What we have learned, written down.
Every one of these started as a call from somebody who did not see it coming. They are here so the next person does.
314 articles · page 2 of 14
Backups that fail when you need them most
Tax season has a way of exposing whatever was quietly broken in the background. One failed laptop, five days before a deadline, and suddenly the backup nobody thought to check becomes the most important thing in the room. Read on to find out what actually separates a backup that works from one that only looks like it does.
The shared computer no one manages
The front desk computer is one of those things that just exists in a business. Nobody quite owns it, everyone uses it, and it rarely makes anyone's list of things to review. That turns out to matter more than most people expect. Read on to find out why.
Software vendors changing terms mid-cycle
Your software hasn't changed, but the vendor has. A renewal notice with a price you didn't budget for, and a deadline that doesn't leave much room to think, is more common than most business owners realize. Find out what your real options are before the clock runs out.
Your systems used in attacks without signs
Your business email goes out, your devices keep running, and everything looks completely normal, but somewhere in the background your systems are quietly being used to attack other people. Read on to find out how this happens and what stops it.
When the Top Google Ad Is the Malware
Someone on your team searches for a software download, clicks the top Google result, and ends up with more than they bargained for. There was no phishing email and no suspicious link, just a paid ad at the top of the page dressed up to look exactly like the real thing. This one is worth reading before it happens to you.
The Scam That Earns Trust Before Taking Money
Most scams are easy to spot because they're rushed, but this one isn't; it takes weeks to build a friendship, a connection, or a professional relationship before any money is ever mentioned. By the time it happens, you're already convinced, so read on to find out what to watch for.
The IT Work Most Business Rebrands Miss
The logo's sorted, the announcement is ready, and then the emails start bouncing. A rebrand touches far more systems than most owners expect. Here's what's actually involved.
Where Your Business Data Actually Lives
You've signed up for cloud tools, accounting software, maybe a project management app. But here's a question most business owners have never thought to ask: where is that data physically sitting right now? The answer might surprise you, and it matters more than you think.
What Happens After an App Accesses Your Contacts
When an app asks to access your contacts, most people tap Allow and move on. But that list contains names, numbers, and email addresses belonging to people who never agreed to share anything. What actually happens to that data once it leaves your phone might change the way you look at that permission prompt forever.
How a Physical Break‑In Becomes a Data Breach
Most business owners who get broken into file a police report, call their insurer, and consider it handled. But there's a part of a physical break-in that insurance won't cover and most businesses never see coming until it's already too late. This one is worth a read.
Paying for IT Security That Was Never There
How one client discovered their "managed" network had never been managed at all, and what we found when we opened the hood.
How scammers are using Google Forms to get in
Scammers have found a clever new way in, and it starts somewhere you'd never suspect: a Google Form. If you or someone you know is job hunting, this one is worth a read before clicking anything that looks like an opportunity.
Paying for IT you no longer use without knowing it
You know what you pay for rent and payroll. But do you know what you are spending on IT you no longer use? Old laptops gathering dust, software renewing on autopilot, duplicate accounts nobody coordinated. This month's article reveals where to look and how much you might be losing without realizing it.
What stuck Windows updates are actually doing
If your computer has ever been stuck on a Windows update for so long that you gave up and held the power button down, you're not alone. But depending on what's actually going on inside your machine, that decision might be making things worse. Here's what the screen isn't telling you.
What happens to your data after hardware is returned
Most businesses sign a hardware lease, file the paperwork, and never look at it again. The servers arrive, do their job, and years pass. What tends to get missed is what happens at the other end: when the equipment goes back, where it goes, and what is still on it. This one is worth a read before that conversation becomes urgent.
The real cost of a broken first week on the job
Most businesses measure the cost of a bad hire. Almost none measure the cost of a bad first week. If your new staff member spent their first day waiting on a login, chasing a software license that belonged to someone who left, or borrowing time from a colleague just to get started, that is not a people problem. Read on to find out where the process actually breaks down.
Why ransomware hits even businesses with backups
Most business owners feel safe knowing their backups are there. What they don't know is that for a growing number of ransomware victims, the backups were already gone before the ransom note ever appeared. Read on to find out how that happens, and what it means for you.
If staff use AI without guidance, risks follow.
If your staff have access to AI tools and you haven't given them any guidance, the safe assumption is they're already using them. This month we're looking at what that means for your business and what good oversight actually looks like.
Early hard drive failure signs most people miss.
Most people assume a dying hard drive makes itself obvious. It usually doesn't. This month we're covering the early signs most people miss, and why acting quickly makes all the difference.
Proving security matters as much as having it.
Most businesses have some security in place. Very few can actually prove it when someone asks. This month's article covers what "reasonable security" means in a legal context and why the documentation matters just as much as the measures themselves.
Why the cheapest IT quote often costs the most.
When two IT quotes land on your desk and one is notably cheaper, the instinct is to ask what the expensive one is charging for. The better question is what the cheap one has left out. Read this month's article to find out.
Morning battery drain? It's usually not the laptop.
Is your laptop struggling to make it past morning tea? Before you start shopping for a new one, it's worth knowing that in most cases, the laptop is fine. It's just the battery. This month's article breaks down why it happens and what to do about it.
Personal device on your network: hidden risks.
Your newest employee connected their personal device to your network today. Nobody told them not to. Here is what that means.
The warning behind bad chargers
Most people have dealt with a charger that only works when it’s held at a strange angle. It gets propped up with a book, adjusted just right, and left alone so it doesn’t lose connection. What seems like a small annoyance is usually a warning sign of something failing.