Would you hand over your keys to a stranger? Assuming not, don’t do the digital equivalent either. We all have a natural instinct when it comes to physical security. You wouldn’t hand your house keys to someone just because they stopped you in the street and asked for them. You’d want to know who they…
It’s not a matter of if anymore For a long time, cyber crime was seen as a problem for big enterprises with big budgets and big headlines. Unfortunately, that thinking is now dangerously outdated. Today, small and medium‑sized businesses, along with individuals are just as likely to be targeted. Cyber criminals don’t need sophisticated zero‑day…
In a world where anyone can post anything online, it’s important to remember that not everything we read is accurate or trustworthy. The internet gives everyone a voice, but it doesn’t guarantee honesty, context, or credibility. Taking information at face value can lead to misunderstandings, so a little scepticism goes a long way. Over the…
As a keen cyclist in my teenage years I accumulated a lot of tools which were specific to the smooth running and maintenance of my bike. Over the years, my toolkit requirements changed and grew; power tools for home maintenance, specialist tools for technology hardware, etc. In much the same way, the VCI toolkit has…
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) have both become key tools helping protect us from cyber threats. Requiring two or more verification steps to access an account adds a strong layer of security beyond just a password. However, even with its strengths, MFA and 2FA can still be vulnerable, especially when users approve sign-in…
How many people were familiar with Teams or Zoom before 2020? As the world changed dramatically in late March 2020, a significant portion of our communications and meetings suddenly shifted to a completely digital format, overtaking traditional phone calls and conference calls. The convenience of the format has lasted well beyond the lock-down years. Although…
Our emails contain a treasure trove of valuable information – from important work documents to cherished memories in personal correspondences. It’s crucial to safeguard this data, but are you aware of the differences between email archiving and email backup? These two services serve distinct purposes, and understanding their unique features can help you make the…
IT security has often taken the form of a boxed product, either an appliance on a network or software on a device, which could be purchased and installed. With the increasing complexity of modern IT environments, this is no longer enough and the security requirements dictate the need for a more flexible service approach. Big…
Technology has seen prices fluctuate significantly over the last three years. As the world rushed to work from home we saw hardware shortages combine with the wider silicon chip shortage leaving costs rising. 2022 saw Microsoft introduce their first significant price changes in their subscription model in a number of years and they are set…
With the recent changes in the financial climate and a realisation that remote working can often bring about huge cost savings, many organisations are now considering downsizing their office space. Over the years VCI has relocated twice but, during that time, I have helped with countless office moves for clients, ranging from moving up one…
On occasions where we ask someone to check or move a cable there may be understandable confusion as to which cable is which – particularly given the almost supernatural ability possessing all cables where they entangle themselves seemingly without any external input. We recently received a call from a client whose screen display had a…
Your spam filter will hopefully pick up the majority of erroneous fake emails doing the rounds but, should one slip through the net, here are 5 key clues to look out for, based on the above message, to help ensure you click DELETE! 1. SENDING ‘FROM’ ADDRESS Firstly, check out the sending email address for…
It’s quite probably the case that 2020 has seen more online shopping than ever so, as Christmas approaches, the following reminders are worth keeping in mind. Purchase from known sites and stores – don’t fall into the trap of searching for a product and clicking on the top link, or get lured into an impulse…
Not quite the original song lyric but scammers appear to have targeted customers of London’s Ritz Hotel by contacting customers and asking to double check payment details. The BBC article can be found here – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-53793922 A worrying detail here is that the scammers had an amount of information to hand to make the approach,…
This week EasyJet have announced a data breach affecting up to 9 million of its customers which includes email addresses, travel details and, in some cases, credit card details. If you have previously travelled with EasyJet here are 5 things you should be doing right now. 1 – check whether your credit card details have…
At a time when we all seek out good news, I take no pleasure in finding sufficient material to warrant writing this particular article. It remains, however, very much a part of my job to warn clients and our wider audience of the current scams and threats. Sadly, at a time when decent people are…
unsplash-logoDaoudi Aissa We have helped hundreds of users prepare for remote and home working in the last couple of weeks. For some, remote working has been an existing option of convenience but, for others, it is one of the many new changes to daily life. We have the perfect storm scenario at the moment; school…
With the arrival of the end of Microsoft’s support for their Windows 7 operating system today, users still working with it now have a clear, on-screen notification. Some quick answers to the most frequently asked questions; Will my W7 PC stop working from today? No. The PC will continue to boot and function. Can VCI…
Looking for new premises as your business is expanding? Or are you opening a second office? Exciting times but perhaps also a little stressful!
Here we talk you through the considerations to bear in mind from an IT perspective when moving to a new office space.
Your spam filter will hopefully pick up the majority of erroneous fake emails doing the rounds but, should one slip through the net, here are 5 key clues to look out for, based on the above message, to help ensure you click DELETE!
Is your PC on a go-slow? Or perhaps your laptop is lagging? It may well be time for an upgrade!
Here we help you choose the best value solution and give advice on how and when you should make the move.
How can the innocent post-it note end up costing you a fortune? Find out more and make sure you don’t let that happen to you & your business!
I have written plenty about passwords over the last few years but I still have people happily telling me they use the same, single password for everything – a fact only made worse when the follow up comment is along the lines of, “..and I can’t be done with complex passwords.” Good passwords are essential….
As Technology advances, the equipment we are able to offer is getting more and more compact. Here we discuss the benefits of investing in smaller PCs.
Security analysts have discovered a vulnerability with Chrome running on Windows 7 machines. Anyone using the Chrome browser should ensure that he or she is using the latest version of Chrome. More information on the vulnerability can be found here The Chrome browser can be updated by clicking the three-dot button to the right of…
A quick look out through the window this morning confirmed the overnight arrival of the forecast snow. In previous years the first arrival of snow has brought with it a number of calls from users requiring remote access to the network, emails configured on external devices, telephone numbers redirected and voicemail greetings amended. For many…
“Your account has been compromised and, to prove it, here is your password.” In recent weeks we have taken a number of calls from users who have received emails which, in amongst whatever scam is being run, try to offer up some validity to the claims by presenting a user with his or her password….
We are here to support you with any ad hoc IT issues whenever you need us – on the phone or on-site. We also provide behind-the-scenes support in order to ensure all IT systems are running smoothly and resolve any issues as they occur. In early 2017 we took on a new client who was unhappy with both the reliability of their network and…
I’m not quite old enough to have worked with spools of half inch tape but magnetic tape was certainly the go-to medium for data backup on the first networks I managed. Backup solutions have changed considerably over the years – where we once talked about data backups we now talk about disaster recovery and business…
CCTV systems have been available for a long time whether providing monitoring, safety or security. In keeping with other areas of technology (telephony, audio-visual, etc.) selecting camera solutions which integrate with the network broadens the functionality with multiple points of access on site or remotely, email notification of activity, etc. VCI is able to help…
We recently saw the retirement of opening batsman and former England Cricket Captain Alastair Cook who bowed out in the best possible way with a determined and pivotal personal contribution to the team’s success. In a fairy tale, victorious finish which included a century in his final innings, the last test match of the English summer…
One of my defining memories of childhood holidays is the Tetris-like exercise of squeezing everything into the small family car (suitcases, rucksacks, travel games, sleeping bags, etc.) closely followed by the last minute checks. Are the passports packed, is the road atlas to hand (no sat-nav back then), last check of fuel, coolant, oil and…
It’s finally here so, if nothing else, the volume of privacy policies arriving by email is hopefully about to drop off. Small business owners should take some comfort from the words of the UK’s information commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, who was interviewed on BBC Radio 4. “Today is not a deadline. What we’re looking for is…
The trouble with learning from experience is that the lesson is delivered just after the knowledge is required. This, of course, is one of the reasons we turn to others to benefit from the broader, collective experiences whether that be friends and colleagues or suppliers and consultants to a business. It is far from unusual…
There are several tell-tale signs to help you spot a spam email! Below, the much-discussed topic of fake and harmful emails gets the video treatment with a quick look at how to spot the tell-tale signs quickly and easily. Or the written version is here: 5 Clues to an Erroneous Email – VCI Systems If…
For any business, saving money and improving communications are both good goals to have – and VoIP allows you to combine the two. VCI persevered with a ‘traditional’ phone system fed by 4 ISDN channels for many years mainly because we needed to retain the ISDN connection as a dial out option for a client…
Back in late 2013 I wrote a series of articles regarding passwords which covered why we need them (amazingly still a question I was having to answer on occasions), how one can arrive at a good password, and how to keep it memorable without using the same password everywhere. One of my less fashionable statements…
A white Christmas was definitely on the cards when snow arrived just in time for this year’s Virginia Water Santa Run in support of Sebastian’s Action Trust. Unfortunately it was deemed too dangerous for the runners and was cancelled at the last minute so no pictures of me dressed as Santa this year. Charlotte, however,…
This may read as a self-congratulatory post but I simply want to illustrate that we do practise what we preach. I received the following email today which purported to come from a domain registration company. Regular readers of our site will know that I am instantly suspicious of a mail with the salutation “Dear customer” rather than…
Many of you will be familiar with the story of the Dutch boy who plugged a tiny leak in the dyke with his finger. Passers by raised the alarm and help came in the form of those who could fix the hole and avoid a disaster. We can easily relate this to the recent, well-publicised…
“Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin.” People of a certain age may well recognise this as the introduction to “Listen with mother”, a radio program of stories, songs and nursery rhymes for a captivated pre-school audience. The theme tune, a gentle piano duet (Lullaby from Gabriel Fauré’s “Dolly Suite” for those that want to…
My elder son had an English test at school yesterday. The comprehension section included a passage of text about a poisonous snake. Before answering the questions, he crossed through the word “poisonous” and above it wrote “venomous”. Yesterday was clearly the day for such scrutiny as I also had a client contact me with suspicions regarding…
As we close in on the end of 2016 we can once again look forward to the Christmas break, perhaps more time with family and friends and, to the best of our abilities, away from the routine of our working lives. We can also take the chance to count our blessings and consider the challenges…
Of all evenings for this to happen, Halloween….. The boss is supposed to be on holiday but now he’s mailing you to insist you get some urgent payments made. What to do…? The internet seems to be running slowly, the noise from the kettle boiling sounds just a little too loud and now a black…
As discussed in my previous article, there seems to be an increasing chance of genuine email getting quarantined by spam filtering tools as the battle to protect against unwanted or harmful content continues. When investigating a ‘lost’ outbound email we often arrive at the point where we can prove an email arrived to the recipient’s…
A quote often attributed to George Bernard Shaw observed that, “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” Scholars may disagree on the original author but the sentiment applies well in the modern world. Through the opening months of 2016 I think I have spent more time investigating errant…
2016 already looks to be the year of Ransomware. Scan any technical news publications over the last quarter and you will see councils, hospitals, at least one (US) police department and various other high profile establishments who have made the news having fallen victim to a ransomware attack. Browse back through recent articles on our…
From 12th January 2016, Microsoft is no longer offering support for any versions of Internet Explorer other than the latest v11 (for Windows 7, 8 and 8.1) or Edge for Windows 10 (though IE11 remains an installed option). In Microsoft’s own words, “Internet Explorer 11 offers improved security, increased performance, better backward compatibility, and support…
…and happy new year. The festive period provides an opportunity to pause and reflect on the year gone by and the year ahead – perhaps to set ourselves new goals and challenges in our personal and working lives. It can also be a time to reflect upon the lives of those around us, colleagues, families,…
If you have read previous posts on our news section here you will be both familiar and wise to spoof emails but here is another quick reminder. A quick glance at the purported sender and hovering over the link to see the destination provides all the confirmation you need to make your next mouse click…
By now you are probably familiar with the Windows 10 free upgrade notification popping up in the task bar on a regular basis and may be wondering what to do. Having had the privilege of attending Microsoft’s official UK Launch event for Windows 10 I can confirm that there are some exciting times ahead for…
Having written about the dangers of attachments and spoof emails on several occasions (most recently here), my attention was drawn to an article on the BBC technology pages today regarding the ‘business model’ behind Ransomware malware products. The full BBC article is available here. I was interested to read how, contrary to anecdotal evidence published…
Apologies if I am beginning to sound like a broken record but I find myself, once again, writing a short piece on bogus emails and the dangers that lie within. It’s too big and common a problem to ignore. Below is an image of an email I have seen today. 1 – nothing too suspicious…
You’ve probably seen or even played the game passed on through social media. The title can be a little more, shall we say, ‘niche market’ compared with the generic “movie star” heading I’ve given but the game remains the same as does the risk it poses to your personal data. The game states that you take the…
Turkey sandwiches for packed lunch…..but only for a few more days. No more chocolates, ease back on the wine, dig out and dust off the old gym membership card. The new year brings with it the cathartic, slate-cleaning new year’s resolutions – a list full of good intentions, hope, and the promise of improvement. Might we…
I received the following email this afternoon (Friday 19th September….) From: Net Faxmashine [mailto:postmaster@docs-dig.com]Sent: 19 September 2014 13:53To: Robert CreechSubject: You have received a new fax message You have received a new fax. This fax was received by Fax Server.The fax has been downloaded to dropbox service (Google Inc). To view your fax message, please…
“At the roundabout, take the first exit”“In two more clicks you have reached ‘a’ destination…..(it might not be yours, and it might not be safe)” Imagine if your car Sat Nav picked a destination with only a tenuous link to the address you first entered, ending in the sort of area where you would never…
Some of the recent media reporting of an imminent cyber attack on Blighty could have come straight from the mouth of Dad’s Army character Private Frazer, complete with rolling eyes. So what is all the excitement about? Well, call me an old sceptic <pause>, but this could just be a case of sensational journalism or,…
The latest concern regarding the safety of a cyber world has come in the form of the Heartbleed bug, the potential compromise of a system intended, ironically, to safeguard user data. The BBC has a good article outlining the flaw and surrounding issues – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-26954540 The headline of “Heartbleed Bug: Tech firms urge password reset”…
If we’ve travelled the “Password 101” journey together this far then we are hopefully in agreement that network passwords are a good thing, and you have some ideas regarding how to create them. Now we need to consider how we manage and maintain all those other passwords required by the various devices we use, the…
In our previous visit to passwords (Password 101 – Part 1) we looked at the need for the password in the office environment. This article delves a little deeper and focuses on network password generation. There is a popular saying that your password should be like your toothbrush, “Change it every three months and don’t…
Ah, the password…invaluable security tool, necessary evil, or simply the reason to have to call IT support before even starting the working day? The concept of a tool to help identify the individual is not new – we have placed our mark or signed documents for many a century – but the prevalence of passwords…
(“May contain nuts” – a series of short articles discussing familiar topics which we should all revisit once in a while) In the early 20th century two con-men, George C. Parker and William McCloundy, successfully ‘sold’ the Brooklyn Bridge to unwitting and, one assumes, wealthy tourists. There are other similar, perhaps apocryphal, stories and it…
(“May contain nuts” – a series of short articles discussing familiar topics which we should all revisit once in a while) You have a website, and you have emails. You know enough to know that these are linked to the fact that you have a domain “yourcompany.co.uk” registered but, beyond that, it all works and…
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