Top Myths in the IT Industry

By: Batool Abu Zaghleh

Do you think that all attachments sent from inside your company are safe? Do you believe that using an incognito browser will keep you anonymous? If you take a deeper look at people who are using information technology every day, you will find many false thoughts that must be corrected for a more professional and safe experience.
Information technology is a very dynamic and complex industry, making it hard for some people to fully understand how some things operate. This misunderstanding can then lead to myths and false information that can do more harm than good.In this article we will talk about the most common myths related to the IT industry.

1. Using a private or incognito browser will keep you anonymous.

In a survey done in 2018 on 460 internet users by the University of Chicago, there were a lot of misconceptions out there about private browsing or incognito mode. In fact, it won’t protect you from viruses or malware. It won’t keep your internet service provider (ISP) from seeing where you’ve been online. It won’t stop websites from seeing your physical location. Moreover, any bookmarks you save while in private browsing or incognito mode won’t disappear when you switch it off. When you use a private tab on Safari or an incognito tab on Google, the only thing that won’t be tracked is your search history, and you won’t automatically be logged into your accounts. The benefit of this is that it prevents websites from keeping track of cookies and sending you targeted ads and other marketed material.

2. Brand new IT is better than refurbished.

Research conducted by the University of East London in 2020, revealed that the energy and performance of CPUs, server RAM, and data center storage was identical between a new and refurbished server, of the same manufacturer and model. So you don’t need to renew your device or software every now and then.

3. It’s safer to save data on-premise’s devices than in the cloud.

Cloud storage is actually often safer than on-premise as it includes enterprise-class infrastructure. Due to being geographically separated from the workplace, some people believe that the cloud can’t be as safe. However, in the cloud, files are stored on some of the world’s most secure servers and protected by the highest security measures.

 

4. It’s essential to replace IT hardware every year.

If you buy your IT hardware from a known and trusted brand, upgrading every 3-5 years should be sufficient. However, if there’s a specific feature or hardware dependency you need for your business operations then go for it.

5. It is safe to open any attachment from inside your company.

Phishing emails are designed to appear as though they have been sent by a colleague, friend, customer, or another familiar contact. It is always wise to check that an attachment or hyperlink is legitimate before opening.
One of the simplest ways to protect yourself and your organization from becoming a victim of a phishing scam is to install Internet security software on your computer which provides multiple layers of protection. These layers prevent any viruses or hacks from attacking your company’s devices.

6. Virus protection isn’t necessary if you don’t have sensitive data.

Over 6,000 new viruses get created every month. However, employees who don’t have any sensitive or valuable files on their computer may think that they don’t need to worry about a potential cyber-attack. However, if an employee’s PC is exposed to attack, so is your organization’s business network. An unprotected device can act as a doorway into your company’s entire system, and if it was compromised, it could have devastating results.

7. Deleting contents from your hard drive actually erases them.

When it comes to data storage, deleted files are marked as available space on your drive and allow this data to be overwritten. However, until you actually overwrite the data it is still recoverable, therefore deleting something from your hard drive doesn’t actually permanently erase it. So, if you need securely erase all the data on your drive, there are specific ways to do so as mentioned in The Washington Post article.

8. Adding RAM speeds up your PC.

RAM holds data for your active applications and doesn’t increase your system speed. However, an upgrade in RAM is a great way of giving an older PC a performance boost. Moreover, older machines may benefit from the addition of more of the right kind of RAM.
To sum up, technology has become one of our daily life basics, and using it in the right way will help in saving time and money for you as a user or as a company owner. Moreover, knowledge can help us in avoiding any possible mistakes that may cost you or your company the effort and the expenses.