# INK Networks > London IT Support and Managed IT Service Provider --- ## Pages - [Planet Mark](https://inknetworks.co.uk/planet-mark/) - [IT support](https://inknetworks.co.uk/it-support/) - [Professional Services](https://inknetworks.co.uk/it-consultancy-and-professional-services/) - [Secure Cloud Solutions](https://inknetworks.co.uk/secure-cloud-solutions/) - [Cyber Security](https://inknetworks.co.uk/cyber-security/) - [Internet and Telephony](https://inknetworks.co.uk/internet-and-telephony/) - [Hardware and software procurement](https://inknetworks.co.uk/hardware-and-software-procurement/) - [Web space services](https://inknetworks.co.uk/web-space-services/) - [2022 the year to reboot your business](https://inknetworks.co.uk/2022-the-year-to-reboot-your-business/) - [book-a-meeting](https://inknetworks.co.uk/book-a-meeting/) - [Book an Appointment](https://inknetworks.co.uk/book-an-appointment/) - [New Starter Request](https://inknetworks.co.uk/new-starter-request/) - [Contact Us](https://inknetworks.co.uk/contact-us/) - [Private Cloud Solutions](https://inknetworks.co.uk/private-cloud-solutions/) - [Case Studies](https://inknetworks.co.uk/case-studies/) - [About](https://inknetworks.co.uk/about/) - [Affiliate](https://inknetworks.co.uk/affiliate/) - [Remote Working Strategy’s for SMB’s](https://inknetworks.co.uk/remote-working-strategys-for-smbs/) - [Help! I’m trapped between the chaos of changing to Office 365, and the loss of productivity my business faces without it!](https://inknetworks.co.uk/help-im-trapped-between-the-chaos-of-changing-to-office-365-and-the-loss-of-productivity-my-business-faces-without-it/) - [Help! I'm lost in a maze of IT options and don’t know which ones to select for our growing business.](https://inknetworks.co.uk/help-im-lost-in-a-maze-of-it-options-and-dont-know-which-ones-to-select-for-our-growing-business/) - [Help! My current provider is charging me a fortune IT, and I don’t even know whether it is contributing to the success of my business!](https://inknetworks.co.uk/help-my-current-provider-is-charging-me-a-fortune-it-and-i-dont-even-know-whether-it-is-contributing-to-the-success-of-my-business/) - [Help! The stress of moving my office IT to a new location is making my head spin.](https://inknetworks.co.uk/help-the-stress-of-moving-my-office-it-to-a-new-location-is-making-my-head-spin/) - [Help! My business needs a dedicated server, and I have no idea how to set this up!](https://inknetworks.co.uk/help-my-business-needs-a-dedicated-server-and-i-have-no-idea-how-to-set-this-up/) - [Help! I'm sick of asking employees to get off of Instagram and focus on what they should be doing online!](https://inknetworks.co.uk/help-im-sick-of-asking-employees-to-get-off-of-instagram-and-focus-on-what-they-should-be-doing-online/) - [Help! I don't know my hard drive from my multi-function device. But it's up to me to choose the hardware for my business.](https://inknetworks.co.uk/help-i-dont-know-my-hard-drive-from-my-multi-function-device-but-its-up-to-me-to-choose-the-hardware-for-my-business/) - [IT Situations](https://inknetworks.co.uk/it-situations/) - [Help! The thought of losing critical business data is keeping me up at night!](https://inknetworks.co.uk/help-the-thought-of-losing-critical-business-data-is-keeping-me-up-at-night/) - [Reviews](https://inknetworks.co.uk/reviews/) - [Office 365](https://inknetworks.co.uk/office-365-london-2/) - [Feedback](https://inknetworks.co.uk/feedback/) - [Shop](https://inknetworks.co.uk/shop/) - [Support Request](https://inknetworks.co.uk/support-request/): Log a Support Ticket - [Thank You](https://inknetworks.co.uk/thank-you/): Thank You We will be in touch shortly. In the meantime why not read one of our blogs. - [Privacy Policy](https://inknetworks.co.uk/privacy-policy/): INK Professional Privacy Policy Your privacy is our main concern Who We Are This Privacy Policy sets out how INK... - [Cookie Policy](https://inknetworks.co.uk/cookie-policy/): INK Networks Cookies Policy A managed service provider that takes full responsibility of your infrastructure. About cookies A cookie is... - [Blog](https://inknetworks.co.uk/blog/) - [Pricing](https://inknetworks.co.uk/pricing/) - [Features](https://inknetworks.co.uk/features/) - [Learn](https://inknetworks.co.uk/learn/) - [Managed IT Support in Holborn, London | INK Networks](https://inknetworks.co.uk/) - [Professional Partners](https://inknetworks.co.uk/our-partners/) - [Some of our Clients](https://inknetworks.co.uk/it-managed-services-london/) - [Latest News](https://inknetworks.co.uk/latest-news/) - [Professional Services](https://inknetworks.co.uk/professional-services/): INK Professional Services Have new systems Implemented or migrated with minimal disruption to your day to day business. PC Deployment... - [IT Relocation](https://inknetworks.co.uk/it-relocation/): INK Relocation Safely move your office equipment from point A to B, without all the hassle. Moving Desktops and Hardware... - [IT Recycling](https://inknetworks.co.uk/it-recycling/) --- ## Posts - [Openreach axes connection fees for low-income homes](https://inknetworks.co.uk/openreach-axes-connection-fees-for-low-income-homes/): Openreach will install broadband for free to UK households on universal credit which have no other earnings. The company would... - [Microsoft's plan to remake Windows — what that might mean](https://inknetworks.co.uk/microsofts-plan-to-remake-windows-what-that-might-mean/): In two weeks, Microsoft, plans to unveil the "next generation" of Windows. But isn't Windows 10 supposed to be the... - [Managing employee security risks during lockdown](https://inknetworks.co.uk/managing-employee-security-risks-during-lockdown/): COVID-19 doesn’t have to compromise your organisation’s security Security is something that every business should be thinking about; it’s an... - [Microsoft CEO warns of video call fatigue](https://inknetworks.co.uk/microsoft-ceo-warns-of-video-call-fatigue/): Satya Nadella suggests workers need the 'cognitive break' of a commute for their wellbeing Businesses need to consider the effects... - [Huawei passes Samsung as world's biggest smartphone brand](https://inknetworks.co.uk/huawei-passes-samsung-as-worlds-biggest-smartphone-brand/): The Chinese firm has taken "full advantage" of its homeland's economic recovery, according to analysts Embattled Chinese firm Huawei shipped... - [HDMI vs DVI: What’s the best AV input?](https://inknetworks.co.uk/hdmi-vs-dvi-whats-the-best-av-input/): We put the biggest AV technologies against each other in our display cable comparison While the sight of masses of cables going... - [Windows 10 business users face new update restrictions](https://inknetworks.co.uk/windows-10-business-users-face-new-update-restrictions/): The timeframe in which enterprise customers can delay feature updates has been slashed from 365 days to 35 Microsoft has... - [The top 12 password-cracking techniques used by hackers](https://inknetworks.co.uk/the-top-12-password-cracking-techniques-used-by-hackers/): Some of the most common, and most effective, methods for stealing passwords Passwords are the bane of any cyber security... - [Hackers are wreaking havoc on Google’s Cloud infrastructure](https://inknetworks.co.uk/hackers-are-wreaking-havoc-on-googles-cloud-infrastructure/): Attackers use Google Firebase storage URLs to trick users into giving up their login credentials According to Cyware, researchers at Trustwave recently discovered... - [Intel releases Wi-Fi and Bluetooth driver updates for Windows 10](https://inknetworks.co.uk/intel-releases-wi-fi-and-bluetooth-driver-updates-for-windows-10/): But the update isn't automatic - here's how to download it Intel has released an update for its Wi-Fi and Bluetooth drivers on... - [Security cited as a key challenge of managing IT in-house](https://inknetworks.co.uk/security-cited-as-a-key-challenge-of-managing-it-in-house/): Growing issue is also fuelling managed services consideration, claims NTT report Reducing security risks is the biggest challenge faced by IT teams... - [Life under lockdown – why we miss office work culture](https://inknetworks.co.uk/life-under-lockdown-why-we-miss-office-work-culture/): From communication problems to cyber security issues, working from home can be a stressful experience On 23 March, Prime Minister... - [The 11 best Outlook tips for increasing productivity](https://inknetworks.co.uk/the-11-best-outlook-tips-for-increasing-productivity/): Want to become an Outlook expert? Here are the 18 best Outlook tips that can make handling your email and... - [How to enhance your backup strategy](https://inknetworks.co.uk/how-to-enhance-your-backup-strategy-2/): No matter what stage your organisation’s backup strategy is at, there is always room to improve It's easy to think... - [You'll soon be able to make calls directly from inside Windows 10](https://inknetworks.co.uk/youll-soon-be-able-to-make-calls-directly-from-inside-windows-10/): The 'Your Phone' desktop app is getting call support, making it a serious rival to Apple's macOS iMessage and FaceTime... - [Employees warned against holding on to sensitive data when quitting a job](https://inknetworks.co.uk/employees-warned-against-holding-on-to-sensitive-data-when-quitting-a-job/): ICO says it will take a tough stance against those found in breach of Data Protection Act 2018 The Information Commissioner's... - [What is 4G?](https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-is-4g/): A look at the fourth generation of mobile networking technology and its availability in the UK 4G represents the fourth... - [What is the paperless office?](https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-is-the-paperless-office/): And is it ever possible to be one? Paper has brought the world more than just means of delivering communication... - [Decade-old vulnerability found in globally popular office phone](https://inknetworks.co.uk/decade-old-vulnerability-found-in-globally-popular-office-phone/): Avaya's VOIP phones are used by 90% of Fortune 100 companies A decade-old vulnerability has been found in the firmware... - [Google discloses slew of iMessage vulnerabilities](https://inknetworks.co.uk/google-discloses-slew-of-imessage-vulnerabilities/): Apple urges all users to update their devices to iOS 12. 4 Google's Project Zero has discovered six flaws in... - [What is a managed IT service?](https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-is-a-managed-it-service/): With two-thirds of businesses using managed services, learn about what managed IT services are and how they’re being used The... - [Infographic: Why your business needs to migrate to Windows 10 now](https://inknetworks.co.uk/infographic-why-your-business-needs-to-migrate-to-windows-10-now/): Windows 7 is out. Windows 10 is in. If you haven’t already, it’s time to move on. Windows 7 has... - [London Underground to get line-wide 4G coverage in 2020](https://inknetworks.co.uk/london-underground-to-get-line-wide-4g-coverage-in-2020/): The Jubilee line will be the first to enjoy internet connectivity inside the tunnels The Jubilee line of London's Underground... - [Microsoft kicks Windows 10 users into adopting May 2019 Update](https://inknetworks.co.uk/microsoft-kicks-windows-10-users-into-adopting-may-2019-update/): Machines using build 1803 will be upgraded to avoid risk when it reaches end-of-service in November Small businesses and home... - [Our 5-minute guide to security awareness training](https://inknetworks.co.uk/our-5-minute-guide-to-security-awareness-training/): How security awareness training can build resilience in your business and reduce the likelihood of a successful cyber attack The... - [What's the difference between antimalware and antivirus?](https://inknetworks.co.uk/whats-the-difference-between-antimalware-and-antivirus/): We help you navigate the worlds of anti-malware and antivirus Security software is an essential tool for any computer, whether... - [What is bandwidth?](https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-is-bandwidth/): We look at how bandwidth works, and why your internet connection sometimes slows to a crawl... Bandwidth refers to the... - [How to enable private browsing on any browser to keep your search history secret](https://inknetworks.co.uk/how-to-enable-private-browsing-on-any-browser-to-keep-your-search-history-secret/): Whether it's Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Microsoft Edge, here’s how to enable private browsing on every major browser Private... - [Recall for MacBook Pros with "dangerous" batteries](https://inknetworks.co.uk/recall-for-macbook-pros-with-dangerous-batteries/): Apple warns models sold between 2015 and 2017 "may pose a fire safety risk" MacBooks are so hot right now,... - [Three to launch London 5G network in August](https://inknetworks.co.uk/three-to-launch-london-5g-network-in-august/): The telco claims it will offer the “fastest 5G network in the UK” at more than double the speeds of... - [Microsoft Office 365: A cheat sheet](https://inknetworks.co.uk/microsoft-office-365-a-cheat-sheet/): Office 365 provides the productivity tools required by a modern enterprise workforce. This guide covers key details, including available applications,... - [How to stay cyber secure while travelling for business: 6 tips](https://inknetworks.co.uk/how-to-stay-cyber-secure-while-travelling-for-business-6-tips/): More than 70% of business travellers have been at risk for cyber attacks, according to an IBM Security report. Business... - [How to enhance your backup strategy](https://inknetworks.co.uk/how-to-enhance-your-backup-strategy/): No matter what stage your organisation’s backup strategy is at, there is always room to improve It's easy to think... - [How to fix a stuck Windows 10 update](https://inknetworks.co.uk/how-to-fix-a-stuck-windows-10-update/): Has your PC frozen during an update? Here's how to get it running again One of the benefits of running... - [Microsoft wants you to ditch passwords for biometrics](https://inknetworks.co.uk/microsoft-wants-you-to-ditch-passwords-for-biometrics/): CISO Bret Arsenault believes passwords aren't secure enough on their own Microsoft has touted ambitions to move away from passwords... - [Microsoft simplifies data privacy for 365 suite](https://inknetworks.co.uk/microsoft-simplifies-data-privacy-for-365-suite/): Almost a year after GDPR, the tech giant has announced new guidelines for data management Microsoft has unveiled a slew... - [The Windows 7 vulnerabilities businesses must address](https://inknetworks.co.uk/the-windows-7-vulnerabilities-businesses-must-address/): Continuing security risks in Windows 7 mean that an upgrade to Windows 10 is now an essential business decision It... - [What is the 'right to be forgotten'?](https://inknetworks.co.uk/here-home-policy-legislation-data-protection-what-is-the-right-to-be-forgotten/): Everything you need to know about the EU's data-removal ruling The Right to Be Forgotten is now enshrined as part... - [Laptops 10 ways to speed up your laptop](https://inknetworks.co.uk/laptops-10-ways-to-speed-up-your-laptop/): Does your ageing laptop need a boost? We look at the software tweaks and hardware upgrades that will give your... - [17 Windows 10 problems - and how to fix them](https://inknetworks.co.uk/17-windows-10-problems-and-how-to-fix-them-2/): Stop tearing your hair out and follow our tips It took some time but as of January 2019, Windows 10... - [How to factory reset Windows 10](https://inknetworks.co.uk/how-to-factory-reset-windows-10/): If your Windows 10 system isn't playing ball, you can reset it back to its factory conditions Although Windows 10... - [UK welcomes startup tech talent from Africa](https://inknetworks.co.uk/uk-welcomes-startup-tech-talent-from-africa/): Startups from Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa to represent the continent's fastest growing sector in London The UK will welcome... - [Windows 7 security patches officially coming to an end](https://inknetworks.co.uk/windows-7-security-patches-officially-coming-to-an-end/): Despite support ending in January 2020, the Windows 7 market share has increased since 2018 Microsoft has started issuing desktop... - [Windows 10 can automatically uninstall fault-causing updates](https://inknetworks.co.uk/windows-10-can-automatically-uninstall-fault-causing-updates/): The feature will kick in if the computer fails to boot after installing bug fixes Windows 10 may be able... - [NatWest and RBS trial biometric bank card](https://inknetworks.co.uk/natwest-and-rbs-trial-biometric-bank-card/): The card will use an embedded sensor activated by existing card machines to check the user's fingerprint Royal Bank of... - [USB Type C: Everything you need to know](https://inknetworks.co.uk/usb-type-c-everything-you-need-to-know/): USB-C is finally becoming widespread, but what exactly is it, what can it do and how can you upgrade? In... - [Time is up for Windows 7: how do you migrate to Windows 10?](https://inknetworks.co.uk/time-is-up-for-windows-7-how-do-you-migrate-to-windows-10/): Even if you think you're ready, there are hidden problems that could trip you up There's a looming problem on... - [What is SMTP?](https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-is-smtp/): Have you ever wondered how your email gets to its recipient? When sending and receiving emails, most computers use a... - [Government pressing ahead with Making Tax Digital despite calls for further delay](https://inknetworks.co.uk/government-pressing-ahead-with-making-tax-digital-despite-calls-for-further-delay/): Minister delivers an update on the modernisation plans but Labour says businesses need more time to adapt to the new... - [How to share and collaborate on Microsoft Office documents on an iPad](https://inknetworks.co.uk/how-to-share-and-collaborate-on-microsoft-office-documents-on-an-ipad/): Learn how to share and work on the same Microsoft Office documents with other people via your iPad. Microsoft Office... - [What is a SWOT analysis when it comes to business and IT?](https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-is-a-swot-analysis-when-it-comes-to-business-and-it/): How to perform a SWOT analysis, and why your business needs you to You may have heard the expression “SWOT”... - [What is VoIP? How to choose the perfect system](https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-is-voip-how-to-choose-the-perfect-system/): Here's what you should look for when picking an internet phone package If there's one thing virtually every business needs,... - [Android vs iOS: which mobile OS is right for you?](https://inknetworks.co.uk/android-vs-ios-which-mobile-os-is-right-for-you/): We look at design, security, compatibility and more to see which OS best fits your business Everyone knows someone who’s... - [4G vs 5G - what's the difference?](https://inknetworks.co.uk/4g-vs-5g-whats-the-difference/): From 3G to 4G, mobile connectivity has revolutionised our lives. Now 5G is set to do it again We now... - [WhatsApp gains biometric security support on iOS](https://inknetworks.co.uk/whatsapp-gains-biometric-security-support-on-ios/): iPhone users can now protect their chats with Touch ID or Face ID Facebook has added biometric authentication to WhatsApp,... - [IT manager job description: What does an IT manager do?](https://inknetworks.co.uk/it-manager-job-description-what-does-an-it-manager-do/): What an IT manager does and how to become one “Have you tried turning it off and back on again?... - [Which is the best browser? Chrome vs Firefox vs Microsoft Edge](https://inknetworks.co.uk/which-is-the-best-browser-chrome-vs-firefox-vs-microsoft-edge/): We put the web's three best browsers head to head. So which one comes out on top? What would the... - [What to do if you're still running Windows 7](https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-to-do-if-youre-still-running-windows-7/): The legacy OS has an end date of 14 Jan 2020, so it's time to move on Windows 7 has... - [What is SSID?](https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-is-ssid/): We look at what SSID is and how it is used to connect devices to the internet When looking to... - [How not to get hacked in 2019](https://inknetworks.co.uk/how-not-to-get-hacked-in-2019/): A guide to all the latest cyber criminal tricks, and how to beat them When it comes to defeating security... - [Microsoft 365 offers new bundles for cyber security and GDPR compliance](https://inknetworks.co.uk/microsoft-365-offers-new-bundles-for-cyber-security-and-gdpr-compliance/): The stand-alone packages will be made available to existing and prospective enterprise customers in less than a month Microsft has... - [Met Police rolls out controversial facial recognition tech in London](https://inknetworks.co.uk/met-police-rolls-out-controversial-facial-recognition-tech-in-london/): Today will see eight-hour trials take place in the British capital London’s Metropolitan Police is testing its facial recognition technology... - [What is RAM?](https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-is-ram/): We explain what RAM is and how it differs from other types of computer memory Random-access memory (RAM) allows a... - [GDPR and Brexit: how will one affect the other?](https://inknetworks.co.uk/gdpr-and-brexit-how-will-one-affect-the-other/): How the biggest economic change to the UK affects EU data protection laws As of May 2018, the General Data... - [Best free malware removal tools 2018: Clean your hard drive with these services](https://inknetworks.co.uk/best-free-malware-removal-tools-2018-clean-your-hard-drive-with-these-services/): Worried your device is infected? Here are the best free tools you need to get rid of malicious software Malware... - [LinkedIn violates data protection rules, uses 18 million email addresses without user consent](https://inknetworks.co.uk/linkedin-violates-data-protection-rules-uses-18-million-email-addresses-without-user-consent/): The report covered the first few months in 2018, just before GDPR was introduced LinkedIn, the white-collar social network with... - [Three quarters of businesses missing out due to low tech integration](https://inknetworks.co.uk/three-quarters-of-businesses-missing-out-due-to-low-tech-integration/): SMEs said the cost of integrating technology in their workspaces was a limiting factor Three-quarters of small to medium-sized enterprises... - [What is a Trojan?](https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-is-a-trojan/): The malicious malware lurks behind legitimate software to invade your computer We've all been told the tale of the Trojan... - [EE and Virgin Media fined £13m for overcharging customers](https://inknetworks.co.uk/ee-and-virgin-media-fined-13m-for-overcharging-customers/): Communications regulator Ofcom deemed the charges “excessive” EE and Virgin Media have been fined £13. 3 million in total, for... - [How to recover deleted emails in Outlook](https://inknetworks.co.uk/how-to-recover-deleted-emails-in-outlook/): Ever emptied the trash in Outlook only to realise an important email has gone with it. Here’s how to recover... - [Why you should use a password manager](https://inknetworks.co.uk/why-you-should-use-a-password-manager/): Below are the reasons why everyone should use a password manager. Your password is weak. Is it your birthday? The... - [10 signs you may not be cut out to be an IT consultant](https://inknetworks.co.uk/10-signs-you-may-not-be-cut-out-to-be-an-it-consultant/): Working as an IT consultant can be a high-pressure job, requiring you to wear a lot of hats. Here's a... - [Documents: the security risk you hadn't thought of](https://inknetworks.co.uk/documents-the-security-risk-you-hadnt-thought-of/): The consequences of data loss are becoming more and more serious It’s becoming extremely difficult for companies to guarantee the... - [Bing is promoting malware in “Google Chrome” searches](https://inknetworks.co.uk/bing-is-promoting-malware-in-google-chrome-searches/): Malicious files disguised as Google Chrome are appearing in Bing search results, and it’s not even the first time this... - [How to free up disk space with Windows 10 Storage Sense feature](https://inknetworks.co.uk/how-to-free-up-disk-space-with-windows-10-storage-sense-feature/): Sometimes temporary files seem to permanently exist on your hard drive. You can remove unwanted and unneeded files using Windows... - [The capital's tech companies are trying to plot a course that will steer them past Brexit. That will mean some difficult decisions ahead.](https://inknetworks.co.uk/the-capitals-tech-companies-are-trying-to-plot-a-course-that-will-steer-them-past-brexit-that-will-mean-some-difficult-decisions-ahead/): It's hard to imagine a group less likely to have voted for Brexit than the people running London's tech start-ups.... - [Should you stop using CCleaner?](https://inknetworks.co.uk/should-you-stop-using-ccleaner/): CCleaner was forced to dump a recent version following a furious privacy backlash – perhaps it's time you looked at... - [What does the future of work look like?](https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-does-the-future-of-work-look-like/): How remote working, automation and AI will affect the way we work Advancements in technology are rapidly transforming the modern... - [What Google knows about you – and how to make it forget](https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-google-knows-about-you-and-how-to-make-it-forget/): Google parent company Alphabet quietly ditched the 'Don’t be evil' motto from its code of conduct in 2015 after a... - [What Facebook knows about you](https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-facebook-knows-about-you/): If the advertisements on your Facebook newsfeed appear remarkably relevant, it's because the social network giant knows better than you... - [17 Windows 10 problems - and how to fix them](https://inknetworks.co.uk/17-windows-10-problems-and-how-to-fix-them/): Stop tearing your hair out and follow our tips As the most recent Microsoft-developed operating system in existence, Windows 10... - [Uber fined $148m for attempting to hide 2016 data breach](https://inknetworks.co.uk/uber-fined-148m-for-attempting-to-hide-2016-data-breach/): Illinois attorney general calls the yearlong notification delay "inexcusable" Uber will pay $148 million for failing to notify its drivers... - [Blockchain is turning personal data into the world's most valuable currency](https://inknetworks.co.uk/blockchain-is-turning-personal-data-into-the-worlds-most-valuable-currency/): Should we be selling our data to the highest bidder, or is it all about 'value exchange'? The modern business-consumer... - [What is a default gateway?](https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-is-a-default-gateway/): Want to know what a default gateway is and how to find its IP address? Read on... If you want... - [How to make your email hack-proof](https://inknetworks.co.uk/how-to-make-your-email-hack-proof/): How to secure your inbox, enhance your mail and unlock secret codes Even with the rise of social networks and... - [IT outsourcing: When to outsource and when to keep in-house](https://inknetworks.co.uk/it-outsourcing-when-to-outsource-and-when-to-keep-in-house/): Should your company outsource or focus on developing skills in-house? We discuss when and why you would choose to outsource... - [Two thirds of businesses not prepped for death of Windows 7](https://inknetworks.co.uk/two-thirds-of-businesses-not-prepped-for-death-of-windows-7/): Almost half are still running Windows 7 and a fifth don't even know support is coming to an end IT... - [Experts warn of 'brain drain' if intelligence sharing is absent from Brexit deal](https://inknetworks.co.uk/experts-warn-of-brain-drain-if-intelligence-sharing-is-absent-from-brexit-deal/): With the UK now the most targeted region for cyber attacks, cooperation with the EU post-Brexit is critical All businesses,... - [GDPR certification: What is it, and do you need it?](https://inknetworks.co.uk/gdpr-certification-what-is-it-and-do-you-need-it/): How the ICO will measure GDPR compliance, and whether a certificate means anything Now the EU's General Data Protection Regulation... - [Don't buy a premium phone, buy a crap one instead](https://inknetworks.co.uk/dont-buy-a-premium-phone-buy-a-crap-one-instead/): Using an older phone isn't just a smart economic move, it's a smart ecological move too! It won't have escaped... - [5 Simple Steps to Protect Your PC from Hackers](https://inknetworks.co.uk/5-simple-steps-to-protect-your-pc-from-hackers/): 5 Simple Steps to Protect Your PC from Hackers In this world of ubiquitous computers and persistent threats from hackers,... - [Twelve signs your computers have been compromised](https://inknetworks.co.uk/twelve-signs-your-computers-have-been-compromised/): In today's world, anti-malware software provides little peace of mind. In fact, anti-malware scanners overall are inaccurate, especially with exploits... - [Managed Laptop Package - IT Support](https://inknetworks.co.uk/managed-laptop-package-it-support/): I would share with you another great benefit of our Gold - Managed Laptop Package. This package provides you with... - [IT Managed Services - INK Networks](https://inknetworks.co.uk/it-managed-services-ink-networks/): I would like to share with you a daily tip about how you can be more effective with technology Whilst... - [The UK publishes the first draft of new, stricter data protection laws](https://inknetworks.co.uk/uk-publishes-first-draft-new-stricter-data-protection-laws/): The UK publishes the first draft of new, stricter data protection laws The bill includes some exemptions from the latest... - [Protection Against Malware - Cisco Umbrella - Open DNS](https://inknetworks.co.uk/malware-cisco-umbrella-open-dns/): Cisco Umbrella is a cloud security platform that provides the first line of defense against threats on the internet wherever... - [Global Ransomware and Malware Attack](https://inknetworks.co.uk/malware-global-ransom-ware-attack/): What to do when being targeted by Ransomware (Malware)? 1. In these instances, the first thing you shouldn’t do is... - [Meraki MR74](https://inknetworks.co.uk/meraki-mr74/): Meraki's newest wireless access point (Meraki MR74) for industrial and outdoor deployments sports 802. 11ac Wave 2 Blog taken from... - [GDPR](https://inknetworks.co.uk/gdpr/): I've been hearing a lot of talks and have come across a lot of articles with regards to the new... - [Service Level Agreements](https://inknetworks.co.uk/service-level-aggreements/): If your Networks is critical to you being able to do business, you can’t afford downtime. Is your service level... - [Outsourcing IT](https://inknetworks.co.uk/outsourcing/): Ever since I started prospecting potential clients I’m often asked “why is outsourcing so important? ” and usually at that... --- ## Case Study - [SJB Global Case Study – VDI Solution, Remote Working and Security](https://inknetworks.co.uk/case_study/sjb-global-case-study-vdi-solution-remote-working-and-security/): SJB Global are the leaders in fee-based and transparent financial planning to expatriates and high net worth clients worldwide. - [U-Dox - Case Study](https://inknetworks.co.uk/case_study/u-dox-case-study/): U-Dox is a multi disciplinary creative agency that works from the inside out, embracing genuine cultural insight, design and technology... - [Harley Street Eye Clinic – Case Study](https://inknetworks.co.uk/case_study/harley-street-eye-clinic/): Paolo Cicero, Business Manager explains the satiation: “We were expanding the clinic and therefore needed to ensure our IT is... - [St Ermins Hotel - Case Study](https://inknetworks.co.uk/case_study/st-ermins-hotel-case-study/): St Ermins Hotel is an independent deluxe four-star hotel that is part of the Autograph collection by Marriott International. - [JT AccountS - Case Study](https://inknetworks.co.uk/case_study/jt-accounts-case-study/): Client wanted to have a safe and secure space to store the company files, where access could be limited and... - [Capri Engineering - James Town Road - Case Study](https://inknetworks.co.uk/case_study/capri-engineering-james-town-road-case-study/): Our IT Solution Architects completed a full survey of the building to gather the intricacies of the current state of... --- ## Timeline Items - [28 Feb 2022](https://inknetworks.co.uk/timeline-item/28-feb-2022/): INK Networks increases Technology Partnerships with addition of SonicWall for improved Network Security appliances, and Jamf for the Management of... - [30 March 2022](https://inknetworks.co.uk/timeline-item/30-march-2022/): INK Networks has managed to achieved the Planet Mark Business Certification, furthering commitments to reduce impact on society. This is... - [8th June, 2016](https://inknetworks.co.uk/timeline-item/8th-june-2016/): We sign the dotted line and are excited to get started! - [15 Jan, 2017](https://inknetworks.co.uk/timeline-item/15-jan-2017/): We land our first customer. - [15 March, 2017](https://inknetworks.co.uk/timeline-item/15-march-2017/): We perform our first Office 365 migration for a Harley Street eye clinic. - [23rd May, 2017](https://inknetworks.co.uk/timeline-item/23rd-may-2017/): We complete our first network design & implementation, meeting all business and technical requirements. - [June, 2017](https://inknetworks.co.uk/timeline-item/june-2017/): We broaden our horizons and become a hardware reseller. - [10th October 2017](https://inknetworks.co.uk/timeline-item/10th-october-2017/): We complete our first IT network refresh including Cat6 structured cabling, firewall and switch, cabinet tidy up and a wireless... - [17 January, 2018](https://inknetworks.co.uk/timeline-item/17-january-2018/): We secure our first support contract for a household name company – celebrations all round! - [1st May 2018](https://inknetworks.co.uk/timeline-item/1st-may-2018/): We move into our first office and kit everything out Ink Network style. - [1st July, 2019](https://inknetworks.co.uk/timeline-item/1st-july-2019/): We upgrade our office space and move to an exciting new place in Camden. - [1st August, 2019](https://inknetworks.co.uk/timeline-item/1st-august-2019/): Assist the move of a creative agency to a new office and ensure all technology was appropriately set up including... - [11 October, 2019](https://inknetworks.co.uk/timeline-item/11-october-2019/): We expand our services further and become a leased line reseller providing all the telecommunication tools you could ask for. - [25 March, 2020](https://inknetworks.co.uk/timeline-item/25-march-2020/): INK aids businesses in adapting to the pandemic and successfully deploys remote working solutions for 60+ companies as well as... - [1st September 2019](https://inknetworks.co.uk/timeline-item/1st-september-2019/): Hire our first customer support engineer, we never miss a query. --- - [timeline](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=timeline) - [our partners section](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=our-partners-section) - [our partners old](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=our-partners-old) - [book a meeting section](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=book-a-meeting-section) - [404](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=404) - [line](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=line) - [quote-form](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=quote-form) - [Handcoded Timeline](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=handcoded-timeline) - [Case Studies Archive](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=case-studies-archive) - [Who Are Ink](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=who-are-ink) - [history](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=history) - [old-hero-main](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=old-hero-main) - [old-hero-main-top-part](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=old-hero-main-top-part) - [Title](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=title) - [Waves](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=waves) - [BUTTON](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=button) - [Reveiws Section](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=reveiws-section) - [Face-to-face](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=face-to-face) - [Inner Content](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=inner-content) - [Archive](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=archive) - [Default Post](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=default-post) - [Default Page](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=default-page) - [Inner Content Styles](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=inner-content-styles) - [Other Single](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=other-single) - [Main](https://inknetworks.co.uk/?ct_template=main) --- # # Detailed Content ## Pages - Published: 2019-04-18 - Modified: 2019-04-18 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/support-request/ Log a Support TicketYour Name Your Email Priority of your messageSelect an optionLowNormalHighUrgentSubject Your Message jQuery(document). ready(function($) { // first letter of name uppercase $(". zen_name_field"). on("keydown", function(event) { if (this. selectionStart == 0 && event. keyCode >= 65 && event. keyCode --- - Published: 2019-02-04 - Modified: 2019-02-04 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/thank-you/ Thank You We will be in touch shortly. In the meantime why not read one of our blogs. Location Florentina Clothing Village, Kosteas Cottage, Vale Road, London, N4 1TD 020 3948 4555 enquiries@inknetworks. co. ukUseful Links Privacy Policy Terms of Use Cookies PolicyFollow Usfacebooktwittergoogle-pluslinkedinSign up to receive news, blogs and tips on about IT and Tech. --- - Published: 2018-05-29 - Modified: 2018-05-29 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/privacy-policy/ INK Professional Privacy Policy Your privacy is our main concern Who We Are This Privacy Policy sets out how INK Networks handle the Personal Data of our customers, suppliers, employees, workers and other third parties in accordance to the May 2018 GDPR Act. This Privacy Policy applies to all Personal Data we process regardless of the media on which that data is stored or whether it relates to past or present employees, workers, customers, clients or supplier contacts, shareholders, website users or any other Data Subject. We recognise that the correct and lawful treatment of Personal Data will maintain confidence in the organisation and will provide for successful business operations. Protecting the confidentiality and integrity of Personal Data is a critical responsibility that we take seriously always. Types of Data We Collect The following information may be gathered by INK Networks: Your company name and postal address. Contact details including email addresses, telephone numbers and links to social media accounts. Details of visits to our website. Emails and any other communications sent to us by you. Website Cookies A cookie is a file generated by a web server containing an identifier (a string of letters and numbers) that are stored on a user’s computer by the browser whilst they are on a website. The identifier is then sent back to the server each time the browser requests a page from the web server. The main purpose of a cookie is for a website to remember when your device has accessed... --- - Published: 2018-04-14 - Modified: 2018-05-30 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/cookie-policy/ INK Networks Cookies Policy A managed service provider that takes full responsibility of your infrastructure. About cookies A cookie is a file generated by a web server containing an identifier (a string of letters and numbers) that are stored on a user’s computer by the browser whilst they are on a website. The identifier is then sent back to the server each time the browser requests a page from the web server. The main purpose of a cookie is for a website to remember when your device has accessed pages on a website for the sole purpose of enhancing your web browsing experience. Information Collected Cookies do not typically contain any information that personally identifies a user. Some cookies collect information about browsing behaviour when you access this website using the same device. This includes information about pages viewed and your journey around a website. We do not use cookies to collect personal information such as your name, address or other contact details. Cookies that we use We use cookies for the following purposes: Authentication - we use cookies to identify you when you visit our website and as you navigate our website. Personalisation - we use cookies to store information about your preferences and to personalise the website for you. Advertising - we use cookies to help us to display advertisements that will be relevant to you Analysis - we use cookies to help us to analyse the use and performance of our website and services. Managing cookies Most... --- - Published: 2016-06-07 - Modified: 2021-06-01 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/professional-services/ INK Professional Services Have new systems Implemented or migrated with minimal disruption to your day to day business. PC Deployment Whether you’re a team of three or three hundred, we can deploy and manage a personalised IT solution for you. Our engineers are experts in PC hardware and Software, fully trained to implement, configure and manage your Desktops or Laptops. If you and your team require custom imaging with specific applications, utilities and tools, we have the capacity to provide this type of tailored service. Microsoft Windows provides powerful options for enterprise or commercial use. We are Windows experts with specialist certifications from Microsoft, so no matter how complex your needs or requirements are, we know how to make it happen. We are skilled in the fast deployment of custom images, the administration of workstations, and the optimisation of IT strategies across companies of different sizes and industries. We like all our clients to travel business class. Allow us to upgrade you today. Server Deployment A dedicated Business Server is a great option if you have several members of staff. A well-oiled, professionally created and centrally managed infrastructure is fundamental to collaboration, file and data sharing, backups, and security. Our expertise covers features such as internally managed File Systems, Active Directory (end user account management), Server Virtualisation and Windows Anywhere Access. We will explain all the options available to you so that you can have a better understanding, this will help you to make an informed, actionable decision based on... --- - Published: 2016-06-07 - Modified: 2021-06-02 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/it-relocation/ INK Relocation Safely move your office equipment from point A to B, without all the hassle. Moving Desktops and Hardware Whether you’re moving five workstations upstairs, or five hundred from Glasgow to London, INK Networks will ensure a seamless transition and minimal downtime for systems and users. Our service is utterly comprehensive: we can do everything, including backing up and securing relevant data, preparing an inventory, packing and labelling, mapping and route planning, tracking, de-commissioning and re-commissioning. INK Networks have tried and tested methods to ensure your relocation goes smoothly, the integrity of your data and equipment is retained, and the experience is stress-free. Server & Networking Equipment Moves Decomissioning and moving critical data and structures should always be carried out by a team of professionals. Your servers carry crucial, sensitive information, and the very last thing you want is for them to be sliding around in the back of just any van. INK Networks has a wealth of experience in relocation and can minimise both digital and physical risk, treating your equipment with the utmost concern. From the moment we take it off your hands to the moment we safely install it to its new home, you can be sure that everything is being cared for as it should be. We provide expert project managers, engineers, and transport technicians, guaranteeing that whether it’s a single server or multiple racks it will get to its destination safely. Hands-On Relocation Support We have a dedicated team to arrange your relocation strategy, always... --- --- ## Posts - Published: 2021-09-07 - Modified: 2021-09-07 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/openreach-axes-connection-fees-for-low-income-homes/ - Categories: Internet & Networking Openreach will install broadband for free to UK households on universal credit which have no other earnings. The company would usually charge ISPs, such as Sky or TalkTalk, for connecting households to broadband. The firm estimates about one million people could save up to £92, depending on how internet firms pass on the saving. But some analysts have questioned how big an impact the move will have. The Good Things Foundation, which works to make sure everyone benefits from digital tech, told the BBC it welcomed Openreach's fee waiver. "Access to data is a lifeline. Public services like universal credit are already online, and the pandemic has meant more of us are managing our health online through contacting GPs via video call, or making use of the NHS apps," a spokesman said. Two million households struggle to afford internet access, media regulator Ofcom revealed in a July report. It noted that some ISPs had introduced low-cost tariffs for people on benefits, or improved existing ones. But it said take-up had been low, reaching at most 1% of those in receipt of out-of-work benefits. It suggested that if the industry did not do more, there would be a strong case for "exploring whether mandatory social tariffs would be necessary to fill the gaps in support, alongside other potential options". Digital Infrastructure Minister Matt Warman praised the new scheme. "This welcome step will help people struggling with bills access the connectivity they need to thrive in today's digital age," he said. The government... --- - Published: 2021-06-15 - Modified: 2021-06-15 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/microsofts-plan-to-remake-windows-what-that-might-mean/ - Categories: Windows OS In two weeks, Microsoft, plans to unveil the "next generation" of Windows. But isn't Windows 10 supposed to be the last generation of the ubiquitous OS? Oh, great. Microsoft is going to upend Windows again. Just great. Come June 24, according to Microsoft, the company will unveil or display or reveal all or something or not much at all about the "next generation" of Windows, whatever it'll be called — say, Windows 10 21H2, Windows 10 something-something, Windows 11, Windows 12 or ... wait, we just got a massive headache. We need to lie down for a bit. Scuttlebutt — one of the most underrated words in the English language — has been bubbling for months about Microsoft's next stab at Windows, at least concerning its user interface (UI) changes, the project dubbed "Sun Valley. " Whether there will be substantial under-the-hood alterations or modifications, or a slew of new features and functionality, hasn't been made clear, even by those predisposed to speculate. What is known? How about this: Microsoft put down a marker six years ago when it called Windows 10 "the last Windows ever. " Renege on that and there will be some very angry commercial customers. Why? Because Microsoft make an unspoken pact with those customers. In return for abiding a dramatic break with tradition and adopting (and adapting to) the very disruptive every-six-months update tempo of Windows 10, customers believed they would never again face the enormous task of mass migrations to a drastically different OS gestalt and the... --- - Published: 2020-10-20 - Modified: 2020-10-20 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/managing-employee-security-risks-during-lockdown/ - Categories: Covid-19, Security COVID-19 doesn’t have to compromise your organisation’s security Security is something that every business should be thinking about; it’s an absolutely essential part of any IT strategy, and can lead to serious problems if not properly maintained and monitored. However, it can be tempting to think of security threats as purely external forces, driven by malicious hackers launching attacks from outside your network. The truth is that in many cases, your own employees – consciously or not – could be posing as much of a security threat as any cyber criminal. There are a variety of ways in which employees can inadvertently compromise elements of your defences, and many of them have unfortunately been exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, global – and now local – lockdowns and the resulting surge in remote working have introduced or heightened risk areas that were previously only minor concerns for businesses. In through the out door The use of cloud-based collaboration and communication services like Microsoft Teams, Slack et al has exploded since the start of the year as businesses scrambled to keep their remote staff connected through virtual platforms. But although these services can bring huge benefits to businesses, there are also risks attached to their use. One of the biggest advantages to these services is that they provide a centralised, easily accessible record of all of your organisation’s communications and information and, while this improves efficiency, it’s also a double-edged sword – any attacker that gains access to this system potentially has access to... --- - Published: 2020-10-13 - Modified: 2020-10-13 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/microsoft-ceo-warns-of-video-call-fatigue/ - Categories: Business, News Satya Nadella suggests workers need the 'cognitive break' of a commute for their wellbeing Businesses need to consider the effects the switch to remote working has on collaboration, learning and our wellbeing, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has warned.   Speaking to The Wall Street Journal CEO Council, Nadella suggested that companies need to find solutions for these "major considerations" as the world becomes more dependent on remote working. Nadella cited a recent update to Microsoft Teams for each issue, but stressed that the changing nature of work presented challenges for productivity. One particular issue with mass remote working, he said, was recruiting new employees and providing the tools and time to train them.   "Learning, reskilling, onboarding is going to become a huge issue and we need to be able to incorporate the learning content into a workflow that is natural," he said.   Another problem Nedella raised is video call fatigue, which he said can start within 30 minutes of the first one of the day. What's more, with all meetings taking place via video conferencing software, meaning you simply click from one to the other, he warned that people are not switching off between. "I never thought I would say this but it turns out that commutes, even though they were painful in some sense, were transition times, so we've introduced 'Virtual Commutes'," he said. "It is just something to give you cognitive breaks between meetings. " "One of the things that has changed is that all meetings start on time now, but... --- - Published: 2020-07-31 - Modified: 2020-07-31 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/huawei-passes-samsung-as-worlds-biggest-smartphone-brand/ - Categories: Mobile The Chinese firm has taken "full advantage" of its homeland's economic recovery, according to analysts Embattled Chinese firm Huawei shipped more smartphones worldwide than any other vendor in the second quarter of 2020. It's the first time in nine years that a company other than Apple or Samsung has led the market and it is largely due to how the coronavirus has impacted regions at different times. While China was first to feel the brunt of COVID-19, the country has emerged from the pandemic with factories reopened, economic development continuing and tight controls on new outbreaks. Huawei shipped 55. 8 million devices, according to research from Canalys, with 70% of its business in the Chinese mainland. In comparison, second-placed Samsung shipped 53. 7 million smartphones, a 30% fall against its Q2 2019 results. "This is a remarkable result that few people would have predicted a year ago," said Canalys senior analyst Ben Stanton. "If it wasn't for COVID-19, it wouldn't have happened. Huawei has taken full advantage of the Chinese economic recovery to reignite its smartphone business. Samsung has a very small presence in China, with less than 1% market share, and has seen its core markets, such as Brazil, India, the United States and Europe, ravaged by outbreaks and subsequent lockdowns. " Huawei has released a succession of critically acclaimed smartphones over the last three years, such as the P30 Pro and the P40 Pro, but its business has suffered disruption due to the heavy sanctions levied by the US government, which... --- - Published: 2020-07-24 - Modified: 2020-07-24 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/hdmi-vs-dvi-whats-the-best-av-input/ - Categories: Hardware We put the biggest AV technologies against each other in our display cable comparison While the sight of masses of cables going into the back of a TV or PC is a nightmare for some, it's worth getting to grips with the various types of cables and ports on offer.   When you buy a new monitor, for example, you'll usually have a cable included in the box. While this is convenient and makes it easy to get started, it's good prices to consider what's best for your setup.  The way a monitor or TV is connected to other devices can have an impact on other features, like signal quality, compatibility or contrast ratios. It often comes down to a choice between two options: HDMI or DVI. However, there are some significant differences between these two and it's often not very well explained by the manufacturers when you buy them. HDMI stands for High Definition Media Interface and is the standard for HDTVs. It's also on most computer monitors and easy to use, as it carries audio too. DVI, which stands for Digital Visual Interface, is the older of the two and arguably on its way out. The video signal is basically the same as HDMI, just without the audio. For a more in-depth look at the two, read our handy guide below. HDMI vs DVI: Layout The first thing you'll notice when you examine the DVI and HDMI ports is that they look very different. HDMI is a much smaller connection -... --- - Published: 2020-06-29 - Modified: 2020-06-29 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/windows-10-business-users-face-new-update-restrictions/ - Categories: Windows OS The timeframe in which enterprise customers can delay feature updates has been slashed from 365 days to 35 Microsoft has restricted the capacity for Windows 10 enterprise customers to defer major updates for up to a year with the rollout of the May 2020 Update, slashing the deferral time to 35 days. Starting with the latest major update, enterprise customers must by default adhere to the deferral regime offered to all Windows 10 customers, reducing the time they can pause updates from 365 days to 35. Normally, Windows 10 users are able to pause updates for up to 35 days through the advanced options page of the Windows Update settings menu, with recent versions allowing users to pause updates for seven days at a time. Customers using Windows 10 Pro, or even more enterprise-oriented editions of the flagship OS, could also choose to ‘defer’ both feature and quality updates to dates of their choosing. Feature updates could be deferred one day at a time for up to a year, while quality updates could be delayed for up to 30 days. The latest changes mean Microsoft is removing the ability to defer updates by choosing when they’re installed, with all Windows 10 users, regardless of version, adhering to the same update regime and delaying options. “Last year, we changed update installation policies for Windows 10 to only target devices running a feature update version that is nearing end of service. As a result, many devices are only updating once a year,” according to... --- - Published: 2020-06-16 - Modified: 2020-06-16 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/the-top-12-password-cracking-techniques-used-by-hackers/ - Categories: Security Some of the most common, and most effective, methods for stealing passwords Passwords are the bane of any cyber security expert’s existence. They’re typically easy to crack, often reused and, in today’s era of biometrics and cryptography, are an antiquated way of protecting an account. Unfortunately, it’s this ease of use that means passwords are still the primary method of user authentication, so it’s essential that we are all aware of the various methods that hackers use to try and gain access to this ‘secret’ code. After all, no matter how clever you think your password is, hackers will find a way to undermine it. It’s worth noting that most of these hacking techniques are rendered useless in the face of robust multi-layer authentication. 1. Phishing Perhaps the most commonly-used hacking technique today, phishing involves using emails to trick an individual into clicking on an attachment or embedded link. This then triggers a download of malicious software or code, which can then allow the hacker to exfiltrate passwords through a variety of tools, or tricks the user into entering their login credentials into a bogus site. Usually, this process involves some element of social engineering, where messages can claim to be one-off payments from a long-lost relative, or even warnings from IT departments about supposed software updates. Most recently we’ve seen a surge in the number of coronavirus-related phishing scams, as hackers seek to take advantage of the pandemic and public anxiety. 2. Social engineering Speaking of social engineering, this typically refers to the... --- - Published: 2020-06-09 - Modified: 2020-06-09 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/hackers-are-wreaking-havoc-on-googles-cloud-infrastructure/ - Categories: Google, Security Attackers use Google Firebase storage URLs to trick users into giving up their login credentials According to Cyware, researchers at Trustwave recently discovered numerous hackers infecting users with malware by targeting them via Google's Cloud infrastructure. A number of phishing campaigns uncovered by the team of researchers found that threat actors are using Google Firebase storage URLs to dupe users into giving up their login credentials. By leveraging Google Cloud’s infrastructure in their campaigns, threat actors have attached Google Firebase storage URLs to various phishing emails. Once a user clicks on the Firebase link in the email, they are directed to a fake login page that requests their login credentials. Once an unsuspecting user has entered their credentials, she fake page shares them with the hackers. Per Trustwave: “This phishing campaign although low in volume seems to be targeting a range of industries, as well as being detected by our spam traps. Some exemplar phishing messages used in this campaign are illustrated here. The major themes include payment invoice, upgrade email account, release pending messages, verify account, account error, change password, etc. ” Trustware also observed threat actors using the coronavirus pandemic and internet banking lures to trick victims into accessing fake vendor-payment forms designed to harvest users’ login credentials. Other tactics the hackers used included Microsoft Outlook and Office 365 phishing pages that harvest corporate login credentials. “The use of cloud infrastructure is gaining popularity among cyber criminals as they are not easily flagged by security controls,” Cyware explained, adding, “Because of the large user base of Google cloud services, such phishing emails can... --- - Published: 2020-06-02 - Modified: 2020-06-02 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/intel-releases-wi-fi-and-bluetooth-driver-updates-for-windows-10/ - Categories: Windows OS But the update isn't automatic - here's how to download it Intel has released an update for its Wi-Fi and Bluetooth drivers on a select number of devices. These updates are available on all supported versions of Windows 10.   Intel’s Wi-Fi driver update aims to remedy a number of connectivity issues plaguing Windows 10’s mobile hotspot feature. The update also addresses a bug that shows an empty Wi-Fi network list when a laptop awakens from sleep mode. Other issues addressed in the update include a bug related to audio stuttering when streaming videos, Bluetooth not turning on when a user exits airplane mode and connectivity issues related to Netgear Access Point Nighthawk RAX80. According to Intel, the new drivers are available for a select number of adapters. Users also may not be notified of the update if they’re using a different wireless adapter. To determine whether the driver update is available, users must open “Device Manager,” access “Network Adapters” and find the corresponding Intel adapter model number. Intel also released a new Bluetooth driver update for Windows 10 computers. The update should address several issues, including a bug where a Bluetooth device may stop working if used for a long period of time and one where the Wi-Fi connection impacts Bluetooth mouse or keyboard performance. Though Windows 10 detects and installs drivers automatically through Windows Update, you may need to update the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth drivers manually. To do so, you can download the Intel Driver and Support Assistant tool, follow the on-screen instructions and... --- - Published: 2020-05-08 - Modified: 2020-05-08 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/security-cited-as-a-key-challenge-of-managing-it-in-house/ - Categories: Security Growing issue is also fuelling managed services consideration, claims NTT report Reducing security risks is the biggest challenge faced by IT teams globally, as well as the top reason for managed service provider (MSP) consideration. That is according to research from technology and services provider NTT, which found that other popular reasons considering service providers were to aid the development of key IT skills and to help with updating and improving internal processes or operational efficiencies. NTT’s new Global Managed Services Report emphasised that the current working environment, which has led to the majority of IT and business staff working from home, is being exploited by threat actors due to the high probability that employees are working on inadequately secured devices and networks. Matt Gyde, president and CEO of NTT's security division warned that “the rapidly growing digital footprint needs to be secured (... ) from a rise in malicious activity targeting the remote worker”. “Organisations' journeys have fundamentally changed how security is deployed, configured and managed. The traditional perimeter security model is being questioned as we see the proliferation of end point devices,” he said. The report also found that a third (32%) of the 1,250 surveyed business and IT leaders rated security as the most important factor for supporting the business case for using a service provider. In fact, security was found marginally more important than improved operational efficiency (30%) and better performance and availability (29%). The report also found that security is no longer seen as a reluctant purchase, but as a long-term investment. A significant majority (84%) of organisations believe that... --- - Published: 2020-04-28 - Modified: 2020-04-28 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/life-under-lockdown-why-we-miss-office-work-culture/ - Categories: Business, News From communication problems to cyber security issues, working from home can be a stressful experience On 23 March, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced new measures were being introduced in an attempt to slow down the spread of the highly-infectious COVID-19 virus. Daily life changed from one day to another. As hospitals filled with new patients, offices were abandoned. Restaurants and cafes closed. Many public transport stations became completely empty for the first time in decades, if not centuries. For the employees who have been lucky enough to keep their jobs and work from home, life went on, one way or another. And while there are many social media posts extolling the virtues of working in tracksuit bottoms all day, other people have found their work/life balance has suffered tremendously.   To mark the first full month since Britain went into lockdown, we spoke to some workers who are feeling the downsides to working from home and asked why they are looking forward to returning to the office. Productivity - lost in communication? Working from home can be isolating, especially for those who are used to spending up to 40 hours a week in a busy environment with an abundance of social interaction. Charlie Worrall, Digital Marketing Executive at web design agency Imaginaire Digital, misses the simplicity of face-to-face communication with colleagues. "Having never had to work from home before, this has all been a new experience for me. It's really come to make me appreciate how good our office really is,” Worrall tells IT Pro. From... --- - Published: 2019-10-18 - Modified: 2019-10-18 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/the-11-best-outlook-tips-for-increasing-productivity/ - Categories: Microsoft Office, Microsoft Office 365 Want to become an Outlook expert? Here are the 18 best Outlook tips that can make handling your email and appointments quicker and easier Millions of people use Microsoft Outlook to manage their email and calendar, at work and at home. That's a testament to its usefulness – but the truth is that few of us really know how to make the most of its features. Learning a few simple tricks can save you time, help you work more efficiently and synchronise home and work life. These tips are geared towards Outlook 2007, 2010 and 2013, but many also apply to Outlook 2003 and earlier. Best Outlook tips: 1. Spare yourself repeated typing with Quick Parts If you regularly need to trot out a standard passage of text, you can save it as a Quick Part for easy insertion into your emails. Simply highlight the text in the composer window, then switch to the Insert tab, click the Quick Parts dropdown and select "Save selection to Quick Parts gallery". In future, when you start typing the phrase, you'll see it pop up as a suggestion – hit return to insert it in full. You can also select your text with the mouse from the Quick Parts dropdown. Right-click on it for placement options, or to edit and manage Quick Parts and other "building blocks". Best Outlook tips: 2. Write a message to be delivered at a future time If you have some news that you don't want to share immediately,... --- - Published: 2019-10-15 - Modified: 2019-10-15 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/how-to-enhance-your-backup-strategy-2/ - Categories: Storage No matter what stage your organisation’s backup strategy is at, there is always room to improve It's easy to think of backup as simply storing copies of your data and files. Whilst this is a key factor, it's also important to consider what happens when this data needs to be restored and accessed in the future. Due to their size and power, larger businesses and corporations usually have an efficient backup system that performs to their specific needs. However, smaller and even mid-sized companies can sometimes fall behind and struggle to find the time to implement an optimal backup strategy - especially with the continuously changing face of technology.   Here are a few tips to boost your backup, whatever stage your organisation's strategy is at. Prioritise backup efficiency Slow file restoration time is usually the tell-tale sign of backup inefficiency. Often, the issue lies with having implemented a solution that doesn't cater to the exact needs of the business or having a plan that lacks the detail and granularity required for optimum efficiency. Therefore, it's important to switch to a recovery process that isn't simply based around just getting everything up and running regardless of system intricacies. Instead, it's best to draw up a more detailed and sophisticated plan around specific systems, applications and data - which will then help get the business back up and running quickly and efficiently. A backup product that integrates directly into these existing systems will aid the process greatly, as every integration point... --- - Published: 2019-09-10 - Modified: 2019-09-10 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/youll-soon-be-able-to-make-calls-directly-from-inside-windows-10/ - Categories: Telephony, Windows OS The 'Your Phone' desktop app is getting call support, making it a serious rival to Apple's macOS iMessage and FaceTime Windows' popular Your Phone desktop app is getting some more functionality upgrades, according to a new leak. The user who leaked the new features on Twitter said he was able to make and receive calls using his PC's mic and speakers, with the added option to push the call back to the handset. Your Phone is available to download from the Windows Store and it currently allows users to link up an Android phone and send texts from the desktop app, manage notifications and enable full-screen sharing and remote control of the phone. Your Phone app with Calls & dialer support, I can confirm it is working. pic. twitter. com/gpLU8ogXlw— Ajith (@4j17h) September 7, 2019 As seen in the screenshots above, there is a dial pad with an option to make calls directly within the desktop app. The 'Use Phone' button can be used to send a call back to the handset. This handy feature could be useful when discussing sensitive matters on call which started at a user's desk who later needs to move away from others to protect privacy. IT Pro approached Microsoft for a confirmation of the feature's release but it didn't reply at the time of publication. Microsoft has stated previously that it plans to roll out the feature this year however, it will likely go to the Windows Insiders for testing first before becoming generally available.... --- - Published: 2019-09-06 - Modified: 2019-09-06 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/employees-warned-against-holding-on-to-sensitive-data-when-quitting-a-job/ - Categories: GDPR, Security ICO says it will take a tough stance against those found in breach of Data Protection Act 2018 The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has sounded a warning to employees who deliberately retain "historical personal data" after moving on from their positions. Under the Data Protection Act 2018, which closely mirrors the EU's General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), workers who "knowingly or recklessly" hold onto personal data may face regulatory action. Although general in scope, this reminder concerns individuals whose roles involve gathering and handling personal data belonging to clients, customers, or others, either electronically or in paper form. Violations would occur when workers make unnecessary copies of personal data after collection, as well as when they leave their positions and keep this information. The warning comes after the UK's data watchdog decided, following legal consultation, not to take enforcement action against two police officers who had been interviewed by the media about a historic case they'd worked on involving an MP. The two Met Police officers were investigated by the ICO under the previous legislation, the Data Protection Act 1998, after disclosing details about the case to the media. This was adjudicated under the previous legislation because the initial violation occurred prior to the GDPR coming into force on 25 May 2018. The older act was updated to add in a tougher provision that made it unlawful to "knowingly or recklessly" hold onto personal data without the consent of whoever was the data controller at the moment the data was collected. After legal consultation, the regulator... --- - Published: 2019-08-29 - Modified: 2019-08-29 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-is-4g/ - Categories: Mobile A look at the fourth generation of mobile networking technology and its availability in the UK 4G represents the fourth generation of mobile networking technology, having replaced the previous 3G standard, and 2G before that. Whereas 2G and 3G introduced new capabilities, such as texts and video calls respectively, 4G simply supercharged data transfers to make all these mobile services work much faster. Mobile network EE was the first to introduce a 4G network in the UK, the only provider capable of supporting a wide rollout with its own infrastructure. Since then, Vodafone, O2 and Three have all launched their own networks, although EE has consistently dominated in a variety of metrics in yearly rankings. What's the difference between 3G and 4G? The upgrade to 4G from 3G brought with it a significant increase to average download and upload speeds. In order to be officially classified as 3G, a network must be capable of reaching 200 Kbits/sec, although 3G usually has average speeds far beyond this. In contrast, in order to qualify for 4G, a network needs to reach speeds of 100 Mbits/sec if situated on a moving vehicle, such as a train. However, when connecting to a stationary network, a user should expect to see speeds of at least 1 Gbits/sec. Is there a difference between 4G and LTE? The terminology regarding 4G and LTE can be confusing, not least because of the way LTE is marketed. Even though it's sometimes marketed as 4G LTE, LTE is, in fact,... --- - Published: 2019-08-27 - Modified: 2019-08-27 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-is-the-paperless-office/ - Categories: Business And is it ever possible to be one? Paper has brought the world more than just means of delivering communication - paper aeroplanes have brought us hours of fun, the humble papercut has sliced many a finger worldwide and who hasn't tried at least once to pull off the age-old 'my dog ate my homework' excuse? All of these could be a thing of the past - something you allude to in your old age as your children gawk with the same confusion as millennials when thinking about pre-internet life. Paper use is on the decline while cloud computing adoption accelerates every year which is presenting the threat to paper as we know it. Once office staples, the paperclip, Pritt Stick and hole punch are scarcely seen in the modern workplace neither is an employee in the same seat every day. The internet and cloud computing has brought about the rise in hotdesking and working from home trends. Important documents can be signed electronically and sent securely through the ether - so why are we still cutting down trees? Businesses have headed towards a cloud computing approach to work using comprehensive services such as Google's G Suite and Microsoft's Office 365. Virtual documents can be created and shared quickly, easily, and with less of a carbon footprint. This enterprise nirvana was dubbed the paperless, or digital, office. But is it still very much business fiction rather than fact? From a corporate social responsibility point of view, going paperless makes absolute... --- - Published: 2019-08-13 - Modified: 2019-08-13 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/decade-old-vulnerability-found-in-globally-popular-office-phone/ - Categories: Security, Telephony Avaya's VOIP phones are used by 90% of Fortune 100 companies A decade-old vulnerability has been found in the firmware of an Avaya desk phone used by the world's leading businesses. The exploit could allow a hacker to perform a remote code execution (RCE) attack on the affected device providing they had access to the network to which the Avaya phone was connected. Researchers were able to take over the normal operation of the phone, exfiltrate audio from the speakerphone and potentially bug the phone too. The flaw actually sits in the phone's open source software, a fault that was first discovered in 2009 and has now been found once again in the Avaya 9600 series IP Deskphone by McAfee's Advanced Threat Research Team. "We were able to find the presence of an RCE vulnerability in a piece of open source software that Avaya likely copied and modified 10 years ago, and then failed to apply subsequent security patches to," said McAfee senior security researcher Philippe Laulheret. Avaya is the second largest voice over IP (VOIP) provider in the world behind Cisco and has an install base covering 90% of Fortune 100 companies, according to figures sourced by McAfee. This is a classic case of unattended legacy technology coming back to bite businesses, according to Raj Samani, chief scientist and McAfee fellow. "Legacy code and technical debt can be found everywhere in our increasingly connected world; if left unpaid, the resulting 'interest' can be detrimental," said Samani. "Technology is only as secure... --- - Published: 2019-08-01 - Modified: 2019-08-01 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/google-discloses-slew-of-imessage-vulnerabilities/ - Categories: Mobile, Security Apple urges all users to update their devices to iOS 12. 4 Google's Project Zero has discovered six flaws in Apple's iMessage service that could allow attackers to execute malicious code on a user's device. Extensive details and proof-of-concept (POC) code have been published by Natalie Silvanovich and Samuel Groß, two lead bug hunters on Project Zero, leaving the details of one "interactionless" vulnerability undisclosed while Apple works on a fix. All disclosed vulnerabilities have been patched in Apple's latest iOS 12. 4 update which all users are encouraged to update. The level of detail in the Project Zero disclosures, including examples of POC code would allow attackers to create working exploits to target all unpatched users. All that would be required to execute code on a user's phone would be to send a malformed message – no user interaction would be needed. One vulnerability would allow an attacker to extract files from a device to read them remotely and another was so effective that the only way to remove it would be to completely wipe the phone, erasing all data. "For the protection of our customers, Apple doesn't disclose, discuss, or confirm security issues until an investigation has occurred and patches or releases are generally available," said an Apple spokesperson. "Keeping your software up to date is one of the most important things you can do to maintain your Apple product's security," they added. The bug disclosures highlight the importance of regularly updating devices when manufacturers roll them out. This is... --- - Published: 2019-07-30 - Modified: 2019-07-30 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-is-a-managed-it-service/ - Categories: IT Support London With two-thirds of businesses using managed services, learn about what managed IT services are and how they’re being used The rise in the number of companies attempting to both digitally transform their operations while simultaneously reducing expenditure has led to a surge in the managed services industry, whether that's hardware, software or a combination of the two. It's now believed that more than two-thirds of businesses have already partnered with at least one managed service provider to handle their IT infrastructure - a strategy which is quickly becoming the norm. The reason is fairly simple. A dedicated managed service provider is able to take on the responsibility for the day-to-day running of systems and leave their customer free to focus on innovation. Managed services are an evolution of the traditional break/fix model, in which businesses would hire third-party specialists to repair, upgrade or install systems on an ad hoc basis. Instead, a managed service model tends to be subscription-based, with companies typically agreeing to pay a fixed amount each month in exchange for ongoing system management. What that management entails can vary considerably depending on your needs and the provider's skill set. Most managed service providers (MSPs) are able to offer a basic package of daily support, as well as more sophisticated deals that include disaster recovery. Managed services are an excellent option for those businesses that want to scale but don't have the resources available to support the necessary infrastructure, or simply want to focus their attention on changing business strategy rather than fighting... --- - Published: 2019-07-25 - Modified: 2019-07-25 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/infographic-why-your-business-needs-to-migrate-to-windows-10-now/ - Categories: Windows OS Windows 7 is out. Windows 10 is in. If you haven’t already, it’s time to move on. Windows 7 has been a hugely successful OS, but in January 2020, it will lose technical support from Microsoft. With no further updates or patches, any business still running on Windows 7 may be caught out. Plus, your organisation will be missing out on all the benefits of Windows 10. From advanced security to enhanced productivity, the new OS offers plenty of cutting edge technologies to empower your business. January 2020 may seem like a long way off, but that deadline will come around quickly. While migration needn’t be a daunting task, it definitely should not be left until the last moment. Below are ten reasons good reasons why you should start your migration plans now. Credits: https://www. itpro. co. uk/software/34063/infographic-why-your-business-needs-to-migrate-to-windows-10-now --- - Published: 2019-07-23 - Modified: 2019-07-23 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/london-underground-to-get-line-wide-4g-coverage-in-2020/ - Categories: Mobile The Jubilee line will be the first to enjoy internet connectivity inside the tunnels The Jubilee line of London's Underground network will be the first to receive total blanket 4G coverage by mid-2020, including on platforms, in station corridors, ticket halls and even through tunnels, according to Transport for London (TfL). The initial stretch of the line between Westminster and Canning Town will be the first to trial the mobile connectivity and will hopefully be live by March 2020. Plans currently estimate the whole line to be serviced by the following summer. While it's unlikely that users will be able to stream video on demand at all times while underground, TfL said it will allow people to check social media, catch-up with emails before heading to the office and check the latest news. "The London Underground network is an incredibly challenging environment in which to deliver technological improvements, but we are now well on the path to delivering mobile connectivity within our stations and tunnels," said Shashi Verma, CTO at TfL. "We have begun the complex work to allow our customers to be able to get phone reception within our tunnels from March 2020, with more stations and lines coming online during the coming years," he added. TfL confirmed to IT Pro there is currently no firm roadmap for getting the entire underground service connected with 4G but the aim is to have total coverage by the mid-2020s. TfL has been working on bringing 4G connectivity to the Underground for... --- - Published: 2019-07-17 - Modified: 2019-07-17 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/microsoft-kicks-windows-10-users-into-adopting-may-2019-update/ - Categories: Windows OS Machines using build 1803 will be upgraded to avoid risk when it reaches end-of-service in November Small businesses and home users with Windows 10 installations older than a year will be automatically upgraded to the May 2019 Update to avoid systems falling out of support in November. Despite widespread concerns over the way Microsoft implements its biannual operating system (OS) upgrades, Home and Pro users will be automatically kicked into using version Windows 10 1903, issued just a couple of months ago. Microsoft outlined plans to implement the feature in April as part of sweeping changes to the way that updates were rolled out to users. These were in response to several disasters the company endured phasing in previous flagship OS upgrades, in particular, the April 2018 and October 2018 Updates. The firm would conventionally initiate updates on Windows 10 machines automatically once its data suggested users would enjoy a frictionless experience. But with the May 2019 Update, users were instead notified when the upgrade was available and could choose to install the new iteration as and when they wanted. This could only be deferred for up to 35 days, however. In Microsoft's official documentation for version 1903, the company said machines running the April 2018 Update will have the update process started for them automatically because this iteration will stop receiving updates from 12 November this year. "Our update rollout process takes into consideration the scale and complexity of the Windows 10 ecosystem, with the many hardware, software, and app... --- - Published: 2019-07-09 - Modified: 2019-07-09 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/our-5-minute-guide-to-security-awareness-training/ - Categories: Security How security awareness training can build resilience in your business and reduce the likelihood of a successful cyber attack The speed at which the security landscape is evolving can make it challenging to keep up to date with the latest threats for those on the front line of a business’ cyber defences. It is even more difficult for employees who aren’t involved in cyber security to know what to look out for when it comes to ransomware, phishing and data breaches. The four major cyber security concerns expressed by IT professionals in a recent survey are a breach of confidential data, with 68% highlighting it as a major concern, followed by phishing attacks (68%), CEO fraud attacks(68%) and ransomware attacks (62%).   All of these methods of attack can involve exploiting employees at a company, and therefore training is one way to reduce the risk of staff accidentally opening a malicious email attachment, or falling prey to a social engineering attempt. What is security awareness training? As the name suggests, security awareness training is educating staff about what potential cyber threats look like, so that they are able to avoid attacks.   It doesn’t guarantee that an employee will never make a mistake, but by raising awareness of common and emerging ways that hackers can try and get information, it keeps cybersecurity at the forefront of their minds. Security awareness training should focus on three primary strands: firstly, how IT and devices should be used in the business; secondly, what security threats look like; and thirdly,... --- - Published: 2019-07-04 - Modified: 2019-07-04 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/whats-the-difference-between-antimalware-and-antivirus/ - Categories: Security We help you navigate the worlds of anti-malware and antivirus Security software is an essential tool for any computer, whether it's a personal or business device; by now, this shouldn't be a surprise for anyone. Not protecting your machine leaves it open to infection from a whole host of threats which can not only damage your PC but result in attackers stealing money, financial data or other sensitive information. However, the security landscape is now more complex and confusing than ever, with numerous different types of software defending against multiple kinds of threats. This can make it hard to identify which particular product is best-suited to your needs. Antivirus and antimalware are two of the most common types of security software, but while they may sound like they do the same job, they're actually slightly different. Antivirus software offers general-purpose protection for your device, guarding it against a variety of known pre-existing exploits and viruses. Antimalware, on the other hand, is a more specialised layer of defence specifically designed to fight ransomware and Trojans. While many organisations and professionals have chosen to stick with generic antivirus, many have also augmented this with additional antimalware tools. What is malware? Malware (short for 'malicious software') is a broad umbrella term for any software designed to harm you or your machine. Although the term was coined around the same time as phrases like 'computer virus', it didn't enter mainstream use until the late 2000s. It's important to note that 'malware' and 'virus' are not... --- - Published: 2019-07-03 - Modified: 2019-07-03 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-is-bandwidth/ - Categories: Internet & Networking We look at how bandwidth works, and why your internet connection sometimes slows to a crawl... Bandwidth refers to the maximum amount of data that can be transmitted via an internet provider over a certain period of time. It specifically relates to the capacity of a network's communications link to carry data from one node to another, and not the speed of that data transfer - for that you need to look at latency. Although bandwidth has traditionally been measured in bits per second (bps), innovations in network hardware have meant capacity is now recorded in millions or even billions of bits per second. Networks with higher bandwidth are able to transfer a greater number of data packets than those with a low bandwidth. It's best to think of data transfer as water flowing through a hosepipe - there's only so much water that can fit inside the pipe at any given moment, with larger capacity pipes being able to carry more. While bandwidth has no bearing on the speed at which data packets travel from one node to another, a low capacity can create a bottleneck in a network that will result in slow or unresponsive applications for the end user. For instance, low bandwidth might speedily display a basic web page that just consists of text, but would struggle to carry enough large data packets at once to support an online video game. That leads to issues like lag, where your internet speed is too slow to show... --- - Published: 2019-06-28 - Modified: 2019-06-28 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/how-to-enable-private-browsing-on-any-browser-to-keep-your-search-history-secret/ - Categories: Internet & Networking, Security Whether it's Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Microsoft Edge, here’s how to enable private browsing on every major browser Private browsing, privacy mode, incognito mode - no matter what you call it - you've probably used it as it's now a common feature in most popular browsers. First seen in May 2005 with Mac OS X Tiger, the feature has become popularised and made its way from Safari to Chrome and now even on most mobile browsers too. The privacy features that come with a private browser mode can be limited and it's important to know how you're protected as there's often confusion as to how private these browsers really are. Private browsing usually stops the browser from storing your search history, won't save data from completed online forms, it won't store cookies from websites you visit and in some cases can mask your IP address. Things like your shopping basket won't magically reappear after quitting a tab, you might not still be logged in upon returning too, but your activity may still be visible to an employer so any NSFW viewings may still come back to haunt you. It's true that you would get much more protection from using a VPN, but getting an effective one often costs money. Private browsing is free and will serve you well if it's just basic privacy you're after. Use it when shopping for an engagement ring, but not anything nefarious. Private browsing can also be effective in discovering a true Google ranking... --- - Published: 2019-06-25 - Modified: 2019-06-25 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/recall-for-macbook-pros-with-dangerous-batteries/ - Categories: Hardware Apple warns models sold between 2015 and 2017 "may pose a fire safety risk" MacBooks are so hot right now, particularly 15-inch Pro models sold between September 2015 and February 2017 which are being recalled due to batteries that can overheat and pose a danger to users. According to Apple, these pose a fire safety risk and the company is asking for customers to stop using them immediately. Its advising customers to check their model's serial numbers on the website and see if they are eligible to have a battery replacement, free of charge. "Apple has determined that, in a limited number of older generation 15-inch MacBook Pro units, the battery may overheat and pose a fire safety risk," the company said. "Affected units were sold primarily between September 2015 and February 2017 and product eligibility is determined by the product serial number. Customer safety is always Apple's top priority, and we have voluntarily decided to replace affected batteries, free of charge. " he specific model is the MacBook Pro (Retina, 15in, mid-2015) - specs of which can be found here - and if you have it, we recommend having it checked out by an Apple store. If you need more convincing there's a post on Reddit from a user called Whitepandamusic with all the hot details. He posted a video of his MacBook after it had "exploded" during "normal use". The machine was plugged in and, rather precariously, place on his lap, when it suddenly started to "spew smoke... --- - Published: 2019-06-13 - Modified: 2019-06-13 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/three-to-launch-london-5g-network-in-august/ - Categories: Mobile The telco claims it will offer the “fastest 5G network in the UK” at more than double the speeds of its rivals Three will launch a 5G home broadband service for London in August, with mobile 5G and an additional 24 locations before the end of 2019.   The company has said it plans to deliver “at least” double the speeds of its telco rivals, achieving speeds its says will deliver a “true 5G experience”, which requires the use of 100MHz of 5G spectrum as set out by the global 5G standards technology body, the ITU. Three claimed the use of 100MHz spectrum, compared to the 50MHz and 40MHz used by rivals such as Vodafone and EE respectively, alongside the investment it has made in high-capacity smart antennas will enable it to deliver “the fastest 5G network in the UK”. However, Three didn't give any examples of the type of connection or download speeds its 5G network will facilitate. The telecoms company also noted that its network would provide “a more reliable connection and experience for customers”. “We have the UK’s best network for data and we have led the market on customer usage on both 3G and 4G technologies. We have worked hard over a long period of time to be able to offer the best end to end 5G experience,” noted Dave Dyson, chief executive at Three. “5G is a game changer for Three, and of course I am excited that we will be the only operator in... --- - Published: 2019-05-29 - Modified: 2019-05-29 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/microsoft-office-365-a-cheat-sheet/ - Categories: Microsoft Office 365 Office 365 provides the productivity tools required by a modern enterprise workforce. This guide covers key details, including available applications, system requirements, and subscription options. For just about any enterprise of any size, the productivity of its modern workforce revolves around the basic office suite of email, calendar, word processor, and spreadsheet. But as the enterprise workforce has become more mobile, the basic productivity toolset has had to adapt and change to match new requirements. This is why Microsoft updated Office 365 to be a mobile collaborative platform ready to get work done wherever and whenever it happens. Microsoft Office 365 is the de facto productivity suite for many enterprises, and it is the suite all the other competitors are measured against. So as a leader in information technology for your enterprise, it's in your best interest to know everything there is to know about Office 365. To help you achieve that goal, TechRepublic compiled the most important details and related resources on Microsoft Office 365 into this guide, which we'll periodically update as new information becomes available. Executive summary What is Microsoft Office 365? Microsoft Office 365 provides users with the basic productivity applications necessary to get work done in the modern enterprise. It includes applications like Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, OneNote, and OneDrive, just to name a few. Why does Microsoft Office 365 matter? As the standard for productivity suites, competing products are generally measured against applications from the Office 365 suite. Who does Microsoft Office 365 affect?... --- - Published: 2019-05-23 - Modified: 2019-05-23 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/how-to-stay-cyber-secure-while-travelling-for-business-6-tips/ - Categories: Security More than 70% of business travellers have been at risk for cyber attacks, according to an IBM Security report. Business travellers are some of the most at-risk victims of cyber attacks but don't seem to realize it, according to an IBM Security report conducted by Morning Consult released Tuesday. The transportation industry has become the second-most attacked industry, and since January 2018, some 566 million records have been either leaked or compromised in the travel industry, the report found. While the majority of business professionals (70%) engage in high-risk behaviour during travel, only 40% said they believed they would be targeted for cybercrimes while on the road, the report found. "Traveling has always been when people are at their most vulnerable. A few hundred years ago, the perpetrators were pirates or highwaymen. Now those criminals are still out there, but they've changed their methods to focus on digital attacks instead," Caleb Barlow, vice president of X-Force Threat Intelligence at IBM Security, said in a press release. "People carry a goldmine of data when traveling including passports, payment information and detailed travel itineraries. When placed in the hands of a cybercriminal, all of this information can be patched together into a complete picture of the traveler's life to inform identity theft, initiate spear phishing attacks, or be sold on the dark web. " More than 70% of Americans surveyed said they have connected to public Wi-Fi, charged their devices using public USB stations, or enabled auto-correct on their devices—all actions that put... --- - Published: 2019-05-21 - Modified: 2019-05-21 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/how-to-enhance-your-backup-strategy/ - Categories: Storage No matter what stage your organisation’s backup strategy is at, there is always room to improve It's easy to think of backup as simply storing copies of your data and files. Whilst this is a key factor, it's also important to consider what happens when this data needs to be restored and accessed in the future. Due to their size and power, larger businesses and corporations usually have an efficient backup system that performs to their specific needs. However, smaller and even mid-sized companies can sometimes fall behind and struggle to find the time to implement an optimal backup strategy - especially with continuously changing face of technology.   Here are a few tips to boost your backup, whatever stage your organisation's strategy is at. Prioritise backup efficiency Slow file restoration time is usually the tell-tale sign of backup inefficiency. Often, the issue lies with having implemented a solution that doesn't cater to the exact needs of the business or having a plan that lacks the detail and granularity required for optimum efficiency. Therefore, it's important to switch to a recovery process that isn't simply based around just getting everything up and running regardless of system intricacies. Instead, it's best to draw up a more detailed and sophisticated plan around specific systems, applications and data - which will then help get the business back up and running quickly and efficiently. A backup product that integrates directly into these existing systems will aid the process greatly, as every integration point helps... --- - Published: 2019-05-14 - Modified: 2019-06-13 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/how-to-fix-a-stuck-windows-10-update/ - Categories: Windows OS Has your PC frozen during an update? Here's how to get it running again One of the benefits of running Windows 10 is that it's updated frequently and most of the time, this happens automatically, without you having to do much at all. It means that bugs are fixed whenever one arises and thus, it provides a much better user experience than previous iterations of the software. There may be a little disruption while the operating system is running through the update (ie. , your computer won't be accessible), but that's not a huge problem if it means your computer is always secure against hacks, bugs and malicious code injections. These updates aren't just there to fix the problems though. They also add new features and make sure the operating system is running as smoothly as possible. But sometimes, when you're installing an update (however big or small it may be), you may come across a problem that prevents the operating system from updating properly and may result in your device not working at all. Any disruption to a platform update can have panic-inducing consequences, but luckily, it can be fixed reasonably easily. One thing you must NEVER do it turn the computer off halfway through an update, This could leave the computer or device "bricked" - meaning it's as functional for computing processes as a brick. This is because for updates to be applied, they need to change the core architecture of the operating system, adding new ones and... --- - Published: 2019-05-10 - Modified: 2019-05-10 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/microsoft-wants-you-to-ditch-passwords-for-biometrics/ - Categories: Security CISO Bret Arsenault believes passwords aren't secure enough on their own Microsoft has touted ambitions to move away from passwords and embrace biometric security for identification and authentication processes. The company's chief information security officer Bret Arsenault told CNBC that online passwords should be eliminated as they do not adequately protect people, and biometrics should be used instead. Arsenault noted that passwords on their own do not afford enough cyber security and that even the relatively simple and old technique of password spraying – whereby a hacker tries to access large amounts of accounts at once by firing commonly used passwords at them – can lead to organisations and online a services getting hacked as there's often no extra layer of security once a correct password has been inputted. “The reality is, we still see a lot of attempts of people trying to password spray. The best way to protect against the password spray is to just eliminate passwords,” said Arsenault, who did acknowledge that password security can be bolstered with multi-factor authentication. “And so the thing that we are seeing is lots and lots of people just focused on eliminating that whole vector. ” Microsoft is practising what Arsenault is preaching, with 90% of its 135,000-strong workforce already able to log into the company's corporate network without passwords. Instead, the workers use biometric technology, such as facial recondition or fingerprint scanning, to authenticate themselves. The company will also scrap its old password expiration policies in Windows 10 in favour... --- - Published: 2019-05-02 - Modified: 2019-05-02 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/microsoft-simplifies-data-privacy-for-365-suite/ - Categories: GDPR, Security Almost a year after GDPR, the tech giant has announced new guidelines for data management Microsoft has unveiled a slew of features to fortify privacy controls for its Microsoft 365 users that aim to simplify its data privacy policies. These new capabilities, which come almost a year after the introduction of the GDPR, include controls to automatically expire or revoke access to encrypted emails, data investigation capabilities and new compliance features in Microsoft Teams. "Privacy and compliance professionals play an increasingly strategic role within organisations," wrote Rudra Mitra, partner director of security and compliance, in a blog post. "As data continues to grow exponentially and travel across organisational boundaries, providing your teams with the right tools to maintain control and manage risk across data, wherever it lives, is our priority. "Today, we are excited to share updates in Microsoft 365 that provide organisations with more control and options to strengthen their data privacy practices. " While these new updates are welcome, there is a suggestion that a company as big as Microsoft should have had these updates in place long before - also, there's no actual date for when it will action such updates, rather it would seem more like a statement of intent. In a similar fashion, during Facebook's annual developer conference, F8, Mark Zuckerberg announced a privacy-focused road map for the social network. Struggling not to laugh, the company's CEO reinstated his commitment to improving Facebook's data privacy policies. "Now look, I get that a lot of people... --- - Published: 2019-04-25 - Modified: 2019-04-25 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/the-windows-7-vulnerabilities-businesses-must-address/ - Categories: Security, Windows OS Continuing security risks in Windows 7 mean that an upgrade to Windows 10 is now an essential business decision It is now nearly ten years since Windows 7 became generally available (on 22 October 2009). Yet, unbelievably, according to Net Applications, 36. 52% of desktop devices are still using the venerable operating system, compared to 43. 62% running Windows 10. This is staggering when you consider the potential vulnerabilities of an older OS such as Windows 7, even when it has the most recent security patches. Mainstream support ended in January 2015, and although extended support continues until January 2020, companies really should have migrated well before that so any issues can be ironed out in time. In this feature, we discuss the risk of vulnerabilities in Windows 7 and why these must be addressed as soon as possible. One of the most infamous areas where Windows 7 has proven to be insecure is in its support for the server message block (SMB) version 1 protocol. This is a system frequently used on network attached storage (NAS) devices from around the same era as Windows 7, and also for printer sharing as well as other remote service connections. The Samba Linux file server used on many NAS devices emulates SMB to provide Windows network file storage access. This might seem like an obscure problem, but it was actually the weakness exploited by the hugely damaging WannaCry ransomware. Whilst this struck organisations all around the globe – including in China, Spain,... --- - Published: 2019-04-23 - Modified: 2019-04-23 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/here-home-policy-legislation-data-protection-what-is-the-right-to-be-forgotten/ - Categories: Security Everything you need to know about the EU's data-removal ruling The Right to Be Forgotten is now enshrined as part of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) legislation introduced a year ago. It allows anyone to request that any data about them is removed from a company's database, whatever their reasons for requesting so. The Right To Be Forgotten has come under fire though, by businesses saying that it’s unfair they must remove details just because someone isn't happy with their data being stored somewhere. Censorship advocates also oppose the law, saying why should it be the subject that decides what information is allowed in the public domain, particularly if the public has the right to know the information. Whether you agree with the law or not, the fact is that businesses must now respect what it dictates and therefore, action must be taken as soon as someone requests their data is removed, leaving no trace it ever existed. If this is not done, penalties may well be charged and the business in question could find themselves in hot water. The Right to Be Forgotten has come in under the microscope around Europe, specifically in Spain when a citizen demanded outdated information about his home being repossessed to be removed from Google search results immediately. Both the Spanish Court and the EU Court of Justice agreed with the claimant and the information was removed. From then on, it became clear that the EU Court would support any future... --- - Published: 2019-04-04 - Modified: 2019-04-04 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/laptops-10-ways-to-speed-up-your-laptop/ - Categories: Hardware, Windows OS Does your ageing laptop need a boost? We look at the software tweaks and hardware upgrades that will give your computer a new lease of life 'Time will heal all wounds' is a saying that doesn't strictly apply to the word of computing. In fact, time is usually the biggest cause of hardware slowdown on laptops; as use increases and more things get downloaded and installed, greater strain is placed on a laptop's limited memory and other hardware capacities. Slow laptops are the bane of many enterprises, we're all well acquainted with the annoyance of opening a program and waiting an age for it to open - it can be so tempting just pack it up and buy a new one, but there are measures you can take to extend the machine's lifespan. It's not uncommon and it's a perfectly normal part of a laptop's lifecycle and in terms of total prevention, there's little you can do aside from upgrading the hardware or just buying a new machine. What you can do is slow down the ageing process by following a few handy housekeeping tips which will ensure your machine, be it Windows 7, 8, 10 or Linux-based, performs at an optimal level. Even with consistent upkeep, it's unlikely that your laptop will ever perform as it did when it was box fresh but following these steps will probably keep you from smashing it in anger, even it's just for a few more months. 1 – How to speed up... --- - Published: 2019-04-02 - Modified: 2019-04-02 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/17-windows-10-problems-and-how-to-fix-them-2/ - Categories: Windows OS Stop tearing your hair out and follow our tips It took some time but as of January 2019, Windows 10 finally overtook its predecessor in terms of market share, breaking the 40% barrier, it’s officially the world’s most popular operating system (OS) and as Windows 7 goes end of life next year, numbers will only continue to rise. Windows 10 is known for rolling out regular updates to its users and is the most stable Windows OS to date but that doesn’t mean users aren’t having issues with it. From stuck updates disrupting workflow to significantly less storage space, there are many bugs with some simple fixes for them too. Microsoft is currently working on a feature which would allow a user to postpone a Windows update for 35 days - enough time to make sure the update itself wasn’t faulty and would weaken your system, but there’s still more work that must be done to polish up the system. Transitioning to Windows 10 from a previous version can also be the cause of problems. Those stuck in their Windows 7 ways will have a tough time adapting to the new features, some of which won’t be intuitive to a new user. Fret not, the issues you’re facing are being experienced by users across the world and there are some simple fixes to Windows 10 problems that are detailed below. 1 - Can't upgrade from Windows 7 or Windows 8 Some of the most common problems with Windows 10 are... --- - Published: 2019-03-28 - Modified: 2019-03-28 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/how-to-factory-reset-windows-10/ - Categories: Windows OS If your Windows 10 system isn't playing ball, you can reset it back to its factory conditions Although Windows 10 is supposedly the most stable release of Microsoft’s operating system, things can (and often do) get a little slow after a lot of use. As your computer becomes clogged with files and folders, unused libraries and applications you perhaps don’t use anymore, its performance will start to degrade. This “digital litter” can be infuriating as you struggle to perform tasks that used to happen without any problem at all. So if you’ve decided it’s time to partake in a computer spring clean, you’ll be thankful to hear that you can have a big clearout without affecting any of the important files and folders stored on your PC. Windows 10 ships with the ability to reset your entire computer back to factory settings without removing any of the essentials, vastly improving the performance of your machine and perhaps re-igniting the love you had for it when you first took it out of the box. Not only can resetting your computer make the device run faster, but it can also fix a lot of problems, such as problems with drivers or software issues. If you are experiencing issues with your Windows 10 computer, we suggest resetting your computer before spending money on IT support services. How to perform a factory reset on Windows 10 It’s a pretty simple process to perform a factory reset on your Windows 10 computer. First, open up... --- - Published: 2019-03-26 - Modified: 2019-03-26 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/uk-welcomes-startup-tech-talent-from-africa/ - Categories: News Startups from Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa to represent the continent's fastest growing sector in London The UK will welcome 20 of the most innovative tech startups from Africa for a two-week incubator programme to help them scale up. The development-focused firms are from Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa and are part of the Go Global Africa project. They will arrive in London on Monday and, according to the government, will benefit from the expertise within the UK's tech sector, potentially creating links for future business. The main aim of the partnership is to tap into Africa's burgeoning tech sector, which is one of its fastest growing industries. "Africa is a vibrant and dynamic continent, with huge potential for growth, and the firms chosen for the first Go Global Africa programme see tech as a force for good in society," said Digital Minister Margot James. "I've no doubt they have the talent to play a transformative role in their country's growth while also building connections for UK startups in new markets and highlighting Britain as the place to develop new technology. " The 20 startups selected where whittled down from more than 400 applicants that offered products and services within industries such as fintech, healthcare, agritech (tech for agriculture) and water management. The selected startups will receive coaching from pitching experts, a public speaking masterclass and advice on scaling up from PriceWaterHouseCoopers. The UK has worked to strengthen ties with some African counties. In August, the prime minister Theresa May... --- - Published: 2019-03-21 - Modified: 2019-03-21 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/windows-7-security-patches-officially-coming-to-an-end/ - Categories: Windows OS Despite support ending in January 2020, the Windows 7 market share has increased since 2018 Microsoft has started issuing desktop alerts to Windows 7 users warning that security updates for the operating system will soon be coming to an end. Windows 7 will no longer receive patches to fix security issues from 14 January 2020 onwards, and users are being urged to upgrade to a newer operating system as a result. It forms part of Microsoft's strategy of phasing out older software in order to focus resources on updating its newest portfolio. From 18 April, users on Windows 7 will begin receiving warnings about the approaching cut-off for a system that first debuted in 2009. Despite its age, Windows 7 is still popular with users, with just under 40% of the market share, according to NetApplications - which is, in fact, 2. 5% higher than estimates released in 2018. Microsoft are keen to get as many users as possible onto its flagship Windows 10 OS, particularly as it comes bundled for free with Office 365 subscriptions - that OS currently accounts for 37% of the market. Windows 7 remains the most installed OS on the market Microsoft has said users can continue to use Windows 7, but that "once support ends, your PC will become more vulnerable to security risks". Users have been aware for some time that Windows 7 would eventually be killed off, with the company announcing last June that it would no longer be answering technical questions... --- - Published: 2019-03-19 - Modified: 2019-03-19 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/windows-10-can-automatically-uninstall-fault-causing-updates/ - Categories: Windows OS The feature will kick in if the computer fails to boot after installing bug fixes Windows 10 may be able to remove dodgy updates from computers if they cause bugs, Microsoft has revealed in the latest version of its Windows Insider build. If, after installing an update on your machine, your computer runs into problems and automatic recovery attempts are unable to rectify it, Windows 10 can automatically remove them. The feature could be used by devices that refuse to start up after a new update is installed. Microsoft suggested non-booting errors could be caused by “disk issues, system file corruption, invalid registry keys, or other such causes. ” Although Windows 10 updates are extensively tested before being rolled out to consumers, sometimes these bug fixes can result in issues caused by specific software running on the computer or driver incompatibilities. This could potentially brick a device, especially if those updates are rolled out automatically. In this case, your Windows 10 machine will show the message “We removed some recently installed updates to recover your device from a startup failure. ” After the update has been removed, Microsoft will block the update from being applied again within 30 days. Presumably, the company would have fixed the bug and the update will install seamlessly. “To ensure that your device can start up and continue running as expected, Windows will also prevent problematic updates from installing automatically for the next 30 days,” Microsoft said. “This will give Microsoft and our partners the... --- - Published: 2019-03-12 - Modified: 2019-03-12 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/natwest-and-rbs-trial-biometric-bank-card/ - Categories: News The card will use an embedded sensor activated by existing card machines to check the user's fingerprint Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS)-owned Natwest has announced it’s planning to trial biometric technology within banks cards for 200 of its customers, allowing them to use their fingerprint to verify transactions with a value of more than £30, eradicating the need to remember a PIN number. Although contactless payments are now ubiquitous, one limiting factor is they can only be used for transactions around the £30 mark. With the biometric bank card trials, users will be able to buy products above that value thanks to the use of secure verification. “We are using the very latest technology across our business to make banking easier for our customers and biometric fingerprint cards are one of the many technologies we are exploring further,” said David Crawford, head of current accounts at Natwest. “This is the biggest development in card technology in recent years and we are excited to trial the service. ” Natwest hasn’t revealed whether its tech will be for debit, credit or both types of customers, nor has it said whether there will be an upper limit for transactions. The cards will be fitted with a built-in sensor triggered by the payment terminal. When a customer touches their fingerprint to the sensor, it’s compared to the biometric information stored on the card and the transaction is approved if it matches. RBS has teamed up with Gemalto, Visa and Mastercard (suggesting it will work... --- - Published: 2019-03-07 - Modified: 2019-03-07 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/usb-type-c-everything-you-need-to-know/ - Categories: Hardware USB-C is finally becoming widespread, but what exactly is it, what can it do and how can you upgrade? In 1996, the Universal Serial Bus (USB) was released as a direct response to the confusion caused by the multiplicity of computer-connector types. Quickly adopted by manufacturers and users, USB was a revelation, providing fast, stable, hassle-free connections between devices. Over the years, USB has lost some of the universality that made it so convenient to begin with. Different devices now use different ports (full-size, mini, and micro to name just a few) and things have become a little more confusing again. Despite being launched five years ago, USB Type-C - more commonly known as USB-C - has only recently started to go mainstream, appearing on laptops, desktop PCs, smartphones and more. If you haven't encountered it yet, chances are you soon will. What is USB-C? USB-C isn't actually a USB standard (which has more to do with data-transfer speeds rather than shape and size of the connector). Technically speaking, it's a USB connection type, like USB Type-A (the classic full-size USB connection) and USB Type-B (the squarer variety commonly found on printers) before it. USB standards are designated by a numerical indicator such as USB 2. 0 or USB 3. 2, and relate primarily to the maximum data transfer speed they support. However, because most USB-C hardware tends to also use the 10Gb/sec USB 3. 2 Gen 2 standard (also known USB 3. 1 or USB 3. 1 Gen 2),... --- - Published: 2019-03-05 - Modified: 2019-03-05 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/time-is-up-for-windows-7-how-do-you-migrate-to-windows-10/ - Categories: Windows OS Even if you think you're ready, there are hidden problems that could trip you up There's a looming problem on the horizon, which is going to cause a lot of headaches for businesses if they're not prepared. The issue in question? Microsoft will officially end support for Windows 7 in January 2020, meaning that businesses have just over one year to prepare their migration strategies for upgrading their business devices to a newer, supported version of Microsoft's OS. When Windows 7 reaches End-Of-Life, it'll likely affect a lot of businesses. Windows 7 still runs on around a quarter of UK desktop PCs, according to StatCounter. It's unknown how many of those are business machines as opposed to personal devices, but it's likely to be a significant number. If businesses haven't upgraded to a more recent OS by the time support is withdrawn, they face the prospect of having to pay Microsoft for extended support, which will get more expensive over time. A much more cost-effective solution is to ensure that you've got a strategy in place to migrate your Windows 7 desktops to Windows 10, ensuring that you're future-proofed for as long as possible. Credits: https://www. itpro. co. uk/operating-systems/32538/time-is-up-for-windows-7-how-do-you-migrate-to-windows-10 If you want to know more about the best way to smoothly migrate your company PC's to Windows 10, feel free to contact INK Networks on 02039484555. --- - Published: 2019-02-27 - Modified: 2019-02-27 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-is-smtp/ - Categories: IT Support London Have you ever wondered how your email gets to its recipient? When sending and receiving emails, most computers use a protocol called SMTP. This stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. Without it, emails are unable to transfer from your email client to someone else’s. It was developed in the early 1980s by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). It is also known as RFC 821 and RFC 2821. It is part of the application layer of the TCP/IP protocol. The protocol uses a procedure called “store and forward”. It moves an email from one computer’s Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) to another MTA. SMTP describes how emails get to the correct destination using “store and forward” at each part of its journey. The sent messages can be collected using an email client with either Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3) or Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP). SMTP usually sends messages from the mail client to the mail server, thus the need to specify a POP or IMAP server when an email client is configured. SMTP is integrated into email clients and includes four vital parts: a local user or client-end utility called the mail user agent (MUA); a server called the mail submission agent (MSA); a mail transfer agent (MTA); and a mail delivery agent (MDA). The SMTP server An SMTP server is just a computer running SMTP. Once messages are picked up they are sent to this server for passing onto recipients. Six steps to (email) heaven An email is sent... --- - Published: 2019-02-25 - Modified: 2019-02-25 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/government-pressing-ahead-with-making-tax-digital-despite-calls-for-further-delay/ - Categories: News Minister delivers an update on the modernisation plans but Labour says businesses need more time to adapt to the new regime The government's financial secretary shed further light on the details surrounding its Making Tax Digital (MTD) plans yesterday, including progress made in ongoing trials, ahead of the rollout in April. A pilot phase for the MTD VAT service, running since April last year and opened to the public in October, has enrolled more than 16,500 businesses so far, with HMRC gearing up to make the service live from spring. Financial secretary to the treasury Mel Stride MP also reiterated that penalties will not be issued due to late filings in the first year, just late payments and that any such penalties will be administered using a proportionate and "light-touch approach". Moreover, a host of exemptions from MTD will apply to those who are disabled or face network difficulties. "It has never been more important for businesses to be able to seize the opportunities that digital technology offers," Stride told the House of Commons, making his first statement on MTD since announcing a delay in 2017. "In a world where businesses are already banking, paying bills and shopping online, it is important that the tax system keeps pace, but MTD is not just about providing a modern, digital service for businesses but about helping them get their tax right. " But the opposition accused the government of failing to adequately handle the digital transition to the detriment of UK businesses,... --- - Published: 2019-02-21 - Modified: 2019-02-21 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/how-to-share-and-collaborate-on-microsoft-office-documents-on-an-ipad/ - Categories: Microsoft Office Learn how to share and work on the same Microsoft Office documents with other people via your iPad. Microsoft Office works most effectively on a full-fledged computer, but it's also adept on an iPad. With an Office 365 subscription, you can create and edit documents and files; even without a subscription, you can still use Office on an iPad to view your documents. Beyond using all the built-in features and commands, you can share and collaborate on Office documents with other people directly from your iPad. First, let's go over some of the conditions and requirements for using Office on an iPad. On a mobile device with a screen size less than 10. 1 inches, you can freely create and edit documents in Office—no Office 365 subscription is required. That means you can fully use Office on an iPad Mini or the 9. 7-inch iPad. On the larger iPad Pro models, you can only view your documents for free—creating and editing them requires an Office 365 subscription. I use an iPad Pro with an Office 365 subscription, so I can view, create, and edit documents. You also need a OneDrive account so you can work with your files in the cloud. With Office 365, you get a hefty 1TB of OneDrive storage. If you don't have any of the Office apps on your iPad, open Safari and browse to the Get Office for iOS website. Tap the link for the product you want (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, etc. ), and... --- - Published: 2019-02-19 - Modified: 2019-02-19 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-is-a-swot-analysis-when-it-comes-to-business-and-it/ - Categories: Business How to perform a SWOT analysis, and why your business needs you to You may have heard the expression “SWOT” analysis being thrown quite a lot when working on business strategy and for good reason - it’s one of the foundations of identifying the current state of your business and therefore how you can make improvements. A SWOT analysis can also be used to compare the services you provide with your competitors’, determining where there’s room for improvement and how you can continue to compete. It will also help you identify market opportunities that you can fulfil, servicing your current customers and of course, attracting and maintaining new clients that may be looking for an alternative offering. What is SWOT? SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats, therefore covering your current situation and where you want to be. It will ensure you can fully assess where your business stands now and where it can grow to fill gaps in the market. Both internal and external factors are taken into account, and this will help you determine where you perhaps need to focus more attention. How can you turn around your weaknesses to address the opportunities, and how can you use your strengths to mitigate threats? Because a SWOT analysis takes everything into account, including your current market position, it’s a very effective tool in any business’s arsenal. This analysis should be run annually, approximately, in order to ensure you stay ahead of the competition, while start-ups and new businesses... --- - Published: 2019-02-13 - Modified: 2019-02-13 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-is-voip-how-to-choose-the-perfect-system/ - Categories: Telephony Here's what you should look for when picking an internet phone package If there's one thing virtually every business needs, it's a phone system. Whether it's for sales calls, communicating with distributors, or customer support, it is essential to have some form of business phone network. A professional-grade phone system can make a small operation look big to its customers. It can also make a statement about how seriously you take your business; nothing looks more unprofessional than the main phone number no one ever answers, or an out-of-date voicemail system. However, you don't have to use a traditional landline setup. In fact, many businesses are now choosing to use Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, solutions. VoIP software allows you to make and receive calls over with just an internet connection, instead of a traditional phone connection. You've almost certainly used VoIP software before - any calls made via Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, or Skype are classed as VoIP calls. Along with app-based 'softphones', you can also supply your staff with physical headsets or handsets, which operate just like traditional phones. There are numerous advantages to using a VoIP system for business telephony – they’re much easier to manage and administrate, often less expensive than traditional phone services, and include enhanced functions like smartphone integration and advanced call handling rules. VoIP systems are also cheaper and easier to upgrade as your business grows; you start with a hosted service and later move to an on-site hardware or software system. But... --- - Published: 2019-02-12 - Modified: 2019-02-12 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/android-vs-ios-which-mobile-os-is-right-for-you/ - Categories: Mobile We look at design, security, compatibility and more to see which OS best fits your business Everyone knows someone who’s unfailingly loyal to their smartphone operating system. If you don’t have the same system as they, do, they’ll be sure to tell you what you’re missing out on. You might think that your phone has a great camera, but theirs has a much better retina display. You might like your phone’s battery life, but their phone has so much more storage. Whatever your phone can do, theirs can do better. Every operating system has a seemingly endless list of pros and cons. So, who’s right? If you’re looking to purchase smartphones for your business and/or employees, there are a plethora of variables you need to consider before committing to an operating system. The mobile OS is dominated by two players: iOS and Android. Each platform has a wide array of features that make them worth buying - so much so that deciding between one or the other can be overwhelming. In order to make the right decision, you have to know what you’re looking for. Perhaps you’re drawn to Apple’s sleek design. Maybe Google's smartphone platform is so customisable that it’s hard for you to resist. Either way, your personal interests may or may not align with what’s best for your business. Security, app support and compatibility, ease of use and hardware are all factors you need to consider before making the switch to a brand-new platform. To help you... --- - Published: 2019-02-07 - Modified: 2019-02-07 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/4g-vs-5g-whats-the-difference/ - Categories: Mobile From 3G to 4G, mobile connectivity has revolutionised our lives. Now 5G is set to do it again We now live in a world where internet is fast-becoming a human right, the days of GPRS seem like a prehistoric thing of the past and we grow ever more demanding for faster, more reliable network connectivity while on the move. At its rollout, 3G was touted as the technology to enable the future phone and facilitate technological advancements. As did 4G when the 3G network became weathered and unfit to accommodate the newer, smarter devices being released which relied on its network. For years 4G has served the world well. Half-decent speeds almost anywhere in the UK is a luxury we now take for granted and are beginning to resent. 4G is now becoming the 3G of modern times, a technology unable to meet the demand of its users or the smart devices connected to it. In comes 5G, already available in select parts of America and Australia, all the major telcos in Britain are vying to be the first to give the nation what it wants and needs: mobile internet speeds that beat those in most households and latency so low surgeries can be performed over the network. 5G is just around the corner and it can't come soon enough. It will be the driving force that underpins autonomous vehicles, expansive IoT implementation and the fastest mobile internet we've ever experienced. 5G will enable the IoT The first 5G networks... --- - Published: 2019-02-05 - Modified: 2019-02-19 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/whatsapp-gains-biometric-security-support-on-ios/ - Categories: Mobile iPhone users can now protect their chats with Touch ID or Face ID Facebook has added biometric authentication to WhatsApp, allowing users to better prevent unauthorised access to their conversations. The new feature is currently only available to iOS users, and can be accessed by updating the app to version 2. 19. 20 from the Apple App Store and going into the settings menu and selecting 'account', 'privacy' and then 'screen lock'. Android users, meanwhile, are still restricted to version 2. 19. 17, which does not include biometric support. According to info from WAbetainfo. com, however, the feature is set to be introduced to Android devices with version 2. 19. 3. The app now supports both Touch ID and Face ID, meaning that even if your device is unlocked, snoopers won't be able to read your messages - although message previews and quick replies in notifications will still be accessible, assuming you've activated this feature. The feature uses an app-wide locking system, which means that you can't protect individual chats with fingerprint or face recognition - just the whole app. The new security features follow CEO Mark Zuckerberg's announcement that Facebook was planning to merge the backends of WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger into a single platform, raising the possibility that biometric security could soon be introduced to Facebook's other apps. WhatsApp is currently the only major Facebook-owned app to support biometric authentication, although rumours indicated that it was being internally tested for Facebook back in 2017. WhatsApp also uses... --- - Published: 2019-01-31 - Modified: 2019-02-19 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/it-manager-job-description-what-does-an-it-manager-do/ - Categories: Business What an IT manager does and how to become one “Have you tried turning it off and back on again? ” Back when IT managers only had desktop computers and servers to worry about, this might have been the only question needed to solve a problem. While this method might still be a viable solution, it certainly isn’t the only one anymore. Just as times and technology changes, the role of the IT manager has grown and evolved drastically since its start. There are always new technologies to learn, many areas to stay up to date on and additional disciplines to study. IT managers must ensure they have teams capable of both producing results and keeping a workforce running by fixing laptops, phones and connective applications like Slack and Trello. Not only do they have to maintain a building, but the rise in flexible working means they need to help telecommuters working from home or in remote locations. Perhaps most importantly, with the world of technology rapidly changing the world of business, the IT manager has a responsibility to ensure their organisation uses the best products it can, the latest software available and the appropriate hardware to keep their business competitive. To do all this an IT manager must lead a team of techno professionals, software developers and system analysts, and ensure the entire department is an efficient unit. Their role will also include working with IT vendors or resellers to guarantee they are getting the best deals on equipment... --- - Published: 2019-01-29 - Modified: 2019-01-29 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/which-is-the-best-browser-chrome-vs-firefox-vs-microsoft-edge/ - Categories: IT Support London We put the web's three best browsers head to head. So which one comes out on top? What would the internet be without the humble browser? A database of information no one could make sense from – pretty useless really. Browsers are the gateway to the internet. Allowing the world wide web's huge swathes of information to be accessed, just by typing a website address into the address bar, or of course using a search engine to find results. Since the dawn of the internet in the 1990s, a few tech leaders have come out in front for developing browsers that allow people to tap into the library of information available on the internet. But browsers aren't just reserved for typing information in either. They've evolved to harness the power of voice too, with many of the market leaders developing the technology so you can speak your searches and find the information you're looking for, whether on a computer, a mobile, a tablet, or even into a watch. The idea of a browser was first developed by little-known company Mosaic, which launched not long after Sir Tim Berners-Lee invented the world wide web. This was quickly followed by the Netscape Navigator, developed by Marc Andreessen. However, these two little-remembered tech innovations were soon overtaken by bigger tech giants and Microsoft's Internet Explorer popped up, not long after Netscape unveiled its browser software. From there, Mozilla Foundation took on Microsoft with its open-source Firefox, which is the most widely used web... --- - Published: 2019-01-24 - Modified: 2019-01-24 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-to-do-if-youre-still-running-windows-7/ - Categories: Windows OS The legacy OS has an end date of 14 Jan 2020, so it's time to move on Windows 7 has been a much loved operating system but it has just one year of support left. Yes, that's right, come 14 January 2020, extended support will be no more. A decade after its release, Windows 7 is still a popular OS with a 37% market share, according to NetApplications. Such is its popularity, the newer Windows 10 OS has only just managed to catch up, despite being released more than three years ago. However, with 14 Jan 2020 just under a year away, its high time Windows 7 users looked at that inevitable upgrade. But January 2020 is still far away? Having just gotten into 2019, the next year might seem like it's very much in the future but Dale Titcombe, head of IT at BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, tells IT Pro that it's "definitely not" too early to start work. "It cannot be assumed that remedial work won't be required in order to transition between OS versions and that 'projects' within the migration project may likely present themselves, that require prioritisation and resourcing," says Titcombe. He argues that the process of upgrading the machines to a new OS is the easy part, which often can be done in a matter of days with the right provisioning. "The harder part is making sure you have identified any issues you have in your environment and planning the project," he adds.... --- - Published: 2019-01-10 - Modified: 2019-01-10 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-is-ssid/ - Categories: IT Support London We look at what SSID is and how it is used to connect devices to the internet When looking to join a wireless network from your smartphone, laptop, or tablet, users are typically presented with a list of names to click on. These names are known as a service set identifiers (SSIDs), which can either be the default labels given to the network by the manufacturer or a customised name created by the owner. Default SSIDs normally follow a distinct pattern unique to the manufacturer. For example, Virgin Media begins its SSIDs with the prefix VM followed by a set of numbers, such as VM-12345. Sky and BT follow a similar pattern. A number of manufacturers also do this with devices they sell to the consumer, such as NETGEAR. You may wish to change the SSID from a set of letters and numbers into something more memorable and to distinguish it from similar routers in the neighbourhood. This can be done by accessing the web-based admin settings found in nearly all modern routers. This is also the case if you have many networks in one building - for example, guest Wi-Fi and employee Wi-Fi - that you want to keep separate. Just change the names to make it clear who should use which network. Key features of an SSID One common theme you'll find with an SSID, whether it's the default set by the ISP or router manufacturer or you've changed it, is it features up to 32 case-sensitive letters... --- - Published: 2019-01-08 - Modified: 2019-01-08 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/how-not-to-get-hacked-in-2019/ - Categories: Security A guide to all the latest cyber criminal tricks, and how to beat them When it comes to defeating security threats, awareness is one of the most effective weapons in your arsenal, and our chief aim is to continue providing you with the knowledge and the defences you need to stay one step ahead of the hackers and scammers. Below we run through the latest security threats and show you new ways to beat them. The overall message here is: don't be complacent. The techniques used by crooks and hackers are always evolving, so you need to keep evolving your security strategies, too. The return of ransomware Ransomware had a profitable year in 2017, but it reduced over time. This is partly due to many corporations investing in backup solutions that mitigate the impact of a ransomware event, or a quality Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solution, which effectively eliminates the risk. As a result, fewer companies are susceptible to ransomware and less are paying up. However, there were still plenty of high-profile ransomware events in 2018, which is why it remains towards the top of most security experts lists. For Brian Hussey, VP of cyber threat detection and response at Trustwave SpiderLabs, there's still lots of lots of money in ransomware. "Though overall, I predict continued impact reduction of ransomware threats in the coming years, there are enough companies running lax security practices that still makes ransomware profitable," he says. The fix: Practice the fundamentals According to its 2018... --- - Published: 2019-01-03 - Modified: 2019-01-10 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/microsoft-365-offers-new-bundles-for-cyber-security-and-gdpr-compliance/ - Categories: GDPR The stand-alone packages will be made available to existing and prospective enterprise customers in less than a month Microsft has added two new security-centric subscription bundles to its Microsoft 365 enterprise suite to be made available from February 1 2019. The new 'Identity & Threat Protection' and 'Information Protection & Compliance' packages are aimed at enterprise customers unable to commit to most high-end Microsoft 365 subscriptions, but who still want to benefit from the firm's security and compliance tools. The former will include Microsoft Threat Protection, which comprises Azure Advanced Threat Protection (ATP), Windows Defender ATP and Office 365 ATP including Threat Intelligence. Priced at $12 per user per month, it will also offer Microsoft Cloud App Security, and Azure Active Directory. The latter package, which is more geared towards assisting customers with compliance needs such as handling requests under the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), will be priced at $10 per user per month. This package combines Office 365 Advance Compliance and Azure Information Protection, and is designed to aid chief compliance officers with ongoing risk assessments within their organisations. The package will also automatically classify and protect sensitive data and use AI to respond to regulatory requests. "A big driver of customer adoption of Microsoft 365 is the need for security and compliance solutions in an age of increasingly sophisticated cybersecurity threats, as well as complex information protection needs due to regulations like the GDPR," said corporate vice president for Microsoft 365 Ron Markezich. "As we... --- - Published: 2018-12-19 - Modified: 2018-12-19 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/met-police-rolls-out-controversial-facial-recognition-tech-in-london/ - Categories: News Today will see eight-hour trials take place in the British capital London’s Metropolitan Police is testing its facial recognition technology in the capital today. This week’s trials mark the seventh attempt launched by the Met in a bid to get its controversial technology to take flight. The testing took place yesterday and continues today over a period of eight hours each day. Rather than scanning people without their consent, the Met is inviting people to take part in the testing on a voluntary basis. Critics of the scheme have been vocal, suggesting that people who turn down the invites will look “suspicious”. Bigger grievances, meanwhile, pertain to issues of privacy. Big Brother Watch, a prominent civil liberties advocacy group, has denounced the technology as “authoritarian, dangerous and lawless,” stating that it constitutes a “breach of fundamental rights to privacy and freedom of speech and assembly”. If you’re keen to avoid being roped into the testing period, you’ll want to avoid central London. The areas where the tests are being conducted fall within the touristic hubs of the capital, with Soho, Picadilly Circus and Leicester Square being touted as prime locations. Be wary of pranksters, too; the Met has established that “clear uniformed” officers only would be carrying out trials while maintaining that anyone requesting not to be scanned would not be black marked as “suspicious”. For its part, the Met is keen to forge ahead with trials. Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham has sung the facial recognition system’s praises, positing in... --- - Published: 2018-12-14 - Modified: 2018-12-14 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-is-ram/ - Categories: Hardware We explain what RAM is and how it differs from other types of computer memory Random-access memory (RAM) allows a device, whether a smartphone, tablet, computer or anything else that needs to read and write commands, to operate efficiently and complete operations quickly. It’s a short-term memory, allowing processes to both be written and read at the same time, making it completely different type of memory compared to a hard drive or SSD (known as direct-access memory). Unlike direct-access memory, when the power is removed the memory is completely wiped. Not something you would want to happen to the hard drive of a device. Because of its unique nature, the data handled by RAM is constantly changing and only processes the tasks needing to happen at any given moment. Anything else will be deferred. But new RAM modules are currently being developed that could allow for other tasks to be stored, which means some operations, such as system startup, could happen much faster as those actions are ready to be triggered. The history of RAM Although modern computers are completely different to those in existence half a decade ago, RAM was still present in many of the first computers, although up until the 1970s, the most commonly used method was magnetic core memory – very different to the embedded circuitry RAM we know of today. Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) wasn't introduced until the 1970s (although as a concept, it was announced in 1968) and allowed data to be stored... --- - Published: 2018-12-12 - Modified: 2018-12-12 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/gdpr-and-brexit-how-will-one-affect-the-other/ - Categories: Brexit, GDPR How the biggest economic change to the UK affects EU data protection laws As of May 2018, the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) now govern all data processing involving European Union citizens. However, following the UK's decision to leave the bloc, the government will be actioning its plans to split from the EU, which is provisionally set at 29 March 2019. Although GDPR is a European Union law, and we will no longer be part of that political body (of course, physically, we're still part of Europe), GDPR will still apply if you have any dealings with the rest of Europe at all. GDPR technically won't affect British citizens in the same way as it will, for example, French, German or Italian citizens, as the UK operates under a revised Data Protection Act. However, the DPA 2018 is essentially a tweaked version of GDPR, a deliberate act to maintain regulatory alignment post-Brexit, and so all the same principles and guidelines will still apply, including those new hefty fines. It's also highly likely that your business has dealings with European citizens, whether direct or indirect. You may (even unknowingly) hold European citizen data and therefore, it must be protected as per EU rules. Will the UK follow the EU’s GDPR? While the UK is removing itself from the EU’s legal framework, it will continue to stand by the GDPR for now. At the time of writing, it's not known what the final relationship between the UK and EU will be. Various... --- - Published: 2018-12-05 - Modified: 2018-12-05 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/best-free-malware-removal-tools-2018-clean-your-hard-drive-with-these-services/ - Categories: Security Worried your device is infected? Here are the best free tools you need to get rid of malicious software Malware by its own nature is difficult to detect and comes in a multitude of disguises. Malware ranges from viruses and ransomware to Trojans and worms; each is harmful to your computer in some way. If your system gets infected, it needs to be fixed as soon as possible. Such infections can find many all manner of ways onto a vulnerable system. These include malicious ads, drive-by downloads, and booby-trapped email attachments, making the chance of a device getting infected high indeed. Malware can be noticeable in its effects. It can slow things right down, screens can lock up, your internet will get slower. Important files can also be discovered by hackers. When malware strikes you need to disinfect your computer promptly. This need not be a big expense. There are many software tools that can get a PC back to normal and working as it should. Whether it is running anti-malware tools to have peace of mind or you have a particular infection to get rid of from a PC, here is a list of malware removal utilities that are the best on the market and cost zilch to download and install. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Malwarebytes is one of the better-known malware removal tools out there, and for good reason. It is able to destroy many types of malware that other software tends to miss, and its real-time scanning means it... --- - Published: 2018-11-29 - Modified: 2018-11-29 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/linkedin-violates-data-protection-rules-uses-18-million-email-addresses-without-user-consent/ - Categories: GDPR The report covered the first few months in 2018, just before GDPR was introduced LinkedIn, the white-collar social network with over 500 million users has responded to an investigation which revealed the company violated data protection rules by using the email addresses of 18 million people to buy targeted ads on Facebook. Following a complaint from a non-LinkedIn user, the Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) of Ireland conducted an audit into LinkedIn's processing of personal data. The DPC's report, which doesn't say how it acquired the 18 million email addresses covered the first five months of 2018 (Jan-May) and concluded that LinkedIn Ireland, the data controller, used a hashed form of the email addresses to target Facebook users with ads trying to target the user to sign up to its service "with the absence of instruction from the data controller as is required" to stay GDPR compliant. "The complaint was ultimately amicably resolved," said the DPC, "with LinkedIn implementing a number of immediate actions to cease the processing of user data for the purposes that gave rise to the complaint. " LinkedIn has also been instructed to delete all personal data processed during the time of unlawful processing "with the absence of instruction from the data controller". LinkedIn, along with other countries have now moved its data processing from Ireland to the USA in an effort to loosen the stranglehold GDPRplaces around it. It avoids processing user data under law that should not apply to them. LinkedIn will have international users... --- - Published: 2018-11-28 - Modified: 2018-11-28 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/three-quarters-of-businesses-missing-out-due-to-low-tech-integration/ - Categories: IT Support London SMEs said the cost of integrating technology in their workspaces was a limiting factor Three-quarters of small to medium-sized enterprises are missing out because they haven't deployed basic mobile working tools to their staff. That's according to a report commissioned by Crown Workspace and carried out by an independent research firm. Crown Workspace argues that by failing to integrate technologies such as cloud-based apps and services and BYOD policies, SMEs are significantly limiting their success. The company noted that deploying basic tools to staff, such as the cloud and allowing employees to work from home, use their own devices for work and offering flexible working conditions can have a significant positive impact on innovation and productivity. “Modern technology has created a new set of rules for the workplace,” Simon Gammell, director at Crown Workspace said. “Tech such as WiFi, remote storage and mobile are what employees expect, and that’s what SME owners should consider first when designing a workspace to ensure that their people can work and communicate effectively. Design factors such as layout, equipment and furniture are also massively important too but should not come at the detriment of technology. ” Some of the areas highlighted as lacking by the company include voice technologies that are only being adopted by one in five organisations. Only 25% of the businesses questioned feel prepared for mobile working and although technologies such as Li-Fi and heating are becoming buzz technologies for SMEs, few are taking up the opportunity to modernise the workplace.... --- - Published: 2018-11-23 - Modified: 2018-11-23 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-is-a-trojan/ - Categories: Security The malicious malware lurks behind legitimate software to invade your computer We've all been told the tale of the Trojan Horse, the enormous wooden horse built by the invading Greek army to bring an end to the siege of Troy. What appeared to be a parting gift left by a defeated army, the hollow structure concealed a unit of Greek soldiers that lept forth under the cover of darkness and attacked the defenders when their guard was down. The war was one of the most famous events in Greek mythology, and, despite being over 2,500 years old, still has plenty to teach us about misdirection and subterfuge – especially when it comes to cybersecurity. Today, hackers are using their own wooden horses to bypass network security. A Trojan, as the name suggests, is a variant of the malware family that attempts to masquerade as legitimate software in order to sneak past a network's defences and, when the time is right, deliver a nasty payload. The immediate effect of a Trojan is not always immediately obvious. The malware can be used to spy on user activity without their knowledge or modify or copy data stored on a system. However, it can be far more disruptive, draining a system of its computing power or blocking access to data. Types of Trojan Trojans are labelled differently depending on the purpose for which they're designed and the methods they use to access a system. Backdoor Trojans, once downloaded and executed, allow hackers to access... --- - Published: 2018-11-20 - Modified: 2019-02-19 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/ee-and-virgin-media-fined-13m-for-overcharging-customers/ - Categories: Telephony Communications regulator Ofcom deemed the charges “excessive” EE and Virgin Media have been fined £13. 3 million in total, for exorbitant contract cancellation fees. When you leave your phone or broadband contract before it’s over, you’re liable to pay a cancellation fee. However, EE and Virgin Media have, apparently, overcharged customers to the tune of £7. 1 million in total over six years. An investigation by UK communications regulator Ofcom found that the companies had overcharged 500,000 customers with cancellation fees. In addition, Ofcom alleges that these fees weren’t clear to consumers, so Virgin Media and EE also broke consumer protection rules. In total 400,000 EE customers were overcharged around £4. 3 million, resulting in a £6. 3 million fine for the company. The overcharging came from EE offering discounted contracts to customers, yet processing cancellations as if they weren’t on these discounted contract rates. The 82,000 affected Virgin Media customers overpaid by £2. 8 million, due to the company charging higher cancellation costs than advertised. The high cancellation costs also disincentivise customers to change providers, which is against Ofcom’s rules. Because of this, Virgin Media was hit with a £7 million fine, totalling £13. 3 million in fines for the two companies. The stark differences between affected customers could be down to the fact that Ofcom has been investigating EE for six years, whereas the investigation only explored Virgin Media for one year between 2016 and 2017. While both companies have promised to change terms and fees in light... --- - Published: 2018-11-14 - Modified: 2018-11-14 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/how-to-recover-deleted-emails-in-outlook/ - Categories: IT Support London, Microsoft Office Ever emptied the trash in Outlook only to realise an important email has gone with it. Here’s how to recover those deleted emails If you have ever accidentally deleted a message from Outlook or emptied the deleted items folder by mistake, it can be a disconcerting experience. However, all is not lost and with a bit of effort, those messages once thought gone for good can be bought back. This guide looks at how you can recover deleted emails in the various versions of Outlook. How to recover deleted emails in Outlook 2013 or Outlook 2016 The most obvious place to look for accidentally deleted emails in Outlook 2016 or Outlook 2013 is in the Deleted Items Folder in your mailbox. This folder exists so if you accidentally delete emails, they’re not lost forever and can be recovered back to your inbox. However, if you can’t see the email you deleted in there, you can instead look in the Recoverable Items folder using the “Recover Deleted Items” tool. You can find this folder by navigating to the Deleted Items folder, selecting Home and then choosing “Recover Deleted Items From Server. ” Choose to “Restore Selected Items” and click OK. These will then move back to the Deleted Items folder. If you’re lucky and you find the email you accidentally deleted, whether recovered from the server or in the Deleted Items folder, you can move it back to your inbox by right-clicking and choosing to move the email to your inbox... --- - Published: 2018-11-08 - Modified: 2018-11-08 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/why-you-should-use-a-password-manager/ - Categories: Security Below are the reasons why everyone should use a password manager. Your password is weak. Is it your birthday? The birthday of your kids? Your anniversary? Or is it password123? Consider this: It only takes 14. 17 minutes to crack a nine-digit password (such as 123456789) that consists of the numbers 1-9. Using a botnet or supercomputer, that same password can be cracked in . 0085 seconds. So that weak-sauced password you use for every account you have can be hacked pretty easily. And don't think if you're using a lowercase password (such as the name of your cat) that you're any better off. A botnet or supercomputer can crack an eight-character lowercase password in 1. 8 seconds. So fluffers aren't your answer. What is? In the current landscape, the only option for true security is a strong password of random characters, such as $^uI0! jvR. These types of passwords become exponentially harder to crack. At the same time, they are harder to memorize—especially when you use different passwords for every account you have. And that, my friends, is exactly what you should be doing. And in order to keep track of those passwords, you need to use a password manager. Not only will a password manager keep those passwords locked away in an encrypted vault (one that can only be accessed with a password), most of them include strong password generators, so you don't have to come up with those random string of characters yourself. So, when you employ... --- - Published: 2018-11-06 - Modified: 2018-11-06 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/10-signs-you-may-not-be-cut-out-to-be-an-it-consultant/ - Categories: IT Support London Working as an IT consultant can be a high-pressure job, requiring you to wear a lot of hats. Here's a real-world look at what you can expect if you decide to go down that road. Work for yourself! Be your own boss! Make your own hours! Earn more money! We've all heard of the benefits of a consultant's lifestyle. What's not so well known, or celebrated, are the challenges. Consulting requires a tough skin, the ability to juggle numerous tasks simultaneously, and the capacity to think like a technician, an IT manager, a project manager, and an accountant all at the same time. In short, the consulting lifestyle is not for everyone. Here are 10 signs you might not be cut out to be a hired technical gun. If you decide to give it a go, however, we've included a list of helpful resources at the end of the article. 1. Delivering bad news comes difficult Occasionally, technology consultants must inform clients that data's irretrievably lost. Without backup copies (small businesses, in particular, are bad about performing regular backups of critical data), business owners must often re-key data from scratch at great expense. And that's possible only when the data exists in other formats, such as handwritten notes or paper forms. Bad news comes in other flavours, too. A $2,500 new server investment makes sense to most every technology consultant, but in some business owners' minds, such unplanned costs border on catastrophe. Consultants are regularly called upon to deliver unwelcome... --- - Published: 2018-11-01 - Modified: 2018-11-01 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/documents-the-security-risk-you-hadnt-thought-of/ - Categories: Security The consequences of data loss are becoming more and more serious It’s becoming extremely difficult for companies to guarantee the security and integrity of their data, not least due to the increasing mobility of employees. Staff spend more time away from the office, accessing company documents from all over the world, often using their own devices. The ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD) trend poses a major problem for company security. This was demonstrated by a study carried out by the Ponemon Institute in which 2,300 IT and security specialists from eight countries were surveyed. 58% of respondents consider BYOD to be a security risk, with experts claiming that the use of private mobile devices restricts the effectiveness of data protection measures and hampers the implementation of security policies. Increased mobility combined with new opportunities for communicating and reproducing information, meaning the risk of data loss for businesses rises. Even when printed out or simply distributed incorrectly, lists and documents can easily fall into the wrong hands or be deleted by employees – accidentally or deliberately. If development results, customer drafts, contracts or other confidential information fall into the wrong hands, it's not simply a competitive disadvantage for the company concerned. When data is lost or stolen, as well as affecting the company’s reputation, it could also incur financial losses or make the organisation liable for heavy fines. Not only is data becoming more mobile, it is also distributed more quickly and created in larger volumes. Around 90% of German companies... --- - Published: 2018-10-30 - Modified: 2018-10-30 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/bing-is-promoting-malware-in-google-chrome-searches/ - Categories: Security Malicious files disguised as Google Chrome are appearing in Bing search results, and it’s not even the first time this has happened We all like to think that we’re tech-savvy enough to avoid getting scammed by fake websites, but apparently, it’s all-too terrifyingly easy for malware to slip through the cracks. It was recently discovered that Bing had been promoting a link to a phishing website to users searching for a Google Chrome download link. This issue was brought to our attention last week when Twitter user Gabriel Landau tried downloading Google Chrome through Microsoft Edge, the default browser on his new Windows 10 computer. Searching for “download chrome” yielded an ad as the top result, which led to “www. google. com. ” This link took him took him to googleonline2018. com, a scam website designed to look similar to the real thing. When I tried visiting this website using Chrome, it blocked it as a deceptive site. However, as people like Landau found out, Bing had let this scam through to the front page, despite the fake URL. While the malicious ad didn’t appear in every search, several other Twitter users were able to recreate this issue, but only by using the Edge browser. Both Firefox and Chrome were able to recognise the website as a scam. Landau was able to identify the downloaded file as malware by inspecting its digital signature and found that the installer was not made by Google, but by Alpha Criteria Ltd. , a... --- - Published: 2018-10-26 - Modified: 2018-10-26 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/how-to-free-up-disk-space-with-windows-10-storage-sense-feature/ - Categories: IT Support London, Windows OS Sometimes temporary files seem to permanently exist on your hard drive. You can remove unwanted and unneeded files using Windows 10 tools. During the ordinary use of a personal computer running Microsoft Windows 10, user activity often leads to the creation of temporary files and other forgotten content. In some cases, these supposedly temporary files build up in the nooks and crannies of your hard drives to a point where their existence actually interferes with the overall performance of your PC. This is just how personal computer technology works. In an era of relatively inexpensive high-capacity storage, most users will never have to worry about this eventuality—they will upgrade or change computers long before their storage capacity is restrained by a massive accumulation of temporary files. On the other hand, there are more than a few users who will experience problems and need to periodically purge all of those temporary and unneeded files. This how-to tutorial shows you how to use Windows 10's built-in tools to purge unwanted content and temporary files from your personal computer's hard drives. The Purge Generally speaking, temporary files are designated as such because they are supposed to be deleted after use—eventually. The most common content found in temporary file folders includes images, cookies, and other content loaded to your local device by your web browser as a way to assist and speed up your web surfing. Deleting these files and freeing up space on your computer's hard drives requires the use of specific tools... --- - Published: 2018-10-23 - Modified: 2018-10-23 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/the-capitals-tech-companies-are-trying-to-plot-a-course-that-will-steer-them-past-brexit-that-will-mean-some-difficult-decisions-ahead/ - Categories: Brexit It's hard to imagine a group less likely to have voted for Brexit than the people running London's tech start-ups. International, smart, metropolitan: London's tech entrepreneurs might be just those 'citizens of nowhere' who were criticised by Prime Minister Theresa May in a speech a few months after the UK voted to leave the EU. But they have also provided much of the energy behind the capital's tech start-up success story over the past few years. And many are now trying to figure out what to do next. About a third of London's tech workers are from beyond the UK, and around one in five is from the European Union (so many of them weren't eligible for a vote in the referendum anyway). Start-ups with teams made up of a dozen or more nationalities are common in the capital. Before the referendum in June 2016, a poll of the UK's tech executives found that 70 percent wanted to stay in Europe and only 15 percent said they wanted to leave. After the vote techUK, the industry group that conducted the poll, warned there was a long to-do list for government with many policy and regulatory issues requiring urgent action if it was to support the country's tech industry through Brexit. But more than two years later — and less than six months before the UK leaves the EU on 29 March, 2019 — many of the details of those policy and regulatory issues, and much else about Brexit, remains deeply... --- - Published: 2018-10-18 - Modified: 2018-10-18 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/should-you-stop-using-ccleaner/ - Categories: Security CCleaner was forced to dump a recent version following a furious privacy backlash – perhaps it's time you looked at alternatives CCleaner – still developed by Puriform, but now owned by Avast – was one of the most highly recommended free software tools around, until this summer when the great junk-remover became such a ghastly junk offender that even its own parent company withdrew its latest version. Can our old favourite ever be trusted again? Here we answer your questions and look at the best free CCleaner alternatives. What did CCleaner do wrong? The trouble began in May, when CCleaner 5. 43 added two pre-ticked boxes: 'Allow usage data to be shared with 3rd parties for analytics purposes' and 'Show offers for our other products'. You couldn't untick either of them unless you paid for an upgrade. CCleaner's June release (5. 44), duly spammed users with pop-up adverts for a 'Summer Sale'. CCleaner 5. 43 displayed tick boxes for data-collection and ads that you couldn't untick Then came the infamous July release (5. 45) which removed both Privacy tick boxes, but continued to opt you into data-gathering and adverts. What's more, CCleaner now kept running after you closed the program window, and its Active Monitoring process had become impossible to switch off. CCleaner 5. 45 removed tick boxes for ads and data collection, but opted you in anyway Users speculated that Active Monitoring, which claims to look out for temporary files, was being used to track you. Why else would... --- - Published: 2018-10-16 - Modified: 2019-02-19 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-does-the-future-of-work-look-like/ - Categories: Business How remote working, automation and AI will affect the way we work Advancements in technology are rapidly transforming the modern workplace, whether via mobile hardware such as tablets, hybrids and smartphones or software in the form of collaboration and video conferencing tools that make it possible for employees to work together as if they’re in the same room. A key consideration when thinking about the future of the workplace is the role of automation and whether this will transform the nature of our current job roles. For example, some customer services may be replaced with AI that can identify a customer’s problem using voice and context recognition and find a solution without a human even being involved. Added to that, business intelligence and AI will help companies learn more about their customers, so employees can focus on innovation to transform their businesses. Will there be a physical office? In this digital era of email, virtual meetings and collaboration tools, it is easy, convenient and often more productive to work remotely. Employees are more motivated, and managers find their workforce is more likely to come up with innovative ideas as they increasingly have the opportunity to pursue new avenues. Last year, 64% of organisations offered a flexible working environment, 21% higher than the year before, which suggests that providing the tools to work remotely is high on the list of priorities for many businesses. The shift towards remote working means physical workplaces are changing to accommodate this. Some companies are downsizing... --- - Published: 2018-10-11 - Modified: 2019-02-19 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-google-knows-about-you-and-how-to-make-it-forget/ - Categories: Security Google parent company Alphabet quietly ditched the 'Don’t be evil' motto from its code of conduct in 2015 after a string of stories suggesting the pithy slogan was somewhat undeserved. According to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, the company has quietly collected more data than the NSA. With a limitless data mine to quarry and the machine learning and artificial intelligence tools to turn it into revealing insights, Google might know more about you than you know about yourself. It's a Faustian pact that most of us are happy to make for the rich range of services we receive in return, but the true terms of the deal may not quite match what you thought you had signed up for. Read on to find out what information that the tech titan has gathered about you, and how you can get it back. 1. Google knows what you’re like The data Google mines paints a vivid portrait of the person you are. Your age, gender, and interests are predicted by its algorithms with impressive accuracy. If you fancy a change of personality and being presented a different set of advertisements, you can change your personal data and the personalised ads it's used to form by clicking Manage ad settings in the personal information section of your Google account. 2. Google knows what you’ve said Every time you speak to Google it records your voice. The company says it collects this data to improve its voice recognition software and only records it when... --- - Published: 2018-10-09 - Modified: 2018-10-09 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-facebook-knows-about-you/ - Categories: Social Media If the advertisements on your Facebook newsfeed appear remarkably relevant, it's because the social network giant knows better than you might think. Facebook amassed an estimated $39. 9 billion in ad revenue in 2017 by mining its vast troves of data on 2. 2 billion users and selling the information to companies that use it to personalise adverts to your individual tastes. There are also more sinister ways that companies use the data. Cambridge Analytica harvested data from an estimated 87 million Facebook users and used the information to send them targeted campaign ads that appealed to their personal prejudices. Critics claim that the strategy helped Donald Trump reach the White House. Such strategies Wikileaks founder Julian Assange called Facebook "the most appalling spying machine that has ever been invented," in an interview with Russian news site RT. "Here we have the world's most comprehensive database about people, their relationships, their names, their addresses, their locations and the communications with each other, their relatives, all sitting within the United States, all accessible to US intelligence," claimed Assange. "Every time you go to a party and take a picture and post that picture to Facebook, you're being a rat," he added at a book launch in 2014. But even his organisation can't resist joining the mischief. Wikileaks has its own Facebook page with more than 3. 5 million followers. Facebook collects a disturbingly detailed dataset of its users and it hasn't always been transparent about exactly how it's used. 1. Facebook... --- - Published: 2018-10-04 - Modified: 2018-10-04 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/17-windows-10-problems-and-how-to-fix-them/ - Categories: Windows OS Stop tearing your hair out and follow our tips As the most recent Microsoft-developed operating system in existence, Windows 10 should be the most stable available. Compared to its legacy counterparts, Windows 10 eradicates many of the issues of Windows 8 and those before it. But with such a huge overhaul, it's equally not surprising that there were (and still are) some flaws, especially when migrating to Windows 10. Windows 10 combines the design tweaks of Windows 8 - the first Windows version to star a completely redesigned user interface - albeit with some of the features from older Windows operating systems that were removed from the more recent Windows 8. And although it's probably the best-looking Windows platform to date and the most feature-rich, there are still a number of flaws, including bugs and incompatibility issues while using third-party apps and services that have left users with their head in their hands. Microsoft is pretty good at fixing any of these flaws, with regular updates, but often, these can only be installed after the upgrade has occurred and that means putting up with the hitches before they can be rectified. Additionally, if the problems are experienced within third-party services, you'll have to wait until the developer releases an update before it's fixed. Here’s a list of some of Windows 10’s biggest problems and how to fix them when they rear their head. 1 - Can't upgrade from Windows 7 or Windows 8 Some of the most common problems with... --- - Published: 2018-10-02 - Modified: 2018-10-09 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/uber-fined-148m-for-attempting-to-hide-2016-data-breach/ - Categories: Security Illinois attorney general calls the yearlong notification delay "inexcusable" Uber will pay $148 million for failing to notify its drivers that their personal details had been hacked in 2016. Rather than reporting it, it was discovered that Uber had attempted to hide evidence of the data breach by paying a ransom of $100,000 to ensure the stolen data would not be misused. After a subsequent investigation, the ride-hailing firm has agreed on a settlement with all 50 states and the District of Columbia. "This is one of the most egregious cases we've ever seen in terms of notification; a yearlong delay is just inexcusable," Lisa Madigan, the Illinois attorney general, told the Associated Press. "And we're not going to put up with companies, Uber or any other company, completely ignoring our laws that require notification of data breaches. " The breach happened in October 2016, with names, email addresses and phone numbers of around 57 million users of the service being taken, as well as driver's license data belonging to approximately 600,000 US drivers. Travis Kalanick, then chief executive, reportedly knew about the breach for over a year. He was later forced out of the company after reports of sexism and poor working practices. Uber has made a number of management changes since the hack and Tony West, Uber's chief legal officer, said the decision by current managers to reform the company was "the right thing to do". "It embodies the principles by which we are running our business today:... --- - Published: 2018-09-28 - Modified: 2018-10-09 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/blockchain-is-turning-personal-data-into-the-worlds-most-valuable-currency/ - Categories: GDPR, Security Should we be selling our data to the highest bidder, or is it all about 'value exchange'? The modern business-consumer relationship is built on the principle of information exchange. But what if individuals could take complete control of their own data and even sell this directly to businesses in exchange for products or services? Could we all have cryptocurrency wallets on our phones that track the data we have sold and how much we have earned from it? In this brave new world of democratised data, control is now shifting away from the data behemoths of old, with GDPR handing far greater powers over to data subjects. What's more, the public is becoming acutely aware of how their personal data is being used and, with data breaches now becoming a familiar part of the daily news cycle, we're now seeing those new powers being executed. The idea of taking more control over personal data has not only been driven by regulatory change, but also by online initiatives. The Decode project, a consortium of 14 organisations across the European Union, is one of those working to attempt to create what it describes as "practical alternatives to how we use the internet today". "Consider that the licenses of major social networks are such that they can reuse and license individuals' content with little restriction, even after a user leaves their network," the project states. "The proprietary nature of the platforms makes it hard for users to leave and take their data with... --- - Published: 2018-09-25 - Modified: 2018-09-25 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/what-is-a-default-gateway/ - Categories: Internet & Networking Want to know what a default gateway is and how to find its IP address? Read on... If you want multiple devices to connect to the same network, then you will need a protocol called a default gateway. This is used to help devices communicate with each other or to connect with a device outside a network on the internet. Default gateways are used to answer internet queries by browsers on computers or mobile devices. These queries can be typing a query into a search engine or requesting a particular web page. These requests from the browser navigate via the default gateway and onto the wider external network so that the request can go onto its destination. The default gateway makes sure that a request gets to its destination. This is even when the network a request is being sent to has a different address or networking protocol to the originator. This makes it a very effective method of using a network. The originating device (the device that sends the request) determines the networking protocol. This uses a routing table on a computer and this specifies how the request should be handled and which router should organise the forwarding. If nothing is specified, the last used or default gateway will be used instead and send the request. In most small networks, such as a house, the default network will be the router, but in larger businesses where there may be more than one network operating, the default gateway will be... --- - Published: 2018-09-18 - Modified: 2018-10-09 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/how-to-make-your-email-hack-proof/ - Categories: Security How to secure your inbox, enhance your mail and unlock secret codes Even with the rise of social networks and messaging apps, email is still the most popular means of online communications and remains essential for registering with websites, confirming your identity and receiving important information. Most email services are far from perfect, however, despite the introduction of GDPR and improvements to spam filtering and anti-phishing protection. Some of the most well-known services fail to protect your data from hackers, invade your privacy by scanning message content, and generally lack important features we all want and need. In this advanced guide, we show you how to become an email power user by unlocking the full potential of your webmail service. Create a fake 'burner' email address When you use your real email address to register with a website, you're not only opening yourself to a deluge of marketing messages (despite the recent introduction of GDPR), you're also handing over an essential piece of personal information. If the site suffers a security breach, your email address could fall into the hands of cybercriminals, compromising the safety of your other online accounts. The best way to avoid being spammed, scammed and hacked is to create a temporary fake address using a disposable-emails service. Use this fake address to sign up to a website, click the link in the confirmation message that arrives in your alternative inbox and you'll gain access to the site without sacrificing your privacy or security. Burner Emails conceals... --- - Published: 2018-09-06 - Modified: 2018-09-06 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/it-outsourcing-when-to-outsource-and-when-to-keep-in-house/ - Categories: IT Support London Should your company outsource or focus on developing skills in-house? We discuss when and why you would choose to outsource Outsourcing for businesses worldwide has become an increasingly common practice. In 2017, the value of outsourcing contracts grew by 9% to top £4. 9 billion. In terms of what is being outsourced, IT made up a vast 73% of the total outsourcing market in 2017, with the amount spent doubling between 2016 and 2017. Other popular areas for outsourcing are HR and accounting. However, particularly in the public sector, there have been high-profile incidents of disastrous outsourcing initiatives, most recently exemplified in the recent collapse of the UK government's biggest contractor, Carillion. This has prompted a number of local councils to begin to move jobs back in-house instead. Indeed, in the 2018 CIO 100 some 75% of CIOs responded that they were either increasing headcount or planning to bring key skills back in-house in order to drive IT and digital transformation initiatives. Whether a company should outsource or instead focus on developing skills in-house is a matter of context, situation, organisation, sector and a myriad of other factors. We discuss when and why you would choose to outsource. Pros and cons of outsourcing IT One of the biggest reasons for outsourcing is to access a greater pool of skills without being limited by location. When outsourcing work, you can look for applicants beyond a commutable distance to the office, potentially opening the doors for more qualified or skilled workers. This... --- - Published: 2018-09-04 - Modified: 2018-09-04 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/two-thirds-of-businesses-not-prepped-for-death-of-windows-7/ - Categories: Windows OS Almost half are still running Windows 7 and a fifth don't even know support is coming to an end IT departments aren't at all prepped for the end-of-life of Windows 7 and with almost half of businesses still running Windows 7, it's going to come as quite a shock to the system when Windows shuts down the platform in just over a year. That's according to a survey conducted by Enterprise content delivery platform Kollective, which revealed that out of 260 businesses decision makers in the UK and US, two-thirds of businesses haven't developed a strategy to migrate to Windows 10, while a fifth of those questioned didn't even know Microsoft was withdrawing support. A quarter of businesses said they'll leave it to the employees to update and migrate their systems to Windows 10, which leaves many businesses open to fragmentation and security risks if the process isn't overseen properly. “While 500 days may seem like a long time, it took many businesses upwards of three years to transition from Windows XP to Windows 7," Jon O'Connor, solution architect at Kollective said. "Although Microsoft has since streamlined the process, we are expecting similar migration timelines for Windows 10. " However, he warned that businesses need to take the news seriously. It can take at least a month for businesses to migrate to a newer computing platform, with 27% saying there could well be network issues when upgrading machines to Windows 10. “For large enterprises, the key will be ensuring that... --- - Published: 2018-09-04 - Modified: 2018-09-04 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/experts-warn-of-brain-drain-if-intelligence-sharing-is-absent-from-brexit-deal/ - Categories: Brexit With the UK now the most targeted region for cyber attacks, cooperation with the EU post-Brexit is critical All businesses, regardless of their size or location in the world, operate under the constant threat of cybercrime. Hackers are forever finding new ways to control devices, take down critical infrastructure and gain access to sensitive information, and it seems everyone is a target. You only need to look at rising global cybercrime crises to get a sense of the severity of the situation. The WannaCry ransomware attack in 2017 proved to be one of the widest reaching attacks in history, thought to have affected around 200,000 systems in more than 150 countries. In terms of lost data, the two separate breaches on Yahoo in 2013 and 2014 still hold the record at 2 billion affected customers. However, since then we've seen major hacks on AdultFriendFinder. com, which exposed 412 million accounts in 2016, and a hack on Equifax a year later affected 143 million customers. Yet the proportion of attacks is far from equal across the world, and although governments around the world are taking the steps to prevent these attacks, some countries appear to be more vulnerable than others. `The UK is now the world's most targeted region for cyber threats, according to Malwarebytes, with a 134% rise in the number of hack attempts over the past year, double that of the US. Ransomware remains the most popular form of attack, seeing a 165% rise during the period. The Office... --- - Published: 2018-08-30 - Modified: 2018-08-30 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/gdpr-certification-what-is-it-and-do-you-need-it/ - Categories: GDPR How the ICO will measure GDPR compliance, and whether a certificate means anything Now the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has been in force for a few months, businesses and organisations are doing all they can to remain compliant. It's difficult to ignore the overwhelming sense of panic that engulfed many organisations in the lead up to, and even sometime after, the legislation was rolled out on 25 May. This handed so-called GDPR experts and professionals the perfect opportunity to exploit those hoping to do all they can to avoid dizzying fines. Ambitious promises to get an organisation's IT infrastructure and practices fully GDPR-compliant in one quick fix haven't been the most reliable. In any case, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has already said GDPR fines will not be a simple exercise in scaling up the penalties currently administered under the Data Protection Act 1998. It's highly unlikely therefore your organisation will be targeted for non-compliance, provided all steps are being taken to comply with GDPR, and there is full cooperation with the authorities. Moreover, the ICO will almost certainly allow businesses to find their feet in a post-GDPR world. In many cases this means breaches, in practice, will lead to punishments in the form of warnings and enforcement notices, as opposed to crippling fines. But there is always a chance you could be doing more. In order to provide that added level of reassurance - is it then worth bringing in a professional to audit and restructure your... --- - Published: 2018-08-27 - Modified: 2018-08-27 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/dont-buy-a-premium-phone-buy-a-crap-one-instead/ - Categories: Mobile Using an older phone isn't just a smart economic move, it's a smart ecological move too! It won't have escaped your attention that a backlash against the smartphone is going on, in certain elite circles. That picture of schoolkids riveted to their phones in front of Rembrandt's The Night Watch went viral; in The Guardian rarely a week goes by without a columnist giving up their phone for Lent, and no less a figure than Simon Cowell just confirmed doing so made him happier. However, don't expect me to come down on either side of this weighty debate. I'm not indifferent to smartphones, but I'm far from being a power user. I work at home and still use a landline for most calls, and when out on the town or walking the green hills, I use my mobile mostly for consulting Citymapper and listening to music. This is not Luddism: I was running the web on a PalmPilot before the word smartphone was even coined, and used a Treo for several years before Steve Jobs' bombshell burst onto the scene. What it does mean is that I don't fret about "the notch", or squeezy edges, or how easily fingerprints will wipe off my little jewel. I use an old HTC Desire that does me just fine: all black plastic, it can be stuck in my pocket without a case, it weighs nothing, it goes two days between charges and, if dropped, it bounces. I rarely feel envy when I see... --- - Published: 2018-07-06 - Modified: 2018-10-09 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/5-simple-steps-to-protect-your-pc-from-hackers/ - Categories: Security 5 Simple Steps to Protect Your PC from Hackers In this world of ubiquitous computers and persistent threats from hackers, protecting your computer is a must. The key pathway through which malware attacks the system is the Internet and its popular service, the Web. There are numerous ways to protect and remove malware from our computers. No one method is enough to ensure your computer is secure. The more layers of defense, the harder for hackers to use your computer. Here are five simple, but critical steps to protect your computer, Install Firewall Install Antivirus Software Install Anti-Spyware Software Use Complex and Secure Passwords Check on the Security Settings of the Browser Have a good cloud backup of your whole computer Install a Firewall A firewall enacts the role of a security guard. There are of two types of firewalls: a software firewall and hardware firewall. Each serves similar, but different purposes. A firewall is the first step to provide security to the computer. It creates a barrier between the computer and any unauthorized program trying to come in through the Internet. If you are using a system at home, turn on the firewall permanently. It makes you aware if there are any unauthorized efforts to use your system. Install Antivirus Software: Antivirus is one other means to protect the computer. It is software that helps to protect the computer from any unauthorized code or software that creates a threat to the system. Unauthorized software includes viruses, keyloggers, trojans etc.... --- - Published: 2018-06-01 - Modified: 2018-06-01 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/twelve-signs-your-computers-have-been-compromised/ - Categories: IT Support London In today's world, anti-malware software provides little peace of mind. In fact, anti-malware scanners overall are inaccurate, especially with exploits less than 24 hours old. After all, malicious hackers and malware can change their tactics at will. Swap a few bytes around, and a previously recognized malware program becomes unrecognizable. To combat this, many antimalware programs monitor program behaviors, often called heuristics, to catch previously unrecognized malware. Other programs use virtualized environments, system monitoring, network traffic detection and all of the above at once in order to be more accurate. Still they fail us on a regular basis. Here are 12 sure signs you've been hacked and what to do in the event of a compromise. Note that in all cases, the number 1 recommendation is to completely restore your system to a known good state before proceeding. In the early days, this meant formatting the computer and restoring all programs and data. Today, depending on your operating system, it might simply mean clicking on a Restore button. Either way, a compromised computer can never be fully trusted again. The recovery steps listed in each category below are the recommendations to follow if you don't want to do a full restore -- but again, a full restore is always a better option, risk-wise. No. 1: Ransom Message This is the heyday of ransomware, malware that locks up your precious data and asks for a payment using online currency to get it back. If you’re lucky, that ransomware message might go... --- - Published: 2018-05-01 - Modified: 2018-05-01 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/managed-laptop-package-it-support/ - Categories: IT Support London I would share with you another great benefit of our Gold - Managed Laptop Package. This package provides you with a new laptop provided by us with data migration services from a previous device and ongoing support for a fixed monthly fee. We then provide you with a dedicated hotline which enables you to efficiently log services faults and problems which are picked up and resolved in a fast-effective time slot. If you want more information, call us on 020 39484555 --- - Published: 2018-04-22 - Modified: 2018-05-01 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/it-managed-services-ink-networks/ - Categories: IT Support London I would like to share with you a daily tip about how you can be more effective with technology Whilst we provide enterprise level IT services our grass roots will always be customer services and technical services. As a business we guarantee 3 things. • You will be looked after as client of ours, we are your IT Partner • We will gain trust with your staff and ensure they feel comfortable that work will not lost • You as a business owner will be satisfied that your network is secure and reliable How do we do this you may as... We provide you with our Gold Level Managed Services package that includes the following: • Unlimited 8:00am – 6:00pm Remote Helpdesk Support of all your staff • Remote monitoring your network (this notifies us instantly if there is a problem with your equipment) • A Monthly or Bi-Weekly office visit to your staff (staff love this as they can have an INK Networks engineer sit with them to through the problem at their desk) • If you have business critical data being stored on a company file server, we ensure that this is backed up every day in case the unthinkable happens • A centralized Anti-Virus system that will notify us if anything has infiltrated your staff’s computer • We ensure that your emails are hosted on a secure cloud system which we manage and backup • Lastly, we will schedule a day to have a meeting or call... --- - Published: 2017-09-17 - Modified: 2017-09-17 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/uk-publishes-first-draft-new-stricter-data-protection-laws/ - Categories: IT Support London The UK publishes the first draft of new, stricter data protection laws The bill includes some exemptions from the latest EU regulations. The UK's Data Protection Act 1998 is staring retirement in the face, as the government has now published the first draft of the new Data Protection Bill designed to replace it. We actually know quite a bit about the bill already. Stricter data protection laws was first mentioned in the Queen's Speech in June, with many of the finer details revealed last month. Among the headline provisions is a new power for the public to request social networks delete anything they posted before the age of 18, informally known as "the right to innocence. " This is in addition to expanded "right to be forgotten" rules. You'll be able to ask Google, for example, to remove search results on the basis the information is outdated or irrelevant. Currently, you can only make a case to have your past erased if search results surface info that causes significant distress -- something you did as kid that doesn't reflect you as an adult but is still haunting you, for instance. The bill also intends to create an environment where you can expect more control of your data and a higher level of protection as standard. As part of the "privacy by default and design" concept, services like social networks will have to set you up with the strictest privacy settings rather than assuming you'll opt-out of anything you're uncomfortable with... --- - Published: 2017-07-17 - Modified: 2017-09-17 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/malware-cisco-umbrella-open-dns/ - Categories: IT Support London Cisco Umbrella is a cloud security platform that provides the first line of defense against threats on the internet wherever users go. Cisco Umbrella uses the internet’s infrastructure to block malicious destinations before a connection is ever established. By delivering security from the cloud, not only do you save money, but we also provide more effective security. Cisco Umbrella uses DNS to stop threats over all ports and protocols — even direct-to-IP connections. Stop malware before it reaches your endpoints or network. Instead of proxying all web traffic, Umbrella routes requests to risky domains for deeper URL and file inspection. The product effectively protects without a delay or performance impact. Even if devices become infected in other ways, Umbrella prevents connections to attacker’s servers. Stop data ex filtration and execution of ransomware encryption. Your users and apps have left the perimeter. Umbrella provides visibility into internet activity across all devices, over all ports, even when users are off your corporate network. Umbrella learns from internet activity to automatically identify attacker infrastructure staged for current and emergent threats. Umbrella captures and understand relationships between malware, domains, IPs, and networks across the internet. What this gives you: Threat intelligence Cisco-Delivered Security Off Network Coverage Fast incident response Cloud Services report Protect Guest WiFi in Minutes Combat Targeted Attacks Web filtering Extend Advanced Threat Protection Cisco describes Umbrella as a cloud-delivered secure internet gateway, that stops current and emergent threats over all ports and protocols. It blocks access to malicious domains, URLs, IPs,... --- - Published: 2017-05-22 - Modified: 2017-05-22 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/malware-global-ransom-ware-attack/ - Categories: IT Support London What to do when being targeted by Ransomware (Malware)? 1. In these instances, the first thing you shouldn’t do is panic. The nature of the cyber-attack is to render information inaccessible by encrypting or obscuring the data, once the process has started the only focus is to identify the source and stop it spreading further. 2. Once the ransomware is identified you should turn off the computer which will prevent further spread and make a note of what the program is (if you can) 3. The priority is to begin the restore process of your data to a clean computer. The information that is inaccessible will need to be restored from your most recent backup (if you have one). If you have an IT department, they would be the first point of contact to regain access to your information. 4. Lastly, prevent any further incoming email and any other of regular external data source while the attack is being investigated. This will prevent further attacks while the information is being restored. If you need help, call our team on 020 3372 5549. The rise of ransom ware attacks worldwide over the past month has established several things. First, people are using outdated systems and they are using them in sensitive and critical areas like the National Health Service. Second, despite upwards of many countries being affected, the UK is now being used as an example for ransom ware attacks. In the most basic form, rasomware is a deliberate sabotage of... --- - Published: 2017-03-28 - Modified: 2017-04-28 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/meraki-mr74/ - Categories: IT Support London Meraki's newest wireless access point (Meraki MR74) for industrial and outdoor deployments sports 802. 11ac Wave 2 Blog taken from Meraki's site... Today we’re excited to announce a brand new wireless access point for general purpose industrial and outdoor deployments: the MR74. This new AP brings the latest 802. 11ac Wave 2 technology to our mid-range MR7x portfolio. The Meraki MR74 is a quad-radio, cloud-managed, 802. 11ac Wave 2 access point. It provides an overall efficiency boost over the MR72 via 2×2 Multi-User MIMO (MU-MIMO), which allows the AP to serve multiple concurrent wireless clients. Being able to send data simultaneously to multiple mobile devices is a new, 802. 11ac Wave 2 capability; before Wave 2, APs could only address one client at a time — albeit rapidly enough so as to simulate concurrent client connections. The MR74 is designed and tested for salt spray, vibration, extreme thermal conditions (with an operating temperature from -40o to 131o Fahrenheit, or -40c to 55c), shock, and dust — and it is IP67-rated. This makes it an ideal access point for manufacturing, construction, general-purpose outdoor, and industrial indoor use where environmental conditions may be harsh. Like the MR72, the MR74 has four external N-type female connectors and is compatible with Meraki dual-band omni, dual-band sector, and dual-band patch antennas (see the MR74 data sheet for more details and specifications). This is ideal for warehouse and industrial installs where high amounts of interference may require more specialized antennas. The Meraki MR74 comes with all... --- - Published: 2017-03-14 - Modified: 2017-03-28 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/gdpr/ - Categories: IT Support London I've been hearing a lot of talks and have come across a lot of articles with regards to the new GDPR act coming into place in May 2018. The most recent article I've seen is the one below which briefly outlines what Microsoft are doing about it, so it must be serious right? . . Microsoft have outlined that all their products across the cloud will be compliant, I'm guessing this would be the right time to migrate over to Office 365 Cloud Services to help your business get started... That’s if you haven’t done already. If you feel that your company or any of your close business contacts could benefit from Office 365 Cloud Services, and not just for the security aspect, but for all its other features please do not hesitate to get in contact or provide a referral. As a re seller of Microsoft products INK Networks would be more than happy to help! In addition to the above, INK Networks can also work with you to ensure that other areas of your business are aligned with parameters surrounding the GDPR act. http://www. cio-today. com/article/index. php? story_id=1300025MFXKS --- - Published: 2017-03-07 - Modified: 2017-03-07 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/service-level-aggreements/ - Categories: IT Support London If your Networks is critical to you being able to do business, you can’t afford downtime. Is your service level agreement up to snuff? Do you even have one? It’s 3:30 a. m. on Saturday. The phone rings. A voice you vaguely recognize yammers at you. Through the fog of sleep you hear something about “your Lucite’s brown. ” “Mmmrrrfff,” you mumble and hang up the phone. Just before falling asleep again, it hits you: This was not a prank call about brown Lucite. YOUR WEBSITE’S DOWN. You are wide awake now. The site can’t be down; your business depends on it! Hoping it was a prank call after all, you check your site, and sure enough, it says, “404 – Not Found. ” Now what? Desperately, you hunt around for the number for your web hosting provider. Eventually, you dig it up from an old email. You dial... it rings for a bit, and then a recorded message informs you that “our service hours are 9 a. m. to 6 p. m. Pacific time, Monday through Friday. Please call back during our regular service hours. ” Guess what you just learned? You have a lousy service level agreement (or maybe no service level agreement) with your web hosting provider. If you don’t know what a service level agreement (SLA) is, or don’t know what yours says, it’s time for a refresher. Service Level Agreements (SLAs) 101 An SLA is an agreement between you (the customer) and some kind of... --- - Published: 2017-03-06 - Modified: 2017-03-07 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/outsourcing/ - Categories: IT Support London Ever since I started prospecting potential clients I’m often asked “why is outsourcing so important? ” and usually at that point many things come to mind. For example; not having to invest further capital into educating staff members on the ever evolving IT sector, taking away the laborious management of IT service requests, assets and equipment budgets and a lot of other famous value statements to convert prospects. Our modern day business lives can be a hectic scene that require business leaders and managers to be on top of their game. So, by outsourcing the critical IT function of your business it takes the stress off of your company to manage these elements. Discovering the greatest way to conduct your business is a significant part of making your operations work and in turn enable your firm to become more attractive to investors, since you’re able to pump more capital directly into revenue-producing activities. One way to provide a solution or meet a deadline is to have the knowledge of your critical departments outsourced to another company whom have a strong specialist workforce. One of the main benefits of outsourcing IT Services is much broader than simply cutting costs. It’s a valuable service that enables a lot of SMB's (Small and Medium Businesses) to exceed technical expectations, by utilizing the knowledge and experience of multiple engineers. Most SMB’s wouldn’t realize this but the ones that do, (surprise-surprise) have an outsourced IT company. One of the most overlooked benefits would be the... --- --- ## Case Study - Published: 2021-10-22 - Modified: 2021-10-22 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/case_study/sjb-global-case-study-vdi-solution-remote-working-and-security/ SJB Global are the leaders in fee-based and transparent financial planning to expatriates and high net worth clients worldwide. --- - Published: 2020-11-27 - Modified: 2021-05-19 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/case_study/u-dox-case-study/ U-Dox is a multi disciplinary creative agency that works from the inside out, embracing genuine cultural insight, design and technology to create deep rooted stories and ideas that people really care about. --- - Published: 2020-11-26 - Modified: 2021-05-19 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/case_study/harley-street-eye-clinic/ Paolo Cicero, Business Manager explains the satiation: “We were expanding the clinic and therefore needed to ensure our IT is to sustain our continuing growing needs.   --- - Published: 2020-11-26 - Modified: 2021-05-19 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/case_study/st-ermins-hotel-case-study/ St Ermins Hotel is an independent deluxe four-star hotel that is part of the Autograph collection by Marriott International. --- - Published: 2020-11-26 - Modified: 2021-05-19 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/case_study/jt-accounts-case-study/ Client wanted to have a safe and secure space to store the company files, where access could be limited and staff were unable to accidentally delete, overwrite or move documents. --- - Published: 2020-11-26 - Modified: 2021-05-19 - URL: https://inknetworks.co.uk/case_study/capri-engineering-james-town-road-case-study/ Our IT Solution Architects completed a full survey of the building to gather the intricacies of the current state of the build. The survey provided us with a comprehensive understanding of the client’s requirements. --- --- ## Timeline Items --- ---