Malicious messages are on the rise.  Industry experts estimate that such attacks have risen over 6- to 10-fold since the beginning of the COVID19 pandemic in 2020.  In iBizify’s opinion, these threats are now the most significant, beyond traditional malware and direct attacks.

Whilst most attacks are delivered by email, such messages can be delivered via almost any medium including email, text, social media, WhatsApp and even phone calls.

These threats deceive people into revealing sensitive information such as passwords, bank account details, etc. and can be categorised into two variations:

• Phishing: Generalised attacks that are usually sent en masse. The purpose being to catch victims by targeting large numbers within each campaign.
• Spear Phishing: These are highly curated and sophisticated. They usually include more specific information about the targeted individual, such as mentioning several names of people known to the individual, specifying their company name, bank information or specific online services they are known to use.

Seemingly benign phishing attacks are often used to gather intelligence to prepare a Spear Phishing attack.

How do I spot a Phishing email?

THINK BEFORE YOU CLICK!  Look out for…

• Urgent, Important, Overdue, flagged as important
• Requests for personal information
• File attachments that lead to very genuine-looking login pages
• Invoices, voicemails or messages waiting for you
• Missed deliveries, parcel tracking
• Your account or password has expired or blocked
• Your computer or account is infected
• Social cues "saw you in this video", "did you really do this?!", etc.
• Claims to be from Apple / Microsoft / Google / Amazon tech support

If you are still convinced the message is genuine, and feel the need to click:

Hover over links to reveal the actual destination. Look at the domain name – the bit before the .com, .co.uk, etc.  If the email claims to be from Lloyds Bank, but the destination domain is not a Lloyds domain but rather amazonaws.com (a commonly used tool for phishing) or some other unknown value, then do not click!

Consider not using the email links at all, and instead contact the provider directly using known-good contact information.

Can you spot the difference between this genuine sign-in page and the fake one?

Be aware

Malicious messages may appear to be from someone you know, they may even include your friend or colleague’s name and contact details.  Never assume a message is safe even if it is from a known contact.

You will never get legitimate messages direct from Microsoft / Apple support claiming they have detected malware on your device (or similar).

Never let anyone connect to your device unless you truly know who they are, and have especially good reason to do so.

Be secure

• Maintain your software and devices with the latest updates. Install them promptly and frequently.  Don’t forget your PCs, Macs, Android, iPhone, iPads
• USE MULTIFACTOR AUTHENTICATION on any online accounts that you can.
  For example, if you use Microsoft online services, set up “Microsoft Authenticator” on your phone. Doing so will help to protect your account even if your password is compromised
• ALWAYS use complex passwords for all your online services
• NEVER re-use passwords on multiple online accounts
  If you do, if one is compromised, its details will be stored on a database and then used to successfully attack your other accounts (this happens more than you think!)
• AVOID using your business email address to sign up for circulars/newsletters or other bulk mail. Doing so shares your email address more widely and makes it harder to filter genuine email.  If you want these messages, consider instead setting up a free personal email address to receive them.
• Discuss with your IT provider about how to filter and minimise these attacks

Use password management

Here is an example of a strong password:

8Q{{a>0g13C9gi29.<yW

Could you remember this and type it in every time?  Probably not, which is a solid reason to make use of a reputable password manager such as Keeper.

Report attacks

For the collective sake of your organisation and others, always report malicious emails if you can.  Doing so will help prevent others from receiving the same.

• Check with your organisation’s IT administration or support to see if they have a reporting mechanism.
• Common email tools such as Outlook have dedicated report buttons that you can use. Simply select the message and click the Report Message button.
• If you don’t have these options, consider forwarding the message to report@phishing.gov.uk for the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to review.

Caught out?

If you believe you may have shared your login details or other sensitive information, please change any relevant passwords and contact the host of the service for advice.  If you are part of an organisation, then inform your manager.  If you shared financial information, contact your bank or card provider as soon as possible.  For more information on what to do please visit https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams/what-to-do.

Need help?

If your organisation is an iBizify Premium subscriber, we will already be supporting you in securing your systems and helping your staff to work safely.

iBizify offers a wide range of managed security tools and services from backups, and password managers to vulnerability and endpoint assessments, and online security baselining.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss your IT security, then contact us by scheduling a call at https://ibizify.net/callback/

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Let iBizify look after your Windows PC or Mac!

£15 per PC, per month, 10% discount for Premium/Priority subscribers. Discounts available for five or more workstations.

• Your workstation remotely managed and maintained
• Hands-off antivirus / antimalware - without the nags and popups
• Web URL filtering to block sites that may harm your PC
• Keep up to date with security requirements
• Guard against the latest known vulnerabilities
• AI based ransomware detection and prevention
• Receive advisories and recommendations as required
• Free setup
• Free annual check-up service
• Standard support phone number ¹
• Schedule support online ¹
• No long-term commitment. No setup fees. Cancel any time
• Subject to iBizify’s strict data handling policy and service standards

¹ Standard Support provided 0900 to 1730 Monday to Friday and subject to availability. A service pack balance required for support engagement, or “pay as you go” at £70 + VAT per hour.

Not all features are available on Apple macOS devices. Some features are already included with Premium service

The terms

• Workstation Protect price is per workstation, per month
• Fees are payable by monthly Direct Debit via GoCardless
• All prices exclude VAT

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Does your computer take more than five or ten seconds to start up from a complete shutdown?  Does it take a while to get the applications you want running?  If so, it’s likely that your PC or Mac is not using a Solid-State Drive (SSD).

Most older computers use a Hard Disk Drive (HDD) which are a slow mainly because they employ moving parts.  This results in sluggish performance, especially when firing up the operating system or starting applications.

The great news is that quality SSDs are now cheaper than ever, and that most computers can be upgraded to make use of one.

iBizify is pleased to offer an upgrade service which simply returns your PC or Mac exactly as it was before – just a lot faster!  The service includes:

• Supply of a Crucial MX500 SSD drive
• A full “image” backup of your existing drive – including your operating system, software, and files
• The physical removal of your old drive, and installation its replacement
• A full restore of all your stuff onto the new drive
• Optimising and testing

What capacity should I choose?

Firstly, choose as much as you can get for what you are willing to spend.

Secondly, see how much you are using now, then add at least 300 GB for breathing space.  However, if your drive is full of things you don’t need – then a clear-out could save you money.

To check how much you are currently using:

On Windows: Open File Explorer, go to This PC.  Under drive C:, take the free GB away from the capacity noted under the drive label.  In this example, 144 GB is used.

On a Mac: Open the Apple menu (top left), then About this Mac, click the Storage tab.  Take the available GB away from the capacity noted under the drive icon.  In this example, 147 GB is used.

How much does it cost?

Prices include the replacement hardware.  They don’t include collection, delivery, or VAT.

How long does it take?

Scheduled ahead of time, an SSD upgrade is typically turned around on the same day.  Collection and delivery time should be factored in.

Get in touch to claim this offer

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iBizify Remote allows you to connect to your Mac or Windows PC desktop from anywhere, providing a familiar environment with access to all the applications and services you need to be productive anywhere.  Work at the office – from home – on your Mac, Windows PC, iPad, iPhone, Android phone.

Remote costs just £12 + VAT (£14.40) per desktop, per calendar month.  Premium subscribers can get 20% off this price.

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We've simplified our pricing structure for development and consultancy services.

Previously only usable for technical support, service packs can now also be used for software / web development, consultancy / technical writing, and reports.

We simply apply a 1.5 multiplier.  For example: 2 hours of development would use 3 units; 5 hours would use 7.5 units.

This means it’s now really easy to purchase one or two ten-packs and use them for a variety of projects and support all through one simple billing process.

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Out with the old and on with the new...

This iBizify is simpler, bolder and more rounded than the old one.

We completed our move to Claydon House in Aylesbury recently - a new workspace to increase productivity, create a professional meeting environment, a bit more desk space, and room to grow.  We are very pleased with the results.

Conveniently, our office address now matches what has always been our postal address.  You can find our location on Google of course.

When you need to get a new computer for your business in a hurry, it can be tempting to grab a cheap deal from a local store or from the top of Google.  After all, many devices look alike – they have screens, keyboards, more or less features.  However, what you buy and how much you spend will dictate a great deal about the experience you get with that device months or years after the purchase.  Here we discuss what to look for in a business PC and how to avoid pain later.

This article assumes you are looking for a Windows-based PC for general, everyday use.  If you use specialist or particularly demanding software you should consult the vendor to ensure the specifications are appropriate.  We discuss Apple Macs below.  Call us for advice if you are uncertain.

How much should I spend?

The short answer is as much as you can or want to.  A more helpful question is “what is the minimum I should spend?” because this is where things go wrong.  There is a wealth of low-end PCs available.  Many of which look great from the outside, often the same or better-looking than their more expensive counterparts.  We’ll discuss this more below, but in the meantime, here is a rough guide based on 2018 laptops:

Minimum spend for a sensible business laptop: £500 - £700 + VAT

Recommended spend for a business laptop: > £800 - £1000 + VAT

Minimum spend for “luxury”, a convertible or more powerful laptop: > £1,500 ++