C3-Solutions, LLC Blog

Email attachments are a staple of digital communication, but they’re also one of the most common ways malware, viruses, and phishing schemes sneak past users. We’re all guilty of clicking that little paperclip before we assess the factors that could really end up being a pain in the side for you and your business. Before you click and potentially regret it, you need to take a beat. This month, we give you a comprehensive checklist for securely opening email attachments.

Technology. It’s the engine of modern business, promising efficiency and connectivity. In business, we’re constantly bombarded with stories (real or not) of competitors that have scaled overnight with a single app. While this potential is real, it often fosters an environment where unrealistic expectations about technology take root. This "tech dreamworld" can be more damaging to your business than a faulty server.

Let's be honest, we're all living through some wild times. Social media is everywhere, and nearly everyone uses it to one degree or another. We've all seen a simple online discussion devolve into relationship-ruining conflict; and it happens fast. The key to not letting it wreck your life is to use these digital spaces with purpose.

This month, we're dropping some simple tips to help you build a healthier, more meaningful online presence. Let’s get started:

Getting hit by a ransomware attack is never what you could describe as a positive experience. In fact, it is a nightmare scenario for anyone. The immediate panic, the locked files, the looming demand for payment—it’s a chaotic and stressful experience. While most people understand the basic premise of ransomware, there’s a lot more to these sophisticated attacks than meets the eye.

There are some lesser-known facts that can significantly impact how you respond and, crucially, how you recover. Let's get into it.

Technology is the engine that drives most businesses, but even the most powerful engine can sputter and stall if not properly maintained. A simple slip-up with your technology can quickly turn into a major problem, costing you time, money, and even your reputation.

Here are five common ways businesses can unintentionally sabotage themselves with their tech:

Business owners love to point to time theft and quiet quitting as reasons for lost productivity, seeing them as a decline in work ethic. Unfortunately, they are not seeing the forest through the trees in a lot of cases. Let's take a look at quiet cracking; or the slow, gradual breakdown of a knowledge worker's mental and emotional well-being under constant workplace pressure. It's not a sudden burnout, but a steady, silent erosion that's happening more than you might think.

Collaboration with external vendors is a necessity. From software and cloud services to marketing and logistics, vendors are crucial partners that enable your business to operate and compete. This often requires vendors to access your business' sensitive data. Without proper controls, granting this access can expose your company to significant risks. Let's take a look at why vendors probably don’t need access to all of your data.

Our phones are basically an extension of our hands, and social media is where many people connect. Whether you're building a personal brand, keeping up with friends, or just doomscrolling, these platforms have become a huge part of our lives. To help you navigate the digital chaos, there are six rules you should live by on social media.

Businesses need to innovate and there are many ways in which they can do so today. There are new solutions emerging all the time, and this month we thought we’d introduce you to three that are really moving the needle.

The end of Windows 10 support is closer than you think. On October 14, 2025, Microsoft will officially stop providing free security updates, non-security updates, and assisted support for Windows 10. For businesses, this isn't just a minor inconvenience—it's a critical security and operational risk that demands immediate attention.

The Internet is more than just a tool; it's the very foundation upon which many organizations are built. From managing customer data to facilitating global operations, our digital infrastructure is indispensable. What happens, then, when that foundation crumbles under a cyberattack? Unfortunately, we've seen firsthand the devastating effects hackers can have. This month, we talk about the problems associated with a hacking attack.

Nowadays, technology isn't just an advantage; it's an essential part of everything you do; and with endless new tools appearing, how do you decide which tech investments are genuinely good for your business and which are just distractions? Saying yes to everything can drain your budget, while saying no to the right innovation can leave you behind.

Navigating this is difficult and needs a smart approach. Here are key tips to help you know when to embrace new technology and when to politely decline:

You should actively be asking yourself if your technology is helping your business grow, or is it just another set of bills to pay? For many businesses, technology, with all the constant attention it needs and frustrations it can bring, can feel like a constant, confusing expense. IT has a rare ability to be essential and costly at the same time; but, it really doesn't have to be.

You hear a lot about Artificial Intelligence these days. It can sound a bit like something out of a sci-fi movie, maybe even a little daunting. However, what if I told you AI could be working quietly behind the scenes in many businesses, acting like the most efficient, data-savvy coworker you've ever had?

Putting new software into your business can feel just as tricky as any other action you are going to take. If it doesn't go well, it can lead to headaches, confused employees, and wasted money. Here are three simple tips to help you add new software without the stress.

A good data backup system is like having insurance for your data. Yes, you hope you never have to use it, but you’ll be glad to have it if you do. Today, we want to cover three of the biggest components of any modern data backup system and how we can use the latest technology to make your data backups as seamless a process as possible.

The point-of-sale system is the hub of your business operations. It is a prime example of a mission-critical system that could benefit from some proactive consideration. Choosing or upgrading one isn't just about processing payments; it's about future-proofing your success. With that in mind, let's go into five things you need to consider about your business' POS system to make it beneficial to your efforts. 

Think about those frustrating workdays when a server goes down, or the daily drag of slow computers and glitchy software. These aren't just minor annoyances; they are significant productivity drains. Research shows employees can lose an average of 10.5 workdays per year due to IT downtime alone. Multiply that across your team, and the financial impact becomes clear. This month, we go through the numbers to see how you can build a more productive business through a well-thought-out technology strategy.

Making and remembering passwords can be a pain, but everyone is in the same boat. By spending a little time on them now you can stop big problems later. Bad passwords are like leaving your door unlocked for online troublemakers. We don't want that!

Think of your password as the key to your online accounts. You want a strong key, right? Here’s how to make your passwords clean, complex, and work best to secure your digital assets.

We've all seen the scary headlines about ransomware attacks crippling businesses, big and small. It's a threat that's not going away, and unfortunately, many businesses only think about their response after the dreaded ransom note appears. Today, I want to talk about what a proper ransomware response looks like—and it starts long before the attack ever happens. The goal should be to ensure that an attack does the least possible damage to your business.