North Bay Computer

North Bay Computer North Bay Computer - Santa Rosa managed IT Technical Services, managed Cloud backup, networking & server design, installation & managed maintenance.

What happens if the one person who understands your IT suddenly disappears for a month?Someone else should know who your...
10/15/2026

What happens if the one person who understands your IT suddenly disappears for a month?

Someone else should know who your vendors are, where the documentation lives, which systems are critical, when contracts renew, and how to regain access during an emergency.

And no, the backup plan should not be “call Dave and hope he answers.”

Keep emergency access stored securely instead of passing passwords around. Then choose a backup person and have them handle a routine IT request using only the documentation and contacts you already have.

If your business depends on one person for every IT decision, that is a risk worth fixing before vacation, illness, or turnover forces the issue.

We can help you document the responsibilities and build a real backup plan.

Do you know what parts of your business are still reachable from the internet?Old remote-access tools, forgotten test se...
10/14/2026

Do you know what parts of your business are still reachable from the internet?

Old remote-access tools, forgotten test servers, and retired systems have a bad habit of sticking around long after everyone stops thinking about them. Unfortunately, attackers are very good at remembering.

An external security scan checks your network from the outside and shows which systems are accepting internet connections.

It is especially worth doing after:
▶️ Installing new systems
▶️ Changing internet providers
▶️ Replacing firewalls or network equipment
▶️ Retiring old remote-access tools

Because “we are not using that anymore” is not the same thing as “it is no longer exposed.”

Want to know what the internet can still see? Ask us to check which systems are reachable and whether any should be closed or restricted.

10/13/2026

Office 2021 is heading into retirement on October 13, 2026.

Word, Excel, and Outlook will still open after that date, which is exactly what makes this one easy to ignore. Everything looks normal… except Microsoft will no longer provide security updates, bug fixes, or technical support.

That means any new security flaw discovered afterward may simply stay there, quietly aging like milk in the office fridge.

If Office 2021 is still installed on company computers, now is the time to plan the upgrade instead of discovering it six months after support ends.

Not sure what version your team is using? Ask us to check, and we will walk you through the replacement options.

Security software warned the UK’s ACRO Criminal Records Office about suspicious activity. The alerts were not investigat...
10/12/2026

Security software warned the UK’s ACRO Criminal Records Office about suspicious activity. The alerts were not investigated.

That is the cybersecurity equivalent of a smoke alarm going off and everyone deciding it is probably fine.

The UK privacy regulator later found that an attacker had access to ACRO’s website and content management system for months. Up to 10,920 people may have been affected, with sensitive information including passport details, driving licence data, bank information, biometrics, and criminal records potentially exposed.

The regulator also found another problem: nobody was clearly responsible for critical security updates.

That is why every business should know:
▶️ Who monitors security alerts
▶️ How quickly alerts are reviewed
▶️ Who handles them after hours
▶️ Who owns patching and critical updates

Because having security tools is great. Ignoring what they are telling you? Less great.

If you are not sure who is watching your alerts, reach out. We can help review how they are handled and who is responsible for responding.

Article: https://therecord.media/uk-criminal-records-office-acro-data-breaches

Ever hit Send and realize, one second later, that the wrong person is about to receive your masterpiece?A short send del...
10/12/2026

Ever hit Send and realize, one second later, that the wrong person is about to receive your masterpiece?

A short send delay can save you from that little “oh no” moment by giving you a few seconds to cancel before the email actually leaves.

It is especially useful for employees sending payroll records, contracts, financial reports, or customer information.

Check whether your email service supports a send delay, turn it on, and test it with a message to yourself. The goal is enough time to catch a mistake without making every email feel like it is stuck in traffic.

Because “wrong recipient” is one of those problems that is much easier to prevent than explain.

DNS filtering is like a bouncer for your internet connection—it checks where a link is trying to take you before letting...
10/10/2026

DNS filtering is like a bouncer for your internet connection—it checks where a link is trying to take you before letting the page in.

When you click a link, your device uses DNS to find the website. DNS filtering compares that destination against known phishing, malware, and scam sites. If it spots trouble, the page gets blocked before it opens.

It can protect company computers both inside and outside the office, depending on how it is configured.

It is not perfect. New threats can slip through, and occasionally a legitimate site gets caught in the net. That is why your IT provider should review reports, handle exceptions, and make sure every managed device is actually covered.

Because “we thought DNS filtering was on” is not quite the same as “we verified it.”

Want to know whether your business already uses DNS filtering? Ask us to check.

Canceling a cloud subscription? Do not hit “Cancel” and assume your data will politely pack its bags and follow you.Expo...
10/10/2026

Canceling a cloud subscription? Do not hit “Cancel” and assume your data will politely pack its bags and follow you.

Export everything first, then make sure the export actually includes what you need. Email, shared folders, individual user files, and connected apps may all be handled differently.

Because “we thought that was included” is a rough discovery after the account is gone.

Want help planning a clean cloud exit or migration? Schedule a free consultation with us at www.ITImagined.com/schedule

An FBI official says a North Korean remote IT worker was discovered working for a U.S. government agency.Yes, apparently...
10/09/2026

An FBI official says a North Korean remote IT worker was discovered working for a U.S. government agency.

Yes, apparently “remote employee verification” just became a lot more important than checking whether someone knows how to unmute on Teams.

The FBI did not name the agency or explain exactly how the worker was hired, but North Korean remote workers have previously used fake identities and people in other countries to receive company laptops on their behalf.

For any remote role with access to important systems:
▶️ Verify identity and previous employment
▶️ Confirm where the person is actually working from
▶️ Send company equipment only after checks are complete
▶️ Limit access to only what the role actually needs

Remote work can be great. Remote mystery employees? Less ideal.

Hiring remote employees or contractors? We can help you tighten access controls and reduce unnecessary exposure.

Article: https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/11/north-korean-remote-it-staffer-worked-for-us-government-agency-says-fbi/

10/09/2026

Some free VPNs are not really “free.” You may be paying with something much more valuable: your internet connection.

Google recently took down a large network tied to apps advertised as free VPNs. While the VPN worked, the software also let other people route internet traffic through the user’s device.

On a work laptop, that means someone else’s activity could appear to come from your company’s public IP address. Suddenly your business gets blocked or flagged for something nobody on your team actually did. Fun conversation to explain.

Google also found that some of this software could expose other devices on the same network.

A few smart checks:
▶️ Review which VPNs and browser extensions are installed on company devices
▶️ Remove anything employees installed “because it was free”
▶️ Require staff to use only the VPN approved by your business

Free VPNs can be useful. Free VPNs that turn your laptop into somebody else’s internet exit ramp? Less ideal.

Want to know whether unapproved VPNs or proxy software are running on your company devices? Reach out and we can check for you.

Address

2444 San Pedro Drive
Santa Rosa, CA
95401

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 6pm

Telephone

+17079211145

Website

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