogs that hold their pee for 8 months...  Welcome the first ever: FUN FACTS FRIDAY!  

These are going to happen every week just so that we can all have a laugh. 

Join us and let us know about fun and obscure trivia you know!  

Thanks for watching and as always, LIKE and SUBSCRIBE!  

Thanks! 

Ramin and Dan 

Two Blokes and a Mic!

Aug 30, 202018:20
VPNs, PASSWORD MANAGERS AND ALL THAT JAZZ!

VPNs, PASSWORD MANAGERS AND ALL THAT JAZZ!

Why should I use a VPN? 

Traceability.  You may not be doing anything nefarious but it's not just big government that is collecting data on you.  

Geo blocking  

Some websites won't work in your country.  

Security 

If you are using an open/public wifi then with the right tools your traffic can be monitored and in some cases passwords nabbed.  HTTPS has been a great boon for security but it only goes so far.  A VPN will add to your security by encrypting your internet traffic (all of it, not just web surfing) and you will have less concerns about anyone sniffing traffic or intercepting or even redirecting traffic.  

Leading players are: 

Express VPN  https://www.expressvpn.com/ 

Nord VPN  https://nordvpn.com/ 

Tunnel Bear  https://www.tunnelbear.com/ 

Surf Shark  https://surfshark.com/ 

IP Vanish  https://www.ipvanish.com/ 

Cyber Ghost https://www.cyberghostvpn.com/ 

Private Internet Access https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/  

Password managers  

Now for a moment let's not state the obvious, that it's more secure than a PostIt note stuck to your screen or under your keyboard.  Let's also not even go to the "using the same password everywhere".  One thing. All the password managers have multi-factor authentication.  That means, not only your password to get in but also a rotating code that changes frequently and/or biometric access.  Oh and many of them are free for home use!  They make money by selling security packages to companies who want to make sure their staff are protected.  

Links;  

LastPass https://www.lastpass.com/ 

Dashlane https://www.dashlane.com/ 

1password https://1password.com/ 

Keeper https://www.keepersecurity.com/  

There are plenty of others but these in our opinion are the leading contenders.  

Thanks for your time! 

Dan and Ramin 

Two Blokes and a Mic!

Jul 06, 202023:25
TBAAM -- SECURITY BASICS

TBAAM -- SECURITY BASICS

What can we do to protect ourselves?  

These are the top things you need; 

AntiVirus - Make sure it's EDR at a minimum  

Backup - Make sure it's backing up offsite.  

Updates for OS and Apps - If you need to automate this there are tools.  

Password Manager - Keep your passwords in a secure location that is encrypted and has MFA to protect it. Not only that but it can generate very complex passwords for you without the need for you to remember them or heaven forbid, write them on a post it note stuck to your monitor... you know who you are...  

DNS Filter - OpenDNS is still free.  Configure your router so it points to this service and you'll have another layer of protection for really not much work.  

Education, Education, Education - Forget location, that's passé!  

Get suspicious! - A little paranoia goes a long way.  Don't click on links in emails. Instead open a browser and type in the address (assuming you trust that email in the first place) When in doubt, ask!  Some one asking you to send money that you weren't expecting? Or your boss asking you to buy gift cards? ASK! Start a NEW email or pick up the phone.  A website from CIA, Microsoft, IRS, etc is asking you to call a number?   NO!   They just aren't going to ask that. Now if you are convinced that it's legit, go independently to their website and find their phone number and call that. Does the number match to their website? What's the email domain name that your email came from? Are there spelling mistakes?  

Finally one that we have seen SOOOOOO many times.  Here's the format; 

 "I have hacked you computer. I have been monitoring you.  I will tell everyone what you have been doing. etc etc."  

They might have one of your old (or possibly even current) passwords and your email to make it seem more legit! Argh you might be thinking...  What has happened is that one of the big data pools that was stolen from some of the companies that were breached has been sold to an extortioner.   

Example: The Yahoo breach a few years back resulted in ALL of Yahoo's clients information being stolen.  That's 3 BILLION accounts.  

Yes that's Billion with a B!  

What did they steal? You email address and your password for the most part.  So that database that was stolen can be used to try and scare people into thinking that they HAVE hacked your computer.  After all that password WAS legit (maybe it still is?!?).  Best solution here is to delete the email. Make sure that the password referenced in the email is not used in any of your accounts.   

See your password manager that you should have setup by now.  

Stay safe out there!

Thanks for listening! 

Ramin and Dan 

Two Blokes and a Mic!

Jul 05, 202019:50
TBAAM -- ANTI VIRUS AND EDR

TBAAM -- ANTI VIRUS AND EDR

Hi There,  

We recorded this just before the long Memorial Day Weekend.  The discussion in this episode is about Anti Virus, a bit of its history and the latest developments and why you should make sure you are protecting your data. Dan and I go into some depth about the history and progression of the industry and where we are today and what you can do to protect yourself these days.  

Thanks a bunch!  

Ramin and Dan  

Two Blokes and a Mic!

====  LINKS TO THE PRODUCTS WE MENTIONED:  

The New guys: 

Carbon Black https://www.carbonblack.com/  

SentinelOne https://www.sentinelone.com/  

Cylance https://www.cylance.com/  

Deep Instinct https://www.deepinstinct.com/   

The Old Guys:  Sophos https://www.sophos.com/  

Malwarebytes https://www.malwarebytes.com/  

BitDefender https://www.bitdefender.com/

Jul 04, 202016:26
TBAAM -- DATA BACKUPS AND WHY YOU NEED THEM

TBAAM -- DATA BACKUPS AND WHY YOU NEED THEM

A great episode regarding the use of data backups to protect your end users and your company's vital data. Most companies that lose their most important data due to hardware for services failure of some kind will struggle rebuild that data store of internal and customer facing content, which will very negatively impact the health and future of the company.

We make several suggestions below of currently available technologies and service providers to choose from. Please take a look and let us know if you have any questions.

Cheers,

Dan and Ramin

Two Blokes and a Mic!

=========

Datto 

IMO the best backup option out there.  Provides actual DR.  Virtual machines created as part of the backup process.  Failure? Spin up the that last backup which is just the same as turning on a VM! Amazing. There is now a direct to cloud option for Windows workstations.   We are waiting for them to offer this for Servers and Mac but as of now without thew on premise hardware (which is considerably more expensive) the only options for Mac and Servers is File only backup. https://www.datto.com  

Acronis 

One of the oldest and most trusted backup companies for imaged based backups.  Cloud offerings are a bit expensive. Otherwise golden. https://www.acronis.com  

Carbonite 

Again one of the oldest direct to cloud offerings.  Many offerings including HIPAA. Reporting needs more work. Can be inexpensive.  https://partners.carbonite.com/siliconvalleysystems  

iDrive Backup 

Solution based on size of your backups.  Right now giving a lot of space for a very low price. They even offer image based backups.  https://www.idrive.com/p=svsys  

iBackup  

Cloud based backup solution for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android devices. HIPAA, SOX, FINRA/SEC compliant. NOTE: We have not tried this one ourselves. We will do so and provide a review in another video shortly. https://www.ibackup.com/    

Crashplan 

File only backup option. No frills and decent price. Has a "Pro-E" Enterprise version for businesses. https://www.crashplan.com  

MozyPro File only backup option. No frills and decent price. https://www.mozypro.com  

Windows backup - new and improved! Traditionally was used as an on premise image based backup. Some of the new iterations now offer cloud based storage, typically to "One Drive". To be honest most people completely ignore this now as there are a huge number of options for backup and if it is used then it's in a secondary capacity.

Jul 04, 202027:31
TBAAM -- WELCOME EPISODE

TBAAM -- WELCOME EPISODE

We welcome you to our podcast and its matching YouTube channel.

Please join us as we help business owners navigate all of the things they need to know to grow their companies.

We welcome your input and your comments.

Let's have some fun together!

Cheers,

Dan and Ramin

Two Blokes and a Mic!

Jul 04, 202002:52