Author: Fresh Mango Technologies UK

The Ideal computer setup from Fresh Mango Technologies (Part 3)

In this blog, I will set out the ideal setup for your business IT systems. It represents current best practices for small and medium-sized businesses…

The Ideal setup for your IT Systems

In this blog, I will set out the ideal setup for your business IT systems. It represents current best practices for small and medium-sized businesses, with an ever-increasing eye on cyber security.

Initially, I thought it would be a single blog, but it turns out there is a lot to write about! I’m therefore going to publish it in a series of blog pieces. This is Part 3. You can read Part 1 and Part 2 by following the links.

Part 3 – Software

So far in this series we’ve covered servers and networks, and PCs and peripherals. They would all be useless (and expensive!) ornaments without software of course.

In this final part of the series, I will cover some of the essential software required for IT systems in the modern-day environment.

 

Email

Love it or loathe it, email is an essential component of modern-day business operations. Realistically there are only two options: Microsoft 365 and G-Suite (Google).

Microsoft 365 has replaced Microsoft’s server-based email (Exchange). It is a cloud-based email system, providing access to emails wherever you have an internet-connected device. And so is G-Suite!

Your preference for either Microsoft or Google will likely be determined by the other software you use, notably for word processing etc. The majority of businesses use Microsoft Office products, and these are now available within a Microsoft 365 subscription. G-Suite has the same arrangement, so Google docs, Google sheets etc are available with G-Suite.

So it’s really a matter of preference for which route you choose.

Anti-Virus software

A software virus is a catchall term for software that has a harmful effect on computer systems. It manifests in numerous forms, but the main thing to understand about it is that you don’t want it on your computer!

A professional Anti-Virus software solution ensures that if viruses do get through to your system, they are quarantined and neutralized immediately.

We recommend two anti-virus software products – Vipre and Sophos. They consistently rank with high ratings for software protection services in global surveys. We will also be pleased to manage your chosen anti-virus software.

Note that we always recommend the paid, professional version of anti virus software for businesses small and large. Free anti-virus software has numerous drawbacks – there’s a reason it’s free after all!

Anti-spam software

A professional Anti-spam software solution helps secure your incoming and outgoing emails.

Originally intended to prevent inboxes from being overwhelmed with unwanted email, anti-spam software has evolved. It now provides protection against various online threats such as spam, viruses, malware, ransomware, spear phishing, impersonation and more.

Used in conjunction with a professional antivirus solution, your business security is dramatically improved when you deploy anti-spam software.

Cyber Software

Cyber criminals are getting more sophisticated with attackers conducting in-depth reconnaissance to find vulnerabilities before launching their attack. Firewalls, anti-virus and patching are often not resilient enough to protect your IT from being compromised.

Borderpoint is a dedicated managed cyber security service that monitors your IT infrastructure, detects vulnerabilities and threats, intrusion attempts, security anomalies, badly configured applications and unauthorised user activities.

Systems-driven alerts are investigated by Fresh Mango security analysts who escalate identified threats and provide guidance on remedial actions required to mitigate those threats.

Microsoft 365

As well as the email provision described above, Microsoft 365 has additional functionality.

You can add on Microsoft Office software to your subscription – Word, Excel, PowerPoint and so forth. The beauty of this is you never have to pay for another licence for your office software nor pay to upgrade your office software. You will always have the latest version of Microsoft Office.

With the advent of enforced working from home and social distancing, the video software and collaborative working elements of Microsoft 365 have come into their own. Microsoft Teams is now the predominant business-based means of communicating with video conferencing for geographically dispersed teams.

Microsoft 365 also comes with its own cloud file storage system called OneDrive. Like old cloud file storage systems, it is very convenient but does require careful management, particularly when files and folders are shared across multiple members of staff.

Please note that OneDrive and other cloud file storage systems (such as Dropbox and Google docs) are not a substitute for managed folders, files and software deployment that businesses would typically deploy with a server.

Cloud Backup

Every business needs to backup its data and ideally the configuration of its systems. Aside from the obvious business continuity benefits provided by this, backing up to the Cloud also affords some protection from ransomware. It won’t stop it, but it makes it possible to recover from it without paying the ransom.

We have a dedicated site for Cloud backup – everything you may ever wish to know! Take a look here.

Conclusion

In these 3 blog pieces, we have covered the ideal setup for business IT systems – Servers and networks (link to blog piece), Computers and peripherals (link to blog piece) and software in this blog piece.

Hopefully, this provides a good starting point if you are considering the ideal setup for your IT systems. It’s fair to say these only scratch-the-surface, so if you have any queries or would like to find out more, please do get in contact! 

You may also be interested in this article.

The Ideal computer setup from Fresh Mango Technologies (Part 2)

In this blog I will set out the ideal setup for your business IT systems. It represents current best practice for small and medium sized businesses, with…

The Ideal setup for your IT Systems

In this blog I will set out the ideal setup for your business IT systems. It represents current best practice for small and medium sized businesses, with an ever-increasing eye on cyber security.

Initially I thought it would be a single blog, but it turns out there is a lot to write about! I’m therefore going to publish it in a series of blog pieces. This is Part 2. You can read Part 1 here.

Part 2 – The Ideal Computer Setup

The ideal computer setup for your staff is an essential part of ensuring an efficient working environment. The right setup ensures the systems work for them, not against them.

I won’t go into individual PC specifications here, other than to say for a PC or laptop for everyday office use we recommend a minimum specification of i5 processor, 8GB RAM and 256GB hard drive or SSD.

This is more about the ideal setup from a working perspective, particularly given the shift to hybrid and working from home that was accelerated in 2020. So, here goes….

Monitors

With incessant email, the need to access web browsers, video calls and of course accessing Office products (Word, Excel etc), a single monitor can be a real drag on productivity.

That’s why we recommend a dual monitor environment as part of your ideal computer setup. Modern PCs can drive at least 2 monitors and so can many laptops. Indeed with a laptop you can effectively have a 3 monitor arrangement, the laptop screen being the 3rd monitor.

If you’re still working with a single monitor, trust me when I say you’ll feel liberated when you move to a dual monitor setup!

Keyboard and Mouse

If you’re like me and detest clutter on your desk, those keyboard and mouse cables are no doubt a distraction. So we recommend a wireless keyboard and mouse as part of the ideal computer setup. Laptop users will find this particularly helpful, removing you from the constraints of the smaller keypad and tracker on the laptop.

Webcam, Microphone, speakers, headphones

Very much ‘must-have’ items with video calls now being a standard element of day-to-day business. Laptops have good built-in cameras, but the speakers on PCs and laptops can be quite tinny in sound. If you prefer privacy then a set of headphones, with built-in microphone, is probably the best way to go. Lots of options here, its very much a matter of personal preference.

That’s all for computer peripherals. 

Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS)

This is an interesting one. At its most basic level a UPS provides battery back-up power for a short time in case of a power outage. In countries or regions with unreliable power supplies, they are very much a must-have piece of equipment. More sophisticated models also provide ‘power smoothing’ features that ensure the power supplied to your PC is clean.

Why is this important? Well, PCs, like all electronic equipment, do not react well to instantaneous loss of power. As well as ensuring you lose anything you are working on, instant loss of power can cause hardware or configuration failures on your computer.

Power smoothing is important for a similar reason. Continuously fluctuating power (frequency, current, voltage) will degrade your computer over time, causing it to fail sooner than its usual life expectancy.

So a UPS brings numerous benefits and is well worth considering.

Next Time

Between part 1 and 2 of this blog I have covered the ideal setup for your IT systems from a hardware perspective. Next time I’ll cover software (oh joy!).

Windows 11 has finally arrived

The newest edition to Windows has finally arrived, Windows 11 was released by Microsoft on 5th October 2021. You can find out more about the latest Microsoft operating system below, there are a few key points to note:

  1. There is no rush to upgrade your operating system from Windows 10 to 11. Windows 10 remains in support until 2025.
  2. Windows 11 does have some minimum system requirements. Therefore it may not be possible to upgrade without upgrading the hardware on your PC or laptop or completely replacing it.
  3. Windows 11 is still in the early stages of its release, like any new software it is possible there will be bugs or issues that will be ironed out in time.

For these reasons, our recommendation is to stick with Windows 10 for the time being. However, if you are considering purchasing a new PC or laptop in the near future, please do check to ensure the specification allows it to be upgraded. Fresh Mango will be pleased to advise you.

The latest Windows OS has easy-to-use tools that can help you optimise your screen space and maximise your productivity. Combine that with a Microsoft 365 subscription and nothing will stop you from getting tasks done.

Find out more about Windows 11 on our dedicated webpage here.

How to protect yourself from a data breach

Data breaches are very common. A data breach is an intentional or unintentional release of private or confidential information to the dark web…

Data breaches are very common. A data breach is an intentional or unintentional release of private or confidential information to the dark web. They do happen regularly, with emails and passwords being made available for hackers to access. Why is this a problem? Well, people often reuse their passwords for various online accounts. Reusing passwords makes your accounts vulnerable for hackers to access.

How to protect yourself from a data breach
Creating a strong password – best practice for avoiding a data breach. Contact us today to ensure your online accounts are safe.

To prevent yourself from a data breach, it is best not to reuse passwords. This does sound easier said than done, but it is vital that you have a different password for all of your different accounts. You will be very thankful that you have done it. Here are all of the features that your password should contain:

  • The minimum amount of characters use should use is 6, but to make sure your password is very strong, we recommend using 12 or more characters.
  • Include a combination of uppercase and lowercase characters
  • Use at least 1 number
  • Use at least 1 special character

A tip that we have for creating a strong password is to think of a sentence that you will remember and use the first letter of each word for the password. For some of the letters, change them to a special character or number that looks like the letter itself. Also, change some of them to a number. Here is an example:

Humpty dumpty sat on the wall, humpty dumpty had a great fall

H4$OtWHDHaGf

This will help you remember the password, but also avoid having to write it down, which can also be dangerous to do.

What do I do if my online account has been released in a data breach?

The best question to ask yourself is: how did this happen? This will help you understand the purpose and ways to tackle it. Secondly, you should think why did the hacker launch the attack? Most breaches are a result of hackers trying to steal data, but it could have been caused by an employee, either by accident or maliciously.

Next, you should identify and interpret the clues by carrying out digital forensics, which means the collection and interpretation of electronic data in an attempt to preserve the evidence. Technical tools should be used and expert understanding of how to use them.

If all defences fail, every second counts. You must be quick and follow a structured approach for the recovery process. If you don’t have an IT team or Cyber Security expert on hand to do this, be sure to contact us immediately and our cyber security experts can help you save your data. You can visit our cyber security website to learn more about data breaches and other cyber security risks.

We hope this advice has helped!

Do the security settings on my home modem/router matter if I’m working from home?

Yes they do – in fact, the security settings on a home modem/routers matter whether or not you are working from home.

Most home modem/routers are provided free of charge by your internet provider. This means they are usually very basic. Furthermore, the administrative credentials for accessing them are typically not very secure – Admin/Admin is quite typical of a username and password. (NB these are not to be confused with the password that your provider provides for WIFI access). There is a huge amount of information available online about router/modem models and how to ‘hack’ them.

For this reason, you should ensure your router/modem administrative credentials are made secure. If you are working from home regularly it is worth considering upgrading to a professional-grade router for additional security.

Williams Tankers Website

We were delighted to be asked to design and build a new website for Williams Tankers. Williams Tanker Services was formed in 1993 and since then have grown from a small tanker workshop to become one of the largest and most prominent tanker service companies in the UK.

Website for William Tanker

We were delighted to be asked to design and build a new website for Williams Tankers. Williams Tanker Services was formed in 1993 and since then have grown from a small tanker workshop to become one of the largest and most prominent tanker service companies in the UK.

Check out their website here!

If you like what you see and are considering wanting a website, please feel free to get in contact with Fresh Mango technologies today to find out more about our website projects.

Website for Coverdale Trust Services

Coverdale’s previous website was built on the Joomla platform, a system that was outdated and difficult to maintain. We were asked to modernise the website and rebuild it on a modern, easy-to-manage platform. We did this on WordPress.

Coverdale website Trust Services

Coverdale Trust Company – British Virgin Islands

Coverdale’s previous website was built on the Joomla platform, a system that was outdated and difficult to maintain. We were asked to modernise the website and rebuild it on a modern, easy-to-manage platform. We did this on WordPress.

The new website was also built to meet Coverdale’s current needs. From the homepage onwards, we focused on making the website viable with information about the company. Our responsive design also made it desktop and mobile-friendly. We also conducted SEO work to ensure Coverdale rank well on search engines.

You can visit the finished website here

Client: Coverdale Trust Company
Date: January 2021
Type: Website CMS, Web support

Fresh Mango’s Guide to On-premises (physical) servers and Cloud servers

With remote working here-to-stay in one form or another, many businesses are questioning what kind of server solution they should have – On-premises or Cloud servers. Our guide highlights the main differences and the pros and cons of each approach.

On-Premises Servers vs Cloud Servers

The main difference between physical and cloud servers is their location: a physical server is located on-premises, a cloud server is situated in a remote location (which could be a data centre or a larger cloud infrastructure) and accessed remotely. Cloud servers can be dedicated or virtualised, in exactly the same way as On-Premises servers.

Pros and Cons of these servers

A physical server is the preferred option for performance-oriented scenarios. With the server located on your premises, data transfers are fast and server access is not broadband-dependent. Also, a physical server provides more control over your data (and data security). Sometimes, a physical server may be the only solution if your business operates specific line-of-business applications.

A cloud server removes any hardware and maintenance costs. It can be easily accessed from everywhere where you have an internet-connected computer. However, it – and therefore your business – is reliant on Internet broadband. The broadband will need to be fast, especially if you have many users and large files to edit. Also, it may not be possible to run certain applications on a full cloud environment.

Active Directory vs Azure AD

Active Directory is a critical component of a Domain Controller, a physical server that centrally manages users and computers on the network.

Azure AD is a full cloud solution that performs some of the same functions as Active Directory, but it is quite different – Azure AD does not replace Active Directory, but it represents an excellent alternative in several situations.

Pros and Cons

Active Directory is the best option for complex and large networks, with multiple users/departments and computers. It provides several tools to manage users and computers in details. Active Directory can manage every network component, including other servers.

For this reason, AD is the preferred solution if on-premises applications servers are required. Active Directory is not accessible from outside the network without configuring VPN access, and it requires a physical server environment.

Azure AD is the perfect solution for small networks, especially if newly provisioned. It provides a central management point for users, and limited control over computers. Azure AD also provides management for mobile devices.

Since Azure AD is a cloud service, it can be accessed from everywhere, but it is broadband-dependent. Azure AD can be integrated with other cloud services, such as Office 365 and OneDrive/SharePoint.

The main benefit of Azure AD is the possibility to have a single sign-on for different services and enable additional security measures (such as multi-factor authentication).

It is not possible to manage existing physical servers on Azure AD, and the system does not provide any options to manage different user departments, or fine-tune computer settings. In these scenarios, Active Directory is the preferred solution.

We hope that helps and do contact Fresh Mango today to discuss the next steps for your business server.

If you found this article useful, you may also be interested in our blog piece on the ideal IT system setup.

The importance of Backups

Do you backup your data? If so, how often? Do you check it? How confident are you that you could restore your data in the event of a data loss? What would you do if you lost all your data?

It genuinely worries me when we come across businesses and individuals who don’t have data backup arrangements. We came across a business recently with no backup arrangements in place and asked them the list of questions above. Following the discussion, I thought it would be useful to write a short blog piece on why data backup should be considered as a standard procedure for any business.

Risk and consequences

Let’s consider a business that has no data backup in place. Then one of their PCs, or worse their server, fails or corrupts. This can happen at any time, particularly as computer equipment ages. Sometimes it’s possible to recover the data, but there are absolutely no guarantees. It’s also a time-consuming and expensive process to attempt the recovery.

So all the data is lost. Now what? It doesn’t take a computer expert to figure out the difficulty of maintaining your business operations in these circumstances.

You may consider that the likelihood is very low, so therefore it’s a risk worth taking. Is it though? Is the likelihood of data corruption or computer failure low?  Frankly, no it is not.

The likelihood of a computer system or server failing is 100%. It is man-made equipment. One day it will fail.

Mitigate the risk with a data backup

Objection number one is always costs ‘How much will it cost? It will be expensive etc’. Putting aside the risks and consequences, which should really make cost a non-issue, the fact is that data backup is not expensive. In fact, it’s very cheap. There are two options we recommend, neither is costly.

  • Local backup drive

This is a small drive connected to your computer. It allows you to make copies of your data. A 2TB drive (which is usually more than enough data for a small business) costs under £100.

Automatic backup of your data to the cloud over the internet. Most companies set this to run overnight so their internet connection is kept free for operations during the day. Again, it’s inexpensive, with pricing at just £12 per month depending on data quantity.

Aside from peace-of-mind, what else does a data backup do?

Your backup solution provides additional benefits.

  • A cloud backup can be established to replicate your entire system setup. You may recall how long it took to configure and establish your server – several days. Having a replica in the cloud means that you can be up and running again quickly should it be called upon.
  • Cloud backup protects against ransomware. Let me be clear – it doesn’t stop you from being hit. However, in the event that your network is locked by cybercriminals, you don’t need to pay the ransom. Instead, your network can be wiped (taking all data, including the ransomware with it) and then restored from the cloud.

I hope I’ve said enough to convince the non-believers of the importance of backups! If you’re still doubtful please take a look at our dedicated site or just contact us to discuss further.

Home working – some additional recommendations

The ongoing situation with Coronavirus restrictions means many of us are still working from home. We have previously written recommendations for setting up your workstation for remote…

Home working – some additional recommendations

The ongoing situation with Coronavirus restrictions means many of us are still working from home. We have previously written recommendations for setting up your workstation for remote working from home, in this blog piece we will recap some of these and also suggest some further ideas for making your work-from-home life more productive.

Equipment

Laptops remain in high demand. The complete stock wipe-out that was experienced in Western Europe and North America in March 2020 has yet to be fully alleviated. As a result, there continues to be model scarcity and also price fluctuations.

It is worth conducting a home DSE assessment (The HSE website link is here) – the cliché of hunching over a laptop on a kitchen table is all too real for many people, and it really isn’t a healthy long term proposition.

Consider obtaining a docking station, separate keyboard and mouse and at least one external monitor. You may not have a lot of room but at least during the day, you will have the feeling of a home office. Dismantling it at the end of the day also serves as a useful psychological ‘switch’ to tell yourself that you have finished work. It is all too easy to get into an ‘always-on’ habit which studies show are deleterious to health.

If you have back problems, consider a stand-up desk or similar. For example, monitor arms that extend upwards and downwards for standing/sitting are readily available and allow you to mix-up sitting and standing.

 

Network Access from home

If you are accessing files on your office server remotely, you have a couple of options. One is a remote desktop connection where you remotely-control your office PC. The other is a Virtual Private Network (VPM) which allows you to connect directly to your server and work on files as usual. Each option requires software and/or additional hardware depending on your arrangements.

Most people connect to the internet at home using Wi-Fi. This is fine of course, but if you have a VPN link to your server, you may find it regularly drops out. This is because your Wi-Fi connection often drops, albeit just for an instant. In the normal use of email and internet browsing, this would usually not be noticeable. In the case of VPN access, the slightest drop in internet connectivity will cause the VPN to drop.

Therefore, if possible, it is worth connecting your home laptop/pc directly to your home modem/router with a network cable. This is exactly the same kind of cable you have for the connection of your PC to your office network. A ‘hard-wired’ connection like this will improve your VPN connection significantly.

Take care of yourself

Many people find working from home to be excellent – fewer interruptions, no commute gives you more work time and so forth. The flip side of this is it’s all too easy to sit in front of your laptop or PC for hours. The advice we give to our staff is as follows:

  • Have a break at least once an hour. This means physically getting up and walking around, away from your computer.

Text Scams Increasing

Text Scams Increasing

I recently received three texts – two from mobile network provider EE and the third from HMRC.

The texts from EE came from separate mobile numbers. Both stated that my direct debit for my mobile number was no longer working and I needed to reinstate it. They helpfully provided a link to allow me to do this.

I typed the link into a web browser to see what it would say. Sure enough, it was an EE landing page that first asked for some basic credentials. Although the EE page looked convincing, I noticed that every other link on the page, eg ‘Contact us’ or the Welsh version, always resolved to the page I was on.

Anyway, I entered some false credentials, and it took me to another page, where I was asked for my full name, business address, and business bank account information. At that point, I stopped.

Although it was clear to me it was a scam, it may not be so for everyone. It’s easy to envisage being tricked by this, especially if you are concerned your mobile number is going to be cut off.

If you receive a text like this report it to the true provider via their actual website, in this case, EE.

The HMRC text stated that I was due a tax refund, and again there was a link to follow. Sure enough, the landing page looked like HMRC, again no other links worked. The second page requested credit card information, helpfully advising me I was due a £1,100 refund, even though I had entered false credentials. Same modus operandi as EE, another clear scam.

HMRC actually has a page for reporting scams – https://www.gov.uk/report-suspicious-emails-websites-phishing/report-hmrc-phishing-emails-texts-and-phone-call-scams – please do use it if you receive a text similar to the one I received.

So, please stay aware, text scams increasing are a real problem. As usual, if you are being asked to do something urgently or it seems too good to be true, do not take action. If in doubt, call the company or organisation using their details from a Google search.

Recent Cyber Frauds highlight the need to remain diligent

We were made aware of two cyber frauds that we were asked to assist within recent weeks, and thought it would be helpful to share them…

We were made aware of two cyber frauds that we were asked to assist within recent weeks, and thought it would be helpful to share them.

In the first of the 2 cyber frauds, our client received an email from their supplier advising a change of bank account details for invoice payments. They acted on the email and made the payments. Frequent followers of our blogs will know the rest… Yes, it was a scam email and the new bank account was not from the supplier, but from the scammers. Our client lost £5k in the incident.

In the cyber fraud, our client received an email instructing new bank account information from their client (This is a B2C company). They called the client (whom they had never met, since they were overseas) to confirm the email, and having received the verbal confirmation transferred $21k. Unfortunately, it was a scam and the person they called was the scammer, not their client.

We are assisting both clients and the relevant authorities in tracing the emails in the hope that the perpetrators can be tracked down, in the meantime our clients are seriously out-of-pocket. Of course, there is no guarantee of success, especially if the scammers covered their electronic footprints.

So what can be learned from this? Well, very simply businesses should have a policy in place for a change of bank account information. The policy should include calling the supplier using the number you have on record for them – NOT the number they provide in the email. Ideally, you should request a video call with them, especially if you know the person(s). You can also run a second check with another member of their company, ideally someone you know.

People are naturally trusting and it’s all too easy to trust an email from what appears to be a legitimate source. Nonetheless, it’s a simple matter to pick up the phone and speak to them, and nowadays no one should be offended that you are checking, in fact, you will find they are pleased that you did.

These basic policies, and much more, are covered in our cyber hygiene courses. Highly recommended for all staff along with regular refreshers, they highlight the need to remain diligent.

You can also visit our FAQs page to learn more about the importance of staying diligent.

Stay vigilant everyone!

Working From Home Requirements

With the move to home working in recent weeks we’ve seen quite a few new types of working from home requirements and also, sorry to say, that old bugbear cyber security is raising its…

With the move to home working in recent weeks, we’ve seen quite a few new types of working from home requirements and also, sorry to say, that old bugbear cyber security is raising its unwelcome head in new ways. I thought it would be helpful to share some of these.

  • Microsoft Teams – many businesses are getting to grips with video meetings, sometimes for the first time. If you need some help with getting setup on Teams and how it works just let us know. It’s a great tool for keeping in face-to-face contact and integrates with your Microsoft calendar too. Zoom is also a great tool, and there is a plugin for Outlook to help integrate it with your calendars too.
  • Productivity Monitoring software – if it’s important to your business to measure staff productivity and effectiveness, it can be very difficult with staff forced to work from home. Productivity monitoring software provides the solution to this, and we have installed it for several businesses. If you think it may be useful for your business please let us know.
  • I was speaking with one of our customers recently, and he was a bit fed up with working on his laptop. He was delighted when I pointed out you can attach an external monitor, mouse and keyboard (the latter two wirelessly if you like) and the laptop becomes a second monitor. As someone who battles back problems, I know only too well that hunching over a laptop is about the worst thing I can be doing. Do let us know if you would like external equipment for your staff working from laptops at home.
  • Cyber – we have seen two hacks in recent days resulting from people working from personal devices which did not have the same protections as their work devices. Just a reminder that your email and network become exponentially more vulnerable with each additional device attached. If a personal device does not have the same security software as the standard company software, you are open to a local and possibly company-wide breach. It’s worth reviewing/updating your Bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies with so many people working from home. Let me know if you would like some advice on this, we have some standard policy templates available.

If you would like any advice or support on working-from-home arrangements and requirements, managing geographically-dispersed teams, or IT in general in these challenging times, just let us know.

 

If you enjoyed this article you may also be interested in Children & Technology: Cookies, Webs & Touchscreen.

Find our more about our IT services here.

Groundworks BVI Website

We were approached by Groundworks to provide a full suite of I.T. and Web Design services. As Groundworks new logo was fresh and unusual, we took the opportunity to create a visually eye-catching and very different design, using nature as the inspiration.

Groundworks BVI Website

We were approached by Groundworks to provide a full suite of I.T. and Web Design services. As Groundworks new logo was fresh and unusual, we took the opportunity to create a visually eye-catching and very different design, using nature as the inspiration.  The website was coded from scratch to allow us to incorporate the custom design.

The Groundworks BVI Website is fully responsive and mobile friendly. In order to better showcase the products available, we also created a Nursery section with a categorised and alphabetised catalogue. Groundworks staff can update the website via the Sparkly content management system integrated in to the website.

VIEW WEBSITE

Client: Groundworks BVI
Date: 12th June 2012
Skills: Custom CMS, SQL Server, HTML, CSS, JavaScript
Project URL: www.groundworksbvi.com

Customer Feedback

If you enjoyed this article you may also be interested in Children & Technology: Cookies, Webs & Touchscreen.

Conch Charters Website

Conch Charters approached us to revamp their website and provide them with a more modern, easy to navigate and simple to update the website.

Project Info

Conch Charters approached us to revamp their website and provide them with a more modern, easy to navigate and simple to update website.

We developed a custom design with a polished but ‘different’ style keeping inline with the Conch Charters business model.

We developed a custom control panel based on our Sparkly CMS, allowing Conch Charters staff to update the website and all vessels easily, producing clean and SEO friendly content.

The website takes advantage of the latest web design technologies such native HTML5 video.

Search Engine Optimisation

Conch Charters’ original website was slipping down the search engine rankings, both due to the construction and the difficulty in updating it.

With the launch of the new website, they climbed to 2nd place for multiple key search terms, beating ALL of the competition for at least one search term.

VIEW WEBSITE

Client: Conch Charters
Date: 4th July 2012
Skills: Custom CMS, SQL Server, HTML, CSS, JavaScript
Project URL: https://conchcharters.com/

Customer Feedback

Awaiting Content…

Anegada Beach Club Website

Anegada Beach Club contacted us to create a website for them within a very tight deadline. We came up with two distinct designs within a few days, find out what we did!

Project Info

Anegada Beach Club contacted us to create a website for them within a very tight deadline. We came up with two distinct designs within a few days, one was selected and we handcoded a responsive design based on the Twitter Bootstrap framework. The website is updatable via integration with the Sparkly content management system.

If you like what you see, please feel free to get in contact with Fresh Mango technologies today to find out more about our website projects.

VIEW WEBSITE

Client: Anegada Beach Club
Date: 18th April 2013
Skills: WordPress, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, Twitter Bootstrap
Project URL: www.anegadabeachclub.com

Cloud Email Migration

After that, we proceeded to audit users’ computers, confirming the operative system installed, the Outlook version, and email protocol used.

Fresh Mango Technologies UK completed a cloud email migration for a large Corporation in Leyburn.

After the initial planning phase, we collected required details:

  • Email addresses
  • Passwords
  • Number of users
  • Existing mailboxes
  • Aliases
  • Distribution groups
  • Shared mailboxes

We then created and set up new Office 365 accounts as needed.

After that, we proceeded to audit users’ computers, confirming the operative system installed, Outlook version, and email protocol used. We had to upgrade the operating system on one machine, and acquire Office 365 Business Premium licences for users who didn’t have a compatible Outlook version installed.

All users were using POP3 protocol, so we had to clean up their mailboxes (big attachments, deleted items and junk mails), and export all their existing emails to PST files. Then we created a new Outlook profile on each computer, adding the new Office 365 accounts – ready to be used after the switch.

When the preparatory work was over and everything was ready, the next step was to edit the client’s MX record to point to Office 365. We did this overnight outside of normal working hours The following morning we changed Outlook profiles to Office 365, and imported the saved PST files into their new email accounts, in order to restore all previous emails.

We completed the migration without any disruptions to users or the company and without any loss of data. This allowed operations at the company to continue smoothly and efficiently, resulting in no unnecessary down time or waste of company resources. Their new system allowed workers to better adapt to the modern market and software world, giving their system greater longevity in the years to come. This improvement in turn reflects onto their customers, and the services provided, with an overall improvement to all those involved.

We enjoyed working with this Leyburn corporation and would love the opportunity to do so again, come another system update. We were proud of the service provided and are happy to show it off as a key example of our work here at Fresh Mango Technologies UK. Contact us and you too can get a reliable and cost effective upgrade to your system.

Golf Sponsorship And Tournament Promoter Website

Performance54 is an energetic global golf sponsorship, tournament promoter and destination marketing business. Fresh Mango Technologies designed and developed their website.

Performance54 is an energetic global golf sponsorship, tournament promoter and destination marketing business. Fresh Mango Technologies designed and developed their website: http://performance54.com/

North Yorkshire Office Accommodation

Kingsfield House is a striking new development that offers stylish interior office accommodation with a traditional barn facade that retains the character of earlier farm buildings that originally stood on the site.

Kingsfield House is a striking new development that offers stylish interior office accommodation with a traditional barn facade that retains the character of earlier farm buildings that originally stood on the site – showing how contemporary design can succeed in blending with past features. CCS was happy to help this North Yorkshire company build its brand new modern website which you can see here.

If you like what you see, please feel free to get in contact with Fresh Mango technologies today to find out more about our website projects.

Caribbean Charter Website

We were delighted to be appointed to redesign, build and deploy a brand new Caribbean charter company website for one of the most prestigious yacht charter companies in the Caribbean.

We were delighted to be appointed to redesign, build and deploy a brand new Caribbean charter company website for one of the most prestigious yacht charter companies in the Caribbean.

You can visit their website here.

Working From Home Guidance

I had some down-time over the Easter break which gave me some time to take stock and think about things. (My staff will all testify to how dangerous this is – it’s why they like to keep me busy!)…

Working From Home Guidance

I had some down-time over the Easter break which gave me some time to take stock and think about things. (My staff will all testify to how dangerous this is – it’s why they like to keep me busy!).

Anyway, I was listening to a few radio stations – my favourite rock station out of Austin in the USA and Stray FM much closer to home. I was struck by commentary and call-ins about people giving back and doing what they can for their communities during this incredibly difficult time. It was interesting to note that the desire to help was incredibly strong on both sides of the Atlantic, and I have no doubt it’s the same everywhere.

So I tried to figure out if there was anything that I or my team of IT-Geeks (Sorry guys – experts!) could do to help, and this is what I came up with.

We’ve spent the past few weeks absolutely buried with client requests to assist with home working. The volume of clients moving from an office-based operation to home-based operation was huge, and I’m blown away by the diligence and hard work that all our technicians have put in to assist them. We’re still fielding requests, but the initial wave of demand has calmed down.

It follows that anyone working from home or self-isolating is absolutely dependent on technology to keep working and simply to stay in touch with colleagues, friends and family. It also occurred to me that there are people compelled to stay at home, namely the 1.5 million people who are ‘Extremely vulnerable’ and have been advised to stay at home for 12 weeks.

And there was the answer I was looking for. I’ve therefore asked our marketing team to start promoting free remote IT/computer support to anyone classified as ‘Extremely Vulnerable’ and living within our office postcode districts. They absolutely need to stay in touch with the outside world, and we’ll do our best to help them keep it that way.

If you’re reading this please share it with anyone you think this working from home guidance may help.

Do stay safe and well.

 

Our office postcode districts are:

LS11

HG1 HG2 HG3 HG4 HG5

YO1, YO7

High-tech in unexpected industries

Working in the digital, cyber and IT sector I tend to think of high-technology in computing/electronic terms. Unsurprising I suppose, and I imagine that when most people think of high-tech…

Working in the digital, cyber and IT sectors I tend to think of high-technology in computing/electronic terms. Unsurprising I suppose, and I imagine that when most people think of high-tech then this is what they would be drawn to. But is the digital sector the only high-tech sector? Does high-tech exist in unexpected industries?

A few months ago I was fortunate to have a guided tour of a plant-growing facility in North Yorkshire. The tour was part of helping us understand their business before building their new website. I was struck by the level of science and technology that is applied to an industry that, from a layman’s perspective at least, doesn’t appear to be high-tech at all.

On an ongoing basis they have:

  • Soil imports from Lithuania – apparently it is the highest quality soil available across Europe (who knew?!)
  • A temperature-controlled system for cultivating specific plants
  • Light controls for growing plants across different seasons

plus much more. (As an aside they used to work on the basis of four seasons, but no longer – climate change has created what is effectively a single season for them. But that’s a matter for another blog.)

More recently I watched a documentary on the manufacture of tins (yes I know this doesn’t say much about my social life). Specifically tins for food and drink storage – peas, fizzy drinks etc.

Is a tin high-tech? Well, I’d never thought about it before, but once I did the answer is ‘of course. It’s absolutely astonishing that we can put food stuff into a sealed tin and preserve it for years. Apparently, the key is down to the coating used on the interior of the tin. Moreover, the coatings aren’t ‘one-size fits all’ – specific coatings are required depending on the contents of the tin. This is because different contents can react (chemically) differently to the coatings (you don’t want them to react at all).

Going further back, I recall my ten years spent at Rolls-Royce. They are a hugely diversified power generation company, yet their core business – jet engines – remains the same. The level of R&D, design, material science and testing that goes into building a jet engine is astonishing. Did you know they ‘grow’ the turbine blades from a single crystal for example? High-tech? For sure.

So, next time you look at your Apple Watch or Android phone, maybe spare a moment for the high technology industries. They’re hiding in plain sight.

Feel free to share your own examples of high tech in the comments!

high-tech
What really is high-tech?

How Did Jack Daniels Do It?

During the festive break, I was fortunate enough to visit the Jack Daniels Whiskey Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee. I took a guided tour and it was both fascinating and enjoyable; unfortunately, I was driving…

Happy New Year!

Jack Daniels Sign
Jack Daniels Sign

During the festive break, I was fortunate enough to visit the Jack Daniels Whiskey Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee. I took a guided tour and it was both fascinating and enjoyable; unfortunately, I was driving so I had to forego the tasting sessions at the end…

I always enjoy finding out how other companies do things, no matter how disparate they may be to the IT and website business. For Jack Daniels I think there were two particularly interesting highlights:

1) Whiskey is relatively commoditised – anyone can make it. How did a small distiller in mid-South Tennessee build a global brand that is now one of the most recognized and popular in the world? There are numerous reasons for this, but the primary one is genuineness.

  • The brand has always remained true to its values – a specific recipe with high-quality ingredients. During World War Two, when high-quality grain was at a premium and being diverted to the war effort, the company refused to compromise on quality, and cut back production rather than use inferior ingredients.
  • They were undoubtedly helped by word-of-mouth marketing – Frank Sinatra (if you don’t know who he is Google him!) took a sip of JD before every concert and carried a bottle with him when touring. When he died and per his Will, he was even buried with a bottle!

2) Ensuring the commitment to quality was – and is – instilled in every worker. There are signs everywhere in the facility which state very simply ‘Every day we make it, we’ll make it the best we can’.

I couldn’t come up with a better statement of intent than that. In 2020, I’ve asked everyone in our Group of Companies to ensure that every single ticket, prospect and customer support request is dealt with as best we possibly can.

Have a great 2020 everybody.

Every day we make it
‘Every day we make it’ – Jack Daniels

The Importance of SOPs in Information Technology

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) first came into common business parlance and usage in the manufacturing industry post-World War II.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) first came into common business parlance and usage in the manufacturing industry post-World War II.

Simply put, an SOP is “a set of written guidelines or instructions for the completion of a routine task, designed to increase performance, improve efficiency, and ensure quality through systemic homogenization”*.

So manufacturers set about writing procedures, training their workforce in following them and then monitoring the same to ensure procedures were followed consistently. This brought huge benefits to manufacturers, including:

· Consistency of production – by following the same procedure every product and component would be the same. This brings huge benefits in terms of quality control, reduction in defects and therefore customer satisfaction

· Improved efficiency – no need to try and figure out how to do something – staff are trained on the procedure and then follow it. Eliminating guesswork streamlines processes and makes production faster

· Continuous improvement. With a procedure in place, consistently adhered to, it’s much easier to improve on it. If everyone ‘does their own thing’ best practice is almost impossible to determine. With a standard procedure and a feedback culture in the workforce, it’s possible to improve procedures and processes continuously.

McDonald’s famously adopted an SOP approach to ensure consistency in food production and service. As a result, a Big Mac in New York looks and tastes the same as one served in Tokyo. This doesn’t mean the menus don’t also reflect local tastes – you can order a Teriyaki burger in Japan – but the importance of consistency remains key.

The McDonald's SOP approach
How McDonald’s has approached SOPs

 

So what does this have to do with Information Technology and IT support for customers? Well, I’ve found that as our business has expanded so too has the need for consistency. As a start-up 11 years ago (in the British Virgin Islands) there was pretty much nothing written down – we were focused on building the business. Then as we grew and we recruited technicians, it was possible to explain procedures to them individually and advise them on an ongoing basis. With a co-located handful of staff, this was entirely possible and also made ongoing improvement communications possible too.

Then we expanded and acquired a company in England (CCS2000). We now had a choice – allow the businesses to operate autonomously and ‘go their own way’ – or standardise. We chose the latter route for several reasons:

· We wanted to ensure best practice could be shared across the companies

· First-class IT management requires knowing about the same expertise, training and knowledge no matter where you operate

· We wanted technicians on either side of the Atlantic to be able to provide support to customers no matter where they (the customers) were located

· We wanted to adopt a proactive-support model that minimised client IT issues – to move away comprehensively from the ‘Break-Fix’ approach which (to my astonishment) is still prevalent in the industry.

In adopting this approach we were also mindful of the need for flexibility of approach on a local basis (as for the McDonalds teriyaki burger example). This meant we needed to adopt a dual approach:

1.  Operational standardisation – consistency of approach on all IT-related matters. So for example, setting up a new PC for a staff member in one of our customers

2.  Non-standard standardisation – an oxymoron that means ensuring any non-standard requirements for a customer are recorded and written into a procedure accordingly. Customer ABC may require their PCs to have some additional configuration in addition to our standard approach from (1).

So how did (do) we do this? Well, by the adoption of SOPs in Information Technology.

SOPs Information Technology
SOPs Information Technology

 

I can tell you from experience, it’s much easier said than done! We have been working on it for several years and it’s fair to say that it will always be an ongoing activity. There’s always a new procedure to write or an existing one to amend or improve upon.

Nonetheless, when we acquired another IT business in England (IDT) in 2019, it was clear that all the hard work had paid off. We were able to standardise working practices in a matter of weeks. Furthermore, we were able to adopt best-practice from within the new business to our existing procedures.

It’s worth noting that it isn’t just a matter of writing (and updating) the SOPs. Underpinning standardisation is the need for:

· Ongoing training – existing staff refreshers, new starters all need to be trained and monitored for process adherence

· Open culture – openness to feedback from the technicians following the procedures is key to continuous improvement. It also has the added benefit of participation which lends itself to a healthy work culture

· Integrating tools – we have the benefit of a bespoke business management system that we have developed ourselves (JIM). This allows us to deploy and monitor SOPs accordingly, with the flexibility to amend our processes thanks to the bespoke nature of our BMS.

It’s been a challenging and fascinating journey to move from ‘start-up in the sun’ to a Trans-Atlantic IT business. No doubt it will continue to be so, but without the adoption of SOPs, I know it would not have been possible.

Adoption of SOPs
Adoption of SOPs

How to reduce your reliance on your IT company

What am I on about? Well, I’m evangelical about ensuring my businesses educate our customers on all matters IT, so you can actually REDUCE your reliance on your IT company…

Am I crazy? Possibly. Probably! Maybe… Who knows? Who gets to decide anyway?

What am I on about? Well, I’m evangelical about ensuring my businesses educate our customers on all matters IT, so you can actually REDUCE your reliance on your IT company. Logically that means in time they won’t have to spend as much money with my businesses, or they may even be able to drop us completely and do it (IT – geddit?) themselves. Would you like to know how to reduce your reliance on your IT company? Well, keep on reading…..

So let’s consider:

  • We’re providing FREE education on all matters IT to our clients (and everyone if you follow us on social media or this blog)
  • That FREE education reduces client dependence on us
  • Reduced client dependence means reduced fees for my companies
  • In the extreme you may feel that you don’t need us at all!

Simply put, we’re providing free education which may result in reduced income for us.

Yeah, that’s crazy.

Do you think?

Or maybe there’s something else going on? If so, what?

Confidence and trust, that’s what.

We’re confident that by educating our customers and their staff in computing and IT matters we will increase trust. And if we increase trust, they’ll continue their partnership with us.

Let’s face it, there are too many companies in IT who give the industry a bad name. We conducted a market survey last year, and the number one issue that came out was ‘Trust’. People rely on their IT provider to provide them with IT solutions appropriate to their business. Too often those people don’t understand what is being offered and can be left with an uneasy feeling of paying for something they don’t need.

That is absolutely not what any of my businesses are about. The last thing I want is for our customers to feel that way. We want – we need – you to feel assured with your IT solutions. The only way we can do that is through education and trust.

That’s why if you follow us on social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) you will see, at least weekly, tips on all matters IT.

That’s why this year we implemented our ‘IT Roadshows’ – we visit all our contracted customers and present to every member of their staff. What we do, why we do it, computer usage tips,  cyber security tips. Free.

That’s why all our staff are instructed to communicate in plain English – to explain any matter IT in a way that the recipient understands. No bamboozlement.

And that’s why all our staff sign-up to our cultural values. You can read them all here.

 

Crazy? If doing what is right for our customers is crazy, then fine, guilty as charged!

Thanks for reading, until next time…

Truth Legal – CCS Featured Business

Victoria Notman of Truth Legal in Harrogate is proud to be a CCS Featured Business partner! Guy Phoenix, the Managing Director at CCS, comments: ‘We’ve been delighted with the attention to detail and thoroughness of the support provided by Victoria, and highly recommend her services’.

As an employment lawyer and HR adviser at Truth Legal, Victoria works alongside us on employment matters. With over 15 years’ experience under her belt, she is an expert in navigating her clients safely through the minefield of employment rights, duties, procedures and best practice.

Victoria Notman
Victoria Notman at Truth Legal

Originally from Cumbria, Victoria studied law at university and went on to train as a solicitor with a leading commercial law firm. Her legal life has been solely dedicated to practicing employment law. Whilst she may come from a commercial background, she prides herself in being first and foremost a “people person”. She worked at Pinsent Mason and Mills & Reeve before moving to Harrogate to join Andrew Gray and the legal team at Truth Legal.

Victoria says she has three goals as an employment practitioner:

  • To know the law;
  • To understand the issues;
  • To find the solution.

Whilst she advocates ‘prevention’ by thorough training and effective implementation of employment rights, policies and procedures, she is also “a safe pair of hands” when it comes to ‘curing’ a problem thorough effective Tribunal representation, negotiation and economic settlement.

Victoria offers a 360-degree approach in her legal and HR services. As your business partner her three goals are:

  • To understand your aims and ethos as an employer;
  • To help you face your problems, deal with them effectively and avoid them in future;
  • To simplify the legal landscape into straight-talking solutions that fit with your business aims and ethos.

She understands that one size doesn’t fit all businesses when it comes to legal and HR services.

She understands that your business is unique and tailors her approach to find your best fit for business.

Find out more about Truth Legal via their website. 

Backing up and protecting your data – the basics

I was asked at a networking meeting recently for recommendations on best practices for backing up a laptop and protecting data. It was in the context of an individual who has sensitive data on their laptop, and what follows were my recommendations. It’s worth noting that these recommendations apply as much to SMEs as they do to an individual.

  1. We recommend a belt and brace approach. A local backup server and a cloud backup system. This applies to single-PC/laptop users and companies with servers and networks alike. Local backups protect you from internet accessibility failures (they do happen!) and cloud backup protects you from local failures, and is also an invaluable defence against Ransomware.
  2. Cloud storage is NOT a secure Cloud backup system. A professional cloud backup system has end-to-end encryption and provides for a complete system restore. Files in Cloud storage are fully susceptible to ransomware. Find out more here: https://neovault.net/
  3. Anyone who has access to company systems -whether an employee or not, whether local or remote – should be subject to the same IT and security policies as locally-based employees. If you don’t have any IT policies in place, strongly recommend that you do so.
  4. Anti-virus and anti-spam software should be professional, ie paid, versions
  5. Mobile devices carrying personal data – client, employee, supplier etc – are a GDPR risk and need to fall under the company IT policy umbrella
  6. Encrypt the hard drives on your laptops

Hoping this provides some useful guidance!

Interview with Guy Phoenix, Group Managing Director, on the Harrogate Podcast.

A recent interview conducted by Andrew Gray of Truth Legal, with our Group Managing Director Guy Phoenix. Guy talks about his business background and provided recommendations…

A recent interview on the Harrogate podcast was conducted by Andrew Gray of Truth Legal, with our Group Managing Director Guy Phoenix. Guy talks about his business background and provided recommendations to anyone looking to start their own business.

Podcast – Social Media Cyber Perils

Check out our MD Guy Phoenix on Great Yorkshire Radio discussing social media cyber perils and what SMEs can do to protect themselves…

Check out our MD Guy Phoenix on Great Yorkshire Radio discussing social media cyber perils and what SMEs can do to protect themselves.

Podcast – Cyber Security on the Harrogate Business Hour

Check out our MD Guy Phoenix on the Harrogate Business Hour discussing cybersecurity for SMEs with Andrew Gray of Truth Legal Solicitors.

Check out our MD Guy Phoenix on the Harrogate Business Hour discussing cybersecurity for SMEs with Andrew Gray of Truth Legal Solicitors.

What if I told you the biggest risk to your business succumbing to online crime is you and your staff?

Yes, you and your staff are the biggest risk to your business. This is an actual case study of a cyber-crime that we dealt with in 2018.

Yes, you and your staff are the biggest risk to your business. This is an actual case study of a cyber-crime that we dealt with in 2018.

The Start

A local company in Yorkshire (previously unknown to us) approached us, asking us to come and take a look at one of their computers, they had been hacked.

On investigating it was apparent that they hadn’t just been hacked; in-fact they had lost a six-figure sum. It was an existential threat to their business.

We have standard protocols for dealing with cyber attacks, and in this case we immediately:

  • Quarantined the computer in question
  • Conducted a full security sweep of their systems followed by password changes

Day One actions

During this first contact, we observed signs of bad practice. A USB stick was lying next to the infected computer.

‘What’s that doing there?’ I asked.

It turned out that they had been advised to take a copy of software and data they needed from the infected PC and transfer it to another PC on their network so they could continue working on the data in question. (Astonishingly, they had been advised to do this by their principal software provider!). This meant there was a risk that malware had also been transferred.

We quarantined another PC and then the whole network, followed by a full security sweep.

Follow-on actions

Having plugged the immediate gap, we were asked to conduct a complete examination to confirm what happened, how it happened and to report on the same.

We were also asked for recommendations on their wider cyber security arrangements.

Our findings were quite illuminating.

What the hackers did

A Phishing email was sent to one of the client’s generic email accounts. One person monitors these and this one, marked for the attention of accounts, was forwarded on to the accounts team.

Only one person was in the accounts department that day. They opened the email and downloaded the attachment. Nothing happened, so they disregarded it and moved on.

That night the hackers were in and out in under an hour. The attachment had opened a direct link from the hackers to the individual PC. They accessed the client’s accounting system and changed the bank account details of their eight largest suppliers. They then logged out and did nothing else, so there was no sign that anything untoward had happened.

Until 6 weeks later when suppliers started to ring up and ask where their monthly payments were. That’s when we were called in.

What we did

We produced a police-actionable report on our findings and this was submitted to local police and cybercrime units in London. The hackers appeared to be in Hungary, but in fact, were traced to South-East England.

The perpetrators were found and successfully prosecuted in September 2018. All but £9k of the stolen funds were recovered. Obviously, the client was relieved and delighted with this given the circumstances.

However, it could, and should have been zero, and here are the reasons why.

How it could have been prevented – the biggest risk to your business

The client did not have professional IT management in place – they thought (incorrectly) that their software provider took care of it. Had professional IT support been in place, the software that infected the original PC would not have done so – no download would have been allowed through automated procedures. Even if the software had somehow got through, the hackers would not have been able to gain access to the accounting systems, again due to procedures and policies that professional IT management would establish.

None of the staff had cyber hygiene training. With that training, either (or both) of the email recipients could have spotted the potential issue.

Protective monitoring software would have spotted the incoming email and also the late-night access. No such software was in place.

So, there was any number of ways that the attack could have been foiled. As the title states, you and your staff represent the biggest risk to your business succumbing to online crime.

Cybercriminals depend on two things:

  • Trust – or to put it another way, a lack of cyber hygiene knowledge. The human factor is responsible for 80% of successful cyber crimes
  • Poor IT setup and systems– it’s a false economy to set up and manage your own IT systems if you aren’t a trained IT professional

Summary

Since this event, the client has implemented professional IT support (through us), cyber security software (from us) and IT policies in accordance with our recommendations.

A fascinating story right?! Before you close this webpage, let me ask you -are you going to act right now on your cyber security arrangements?

Yes? Good. You should. You can start by requesting our free cyber assessment questionnaire, or arranging an online call with us to conduct it with you face-to-face. We’ll assess your cyber risk and send you our recommendations, free of charge, no catch.

Later? When? Why the delay? Cybercrime is the fastest growing criminal enterprise in the world, it is the biggest risk to your business.

No? OK, well thanks for reading and best of luck! Remember – the biggest risk to your business succumbing to online crime is you and your staff.

We don’t ever want to say ‘told you so’…

Free Public WIFI advice

A recent v-log from Guy Phoenix on use of public free wifi networks – some best practice advice from Fresh Mango in a short 2-min video!

Here’s a recent v-log from Guy Phoenix on use of public free wifi networks – some best practice advice from Fresh Mango in a short 2-min video!

If you enjoyed this VLog, you may like this blog piece!

Why Companies like yours are seeking Cyber Hygiene Training for their staff

Why Companies like yours are seeking Cyber Hygiene Training for their staff. We all see the headlines on the news – ‘millions of records breached’, ‘company loses £££ hundreds of thousands in hack’ etc…

Why Companies like yours are seeking Cyber Hygiene Training for their staff.

We all see the headlines on the news – ‘millions of records breached’, ‘company loses £££ hundreds of thousands in hack’ etc. And let’s be honest, after a while it’s just white noise in our busy lives.

Besides, it won’t happen to me, will it? We’re just a sole trader/small/medium sized business.

Sorry, but no. It will. Without exaggeration, we’re receiving reports of breaches on a daily basis now. And we can say from our own experience that the often quoted statistic – that 80% of breaches are a result of staff inadvertently causing them – is spot on.

That’s where cyber hygiene training comes in. Here are some of the many reasons why companies like yours are now investing in cyber hygiene training.

  1. Firstly, they know that around 80% of successful cyber breaches are due to a lack of staff knowledge.
  2. Secondly, they know that a cyber breach could cost them tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of pounds; possibly it could cost them their business altogether
  3. Also, they’re worried about falling foul of data protection laws and getting huge fines
  4. Fourthly, they know that investing in cyber hygiene training is the most cost-effective way to protect their businesses, even if they already have firewalls and anti-virus software
  5. Lastly, I guess very simply, they just want peace-of-mind.

Poor education and user awareness of the cyber threat can often be the easiest way for an attacker to gain access to your business systems.

By providing cyber hygiene training on operating safely within a cyber context to your staff, you will reduce the potential of attack through social media, internet browsing and routine emails.

Plus, it isn’t expensive! CCS have online courses from just £35. That’s right – £35! Compare that to the existential threat and costs of a cyber breach to your business. It’s a no-brainer isn’t it?

You can get in touch and request a free cyber assessment by contacting us – here are the details.

 

The impact on a Brand of a cybersecurity breach

This is the Transcript of my recent video log (The impact on a Brand of a cybersecurity breach) – my voice is difficult to hear since I was asked to keep it down by the BA Cabin staff for disturbing other…

This is the Transcript of my recent video log (The impact on a Brand of a cybersecurity breach) – my voice is difficult to hear since I was asked to keep it down by the BA Cabin staff for disturbing other passengers. {Sorry!}

I’m actually making this Vlog on board a British Airways flight from London to Austin in the United States, where I’m looking forward to a much needed holiday, taking in the Austin City Limits Music Festival and the Formula 1 Grand Prix – GO LEWIS!

I’ve been incredibly fortunate to be upgraded to First Class by BA, and I’m going to make a separate Vlog for my marketing business to highlight what it’s like. In this Vlog I’m actually focusing on cyber security.

A couple of weeks ago I was invited to present at the Brand Yorkshire conference in Harrogate in the UK. The topic was the impact on a Brand of a cybersecurity breach. I highlighted a few companies to exemplify best and worst practice, and one of the companies I talked about was BA, since they were victims of a cyber breach this Summer. I thought I would take the opportunity on board a long BA flight to reiterate what happened to BA and what they did about it.

What happened?: For more than two weeks this summer (August 21 to September 5), hackers were inside the systems of British Airways.

They took the personal and financial details of customers who made, or changed, bookings on ba.com or its app during that time.

Names, email addresses and credit card information were stolen – including card numbers, expiration dates and the three digit CVC code required to authorise payments.

Around 380,000 transactions were affected. BA blamed a “sophisticated” group of cyber criminals but didn’t give any more details. A post on its website says people should contact their banks, people will be reimbursed and it will pay for a credit checking service.

In summary, BA gave Full disclosure. Recommendations on their website. Contacted the customers.

Now I asked the conference where I presented, what could BA have done better about this cybersecurity breach? Well, it was a bit of a trick question, because I actually think BA did an excellent job – and I’m not saying that because they just upgraded me! They got out in front of it, were open and transparent, contacted their customers and told them what to do, and assured them that they would cover any costs. The additional credit check service was a nice touch too.

The conclusion of my talk highlighted how businesses can prepare for something like this. The first aspect of course is prevention – stop the cybersecurity breach from happening. The BA breach was sophisticated, nonetheless there are means of ensuring your website is protected and monitored. Similarly there are methods for protecting IT systems in general, notably:

  • Cyber Hygiene Training for all staff – 80% of successful attacks are a result of poor cyber hygiene training
  • Software Measures – know when you’re under attack. Continuous Performance Monitoring can alert you to potential attacks and breaches – externally and internally
  • Vulnerability and Cyber Assessment Audits – getting a third party to conduct a thorough and holistic review of your cyber security is the best way to get started on the road to a robust and secure business.

It won’t surprise you to hear that my IT companies – Fresh Mango Technologies (based in the Caribbean) and CCS (based in the UK) provide these services to clients. It’s also worth me pointing out that they aren’t hugely expensive. We have a starter package for SMEs which costs just £195 or $295 a month. When you consider the cost of a breach – frankly it can be an existential threat to most SME’s – it’s well worth the investment.

Finally, from prevention we go to the post-breach action plan. You need a crisis management plan in place. There are plenty of recommended PR plans available online, my favourite is the Adweek plan, because it’s straightforward:

  • Get your plans in order
  • Triage the problem
  • Respond quickly on social
  • Be honest, transparent and direct

I don’t think you’ll be too surprised to hear that my marketing agency can assist with this as well!

Anyway, I think it’s clear that British Airways had options for a  robust crisis management plan in place, and their execution of the same was very good indeed. We had a show of hands at the conference, asking the question who would book on BA.com again. There was an overwhelming majority saying they would without hesitation. Clearly a job well done!

OK, that’s the end of this Vlog, hope you enjoyed it and if you’d like to find out more about how my businesses can help your business, please get in touch. Just drop a message on the social media channel or blog where you saw this video and we’ll get back to you.

Your Dream Car

Maybe sports cars aren’t your thing? How about a luxury brand Grand Tourer like a Bentley or Aston Martin?

What’s your dream car?

A Ferrari? Maybe a Lamborghini or Porsche?

Maybe sports cars aren’t your thing? How about a luxury brand Grand Tourer like a Bentley or Aston Martin?

Maybe you have a young family and so your ideal car is something that can fit the whole family and also rates high in the Safety ratings?

Or perhaps you aren’t really a ‘car person’ and just want something reliable or practical? A Toyota, or a Ford or similar?

Whether your car is a dream, something ideal for your needs, or just a practical run-a-round, I bet there’s one thing they will all have in common.

You service them. Regularly.

Whether you service the car yourself or the local garage/main dealer services the car, you get it serviced.

Why?

Well, it’s kind of a no-brainer really. Servicing the car regularly ensures it runs smoothly and efficiently. It keeps the fuel-consumption optimal. It allows parts and tyres to be replaced before they fail or become dangerous.

It minimises your chances of a break-down, which as we all know creates huge inconvenience.

In short, proactive maintenance of your car ensures it runs smoothly and safely.

Given the context of this blog, no doubt you’ve figured out the analogy by now.

Proactive IT maintenance of your IT systems ensures your computer systems, and therefore your company, run smoothly and securely.

Servers, network equipment, desktops, laptops and Macs (yes Macs – see our earlier blog piece on the need to keep Apple Macintosh equipment updated) all need regular maintenance.

What’s more, they need to be serviced more regularly than your car. The major software providers, notably Microsoft, issue updates and patches regularly. These updates typically include bug fixes, improvements and upgrades. Most notably they include measures to combat recently-identified cyber threats.

Without professional, proactive IT maintenance and management of your IT systems, they will quickly degrade. Worse, without many of the ongoing updates, you may be leaving your company open to a successful cyber attack.

That’s why Managed Service Provision from Fresh Mango incorporates monthly maintenance of your server and networks as standard. That’s not all; to be truly proactive, an IT service needs to do much more than this. That’s the subject for another blog piece another time though.

So, next time you take your car in for maintenance, take a moment to think about your corporate IT. Is it helping your business run smoothly and securely?

If you can’t answer that question with an honest ‘yes’, make Fresh Mango your next call.

If you enjoyed this article you may also be interested in Children & Technology: Cookies, Webs & Touchscreen.

VIPRE Nailed Every Major Independent Test

The industry’s three leading independent testing agencies ranked VIPRE with the best of the best…again.

VIPRE simply nailed every major independent test. AV-Comparatives, AV-Test, and Virus Bulletin are like the Consumer Reports of the antivirus software world. In fact, their reviews are so rigorous that some companies flat out refuse to test. But VIPRE went all in, and we scored big across the board—from perfect scores and zero false positives to being named a Top Rated Product for 2017.

This latest round of unbiased testing proves VIPRE’s unwavering commitment to advanced protection and usability. See the complete performance summary for yourself here.

 

Take a look at this great blog piece!

Convenience and cyber security

I’ve been thinking a lot about convenience and cyber security lately. Many of the most successful products and services make our lives more convenient. So much so that we take many of them for…

I’ve been thinking a lot about convenience and cyber security lately. Many of the most successful products and services make our lives more convenient. So much so that we take many of them for granted, probably to the point that they’re considered ‘Staples’ rather than modern conveniences.

Modern Conveniences

Washing machines, microwaves, mobile phones… and now we have voice-activated systems such as Google Home and Amazon Echo. Step-by-step new products make modern life a little bit simpler and easier. They are convenient; they allow us to get on with doing other things, whether for work or leisure.

Unsurprisingly we’re not keen to give up these hard-won conveniences. Would you give up your washing machine? Probably not, I know I wouldn’t. Yet my Grandparents never owned one! That’s just two generations ago.

What about your TV remote control? Probably a bit more easier to live without, but in these days of thousands of channels being available it would make choosing channels a pain. Yet I grew up as a boy with a TV that didn’t have remote control – it hadn’t been invented. We were considered privileged for having a colour TV! That’s less than 40 years ago.

The internet and mod-cons

Fast forward to 2018. The internet has become integral to our lives – business, personal, leisure, everywhere. Many governments have passed legislation to instate internet as a ‘Utility’, giving it the same precedence as electricity, natural gas and water supply.

Boiled down, the internet represents convenience. I can buy pretty much anything I need on the same laptop I’m writing this blog piece on. Pay my bills? Online. Book my next flights and holiday? Sure. I can manage my bank account. Less than 20 years ago all of these would have required a journey to buy goods, services or take care of my bills. The shopping centre, the bank, the travel agent, and so forth.

Would I want to go back to that? Absolutely not! Would you? I doubt it. The internet makes our lives easier and more convenient.

But (you knew there was a “but” coming). By making our lives more convenient, the internet has opened us up to a concept that never existed until late in the 20th century – cybercrime. Protecting ourselves against it does, regrettably, entail giving up some of the convenience of the internet we’ve all become so accustomed to.

Convenience and cyber security don’t immediately feel as if they are symbiotic.

Making life easier for our customers

In the past week, I visited the dentist and also a client with leisure facilities. Both had their wifi network and passwords on public display. Why? Well, it’s convenient for their customers. It’s nice if they have to wait a while to be able to get online. It’s also convenient for them. They don’t have to field requests for the wifi password. Everyone saves time and is more productive right?

Wrong. There is an assumption that everyone with access to the facilities has good motives. What if they don’t? By providing access to your wifi network you potentially provide access to your:

  • IT network
  • Systems, files and folders
  • Client and supplier databases

Do you want absolutely anybody to access these? Of course not, yet that’s what these businesses had done, either inadvertently or with the best motives, or both.

Putting aside the implications of a data breach and fine under GDPR (and you shouldn’t – they’re serious), you’re putting your business at risk. For the sake of a wifi password! As I said, convenience and cyber security don’t appear to align.

Aligning Convenience and Cyber Security

This is just one of the almost countless examples where I see businesses putting convenience ahead of IT security. There are actually relatively straightforward measures that can be taken to improve your online and IT security, without giving up too much convenience. They cost a modest amount of money but compared to the consequences of a cyber breach they really aren’t costly at all.

With SMEs now officially the most targeted businesses for cybercriminals, isn’t it time to give up a small amount of convenience for the well-being of your business?

Convenience and cyber security can go hand-in-hand, you just need to take the appropriate measures, thanks for reading CCS’s latest blog.

Foundations of IT Security

I’ve been thinking a lot about triangles lately. Not the musical kind, but rather how they are such a useful (and simple) means of conveying building blocks and foundations. Notably the Foundations of…

I’ve been thinking a lot about triangles lately. Not the musical kind, but rather how they are such a useful (and simple) means of conveying building blocks and foundations. Notably the Foundations of IT Security:

Foundations of IT Security

With this (very) basic illustration I’d like to convey the main message of this blog piece. Namely that it’s essential to have a professionally established and managed IT infrastructure in your business before you embark on cyber security assessments, hardening, plugging gaps and so forth. In other words, get your foundations of IT security in place.

Cyber security is all the rage presently but, let’s face it, the requirement will never go away as long as we have the internet. Regrettably there are talented IT people who direct their energies towards obtaining information about individuals and companies for their own financial gain. We can’t change that, we can do our best to protect ourselves against it.

So what strategies can be employed to counter the cyber threat? Well, the cyber services offered by CCS are aligned to provide all the necessary counter measures, including:

  • Cyber Awareness Training
  • Continuous Protective Monitoring
  • Cyber Intelligence Assessment
  • Cyber Assessment Services
  • Cyber Essentials Scheme
  • Cyber Security Support Packages
  • ISO27001 compliance

All of these are outlined in detail on the CCS website. However, before embarking on any of these services, you should consider the following basic questions relating to your current IT infrastructure.

  1. Do you have a password policy and enforced password-change policy?
  2. Do you have a server? If so, do you insist that all staff store their data on the server, not their desktop PCs?
  3. What operating systems are you running on your server and PCs? Are they still supported? (Take a look at Microsoft out-of-support systems here)
  4. Do you know if you have conducted health-checks on your server and PCs in the last 6 months?
  5. Do you have backup solutions in place for your data?
  6. Do you have a paid antivirus solution in place? (Sorry – as with all things in life you get what you pay for. Free anti-virus does not provide anything close to sufficient protection)
  7. Do you have a Firewall in-place?

If you can’t honestly answer yes to these questions (and many others not touched upon here), then you need to obtain professional advice and management for your IT systems. Ignoring the security aspects for a moment, if you take care of the above matters your internal systems will run more efficiently. However, you really can’t ignore the security aspects. SMEs are just as likely to be targeted as big corporations.

So whether you’re a small, medium or huge business, professional IT system setup and management form the basis of your foundations of IT security. They’re a pre-requisite for cyber security.

Please, get it done, if for no other reason than you’ll sleep easier at night.