The UK government has just announced the launch of its ‘Help to Grow’ digital scheme which offers discounted software and free advice to small businesses. Applications Open Now The Help to Grow scheme is designed to support smaller businesses in adopting digital technologies to help......
Google has announced in an email that users with legacy (old) free G Suite accounts have until 1 July to upgrade to paid subscriptions or lose access to most services. Ten Years Free Google has said that legacy G Suite users i.e., those who have......
In this tech insight, we look at what a watering hole attack is, some examples of such attacks, and how businesses can defend against this threat. Poisoning The Water A watering hole attack is a targeted, ‘supply chain,’ cyber-attack strategy, similar to spear phishing. With......
In this article, we look at how spam filers work and what can be done to ensure that our legitimate emails reach their target and aren’t wrongly filtered out as ‘spam’ . Why We Need Spam Filters Although we’re focusing on how to avoid spam......
It has been reported that 40 themes and 53 plugins belonging to AccessPress Themes, a Nepal-based company were backdoored with malicious code in the first half of September 2021. It is believed that the infected extensions gave attackers full access to sites, and that access......
With Microsoft poised to increase its first substantive commercial pricing increase for Microsoft 365 since the company launched Office 365 a decade ago, we take a look at the added benefits and value and the justification behind the price changes. Six Months Ago Microsoft made......
The ICO launched an investigation after more than 1,000 Sussex and Surrey police officers were found to have downloaded a free app to covertly record calls with members of the public on police-issued phones. Google Play Store App The app, free to download for the......
In this article, we take a look at some of the ways users can assess how good their VPN really is. What Is A VPN? A ‘Virtual Private Network’ (VPN) is used to keep internet activity private, evade censorship / maintain net neutrality and use......
Los Angeles based Nanotech Energy claims to have developed a fireproof, graphene-based lithium-ion battery that could be safer for Electric Vehicles. What Is Graphene? Extracted from graphite, graphene is a single layer (monolayer) of carbon atoms, tightly bound in a two-dimensional, hexagonal honeycomb lattice nanostructure.......
Figures from software technologies company ‘Check Point’ show that an upward trend of malicious activity through 2020 reached a peak of 925 cyber-attacks a week per organisation at the end of 2021. The result of this trend was a massive 50 per cent increase in......
Nanjing’s government-backed Purple Mountain Laboratories claims to have made a 6G breakthrough by recording the fastest real-time wireless communication speed ever recorded. For reference, 6G is likely to be around 50 times faster than 5G, which itself is around 20 times faster than 4G. Whilst......
In this tech insight, we take a look at a selection of the latest B2B and B2C tech products and gadgets on show at the recent CES® tech trade show. Examples The more business-focused devices, hardware and software on show included: Laptops And Other Devices......
In this article, we look at what BYOD is, why a BYOD policy is important, and what elements form the essential blueprint of a BYOD policy. What Is BYOD? The term Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) has been around since 2004 when it was first......
A filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission shows that Apple CEO, Tim Cook, earned $100 million in 2021. 1,477 Times Higher Than Average The filing showed that his pay, fuelled by stock awards, if compared to the new median pay for employees of......
Email security specialists Avanan have reported that hackers have been leveraging the comment feature in Google Docs to target primarily Outlook users. The attack works by hackers adding a comment to a Google Doc mentioning the target with an @. This automatically sends an email......
A mother took to Twitter to complain that Alexa had suggested to her 10-year-old daughter that she play a game that involves touching the prongs of a live plug with a penny! Playing The mother, Kristin Livdahl (of Minnesota, USA), was reported to have been doing physical......
It has been reported that the rapid spread of Omicron has led to more tech companies cancelling in-person appearances at January’s CES® technology industry trade show. CES® CES® is an annual trade show organized by the Consumer Technology Association which is due to take place in Las Vegas......
In this article, we look at what OneNote is and what it can do, plus we look at some of the competing programs available. OneNote Microsoft’s OneNote is a cross-functional notebook app/note-taking program that is part of the Microsoft Office Suite, along with programs like......
In this tech insight, we look at what DuckDuckGo is, what features it offers, and why businesses may consider using it. DuckDuckGo DuckDuckGo is a privacy-centred search engine / privacy browsing app, which is available as a download for mobile devices and a Chrome extension.......
Cloudflare’s Radar, which monitors Web traffic, has revealed that TikTok has now overtaken Google to become the world’s most popular online destination. TikTok Cloudflare has reported that back in 2020, the google.com domain was the undefeated leader in its ranking and was top from September......
Google has announced that users of its Google Voice service can now set custom rules for how incoming calls are handled. What Is Google Voice? The ‘Google Voice’ service allocates users a phone number for calls, texts, and voicemails. This number can be used for......
A knowledge of keyboard shortcuts in Windows can save time and help users to make the most of the many helpful features of their operating system. With this in mind, and with 2021 coming to a close, here are 21 helpful keyboard shortcuts to take......
In this tech-insight, we take a look at what quantum computers are and what they’re used for. What Are They? Quantum computers can carry out complex calculations at high speed. Whereas traditional computers store data in binary ‘bits’ (ones and zeros) and work by creating......
Threat intelligence firm Analyst1 has warned that, as cyber criminals try to avoid the attention of law enforcement agencies, they are likely to target small businesses with ransomware attacks in 2022. Researcher Chris Fiormonti comments on the Analyst1 blog that “Instead of going after the high-profile......
In this article, we take a look at some of the latest known online scams so that you can avoid falling foul of cybercriminals this Christmas. Christmas – A Great Opportunity For Scammers The extra spending at many different online shops, often for large amounts,......
A recent study has led to a warning from the Dutch authorities to anti-5G merchandise wearers that a list of ‘negative ion’ jewellery items should not be worn because they emit ionizing radiation. What Is Negative-Ion Jewellery? Negative ion jewellery describes jewellery items (e.g. bracelets......
CNBC recently reported that it had viewed a Google memo, circulated to employees, that they would lose pay, and eventually be sacked if they didn’t comply with the company’s Covid-19 vaccination policy. Until Dec 3 To Declare Status, And Until Jan 18 To Comply According to......
After Meta (Facebook) recently reported alerting 50,000 people that it believed were being targeted by “surveillance-for-hire” entities, we take a look are who these entities are and what they do. Meta’s Report Following months of investigation, Meta recently informed 50,000 people that they were being......
It was recently discovered that a bug in the Pixel 3 phone meant that users who had the Teams app installed (even though they weren’t logged in) couldn’t call the US emergency 911 number. What Happened? A Reddit user reported that they had needed to......
In this article, we take a look at some of the main details of the case of WikiLeaks and Julian Assange, and what can be learned from this ongoing battle between Assange and the US government, whose secrets his website shared. Who Is Julian Assange?......
In this tech insight, we look at challenges to using passwords, what password managers are, and why they are still so important. The Limitations and Challenge of Passwords Passwords have long provided a practical way to log in to websites, platforms, apps and other access......
Meta (Facebook) has released a social VR experience called ‘Horizon Worlds’, giving users the first real look at the ‘Metaverse’ described by Mark Zuckerberg in the company’s recent re-brand announcements. What Is Horizon Worlds? Horizon Worlds (which launched via invite-only in beta last year) is......
The Apache Foundation has released an emergency update for a critical zero-day vulnerability in Log4j. This is a widely used logging tool included in almost every Java application. The problem that the update has been issued to address is that a bug in the Log4j......
In this tech insight, we take a look at the better-known ways of being able to tell if someone has read your email. The Usual Suspects The main ways to tell if a person has read your email include: – Request a read receipt when you compose......
The EU’s adoption of a proposal on the Digital Markets Act (DMA) on Tuesday not only offers the potential to help tackle the market dominance of big tech businesses but could also protect whistleblowers. What Is The Digital Markets Act? Currently at the proposal stage,......
Max, a.k.a. “Mr Goxx”, the hamster that found Internet fame through outperforming many human cryptocurrency-traders, has died. Experiment With ‘Wheel’ Results The hamster’s life as a crypto trader was down to him being used as part of an experiment by an anonymous German lecturer and......
Vodafone’s announcement that it aims to deploy self-powered ‘Eco-Tower’ mobile masts across the UK could mean connections for remote areas as well as environmental benefits. Wind and Solar Powered The new masts will be self-powered, using wind turbine technology, combined with new solar and battery......
Apple has announced a new ‘Business Essentials’ service that enables small businesses to easily manage every employee’s iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Device Management Solution For Small Businesses Aimed at business with up to 500 employees, Apple says that ‘Business Essentials’ has been designed to make......
‘Right to repair’ campaigners finally had something to celebrate last week as Apple announced its “self-service repair” programme, aimed at “customers who are comfortable with completing their own repairs.” Initial Phase Apple says that the initial phase of the programme, beginning in the US early next......
In this tech-insight, we take a brief look at billionaire Elon Musk’s usage of Twitter, how and why he makes such use of the platform, and what Mr Musk’s interactions can teach businesses about using Twitter. Who Is Elon Musk? South African-born, business magnate Elon......
In this article, we look at some of the pop-ups that users find most annoying, some of the issues around them, and how users can minimise the annoyance and interruption from them. Pop Up Ads Pop-up (adverts) refer to online advertising that takes the form......
In this article, we look at whether there is evidence to suggest that people lie more online, and what the message is for businesses. Lying Just 3 years after the World Wide Web was introduced to the public domain, a report was published by University of......
Facebook/Meta has announced that it is integrating Workplace with Microsoft’s collaboration app Teams to enable users to share information more easily between the two platforms. What Is Workplace? First announced in 2016, originally Facebook’s internal messaging board, and formerly known as ‘Facebook At Work’, Workplace......
A Prospect trade union poll has revealed that 32 per cent of UK workers are being remotely monitored and tracked by employers. Big Rise The poll also shows a rise in the number of employees under remote surveillance that’s up from a quarter (24 per......
Research by Zen Internet has revealed that hybrid working is causing businesses to question whether they now need enough on-premise tech infrastructure to support a full capacity office. Most Business Have Hybrid Working Plan The research conducted by Vanson Bourne on behalf of Zen Internet showed......
In this featured-article, we look at the traditional frustrations that occur when customers encounter (some) phone systems and how technology is helping to bring better experiences. Spending Time On Hold Being put on hold and spending time waiting has long been known to frustrate customers,......
In this tech insight, we take a brief look at the WEP and WAP security protocols, and what happened to them. What Is WAP? Developed by Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia, and Unwired Planet, and introduced back in 1999, Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) was a security standard......
An FBI announcement has warned that scammers are now directing victims to use physical cryptocurrency ATMs and digital QR codes to complete payment transactions. What Are Cryptocurrency ATMs? A cryptocurrency ATM is a physical kiosk/terminal/device that connects to a cryptocurrency network (e.g. bitcoin) and allows......
Microsoft has unveiled the new ‘Loop’ collaborative app which it describes as “a flexible canvas with portable components” designed for assisting with new hybrid working patterns. Background Microsoft says that the new app is part of a “reimagining” of Office, and a response to the new opportunities created by......
If you use YouTube videos in your website or need to view or share specific parts of YouTube videos quickly, here are 3 top tips: 1. How To Start A YouTube Video At Any Point If you need to share part of a video rather than......
In this insight, we look at ‘smart’ doorbells and how the outcome of a recent legal case has highlighted the legal responsibilities that owner/operators of smart doorbells have under UK law. Smart Doorbells Smart doorbells, such as Eufy, Ring, Nest Hello, Arlo, Vuebell, IseeBell, and......
A report from Consumer watchdog Which? reveals that as many as 1.1 million people in the UK may have been caught up in a parcel delivery ‘brushing’ scam. What Is Brushing? Brushing is where people are sent packages of goods to their address that they......
The latest “ThreatLabz: The State of Encrypted Attacks,” 2021 report has shown a 300 per cent increase in online attackers using HTTPS to cloak their activities and blend in with other traffic. HTTPS HTTPS, the encrypted version of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), enables secure......
After one of the most publicised re-brands in history, as Facebook changes its name to ‘Meta,’ we look at the reaction in the media and the marketplace, and the issues for the company going forward. ‘Meta’ … ? Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced at Connect......
This week, we heard the good news that the big phone networks have agreed to automatically block foreign scam calls, and we heard the bad news that an Ofcom survey has revealed that 45 million people in the UK were targeted by scam text messages......
The Royal Mint has signed an agreement with Canadian start-up Excir to recover gold and other precious metals from old smartphone and laptop circuit boards. Precious Waste Mountain A recent assessment by the waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) forum has concluded that this year’s......
Microsoft has announced that the first preview of Android apps on Windows 11 is now available, albeit currently for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel in the U.S. Others to follow. 50 Apps To Try Microsoft says that it has partnered with Amazon and popular......
In this insight, we look at what a digital twin is, what the benefits of using one are, and which industries commonly use digital twins. What Is It? A digital twin is an accurate virtual model of a physical object that uses data gathered from......
In Apple’s new “Building a Trusted Ecosystem for Millions of Apps” white paper, it describes the threat posed by ‘sideloading’ on its App Stores. Here’s what you need to know. Sideloading Sideloading normally refers to transferring a file between two local devices without the use of the internet......
Microsoft’s LinkedIn will be replaced with a “no social feed” version in China after criticism from the US that it has been complicit in the censorship of posts and profiles from Western journalists. Accusations From Home The accusations that LinkedIn appeared to be appeasing and......
The international Counter-Ransomware members from 30 countries have issued a joint statement outlining their intent to take action to counter the growing threat posed by ransomware. What Is Ransomware? Ransomware is a form of malware that encrypts the important files on a computer and the......
Many cybers attacks now take the form of using fake/spoof communication to trick victims into parting with personal (or company) data, or money. We take a look at some of the most popular and widely reported methods and how to avoid falling victim to them.......
In this tech-insight, we look at the role of the Information Commissioner’s Office, and how it can be a source of valuable compliance information and help to businesses. What Is It? The Information Commissioner’s Office is the UK’s independent, non-departmental public body set up to......
The European Parliament has adopted a resolution calling for a ban on the use of AI-based predictive policing systems and the processing of biometric data that leads to mass surveillance. Areas The resolution seeks to ban the use of facial recognition technology and AI in......
