Local Circuit

10/12/2026

UK criminal records agency ACRO failed to investigate security alerts before several breaches, according to the ICO. Up to 10,920 people may have been affected. Assign someone to review every alert, escalate it and record what was checked.

Unread antivirus alerts and an unpatched content management system exposed Britain's ACRO to three separate data breaches, according to a reprimand notice.

10/11/2026

A short email send delay gives you time to cancel a message after clicking Send. It can help employees catch the wrong recipient or attachment before payroll records, contracts or customer information leave the company.

10/10/2026

Your network diagram should show how your internet connection, firewall, switches, wireless access points, servers and important cloud services fit together. Keep it current and store a copy somewhere you can reach during an outage. Need a current diagram? Contact us.

10/09/2026

Some free VPNs make money by letting other people send traffic through your internet connection.

Google recently took down a large network that used devices running apps advertised as free VPNs.

While the VPN worked, the app also allowed other customers' internet traffic to pass through the device.

On a work laptop, that traffic would appear to come from your company's public IP address. Your IP could get blocked because of activity nobody in the business carried out.

Google also found that some of this software could expose other devices on the same network.

Check which VPNs and browser extensions are installed on company devices. Staff should use the VPN provided by the business, not one they found online because it was free.

Want to know whether unapproved VPNs or proxy software are installed on your company devices? Reach out and we can check for you.

10/09/2026

DNS filtering can stop employees from opening known phishing and malware sites, even when they click a bad link. Ask your IT provider whether it's enabled on office computers and work devices used away from the office.

10/08/2026

An FBI official said a North Korean IT worker had been working for a US government agency. The agency and the worker's access weren't disclosed. For remote hires, verify identity, work history and location before sending equipment or granting access.

The investigation shows that North Koreans are able to infiltrate government agencies, as well as private organizations and crypto exchanges.

10/06/2026

Your out-of-office reply shouldn't tell strangers where you are, which clients you're working with or who is covering for you. People outside your company only need to know when you'll reply and how to contact the business if it's urgent.

10/06/2026

Your company should control the main admin account for its accounting software, CRM and file storage. Use a company email address, give access to at least two trusted people, and keep the billing and recovery details current. Need help checking? Contact us.

10/05/2026

Emailing the same message to several customers? Put their addresses in BCC so they can't see each other's details or send a reply to the whole list. Use an email marketing platform for newsletters or larger groups.

10/04/2026

Don't trust hotel Wi-Fi. It can be compromised even when you've joined the correct network.

Microsoft has found attackers taking control of the systems used for Wi-Fi login pages at hotels and conference venues.

Once the login system has been compromised, guests can be redirected to a fake Microsoft 365 sign-in page or shown a fake browser update that installs malware.

The timing makes the request believable. You've just connected, the hotel page opens and it says an update is needed before you can continue.

Checking the network name with reception won't help because the hotel's real Wi-Fi is involved.

Use your phone's hotspot for work whenever possible. If you have to use hotel Wi-Fi, never enter your work password into the hotel registration page.

And if the page asks you to download an update, certificate or security tool, disconnect. Joining Wi-Fi shouldn't require you to install anything.

If your staff travel with work laptops, send us a message before their next trip. We'll make sure the devices are properly protected.