Blue Ridge Technology

Digital security has never been more important for your business than it is today, and now a new report from the FBI has businesses scrambling to shore up their cyber defenses. Ransomware attacks are serious threats to businesses of all shapes and sizes, and the FBI recently warned about a new ransomware group that is taking an especially aggressive approach. The group is called Interlock— here’s what you need to know. Meet Interlock Interlock is a group of cybercriminals that first hit the scene around September of last year. They have made a name for themselves by attacking businesses and infrastructure in the US and Europe, including some fairly high-profile targets. Their usual attack starts with a threat and a request for ransom. Once Interlock gains control of a business’s systems, they steal sensitive information and then lock businesses out via encryption. Next comes the ransom demand: pay up within a few days, or else. If you don’t, then your files all end up on the dark web—n...

Battery Life Battery life in your mobile devices is something most of us think about day by day. Our smartphones last the day if we’re lucky, and our laptops are even worse. Even though the batteries inside are larger, laptops have much heftier power needs, so they run through those batteries faster. That’s especially true when you’re doing resource-intensive work on your computer (things like photo or video editing, rendering, compiling, and so on). Device makers have responded with a power-saving feature, called things like Low Power Mode and Energy Saver. These limit a device’s capability, sometimes literally slowing it down or lowering max screen brightness, to limit battery drain. It’s a trade of performance for battery life. That makes sense if you’re white-knuckling it home on 5%, relying on your smartphone map to get you there. But on your laptop, it can get in the way of everyday computing tasks. Microsoft Windows already has an energy saver mode, but it’s an all-or-nothing so...

Too Much Data? Staff Risk. Here’s an important question: On your business’s network, who can see what? Is your network wide open to every single employee? That’s the case at many small businesses, but it isn’t a good idea. If you’re operating this way, you’re exposing your business to lots of unnecessary risk. This week we’re tackling the topic of network access control. What Is Access Control? Access control is technology that limits who can gain entrance to somewhere or something. The term is used commonly in physical security, where access control systems (like smart locks and badge scanners on a school or corporate campus) limit who can enter secure spaces. Access control in the digital world applies those same principles, trading physical doors and locks for network locations and secure websites. With network access control, an administrator grants user accounts access to specific network folders and locations (think of them like digital rooms behind locked doors). Just like door ...

​A while back, we posted about how a new technology called passkeys was on its way, and we hoped that passkeys would one day eliminate insecure username and password logins for good. Well, we’re more than two years in (Google started rolling out passkeys in May 2023 ), and we have to be honest: passkeys haven’t exactly taken over the internet yet. We’ll get into why, why it’s still a good idea to use them, and how Microsoft is making this easier in 2025. But first, a reminder of what passkeys actually are. What Is a Passkey? A passkey operates behind the scenes to securely authenticate users and devices, proving you are who you say you are through a variety of factors and methods. Rather than relying on a username and password (that can be easily stolen, guessed, or brute-forced), passkeys use advanced cryptography and biometric data (like your face or fingerprint) to establish trust. Passkeys have two parts: one remains on your device, and the other remains with the service you’re log...

Structured Cabling with Modern Surveillance and Access Control In today's technology-driven world, security is a paramount concern for businesses of all sizes. At Blue Ridge Cabling, we understand the complexities involved in creating a secure and resilient IT environment. Central to these efforts is the effective integration of structured cabling systems with modern surveillance and access control technologies. The backbone of reliable security Structured cabling serves as the backbone for security systems, providing a reliable and organized infrastructure that supports the seamless operation of surveillance cameras and access control devices. This organized setup ensures that each component communicates effectively, enhancing the overall functionality of your security solutions. By maintaining an efficient cabling system, businesses can experience fewer interruptions, facilitating a smooth and uninterrupted flow of data. This is crucial for maintaining the integrity and reliabili...

​ Is Your New Hire Susceptible to a Cyberattack? Hiring new team members always feels like a risk. But it could be adding different kinds of risk than you think. Picture this: your business is growing, or you’re replacing an employee that’s moved on. You find the perfect candidate, who signs a contract and joins the team. But after hiring that person, things just don’t go as smoothly as you had hoped. Even worse, that new employee makes a seemingly obvious mistake, opening up your business to digital risk or even a full-on cyberattack. Here’s the truth: it’s not just you, and you don’t have terrible luck in hiring. There’s more going on here. New Employees Are Vulnerable It’s true of any of us: there’s a certain level of vulnerability when you’re new at something, or you’re in a new environment. Think of all the things that even highly-skilled new employees don’t know: Every aspect of their job The company culture The names and personalities of the rest of the team Your IT policies Wor...

​ Windows 10 Support Disappearing We’ve posted here a few times now about the reasons why it’s time to update to Windows 11. This is likely our last one, but there’s news you need to know if you’re still sticking with Windows 10. Microsoft is ending free support for Windows 10 in less than 2 weeks. On October 14, 2025 , Windows 10 support officially ends. That means no more security updates, no more technical support from Microsoft if something goes wrong, and no more bug fixes or changes of virtually any kind. The tldr here: if you haven’t upgraded to Windows 11, you need to get the ball rolling — right away. Why Free Support Is Ending Put simply: Windows 10 is old. In terms of operating-system lifespans, it’s ancient. Microsoft released its successor (Windows 11) in 2021, so businesses have already had 4 years to get ready to upgrade. Keeping multiple OSes up and running (and safe and secure) is a resource drain, even for a company as big as Microsoft. So eventually, inevi...