Welcome to the April edition of Technology Today

Quick tech news for the busy professional! Here you will find:

• Passwords: make sure they’re secure 🔐
• Microsoft: what’s new?
• Tech Facts: did you know?
• Break/fix: stuck in a conundrum
• Quiz Time: test your team!
   

Time to fix those risky password habits

We all know how important it is to keep our data safe, but sometimes our best intentions fall short. And when you have employees, you’re at an increased risk of security threats and bad habits creeping in.  

Here’s the deal: Even if you invest in cyber security training, changing long held password habits can be a tough nut to crack. People love convenience, and remembering a ton of complex passwords just isn’t their idea of a good time. 

Your employees are juggling dozens of passwords for work and personal use. It’s a lot to handle, and sometimes they slip up and reuse passwords across different accounts. It’s a familiar story, right? And it’s where the trouble starts.

When passwords are reused, it’s like leaving the front door wide open for cyber criminals. If the password is breached on one site, they will try it to access other sites.

Here’s how you can make sure your team stays on top of their password game:

• Password audit: Ask your IT partner to do an audit of passwords and look for weak ones that should be changed.
• Block weak passwords: Ask your IT partner to implement a password policy that stops common passwords from being used. 
• Scan for compromised passwords: Even strong passwords can be compromised. Stay one step ahead by scanning for breached passwords and prompting employees to change them.
• Use password managers: Password managers securely generate then store a unique password for every different account… and fill them into the login box so your team don’t have to.
• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Add an extra layer of security with MFA, where you get a code on a separate device. It’s like putting a deadbolt on your front door – double the protection, double the peace of mind.

With the right tools and guidance, password security doesn’t have to be hard work. If we can help you with that, get in touch.

What’s new to Microsoft?

Say hello to perfect photos with Windows: 

Microsoft is bringing the best feature from the Google Pixel phone to Windows 10 and 11. The AI-powered ‘generative erase’ tool removes imperfections and unwanted features. It can even replace them with AI-generated images, such as removing people from backgrounds or replacing the background entirely. It promises a user-friendly, impressive editing experience that will improve your website images, presentations, and loads more. 

Did you know?

You can snooze your emails! 

Our inboxes can be relentless. Sometimes an email pings through that you don’t have time to deal with, but you don’t want to forget about either.

Instead of marking it as unread and leaving it to get lost amongst the scores of junk, if you use Outlook you can snooze it instead. That means it pops back to the top of your inbox at a time that’s more convenient. Simply right click the email, click Snooze, and set a time. Done! 

Tech Facts:

1. At the end of 2023, there were 1.13 billion websites on the internet.
2. More than 90% of the mobile phones sold in Japan are waterproof. It’s said to be because of the tendency of Japanese women to use their phones in the bath.
3. As of January 2024, there were 5.35 billion internet users worldwide. Of this total, 5.04 billion were using social media.

Are you stuck in the break/fix cycle?

When it comes to your IT support, have you ever found yourself wondering whether having a contracted partnership beats the old break/fix model?

Let’s rewind a little first. What’s break/fix?

Well, imagine this: Your computer crashes, your server goes kaput, or your network decides to take an unexpected break. What do you do? You call up your IT person, who swoops in to save the day – for a hefty fee, of course. Something breaks, IT fixes it. That’s the extent of the relationship.

In the moment, it might feel like a lifesaver. But let’s be real here – when relying on a break/fix model you’re constantly putting out fires, and each time it happens, it’s costing you time and money. Not to mention the stress it puts on you and your team. So instead, let’s talk about the benefits of a contracted partnership with an IT support provider.

Read the full article here >>

Quiz answers:
1. 85 metres.
2. Minecraft.
3. 1994 in Microsoft 3D Movie Maker.
4. R75,000.
5. 1920s (when Computing Tabulating Recording Corporation changed its name).