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Along with the release of Google Chrome version 50 has come the news that support has ended for a number of older operating systems, including Windows XP and Vista. Google has been promising since November that they would end support for older operating systems such as Windows XP, Windows Vista, OS X 10.6, OS X 10.7 and OS X 10.8 and this month they followed through with that promise. This means that users who access the Google Chrome browser on…
Read MoreResponding to the ever-growing threat of cybercrime, Microsoft has ramped up their security efforts for their Office 365 platform. Users will now benefit from better visibility, control and security of data when using the cloud-based services. In a blog posted on the Microsoft website, Bret Arsenault, Chief Information Security Officer for Microsoft, explained that their new approach “empowers customers to accelerate their adoption of a ‘protect, detect, respond’ security posture”. Office 365 is a cloud-based service which offers users access…
Read MoreOne of the most recent cybersecurity threats to come to our attention is the ‘whaling’ scam. This is a highly personalised form of phishing used to trick victims into giving away sensitive information and access to networks. What is it? Most phishing scams target a wide range of people, and hackers will send their scam emails to a large number of recipients. However, ‘whaling’ is different in that cyber criminals approach one ‘high value’ target with a highly personalised message…
Read MoreRansomware is one of the most recent threats to your online security. We look at what it is, how it works and how you can protect your business effectively. What is it? Ransomware, as the name suggests, is a form of malware which locks away a victim’s files and then requests payment from them to have them returned. In 2013, Cryptolocker attacked around 250,000 computers worldwide, stealing personal files and refusing to return them unless a ransom was paid immediately,…
Read MoreA recent investigation by the security firm Symantec has uncovered that hackers are creating fake profiles on the social networking site LinkedIn in an effort to scam users. LinkedIn was established in 2003 and is a social networking site used by over 400 million professionals worldwide as an online form of business networking. As well as allowing businesses to connect with each other, it also provides a reliable way for recruiters to headhunt potential employees by sending them ‘connection requests’…
Read MoreComputer giant Dell acknowledged a “profound security flaw” in computers sold to customers that could have left them open to attacks from hackers, allowing them to harvest important personal data such as bank details. Dell released a statement (which has since been deleted) that explained that a security certificate ‘eDellRoot’ pre-installed on some Dell laptops has “unintentionally introduced a security vulnerability”. The certificate, which was intended to allow Dell’s support teams to quickly identify a customer’s computer model and provide…
Read MoreTalkTalk is the latest major company to fall victim to a significant cyber attack during which some of their customers’ banking details may have been accessed. While TalkTalk has gone on to say that the details accessed may have only been partly exposed, users are being warned that they could be targeted by opportunistic cyber criminals. It is relatively common that in the aftermath of a high-profile attack, hackers and other cyber criminals seize on the confusion and concern of…
Read MoreFacebook users are being targeted by scammers’ just weeks after Facebook announced they are close to developing a long awaited ‘dislike’ button. On the 15th September, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, announced that the social networking giant was “very close” to developing a ‘dislike’ button which will allow users to show empathy toward fellow users at times when a ‘like’ would not be suitable, such as when a loved one passes away. However, scammers have quickly started to manipulate the…
Read MoreBack in 2012, Microsoft launched its first attempt at an operating system that coped with the inevitable collision of tablets and desktops. Regarded by most users as a flop, Windows 8 was typified as an awkward mismatch between touch-friendly technology and more traditional desktop operating systems; in short, it didn’t work for either desktop or tablet users. Whilst the Windows 8.1 update helped, its lifespan was still most notably marked by headlines such as “Windows 8, it really is that…
Read MoreCloud computing sounds complicated, but it simply means storing and accessing data and programs on the internet instead of on your computer’s hard drive. Whereas in the past people were limited only to the data and programs present on their local hard drives, cloud computing has now opened up new and exciting opportunities for individuals to access endless streams of data through internet connectivity. For those of you with smartphones and laptops there is a good chance that you will…
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IT Support
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