North Bay Computer

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

🚨 You can get hacked just by visiting a webpage. No clicking. No downloading. No “oops, I opened the attachment.”In June...
09/01/2026

🚨 You can get hacked just by visiting a webpage. No clicking. No downloading. No “oops, I opened the attachment.”

In June 2026, Google released an emergency Chrome update for a flaw attackers were already exploiting: CVE-2026-11645.

The problem is built into Chrome itself, which means a malicious webpage can potentially cause trouble simply by loading.

And because apparently one browser zero-day wasn’t enough excitement for 2026, this is one of several Chrome flaws attackers have actively exploited this year.

The fix takes about 30 seconds:

Chrome: Three dots → Help → About Google Chrome → Relaunch

Microsoft Edge uses the same underlying Chromium engine, so make sure Edge is updated and restarted too.

And yes, the restart matters. If you are one of those people with 47 tabs that have been open since February, today may finally be the day to say goodbye.

If your IT provider manages your updates, ask them to confirm this patch has been deployed.

Better to lose a few browser tabs than a few thousand files.

09/01/2026

Everyone is downloading AI tools right now, and scammers have noticed.

An employee searches for a new AI app, clicks what looks like the official site, downloads the software, and unknowingly installs malware designed to steal saved passwords and other data. These fake sites can look almost identical to the real thing, and sometimes appear in sponsored search results above the legitimate website.

A few simple habits help:
▶️ Go directly to the company’s official website instead of clicking an ad
▶️ Do not install software if you are unsure where it came from
▶️ Agree on a short list of approved AI tools for your team
▶️ Ask IT before installing anything new on a work device

The goal is not to stop employees from using AI. It is to make sure the tools they use are actually the tools they think they are.

Want help creating a safer AI and software approval process for your business? Schedule a free consultation with us at www.ITImagined.com/schedule

08/31/2026

Your website is online all day, every day, and most owners never think about its security. You don't need to be a security expert. Here's what to check:

âś… Make sure your site uses HTTPS, the padlock in the browser bar. It's standard now, and visitors (and Google) treat sites without it as untrustworthy.

âś… Keep the software behind your site updated. If you're on WordPress or similar, outdated plugins are the number one way these sites get hacked. Set them to update automatically or have someone check monthly.

âś… Lock down the admin login. A strong password, MFA, and don't use "admin" as the username. It's the door attackers try first.

âś… If your site has contact or signup forms, make sure they're protected against spam and abuse, and that anything customers enter is sent and stored securely.

If a web designer built your site and then disappeared, it's worth having someone do a quick once-over. A hacked website can serve malware to your own customers without you ever knowing.

You got ransomware and your files are locked. Now what? Do you pay or not?Before you send a cent, keep in mind that payi...
08/30/2026

You got ransomware and your files are locked. Now what? Do you pay or not?
Before you send a cent, keep in mind that paying the hackers doesn't guarantee you'll get your files back. And in some cases, paying them can even break the law.

So start with your backups. Check that they're working and that you can restore your systems yourself. If you can, you might not need to pay at all.

Sort this out with your IT provider before it ever happens, not in the middle of an attack.

08/29/2026

🚨 Small and midsize businesses should pay attention to this one.

A recent Press Democrat article highlights a warning from OpenAI and more than 100 major technology companies: the window to prepare for AI-powered cyberattacks is narrowing.

As AI becomes more capable, attackers will be able to find vulnerabilities, automate attacks, and scale phishing and intrusion attempts faster than ever. And SMBs may be especially attractive targets because they often have fewer security resources than large enterprises.

The takeaway is simple: waiting to improve your cybersecurity is becoming a bigger risk.

Now is the time to review your patching, MFA, backups, endpoint protection, employee training, and incident response plan—before AI gives attackers an even bigger advantage.

Want to know where your business stands? Schedule a free IT & cybersecurity consultation with IT Imagined:
www.ITImagined.com/schedule

These devices have a limited shelf life. Once a certain point passes, they stop getting security updates.And no security...
08/29/2026

These devices have a limited shelf life. Once a certain point passes, they stop getting security updates.

And no security updates means a higher chance of getting hacked.

So do this:
▶️ Ask your IT provider for a list of your network gear, with the model and whether it's still getting security updates. Anything past end of life should be on a replacement plan.
▶️ Don't only think about the firewall. Old switches, access points, even that ancient backup router count too.
▶️ When you buy new gear, check the support timeline, not just the price. Cheaper hardware sometimes hits end of life years sooner.

Deepfakes have gotten good enough that the face on a video call might not be the real person.There have already been cas...
08/28/2026

Deepfakes have gotten good enough that the face on a video call might not be the real person.

There have already been cases where an employee joined a video call with what looked like their CFO and a few colleagues, all of them fake, and got talked into wiring out a fortune. Faking a familiar face and voice on a live call keeps getting cheaper and easier.

If someone on a call is pushing you to move money or hand over access fast, verify it another way before you do anything. Call them back on a number you already have, or ask them something only the real person would know.

It feels awkward to second-guess your own boss on a call. But a good boss would much rather you check than get fooled. Make "always verify money requests" a normal rule, so nobody feels weird doing it.

You're probably holding far more customer data than you need, and all of it is something a hacker can take if they get i...
08/27/2026

You're probably holding far more customer data than you need, and all of it is something a hacker can take if they get in.

You've got old spreadsheets of card numbers, customer files from people who left years ago, exports you pulled once and forgot about. It's all just sitting there, and if you don't need it, it's just something for a hacker to steal.

So keep less. Go through where you store customer info and delete what you've got no reason to keep, old payment details first. Set a sensible limit on how long you hold different records and stick to it. Your accountant or lawyer can tell you the minimums you're legally required to keep. And watch the copies, because the spreadsheet someone saved to their desktop is just as easy to steal as the main system.

You can't lose what you don't have. Every file you clear out is one less thing to worry about if you're ever breached.

Attackers don't always need your password. A lot of the time they just go to the login page, click "forgot password," an...
08/26/2026

Attackers don't always need your password. A lot of the time they just go to the login page, click "forgot password," and reset it themselves.

That reset usually runs through your recovery email, your phone number, or those security questions like your mother's maiden name or the street you grew up on. A lot of that is easy to dig up on social media or in old data breaches. If someone can answer your security questions or get into your recovery email, your strong password and MFA don't matter.

Do this:
▶️ Make sure the recovery email and phone number on your important accounts are current, and protected with their own strong login and MFA. Your email matters most here, because whoever controls it can reset your other accounts.
▶️ When a site lets you, skip the security questions, or treat them like extra passwords. Make up an answer that isn't real and save it in your password manager.
▶️ Check the recovery details on your main business accounts now and then, especially after someone leaves, so an old personal phone number isn't still sitting there.

The reset process is one of the most overlooked ways in. Ten minutes on your key accounts closes it off.

Starting in August 2026, the EU has new rules about labeling AI-generated content, and they could apply to your business...
08/25/2026

Starting in August 2026, the EU has new rules about labeling AI-generated content, and they could apply to your business even if you're not based in Europe.

If you use AI to create content the public sees, things like images, videos, or text, and you have customers in the EU, you may need to make clear when something was made or heavily changed by AI, depending on the specific role you play and the type of content involved.

It's worth checking whether it applies to you rather than assuming it does or doesn't.

Look at where you're already using AI in your marketing or customer-facing material, and start labeling anything that needs it.

If you're not sure whether the rules apply to you, that's a quick conversation with whoever handles your legal side.

Better to sort this out now than scramble when a customer or regulator asks.


https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/code-practice-ai-generated-content

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2444 San Pedro Drive
Santa Rosa, CA
95401

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

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