Digital tools such as robotics and artificial intelligence are no longer concepts accessible by only those working at the forefront of engineering & technology; they are now within the grasp of all of us and offer tangible business benefits.
Technology has advanced so rapidly in recent years that it has moved beyond being simply a tool we use to help our efficiency, to becoming an intrinsic driver in all that we do in the commercial world.
Our goal is to offer strategy, consultancy and hands-on engineering support to map-out your business goals & processes into workflows that can be digitised; cutting redtape, repetition and double data entry.
Microsoft PowerAutomate (previously known as Microsoft Flow) is a powerful application featured in Office365 that enables you to ‘automate away’ the time-consuming, repetitive processes that often blight the working day. It essentially allows different applications to connect with each other through links called ‘flows.’ You and anyone in your team can construct ‘flows’ without technical expertise in a user-friendly process using pre-made connectors.
At this point you may be wondering how this can be of benefit to your business in particular. Let’s consider a few examples.
Checking emails can be a time-consuming part of your day. Power automate can step in to give you a push notification or text message when you receive emails from key people, thus allowing you to get on with other tasks as opposed to endlessly monitoring your inbox for important communications.
You can also use automation to save email attachments to OneDrive as soon as you receive them, making it easier to locate files that have been sent to you.
Push notifications & alerts from external actions into Teams chats or channels to notify your people - keeping everyone on-page without the need for email.
Kill double-data entry by getting two separate systems to talk to one another. Pushing data from one to the other automatically & live.
The new generation of…
Microsoft 365 refers to a range of bundles sold by Microsoft on a subscription basis which feature Office 365, the Windows 10 operating system and Enterprise Mobility + Security, (a platform designed to enable more mobile/flexible working).
SharePoint online is an invaluable tool for project collaboration. It is a cloud-based service hosted by Microsoft that can be accessed through an Office 365 plan or as a standalone service. As it is a web-based resource your business won’t have to worry about resource management, architecture or physical servers, essentially removing much of the operational complexity that comes with running a locally hosted program.
So what exactly does it offer and how can it help your business?
Essentially the service allows you to create ‘sites’ effortlessly which act as an online gathering space for documents pertaining to a particular topic. These ‘sites’ can then be accessed by whoever you choose, provided they have a Microsoft user account.
More than just a document library! You can also create ‘communication sites’ which allow you to post news, updates and vital communications to your team.
Additionally, ‘team sites’ allow you to assemble a group of people for effective collaboration on a project and incorporate useful features such as a shared inbox, calendar, planner and Microsoft teams.
Features such as workflows, lists and forms allow you to manage your routine and you can incorporate applications to increase productivity and ease of use.
Work on the go with access available anywhere with an internet connection to SharePoint online, or offline by caching file libraries locally on your devices via a synchronised library in the OneDrive app.
BT and Microsoft announce strategic partnership BT and Microsoft today announced a new strategic partnership to accelerate innovation across enterprise voice, cyber security and industry-focused services in sectors from digital manufacturing to health, setting businesses in the UK and around the world back to growth....
Microsoft offers more detail on auto-delete of Microsoft Teams meeting recordings We recently reported that Microsoft is planning to offer a feature where Microsoft Teams recordings will be automatically deleted after a set period unless other action is taken, a good companion to Microsoft Team’s...
As we have explored in our previous article, technology is the driving force of our lives, and this is the case for most around the world – especially in the world of work. Recent advancements have increased our reliance on technology considerably more than has...
Technology, the lynchpin of our lives in the modern world – its presence in our lives is more important now than it has ever been before. Over recent years advancements in technology have been enormous – a lot of these advancements have made a remote...
Windows 11 is putting Microsoft Teams front and centre The latest tease of Windows 11 has suggested that Microsoft Teams will play an even more prominent role than expected in the new software platform. The new build is set to integrate the Microsoft Teams chat...
Microsoft Teams on mobile is finally getting this key feature Using Microsoft Teams on your smartphone could be about to get a lot more useful thanks to the latest update to the software. Microsoft has revealed its users will be able to access apps for...
Microsoft Teams is getting its own music mode and new meeting controls Microsoft is working on a new feature called “Music Mode” for Microsoft Teams that will improve the quality and accuracy of audio on desktop platforms. Additionally, Microsoft is also working on new meeting...
Has Microsoft Teams presented an analytics gap? Nearly a year on from the first UK lockdown and a mass move to working remotely, unified communications and collaboration technology has accelerated at a rapid rate – and shows no signs of slowing down. Nationwide workforces are,...
In our previous article we explored what Single Sign On (SSO) is, how it can benefit your business, and how it can improve the security of your organisation. In this article we will explore how SSO integrates with Microsoft 365 and how together they can...
The current digital landscape has developed at an alarming rate over recent years, and it has also felt as though terms such as ‘cyber threat’ and ‘cyber criminal’ are now common place in our work environment. Due to this rapid development, the strain on in-house...
What’s New in Teams Displays? Microsoft Teams is constantly introducing new features and functionalities for today’s collaborative teams. This includes new functionality not just for messaging, video chat, and calling, but also for Teams peripherals and meeting experiences too. In June 2021, Microsoft revealed a...
Microsoft Teams makes Together mode available for all meeting sizes Microsoft is expanding the availability of its Together mode feature in Teams meetings. As spotted by Microsoft MVP Amanda Sterner, the company is rolling out a new update that will make Together mode available for...
Microsoft Teams’ activity feed now integrated with Power BI Microsoft Teams logo with shapes around it in the various colors of the Teams logo Last month, Microsoft introduced a bunch of new features for Teams, including end-to-end encryption, Windows 10 native notifications, and more. With...
Microsoft Teams personal and work/school can now run side-by-side People using Microsoft Teams on their PC can now have a personal and work/school account open at the same time. Previously, you’d have to toggle between accounts. The functionality makes it much easier to communicate through...
Microsoft Teams Mobile Apps Get Overdue Updates Microsoft has fired out some updates to its Teams iOS and Android apps which make them far more useful for workers on the go. The Microsoft Teams app for Android and iOS have just received a host of...
7 New Features in Windows 11 Windows 11 is finally official after Microsoft’s big splashy Livestream. In case you missed it, Windows 11 features a completely redesigned UI, new aesthetics, Auto HDR for games, Android Apps, and much more. There’s plenty to get to know...
Microsoft Teams is finally solving one of its biggest issues New Microsoft Teams chat bubbles looks to keep you connected Sending messages using Microsoft Teams should be more effective than ever thanks to a new update coming to the platform. The video conferencing service has...
Vulnerability in Microsoft Teams granted attackers access to emails, messages, and personal files A vulnerability in Microsoft Teams could allow a malicious actor to steal sensitive data and access a victim’s communications, researchers have warned A vulnerability in Microsoft Teams could allow a malicious actor...
As we covered in our previous blog, the advancements in technology in the modern age have been enormous – they have revolutionised the way we work and changed the way we go about our daily activities. We established that moving with the times and getting...
The advancements in technology over the years has dramatically changed – and, most importantly, improved – the way we go about our daily activities in the workplace. Moving with the times is essential when it comes to technology; the landscape is ever-evolving and offering new,...
Microsoft has finally hinted toward a much-needed update to its Teams software. As revealed, Microsoft Teams will introduce end-to-end encryption to VoIP calls in July 2021. This feature will supposedly give more control to the admins to encrypt sensitive communications. Microsoft Teams End-to-End Encryption...
Microsoft Office for Android finally gets a dark mode Microsoft is finally adding a dark mode to its Office app for Android. While the Office app has been available on iOS and Android for more than a year, only the iOS version has included built-in...
You might want to ditch Chrome after seeing this update from Microsoft CHROME may remain the most popular browser on the planet but a big update from Microsoft might make you consider its Edge alternative. Google’s Chrome still reigns supreme when it comes to the...
Microsoft Teams now brings family and friends together to call, chat, and make plans For much of 2020 and 2021, people have endured missing their friends and loved ones. Yet while physical distance has separated us, we have also rediscovered the power and importance...
Microsoft Office 365 is getting a handy upgrade that will streamline your workflow Office apps will soon display a list of recommended files as a set of cards Keeping track of your files in Microsoft Office 365 is about to get a whole lot easier...
3 Windows settings that you can reset to work more efficiently in Microsoft 365 You might be surprised to learn that some Windows settings can be changed to your advantage as a Microsoft 365 user. Learn how to work more efficiently by setting them up...
Employers should prepare for ongoing working from home, experts warn Organisations told they can ‘no longer exclusively’ make all the decisions about how their staff work Businesses have been told to prepare for ongoing disruption to working patterns as government advisers have reportedly warned the...
Nearly all Microsoft 365 customers have suffered email data breaches 85% of Microsoft 365 business customers affected Using Microsoft 365, the software giant’s cloud-based communications and collaboration platform, could be a security liability for many organizations, a new report from Egress seems to suggest. The...
Browser wars: Microsoft Edge is showing the first signs of weakness Microsoft Edge Microsoft Edge, the company’s flagship web browser, has enjoyed rapid growth since it went live last year, but new figures suggest the service may have reached an abrupt plateau. According to...
Adobe Flash: Microsoft lays out plans to remove it from Windows 10 PCs for good Microsoft is preparing to issue two more Windows 10 updates in June and July that will eliminate unsupported Adobe Flash Player from Windows PCs for good. The update KB4577586 called...
Do you have applications that are essential to the way you and your team work but have become outdated? Has the pandemic opened your eyes to the potential of having an entirely remote working team? Have you questioned whether you still need your staff work...
Why organisations must learn from remote working impact James Pomeroy, Director of Quality, Health, Environment and Safety at Lloyd’s Register, explains how results from the global safety assurance specialists’ latest report shines a light on the true impact working from home has had on staff...
How to Enable Transcription in Microsoft Teams Microsoft Teams is the go-to solution for collaboration in many hybrid work environments today. More than just a meetings tool, Teams acts as a hub of productivity features intended to help staff more effectively together. Part of what...
Microsoft Teams looks set to be part of working life for years to come The past year has introduced many of us to online conferencing platforms such as Microsoft Teams, but the latest releases from its parent company seem to suggest that video calls are...
Microsoft Announces Visual Studio 2022 Microsoft said today that it will release the first public preview of Visual Studio 2022 this summer ahead of an expected late 2021 release. And it looks like a major refresh. “The next major release of Visual Studio will be...
Moving analytics to the cloud requires new approaches, skills, and architectures compared with analysis done in-house the traditional way. Like so many other IT functions, data analytics is moving to the cloud. And as with other cloud-based endeavors, this presents both opportunities and challenges. One...
As we have explored previously in the blog series, your Microsoft 365 account being breached could have potentially catastrophic consequences to your business, we explored some security measures that can prevent this from happening, and how to implement those measures in your organisation. In the...
Now that we know smaller businesses are not immune to the threats that cyber criminals pose, it is essential that you use the resources available to defend yourself to the best of your ability – especially on the usually smaller budget in comparison to larger...
Cyber security should be at the forefront of concerns for all business owners / managers, with Covid-19 reaping havoc worldwide over the last year – the need for good cyber security is essential. Many do not understand the seriousness of not having adequate security measures...
The video conferencing game could be hotting up even more after Microsoft Teams revealed it will be rolling out one of the most useful features from Zoom to its own service. Over the past twelve months, one of the reasons Zoom quickly became a favourite with users around the...
Top features of the easy-to-use collaborative software for businesses Formerly Office 365, Microsoft 365 is a comprehensive tool with multiple applications to aid your business. Office 365 for small businesses has been, and continues as Microsoft 365 to be, a complete service that makes it...
There can be no doubt that the last year has been unprecedented for businesses. The Covid-19 pandemic has caused serious challenges with many companies not even being able to stay open for the majority of the year, and even those that were able to open...
Unless your business is big enough for its own IT department, outsourcing your IT may benefit your day-to-day operations greatly. Without this service, entire departments can become paralyzed, and your business can come to a grinding halt. Despite being particularly at risk of disaster without...
Many businesses are already shifting a great deal of time and attention towards cloud-based technology. If you have been a little slower on the uptake, there are several different reasons why you may need to rethink this particular strategy. Here, we will look at a...
In the previous blogs in the series, we have explored the ways in which cybercriminals attack your systems and some of the fundamentals you need to implement to ensure the best possible cyber security infrastructure for your business. In the last blog of the series,...
In the last blog in the series, we explored cyber security and how it should be at the forefront of concerns within a business, we looked at different methods that cyber-criminals use to attack your systems and learned how damaging they can be. In the...
Cyber security has rapidly become a vital necessity to everyone. Anyone connected to the internet needs a good level of cyber security as much as anyone that owns a home needs a good lock and key. The rapidly increasing technological landscape is partially to blame...
Data breaches cost UK organisations an average of £2.9 million per breach. In 2019, human error accounted for 90% of breaches. Those facts alone are usually enough to convince people security awareness training is important. Usually. Only 1 in 9 businesses (11%) provided cyber security training to non-cyber...
90 per cent of cyber data breaches were caused by user error last year, according to the analysis of data from the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) by the cybersecurity awareness and data analytics company, CybSafe. In 2019, UK organisations reported more cybersecurity breaches to...
A year after Prime Minister Boris Johnson started advising working from home where possible, Alex Dalglish, future workplace consultant at SoftwareONE discusses what we’ve learned about remote working Working from home has become a more common occurrence over the past year, and has bought its...
Due to the impact of COVID-19, the number of people who work remotely has dramatically risen, meaning IT infrastructures and online systems are more relied upon by businesses than ever before. Inevitably, as virtual activity has increased, so has the threat posed by cyber security attacks....
New view switcher feature provides a different outlook on Microsoft Teams Users of Microsoft Teams might be able to get a new outlook on their video conferencing calls thanks to a new feature for the platform. The view switcher tool will allow Microsoft Teams participants to switch between a...
Following a turbulent 2020, the stage is set for 2021 to become a year of growth and recovery. How can manufacturers leverage technology to overcome challenges and embrace opportunity in 2021 and beyond? 2020 was a turbulent year for the UK manufacturing sector. The Covid-19...
These six business technologies can help your company run smoother, gain and retain customers, improve productivity, and even avoid public scandals. When the entire world shut down due to the pandemic, that’s when technology shined really bright, showing its worth. Overnight, the ability to connect...
Cloud technology is not just growing quickly, it’s evolving! Pandemic has nudged many budding startups and big companies to adopt cloud services to ensure business continuity. Top cloud players like AWS, Azure, google cloud are expected to grow bigger by end of 2021 and 60%...
As companies prepare to make remote working permanent, cultural change will play a crucial role in building new, successful work environments. Remote working is nothing new, but as more businesses look towards making it an integral part of how they operate, work as we know...
The ongoing growth of cellular wireless network applications creates new demand for emerging technologies. Fifth-generation (5G) wireless communication includes several network layers that leverage technology such as Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN), network slicing, and cloud edge computing. Within cloud-edges, the broader artificial intelligence...
Microsoft on Monday announced it has started rolling out a guest access feature in Microsoft Teams. The ability to have guests in Teams requires that an organization have a particular subscription, but no separate licensing is needed for the guests. Here’s how it was explained in this “Guest...
BEFORE the Covid-19 pandemic, long-term trends such as the proliferation of new digital technologies, evolving demographics and rising social concerns about inequality and the environment were already changing the way work is done, by whom and where. The global pandemic served as an accelerator and...
Peter says that the cyber-attacks on his company are relentless. “We see tens of different hacking attacks every single week. It is never-ending.” A senior computer network manager for a global financial services company, Peter (who did not want to give his surname, or the...
Drive your business to IT confidence with the Cloud Problem: Organising meetings can be a difficult and inefficient use of time Meetings are an integral work process; they give you a chance to communicate with your employees when not in the midst of a busy...
Drive your business to IT confidence with the Cloud A key ingredient to a successful business is collaboration. Utilising this effectively can improve your day-to-day working, productivity and increase output. Over previous years it has been difficult to collaborate to a high standard unless sitting...
The transition into permanent remote working is inescapable now. Countless articles, morning talk shows and widely-shared social media polls have all indicated this irreversible trajectory. There is simply no recourse to ‘un-ring that bell’. What may have started off as a necessity to adhere to social distancing regulations is...
With the UK’s third lockdown expected to last until at least March, the longer-term challenges of remote working, beyond the practicalities of IT set ups, are starting to show. But remote working doesn’t need to cull creativity. Sharing her thoughts on the subject is Aleksandra...
Scrutinize those SMS messages before you click. A new phishing campaign has been identified that targets PayPal users with fraudulent text messages. The exploit attempts to steal a variety of sensitive user details, in addition to their PayPal credentials. The phishing campaign begins with an SMS message...
Work communication platform could become as integral as an internet browser, says chief Satya Nadella. If 2020 was the year of the video meeting, 2021 could be the year when the apps that went mainstream during the crisis cement their position at the centre of...
If you’re one of the many currently working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic, read through these best practices for remote working, segmented into company-level, team-level and individual-level tips. As the world hunkers down to whether the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), work is...
Britain’s earliest dinosaur was a nimble omnivore that ran around on two legs, unlike its later relative’s brontosaurus and diplodocus, research suggests. Standing at about the height of a 10-year-old child, and 1.5 metres in length with a long thin tail, Thecodontosaurus antiquus roamed the Earth during...
A look at how remote life has accelerated connected technology Undoubtedly, connected technology is playing a key role in allowing employees to continue working, in spite of the current coronavirus pandemic. Consequentially, the pandemic has also accelerated the development of new technologies across various industries and professions....
Business process automation and how it improves workflow in a customer service department. As we have explained previously, business is predominantly digitised wherever possible for most in the modern world. Technology has grown from something that makes your job slightly easier to a staple of...
Business process Automation and how it improves workflow in an accounts department. As we touched on previously, the workplace has changed dramatically over recent years – it has become heavily digitised. Technology for all its benefits – with its ability to influence growth and the...
Business Process Automation and how it improves workflow in a sales setting. The world in which business is conducted is now heavily digitised and, as much as technology has been a driver for growth and evolution, so too has it brought additional complexity and process...
There’s a false sense of security among the UK workforce, a new report states. There is a “false sense of security” among British employees working remotely, a new report from Fasthosts claims. With remote working becoming the new normal, the majority of the country’s workers...
A new report outlines key areas that could help businesses cut down on emissions. Businesses worldwide could significantly reduce the emission of greenhouse gases through the use of state-of-the-art technology. This is according to a new report from the Royal Society, which claims that advanced tech could...
The Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent global lockdown have forced many businesses to shut down, but the number would have been even greater if it weren’t for cloud technology and digital transformation. A report from the Cloud Industry Forum (CIF) claims two thirds of businesses sped...
A significant minority of businesses (31 percent) don’t have proper policies in place which would enable employees to work remotely and in a more agile way. This is according to a new report from Sigma, a UX design and development agency. The company uncovered the roadblock...
Digital transformation lets the boldest banks reimagine themselves – and Temenos is powering the changemakers by enabling customer-centric services and lasting relationships. The banking sector has come a long way since the global financial crisis. Faced with an existential moment, banks regained trust and have...
Cloud computing will account for an even bigger chunk of enterprise tech spending over the next few years, as businesses decide it’s time to migrate even more applications and services. Spending on public cloud services is expected to grow 18.4% next year, to a total of...
More and more, we see the cloud becoming a popular deployment option among organizations. The mobility and ease of access of the cloud make it one of the most convenient choices. While using the cloud, though, companies may be more susceptible to security threats and...
In the midst of a pandemic that’s led to unprecedented levels of remote working, digital tools to monitor employees in real time are gaining popularity among companies looking for new ways to track employee productivity. At the same time, the trend raises concerns about employee...
Venerable browser Internet Explorer continues to have millions of users worldwide, despite Microsoft actively trying to wean customers off the software, new data has found. The latest figures from NetMarketShare found that 5.57% of all users are still utilising the company’s venerable Internet Explorer browser. Microsoft has been hard...
When it comes to digital transformation, there’s a lot of attention on cloud computing and the implementation of AI and machine learning. But as Ky Nichol points out, automation is also a key consideration: There is no dispute that automation remains an instrumental driver of technology and business decisions, data insight, continuous delivery,...
Identifying security trends via Windows 10 antivirus should be easier than ever Microsoft has unveiled new changes to its Windows 10 antivirus platform designed to give administrators greater insight into the level of vulnerability present in device fleets. Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP), recently rebranded as Microsoft...
Ways your remote working can be more effective through collaboration Collaboration is one of the most important aspects of remote working, without it, some tasks would simply be unachievable. When individuals work together openly, processes and goals become more aligned, leading the group toward their...
Ways Teams helps communications while remotely working Communication whilst remotely working is very important for keeping the standard of work and goals aligned for all staff. It also provides a small amount of normality allowing for members of the team to converse, regardless of their...
5 Ways your remote working can be more effective Working from home or remote working poses a particular set of challenges, many of which are different from the office setting challenges we face every day. In this series of blogs, we will be exploring some...
FREE Microsoft 365 Subscription from Urban. Fuelled by the current climate, the demand for efficient and productive remote working has never been greater, and the technology tools on which rely, have transitioned from important to absolutely essential overnight. Those platforms and applications that do not...
Urban signs strategic partnership with flagship email security vendor, Mimecast With the changing trend in the way businesses need to work in response to the challenges experienced during 2020, cyberattack attempts have grown by an alarmingly high 75% within the UK¹. Of the increase in...
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
It is now becoming more important than ever to ensure your business is protected and certified against the cyber risks. Cyber Essentials is the government’s flagship programme that helps businesses take structured steps to become cyber secure. Once achieved, Cyber Essentials provides a certification standard...
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
How would you summarise the level of impact COVID-19 has caused to your business? Along with a variety of other pinpoint questions, in the webinar, we discuss the impact that this worldwide pandemic is causing to the MSPs all around the country, including a...
One of the key measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 is social distancing, which for many organisations means encouraging – or instructing – staff to work from home.
The cumulative volume of coronavirus-related email lures and other threats is the largest collection of attack types exploiting a single theme for years, possibly ever. The total volume of phishing emails and other security threats relating to the Covid-19 coronavirus now represents the largest...
Organisations in the UK and Netherlands are more exposed to high-risk vulnerabilities than any others in Europe, with misconfiguration a major challenge, according to new data from Outpost24. The security provider analysed vulnerability data collected from over two million assets across 10 markets, over a 12-month...
Security experts say a spike in email scams linked to coronavirus is the worst they have seen in years. Cyber-criminals are targeting individuals as well as industries, including aerospace, transport, manufacturing, hospitality, healthcare and insurance. Phishing emails written in English, French, Italian, Japanese, and...
The email addresses and travel details of about 10,000 people who used free wi-fi at UK railway stations have been exposed online. Network Rail and the service provider C3UK confirmed the incident three days after being contacted by BBC News about the matter.
(Image credit: GettyImages) A Virgin Media database containing the personal details of 900,000 people was left unsecured and accessible online for 10 months, the company has admitted. The information was accessed “on at least one occasion” by an unknown user. The database, which was for...
(Image credit: Shutterstock) Hackers employed a clever trick to get users to enable macros in a malicious Word document. The cybercriminals behind a recent phishing campaign used a fake Norton LifeLock document in order to trick victims into installing a remote access trojan (RAT) on their systems....
(Image credit: Shutterstock.com / Tharnapoom Voranavin) Employee and user data leaked due to unsecured server. Sporting company Decathlon has suffered a massive data breach exposing records of over 123 million users and employees. According to researchers at vpnMentor, more than 9GB of data was leaked from...
A new variant of the notorious Emotet Windows malware is able to spread wirelessly by brute-forcing Wi-Fi network passwords and scanning for shared drives to infect. The wormification of the trojan attack was detected by researchers at Binary Defense, who this month reported that the...
A new variant of the notorious Emotet Windows malware is able to spread wirelessly by brute-forcing Wi-Fi network passwords and scanning for shared drives to infect. The wormification of the trojan attack was detected by researchers at Binary Defense, who this month reported that the...
Software nasties targeted at MacOS are on the increase faster than ones for Windows, according to antivirus biz Malwarebytes. Malicious software targeting users of Apple Macs has leapt over the last year, the security outfit said in its latest State of Malware report. Describing this...
Prolific malware turned botnet shows no signs of slowing down as campaigns are launched against financial institutions in the US and UK. A notorious malware campaign is targeting banks and financial institutions in the US and the UK with cyberattacks that are not only destructive in their...
The desktop platform of WhatsApp has more than 1.5 billion monthly active users. The flaw affected WhatsApp desktop versions prior to 0.3.9309 when paired with WhatsApp for iPhone versions prior to 2.20.10. Researchers have reported a vulnerability in WhatsApp desktop client for iPhones which...
Remember the recent payment card breach at Wawa convenience stores? If you’re among those millions of customers who shopped at any of 850 Wawa stores last year but haven’t yet hotlisted your cards, it’s high time to take immediate action. That’s because hackers have finally...
The popular misconception that Macs don’t get viruses has become a lot less popular in recent years, as Apple devices have weathered their fair share of bugs. But it’s still surprising that the most prolific malware on macOS – by one count, affecting one in ten...
At least 200 people who were cheated out of more than $441,000 in total. To prevent yourself from falling to these traps, visit actionfraud.police.uk to know what to do and when. Recently, scammers impersonating representatives from Amazon were reported calling up Amazon users and offering...
According to the Google security team, the wave of fraudulent transactions began earlier this month. Tech giant Google has confirmed that all commercial extensions have been temporarily suspended from being published or updated in the Chrome Web Store in the wake of a significant...
UK businesses were deluged with cyber-attacks in 2019, with the average firm hit by over half a million attempts to compromise systems, according to new stats from Beaming. The Hastings-based business Internet Service Provider (ISP) extrapolated the findings from data on its own corporate customers across...
WannaCry was “the most ordinary type of hack” in 2019 Despite some security analysts saying the is dead, ransomware continues being one of the most popular and most devastating types of malware out there. A new report by PreciseSecurity.com claims that almost a quarter (23.56...
Let us guide your business to the Fort of Cyber Security! Cyber threats are everywhere… It’s important to understand the current trends in security threats; enabling you to identify your vulnerabilities and better protect your sensitive data. Cyber Security is largely about being aware...
In the digital age, internet connectivity is as vital to our livelihoods as electricity. Despite being in the country’s capital, you might still be suffering from a lack of full fibre broadband, which is holding back the productivity of your business and is ultimately costing you time & money.
We shouldn’t have to sit back and suffer… with the dangerous rate of attacks taking place, why should we not learn lessons from what’s happened and use those lessons to better advance our defences for next time?
In the rise of threats to our valuable & private data, cyber-criminals are forever creating new ways to disrupt and defraud our professional and personal lives. One of the many cyber threats that has seen a sharp increase in activity within recent years is Ransomware.
After recently celebrating their 9th year in business, HallidayMarx enjoyed some exciting news that their head office was moving to Lime Street in London. As a long-term valued client to Urban Network, we were proudly on-hand to deliver a seamless transition across all things technology...
Your details might be all over the Dark Web… what is it? Around 3% of the internet cordoned off typically for illegal activity. Identified as the ‘Dark Web’, untraceable and difficult to access, it is therefore a prime location for the shared activities between criminals of all kinds.
Thieves are stealing from you… but, no longer are they climbing out of the bedroom window with your television. Today’s cyber criminals want to get access to your valuable & sensitive data, and with some slightly more sophisticated tools at their disposal...
Thieves are stealing from you… but, no longer are they climbing out of the bedroom window with your television. Today’s cyber criminals want to get access to your valuable & sensitive data, and with some slightly more sophisticated tools at their disposal...
On January 14th 2020 Microsoft will end extended support for the Windows 7 Operating System. This is known in tech terms as end-of-life for the software. So, what does this mean and how do you prepare for Windows 7 End of Life?
Disaster recovery and business continuity planning should be considered a critical aspect of running a business. These 7 key principles of Business Continuity will help you get started in the right direction when crafting an effective business continuity plan. 1. Get employees involved Business Continuity...
Why backup and data protection is critical for a business? It is important to understand why backup is critical for a business. Today’s businesses are creating more data than ever and you need a robust backup and data protection for your business sensitive data. Successful...
Why do you need an IT Security Checklist? According to the Government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2017: 46% of all UK businesses identified a cyber security breach or attack in the last 12 months 6 in 10 of those who identified breaches also say the...
This blog outlines how to set up email redirect in Outlook and Outlook Web App (OWA) You can use Outlook Inbox Rules to redirect any messages you received that match conditions specified in the Rule to another email account. There are two methods to set...
This blog outlines how to set up Outlook auto forward, including Outlook Web App. You can use Outlook Inbox Rules to forward any messages you received that match conditions specified in the Rule to another email account. There are two methods to set up an...
There are two ways to set up an email account on iOS. This blog will show you step by step how to set up automatically and manually your email account on iPhone, iPad. I. Set up your email account on iOS automatically 1. Go to...
There are two methods to set up an Outlook Out of Office (Automatic Replies) when using Microsoft’s Office 365. You can use the local Outlook application or the Outlook Web App via a browser. This blog will show you step by step how to set...
This month is a special month for Urban Network: our 15th anniversary! In 2003, our founders Perry and Stuart quit their jobs and embarked on a journey with a vision of becoming a leading IT provider, providing a unique customer-focused service. Fifteen years later, Urban...
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Imagine if you were hit with a major server failure… There’s no way to predict the future, and Murphy’s Law tells us that anything that can go wrong will go wrong. There are many sources of downtime. Some of the common causes are human error,...
Patch Management is one of the five key technical controls required in the UK Government-backed Cyber Essentials Scheme. Why Patch Management is important? Vulnerabilities or security flaws are common in software and are frequently discovered. Once known, it can quickly be exploited by malicious individuals...
Malware Protection is one of the five key technical controls required in the UK Government-backed Cyber Essentials Scheme. Why Malware Protection is important? An organisation should implement robust malware software on devices that have access to or are accessible from the Internet. Malware, such as...
Access Control is one of the five key technical controls required in the UK Government-backed Cyber Essentials Scheme. Why Access Control is important? This control aims to ensure that only authorised individuals have user accounts and have access and at the appropriate level to reduce...
Secure Configuration is one of the five key technical controls required in the UK Government-backed Cyber Essentials Scheme. Why Secure Configuration is important? A new computer, network devices or installed software cannot be considered secure upon default configurations. Standard or factory settings often use administrator...
Boundary Firewall & Internet Gateway is one of the five key technical controls required in the UK Government-backed Cyber Essentials Scheme. Why Boundary Firewall and Internet Gateway is important? This control applies to every business where employees have access to the Internet. Boundary Firewall and...
Over the past 12 months, we were busy producing useful blog content for our amazing audience of social followers, email subscribers, customers, and customers-to-be. Didn’t have time to read it all? Here are the top 9 most popular posts of 2017. #1 – What General...
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What should business look for in their Outsourced IT Provider? One of the hardest decisions any business needs to make is who their partners will be. This is especially true when it comes to technology partnerships, as they can become integral to everything you do...
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) replaces the Data Protection Act (DPA) in May 2018. It provides a new data protection framework to cover the collection, processing and protection of personal data on EU citizens and will have an impact on all business. Why...
We are proud to announce that Urban Network have achieved the Information Assurance for Small and Medium Enterprises (IASME) Governance Gold standard in addition to our existing Cyber Essentials accreditation. About the IASME Governance standard The IASME Governance standard, based on international best practices and...
Mayday was growing rapidly, nearly double its size and turnover since last year. It soon realised that the existing IT system and infrastructure were not sufficient to keep pace with its growth. They were starting to search for a flexible IT partner who would react...
More than 90% of targeted attacks start with email as cybercriminals look to gain access to your organisation. With sophisticated cyber attacks on the rise, your email security must keep up. Microsoft is continuing to wage on war on phishing attacks and email scam with...
We are delighted to announce that Urban Network have been named B2B Reseller of the Year at the annual Network Group Awards in Brighton. Now in their 7th year with 14 prestigious awards on offer, the Network Group Awards celebrates the best in business and...
Customer at a Glance 21construction Industry Construction Size Over 35 users Website http://www.21construction.co.uk Urban Network Customer Since 2016 Founded in 2012, 21construction provides high quality fit out and refurbishment to clients and consultant teams in London and the South East of England. They specialise as...
Today there are so many great ways to learn and improve your business; you can read blogs, attend webinars, listen to podcasts and watch videos on YouTube to name a few. So why would you bother with the time and expense of an in-person conference...
We are finalist in the 2017 Network Group Awards! We are delighted to announce that Urban Network have received double nominations in this year’s Network Group Awards in two categories: Business to Business Reseller of the Year and Managed Service Provider of the Year. The...
Windows Vista End of Support is coming next month on April 11, 2017. What “End of support” means for you? Microsoft has provided support for Windows Vista for the past 10 years but after April 11, 2017, Windows Vista customers will no longer receive new...
Read on and you will find more interesting facts about our Managing Director. 1. How long have you been at Urban Network? Since the beginning of Urban time – 14 years 2. Describe your role at Urban Network in one sentence Oversight of the inner...
Customer at a Glance Jackson Stops & Staff Industry Property Management Size Over 150 users across 13 sites Website www.jackson-stops.co.uk Urban Network Customer Since 2005 Jackson-Stops & Staff are specialists in prime residential property with a national network of over 40 offices. Towards the end...
Are you prepared in the event of data loss, natural disaster, cyber-attack, hardware failure or human error? Every business has to prepare for the worst. That’s why we put together this “Ultimate Disaster Recovery Checklist” to help you stay one step ahead of unforeseen dramas....
You may have heard of Moore’s Law which is an observation of the speed in the advancement of computing power. The most simplistic way to describe this is that computing power doubles roughly every year to year and a half. This prediction has pretty much...
Today’s big IT advantages come with major risks. Your networks and systems serve as your silent partner in operations. Should they fail – and when they do, it’s usually without warning – you’re exposed not just to an IT problem, but to a potentially large...
Our Desktop Assistant, Monitoring & Automation tool – Sentinel is getting an upgrade, new code that allows us to make use of available technology, improving the services we deliver to our clients. Along with the new Sentinel code comes a new icon for the System...
Urban Network has been announced as the winner of Customer Service Award at the Thames Gateway Business Awards event, which took places in Canary Wharf, hosted by BBC business journalist Declan Curry on October 28, 2016. In the Customer Service Award category, the judges are...
Security breached are costly and rarely a day goes without you seeing a headline about a new data breach. You might wonder how best to keep yourself safe online. One simple advice: reinforcing the basics. Follow these simple steps in the infographic “10 steps for...
A strong password is your first defence against hackers and cyber criminals. This month is Cyber Security Awareness Month, we will share simple tips on how to create secure password to protect yourself online. DO DON’T Create unique passwords that use a combination of words,...
In 2015, we observed an increase of macro-based malware along with the spike in spam volume. The majority of the macro-based attacks often start with spammed messages containing attachments such as Microsoft Word document and Excel files. These messages often use attention-grabbing topics, mostly related...
There are numerous ways to spot a fake email. The list below is not exhaustive but covers most common types of phishing attempts. The message contains poor spelling and grammar Whenever a large company sends out a message on behalf of the company as a...
The World Wide Web is a wonderful thing, never has it been so easy to find information, research your favourite topics or shop from the comfort of your armchair; it’s brilliant. But, it is also a haven for bad software, viruses and spyware (Spyware is...
What is Malvertising? Malvertising, short for malicious online advertising, is a combination that describes the cybercrime of using advertising on websites to proliferate malware. This is now one of the most successful ways that cybercriminals have of spreading bad code, or malware and infecting machines....
In some cases, cybercriminals may have managed to gain access to systems belonging to somebody that you know and trust or potentially they have spoofed their address (sending with the correct email address, but not actually gaining control of the person’s accounts). This could be...
What is Phone Phishing, Voice Phising or Vishing? Phone Phishing or Vishing (short for Voice Phishing) is a rising type of Social Engineering fraud. It is becoming popular as it adds a level of human manipulation into the attack. The scam artist will initiate a...
![[CyberSecurity Blog Series] Spear Phishing](https://www.urbannetwork.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/CyberSecurity-Blog-Series-Spear-Phishing-1.jpg)
What is Spear Phishing? Spear Phishing is a form of Social Engineering. It may be defined as ‘highly targeted phishing aimed at specific individuals or groups within an organisation’. Due to the amount of information that can be found freely with just a little digging...
What is Phishing? Phishing is the most popular form of Social Engineering. Via email mainly, this describes when an email is received that resembles an authentic email sometimes (but not necessarily) even from a genuine sender. These emails are trying to illicit a response that...
![[CyberSecurity Blog Series] Social Engineering](https://www.urbannetwork.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/CyberSecurity-Blog-Series-Social-Engineering-1.jpg)
What is Social Engineering? When the term ‘Social Engineering’ is used in the context of cybersecurity, or cybercrime it is a generic term for any attempt to have an end user assist the perpetrator by having them do something. Outside of the cyber realm this...
We are excited and proud to announce that we’ve been selected as finalist in this year’s Thames Gateway Business Awards in the “Customer Service” category. Great customer service is at the core of everything we do and our customer’s experience of our service is paramount...
The reality is that EVERY business and individual are at risk from cybercrime and awareness is perhaps the most important defence against these threats. In this blog, the first installment of our CyberSecurity Blog series, we will be giving you an overview of current cybers...
As many of our clients may know, Urban Network are proactive in helping community and charity as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility. We are proud to be able to support public initiatives in our immediate surrounding area, and to be able to contribute toward...
Slow computers are the bane of most people’s existence and can put anyone in a bad mood. Luckily our tech guys have picked up 9 simple and free tools for you to help keep your computer performance at its best. Getting a message that your...
In the last edition of CompTIA “Spotlight on Success” blog series, our CEO Perry Ashby, a member of CompTIA’s UK Channel Community Executive Council, shares his insight about the impact, cultural changes and positive results of growing talent. CompTIA: What has been the biggest achievement...
We are delighted to announce that Urban Network has obtained the Sophos Managed Service Provider (MSP) Connect accreditations, one of only five companies in the UK currently with this status. With constant emerging threats and the enormous business costs associated with data breaches, it is...
Here at Urban Network, we offer a full range of services, and these include physical cabling within our customers premises, and beyond at larger locations with sprawling estates. We have specialist technicians with years of experience providing high quality certified structured cabling, and CCTV installations....
![[Infographic] 12 things you didn't know about Urban Network](https://www.urbannetwork.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/12-things-you-didnt-know-about-Urban-Network-Infographic.jpg)
Do you know we watch 4000 hours of movies a month? Sort of… Who’s our favourite politician? What Superhero do we think has the worst superpower? What colour makes Butterflies hiccup? None of these questions are answered below… Discover more about the world of Urban...
We are pleased to announce that Perry Ashby, CEO of Urban Network has been elected to CompTIA’s UK Channel Community Executive Council. Urban Network joined CompTIA UK Channel Community in 2014 and has been an active member. Perry was elected by the community members in...
WE MADE IT!! Woohooo! We are excited to announce that Urban Network won Silver Award at the Essex Digital Awards 2016 on April 14 at the Weston Homes Community Stadium, Colchester. The Essex Digital Awards was set up in 2013 to recognise the online achievements...
This April the Urban Network team will head to the annual Sophos Partner Conference and Global Awards ceremony in Cannes on the French Riviera. With Urban Network having selected SOPHOS UTM devices for our Portfolio in 2015, we have achieved great success in providing these...
Your business can’t afford without protection, especially when the threats of downtime is all around you (network outages, human error, disaster, cyber attack, etc.) Traditional backup methods such as tape, disk, and strict NAS devices are no longer sufficient. In fact, leading edge business owners...
We are delighted to announce that Urban Network have been nominated as finalists in this year’s Network Group Awards in the Business to Business Reseller category. The event, to be held at the Hilton Brighton Metropole on the 28th of April is the group’s 6th...
Most companies have decided they need the business agility and want the cost savings that come when moving to the cloud. But with the bewildering amount of contradictory information floating around on the Internet, not many really understand exactly what that means or what it...
On the occasion of the National Apprenticeship Week 2016, Urban Network co-founders Perry and Stuart shared their thoughts on why Urban Network has taken on apprentices and on their positives impact on the business. “We knew that we were going to grow the business, and...
We are very excited and proud to announce that we’ve been selected as finalist in this year’s Essex Digital Awards in the “B2B Website in association with Essex Chambers of Commerce” category. The Essex Digital Awards is the first and only scheme dedicated to recognising...
As a guess, half of your employees love the file server, since it is fast, easy, and centralises all work files in a single location on the network at the main office. The other half of your of employees more than likely hate the file...
Kelvin has been with Urban Network for over a year as a Helpdesk Analyst apprentice. Today, he shares his inspirational thoughts on his decision to choose an apprenticeship with us and how this has opened the door to a career in IT. Why did you...
Love it or hate it, the Cloud is now ever-present in corporate life. It is now commonplace for businesses, big or small to access cloud services in some form or other as part of their day-to-day business operations. It has also been widely documented that...
Virtually every employee today has a smartphone. Many also have tablets, such as iPads and Android devices. Most businesses are underutilising these devices, because they belong to the employee in most cases. Ignoring these Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) devices is a mistake. Your hyper-connected...
At Urban Network, we are extremely proud of our smart and talented people. We will introduce a new blog series where you’ll get an inside peak into what make Urban Network so unique – our team members. We kicked off the series with the most...
London, UK, October 6, 2015 – Urban Network, a London-based Managed Service Provider announced today it has received the CompTIA IT Business Trustmark™, a respected industry credential that signifies its commitment to sound business practices and quality service. “Earning this credential identifies Urban Network as...
Our customer is a London based transformation consultancy, providing business coaching, executive placements, leadership training and workforce assessments to name a few services. Urban Network recently performed a comprehensive project to upgrade legacy Microsoft 2003 server systems for the business to a hybrid cloud storage...
The World’s Biggest Coffee Morning is Macmillan Cancer Support’s biggest fundraising event where they ask people across the UK to hold a coffee morning and raise money for people living with cancer. Last year, Macmillan Cancer Support has raised a record £25 million and funded...
Broadband Connection Vouchers are being delivered by 50 cities across the UK. Each local scheme is designed to meet the needs of their local area and to help local businesses to grow and develop. The Government has extended the Connection Voucher Scheme with £40m of...
Miz is our Helpdesk Analyst apprentice and has been with Urban Network for more than a year. Today, he shares his inspirational thoughts on his decision to choose an Apprenticeship over university and the proudest achievements during his apprenticeship with us. Why did you decide...
London – June 30, 2015 – Urban Network, a London-based IT Managed Service Provider has today announced a new channel partnership with Sophos, a global IT security leader, to deliver Sophos Unified Threat Management (UTM) as its sole UTM solution. This collaboration is allowing Urban...
Make your Mac users more productive with Office 2016 for Mac. Office works great across multiple devices and platforms, and it’s included in your Office 365 subscription. See what’s new and improved since Office 2011 New! Jumpstart your work with one of the thousands of...
Last week, our CEO Perry Ashby attended “It’s a Knock Out!” Summer Fun event at Ardencote Manor Hotel, Warwick. The event, organised every year by the Network Group, the UK’s leading technology community provided a great opportunity for networking, product showcase, and business meeting. Dressed...
After July 14, Microsoft will no longer issue security updates for any version of Windows Server 2003. If you are still running Windows Server 2003 in your datacentre, you need to take steps now to plan and execute a migration strategy to protect your infrastructure....
It’s National Apprenticeship Week, time to celebrate apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, businesses and the wider economy. At Urban Network, apprenticeships are an important part of our culture which focuses on people. We would like to take the opportunity to say...
Urban Network recently delivered a fully managed WiFi system to one of our clients in the hospitality sector. We delivered free and paid Internet service options to all users within the building. The client now is able to collect information on everyone accessing their WiFi...
The Urbanites are making the world better with a sweater this Friday! Christmas Jumper Day is an annual fundraising campaign in the UK organised by Save the Children, a charity supporting vulnerable children across the world. On Friday December 12, we encouraged the Urban team...
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