Vendors and Remote Access, in Plain English
Last verified: October 2026
Most break-ins come through a door you forgot was open — an old vendor login or an always-on remote tool. Here's how to list who can reach your systems and close what you don't use. Rather have a hand? My number is (330) 200-8042.
Outside Access, at a Glance
Every vendor, IT helper, software company, and remote-support tool that can reach your systems is another door into your business — and the dangerous ones are usually the doors you've forgotten about. This guide walks through three plain steps: list everyone and everything that can get in, remove the access you no longer use, and set simple rules for the remote-support tools you keep. There's a printable 29-page version up top. It's general information from a local tech helper — not legal advice.
Common Questions
1 Why is outside access such a common way in?
Because every person or tool that can reach your systems from outside is a doorway, and the ones that cause trouble are usually the ones you've forgotten — an old web developer's login, trial software you stopped using, a shared password three people still know. A crook doesn't need to pick your lock if a forgotten key still fits.
2 What's the first thing I should do?
Make a list. Write down every outside person and tool that can reach your email, files, website, or computers — your IT provider, software vendors, the web developer, remote-support apps, bookkeepers, anyone with VPN or Wi-Fi access. You can't protect what you can't see.
3 Do my vendors really need MFA too?
Yes. If a vendor can reach your systems and their account gets stolen, the break lands on you. It's fair and normal to ask an IT provider or software company whether they use MFA to connect — a good one says yes without hesitating.
4 Should I use one shared login for all my helpers?
No. A shared account means you can't tell who did what and can't cut off one vendor without disrupting the rest. Give each outside party their own named login, so your records are clear and removing one is simple.
5 Someone called saying they need remote access to fix my computer — is that real?
Treat it as a scam until you've proven otherwise. Real support doesn't cold-call demanding into your PC. Hang up and call the company back on a number you already have — never one the caller gives you.
6 What about the person who built my website years ago?
That's the single most common forgotten door. Their login often still works with full control. If you no longer work together, remove that access — and make sure you hold the master keys to your own site and domain.
Would You Rather I Just Help?
Figuring out who can get into your systems is exactly the kind of thing I love to help with — we'll make the list, close the doors you don't use, and set a few simple rules, all in plain English with nothing to sell you. $99 flat for a visit, $49 for remote help, 30-day come-back-free. I can even help you vet or oversee an IT provider without being your IT provider myself.
Would you rather I just do this for you?
No shame in it — plenty of folks would rather hand it off, and that's what I'm here for. I'll come to your home, set it up right, and make sure it's working before I leave. Flat $99 per visit — no jargon, no upsell, and every visit is 30-day come-back-free.
Not a hardware job? I can often fix it remotely for $49 — a secure screen-share, up to 2 hours, that you watch the whole time and can end whenever (included free for $39/mo Support Plan members, and it counts toward the $99 if it turns out I need to come out).