Articles from Techusys
The Hex Files
Short reads on how attacks work, where security came from, and how to get more from your technology. Pick a topic, or browse them all.
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History and stories
How we got here: the people, mistakes and lucky breaks behind modern security.
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The beer barrel letters that cost a queen her head
Mary, Queen of Scots trusted a secret mail route and a cipher. Her enemies built the route and read every letter.
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The “Nigerian prince” scam is older than email
Letters promising a fortune in return for a small payment were circulating more than a century before email.
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The magician who hacked the wireless in 1903
During a public demonstration of “secure” wireless messages in London, a stage magician sent his own message into the room.
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The intercepted telegram that helped pull America into World War I
Germany sent a secret offer to Mexico in code, over cables it believed were safe. British codebreakers read it within a day.
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The con man who sold the Eiffel Tower
In 1925, a con artist with fake government letterhead convinced a scrap dealer that Paris was quietly selling the Eiffel Tower.
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Enigma was broken by habits as much as by math
Germany's Enigma machine could have stayed unbroken. Predictable messages and shortcuts by its operators helped the codebreakers in.
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The gift that listened for seven years
Soviet schoolchildren gave the US ambassador a carved wooden seal in 1945. A listening device inside went unnoticed for seven years.
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The first computer bug was a real moth
In 1947, operators found a moth stuck in a relay of the Harvard Mark II and taped it into the logbook.
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The first computer password, and the first password theft
Passwords arrived on a shared MIT computer in the early 1960s. Within about a year, someone printed the whole password file.
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The encryption company secretly owned by spies
For decades, governments around the world bought encryption machines from a Swiss company that was secretly owned by intelligence agencies.
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Creeper and Reaper: the first worm and the first antivirus
In 1971, an experimental program hopped between computers on the early internet. Another program was written to chase it down.
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Phone phreaks and the toy whistle that controlled the phone network
A whistle from a cereal box could take control of long-distance phone lines. Two future Apple founders built devices that did the same.
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The first spam email was a product announcement
In 1978, a marketer sent an invitation to a few hundred people on the early internet at once. The complaints started immediately.
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Elk Cloner: the first virus spread on floppy disks
In 1982, a 15-year-old wrote a prank program that copied itself from one Apple II floppy disk to the next.
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The 414s: teenagers who got in with default passwords
In 1982 and 1983, a group of Milwaukee teenagers broke into dozens of computer systems, mostly by trying the passwords printed in manuals.
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The movie that led to a presidential order on computer security
After watching the film WarGames, President Reagan asked whether a teenager could really break into military computers. The answer started a policy.
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A 75-cent accounting error that caught a spy
In 1986, an astronomer looking into a tiny billing mismatch uncovered a hacker selling information to the KGB.
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Captain Midnight took over HBO for four and a half minutes
In 1986, an engineer angry about satellite TV fees overpowered HBO's signal and put his own message on screens across the eastern United States.
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The first PC virus came with its authors' phone number
In 1986, two brothers in Lahore wrote a virus that spread on floppy disks, and put their names, address and phone number inside it.
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The Christmas card that jammed the world's networks
In December 1987, a holiday greeting drew a tree on screen and quietly sent itself to everyone in the reader's address book.
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The Jerusalem virus waited for Friday the 13th
Found at Hebrew University in 1987, this early virus spread quietly and was set to delete programs on every Friday the 13th.
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The Max Headroom TV hijacking was never solved
On one night in 1987, someone in a Max Headroom mask took over two Chicago TV stations. Nobody has ever been identified.
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The Morris worm: the night the early internet slowed down
In 1988, a graduate student's experiment spread out of control and slowed thousands of computers. It changed how the internet handles security.
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The first ransomware arrived in the mail
In 1989, thousands of floppy disks were mailed to researchers. After enough restarts, they locked the computer and demanded payment.
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The hacker who rigged radio contests to win a Porsche
In 1990, Kevin Poulsen took control of the phone lines into a Los Angeles radio station so that he would be the winning caller.
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The Michelangelo virus panic of 1992
News reports warned that millions of computers would be wiped on March 6, 1992. The real damage was much smaller, but the scare changed habits.
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The 1994 bank heist done from a computer in St. Petersburg
In 1994, someone used stolen access details to move millions out of corporate accounts through Citibank's wire transfer service.
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The famous hacker who mostly just asked
Kevin Mitnick was once the most wanted hacker in America. His most effective tool was the telephone.
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Ariane 5: the rocket brought down by old code
Europe's new rocket broke apart 37 seconds after its first launch because of software copied from the older rocket it replaced.
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Where “phishing” got its name
The word comes from 1990s scammers who posed as online service staff to steal passwords, borrowing the spelling from phone phreaks.
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Back Orifice: a remote control tool released at a hacker conference
In 1998, a hacker group released free software that let someone control a Windows computer from anywhere, often without the owner knowing.
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CIH: the virus that could stop a computer from starting
In April 1999, a virus erased hard drives across the world and, on some computers, damaged the chip needed to start them.
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How Toy Story 2 was almost deleted
In 1998, a mistyped command started erasing the files for Toy Story 2, and the backups had not been working for a month.
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Melissa: the virus that shut down company email
In 1999, a Word document mailed itself to the first 50 people in each victim's address book, and companies had to switch email off.
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Y2K: the disaster that didn't happen
Y2K is remembered as a false alarm. It went quietly because of years of work, which is how good IT usually looks.
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ILOVEYOU: the email everyone wanted to open
In 2000, a love letter attachment spread around the world in a day, because it came from people the recipients knew.
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Mafiaboy: the teenager who knocked big websites offline
In February 2000, a 15-year-old in Quebec flooded Yahoo, eBay, Amazon and CNN with traffic until they stopped responding.
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Klez: the worm that faked who sent it
Klez spread by email in 2001 and 2002, often claiming to be a security fix and forging the sender so the real source was hidden.
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The worm named after a soft drink
In 2001, researchers named a fast-spreading worm after the soda they were drinking. The fix for the flaw it used was already a month old.
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The Anna Kournikova virus: a picture that was not a picture
In 2001, millions of people received an email promising a photo of a tennis star. The attachment was a program that emailed itself onward.
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Nimda: the worm that came in through every door
In September 2001, a worm spread through email, shared folders, websites and old server flaws all at once, and became the most widespread on the internet within hours.
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The 2003 blackout started with a silent alarm
A software bug stopped the alarms in a power company control room. Operators did not know, and a local problem became a blackout for 55 million people.
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The worm that spread around the world in ten minutes
In 2003, a tiny worm infected most of its possible targets within about ten minutes, taking down ATMs along the way.
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Blaster: the worm that kept restarting computers
In August 2003, a worm spread to computers that had not installed a month-old Windows update, making them shut down over and over.
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Mydoom: still the fastest-spreading email worm
In January 2004, an email that looked like a delivery error spread faster than any email worm before or since.
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Sasser: the worm that grounded flights
In May 2004, a worm spread on its own between Windows computers that had not installed an update, disrupting airlines, newsrooms and hospitals.
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“Samy is my hero”: the worm that spread through friend requests
In 2005, one MySpace user's profile code added him as a friend to anyone who viewed it. More than a million people ran it within a day.
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The music CDs that secretly installed hidden software
In 2005, millions of music CDs installed hidden copy protection software on the computers that played them, and attackers used it to hide their own programs.
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Albert Gonzalez and the store Wi-Fi that leaked millions of cards
Between 2005 and 2007, one hacker and his crew stole more than 170 million card numbers from retailers and payment companies.
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The Storm Worm rode the headlines
In January 2007, a deadly European storm became the subject line for one of the largest malware outbreaks of its time.
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The weeks a whole country was knocked offline
In 2007, waves of traffic flooded Estonia's government, banks and news sites for weeks, in one of the first attacks aimed at an entire country.
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Zeus: the banking trojan that watched people sign in
From 2007, a piece of malware sat inside web browsers, recording bank sign-ins and changing what people saw on screen.
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Conficker: the worm that infected millions and then waited
In late 2008, a worm spread to millions of Windows computers through a known flaw and weak administrator passwords. Then it mostly did nothing.
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Koobface: the fake video update that spread through friends
Koobface sent messages from infected social media accounts to their friends, with a link to a video that needed a “player update.”
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RockYou leaked 32 million passwords in plain text
A 2009 breach at a social app maker exposed 32 million passwords stored exactly as users typed them. The list is still used to guess passwords today.
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Operation Aurora: when Google said it had been hacked
In January 2010, Google announced it had been targeted by attackers who also went after dozens of other companies, starting with a single link sent to employees.
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Stuxnet: the code that broke machines
Discovered in 2010, Stuxnet quietly damaged industrial equipment while showing operators that everything was normal.
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DNSChanger: when the internet's address book was swapped
Millions of computers were quietly changed to look up websites through criminal servers. The FBI had to keep those servers running for months after the arrests.
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The PlayStation Network was dark for 24 days
In April 2011, an intrusion forced Sony to shut down its gaming network for more than three weeks, and details of 77 million accounts were exposed.
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The security company hacked through a spreadsheet
In 2011, attackers got into RSA, maker of sign-in security tokens, through an email with a spreadsheet titled as a recruitment plan.
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The security firm undone by one reused password
In 2011, a security company's CEO picked a fight with a hacking group. They got in through a simple website flaw and one password used everywhere.
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DigiNotar: the company that vouched for fake websites
In 2011, a Dutch company that issued the certificates behind the browser padlock was hacked and issued fake ones, and it went bankrupt within weeks.
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Knight Capital lost control of its trading in 45 minutes
A software update was copied to seven of eight servers. The eighth woke up old code that flooded the stock market with orders.
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One hour, one journalist, his whole digital life erased
In 2012, attackers used customer service calls and linked accounts to take over a Wired writer's email, phone and laptop, and erase them.
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The LinkedIn leak that came back four years later
In 2012, LinkedIn said about 6.5 million passwords were stolen. In 2016, it turned out the same breach had taken far more.
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How a heating contractor's login led to a retail breach
In 2013, attackers got into a major retailer's network using a login stolen from its heating and air conditioning contractor.
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The fake tweet that briefly crashed the stock market
In April 2013, a false post from the Associated Press account claimed explosions at the White House. Markets dropped within minutes.
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Yahoo's breaches stayed hidden for three years
Every Yahoo account was affected by a 2013 breach. The public did not find out until 2016.
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CryptoLocker: the ransomware that set the template
In 2013, ransomware with unbreakable encryption, a countdown clock and payment in Bitcoin turned file encryption into a business.
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Heartbleed: the flaw in the padlock itself
In 2014, a mistake in widely used encryption software let anyone read pieces of a server's memory, including passwords and private keys.
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Mt. Gox lost hundreds of thousands of bitcoins without noticing
The largest bitcoin exchange in the world shut down in 2014. Most of the missing coins had been taken out quietly over years.
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Shellshock: an old bug in the internet's plumbing
In 2014, researchers found a flaw in a basic tool used by countless servers and devices. Attacks started within hours of the announcement.
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The Sony Pictures hack: when attackers set out to destroy
In November 2014, attackers leaked a film studio's emails and unreleased movies, then erased its computers.
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Carbanak: the bank robbers who came in by email
A criminal group got into banks with phishing emails, learned how staff worked, then had cash machines pay out on command.
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The breach that took 22 million background checks
Attackers spent months inside the US government's personnel agency and took detailed background check records on millions of people.
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The first attack to turn off a power grid
Two days before Christmas 2015, attackers switched off power to about 230,000 people in Ukraine. It started months earlier with an email.
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The bank heist stopped by a spelling mistake
In February 2016, hackers sent payment orders worth close to a billion dollars from Bangladesh's central bank. A typo helped stop most of them.
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Mirai: when cameras and routers took down the internet
In 2016, malware took over hundreds of thousands of cameras and home routers using their default passwords, then used them to knock major websites offline.
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GitLab deleted its database and found its backups did not work
A tired engineer ran a delete command on the wrong server. Then the team discovered how many of its backup methods had been failing.
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The typo that took down part of the internet
An engineer removing a few servers entered one value wrong. Thousands of websites and apps that relied on one storage service went down for hours.
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WannaCry and the accidental kill switch
In 2017, WannaCry ransomware spread worldwide. A security researcher discovered an unexpected kill switch that helped slow the outbreak.
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NotPetya and the server saved by a power cut
In 2017, an attack spread through a software update and wiped out a global shipping company's systems. One offline copy saved it.
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Equifax: the update that was not installed
In 2017, attackers took personal records of about 147 million Americans from Equifax through a website flaw that had a fix two months earlier.
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Atlanta's city government went back to paper
In 2018, ransomware shut down many of Atlanta's city services. Staff filled in forms by hand while systems were rebuilt.
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Meltdown and Spectre: the flaws inside the processor
In January 2018, researchers revealed that the way modern processors speed themselves up could let programs read memory they should not see.
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Baltimore had no written recovery plan when ransomware hit
In May 2019, ransomware took down most of Baltimore's city systems. Recovery took until September.
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How ransomware evolved from floppy disks to extortion
From a posted floppy disk in 1989 to criminal groups that rent out their tools, ransomware has changed in ways that matter for how you protect a business.
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Zoombombing: when strangers crashed the video calls
When everyone moved online in 2020, uninvited guests started joining video meetings and disrupting them.
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The Twitter hack started with a phone call
In July 2020, the accounts of Barack Obama, Elon Musk, Apple and others posted a Bitcoin scam. Attackers got in by phoning Twitter staff.
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SolarWinds: the attack that came through a trusted update
In 2020, attackers hid a back door inside an update for network monitoring software, and thousands of organizations installed it themselves.
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The data center fire that destroyed backups too
In March 2021, a fire destroyed a data center in Strasbourg. Customers who kept their backups in the same building lost both.
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The day Facebook disappeared from the internet
In October 2021, a configuration change cut Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp off for about six hours. Even staff badges stopped working.
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The warnings before Ireland's health service shut down
In May 2021, ransomware forced Ireland's national health service to shut down its IT systems. The attackers had been inside for two months.
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When thousands of office email servers were broken into at once
In early 2021, attackers used four unknown flaws in on-premises Exchange email servers to break into tens of thousands of organizations.
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Colonial Pipeline: one old password, one week without fuel
In May 2021, ransomware shut the largest fuel pipeline on the US East Coast. The attackers got in with a single password on an unused remote access account.
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Log4Shell: the flaw hiding in a line of text
In December 2021, a flaw in a common piece of free software let attackers take over systems by getting them to record one line of text.
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From passwords to passkeys: sixty years of signing in
How signing in went from a shared password file in 1961 to passkeys that cannot be phished.
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Lapsus$: teenagers who talked their way into big companies
In 2022, a loosely organized group, some of them teenagers, broke into major tech companies mostly by tricking or paying people.
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The day Canada's debit cards stopped working
In July 2022, a Rogers network failure cut internet and mobile service for millions and took down the national debit payment network.
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23andMe: reused passwords exposed millions
Attackers logged in to 23andMe accounts with passwords leaked from other sites, then used a sharing feature to reach millions more profiles.
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MGM Resorts: one phone call to the help desk
In September 2023, attackers called MGM's IT help desk pretending to be an employee. Within days, slot machines, room keys and hotel check-in were down.
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MOVEit: one flaw, thousands of organizations
In 2023, a flaw in a widely used file transfer tool let a ransomware group steal data from more than 2,700 organizations.
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The 2024 outage that had to be fixed one computer at a time
A faulty security software update crashed about 8.5 million Windows computers. Many had to be fixed by hand, and some needed recovery keys that were hard to find.
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The missing sign-in step that stalled US health care payments
In 2024, attackers got into a company that processes a huge share of US medical claims through a remote access login without multi-factor authentication.
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The XZ back door: a two-year con caught by accident
In 2024, an engineer noticed a half-second delay and uncovered a back door that someone had spent two years building into widely used free software.
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Scams and phishing
How scams reach a business today, and how to spot them before anyone pays.
- Explainer
How phishing works when your email is in the cloud
A fake sign-in page, a hidden inbox rule, then invoices sent from your real mailbox.
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When a vendor's bank details suddenly change
A real-looking email asks you to pay an invoice to a new account. This is one of the most expensive scams a business can fall for.
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How to spot a phishing email
Seven checks that take a few seconds and catch most phishing messages.
1 min readRead - What to do if
What to do if you clicked a phishing link
Act quickly, tell IT and get your password reset. Speed matters more than embarrassment.
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Why would your boss want gift cards?
A message that seems to come from a manager asks you to buy gift cards and send the codes. It is always a scam.
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Text message scams: unpaid tolls, missed deliveries and fake banks
Texts about tolls, parcels or blocked accounts are some of the most common scams today, and they increasingly reach work phones.
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QR codes are links you can't read
A QR code is just a web address in disguise. Scammers use them on stickers, letters and emails to get around link checks.
1 min readRead - What to do if
The pop-up says your computer is infected. It isn't.
A loud warning fills the screen and gives a phone number to call. It is a scam designed to get you to let a stranger into your computer.
1 min readRead - Explainer
When the voice on the phone isn't real
Attackers can now clone a voice from a short recording and fake a video call. Checking through a second channel matters more than ever.
1 min readRead - What to do if
What to do if you paid a fake invoice
Call your bank immediately and report the fraud. The first few hours make the difference between recovering money and losing it.
1 min readRead - Explainer
“Your page will be suspended”: fake social media warnings
Messages claiming your business page broke the rules and will be deleted unless you appeal lead to fake login pages.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Calls about your business listing that are really a sales trap
A caller warns that your business listing will be removed or is out of date. A yes on the call becomes an invoice.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Charity scams follow every disaster
After a disaster or tragedy in the news, fake charities appear quickly, by email, text, social media and phone.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Microsoft will not call you about a virus
Callers who say they are from Microsoft, your bank or “IT” and want to fix your computer are almost always scammers.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Requests for employee tax forms are a favorite of scammers
An email that seems to come from an executive asks HR or payroll to send copies of every employee's tax forms. It is a common seasonal scam.
1 min readRead - Explainer
The email asking to change where a paycheck goes
A message that looks like it comes from an employee asks to update their bank details before payday. The money ends up with a scammer.
1 min readRead - What to do if
The email that quotes your old password and makes threats
An email claims to have hacked your computer and recorded you, and shows a password you once used as proof. It is a bluff.
1 min readRead - Explainer
The renewal receipt for something you never bought
An email says your subscription renewed for a large amount and gives a number to call to cancel. The call is the scam.
1 min readRead - Explainer
The fake invoice that asks you to call
Some scam emails have no link and no attachment, only a phone number to call about a charge you did not make. The call is the trap.
1 min readRead - Checklist
How to read a web address before you sign in
The quickest way to spot a fake sign-in page is the address bar. Here is how to read it in a few seconds.
1 min readRead - Explainer
“Someone shared a document with you”
Notices that a file has been shared with you are one of the most common ways to steal Microsoft 365 passwords.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Fake recruiters and job offers
Scammers pose as recruiters on professional networking sites and by email to steal personal details, install malware or get money from job seekers and employees.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Letters that look like your domain renewal
Official-looking letters and emails about your website domain, trademark or business listing are often sales pitches or scams dressed as invoices.
1 min readRead - Explainer
The top search result might be an ad for a fake site
Scammers buy search ads that look like the real company, leading to fake sign-in pages and software downloads.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Five pressure tactics every scam uses
Scams change their story constantly, but they use the same few pressures to stop you thinking. Learn the pressures and you will recognize the scam.
1 min readRead - What to do if
I gave someone my sign-in code
If you read out or typed a sign-in code for someone else, treat your account as taken over and act straight away.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Phishing without the spelling mistakes
Scammers now use AI tools to write convincing messages in perfect language. Judge a message by what it asks you to do.
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Email and Microsoft 365
Your mailbox, files and accounts in Microsoft's cloud, and how to keep them yours.
- Explainer
Your computer is protected. Is your email?
Anyone with your login can use your Microsoft 365 account from their own computer, anywhere in the world.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Check your mailbox for rules you didn't create
Attackers who get into a mailbox often add hidden rules. Checking takes two minutes.
1 min readRead - Explainer
How to stop criminals sending email as your business
Three settings, SPF, DKIM and DMARC, tell the world which email really comes from your business. They also keep your mail out of spam folders.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Sharing files without sharing too much
OneDrive and SharePoint links can be open to anyone, to your whole company or to specific people. Picking the right one matters.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why some emails are marked “External”
That little “External” label is one of the simplest protections there is. Here is what it means and why it helps.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Who really owns your Microsoft 365?
Your Microsoft 365 “tenant” holds every account, mailbox and file. Make sure your business, not a former employee or vendor, controls it.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Shared mailboxes beat shared passwords
Addresses like info@ or billing@ should be shared mailboxes that several people can open, not one account whose password everybody knows.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Before you turn on Copilot, check who can see what
Copilot can find anything a person already has access to. Old sharing mistakes suddenly become easy to discover.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What not to send by email, and what to use instead
Email is not a safe place for passwords, bank details or identity documents. Here are better options that take no longer.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Adding people from outside your company to Teams
Teams can include clients, contractors and partners. Knowing the difference between a guest and an external chat helps you share only what you mean to.
1 min readRead - What to do if
Get back an earlier version of a file
Overwrote a document, or someone changed it in a way you need to undo? OneDrive and SharePoint keep earlier versions you can open and restore.
1 min readRead - Explainer
How to give someone access to your mailbox the right way
An assistant, a colleague covering leave or a manager may need to read or send your email. There is a safe way to do it.
1 min readRead - Explainer
How to send a file that is too big for email
Email is not built for large attachments. A sharing link from OneDrive or SharePoint is faster, safer and easier to keep track of.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Sharing your calendar without oversharing
Calendar sharing lets colleagues find a time to meet. A few settings decide whether they see only free and busy times or every detail.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Teams or email: which should you use?
A simple rule of thumb for when a message belongs in Teams chat, a Teams channel or an email.
1 min readRead - Explainer
When and how to send an encrypted email
Ordinary email is fine for most things. For sensitive information, Microsoft 365 can encrypt a message so only the intended person can read it.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why your emails end up in other people's junk folders
If customers keep finding your messages in junk, the cause is usually settings on your domain, the content of the message or how it was sent.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why “recall this message” usually does not work
Outlook's recall button only works in narrow situations. Here is what it can and cannot do, and what to do instead.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What to put in an out-of-office reply
An automatic reply goes to everyone who emails you, including strangers and scammers. Keep it short and useful.
1 min readRead - Explainer
To, Cc, Bcc and Reply all: when to use each
Choosing the right address line keeps conversations clear and stops one email exposing a whole list of contacts.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Calendar invites can carry scams too
Invitations can appear on your calendar without you accepting them, carrying links to fake sign-in pages or scam offers.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What a Microsoft 365 group actually is
When someone creates a team in Teams, they create a Microsoft 365 group, which comes with a mailbox, calendar, file library and more.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Where deleted email goes, and for how long
Deleted email in Microsoft 365 usually passes through two stages before it is gone. You can often get it back yourself.
1 min readRead - Explainer
OneDrive or SharePoint: where should this file go?
OneDrive is for your own work files. SharePoint and Teams are for files the team shares. Getting it right avoids lost files when people leave.
1 min readRead - What to do if
What to do when your mailbox is full
When a mailbox reaches its limit, it stops sending and then stops receiving. Here is how to clear space and keep it clear.
1 min readRead
Passwords and sign-ins
Passwords, multi-factor authentication and the accounts that hold everything together.
- Explainer
Attackers don't always break in. Sometimes they ask.
Repeated sign-in prompts, and phone calls from someone posing as IT.
1 min readRead - Explainer
People leave. Their accounts often stay.
Accounts and shared passwords that outlive the job are an easy way in.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why everyone at work needs a password manager
A password manager remembers a different strong password for every account, so nobody has to reuse one.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Length beats complexity: what makes a strong password
A long phrase is stronger and easier to remember than a short password full of symbols, and changing passwords every 90 days is no longer recommended.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Text codes, apps and keys: not all MFA is equal
Any multi-factor authentication is far better than none. Some kinds are much harder for attackers to get around.
1 min readRead - Explainer
How one reused password can open everything
When a website is breached, attackers try the leaked passwords on every other service. Reused passwords make that work.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What dark web monitoring actually does
Dark web monitoring watches for your company's email addresses and passwords in leaked data, so you can act before attackers do.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why your IT administrator uses two accounts
Administrator accounts can change anything. Keeping them separate from everyday accounts limits the damage a single phishing email can do.
1 min readRead - Explainer
The trouble with shared logins
One login used by several people means no multi-factor authentication, no record of who did what, and passwords that never change.
1 min readRead - What to do if
Locked out of your work account? Here's what to do
Forgotten password, new phone or too many wrong tries: how to get back into a work account safely.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Security keys: the sign-in method phishing cannot fool
A security key is a small device you plug in or tap to sign in. It will not work on a fake website, which makes it one of the strongest protections available.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Should you use “Sign in with” buttons?
Many sites offer to let you sign in with an existing account instead of creating a new password. It has advantages and a few things to watch.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Sign in once: what single sign-on means
Single sign-on lets staff use their work account to sign in to other business apps. Fewer passwords, and one place to turn access off.
1 min readRead - Explainer
SIM swapping: when someone steals your phone number
A scammer convinces your mobile carrier to move your number to their SIM card. Then your calls and text codes go to them.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why “Summer2025!” is not a strong password
Passwords built from a season, a year and a symbol meet most complexity rules and are among the first things attackers try.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why the sign-in rules change depending on where you are
Sometimes you sign in without a prompt. Sometimes you are asked for a code, or blocked. That is conditional access at work.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why we no longer make you change your password every 90 days
Forcing everyone to change passwords on a schedule made passwords weaker. Security guidance now says change them when there is a reason.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Security questions are the weakest part of your account
Your mother's maiden name and first pet are easy to find online. Treat security questions as extra passwords.
1 min readRead - What to do if
Getting a new phone? Move your sign-in app first
If your phone holds your sign-in codes, switching phones without planning can lock you out of work accounts.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Should you let the browser save your passwords?
Browser password saving is better than reusing passwords, but a business password manager does more and keeps work and personal separate.
1 min readRead - Explainer
“Unusual sign-in activity”: real alert or scam?
Warnings about strange sign-ins can be real, or a scam designed to get your password. Check them without using the link.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Keep your account recovery details up to date
The backup email and phone number on an account decide who can get back in. Old ones can lock you out or let someone else in.
1 min readRead - Explainer
How to share a password when you have to
Sometimes a password has to be shared. Email, text and sticky notes are the worst ways. Here are better ones.
1 min readRead - What to do if
My password showed up in a data breach
A notice that your email and password were found in a breach means that combination is now on lists criminals use. Act on it today.
1 min readRead
Devices and protection
Laptops, phones and the protection and updates that keep them working for you.
- Explainer
Why antivirus became EDR
Antivirus looks for known bad files. Most attackers no longer bring one, so protection had to start watching behavior.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Attackers use flaws that already have a fix
Attackers rarely need a new trick. The fix for the flaw they use is often already published.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What ransomware actually does
Ransomware locks your files and, more and more often, steals a copy first. Here is how an attack unfolds.
1 min readRead - What to do if
What to do if a work laptop or phone is lost or stolen
Report it right away, even if it might turn up. Quick action lets IT lock it and protect what is on it.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why every work laptop should be encrypted
Encryption turns a lost laptop from a data breach into a hardware cost. It is built into Windows and Mac and costs nothing extra.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Work email on personal phones, done safely
Staff want work email on their own phones. App protection keeps work data in a separate space you can remove without touching personal photos.
1 min readRead - Explainer
When software stops getting security updates
Every operating system and device eventually stops getting security fixes. Running it after that date leaves known holes open for good.
1 min readRead - Explainer
The USB drive in the parking lot
A found USB drive is one of the oldest tricks in security. Plugging it in can hand control of a computer to whoever left it there.
1 min readRead - Explainer
How to tell a real remote support session from a scam
Real IT support lets you start the session from a place you trust. Scammers call you first and ask you to install something.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Charging your phone in public
Public USB ports in airports, hotels and cafes are convenient. A few simple habits make charging away from home safer.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Check which apps can use your camera, microphone and location
Apps ask for access to your camera, microphone, location and contacts. A few minutes reviewing those permissions closes doors you may not know are open.
1 min readRead - Checklist
How to make a laptop battery last longer
Laptop batteries wear out over time. A few habits can slow that down and help you notice when a battery needs replacing.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Printers are computers too
Office printers store documents, connect to the network and send email. They need the same care as any other computer.
1 min readRead - Explainer
The “update your browser” warning that is really malware
A website suddenly says your browser is out of date and offers a download. Real browser updates never work that way.
1 min readRead - Explainer
The real cost of free and cracked software
Pirated software, key generators and downloads from unofficial sites are one of the most common ways malware gets onto computers.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What mobile device management does for a business
Mobile device management lets a business set up, secure and, if needed, erase company phones and tablets, without touching each one.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why updates keep asking you to restart
Many security fixes cannot take effect while the programs they fix are running. Postponing the restart postpones the protection.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why Office blocks macros, and why you should leave it that way
Macros are small programs inside Word and Excel files. Attackers used them for years, so Microsoft now blocks them in files from the internet.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Browser extensions can see everything you see
Add-ons for Chrome and Edge can read the pages you visit, including email and banking. Install few, and only from sources you trust.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why your work computer will not let you install things
Removing administrator rights from everyday accounts stops most malware from installing itself. Here is why it is worth the occasional request.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Lock your screen every time you walk away
An unlocked computer gives anyone nearby your email, files and accounts. Locking it takes one key press.
1 min readRead - What to do if
I spilled something on my laptop
What you do in the first minute after a spill makes the biggest difference. Power off, unplug, tip it out, and do not switch it back on.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Traveling with a work laptop
Airports, hotels and conferences are where laptops get lost, stolen and looked at. A few habits keep your data safe on the road.
1 min readRead - Checklist
What to do with old computers
Deleting files and resetting a computer does not always remove the data. Old computers need to be wiped properly, or their drives destroyed.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why computers get slower over time
Computers get slower over the years. Here are the usual reasons and what actually helps.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Your phone needs updates too
Phones with work email and sign-in apps are worth attacking. Keeping them updated closes the flaws attackers use.
1 min readRead
Backup and recovery
Getting your data back after a mistake, a failure or an attack.
- Explainer
Is your Microsoft 365 backed up?
Microsoft keeps the service running. Getting deleted or encrypted mail and files back is up to you.
1 min readRead - Explainer
The 3-2-1 backup rule, in plain English
Three copies of your data, on two kinds of storage, with one somewhere else. A simple rule that still works.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why OneDrive sync isn't a backup
Sync keeps files the same everywhere, including when they are deleted or encrypted. A backup keeps older versions you can go back to.
1 min readRead - Explainer
A backup you haven't restored is only a hope
Backups fail quietly. The only way to know yours work is to restore from them on a schedule.
1 min readRead - Explainer
How much can you afford to lose, and for how long?
Two questions shape every backup plan: how much recent work can you lose, and how long can you be down? IT people call them RPO and RTO.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Backups attackers can't reach
Ransomware groups hunt for backups first. Copies that cannot be changed or deleted, even by an administrator, are what make recovery possible.
1 min readRead - What to do if
What to do if you see a ransom note
Disconnect, don't turn things off, and call for help. The first hour shapes how much you can recover.
1 min readRead - What to do if
What to do if you deleted an important file
Most deleted files can be recovered. Check the recycle bins first, then ask IT before anything gets overwritten.
1 min readRead - Explainer
How far back should your backups go?
Some problems are noticed the next day. Others take months. Retention decides whether the right version still exists when you look.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Checklist: what your backup should include
Many businesses back up the server and stop there. Important data is often somewhere else.
1 min readRead - Explainer
External hard drives wear out
An external drive in a drawer feels like a safe backup. Drives fail, get lost and quietly stop working, often without warning.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Is your phone backed up?
Phones hold photos, messages, contacts and the apps that sign you in. Losing one without a backup can mean losing all of it.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Keep an emergency sheet you can reach when everything is down
When email, phones or the network fail, the information you need to fix them is often stored on the systems that just failed.
1 min readRead - What to do if
What to do if you cannot get into the office
A fire, flood, power outage or building closure can shut the office without warning. Here is what to think about first, and what to plan now.
1 min readRead - Explainer
File backups and full system backups: what is the difference?
A file backup saves your documents. An image backup saves the whole computer or server, so it can be rebuilt quickly. Most businesses need both.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Is your business software backed up?
Accounting, practice management and design software often keep data in places a normal backup misses. Check before you need it.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What a recovery plan should cover
A recovery plan says what comes back first, how quickly, from where and who does it. Without one, every outage starts with guesswork.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Battery backups: why servers and network gear need one
A UPS keeps equipment running through short power cuts and shuts it down safely during long ones. It protects data as well as hardware.
1 min readRead - What to do if
Our server has stopped working
When the server goes down, the first hour sets the tone. Here is what to do, and what not to do, while help is on the way.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Laptops need backing up too
If people save to the desktop or a local folder, their laptop may hold work that exists nowhere else.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What cloud failover means
Cloud failover lets a backup copy of your server run in a data center while the real one is fixed or replaced.
1 min readRead
Networks and Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi, firewalls and the connections every office depends on.
- Explainer
Why guest Wi-Fi and staff Wi-Fi should be separate
Visitors need internet access. They do not need a path to your file server, printers and payment systems.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why is the Wi-Fi slow?
Slow Wi-Fi is usually not about internet speed. Coverage, crowding, old equipment and building materials cause most problems.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What a firewall actually does
A firewall decides what traffic is allowed in and out of your network. It is also one of the most targeted devices you own.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What a VPN does, and when you need one
A business VPN connects remote staff securely to systems in the office. With more in the cloud, many businesses need it less than they used to.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Printers, cameras and smart TVs belong on their own network
Devices that rarely get updates should not sit on the same network as your computers. Separating them limits what an attacker can reach.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Working on public Wi-Fi safely
Hotel, airport and coffee shop Wi-Fi is mostly safe for modern websites, with a few important exceptions.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What happens when your internet goes down?
With phones, files and apps in the cloud, an internet outage can stop a business cold. A second connection can take over automatically.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why internet calls break up, and how the network fixes it
Choppy or robotic calls are usually a network problem, not a phone problem. Here is what causes them.
1 min readRead - Explainer
One network for a whole building
Property owners can offer tenants and visitors Wi-Fi as part of the building, with separate, fair-shared networks for each.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why cabling still matters in a wireless world
Good Wi-Fi depends on good cables. Access points, desks, cameras and printers all perform better with a solid wired backbone.
1 min readRead - Checklist
A safer home office network
Working from home means company data passes through a home router that may not have been touched since it was installed.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Fixing Wi-Fi dead spots
Some rooms always have weak Wi-Fi. The fix is usually where access points are placed, how many there are and what is in the way.
1 min readRead - Checklist
How to run an internet speed test that tells you something
A speed test is a good first step when the internet feels slow. Where and how you run it makes a big difference to what it shows.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Power over Ethernet: one cable for data and power
Power over Ethernet sends electricity and network data over the same cable, so access points, phones and cameras need no separate power outlet.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What is a VLAN?
A VLAN splits one physical network into separate virtual networks, so guests, phones, cameras and staff computers do not all share the same space.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What is SD-WAN?
SD-WAN uses software to manage several internet connections and office links as one, choosing the best path for each kind of traffic.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why a home router is not enough for a business
The router from the internet provider or the electronics store is built for a home. Businesses need more control, security and support.
1 min readRead - Explainer
DNS filtering: blocking bad sites before they load
DNS filtering checks every website address before your computer connects, and blocks the ones known to be dangerous.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Wi-Fi 6, 6E and 7: what the numbers mean
Each Wi-Fi generation handles more devices and more speed. Whether an upgrade helps depends on your devices and your building.
1 min readRead - Explainer
2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz: why Wi-Fi has bands
Wi-Fi uses different radio bands. Lower bands reach farther; higher bands carry more and get less crowded.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What a network switch does
The switch connects the wired devices in your office to each other and to the internet router. When it struggles, everything does.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Fast internet can still feel slow
Internet speed is about how much data fits through. Video calls and phones also need low delay and a steady connection.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Your firewall and Wi-Fi need updates too
Attackers target network equipment because it is often forgotten. Firmware updates fix the flaws they use.
1 min readRead - What to do if
The office internet is down
When the internet drops, a few quick checks tell you whether it is the provider, the equipment or something inside the office.
1 min readRead
IT basics
Plain answers to the everyday technology questions people are shy to ask.
- Explainer
What “the cloud” actually means
The cloud is someone else's computers, run at enormous scale, that you rent instead of owning. Here is what that means for a business.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What a server is, and whether you still need one
A server is a computer that serves other computers: files, applications, sign-ins. Many businesses have moved those jobs to the cloud. Some still need one.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Domain names and DNS, explained
Your domain name is your business's address on the internet. DNS is the directory that tells the world where your email and website live.
1 min readRead - Explainer
How an email gets from you to them
When you press Send, your message passes between mail servers, gets checked and lands in a mailbox, usually in seconds. Here is the journey.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why “have you tried turning it off and on again?” works
It is the oldest joke in IT support, and still the most useful first step. Here is why a restart fixes so much.
1 min readRead - Explainer
How long should a work laptop last?
Most business laptops give good service for a few years. After that, repairs, slowdowns and lost time usually cost more than replacing them.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What is VoIP? Business phones in plain English
VoIP carries your phone calls over the internet instead of old phone lines. Here is what that means for a business.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why software became a subscription
Most business software is now rented monthly instead of bought once. Here is what changed, and how to keep subscription costs under control.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why IT asks you to submit a ticket
A ticket can feel like paperwork. It is how your request gets tracked, assigned, remembered and solved, even when the person you would have called is out.
1 min readRead - Explainer
IT terms in plain English
A short glossary of the acronyms and jargon you are most likely to hear from IT people, explained without jargon.
1 min readRead - Explainer
File extensions: the letters that tell you what a file really is
The letters after the dot in a file name tell your computer what kind of file it is. Showing them helps you spot disguised files.
1 min readRead - Checklist
How to find your computer's name and details
IT may ask for your computer's name, model or Windows version. Here is where to find them in a few seconds.
1 min readRead - Checklist
How to take a screenshot that helps IT fix the problem
A screenshot of an error message often saves several rounds of back and forth. Here is how to take one and what to include.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Keyboard shortcuts that save time every day
A handful of keyboard shortcuts cover most of what people do all day. Learning ten of them saves real time.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Memory and storage are not the same thing
Memory (RAM) is the computer's workspace. Storage is where files are kept. Knowing the difference helps when a computer is slow or full.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Name files so people can find them
Consistent file names save time, prevent mistakes and make search work. A few simple rules go a long way.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why your IT should be written down
If the only record of how your systems work is in one person's head, your business depends on that person never leaving or getting sick.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What is an IP address?
An IP address is the number that lets devices find each other on a network. Your office has public and private ones.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What the padlock in your browser does and does not mean
The padlock means your connection to the site is encrypted. It does not tell you whether the site is honest.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What generative AI is, and what it is not
Tools like Microsoft Copilot predict likely words based on huge amounts of text. That makes them useful drafters and unreliable fact-checkers.
1 min readRead - Checklist
How to report an IT problem so it gets fixed faster
A few details at the start can save a lot of back-and-forth. Here is what the help desk needs to know.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What “software as a service” means
Most business software is now rented and used online. That changes who looks after it, where your data lives and what happens when you stop paying.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What website cookies are
Cookies are small files websites store in your browser. Some keep you signed in; others follow you around the web for advertising.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Viruses, worms, trojans and ransomware: what is the difference?
Malware is any software built to do harm. The names describe how it spreads or what it does.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why IT asks you to clear your browser cache
Your browser keeps copies of website pieces to load them faster. Old copies sometimes cause odd problems; clearing them forces a fresh start.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What encryption is, and where you are already using it
Encryption scrambles information so only someone with the right key can read it. It protects data sent across the internet and stored on devices.
1 min readRead
The business side of IT
Budgets, planning and how to work well with an IT provider.
- Explainer
Managed IT or pay-as-you-go: what's the difference?
Break-fix support is paid when something breaks. Managed IT is paid to keep things from breaking. Here is how they compare.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What co-managed IT means for your IT team
Co-managed IT adds an outside team's people and tools to your own IT staff, for the work they cannot cover alone.
1 min readRead - Explainer
How to budget for IT without surprises
Most IT surprises are predictable: aging laptops, expiring licenses, end-of-support deadlines. A simple budget catches them early.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What a technology roadmap is, and why you want one
A roadmap is a short, plain-language plan for what changes in your technology over the next year or two, and why.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What to expect in your first month with a new IT provider
A good start involves discovery, documentation, security fixes and one simple way for staff to get help. Here is what usually happens.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Is it time to replace your office phone system?
Seven signs your phone system is holding the business back, and what to plan before you switch.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Questions to ask any IT provider
Ten questions that reveal how a provider really works: security, accountability, what is included and what happens when things go wrong.
1 min readRead - Explainer
UCaaS and CCaaS: what the letters mean
Two acronyms you will meet when shopping for business phones, and how to tell which one you need.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Make sure your business owns its own accounts
Your domain name, Microsoft 365, website and key vendor accounts should be in the business's name, with access you control.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Getting a new hire ready for day one
A new hire with a working laptop, accounts and access on their first morning starts on the right foot. Here is what to arrange.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Buying licenses and hardware through an IT provider
Buying through a provider can mean the right equipment, set up to your standard, with warranties and renewals tracked, even without a managed agreement.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Questions to ask before you sign up for business software
New business software usually means trusting a vendor with your data. A few questions up front can prevent problems later.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Setting up staff to work from anywhere
Remote and hybrid work needs more than a laptop. A short checklist covers the equipment, access and habits that make it work securely.
1 min readRead - Checklist
What an acceptable use policy covers
An acceptable use policy sets out how staff may use company devices, accounts and data. Short and clear beats long and ignored.
1 min readRead - Checklist
When the person who knows your IT leaves
Many small businesses rely on one person for IT. When they leave, the passwords, knowledge and accounts can go with them.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Why you need a list of every device and account
An up-to-date list of your computers, network equipment, software and accounts makes support, security, budgeting and audits much easier.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Shadow IT: the apps your business does not know it uses
When staff sign up for tools on their own, the business loses track of its data and accounts. The answer is making the approved way easier.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Does your business need an AI policy?
Staff are already using AI tools. A short policy says which ones, for what, and what must never be pasted in.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What to decide before a cyberattack happens
An incident response plan sets out who does what in the first hours of an attack, when there is no time to work it out.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Who else can get into your systems?
Software vendors, equipment suppliers and contractors often have remote access to your network. Each one is a door to manage.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Moving offices: the technology checklist
Internet lines and cabling take longer than anyone expects. Start the technology side of an office move months ahead.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Choosing a business internet connection
Upload speed, reliability and support matter as much as the headline speed. Here is what to compare.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Server in the office, or in the cloud?
Moving to the cloud is not always cheaper or better. It depends on what the server does, how people work and what the software needs.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Opening a second location: getting the technology right
A second site should work like the first from day one, with the same security, without becoming a separate IT setup to manage.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What downtime really costs a business
When systems go down, the costs go well beyond IT. Working them out helps decide how much protection is worth paying for.
1 min readRead
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