29/10/2026
Want to hear a Halloween horror story? 🎃
A few years ago, we had a client who only called us when something went wrong.
They weren't interested in preventative maintenance or the security improvements we recommended. Free antivirus software was enough, apparently.
Then one day, we got a call.
Their accountant had discovered a ransomware message on their computer - the dreaded readme file of doom!
Their Sage accounting data had been encrypted, and their most recent backup was five days old.
The owner refused to pay the ransom, leaving them facing the prospect of rebuilding five days of accounting records.
You'd think that would be enough to make anyone reconsider their approach to IT security.
But no. The owner insisted that having been attacked once made them less likely to be attacked again.
Almost exactly a week later, the accountant called us again.
Another ransomware attack.
Twice in one week!
Even then, the business wasn't prepared to address the security weaknesses we'd identified. Eventually, we made the difficult decision to stop supporting them.
It's an extreme example, but a useful reminder that good IT security isn't just about dealing with problems when they happen. It's about doing what you can to prevent them in the first place.
Thankfully, ransomware incidents have been extremely rare amongst our clients, and we've never had one affect a fully managed client.
And remember, you're never too small to be a target. Cybercriminals don't need to know who you are. If they find a vulnerable system, you could become their next victim.
Because some horror stories are better left to Halloween. 👻
