Time to Level Up Your Phishing Defence
Welcome to this month’s tech news. Here you will find:
- It’s Time: Level Up Your Phishing Defence.
- Microsoft: What’s new?
- Tech Facts: Did you know?
- Q & A: What everyone’s asking
- Quiz Time: Test your team!
Enjoy the read, and remember to give us a call if you have any IT concerns – we’re here to help!
Level Up Your Phishing Defence
Let’s be honest: most phishing training just doesn’t stick.
We need to think of it more like brushing our teeth than going to the dentist — small, regular habits are what count.
Yet many businesses still rely on once-a-year online courses. Employees click through a few slides on “spotting suspicious emails,” tick the “complete” box, and then go back to business as usual.
The problem? Cyber criminals aren’t taking a break.
Phishing — where scammers trick people into clicking links or handing over passwords or bank details — still accounts for around 15% of all data breaches. Awareness alone isn’t enough; the number of successful attacks keeps climbing because traditional training isn’t changing behaviour.
People don’t learn best from annual lectures. They learn from experiences that feel real, relevant, and ongoing. That’s why it’s time to rethink phishing training. Instead of ticking a yearly compliance box, businesses need regular, bite-sized, and engaging learning.
Practical tips for modern phishing training:
- Make it part of your culture: Encourage employees to report suspicious emails without fear of blame.
- Use bite-sized, regular training: Short, frequent sessions are more effective than long, infrequent courses.
- Gamify learning: Reward staff for spotting phishing attempts to make training interactive and engaging.
- Combine training with technology: Implement two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of protection.
- Keep it relevant: Use real-world examples that match the kinds of emails your team actually receives.
- Test and reinforce: Regular simulated phishing emails can help staff practise safe behaviours.
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Modern training works best when employees feel confident, engaged, and supported. Even the best-trained staff can make mistakes, so technology and culture must work hand-in-hand.
If your phishing training hasn’t evolved in a while, now’s the time to shake things up. Your people — and your data — deserve better protection.
What’s new to Microsoft?
Windows 11 goes hands-free
Microsoft has announced that Windows 11 is becoming an “Agentic OS”. That means your PC will soon be able to think, plan, and act on your behalf.
It’s powered by Copilot Actions, Voice, and Vision. You’ll be able to tell your computer what to do, and it’ll handle the task. You won’t need to touch the keyboard or even your mouse.
Annotate screens instantly in Windows 11
Taking screenshots on Windows 11 just got a major upgrade. The handy Win + Shift + S shortcut now includes live annotation, which lets you draw, highlight, or add notes directly on your screen. No need to open Snipping Tool or Paint.
The new Quick Markup bar appears right after you capture an area, giving you instant tools to edit, share, or even send your screenshot to Copilot.
Did you know?
…Data centres could soon leave Earth?
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has suggested that future data centres, those giant facilities that power AI and cloud computing, could operate in space.
He explained that orbit offers endless solar power, no weather, and ideal conditions for cooling huge AI systems.
Bezos believes that within 20 years, it could be cheaper to run data centres in orbit than on Earth. But imagine the technical challenges of maintaining and repairing computers hundreds of miles above us.
Tech Facts:
- Microsoft holds the record for creating the quietest place on Earth. The anechoic chamber at its Redmond, Washington headquarters absorbs all sound and blocks outside noise, measuring an astonishing -20.35 decibels, which is below the threshold of human hearing. It’s so quiet that visitors can hear their own heartbeat. Microsoft uses the chamber to test microphones, speakers, and other devices in perfect silence.
- Oracle has unveiled Zettascale10, the world’s largest AI supercomputer in the cloud. It’s designed with OpenAI and connects to 800,000 NVIDIA GPUs across massive data centres in Texas, all working together as one. It will power the next generation of AI training, using less energy and faster networking than ever before.
- In 1968, engineer Douglas Engelbart gave the first public demo of the computer mouse. It was a wooden, two-button device that changed computing forever. His 90-minute presentation also introduced hypertext and video conferencing to an audience of 1,000 amazed computer professionals.
Q & A
Q: How do I know if our backups work?
A: Test them regularly. A backup isn’t useful unless you’ve confirmed it can be restored.
Q: Can AI really help my business?
A: Yes. Tools like Copilot can help save you and your team time on admin, reports, and communication. And that means more productivity.
Q: Is Microsoft 365 secure enough for my business?
A: Yes, especially with Business Premium. It includes advanced protection against phishing and ransomware.
Time for a Tech Quiz!
- Which shortcut is often used to open the Task Manager in Windows?
- What is the primary role of an operating system (OS) on a computer?
- What is “software”?
- What’s the smallest unit of data in a computer system?
- What is an “input device”?
See answers below
Until next time,
The GZD team
Quiz answers:
1. Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
2. To manage the computer’s hardware and software resources and provide services to applications.
3. The set of instructions, data or programs that tell the hardware what to do.
4. A “bit” (binary digit) – either 0 or 1.
5. A hardware device that allows you to enter data or instructions into a computer (for example a keyboard or mouse).
