New phishing scam is smarter than ever… here’s how to protect your business

Microsoft is warning business owners about a new type of phishing scam (where cyber criminals pose as a trusted source to trick you into giving away login info), which uses popular cloud services like SharePoint and OneDrive.

Although these platforms are usually safe, scammers have figured out how to trick privacy settings to get past security checks.

The scammers hack your cloud storage by stealing your login details or buying them on the black market.

Once they get inside, they upload a file that is designed to look authentic – like a fake Microsoft 365 login page. They set the file to “view-only” or limit access to specific people, such as you and your team.

Opening these files or following any links inside the emails could cause serious damage to your business. Scammers can use your information to access your systems, or they can install malware (malicious software) that lets them cause disruption and steal information.

Recovering from these kinds of attacks can be expensive and time-consuming – not to mention the damage it could do to your business’s reputation.

Make sure your employees are aware of this new threat and know to be cautious when opening emails, even if they appear to come from a trusted service.

Before opening any shared files, double-check the sender’s identity. If something feels off, contact the sender directly to verify it.

Make sure you use multi-factor authentication (MFA) across all your team’s devices. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second piece of information (like a code sent to your phone) along with your password.

Also, keep your security software up to date so that it’s always ready to block the latest types of attack.

Would you like our help protecting your business with added security, training, and monitoring? Get in touch.

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Start it on your phone… finish it on your PC?

Microsoft is once again finding ways to make life easier for your business with Windows 11.

If you ever work on your phone as well as your PC, you’re going to love the new “Hand Off” feature that’s being tested right now.

The idea is this: Let’s say you’re in a meeting or on the move. And you start working on something in Microsoft Word or another app on your phone. Once you get back to your PC, a notification will pop up asking if you want to keep working on the document – allowing you to switch between devices seamlessly.

This feature is made possible through OneDrive’s syncing function. It’s already compatible with Android phones, and it’s likely to work for iPhones too, although that’s not yet been confirmed.

Being able to jump between devices without losing track of work could be a great benefit, especially if your team works remotely.

Although it hasn’t been rolled out just yet, “Hand Off” has clear potential to be a valuable tool for businesses. Ready to find out more ways Windows 11 could boost productivity in your business? We can help, get in touch.

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If it ain’t broke… Windows update makes signing out simple again

Microsoft recently made changes to the Windows Start menu – and it caused a bit of an uproar.

Here’s what happened: Microsoft tried to streamline the Start menu by grouping related settings together. But they tucked the sign out option behind a three-dot menu, creating confusion for people trying to log out of their accounts.

Thankfully, Microsoft has listened to feedback and is now testing an update to put the sign out button back to where it was before.

This is good news for teams that have multiple profiles set up on one computer, making it easier to switch between accounts again.

These changes are part of a broader update to Windows 11 that’s currently being tested. The update will also bring in new features like media controls on the lock screen for when you’re playing music or videos, as well as the ability to share files directly from your search results.

These updates are great examples of small changes that can have a really positive impact on how your team works. Is it time for you to move your business to Windows 11? We can help get you started, get in touch.

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Beware this malware: It “annoys” you into handing over login details

How cautious are you and your team with online security? You know about phishing scams, dodgy downloads, and not clicking suspicious links, right?

But an even sneakier new malware (that’s malicious software) wants to frustrate you into giving up your Google login details.

The malware doesn’t have a catchy name yet, but it’s part of a larger threat known as “Amadey”, and it’s been on the rise since August.

It forces your PC into something called “kiosk mode” (a setting often used on public computers that only lets you access one window). This allows it to lock your browser in full screen mode, hiding all your usual navigation buttons like the address bar and menus. Then you get sent to a fake Google password reset page.

Normally, you’d just hit the Esc or F11 keys to get out of full screen mode, right? Well, not this time. It won’t work if the malware has infected your PC. It wants to confuse you into thinking you must enter your password to solve the problem.

The password reset page will look like a real Google page. But the second you type in your details, they’ll be stolen by a second piece of malware hiding in the background. Falling right into the hands of cyber criminals.

Pretty scary stuff.

But here’s the good news: You can break free without giving up your details.

If your browser gets stuck in full screen mode, try hitting ALT+TAB to switch tasks, or ALT+F4 to force the window to close. Otherwise, try closing it through your task manager (CTRL+ALT+DELETE).

If all else fails, just restart your PC by holding down the power button or unplugging it, then get an expert (like us) to look at the malware.

Prevention is always the best approach, though. Be wary if your computer starts behaving strangely, especially if your browser suddenly goes into full screen mode and won’t let you navigate away.

Avoid clicking on suspicious links or downloading attachments you aren’t sure about. And as tempting as it might be to get past an annoying screen, never enter your password unless you’re 100% sure the website is legit.

If you’d like us to teach your team how to avoid the latest scams, we can help. Get in touch.

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