CyberSecuritiesUK

Once again, Microsoft Teams is getting even better. Now you can set your work hours and location directly in the app, so your people know when and where you’re available. It will also suggest changes to your work hours based on your activity. For example, if you're working outside your scheduled hours, Teams might recommend updating your working time to reflect your actual availability. It’s a smart way to make sure your profile stays accurate… and you can easily turn off these suggestions if they’re not for you. This update is rolling out on all platforms (Android, iOS, desktop, and Mac), and is part of Teams' ongoing promise to make work easier and more efficient for everyone. It’s all about keeping your business running smoothly. Are you looking forward to trying out this new feature in your business? #MicrosoftTeams #Productivity #BusinessTools

If you’re a fan of the classic 8-bit Sinclair ZX Spectrum, you’re in for a treat. A full-sized, modern remake of this iconic computer is about to hit the market, and it’s called The Spectrum. This new device is modelled after the beloved Spectrum 48K, complete with those famous rubber block keys and the rainbow stripe. It launches on the 22nd November and comes pre-loaded with 48 classic games like Manic Miner, The Hobbit, Saboteur, and Head Over Heels. But the fun doesn’t stop there. You can easily load your own games via USB. Woohoo! Best of all, you’ll only need to spend £89 to bring the nostalgia of the 80s into to your living room. It comes with an HDMI port and USB connectivity. You’ll need to supply your own USB-C power supply, and there's no mention of a joystick (which might be a bit disappointing for some). Will this make it to your Christmas wishlist? #RetroGaming #SinclairSpectrum #FunTech

Cyber criminals are nothing if not creative. This time they’ve got a scam using Microsoft Sway - a cloud-based 365 tool most people have never heard of (it’s used for creating interactive presentations and reports). It’s a niche product. And unfortunately it’s now being exploited to host phishing pages. Recently, a 2,000-fold increase in attacks using Sway was seen. Cyber criminals are using it to create presentations that include QR codes, which then redirect victims to fake Microsoft 365 login pages. If someone falls for it, they unknowingly hand over their login credentials. What makes this scam difficult to spot is that QR codes, typically seen as harmless image files, can bypass antivirus tools and email protections. Plus, they’re often scanned on phones, which can have weaker security than computers. So, what can you do to protect your business? Stay vigilant! Always be sceptical of emails that seem urgent or out of the blue, especially if they ask you to scan a QR code or log in somewhere unexpected. Double-check the sender’s information and, when in doubt, contact the sender directly through a known and trusted method. If you’re worried, my team and I can help you stay secure. Get in touch. https://lnkd.in/gr3Ku66r #CyberSecurity #PhishingScam #Sway

Heads up: Microsoft Teams is getting a major security upgrade this October that will make your workspace safer. It’s introducing new rules. Admins must evaluate apps and extensions before they’re deployed. So, what does this mean for your business? Starting next month, your IT admins will have tools to check the safety of apps and Copilot extensions. This includes detailed security and certification information such as results from Microsoft 365 security tests, and proof provided by app creators. For apps that aren’t yet certified, admins will get info on how the app handles data and its overall security. This new feature is part of Microsoft’s ongoing effort to improve security across its platforms, especially Teams. Do you look at security info or, like many business owners and managers, just assume the platform is on top of it? #MicrosoftTeams #CyberSecurity #BusinessSafety

Tell me... do you use Microsoft Forms in your business? Then here’s some good news. Microsoft’s just announced a better syncing solution that makes it easier and more reliable to sync your Forms data with Excel. Up until now, syncing wasn’t perfect. It only worked with certain types of forms and could be unreliable. The older syncing method will be phased out by the 20th of October. So it's important to upgrade your workbooks to keep everything running smoothly. If you don't upgrade, your existing data will still be there, but new responses won’t sync automatically. If you manage forms through OneDrive, SharePoint, or Teams, you’ll soon notice a prompt to upgrade your sync. For once it’s genuinely easy – just a click, and your data will be reliably synced. More good news: While syncing only works with Excel for the web, Microsoft is working on bringing this improved functionality to Excel for Windows and macOS. This will make life so much easier, right? #Microsoft #Forms #BusinessTools

I believe that one of the silver bullets to great cyber security is making it easy for everyone. And if you’re not already using this simple and effective security booster in your business, you’ll soon wonder why it’s taken you so long. In fact, Microsoft’s making it mandatory for one of its cloud computing platforms… you should follow their lead. https://lnkd.in/gYHfpJUg #Microsoft #MFA #CyberSecurity

Microsoft’s making a simple security booster mandatory on one of its cloud computing platforms. And I believe you should make it mandatory across your business too… #Microsoft #MFA #Security

Tesla is on the hunt for adventurous people to help train its humanoid Optimus robot, and the job is anything but ordinary. As a "Data Collection Operator," you’ll get to wear a motion capture suit and mimic the actions Optimus will need to perform in the real world. It’s like being a living, breathing model for a robot apprentice. Interested? This unique gig pays up to $48 (£37) an hour, but it’s not for the faint of heart. You’ll need to walk over seven hours a day, carry up to 30 pounds, and wear a VR headset for extended periods. Oh, and if you’re between 5’7’’ and 5’11’’, you’re the perfect fit (literally) to match Optimus' height. Tesla has already hired more than 50 people for this role, showing just how serious they are about training Optimus to be "genuinely useful" in the near future. But don’t expect these bots to hit the factory floor just yet. Experts say it could take millions of hours of training before Optimus is ready for action. Still, it’s an exciting step forward in the world of robotics, and who knows, maybe one day, you’ll be working alongside a robot trained by your own moves. Can you ever imagine using humanoid robots in your business? What would you get them to do? #Tesla #Optimus #Robotics

On this day in 1980, a piece of tech history quietly came to an end as the last IBM 7030 “Stretch” mainframe was shut down at Brigham Young University. This computer wasn’t just any machine; it was IBM’s first supercomputer to use transistors instead of vacuum tubes. It was also the first computer designed with the help of another computer, and it held the title of the world’s fastest computer in the 1960s. The Stretch played a crucial role in scientific research and set the stage for future innovations, despite falling short of its ambitious performance goals. It was even labelled one of IT’s biggest project management failures, but its design and technology paved the way for the highly successful IBM System/360, which revolutionised computing in the years that followed. The story teaches us a valuable business lesson: Even when a project doesn’t meet all expectations, the knowledge and advancements gained can lead to greater successes down the road. In business, not every venture will be a home run, but the experience and insights you gain can drive future innovation and growth. Do you have your own Stretch story in your business? #TechHistory #BusinessLessons #IBMStretch

If you've noticed Outlook crashing lately, especially when opening it or starting in Safe Mode, you're not alone. Microsoft has identified an issue affecting some people. It’s to do with corrupted email rules within Microsoft 365 accounts, and it can't be fixed by simply going back to an earlier version or creating a new profile. To check if this issue affects you, you can look for certain error codes in the Windows Event Viewer. But if that sounds complicated, don’t worry, Microsoft has provided a temporary solution. The key step is to remove all email rules associated with your account. You can do this by running a specific command or manually deleting the rules via Outlook Web Access. If necessary, you might also need to create a new Outlook profile. This workaround should help keep Outlook running smoothly while Microsoft works on a permanent fix. If you’ve been affected by this, my team can help get things running smoothly again - get in touch. https://lnkd.in/gr3Ku66r #Outlook #Microsoft #WorkAround