Let’s review the most common causes of data loss and how each situation can be avoided.

• Neglecting to save files frequently

Many instances of permanent data loss have resulted from simply not saving one’s progress. Consider the following example. Carol the administrative assistant was drafting a letter all morning. After typing twenty full pages, she left for lunch without saving her work. A nearby lightning strike took out the power to her building while she was away. When she returned, she was very upset to find that all of her hard work was gone! In this case, Carol could have saved herself (and her employer) a significant amount of frustration by saving her document at regular intervals.
What can we learn from Carol’s mistake? Save early – save often!

• Writing files to your local PC

Saving your work frequently is crucial, but where should files be saved?
Do you save to your PC’s internal hard drive or a shared drive on the company server? Let’s explore the options by examining the story of Doctor Stein. Dr. Francis Stein had been running a successful research lab for many years. He was concerned about protecting the results of his experiments, so he purchased a state of the art backup system for his server. However, Dr. Stein had gotten into a habit of only saving data to his notebook computer. One stormy night, the Doctor ran a very dangerous test involving lightning. Suddenly, an electric arc ran through his equipment and completely destroyed his laptop! “No problem, I have the backup system,” he thought. Imagine his shock when he discovered that he’d forgotten to move his data to the server, where it would have been backed up!
Though this scenario may seem far-fetched, it happens more often than you’d think.  Modern servers feature fault resistant technology and robust backup systems. When working with important files, the choice is clear: save to the server!

• Not keeping files organized

In some circumstances, data was “lost” only because it wasn’t saved within a well-defined organizational structure. Let’s look at an example to illustrate this problem. George the accountant was responsible for keeping books on many clients. Normally, he would save each document he received under the appropriate client folder on the server. A few days before the tax filing deadline, George was assigned 20 new clients. Instead of saving the relevant documents into the established folder structure, George decided to lump all the files together in a new folder. Unfortunately, George was fatally struck by lightning the next day, and his firm was audited by the IRS shortly thereafter. Because George’s colleagues were unable to find any of his new client files in the usual locations, they were forced to request duplicate documents from all the new clients.

Although this case is an extreme one, it demonstrates a key point in data protection: organize your saved files so others can find them.

• Using outdated hardware and software

A functional computer network is like a high-performance race car; all of the components should be relatively new and well maintained to ensure the best possible operation. It’s easy to see why this is true. If any component is in disrepair, the whole system can be brought to a screeching halt. When that happens, the resulting loss of productivity might end the race before you ever cross the finish line. This is why it’s vitally important to invest in new hardware and software every three to five years. Don’t risk your organization’s position in a highly competitive business environment.
Make sure to use the newest hardware and software available!

Remember, proper data handling depends on you. Don’t hesitate to contact a member of the iTEAM staff if you have any questions!

• Malwarebytes
• Superantispyware
• Hitman Pro
• Spybot S&D
• Combofix and SDFix (warning: read the tutorials here and here prior to use)
• MBR (can be used to identify the presence of MBR rootkits)
• Malicious Software Removal Tool (mrt) and Microsoft SFC (sfc /scannow)
• CCleaner (can purge nearly every temp folder and delete invalid registry keys)

Editor’s note: this information is provided AS IS, with no warranty of any kind. If you are inexperienced with malware removal, please call us at 505-796-5656. One of our security experts will be happy to provide further assistance.

But fear not, dear reader! iTeam Consulting is here to help you.

Editor’s note: the following fix is provided AS IS, with no warranty of any kind. If you are uncomfortable making changes to the Windows registry, please call us at 505-796-5656. One of our security experts will be happy to provide further assistance.

Simply download this file, double-click it, and select “Yes” in the resulting prompt. Voilà! Your executable file (.exe) associations are reset to the factory default. Be sure to scan your system with Malwarebytes afterwards to take care of any residual problems.