You’ve probably heard it over and over again. There are always people – they might be doctors, teachers, coaches and certainly your parents – telling you that you need to get more sleep at night. They tell you it will affect your school work, your athletic performance, and your overall health. But how important is sleep for you, really?

According to the National Sleep Foundation, “Sleep is just as important as diet and exercise.” If you’re an athlete, you know that diet and exercise are crucial to keeping your performance skills high. So, logically, sleep is also just as important. And according to the International Classifications of Sleep Disorders, “Shift workers are at increased risk for a variety of chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases.” So, if you aren’t getting enough sleep, you may be seriously damaging your health, as an athlete, we know you don’t want that. You want to be your absolute best at all time, whether it’s the day of practice or of the big game.

But, you may make the argument that you’re young, healthy and aren’t working the night shift. You say, “I’m good, right?” So is sleep more or less important for high school students? The answer is a resounding yes, teens need sleep! And lots of it! Don’t believe us? Let’s ask the experts.

Researchers at the UCLA Sleep Disorder Center found that “teens are at an important stage of their growth and development. Because of this, they need more sleep than adults. The average teen needs about nine hours of sleep each night to feel alert and well rested.”

So the answer is simple: yes, as a teenager, you need to get a good night’s rest. And you need to sleep well every single night. It can make you healthier, happier, and have a more successful basketball season. So, if you need an excuse to go to bed early or to sleep in a few extra minutes, here you go. Sweet dreams!

“What the heck is a VPN and why do I need one anyway?” It’s a common question and here are the three misunderstandings, or myths users often run into and we want to clear the air.

Myth #1: You need to be techy to set one up

Only the IT department or tech geeks know how to set up a VPN, right? Not at all! There are VPN products that can be downloaded with easy installation and setup. But, be warned re: myth #2 …

Myth #2: You can get one for free

The VPN market may look endless with all of the options. It’s littered with free choices, so obviously you can get one for free, right? Wrong! If a business offers you a service for free, you become the product. They use you to make money. A free VPN makes money by injecting ads into your browsing (after scrutinizing your online traffic), or turning around and selling your data to a third-party. Find a VPN provider with excellent 24/7 support and frequent security patches.

Myth #3: VPNs are only used by hackers and cybercriminals

You’ve seen the stock photos online of cyber hackers, sitting in their dark hoodies, scrolling through 1s and 0s on the screen as they hack through cyberspace. Yes, criminals and hackers do use VPNs to mask their identities, but they’re hardly the only users. Here are people who can really benefit from a VPN:

• Business travelers who access public WiFi from airports and hotels
• Small businesses securing their network as they grow
• Users at the gym, using their WiFi while running or lifting weights
• Global users looking to establish their virtual presence in countries like Sweden and Hong Kong
• Everyone, because we believe that all people should have unfiltered access to the internet. Stopping or prohibiting that access is a human rights violation. In an ideal world, everyone will be able to access information on the web. This will strengthen our society, and provide people with equal opportunities.

Myth #4: VPNs are secure
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. While this technology provides a level of privacy, cyber security experts understand that VPNs are NOT secure. VPN clients, encryption, as well as endpoints (servers), are exploited every day.

If your organization needs secure communication to your office or another secure environment, you need to be looking for a solution based on Zero Trust Network Access. The US Federal Government has successfully used ZTNA solutions for more than 20 years. For more information about what criteria is needed to be a true ZTNA solution, check out the Special Publication from NIST on 8/10/20 | Zero Trust Architecture | NIST | or reach out to Tony to have a discussion about your specific use case.

Now that you know these myths about VPN, help share the realities with friends and coworkers. Spread the word about privacy and security.

Cyber attacks are on the rise as hackers are now becoming faster, sneakier and more creative. Over the last few years, everyone from Equifax to Target has experienced a high-profile security breach. Not only are these breaches affecting data on computer systems, but also consumer safety as internet-connected cars are now being hacked.

How are all of these hackers gathering sensitive data from thousands of companies every year? Malware is often the reason.

What is malware?

Malware is malicious software designed to gain access to a network, find sensitive data and possibly steal that data. There are various types of malware including spyware, true viruses, worms or any type of malicious code that infiltrates a computer.

Once malware is installed, it can allow hackers to have unlimited access to information on your systems and even do things like hijack your browser, redirect your search attempts, serve pop-up ads and track which websites you visit. Ultimately, malware can extract private and sensitive data from your customers. It can also cause your computer to become unbearably slow and unstable.

A criminal enterprise

Malware has become a wealthy enterprise now largely designed by and for professional criminals. These thieves employ several sophisticated malware tactics such as the ability to self-update to avoid detection or to reinstall in different locations if deleted.

The main threat that cybercriminals pose is stealing online banking information such as credit card accounts and passwords. They will then attempt to use this information to reproduce cards or sell the stolen data on the black market. During a malware attack, all credit card transactions made on the computer could be at risk.

Malware cyber attacks on the rise

New strains of malware are created every day, making it difficult for many companies to prevent a cyber attack. According to a recent study, more than 300 million new pieces of malware are created each year. This means that nearly 1 million new threats were released every day. Verizon reports that in nearly 90 percent of these cases, hackers relied on computer bugs that have not been fixed since 2002.

How to protect your company from malware

Since cyber attacks utilizing malware are increasing at an alarming rate, companies can no longer afford to not have a security solution in place. Here are two steps you can incorporate quickly to protect your company from the risk of malware.

1. Find solutions for data security

All companies should have a suite of solutions in place to effectively secure their data. One key solution is internal and external vulnerability scanning. This will allow for regular routine checks of your computer systems to detect malware before it causes any damage. Another solution businesses can implement is penetration testing, which is where ethical hackers do security testing. These professionals will know exactly how to stop criminals before they are able to hack into your computer systems and release malware.

2. Educate your employees

It is crucial to make sure your employees are informed of how to keep your computer systems secure. They may not know much about the dangers of malware and might accidentally download it if not educated. Train your employees to not click on suspicious links, browse places they shouldn’t go online, check non-work email or do anything that will risk computer safety.

These solutions, if implemented effectively, will help prevent malware from damaging the security of your business.

Today’s post might not be long, and the concept is simple. But don’t get us wrong; today’s post is important. It’s one you don’t want to pass up if you’ve ever feared anything in your life.

Got your attention yet?

Fear. Fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of losing, fear of anything.

Fear is the number one thing holding us back and stopping us from being successful. The definition of fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain or a threat. Fear, oftentimes, is the one thing that stops us from trying new things, keeps us from moving forward and makes us think so negatively that sometimes we become paralyzed.

We could give you a list of a million quotes and self-help tips that have to do with fear and how to overcome it. We could tell you that it’s not a big deal and that you are worrying too much. There is one quote that may inspire you, however. The great mythologist and author Joseph Campbell once said, “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” It’s a powerful statement that essentially says, the only way for you to overcome your fears is to face them head on. If you fear flying, get on a plane (maybe a short flight for starters). If you fear public speaking, enroll in Toastmasters and learn how to speak eloquently in any situation.

In the end, here’s the best advice: just do it. Look your fears in the face and just stomp right-on over them. Conquer your fears, overcome your fears or just don’t have any fears. Whatever works for you; just do it. Don’t let fear hold you back from living the life you’ve always dreamed of living.