Here is the short answer to the question of how many Microsoft products you can request: You can get 50 of each kind of product in a two-year period — but there are some exceptions.

See Microsoft products

What do you mean by "each kind of product"?

The Microsoft Donation Program divides products into categories called title groups. See the current list of 37. A title group contains products that serve essentially the same purpose, like PowerPoint and PowerPoint for Mac.

You can get products from 10 title groups in your two-year cycle.

When does this two-year cycle start and end? Is it the calendar year?

No. Your nonprofit has its own two-year cycle. Your first cycle started the day you requested your first Microsoft product through TechSoup. You can see when your current cycle ends on your Microsoft Donation Center page.

Outlook and PowerPoint are both title groups. Does that mean we can get 50 of each product?

That's right. They can be all the Windows version, all the Mac version, or a mixture of the two. And you will be able to request products from eight more title groups.

What are the exceptions you mentioned?

They have to do with servers. Microsoft offers two licensing models for its server products.

• Core-based licensing. This licensing is based on the number of cores in the physical processors of your server machines. The product page on TechSoup will tell you whether the server uses this type of licensing. You can request up to 50 of these products from each title group, the same as desktop products. But you might have to request more than one product to fully license all the processors in your server.
• Non-core-based licensing. You can request a total of five server products that do not use core-based licensing. They can be from a single title group or from different title groups, but the total cannot be more than five.

A lot of the title groups are for CALs and MLs. What are the limits for these?

You can get 50 from each title group.

CALs, or client access licenses, give you access to a server from a device like your desktop computer.

MLs, or management licenses, let your device be managed by a management server.

Where can I find out more?

This article goes into a lot more detail and gives examples of how the various allotments work together.

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I am often asked what I see as the biggest potential game-changers in tech — particularly as it relates to social good. Mobile, social, the cloud, and analytics continue to emerge as key themes. However, analytics is emerging as the true game changer — catalyzed by advances in open architecture.

Let me unpack what I mean by "open architecture." Open means that anyone can access it, contribute to it, and innovate on top of it. At Blackbaud, where I serve as chief technology officer, one of our core tenets has been to design an open, cloud-based software and data architecture. We're cultivating a technical community of partners, customers, and engineers (inside and outside of the company) who are innovating in different ways and contributing to this ecosystem.

From this vantage point, I see the way that openness accelerates the velocity of innovation. Looking at it from a different angle, open ecosystems also yield data and analytics that enable everyone who is part of them to gain more insights and intelligence.

This data can power intelligent software solutions, surface actionable events, maintain accurate and current data assets, and generally drive more results for users. In other words, an open cloud-based architecture elevates usage, which in turn generates more and more data and intelligence that make the system even more powerful.

With data, analytics, and intelligence in mind, the following capabilities emerge as candidates to have a great positive impact.

The Internet of Things

Internet of Things (IoT) technology is cheap and accessible and can transform normal household items into network devices that generate data. In my house, the lights, thermostats, appliances, cars, doors, and windows are all connected devices. These connected devices generate data and intelligence (such as trends in usage, optimization of electricity consumption, and so on). Much like a household, there are many IoT possibilities for nonprofits and other players in the social good space to generate valuable, actionable data.

Instrumentation

Instrumentation provides us with the ability to understand what's happening within our software. As Blackbaud ships features and capabilities within solutions, we monitor usage. We do so to understand if our customers can easily discover the new capability (do they use it the first time they log on?) and to determine if our customers find it valuable (is their use ongoing?). This data-driven approach is an extremely effective way of measuring both the quality of the user experience and the overall value of the work we're doing.

We can learn a lot about our customers just by observing what they do. Across the software industry, instrumentation is driving advances in understanding that enable more targeted solutions to users' challenges.

Usage Information

Like instrumentation, usage data enables us to understand the leading indicators that yield the best, most effective outcomes. For example, through usage data, we were able to understand that nonprofits who proactively thank donors within one week of giving have an advantage. They were much more effective at converting those individuals to longer-term supporters and recurring donors.

Predictive Intelligence

Predictive analytics showcase some of the most stunning and innovative applications of data. At Blackbaud, we think of predictive analytics as a kind of "self-driving car." It guides and sometimes fully automates tasks for our users, enabling them to gain much greater results. A few examples of predictive analytics scenarios that we're working on include

• Extending the most compelling message to a specific person at just the right time via the best channel, to keep them engaged, generate a donation, invite them to an event, or simply share a story.
• Intelligently connecting nonprofits, corporations, individuals, foundations, faith-based organizations, schools, and other stakeholders across the ecosystem we serve. That action enables us to more efficiently coordinate efforts and services and drive greater good together.
• Leveraging social information, an understanding of a person's network, geographical context, and other analytics to help connect an advocate with a nonprofit, school, or foundation, in just the right way.

We leverage the correlation of many different, disparate data sources to drive true intelligence and to power new, predictive user experiences across our applications. Our data platform is what powers this intelligence. This platform drives value across our solutions in other ways, including

• Correcting, appending, and de-duplicating data across the system
• Business intelligence and reporting that shows trends in data
• Real-time data pipelines that spark events across the system based on changes to the data

I’ve included only a few examples of technology capabilities we're researching that we believe will have a strong positive impact. The central theme of these capabilities is providing more actionable data and intelligence. Our commitment to delivering a robust, scalable, and flexible data architecture as well as open, cloud-based software enables us to take advantage of this technology. It also enables us to harness these capabilities to drive greater value for the customers we serve.

This blog post was written by Mary Beth Westmoreland.

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What does it take to make a city greener? In San Francisco, it took a small group of motivated people to come together to create a nonprofit. After the city cut funding for urban forestry 36 years ago, seven individuals decided to take matters into their own hands. They created a nonprofit, Friends of the Urban Forest (FUF).

Starting with a Small Budget, FUF Plants Nearly Half San Francisco's Street Trees

The organization started off with just a small budget from a leftover city grant. Then it used grassroots efforts to rally neighborhoods throughout the city around urban trees. By empowering and supporting communities and homeowners to plant and care for their own trees, FUF has successfully planted 60,000 of the 125,000 trees in San Francisco. The group eventually even worked with the city to create San Francisco's first ever Urban Forest Plan.

FUF Harnesses the Power of Many Volunteers to Plant and Advocate for Trees

FUF is a member of TechSoup, and TechSoup's staffers were very excited to reach out for an interview to hear more about the group's impact. My team joined FUF early on a Saturday morning for its volunteer tree planting event in the Portola neighborhood, a part of the city that is lacking street trees. It was cold even by San Francisco standards, but there was an impressive turnout of volunteers present and ready to plant.

The executive director of FUF, Dan Flanagan, joined us and told us about his work. "We get to get out in the city and make it greener. We advocate for trees; I always call ourselves the Lorax of San Francisco. We are the only organization in San Francisco that is speaking for the trees."

FUF Gets the Chance to Plant Even More Trees … in Neighborhoods That Really Need Them

Dan was excited about a recent accomplishment for the organization. San Francisco just passed Proposition E, which opens up major opportunities for the nonprofit. As he said, "It changes the responsibility from street trees and sidewalks away from the homeowners and to the city. As a result, homeowners are no longer responsible, and now we actually get a chance to make the city more green than ever before by planting more trees in neighborhoods that couldn't afford it before."

This policy makes the city responsible for maintenance, but it will still require FUF to continue its work of planting the trees. FUF hopes to plant 1,700 trees this year and ultimately hopes to plant 3,000 trees every year.

FUF Puts Technology from TechSoup to Work

I was curious to find out how FUF was using technology to further its mission. Jason Boyce, individual gifts manager, said: "Here at Friends of the Urban Forest, a lot of our field staff tend to be out in the field all day; technology really needs to be out of the way to allow us to plant. So, as a result, the relationships we build with our community tend to be stronger because we use technology to enable our work, but it doesn't get in the way of our work."

Jason explained, "We have been working with ArcMap for years, ... GIS software that TechSoup has provided for us. We use it to plant trees, to figure out where we are going to plant. When we do our plantings, we actually dole out the maps that our volunteers use to do the plantings, and all that comes through ArcMap. We use Adobe Acrobat to put together our tree manuals for our new tree owners and volunteer manuals. We use AutoCAD to put together the permit drawings for our sidewalk gardens. Technology plays a really important role in doing our plantings and making San Francisco more green."

FUF Partners with the City to Calculate the Environmental Benefits of Trees

Jason also recently worked with the city on the Urban Forest Map, which is an interactive online map that tracks every tree in San Francisco. The map helps calculate the environmental benefits the trees provide, including stormwater mitigation, air pollutants captured, and carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere. This platform has increased the visibility of the city's urban forest.

As Jason said, "We are now at the forefront of cities worldwide that are building software to manage their urban forests. … [This] really gives a lot of benefit to the people living in San Francisco."

TechSoup is proud to support organizations like Friends of the Urban Forest by enabling them with the technology they need. That support gives them more time to focus on their impact, like planting trees, or to build the communities that help them thrive.

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The Inland Empire, which encompasses 27,000 square miles in Southern California, has one of the highest rates of poverty in the U.S.'s twenty-five largest metropolitan areas. One in five people there live at the poverty level. Smooth Transition, Inc., is a nonprofit educational and vocational training organization that has been working with local at-risk populations since 2009. It aims to provide a gateway towards empowerment, educational, and employment opportunities to lead a fulfilling, prosperous, and purposeful life.

Breaking Harmful Cycles

Smooth Transition began working to reach at-risk teens early — before they dropped out of high school or left the foster care system. It later expanded its program to include all at-risk populations, including displaced adults, as a means to better help the community. Smooth Transition's life skills development and educational training increase levels of employability. Its mentorship helps prevent its clients from re-entering the foster and judicial system or repeating poverty and homelessness cycles.

The nonprofit provides flexible and relevant programs that are accredited through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Its programs are directly tied to career pathways and provide students with vocational certifications at little or no cost to them. Graduates have a high completion rate as compared with other programs that serve at-risk populations. But students also come away with significant increases in their perceived self-value and a decrease in perceived barriers to success.

Keeping the Computer Labs Secure

In 2016, Smooth Transition served roughly 2,800 people with just four full-time staff members. Many of its programs are computer-based and require that its computer labs serve multiple uses and multiple users. One of the organization's board members manages its IT needs on a volunteer basis. He recommended Symantec's Norton Small Business, and the organization has been using it on its systems since it was founded.

Symantec's donation of antivirus protection — through TechSoup — has enabled the nonprofit to safely use its computer labs and has increased the number of programs and services it can offer to its students. According to Dr. Robin Goins, president and executive director of Smooth Transition, "The donations we receive are the foundation of our success, and we cannot express enough the generational and community impact the Symantec donations provide us. Smooth Transition is an appreciative recipient of the donations we received from Symantec and we look forward to providing even more impactful community programs as a result."

Goins goes on to describe how Smooth Transition's testing centers are networked, with students taking roughly 250,000 different kinds of exams. She worried that without security in the testing centers, the tests would be disrupted, causing a very serious problem. "If we have things disrupting our classes it costs us money. It also costs students the ability to complete their work. Having viruses attack us would be catastrophic for us."

Goins points out that Norton Small Business also helps protect confidential information. "As a school, we're required to protect the identity of our students and a lot of their demographic information," she said.

Smooth Transition will continue to work throughout the Inland Empire to provide flexible training and resources for those who don't fit the traditional education model. Though it faces many challenges in providing students with real, relevant work tools and skills, its staff is relieved, knowing that its systems and data are protected.

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Fall has arrived, and with it comes fundraising season. More than one-third of charitable giving happens in the last three months of the year, and the emergence of Giving Tuesday (on November 28 this year) makes the year's end even more critical for charities.

Feeling overwhelmed? Your local NetSquared group is here to help with free, in-person events being held across the U.S. and the globe.

Naples, Florida, is hosting a meetup on tools for effective email fundraising; Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, is hosting a series of Giving Tuesday brainstorming sessions; and Chicago, Illinois, will explore how your CRM can save end-of-year fundraising plans.

With more than 75 events scheduled for October, there's probably an event scheduled for your community, so RSVP now for one of our meetups.

Join us!

Upcoming Tech4Good Events

This roundup of face-to-face nonprofit tech events includes meetups from NetSquared, NTEN's Tech Clubs, and other awesome organizations. If you're holding monthly events that gather the #nptech community, let me know, and I'll include you in the next community calendar, or apply today to start your own NetSquared group.

Jump to events in North America or go international with events in

• Africa and Middle East
• Asia and Pacific Rim
• Central and South America
• Europe and U.K.

North America

Monday, October 2, 2017

• Vancouver, British Columbia: Photojournalism for Nonprofits and Small Businesses #Storymakers2017

Tuesday, October 3, 2017

• Portland, Oregon
  • Happy Hour with Nonprofit Tech Luminaries
  • NTEN Presents: Oregon Nonprofit Tech Roundup
• Montréal, Québec: Développer une Présence Web Efficace
• Naples, Florida: Tools for Effective Email Communication
• Mason, Ohio: Connecting Nonprofits and Techies in Cincinnati

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Bagels and Bytes — Allegheny
• Baltimore, Maryland: WordPress 101 and Tech Help and Consultations
• San Francisco, California: Code for America Civic Hack Night (Weekly)

Thursday, October 5, 2017

• Calgary, Alberta: Evening on Data Ethics

Friday, October 6, 2017

• Seattle, Washington: King County Executive Director Forum

Monday, October 9, 2017

• Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin: Giving Tuesday Brainstorming

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

• Columbus, Ohio: Nonprofit IT Forum
• Decatur, Illinois: Free and Low-Cost Resources for Nonprofit Software
• Ottawa, Ontario: Review Progress on Data Analysis Projects

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

• Mason, Ohio: Help Create an App for Homeless to Manage Money More Effectively
• San Francisco, California: Code for America Civic Hack Night (Weekly)
• Boston, Massachusetts: Tech Networks of Boston Roundtable: Building an Effective Data Culture at Your Nonprofit
• O’Fallon, Missouri: Learn How to Apply for a $10,000 per Month Google AdWords Grant
• Phoenix, Arizona: Website Building 101: Quick and Easy Web Presence for Nonprofits
• Los Angeles, California: Nonprofit Volunteer Management
• Chicago, Illinois: Net Neutrality

Thursday, October 12, 2017

• Chicago, Illinois: It's Never Too Late: How Your CRM Can Save End-of-Year Fundraising
• Seattle, Washington: What You Need to Know About Board Governance

Saturday, October 14, 2017

• Saint Paul, Minnesota: Minnesota Blogger Conference | by Get Social Events, the Social Media Breakfast Folks ($25)

Monday, October 16, 2017

• San Francisco, California: Social Impact in Tech: Panel Discussion with LinkedIn, Lyft, and Salesforce
• Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin: Giving Tuesday Brainstorming
• Seattle, Washington: Fall Nonprofit Technology Speed Geek

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

• Buffalo, New York: Essential Data Management
• Orlando, Florida: Tech4Good Orlando October: Search Engine Optimization and Strategy

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

• San Francisco, California: Code for America Civic Hack Night (Weekly)
• Houston, Texas: NetSquared Houston
• Research Triangle Park, North Carolina: Crowdsourcing Change: The Social Web to Nonprofits

Thursday, October 19, 2017

• Monroeville, Pennsylvania: TechNow 2017 Conference
• Sweet Briar, Virginia: Using Data to Reach Your Audience

Friday, October 20, 2017

• West Chester, Ohio: Southwest Ohio Give Camp
• Boston, Massachusetts: Tech Networks of Boston Roundtable: Can Appmaker Help You? A Free Database Tool from Google

Monday, October 23, 2017

• Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin: Giving Tuesday Brainstorming
• Austin, Texas: Engaging the Millennial Donor

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

• Vancouver, British Columbia: How Delivering Webinars Can Benefit Your Mission

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

• Baltimore, Maryland: Salesforce 101 for Nonprofits and Free Tech Help and Guidance
• San Francisco, California: Code for America Civic Hack Night (Weekly)
• Seattle, Washington: Recruit, Engage, and Retain a Great Board

Monday, October 30, 2017

• Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin: Giving Tuesday Brainstorming

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

• Seattle, Washington: Bolder and Wiser: Nonprofit Advocacy Rights (Part 2)

Central and South America

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

• Guatemala City, Guatemala: Pechakucha Guatemala — Historias Digitales Vol. 15

Africa and Middle East

Sunday, October 1, 2017

• Cotonou, Benin: L'Utilité des Logiciels de TechSoup dans la Progression d Nos ONG dans le Monde
• Kampala, Uganda: Digital Storytelling for Nonprofits Workshop

Monday, October 2, 2017

• Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso: Monthly Meeting of Local Members

Saturday, October 7, 2017

• Matloding, South Africa: Technology for Rural Development
• Bunda, Tanzania: Microsoft Cloud Computing
• Morogoro, Tanzania: Role of ICT for Farm Management

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

• Bamenda, Cameroon: How to Create Digital Stories

Friday, October 13, 2017

• Katabi, Uganda: Using Social Media Applications for Development
• Pangani, Tanzania: Storymakers Campaign

Saturday, October 14, 2017

• Bunda, Tanzania: Microsoft Cloud Computing

Sunday, October 15, 2017

• Cotonou, Benin: Les Logiciels Mis en Don par Techsoup.org pour les ONG et Association au Benin

Saturday, October 21, 2017

• Bunda, Tanzania: Microsoft Cloud Computing

Saturday, October 28, 2017

• Bunda, Tanzania: Microsoft Cloud Computing
• Morogoro, Tanzania: Technology for Livelihood Improvement

Asia and Pacific Rim

Tuesday, October 3, 2017

• Taipei, Taiwan: NGO要怎麼搞群眾募資？- 綠盟經驗談

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

• Singapore, Singapore: DataJam!

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

• Wellington, New Zealand: Set Your Email Newsletter on Fire | Net2Welly Oct '17 Meetup

Sunday, October 15, 2017

• Jakarta, Indonesia: Web Hosting

Europe and U.K.

Tuesday, October 3, 2017

• Paris, France: AdWords Express — Grands Débutants

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

• Puidoux, Switzerland: 7ème Journée Pédagogique ESV-SPV (AVMES/AVMD)

Friday, October 6, 2017

• Carouge, Switzerland: 12h de Hackaton pour Afficher les Termes et Conditions, Que Vous Ne Lirez Jamais

Saturday, October 7, 2017

• Genève, Switzerland: LINforum3 Partage Idée, Réflexion, Projet, Startup, Service … Responsables!

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

• Cambridge, United Kingdom: Social Media Surgery — Hands-on Help with Social Media

Thursday, October 12, 2017

• Paris, France: La Data pour Vous Renforcer

Saturday, October 14, 2017

• Pully, Switzerland: Intergen.Digital à Pully

Monday, October 16, 2017

• Birmingham, United Kingdom: Social Media Session

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

• Dublin, Ireland: Smart Cities for Good

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

• Paris, France: Forum National des Associations et des Fondations
• Bordeaux, France: Les Personas pour Optimiser Votre Conversion

Thursday, October 19, 2017

• Bath, United Kingdom: Tech for Good Community Mapping
• Paris, France: Brainstorming, Plans d'Actions sur Internet

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

• Manchester, United Kingdom: Tech for Good: At the BBC
• Paris, France: AdWords – Initiation
• Paudex, Switzerland: RdV4–0.ch: 3. Solutions Informatiques — Cloud — SaaS — Services en Ligne

Thursday, October 26, 2017

• Barcelona, Spain: ¡Relanzamos NetSquared Barcelona! ¡Te Esperamos!
• Paris, France: Analytics — Initiation

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

• Renens, Switzerland: OpenLab: Visite du Fablab de Renens

Left photo: Gregory Munyaneza / NetSquared Rwanda / CC BY

Center photo: Chrispin Okumu / NetSquared Kenya / CC BY

Right photo: Chrispin Okumu / NetSquared Kenya / CC BY

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In this age of increasing hacks and cybercrime, the Norman Rockwell Museum has a lot of digital assets, museum operations data, and private patron data that need to be protected. Find out why Frank Kennedy, IT manager at the Rockwell museum, chose Veritas Backup Exec to be a key part of the museum's security strategy.

About the Museum

Norman Rockwell is one of the great iconic painters and illustrators of American life in the 20th century. His hundreds of covers for the Saturday Evening Post magazine alone are a national treasure. The Norman Rockwell Museum is located in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, where Rockwell spent the last part of his celebrated life. The museum started two years before Rockwell's death in 1978 and houses over 100,000 of his works and also those of other illustrators.

The museum now has 140,000 annual visitors, and 220,000 people view its traveling exhibitions each year. It also has an active website with more than 600,000 worldwide unique visitors per year.

The Museum's IT System

IT Manager Frank Kennedy is an IT department of one (plus an occasional contractor). He supports 90 staff and volunteers and is responsible for critical information security and data protection for the museum.

The museum's IT network consists of several large physical servers and many single-purpose virtual machines. The single-purpose virtual machines allow for emergency service without disrupting other departments.

Frank says, "Most of our enterprise software is procured via TechSoup, which makes it affordable to license so many servers! We do not have to make do with weak, low-budget software."

Digital Assets: Preserving Art over the Long Term

Frank Kennedy explains that digital assets are of increasing importance in the work of museums. There are high-resolution images or copies of art works that must be carefully stored to preserve work in its best condition. He says that digital versions are often irreplaceable, as when the original object is disintegrating or would be damaged by further handling.

The digital versions keep a faithful record of the art in its best state. The most sensitive objects of this museum include a collection of Rockwell's cellulose nitrate film negatives, which deteriorate over time.

The museum also has analog audio and video tape and motion picture film that deteriorates, as well as works on paper that degrade with exposure to light. Other crucial data for the museum includes databases for collection management, point of sale records, donor management, and email.

Frank's backup system is designed to be redundant on purpose. He says, "Protecting this data means keeping many copies in many places. Doing so becomes a big challenge when the size of the data becomes several terabytes. I use many layers of redundancy."

The Backup Crisis

As the museum's data got bigger and bigger, and server patches piled on, the museum's previous backup solution eventually became unstable. Frank reports that his backups were failing constantly and causing him stress in his careful, risk-based management approach. When he first went to get a new backup solution from TechSoup, he discovered that what he needed was not available.

He says, "The cost for the options I use would have been over $4,000 per year, unbudgeted. TechSoup responded to users' desperate cry and worked with Veritas to bring Backup Exec back to TechSoup! I can't even describe my relief. Veritas Backup Exec is better than ever. It is so stable that I get suspicious and have to go look just to be sure it's really working!"

Why the Norman Rockwell Museum Chose Backup Exec over Other Options

Frank told me that the license he gets from TechSoup includes every option his museum needs. These options and features include

• Exchange Server backup
• Unlimited media server backups
• Unlimited agents for specific applications like VMware, Windows, Linux, and so on
• Simplified disaster recovery
• Protection against accidental deletion, damage, or overwriting
• Storing backups to disk, network share, tape (any type), or cloud — or all four at once
• Virtual machine snapshots that are viewable directly from the host's agent
• A deduplication engine so backed-up data is as clean as possible
• Backup retention periods that can be defined per job and per media server
• An excellent graphical user interface
• The status of every backed-up resource available at a glance
• Sending an email to the admin when anything goes wrong
• Running several jobs simultaneously (depending on server horsepower)

Advice for Museums and Other Organizations Considering Veritas Backup Exec

• Backup Exec is powerful software geared toward backing up an entire network. It requires some study to do the installation and learn the software.
• You don't get phone support with the charity licensing, so you need to be comfortable Googling for answers and working in the Veritas community support forum.
• Frank recommends dedicating a strong server for running the software. He likes eight cores and 32 GB of RAM; hot-swappable, hot-growable RAID-5; fast network connectivity; and a very large uninterruptible power supply (UPS).
• Avoid the temptation to install other services or applications on what seems to be a machine that is often idle.

In a Nutshell

Frank's experience is that "Veritas Backup Exec is the best, most reliable, most flexible, and versatile backup software you can get. Commit the needed resources to operate it, and you will be rewarded with peace of mind and business continuity. Your donors will be pleased that you are protecting their investment so carefully."

Image: Norman Rockwell Museum / All rights reserved / Used with permission

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In 2015, the state of Louisiana consumed more energy per capita than any other state, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Although this may not come as a complete surprise — the state's warm, muggy climate makes air conditioning a must — it's clear that Louisiana's energy-use profile needs a drastic transformation.

The Energy Wise Alliance (EWA), a small nonprofit based in New Orleans, is determined to do just that. Along the way, the organization has gotten a boost from Microsoft's MileIQ app.

MileIQ is a mobile app from Microsoft that automatically tracks the miles you've traveled and records all of your tax-deductible and reimbursable mileage. It's kind of like using a Fitbit, except you're tracking your driving. You can report your business drives on demand and claim your reimbursements or maximize your tax deductions. The average MileIQ user is logging $6,900 per year.

Building a More Energy-Efficient Community

EWA works to make energy efficiency more accessible to everyone. The organization works primarily with low-income families, tenants, and others who would otherwise be left out of the green energy revolution. EWA accomplishes its goals through both workshops and equipment upgrades at homes and businesses.

Its Energy Smart for Kids program teaches students throughout the state how to lead a more energy-efficient lifestyle. These hourlong sessions cover the pitfalls of nonrenewable energy and detail more sustainable alternatives. At the end of each session, EWA volunteers hand out energy-efficiency starter kits so students can apply what they learned at home.

Much like the rest of EWA's programs, Energy Smart for Kids serves underserved and underprivileged communities. In fact, many of the schools that EWA serves are Title 1 schools — schools whose students generally come from lower-income households.

Aside from schools, EWA also helps nonprofits become more sustainable.

Making Nonprofits Greener and More Cost-Efficient

Nonprofits can benefit from EWA's work by way of simple but effective power-saving retrofits. EWA also provides volunteer labor and donates the materials for the retrofits, which means added cost savings. And as we all know, cost-saving programs are like gold dust for nonprofits.

For example, volunteers from EWA revitalized the Victorian-era headquarters of the Alliance Française, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving Francophone heritage in the New Orleans community, with sustainable retrofits. As part of these upgrades, EWA sealed cracks, gaps, and openings; installed additional insulation; and programmed new thermostats.

In addition, EWA gave the Alliance Française's volunteers a hands-on demonstration of behavioral changes so that they could bring this knowledge back home. EWA anticipated that the Alliance Française would save a total of $2,000 to $3,000 as a result of these green improvements.

EWA's staff members also actively save money and operate more efficiently through the use of the mile-tracking app MileIQ.

Saving Time and Money with MileIQ

This method, as you can imagine, was time-consuming, and it brought with it the risk of human error. Most people can't possibly remember every single trip they make with their car, after all.

"MileIQ is super accurate and takes the forgetting out of the equation," said Jamie Wine, executive director of EWA.

For Kevin Kellup, education coordinator at EWA, MileIQ has been a game-changer. Jamie explained, "Kevin drives like crazy from school to school," racking up miles on his personal car. Now, thanks to MileIQ, Kevin can get more fairly and accurately reimbursed for his constant traveling.

The most important benefit of Microsoft's MileIQ for Jamie is that his staff can be correctly reimbursed for mileage. He wants to show staff members that he values their time and effort spent traveling, which MileIQ really helps him achieve.

For nonprofits, particularly small ones like EWA, it's always great when the team can receive fair compensation for its hard work. "The staff doesn't get paid much," Jamie said. And considering how important staff members' work is to the community, every penny matters. That's also where TechSoup comes in.

TechSoup's Role: "Essential"

Through TechSoup, eligible nonprofits can get MileIQ at 80 percent off the subscription rate. "Without TechSoup," Jamie noted, "this huge step up in technology" would not have been possible. The MileIQ discount program from Microsoft has made acquiring MileIQ way easier on the nonprofit's pocket.

Having also previously obtained Microsoft Office 365 and QuickBooks Online through TechSoup, Jamie said, "TechSoup is a great equalizer." He mentioned that TechSoup helps a small nonprofit to grow into a technologically advanced organization. He added, "The super discounted products from TechSoup are like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow."

Getting MileIQ Premium

Eligible nonprofits can get MileIQ at 80 percent off the individual subscription rate through TechSoup and can request an unlimited number of individual subscriptions. In addition to individual subscriptions, MileIQ is now included with an Office 365 Business Premium license. Nonprofits who currently do not have an Office 365 license can visit Microsoft's Office 365 for nonprofits page to register.

This blog post was written by Nicholas Fuchs.

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Eighty-one percent of Americans have social media accounts, and that number is expected to grow each year. Nearly all brands have a social presence, and libraries are no different. Libraries are using social platforms now more than ever before.

The New York Public Library has 2.2 million followers on Twitter, more followers than the celebrity Kathy Griffin. Social media is playing a significant role in helping libraries stay relevant in our ever-growing digital society.

TechSoup recently teamed up with WebJunction to find out the details on how libraries are using social media. We wanted to know how often libraries are using platforms and what some of their biggest challenges are. We surveyed 311 libraries throughout the country and found out some interesting things.

In our survey, we found that 55 percent of respondents serve fewer than 25,000 patrons, so nearly half of the respondents were smaller libraries, probably mostly in rural areas. We found that libraries are using social, and they are eager to grow their channels.

More than half (55.7 percent) of libraries spend less than 5 hours per week on social media, and 28 percent spend only 6 to 10 hours a week.

Libraries use Facebook more than any other social platform. Twitter is the next most popular platform, and then Instagram.

Forty-four percent of libraries post daily on Facebook, and 25 percent also post daily on Twitter.

Libraries are using social media to share events and pictures, educate people about services, highlight their collections, and support other libraries.

Growing followers and finding staff support are some of libraries' biggest social media challenges.

Learn How to Grow Your Library's Social Media Channels with Our WebJunction Webinars

Registration is now open for the Social Media and Libraries Webinar Series, hosted by WebJunction and TechSoup for Libraries in collaboration. We'll help you build a social media strategy, including how to select platforms that work with different types of library content to create brand awareness, increase traffic, and meet community goals. This series will highlight social media best practices to keep patrons and library staff engaged, develop measurable goals, and cultivate new readers and learners in your community.

On October 24, join us to learn how libraries can effectively use social media tools, even with limited staff and time. Learn how to identify the appropriate social media platforms to market library services and events, and how to integrate best social media practices in your library's marketing plan. We'll help you build a foundation for your social media strategy and provide practical ideas and tactics for immediate use in your library.

Register for October 24

On November 30, join us to learn all about social media analytics. Now that you are using social media to engage with your community, how do you know if it's working? If you don't know where to start when planning your social media metrics, join us to learn the best methods to measure your library's social media outcomes. During this event, you will learn how to establish measurable goals, identify key performance indicators (KPIs), and evaluate your social media results

Register for November 30

On December 19, join us to learn how to take the next steps toward amplifying your library's social media program. During this third webinar in our social media series, we'll discuss best practices in growing your library's social media program and managing user engagement. You'll learn tips on assessing the members of your library's audience based on their preferred platforms, and ideas for converting your in-person library community into an online community.

Register for December 19

How Is Your Library Using Social Media?

Our survey is still going on! Take our survey and tell us how your library is using social media.

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Many nonprofits handle sensitive personal information belonging to community members — whether it's names or email addresses or payment information. But are you handling this data properly to prevent a data breach?

This post is by no means exhaustive — after all, every nonprofit handles different sorts of data, and each organization has different security needs. That said, these are some practical things to think about when you review your handling of sensitive personal information.

#1 Risk: Malware and Software Vulnerabilities

The Problem

This one may seem obvious, but with so many other security risks out there, it's easy to forget that malware still poses a major threat to your organization's data.

How You Can Mitigate It

To start, make sure you have antivirus software installed, and that it's up to date. In addition, you'll want to make sure your operating system and any software installed are also up to date, with all security patches installed.

Beyond that, be careful what you click on. Don't download and install software from sites you don't trust. Be careful of the email attachments and links you click on — even from people you know. If you aren't expecting a file or link, click with caution.

#2 Risk: Ransomware

The Problem

Ransomware is an especially insidious form of malware that holds your computer or data hostage unless you pay a sum of money to a criminal actor. Oftentimes, ransomware will encrypt your data, preventing you from accessing it. And according to Symantec's Director of Security Response Kevin Haley, some forms of ransomware will threaten to publicly release your data.

How You Can Mitigate It

Aside from up-to-date antivirus software and taking steps to avoid infection in the first place, there isn't a ton you can do to deal with a ransomware attack once your data's been encrypted.

In that case, according to Haley, keeping up-to-date backups of your data is your best bet. That way, you'll be able to get back up and running quickly with minimal data loss. (TechSoup offers backup and recovery solutions from Veritas.)

#3 Risk: Public Wi-Fi

The Problem

Public Wi-Fi is generally fine for some things, such as browsing cat videos on YouTube, or catching up on the headlines. However, for anything involving sensitive personal information, it's a security disaster waiting to happen. Bad actors could potentially eavesdrop on what you're doing while using public Wi-Fi, leaving your data and work open to prying eyes.

How You Can Mitigate It

First off, avoid using public, unsecured Wi-Fi when handling sensitive information — whether it's internal organizational data or your own personal banking information. Using a wireless hotspot, like those from Mobile Beacon (offered through TechSoup), instead of public Wi-Fi is an easy way to keep your data more secure.

If you can't avoid public Wi-Fi, a virtual private network (VPN) is a good option — VPNs secure data between your computer and the website you're visiting. Not all VPNs provide the same level of security, though, and you'll need to make sure your VPN of choice conforms to any data security regulations that your organization may be subject to. See our previous overview of VPNs for more.

#4 Risk: Inappropriate Sharing of Sensitive Information

The Problem

Sharing sensitive information via email, messaging apps, or similar means is a risky proposition.

Email is a notoriously insecure method of communication. Email accounts are often the target of data breaches and phishing attacks. (A phishing attack is where an attacker tries to steal your account information by tricking you to enter your account information on a phony login page.)

And whether it's through email or messaging app, it's all too easy to accidentally leak data by sharing it with the wrong person.

How You Can Mitigate It

Avoid sending sensitive information to colleagues via email. It's easier said than done, we know. Maybe you need to share a list of donor contact information with your marketing department, for example. Consider uploading it to a secure file server on your network that can only be accessed by others in the office.

If your organization uses a cloud storage service like Box, consider using that instead — so long as it meets your organization's security needs. These cloud storage services usually encrypt data you upload to prevent it from getting stolen. You may also want to consider using constituent relationship management (CRM) software, a tool designed specifically to store and manage your organization's contacts.

In addition, pay attention to access permissions. If you can, restrict access to sensitive information to only those who need it. Revisit your permissions settings regularly and update them as needed.

To prevent your user accounts from being compromised in the first place, practice good account security hygiene. Use strong passwords and require your staff to use two-factor authentication.

#5 Risk: Handling Credit Card Data

The Problem

A breach involving credit card data can be embarrassing for your organization, but it could wreak financial havoc on your members and supporters. All it takes is for hackers to grab a few pieces of information to rack up credit card debt in your supporters' names.

How You Can Mitigate It

Securing credit card information is important, but you don't have to make it up as you go. Make sure your organization conforms to payment card security standards. The Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council, as well as banks and credit card issuers, provide guidelines on how to best handle credit card information to prevent breaches.

Has your nonprofit recently encountered any other notable risks? Tell us about it in the comments!

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As champions of National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM), we're kicking off our first week with a focus on email. Read on for facts and tips on email security from the National Cyber Security Alliance.

Across the world, 269 billion emails are sent every day. It's estimated that the average business user will receive 96 emails per day by 2019 (source: Radicati).

Given our reliance on the medium, it's no surprise that email is one of cybercriminals' favorite methods of attack. According to the National Cyber Security Alliance, 85 percent of U.S. organizations have experienced a phishing attack and 30 percent of people have opened a phishing email.

There are simple steps you can take to ensure that you don't become a victim of a cyberattack. Somewhat like a poker tell, suspicious emails contain hints that the sender isn't who they claim to be.

Watch this video to learn how to spot email scams.

The Facts About Email Scams

• Suspicious emails engage in "spoofing," a type of scam in which attackers impersonate a trustworthy entity to make it more likely that the recipient will open and act on the email.
• Spoofed emails typically employ one of two tactics:
  • Phishing, the attempt to obtain sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details (and, indirectly, money) for malicious reasons.
  • Spreading malware by getting the user to open malicious email attachments or click on malicious links.

Practical Tips on Spotting Suspicious Emails

• Look carefully at the email and ask yourself the following questions:

• • Do you know or recognize the "from" address or contact's name?
  • Does the message contain incorrect grammar or misspelled words?
  • Does the message ask you to take action on something you didn't request, such as "click on this link to pick the new phone you requested"?

• If the answer to the first is no, or the answer to the second or third above is yes:
  

• • Don't click on links. Instead, hover your cursor over links to determine if the address is unknown, suspicious, or misleading: for example, www.microsoft.com.maliciousdomain.it. Don't open any attachments the email contains.
  • If you suspect a work email is a phishing attack, immediately report it to your IT administrator so they can alert your fellow coworkers of the attempted attack. If it's a personal email, most email service providers provide a mechanism to report that. Check out this example from Gmail.

Additional Cybersecurity Resources

• Want to learn more about cybersecurity and how you can keep your data safe? Read our latest blog post about the Equifax breach.
• Need a little inspiration? Find out how TechSoup and Symantec are making a difference in the lives of at-risk teens.
• Get more security tips from the National Cyber Security Alliance. National Cyber Security Alliance Month — observed every October — was created as a collaborative effort between government and industry to ensure all Americans have the resources they need to stay safer and more secure online. Find out how you can get involved.

Image: National Cyber Security Alliance

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Older adults are at an increased risk of lacking company and being socially isolated. Recent studies prove that a lack of social relationships is as strong a risk factor for mortality as are smoking, obesity, or a lack of physical activity. Enter Little Brothers.

Little Brothers is an effort dedicated to spreading awareness and relieving isolation and loneliness in elders, a problem that often goes unseen. Little Brothers is in 7 U.S. cities and 10 countries worldwide. Its mission is carried out by more than one nonprofit organization.

Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly San Francisco facilitates more than 4,000 friendly visits a year. Volunteers are matched with elders in San Francisco, and they form and build a relationship through home visits, outings, or common interests.

We recently met with Andrew Butler, the program manager at Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly San Francisco. He explained that many volunteers form a relationship with an elder, and their stereotypes about older people are quickly broken down.

"A lot of what we do is creating awareness. I think a lot of the information that we share through training or events really inspires people," said Butler. He also suggested that we speak with a member of Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly San Francisco, Andy Morgan, to get a proper feel for the organization.

Andy Morgan is a highly spiritual 86-year-old who loves to read. Originally from Transylvania, Andy came to San Francisco in 1962 and has worked a variety of jobs throughout his life.

However, he stresses that he has never defined himself by what he did for a living. Aside from books and his spirituality, Andy values personal relationships and enjoys company.

Our conversation with Andy revealed why Little Brothers' impact matters so much.

I wanted to ask if you have any main visitors.

Andy Morgan: Yeah! I have one main visitor come every week. Rain or shine, he comes and sees me. He brings me food from Trader Joe's, and he does my laundry.

Wow, that's a sweet deal. Would you share a particular visit that has stuck with you over the years?

There's nothing that stands out; every visit is enjoyable. What we usually do is grab a spiritual book, you know, all those books over there are on spirituality, and we read from it and then we discuss it. I've been on the spiritual path since the 1960s, so if he has any questions, I can try and clarify.

I was wondering what makes you happy.

What makes me happy? Knowing that my within-ness, that which makes me breathe and which makes me exist, is pure joy and pure love. When you do a lot of meditation, something opens up within you, and I just feel, practically all the time, this feeling of love and joy and peace.

Of course no one can maintain that 24/7, but I can always come back. If something goes wrong, I can just remind myself of my true nature.

That's beautiful. Thank you so much for opening your home to us.

My pleasure; it's been a joy having you guys. Could I just read you one very short poem? It says …

Be as a Flower

Truth is very simple
A flower does not try to be beautiful.
Its True Nature is Beauty.
Just by its Very Being.

In the same way, when you Awaken
To your true nature,
You will naturally exude Love,
Compassion, Beauty.
It is all you.
For it is your True Self.

(poem by Robert Adams)

TechSoup is proud to support our member, Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly San Francisco, in its mission to spread awareness about and help elders at risk of loneliness and isolation. There are incredible people like Andy all over the world who are at risk of being forgotten. But they should never be. TechSoup provides technology and services to Little Brothers staff members to help run their nonprofit so that they can focus on fighting the effects of elder isolation.

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Computer and network security is an ever-evolving field. As technology advances, cybercriminals find new ways to exploit vulnerabilities in order to get at your personal, financial, or organizational data. We recently spoke with Symantec's Director of Security Response Kevin Haley to get an idea of what threats you'll face in the next year or two.

In short, expect a continuation of common threats like ransomware, as well as the emergence of new threats from connected devices and the so-called Internet of Things. Plus, keep an eye out for the resurgence of an old threat made new.

Ransomware with a Twist

Ransomware — malicious software that locks your data or otherwise compromises your computer in an attempt to extort money — is not a new threat. It's been around for a number of years in various forms. But according to Haley, a new form of ransomware doesn't just lock your files; instead, it threatens to publicly release your data unless you pay up.

For many individuals, this may simply mean an embarrassing leakage of personal data — browser history, emails, photos, and so on. For a nonprofit, especially one that deals with sensitive sociopolitical issues, the possibility of data leakage can have more serious ramifications. It could pose a threat to the community you serve.

Email That Looks Like It Came from a Co-worker

In traditional phishing attempts, scammers create an email that appears to be from a legitimate source — say, Google, Amazon, or Apple. Then they attempt to steal account information, such as usernames and passwords. But in an emerging form of phishing, hackers may use emails purportedly from co-workers or business associates to try to steal information from your organization.

For example, Haley says, you may receive an email from a vendor or a colleague asking for specific pieces of information (such as tax forms) or for money outright. The only problem is that these emails originate from scammers, not your colleagues. And once you email an important piece of information to these impersonators, there's no way to get it back.

With proper data handling, though, you can avoid these sorts of nightmares. See our recent post, 5 Data Security Risks for Nonprofits (and How to Fix Them), to learn more.

The Internet of Things Can Make People Vulnerable

From smart locks to Internet-connected appliances, the Internet of Things promises to change the way we interact with all sorts of items within our homes and offices. But with this comes the potential for security headaches.

According to Haley, these "smart" devices are rarely protected properly, and are easy to infect with malware. And this isn't just an issue that may cause problems some years down the line. Last year, as CNET reported, a network of malware-infected DVRs and webcams overloaded a number of popular websites and online services, temporarily knocking them offline.

Word Macro Viruses Make a Comeback

Perhaps the most surprising threat Haley warned about was the revival of Word macro viruses.

Macro viruses use Microsoft Word's macro programming feature — typically used to automate certain tasks within Word — to infect your computer. Macro viruses have been around for many, many years. And Word disables macros by default: If you open a Word document with a macro, you'll have to click a button to tell Word to turn on any macros within that document.

With this new wave of macro viruses, however, criminals employ social engineering trickery to goad you into turning on macros, allowing the macro virus to do its thing.

Fortunately, you can easily protect yourself from getting infected. First, don't open file attachments from people you don't know. If you receive a Word document with macros from someone you do know, confirm with that person to make sure that they intended to send the macros and that they are safe to run.

As Always, Vigilance Is Key

Although specific threats may evolve over time, good security practices never go out of style. Use a security software package and keep it updated. Enforce good account security practices within your organization.

Don't open file attachments from people you don't know, and don't open unexpected file downloads. Secure all your devices as best you can. And if something seems fishy — perhaps that email from your boss doesn't seem quite right — don't be afraid to question it.

By taking small steps like these, you might save yourself — and your organization — some serious pain.

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In Week 1 of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) we looked at spoofed emails, cybercriminals' preferred method of spreading malware. Today, in an effort to provide you with the best information out there to keep you safe online, we're hitting you with a double dose of cybersafety news.

Let's take look at the topics for Week 2 and 3 of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month: malware and password security. They're separate but related issues in the world of Internet crime prevention, and a better understanding of each is key to protecting your property and personal information in today's digital world.

Malware

Malware is an umbrella term used to describe software that is intended to damage or disable computers and computer systems. If you'd like, you can take a moment and watch this video on malware from Norton Security. But the best way to begin protecting yourself against this stuff is to learn about all the different types of malware that can affect your computer. There are tons, so we'll just go over the broader categories for now.

Viruses: Malicious bits of code that replicate by copying themselves to another program, computer boot sector, or document and change how a computer works. Viruses are typically attached to an executable file or program and spread once a user opens that file and executes it.

Worms: They're like viruses, but are different in terms of the way they're spread. Worms typically exploit a vulnerability or a weakness that allows an attacker to reduce a system's information assurance. Missed that last Windows update? You might be more vulnerable to worms.

Trojans: These look like legitimate pieces of software and are activated after a user executes them. Unlike a virus or a worm, a trojan does not replicate a copy of itself. Instead, it lurks silently in the background, compromising users' sensitive personal data.

Ransomware: This refers to a type of malware that prevents or limits users from accessing their system, either by locking the system's screen or by locking or threatening to erase the users' files unless a ransom is paid. You may recall the WannaCry attack that affected users across the globe this summer, only to be thwarted by the accidental discovery of a "kill switch" that saved people from the malicious software.

Spyware: This malware collects your personal information (such as credit card numbers) and often passes this information along to third parties online without you knowing.

You can check out more descriptions and examples of the types of malware that exist today at MalwareFox, a malware detection and removal software program.

Tips for Protecting Yourself Against Malware

Staying malware-free doesn't require an engineering degree. You can greatly reduce, if not completely eliminate, your chances of falling victim to malware by following these easy tips.

• Keep your operating system current.
• Keep your software up to date, particularly the software you use to browse the Internet.
• Install antivirus and security software and schedule weekly scans. At TechSoup, we're protected by Symantec Endpoint Protection. At home, there are dozens of solutions you can use to protect yourself (PCMag lists many here).
• Mind where you click. Think twice before you download torrent videos or free Microsoft Office templates from some random website.
• Avoid public, nonpassword, nonencrypted Wi-Fi connections when you can. Use a VPN when you cannot.

Spread the Word

Let people know that TechSoup is helping you become more #CyberAware by sharing a message on your social media channels. If you tag @TechSoup on Twitter, we'll retweet the first two tweets. Remember, we're all in this together.

Password Security

Now that we've covered the nasty stuff that can make your life miserable if it ends up on your computer, let's go over some password security tips to help prevent malware from getting there in the first place. Using best practices when it comes to protecting your passwords is a proven way to protect your personal and financial information. Curious how knowledgeable you already are? Watch this video and take this quiz to enter a drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card!

First, let's go over some facts.

• Passwords are the first line of defense to protect your personal and financial information.
• A weak password can allow viruses to gain access to your computer and spread through TechSoup's or your family's network.
• It's estimated that 73 percent of users have the same password for multiple sites and 33 percent use the same password every time. (Source: Digicert, May 2014)
• Despite a small sample size of 1,110 U.S. adults, a recent YouGov survey still found that 28 percent of adults use the same passwords for most of their online accounts. (Source: Business Insider, October 2017).

Best Practices for Effective Password Protection

One great way to better protect yourself is by opting for a passphrase, which is much more difficult to crack than a single-word password. Here are some guidelines to creating one.

• Pick a famous quote or saying and use the first letter of each word.
• Add a number that you can remember.
• Capitalize one letter.
• Make it unique by adding the first letter of your company's name to the beginning or end of the passphrase.
• Make it between 16 and 24 characters.

You should never write your password down, but if you must, never store user IDs and passwords together. Finally — even though it might seem unwieldy — you should always use a different password for each site that requires one. In today's world, everything is connected. A savvy hacker can easily breach your bank account, email, and medical records in one fell swoop if you're using the same password for all three.

Additional Cybersecurity Resources

In case you missed it, take a look at last week's post on recognizing suspicious emails.

Need a little inspiration? Find out how TechSoup and Symantec are making a difference in the lives of at-risk teens.

Get more security tips from the National Cyber Security Alliance. National Cyber Security Alliance Month — observed every October — was created as a collaborative effort between government and industry to ensure that all Americans have the resources they need to stay safer and more secure online. Find out how you can get involved.

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Here's a simple way to keep your data safe from potential bad actors in one easy step. Are you ready? Here it is: Log out and lock your computer whenever you're not in front of it.

That's right, it's so simple it can almost be seen as an analog approach to cybersecurity. But make no mistake, all those in-depth disk encryption efforts can be rendered pointless. If you step away from your computer while it's on and unlocked, anyone passing by can access it.

Working Remotely Promotes Data Vulnerability

What's perhaps most insidious about someone gaining physical access to your computer is the fact that the attacker doesn't need any advanced technical know-how to steal sensitive information. A momentary lapse in vigilance at work or a coffee shop can result in a data breach of epic proportions.

Let's say you're working remotely at your favorite café down the street from your apartment and you get up to put in an order for a late breakfast, forgetting to lock your laptop. During that brief moment, a low-key cybervillian could easily stick a USB drive into your computer and copy any sensitive files about you — or your organization — and leave undetected.

Furthermore, if you were logged in to Gmail, your medical records, or your bank account, that malefactor could wreak havoc on your personal and professional life in a matter of minutes.

Tips for Protecting Yourself

The good news about all of this is that warding off these types of would-be data plunderers is really, really easy — it's simply a matter of using your operating system's screen locking functionality. If you don't want to do this, then at the very least you should log out of any sensitive online accounts whenever you step away from your machine.

For each of the following options, be sure you are aware of the password connected to your user login before locking yourself (or anyone else) out.

Screen Locking in Microsoft Windows

• Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and select Lock this computer
• Press Windows+L

Either of these will lock your computer and require a password to log back in. You can choose Control Panel > Personalization > Screen Saver Settings and set up a screen saver that provides a login screen to get back in once it's been initiated.

Screen Locking in macOS

• On an external keyboard or older laptops, press Ctrl+Shift+Eject
• On a MacBook Air or Pro Retina, press Ctrl+Shift+Power

You can also go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General and select Require password immediately after sleep or screen saver begins (provided you have already set up a screen saver by clicking System Preferences > Desktop & Screen Saver).

Additional Cybersecurity Resources

• Find out how to recognize suspicious emails and protect yourself against malware through better password security
• Check out our recent post on the future of security threats

Get more security tips from the National Cyber Security Alliance. National Cyber Security Awareness Month — observed every October — was created as a collaborative effort between government and industry to ensure that all Americans have the resources they need to stay safer and more secure online. Find out how you can get involved.

Image: National Cyber Security Alliance

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If you're a frequent visitor to our site, you might notice a few changes in the coming weeks. That's because we're making some big improvements and are proud to announce the upcoming launch of the newly redesigned TechSoup.org.

As a social enterprise, we never stop working to better serve nonprofits that share in our commitment to building a more equitable planet. In fact, TechSoup currently works with more than 965,000 NGOs in 236 countries and territories and has facilitated over $9 billion in U.S. market value of in-kind technology and funding.

To that end, we've created a refreshed, modern web presence to streamline access to all our traditional and beloved products and services. It will also serve as the place where TechSoup technologies and services are first announced.

The new TechSoup.org has been optimized for mobile devices, so you'll be able to experience all the new functionality wherever you go. We've also built the site with accessibility in mind on several fronts. And we're launching a new blog.

Our new website will officially go live in early November.

A Streamlined User Experience

Nonprofits who are regular visitors to TechSoup will find a streamlined catalog that makes finding product offers and solutions easier and more efficient. Additionally, the home page has been reconfigured, sending a clearer message of who we are and what we offer as an organization.

"We reduced clutter and developed a cleaner, simpler user experience with more breathing room in the interface to encourage users to do what they are intended to do on the site," says TechSoup head of user experience Tyler Benari. "It will now be easier to benefit from offerings available in and out of our catalog, interact with others in the nonprofit community, and gain access to other TechSoup services."

Maximized for Mobile

TechSoup's updated website will be maximized for mobile devices, allowing nonprofit staffers to take advantage of the many offers on TechSoup.org right from their phone or tablet.

"It's an exciting time," Benari says. "We will now be able to literally get TechSoup into more people's hands. Redesigning the site to be more mobile-friendly will allow us to grow our community much faster and better serve the existing nonprofits we love so much."

Improved Accessibility

The newly redesigned TechSoup.org also features greater accessibility and is informed by Web Content Accessibility 2.0 Guidelines (WCAG).

"TechSoup cares very much about accessibility and enabling access for all people," Benari says, describing two key factors that have been improved upon: contrast and code. "Our new color scheme makes it easier for people with impaired vision to access content on the site, and our code was updated to better communicate with screen readers."

A New Blog Platform

Finally, we're excited to introduce our new blog, more suited to integrate existing TechSoup.org content in a single, easy-to-access location. We've given the platform an upgrade, complete with a fresh look and improved functionality aimed to make blog posts more easily shareable and to promote a more robust multimedia experience.

You'll continue to see improvements in the coming months as we receive feedback from the communities we serve. Also, be on the lookout for more information surrounding the new site, including a webinar and short video.

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Ubuntu Security Notice 4335-1 - Multiple security issues were discovered in Thunderbird. If a user were tricked in to opening a specially crafted website in a browsing context, an attacker could potentially exploit these to cause a denial of service, obtain sensitive information, bypass security restrictions, bypass same-origin restrictions, conduct cross-site scripting attacks, or execute arbitrary code. Various other issues were also addressed.

Ubuntu Security Notice 4336-1 - It was discovered that GNU binutils contained a large number of security issues. If a user or automated system were tricked into processing a specially-crafted file, a remote attacker could cause GNU binutils to crash, resulting in a denial of service, or possibly execute arbitrary code.

Ubuntu Security Notice 4337-1 - It was discovered that OpenJDK incorrectly handled certain regular expressions. An attacker could possibly use this issue to cause a denial of service while processing a specially crafted regular expression. It was discovered that OpenJDK incorrectly handled class descriptors and catching exceptions during object stream deserialization. An attacker could possibly use this issue to cause a denial of service while processing a specially crafted serialized input. Various other issues were also addressed.

Ubuntu Security Notice 4338-1 - Agostino Sarubbo discovered that re2c incorrectly handled certain files. An attacker could possibly use this issue to execute arbitrary code.

Ubuntu Security Notice 4339-1 - Brandon Perry discovered that OpenEXR incorrectly handled certain malformed EXR image files. If a user were tricked into opening a crafted EXR image file, a remote attacker could cause a denial of service, or possibly execute arbitrary code. This issue only applied to Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. Tan Jie discovered that OpenEXR incorrectly handled certain malformed EXR image files. If a user were tricked into opening a crafted EXR image file, a remote attacker could cause a denial of service, or possibly execute arbitrary code. This issue only applied to Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. Various other issues were also addressed.

Ubuntu Security Notice 4332-2 - USN-4332-1 fixed vulnerabilities in File Roller. This update provides the corresponding update for Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. It was discovered that File Roller incorrectly handled symlinks. An attacker could possibly use this issue to expose sensitive information.

Ubuntu Security Notice 4340-1 - It was discovered that CUPS incorrectly handled certain language values. A local attacker could possibly use this issue to cause CUPS to crash, leading to a denial of service, or possibly obtain sensitive information. This issue only applied to Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, Ubuntu 18.04 LTS, and Ubuntu 19.10. Stephan Zeisberg discovered that CUPS incorrectly handled certain malformed ppd files. A local attacker could possibly use this issue to execute arbitrary code. Various other issues were also addressed.

Ubuntu Security Notice 4338-2 - USN-4338-1 fixed vulnerabilities in re2c. This update provides the corresponding update for Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. Agostino Sarubbo discovered that re2c incorrectly handled certain files. An attacker could possibly use this issue to execute arbitrary code.

Ubuntu Security Notice 4341-1 - Andrei Popa discovered that Samba incorrectly handled certain LDAP queries. A remote attacker could use this issue to cause Samba to crash, resulting in a denial of service, or possibly execute arbitrary code. This issue only affected Ubuntu 19.10 and Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. It was discovered that Samba incorrectly handled certain LDAP queries. A remote attacker could possibly use this issue to cause Samba to consume resources, resulting in a denial of service. Various other issues were also addressed.

Ubuntu Security Notice 4342-1 - Al Viro discovered that the Linux kernel for s390x systems did not properly perform page table upgrades for kernel sections that use secondary address mode. A local attacker could use this to cause a denial of service or execute arbitrary code. It was discovered that the Intel Wi-Fi driver in the Linux kernel did not properly check for errors in some situations. A local attacker could possibly use this to cause a denial of service. Various other issues were also addressed.

Ubuntu Security Notice 4343-1 - Al Viro discovered that the Linux kernel for s390x systems did not properly perform page table upgrades for kernel sections that use secondary address mode. A local attacker could use this to cause a denial of service or execute arbitrary code.

Ubuntu Security Notice 4344-1 - It was discovered that the Intel Wi-Fi driver in the Linux kernel did not properly check for errors in some situations. A local attacker could possibly use this to cause a denial of service. It was discovered that the Intel WiMAX 2400 driver in the Linux kernel did not properly deallocate memory in certain situations. A local attacker could use this to cause a denial of service. Various other issues were also addressed.

Ubuntu Security Notice 4345-1 - Al Viro discovered that the Linux kernel for s390x systems did not properly perform page table upgrades for kernel sections that use secondary address mode. A local attacker could use this to cause a denial of service or execute arbitrary code. It was discovered that the Intel Wi-Fi driver in the Linux kernel did not properly check for errors in some situations. A local attacker could possibly use this to cause a denial of service. Various other issues were also addressed.

Ubuntu Security Notice 4346-1 - It was discovered that the QLogic Fibre Channel driver in the Linux kernel did not properly check for error, leading to a NULL pointer dereference. A local attacker could possibly use this to cause a denial of service. It was discovered that the Intel Wi-Fi driver in the Linux kernel did not properly check for errors in some situations. A local attacker could possibly use this to cause a denial of service. Various other issues were also addressed.

Ubuntu Security Notice 4341-3 - USN-4341-1 fixed vulnerabilities in Samba. The updated packages for Ubuntu 16.04 LTS introduced a regression when using LDAP. This update fixes the problem. It was discovered that Samba incorrectly handled certain LDAP queries. A remote attacker could possibly use this issue to cause Samba to consume resources, resulting in a denial of service. Various other issues were also addressed.

Ubuntu Security Notice 4348-1 - It was discovered that Mailman incorrectly handled certain inputs. An attacker could possibly use this to issue execute arbitrary scripts or HTML. It was discovered that Mailman incorrectly handled certain inputs. An attacker could possibly use this issue to display arbitrary text on a web page. It was discovered that Mailman incorrectly handled certain files. An attacker could possibly use this issue to execute arbitrary code. Various other issues were also addressed.

Ubuntu Security Notice 4341-2 - USN-4341-1 fixed a vulnerability in Samba. This update provides the corresponding update for Ubuntu 14.04 ESM. It was discovered that Samba incorrectly handled certain LDAP queries. A remote attacker could possibly use this issue to cause Samba to consume resources, resulting in a denial of service. Various other issues were also addressed.

Ubuntu Security Notice 4333-2 - USN-4333-1 fixed vulnerabilities in Python. This update provides the corresponding update for Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. It was discovered that Python incorrectly stripped certain characters from requests. A remote attacker could use this issue to perform CRLF injection. Various other issues were also addressed.

Ubuntu Security Notice 4349-1 - A buffer overflow was discovered in the network stack. An unprivileged user could potentially enable escalation of privilege and/or denial of service. This issue was already fixed in a previous release for 18.04 LTS and 19.10. A buffer overflow was discovered in BlockIo service. An unauthenticated user could potentially enable escalation of privilege, information disclosure and/or denial of service. This issue was already fixed in a previous release for 18.04 LTS and 19.10. Various other issues were also addressed.

Ubuntu Security Notice 4350-1 - Multiple security issues were discovered in MySQL and this update includes new upstream MySQL versions to fix these issues. MySQL has been updated to 8.0.80 in Ubuntu 19.10 and Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. Ubuntu 16.04 LTS and Ubuntu 18.04 LTS have been updated to MySQL 5.7.30. In addition to security fixes, the updated packages contain bug fixes, new features, and possibly incompatible changes. Various other issues were also addressed.

Ubuntu Security Notice 4330-2 - USN-4330-1 fixed vulnerabilities in PHP. This update provides the corresponding update for Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. It was discovered that PHP incorrectly handled certain EXIF files. An attacker could possibly use this issue to access sensitive information or cause a crash. Various other issues were also addressed.

Ubuntu Security Notice 4351-1 - Eli Biham and Lior Neumann discovered that certain Bluetooth devices incorrectly validated key exchange parameters. An attacker could possibly use this issue to obtain sensitive information.

Ubuntu Security Notice 4352-1 - It was discovered that OpenLDAP incorrectly handled certain queries. A remote attacker could possibly use this issue to cause OpenLDAP to consume resources, resulting in a denial of service.

Ubuntu Security Notice 4352-2 - USN-4352-1 fixed a vulnerability in OpenLDAP. This update provides the corresponding update for Ubuntu 12.04 ESM and Ubuntu 14.04 ESM. It was discovered that OpenLDAP incorrectly handled certain queries. A remote attacker could possibly use this issue to cause OpenLDAP to consume resources, resulting in a denial of service. Various other issues were also addressed.