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Donna Aplin
In the digital age, data is the lifeblood of businesses. It fuels operations, decision-making, and customer interactions. But there is a dark underbelly of this data-centric landscape. It’s the persistent threat of data breaches.
The repercussions of a data breach extend far beyond the immediate aftermath. They often haunt businesses for years. Only 51% of data breach costs occur within the first year of an incident. The other 49% happen in year two and beyond.
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Donna Aplin
The integration of smart home devices has become synonymous with modern living. They offer convenience, efficiency, and connectivity at our fingertips.
But a recent study has raised concerns about the darker side of these smart gadgets. It suggests that our beloved smart home devices may be spying on us.
It’s natural these days to invite these devices into your home. Yet there is also the need to scrutinise their privacy implications. We’ll shed some light on the potential surveillance risks posed by smart home devices as well as discuss ways to safeguard your privacy in an era of increasing connectivity.
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Donna Aplin
Technology plays a pivotal role in driving efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness. For small businesses, workforce technology modernisation is both an opportunity and a challenge.
Embracing modern technology can empower small businesses. It can help them thrive in a digital era. Yet many of them don’t keep up with modernisation. For example, over 30% of small businesses haven’t upgraded systems in 4+ years.
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Donna Aplin
Gamers haven’t really been the focus of cybersecurity for a long time. You mostly hear about attacks on businesses. Or stolen personal data due to phishing attacks. But gamers are not safe from hackers targeting them.
As cyberattacks continue to escalate, gamers have become prime hacking targets. Malicious actors seek to exploit vulnerabilities in the digital realm. The gaming industry continues to expand. Also, more users immerse themselves in virtual worlds. As this happens, the risks associated with cyberattacks on gamers are on the rise.
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Donna Aplin
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a powerful tool. It can enhance the productivity, efficiency, and creativity of your staff. But AI also comes with some challenges and risks. Businesses need to address and manage these to use AI effectively.
Establishing clear and ethical guidelines, or “AI rules,” for staff interaction is essential. Otherwise, you may not know when AI is being used for business data. Employees may also be scared to use AI without direction. This can leave them missing out on incredible time savings.
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Jason Francis
What is IT Support? IT companies are notorious for making everything technical and difficult to understand. This might seem like a bit of a long-winded way to describe what it is that ESP provides as it’s ‘bread and butter’ – in a blogpost, but I thought it would be an interesting way to describe it and it will hopefully dispel the myth that all IT Companies are the same. Of course, we have different pages across the site that describe this in less detail, in different formats and even video. This blogpost however is aimed at being a long-hand version, but hopefully it will describe it in ways that you can understand.
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Donna Aplin
You cannot overstate the importance of cybersecurity. Especially in an era dominated by digital advancements. Businesses and organisations are increasingly reliant on technology to drive operations. This makes them more susceptible to cyber threats.
66% of small businesses are concerned about cybersecurity risk. Forty-seven percent lack the understanding to protect themselves. This leaves them vulnerable to the high cost of an attack.
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Donna Aplin
Microsoft 365 has a powerful suite of cloud-based productivity tools. They can help you work smarter and faster. Microsoft has consistently been at the forefront of innovation. M365 was one of the very first all-in-one cloud tools, introduced as Office 365 in 2013. Now, Microsoft and its business tools are at the leading edge of generative AI.
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Donna Aplin
The battle against cyber threats is an ongoing challenge. Unfortunately, 2023 has proven to be a watershed year for data breaches. Data compromises have surged to an all-time high in the U.S. This is based on data from the first 9 months of the year. Meaning that numbers will only end up higher for the year.
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Donna Aplin
What can you use Copilot for? Copilot for Microsoft 365 is an AI-powered productivity tool that works alongside popular Microsoft 365 apps such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and more. It offers AI-powered chat, creative collaboration, and complex task solutions in one place. You can use Copilot to: -
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Jason Francis
What is DMARC, What is DKIM and What is SPF?
What is DMARC, What is DKIM & What is SPF? DMARC, DKIM and SPF are public records that help the world to know that emails being sent from your organisation are real. When properly implemented and widely adopted, they will vastly reduce the amount of unsolicited or spam email that gets delivered to email-boxes.
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Donna Aplin
ESP Projects have been looking into areas we frequently recieve questions and one of them is VPN Management. In an era where connectivity is paramount, ensuring secure and reliable communication within networks is a top priority for businesses and individuals alike. OpenVPN, an open-source virtual private network (VPN) solution, has emerged as a versatile and robust tool for managing secure connections. In this blog, we explore the world of OpenVPN management, exploring its features, benefits, and best practices.
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Donna Aplin
In our tech-driven world, electronic devices have become indispensable. But with constant upgrades, what happens to the old gadgets? They tend to pile up and eat up storage space. But you can’t just throw them in the trash. E-waste poses a significant environmental threat if not disposed of responsibly.
E-waste is a term that refers to electronic devices that are no longer useful or wanted. These include things like:
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Donna Aplin
The global cost of a data breach last year was USD $4.45 million. This is an increase of 15% over three years. As we step into 2024, it’s crucial to be aware of emerging technology threats. Ones that could potentially disrupt and harm your business.
Technology is evolving at a rapid pace. It’s bringing new opportunities and challenges for businesses and individuals alike. Not all technology is benign. Some innovations can pose serious threats to our digital security, privacy, and safety.
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Donna Aplin
Technology is reshaping the world of work at an unprecedented pace. From artificial intelligence to web3, from the metaverse to the hybrid work model. We are witnessing a series of technological revolutions. They are transforming how we communicate, collaborate, create, and innovate.
Let’s explore some of the most impactful technology trends that are changing the way we work in 2024 and beyond.
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Donna Aplin
Are you a small business owner or a freelancer who offers services online? If so, you might be wondering how to get paid by your customers in a fast and convenient way. You might have tried different payment platforms. But they often require you to switch between different apps or websites. This can be time-consuming and confusing.
There is now another option to streamline the payment process. Microsoft has launched the Teams Payments app. This is a new feature that allows you to request and receive payments from your customers. You do it within Microsoft Teams meetings.
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Donna Aplin
These days, our lives are intricately woven into the digital fabric. From emails to photos, documents to apps, our devices store tons of information. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed at the sight of an endless inbox or app library.
As the new year begins, it’s the perfect time for a digital declutter. A clean and organised digital environment can help you improve your productivity. It also reduces stress. Here are some practical tips to help you declutter your digital space.
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Donna Aplin
Cybersecurity has become paramount for businesses across the globe. As technology advances, so do the threats. Recognising this, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has introduced new rules. They revolve around cybersecurity. These new requirements are set to significantly impact businesses.
These rules are a response to the growing sophistication of cyber threats. As well as the need for companies to safeguard their sensitive information.
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Donna Aplin
In the age of smart living, our homes are becoming increasingly intelligent. They’re designed to cater to our every need. Smart gadgets are transforming how we turn on the lights, home security, and more. They even help us feed our pets from afar.
But with the rapid evolution of this technology, it’s crucial to make informed choices. To know what to adopt and what to avoid. Every smart technology isn’t as helpful as another.
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Donna Aplin
Breached or stolen passwords are the bane of any organisation’s cybersecurity. Passwords cause over 80% of data breaches. Hackers get in using stolen, weak, or reused (and easily breached) passwords.
But passwords are a part of life. Technologies like biometrics or passkeys haven’t yet replaced them. We use them for websites, apps, and more. So, companies need a secure way to share passwords with employees. As well as help them manage those passwords more effectively.
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