In an age when organisations like Wikileaks and Anonymous function on the internet, the biggest concern with taking to online services for companies is being hacked. Sensitive information, including but not restricted to trade secrets are often jeopardized and organisations usually go to great lengths to ensure that emails and other internet services are encrypted and protected by a firewall. The New York Times recently published an article about the lack of safety measures taken by companies that are vulnerable to losses through information leaks. The article explains how companies often set up their videoconferencing so it works outside the firewall to bypass complicated network configurations. Rapid7, a Boston based company that looks for security holes in equipment apparently dialled into several companies' unguarded, empty meeting rooms. The article, however, simplifies the issue too much. It's not that easy to just hack and overhear sensitive information being discussed via videoconferencing traffic online. Here are a few reasons why: Firstly, as an industry standard, all video conferencing signals are Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encrypted. A potential hacker would have to hack the encryption to access the audio or video of the call.
A lot of the work that start-ups face that eat into hours that can be spent doing productive work is repetitive and yet, unfortunately, manual.
Virtual assistants help decrease the hours lost by taking over this work. It can be anything from merely answering calls to webmaster tasks and even link building.
It doesn't stop there. Some of the more bizarre jobs virtual personal assistants have admitted to having taken on include talking to their clients' parents on their behalf and reading bed time stories to children. Some also offer daily telephone reminders, weather updates and wake-up calls. There are two much less trivial and more important times to be using a virtual personal assistant:
Auto Answer Most videoconferencing equipment is set to auto answer as a default. While some may choose to turn it off, an alternative may be to leave auto answer on while muting the mic so that someone calling in will not interrupt or overhear an on-going conversation.
Camera Controls When the system is not in use, it's advisable to always use the physical lens provided to cover the lens. Even when in use, it can be pointed at a wall or a corner if the meeting room is private. Furthermore far end controls can be disabled so that random callers can't take a look around a private room by dialling in.
Directory & Password Protection Do not publish or give out any numbers. If it is being shared, via B2B directories, be certain of how it is being distributed. Videoconferencing can be password protected as well, to prevent unauthorized users from finding your directories.
Hiring a virtual assistant to look after these tasks frees up hundreds of hours that can go into expanding your business. The cost of a virtual personal assistant in comparison to the kind of money you could be making doing business is practically negligible.
A lot of the work that start-ups face that eat into hours that can be spent doing productive work is repetitive and yet, unfortunately, manual.
Virtual assistants help decrease the hours lost by taking over this work. It can be anything from merely answering calls to webmaster tasks and even link building.
It doesn't stop there. Some of the more bizarre jobs virtual personal assistants have admitted to having taken on include talking to their clients' parents on their behalf and reading bed time stories to children. Some also offer daily telephone reminders, weather updates and wake-up calls. There are two much less trivial and more important times to be using a virtual personal assistant:
Auto Answer Most videoconferencing equipment is set to auto answer as a default. While some may choose to turn it off, an alternative may be to leave auto answer on while muting the mic so that someone calling in will not interrupt or overhear an on-going conversation.
Camera Controls When the system is not in use, it's advisable to always use the physical lens provided to cover the lens. Even when in use, it can be pointed at a wall or a corner if the meeting room is private. Furthermore far end controls can be disabled so that random callers can't take a look around a private room by dialling in.
Directory & Password Protection Do not publish or give out any numbers. If it is being shared, via B2B directories, be certain of how it is being distributed. Videoconferencing can be password protected as well, to prevent unauthorized users from finding your directories.
Hiring a virtual assistant to look after these tasks frees up hundreds of hours that can go into expanding your business. The cost of a virtual personal assistant in comparison to the kind of money you could be making doing business is practically negligible.
About the Author:
Michael Fielding writes articles on behalf of Yo Conference who provide Conference Calling and Free Conference Calls. To hundreds of countries across the world.