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13/12/2025

Here’s a scary thought: Your team might be using AI tools that you don’t even know about.

They’re not doing it maliciously. They’re trying to get work done faster. But it’s creating a huge blind spot for security.

This quiet trend even has a name: Shadow AI.

It’s when employees use unsanctioned AI tools (like free chatbots, text generators, or online assistants) without their company’s approval.

And it’s spreading fast.

Recent research from Microsoft found that around 7 in 10 employees have used an unapproved AI tool at least once, and over half keep using them week after week.

And it’s not hard to see why.

Tools like Copilot, ChatGPT and Gemini can instantly rewrite awkward emails, summarise documents, or create slides in minutes. They save time and boost productivity. What’s not to love?

The problem is… security 🔐

Most employees have no idea that when they paste company or customer information into a public AI tool, that data could leave the organisation forever. In some cases, it might even be used to train future AI models.

That means sensitive data could resurface in unexpected ways later on. And that’s a huge privacy and compliance risk.

Only about a third of workers say they worry about these dangers. So the rest are unintentionally putting their companies at risk every single day.

But shadow AI doesn’t have to be the villain of the story.

People are turning to AI because they want to work smarter. The solution isn’t banning it, it’s guiding it.

✅ Give employees approved, secure AI tools that meet business and data protection standards.

✅ Train everyone on how to use them safely.

✅ Set clear rules for what can and can’t be shared.

AI isn’t the problem. Uncontrolled AI is.

💬 Be honest, do you know which AI tools your team is using right now?

12/12/2025

12/12/2025

We all know the old saying: “With great power comes great responsibility”.

But when it comes to artificial intelligence, it seems not everyone got the memo.

Hackers are now using AI to supercharge their attacks.

They’re crafting eerily convincing phishing emails, writing them in perfect English (or any language they choose), and sending them out by the thousands.

Why waste time breaking through a company’s firewalls when you can just trick someone into handing over the keys?

Microsoft’s latest Digital Defence Report paints a worrying picture:

👉 Over 80% of the cyber attacks their teams investigated were after one thing: Data.

Once attackers get in, they steal it, encrypt it, delete it, and then demand a ransom for its return.

And while the hackers might be after money, the consequences are all too human.

Hospitals and care homes have been hit particularly hard. When their systems go down, lives can literally be on the line. That pressure means many end up paying the ransom just to get back online.

The weakest link in all of this?

It’s still us humans. Most attacks start with stolen login details.

But here’s the good news: One simple tool can stop 99% of identity-based attacks.

🤔 Can you guess what it is?

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).

That’s the extra step where you confirm a login on your phone or via an app. Even if a hacker has your password, they can’t get in without that second check.

It’s a tiny inconvenience that can save your business from a world of pain.

Meanwhile, the cyber arms race continues.

AI is helping attackers create smarter, shape-shifting malware. But it’s also helping defenders spot threats faster, detect phishing, and train employees. So it’s not all bad news. Both sides are learning fast.

Microsoft’s message is clear: Fighting cyber crime is now a shared global responsibility. Governments, businesses, and individuals all have a role to play, from sharing intelligence to simply turning on MFA.

The world’s digital defences are only as strong as the people behind them.

💬 Does your business have MFA switched on for every account that matters? If not, what’s stopping you?

10/12/2025

Cyber crime is evolving fast… and it’s not always people behind the attacks anymore.

AI is changing the game for both hackers and how we defend against them.

Is your business ready for this?

09/12/2025

09/12/2025

💻 Big news: Microsoft has confirmed that AI is coming to all Windows 11 computers.

And that could completely change how you use your PC.

This update is part of a huge push from Microsoft to make voice, vision, and automation the heart of the Windows experience. In other words, your computer’s about to get a lot more helpful.

Here’s what’s happening:

🗣️ Copilot Voice
You’ll soon be able to simply say “Hey Copilot” to talk to your computer.

Need to open an app, check a setting, or ask a question? Just speak.

When you’re done, say “Goodbye,” and Copilot politely signs off.

No more typing or hunting through menus.

👀 Copilot Vision
This feature can “see” what’s on your screen (if you give it permission).

It can understand context, like what app you’re in or what you’re working on, and then help you with it.

Stuck on a spreadsheet? Copilot can explain what’s wrong.

Playing a game? It can offer tips.

⚙️ Copilot Actions
This one’s next level. Microsoft is testing a feature that lets Copilot take real actions on your files and apps.

For example, you could say: “Hey Copilot, find and delete any duplicate photos from this folder.”

And it’ll do it, interacting with your apps like a human would, clicking, typing, and scrolling for you.

That’s what Microsoft means when it says we’ll be “using the mouse and keyboard less”.

This is more than voice control. It’s an assistant that can act for you.

Of course, this kind of power comes with responsibility. Microsoft says you’ll stay in full control, everything is opt-in, transparent, and you can stop or pause Copilot whenever you want.

But the big takeaway is this: Windows 11 is evolving into something you can talk to, collaborate with, and soon, delegate work to.

Microsoft’s Yusuf Mehdi even said this shift from typing to talking, could be as transformative as when we first got the mouse and keyboard.

That’s a bold claim… but it’s hard not to get excited about what’s coming next.

💭 What do you think? Does the idea of an AI-powered PC make your life easier, or does it make you a little uneasy?

08/12/2025

When it comes to cyber security, there’s no single magic fix.

Real protection comes from having layers.

Each one catches what the last might have missed.

The question is, how many layers does your business have in place?

07/12/2025

⚠️ Want to keep your LinkedIn data private?

You need to know about this one…

Microsoft-owned LinkedIn quietly announced that it will be using your data to train its AI models automatically… unless you opt out.

That means the posts, comments, and other content you’ve shared publicly could help improve LinkedIn’s AI features.

That’s things like “Rewrite with AI” or how the algorithm recommends connections and jobs.

On the surface, that sounds kind of nice, right? AI that “better connects people to opportunities.” But there’s a catch…

🧠 LinkedIn isn’t asking for permission. It’s assuming consent.

If you do nothing, your data will be used.

And while LinkedIn insists it won’t use private messages or non-public content, it will use your public activity and profile information to train its content-generating AI systems.

This includes users worldwide. It also affects members across Europe, the UK, and Switzerland, despite having slightly stricter data protections.

Even if you switch it off, LinkedIn says it won’t undo any training that’s already been done with your data. Turning it off only stops future use.

Here’s how to check your settings 🔍

🛠️ Go to Settings → Data Privacy → Data for Generative AI Improvement
🛠️ Toggle off “Use my data for training content creation AI models”

You can also find it directly by searching for that phrase in LinkedIn’s settings.

This isn’t fear-mongering. Many platforms are now training AI on user data to make smarter tools. But it’s important that you get to choose whether your data is part of that or not.

🔒 Stay in control of your data. Take 30 seconds to check that toggle.

💬 Do you think this is a fair trade-off for smarter AI? Or is it another example of tech companies pushing privacy boundaries too far?

06/12/2025

💡Think your PC is just a screen, a keyboard, and a mouse?

Think again.

Microsoft has announced that Windows 11 is becoming an “Agentic OS.”

That might sound like tech jargon, but it’s a big deal. And it’s easier to understand than it sounds.

So, what does agentic mean? 🤔

In simple terms, it means your computer will soon be able to act on your behalf.

You’ll be able to say what you want it to do out loud, and it’ll get on with it for you.

Think of it like having a personal digital assistant inside your PC, one that doesn’t just answer questions but does the work.

You might say: “Hey Copilot, tidy up my desktop and save those screenshots in a folder.”

And Copilot could:

🪄 Find the screenshots
🪄 Create a new folder
🪄 Move them all in there for you

…without you having to click a single thing.

That’s Agentic AI. It’s a type of artificial intelligence that can think, plan, and act based on your instructions.

It works through something called Copilot Actions, which connects your words to real actions on your PC.

So, instead of manually launching apps, typing commands, or dragging files, you’ll simply tell Copilot what needs doing and it will make it happen safely, under your supervision.

Microsoft is building this around three main abilities:

🗣️ Copilot Voice: You talk, it listens and understands.

👀 Copilot Vision: It can “see” what’s on your screen and understand context.

⚙️ Copilot Actions: It carries out the tasks for you.

This is all powered by an open standard (called the Model Context Protocol) that lets AI work with your apps securely, while you stay in full control.

And before you worry, yes, you can stop or pause Copilot at any time. You’ll always know what it’s doing and can step in if needed.

We’re still at the early stages of this, but it’s the clearest sign yet that how we interact with our computers is about to change forever.

No more clicking through endless folders. No more opening five apps just to complete one job. Just say what you need and let Windows do the rest.

Feels a bit like the distant future is a lot closer, doesn’t it? ✨

🤔 So tell me, if your PC could do work tasks for you just by asking, what’s the first job you’d hand off to it?

05/12/2025

If you're logged in to the company's WiFi, Microsoft Teams will be able to locate you and inform your boss about it.Good news, the update has been pushed back. Back in October, it was expected to roll out in December, but Microsoft now says the rollout starts in February 2026.

05/12/2025

Your team’s too smart to fall for a scam, right?

Think again.

Cyber criminals are getting smarter. And their emails can look very convincing.

One click on the wrong link could be all it takes.

This real-life phishing example shows exactly what red flags to look for…

05/12/2025

Your team’s too smart to fall for a scam, right?

Think again.

Cyber criminals are getting smarter. And their emails can look very convincing.

One click on the wrong link could be all it takes.

This real-life phishing example shows exactly what red flags to look for…

03/12/2025

🤖 Copilot is about to get a lot more hands-on with your files.

You might have noticed Copilot popping up more lately. And now, it’s about to become even more useful.

Until recently, Copilot mostly worked with things on the web. It answers questions, writes emails, summarises documents. And that’s handy, sure… but it’s not exactly life-changing, is it?

That’s about to change 🥁

Microsoft has announced Copilot Actions for local files. It’s going to change the way you handle everyday tasks.

How?

Well, you’ll soon be able to select a group of files on your computer, say, a folder full of photos, and simply tell Copilot what you want to do.

💬 “Straighten these photos and delete any duplicates.”
💬 “Rename these invoices by date.”
💬 “Zip these files and email them to Andy.”

Copilot will then get to work, using your installed apps and tools, while you move on to something else.

You’ll even be able to watch what it’s doing on your screen (if you’ve got nothing better to do), step by step, and stop it at any time.

In other words, Copilot becomes a kind of digital assistant that acts on your behalf, not just gives advice.

Microsoft’s being cautious with this one (and rightly so).

It’s going to start testing the feature with Windows Insiders first (that’s the group that tries new updates early) before releasing it more widely. But once it lands, this could change how we all work day-to-day.

Imagine delegating the dull stuff, things like renaming, organising, converting, moving, so you can focus on the things that only you can do.

And the best bit?

Copilot will always ask your permission before doing anything that affects your files, so you stay in control.

It’s early days, but the direction is clear: Your computer is about to become a whole lot more helpful 💡

🤔 What’s one boring computer task you’d love to hand off to Copilot?

02/12/2025

Ever get frustrated fixing mistakes after using dictation?

It can take longer than typing out a document in the first place, right?

A new Windows 11 feature is built to make that headache disappear. It will make dictation smoother, and far more precise, first time…

01/12/2025

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01/12/2025

You know those small tech changes that make you think, “Why wasn’t this always a thing?” Well, Microsoft just dropped one of those.

Sometimes you want to quickly peek inside a file without opening it, maybe a Word document, a photo, or a PDF 👀

Until now, that’s been something only Mac users could brag about. They have a feature called Quick Look, which lets them preview files instantly by tapping the Spacebar.

But now… Windows 11 finally has it too 🎉

It’s called Peek, and it’s part of a free Microsoft app called PowerToys.

🧸 PowerToys is a collection of clever little tools that Microsoft quietly maintains for people who like to get more out of Windows. Things that probably should just come built in, but don’t (yet).

Peek lets you select any file in File Explorer (that’s the main place where you browse your folders and files), and with one tap of the Spacebar, you get an instant preview. No waiting for Word, Excel, or Photoshop to open.

Need a quick look at that photo? ✅

Double-check what’s inside a PDF? ✅

Glance at a PowerPoint without opening it? ✅

It’s one of those tiny changes that saves seconds dozens of times a day. And that adds up to real time saved every week ⏱️

To try it, you’ll need to:

⭐️ Install PowerToys (you can get it free from the Microsoft Store)
⭐️ Make sure you’ve updated to version 0.95 or newer
⭐️ Go to Settings > File Management > Peek and change the activation key to Spacebar

That’s it. You’re now living in the future (or at least keeping up with the Mac crowd 😅).

It’s amazing how a simple little shortcut can make your computer feel friendlier to use.

The less time you spend waiting for apps to load, the more time you can focus on actual work. Or maybe even finish early for once 😉

This one’s got me wondering, what’s your favourite small-but-mighty Windows feature?

30/11/2025

Most of us think of cyber attacks as something that happens “out there”. On a company server, in the cloud, or inside a corporate network.

But a growing trend shows attackers are now going straight for the weakest link: Your device and your browser 📱💻

According to a new report, cyber criminals are increasingly targeting mobile browsers to get around traditional security protections.

These are called client-side attacks.

Instead of going after a company’s servers, the criminals inject malicious code that runs directly on your phone or browser ☠️

Here’s how it works in simple terms:

• Hackers sneak malicious scripts into popular website themes (like WordPress)
• When you visit an infected site, your browser window can be hijacked with a fake prompt that looks 100% legitimate
• Victims are then tricked into installing a fake app, often disguised as something ordinary, like a crypto wallet or even an adult app
• Once installed, the app doesn’t just disappear when you close your browser. It sticks around, stealing login credentials, draining crypto wallets, or hijacking session tokens to keep control of your accounts

The scary part is how convincing these attacks can be.

Full-screen prompts, familiar logos, and browser messages all add up to something most people would trust without thinking twice.

Why is this happening?

Mobile platforms have weaker protections than desktop browsers, making them easier to exploit. And let’s face it, on a small screen, when you’re on the move, it’s easier to miss the warning signs.

So, what can you do?

For businesses, it means making sure websites and apps are tightly monitored, especially third-party scripts.

For you and your people, it comes down to being cautious. Don’t install apps from unexpected prompts and be suspicious of any login screen that doesn’t feel quite right. Even if it looks like it’s from Google.

Cyber criminals know that the fastest way into a business is often through the everyday devices employees use. Staying alert to these tricks is just as important as having strong firewalls and antivirus in place.

❓ Be honest, if a browser popup told you to “install this app to continue”, would you pause and think twice, or would you just click?

29/11/2025

Video calls on Zoom or Microsoft Teams have become part of everyday business life.

But new research shows that attackers can hide inside those calls to sneak data out of your company 😬

Researchers have revealed a technique they’ve called Ghost Calls 👻

Here’s how it works in simple terms:

When you join a Teams or Zoom call, your device gets a temporary set of credentials to connect to the meeting.

Hackers can hijack those credentials and use them to build a secret tunnel between your compromised computer and their own systems.

The dangerous bit?

All the traffic is then routed through Zoom or Teams’ servers.

And because those servers are trusted and usually whitelisted by company firewalls, the malicious traffic looks exactly like normal video call traffic. To the security systems, it’s invisible.

It gets even worse:
• Video conferencing traffic is usually encrypted end-to-end, which makes it impossible for most defences to see what’s inside.
• The traffic patterns blend in with normal meeting behaviour, so there are no obvious red flags.
• And because the credentials only last a couple of days, the attackers don’t need to stick around for long.

This isn’t a simple bug that Zoom or Microsoft can just patch. It’s really about how video conferencing technology is designed to work. It must function even behind strict corporate firewalls.

Zoom has already introduced some mitigations to make this attack harder, but the risk isn’t going away completely.

Your takeaway is clear: Even tools you completely trust, like Teams and Zoom, can be abused by attackers once they have a foothold in your systems.

Strong endpoint security, monitoring for unusual behaviour, and limiting what data devices can access are all critical steps in reducing the risk.

Ghost Calls are a reminder that cyber criminals will always find creative ways to blend in with normal activity. The question is whether your business is prepared to spot the unusual before it does damage.

👻 Do you feel confident your business could detect an attacker hiding inside something as ordinary as a Teams call?

28/11/2025

Is your IT support fixing problems before you spot them?

Or does it leave you waiting days for help?

Great IT keeps your business secure, productive, and always moving forward.

This is what it should look like…

26/11/2025

When you hear a warning from the FBI you know things are serious.

And that’s why you should take notice of this latest warning about a ransomware group that could target your business.

This is what they’re doing, and how you can stay safe…

25/11/2025

The Windows 11 Taskbar might be about to get a whole lot smarter 🧠

Microsoft is testing something called “agentic companions”. That’s AI helpers that live right on your Taskbar and are designed to step in when you need them.

Instead of having to open an app or manually launch Copilot, these companions would be just a click away, ready to help with whatever’s on your screen.

Here’s the idea: You’d see a new Taskbar button, probably near the System Tray. Clicking it would bring up an AI overlay that can “look” at your screen and offer contextual help 👀

Microsoft is already experimenting with this using a feature called Click To Do. With that, you press and hold the Windows key, and the AI scans what’s on your screen, images, text, or both, and suggests actions you might want to take.

Pair this with Copilot Vision (which can already analyse what’s on your screen) and you start to get a sense of where it’s heading: AI that doesn’t just answer questions, but proactively understands your context.

Imagine you’re looking at a spreadsheet, and instead of copying data around yourself, the AI offers to create a chart or summary for you.

Or you’re stuck in an app and it highlights the exact button you need 🔎

Microsoft calls this a more “ambient” AI experience. In other words, it’s always there in the background, more like a digital colleague that’s watching for opportunities to make life easier.

Voice commands could also become a big part of this 🗣️ Microsoft has made no secret of its long-term vision of moving away from the mouse and keyboard, and towards a world where AI and natural voice control become the primary way we use Windows.

There’s still a lot we don’t know. No release date has been confirmed, though some expect the first version of agentic companions could appear in the 25H2 update.

Of course, not every big idea makes it into everyday use. Some features flop, others quietly disappear. But the bigger picture is clear: Microsoft wants AI at the very heart of Windows, transforming it from an operating system you control to a partner you interact with.

💭 How would you feel about having an AI “companion” sitting on your Taskbar, always ready to step in? Helpful productivity boost, or just one distraction too many?